The Cloud Hunters by Alex Shearer

Author:Alex Shearer [Alex Shearer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Published: 2012-08-08T04:00:00+00:00

22

garbage ship

The first few days were easy and slow. There was little do and so that was what we did – very little, and with close attention to detail. Doing nothing is a sort of art, and you need plenty of time to perfect it.

For most of that part of the journey, Kaneesh lounged on deck, baking in the sun. Occasionally he shifted himself to trail a line over the side and reel in a couple of sky-fish. Then, when our meal was over, he would gather up the bowls and push them in my direction, indicating that here, at least, was one field of endeavour in which I could make myself useful.

When the washing-up was finished there were usually a few basic chores to do, if only to pass the time: little jobs of maintenance and repair, keeping the boat in order, applying a lick of paint here and there.

I had brought a few books with me, and so had Jenine – schoolbooks, some of them – and we went through them together, testing each other’s knowledge of theories and facts. I tried to get her to teach me a few words of her language, but it was hard and guttural and difficult to pronounce.

‘How long till we get there?’ I asked Kaneesh one long, sultry afternoon.

But he just looked at me as if to say, Where’s there? What kind of a place is that? There’s only here. Didn’t you know?

It was as if here and there were all the same to him and he was already where he wanted to be. And all he wanted to do was to be. And where he did that didn’t bother him, just as long as he was.

‘A day or so,’ Carla said, answering for him. ‘Depending on the clouds. We have to fill the tanks first. Once that’s done, we’ll head for the Isles of Dissent to sell them the water. And after that . . .’

Her voice trailed away. She turned her eyes towards the sight of a massive sky-walrus, perched on a tiny island little bigger than a boulder. The animal looked both sad and comical, with its long tusks and droopy moustache and a melancholy expression, as if it hadn’t eaten in a long while.

Seeing it, Jenine picked up one of the leftover sky-fish that Kaneesh had caught and hurled it skywards. The great lumbering creature leapt off its perch and dived after the plummeting fish. It caught it then flew back to its rock and sat chewing. It didn’t look any happier though. It seemed just as melancholy as before.

‘You’re welcome!’ Jenine called.

By way of reply the sky-walrus emitted a huge burp and I caught the stench of old fish on its breath.

‘Disgusting!’

I fanned the smell away.

‘It doesn’t have much else to eat,’ Jenine pointed out.

Which was true enough. But it didn’t make it smell any better.

‘Fresh-breath mints,’ I said. ‘That’s what it needs.’

I got a smile out of her. I was getting more of those, as time went by.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.