It's finally night, and I am close enough that I can go tomorrow morning.
But for now, I take one last sip of water, zip up my jacket for the night and lay down on the sand.
I'm close enough. I'm safe. I'm safe in Caelestia.
Chapter 56
Ignatia
From the large golden welcome sign I saw when I first set foot, this is Harena City.
I scroll through the unfamiliar street. Many cars, mostly in light desert colors, drive past, with their roofs decorated in fake fire and light up star lamps. A few odd ones even have cacti. There's also a few people riding camels closer to the sidewalk. The walls of the buildings surrounding me are roughly textured like they’re made from sand.
Estrella's star beats down on me. I lick my lips, as if it would save them from being chapped. Good thing it's starting to set. It's unbearable even in a tank top and shorts.
I drank a stomachful of water when I found my first fountain entering the city. Now I'm due for a treat for what I've been through.
I want alcohol.
I walk by shops with antiques and hand crafted goods hand crafted with leather and bones. Many of the windows and doors are decorated with animal skulls and wooden bows.
Despite the tan phones people are using and the cars driving by, there's a hint of familiarity in the fact they still have some natural and old fashioned items. Somnia looks less terribly behind on technology here.
A few blocks down there's a sign that captures my attention.
The Wishing Star.
I peer through the window. There's a lot of antlers and animal skins hanging up on the stone walls. Burly older men chat among themselves, some shirtless showing off their beer bellies and others with tank tops. All of them were either tanned or really red in the face, drinking what looks to be beer or rum.
Alcohol sounds great after traveling so far and losing Amias. I need a way to get over Amias since I have about forty years to waste.
I go into the bar, the pungent smell of beer and rum taking over my nose. As I walk past the men, my body tenses at the murmuring and ugly smirks coming my way from men. I bare my teeth.
Maybe a smarter me would've left. These men seem to have an agenda I'm not into. But fuck it! I'm stupid and only crumbs of what I was a week ago. Besides, I could take any of them on if they approach. They can try me. They won't like the results.
I walk to the counter where the bartender stands before a large display of liquors. I slap the fake ID from the backpack on the counter. “How much for a vodka?”
???
My eighth vodka shot burns the back of my throat.
The cup rings when I quickly slam it against the table. The buzz taking over my head makes me clench my teeth. I lean back in my chair and stare at the cement ceiling. My brain is slop. I can't concentrate.
Fuck. I'm just like Kaius. This was him after Clarissa died.
“Hey, pretty girl!” A bigger man comes over, his face red as if he overdosed on tomatoes. He has a long dark gray beard with some wrinkles under his eyes. He’s clearly old enough to be my father. “I've never seen you around here.”
“F… fuck off!” I pull up a middle finger. I'm not fucking with some creep.
“Let me buy you another shot,” the man says, putting down some starcoins and sliding them to the bartender. “Then maybe I can get lucky tonight, huh?”
“I… don't want… a fucking… shot from you!”
The bartender behind the counter crosses her arms. “Listen to the lady.”
I smirk at her. She can't be too much older than I am. She has olive skin and dark hair cut close to her scalp, wearing a white collar shirt and a black vest. I adore her attitude.
She slides the coins back towards the man as he scoffs. He takes his money and stomps off.
