Chapter 8. Daily Ritual.

  Lovely brown eyes watched his master. The man started to get real comfy in a corner of the wagon, pushing himself into a tight safe area. It was a corner that made him feel isolated yet protected like a mothers nuzzle. That man knew he could do whatever he pleased in this section of the wagon, as the world had become obsolete to him now.

  His ears rang loudly, while his heart began to beat against the walls in his head. He carefully cradled a mortar in one arm holding inanimate object like it was a child. A child that needed love and nurturing. A child that was absolutely perfect and need to be adored. A child that needed feeding.

  Ario watch while his master placed one of them beautiful shards into that odd rock bowl, that beloved mortar of his masters. Such a lovely and smooth rock bowl, a bowl he used everyday if not more.

  Grabbing that perfect matching pestle. His master brought the matching tool of wonder right up to his face and squinted.

  “Gar!” His master growl under a drawn out breath. “I swear it be getting worse each day Arieo.” He called again from the corner of the wagon.

  That man squinted at the pestle, nothing was in his sights though. All this man could see was a cloudy static grey. Carefully he brought that pestle to his mouth, then tapped his deep red tongue to the ball of the tool. He played with the spit in his mouth, tapping his tongue to the round again and again.

  He played with that spit, tonguing it along his cheeks, but never swallowing. He smashed the round of the pestle against the shard resting in the mortar. A much-practiced motion too, he wasn’t always good at cracking shards, but he learned. Again he smashed that shard in the mortar, and loud crack was released. His saliva was runny now, and he could feel the wet bead start at the corners of his lips.

  Big brown eyes watched as an odd glimmer of golden color was released with that loud crack. Arieo followed with lovely eyes as that glimmer lifted from in the corner of the wagon and climbed above the trees. He liked it when the glimmer was released.

  Another hard crunching crunchy crunch was crackling under the pestle. He would jolt at the drop of each stringy strand of drool dripping from his chin.

  Arieo watched his master spasm. Watched while his head jerked and twitched. Judging with each neck roll the man would perform. He never missed a beat though, his master continued to grind that shard down. His master twitched several times as he rolled the pestle.

  The grinding stopped, and a cold clammy finger wormed its way inside. That finger was testing the texture, it was just more coarse than river sand. Again, he twitched and wiped his chin.

  He continued to roll the pestle ball against those grainy remains of shard, breaking it down into a fine powdery dust. A repeated process that required many rolls of the pestle. What was also a repeating of unnecessary actions, was the twitching chin wipes.

  That shaky finger wormed it’s way inside of the mortar again. What that finger examined this time around was so soft, like that stuff people would use for breads. He couldn’t remember what that stuff was called right now though. Something floral he was sure, but he couldn’t think straight. How could he think of anything other then this beloved shard. Or well the remains of such a wonderful thing. That shard had been reduced to its perfect texture in his opinion.

  “Oh ho ho by Tatheliea’s thick thighs!” He laughed loudly from the wagons corner. “This one Arieo. This one is going to be a smooth ride buddy.”

  “Hee-haw.” Arieo brayed happy for his master, but also making a good point, and a decently strong start to an argument.

  “Oh don’t starts with me, Arieo.” His master snapped.

  “I be the captain. And me be doing whatever me pleases with me treasures of trade and discovery.” His master said proudly, then sighed.

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  “It just be quicker and easier this way Arieo. End of discussion.” His master shut the conversation down before it had time to build.

  Arieo could sense the remorse though. Like his master was almost disgusted with himself. Apparently Arieo’s point of view wasn’t strong enough for the argument he wanted, but it was enough for his master to think about it emotionally. Neither of them said anything for what must have been the appropriate amount of time, because his master murdered that awkward silence.

  “Next of course, the tool me keeps on me personal attire at all times.” One of those clammy hands reached inside the flap of a coat, a nice captains coat too.

  A wonderful shade of royal blue fabric, with a majestic ruffle. It wasn’t an exaggerated ruffle, it was tasteful, and handsome. Running the hem of the coat flaps was a very eye pleasing bronze hem. Also, he had to make sure he had buttons along his coat lots and lots of polished silver buttons, not just running up the chest in pairs, but also along the cuffs of his sleeves.

  His master slowly revealed his grasp. Upon that cold sweaty hand’s resurgence, it was holding a hollow reed. A reed no more wide then a nostril, and not much longer then his finger. “Me Sniffy-stick."

  “Hee-haw, haw.” Arieo made fun of that man’s little stick, and silly name for such a tool.

  “It’s a great name Arieo what would ye be callin it then.” The man waited for the answer, holding his tool above head.

  Arieo flicked an ear. Waved his tail and blew a raspberry. A very long raspberry with a dramatic headbob.

  “That’s gross Arieo.” His master frowned.

  With middle finger and thumb he held the reed gently. While his pointer guide that reed to a nostril, before plugging the other. He stretched his neck, leaning for his knees. Finding his way to the mortar clutched between legs. Feeling his target, he dipped his head and started. He made quick left to right movements with short rapid sniffs.

  The Sniffy-Stick swirled with the elegance of a dancer as the man guided it through the powder. The soft residue violently lifted into a vortex as it swirled within the reed. Traces of dust cascade from inside as an elated breath sensed something. Again, the snort was sharp, and the powder was inhaled through the reed.

  Arieo watched his master. It was a grouse kind of stare too, like he wanted to nitpick.

  On the last snort, his master tipped his head back resting along the wagon railing. He let the reed hang freely from his nose blinking at the sky. A small amount of powder fell from the reeds end.

  Color rushed into his senses, deep blues swimming through hazy purples. Shapes and texture found a place in his sights as he looked at the silhouette of tree branches. His cloudy vision was clearing up, while his other senses slightly fogged.

  “I can see the sky Arieo…” He was reluctant, before he growled.

  “…And it be nearly dark, ye be letting us sleeps all day again, damn it Arieo ye lazy mule.” He scowled yanking the reed from his nose, tucking it back into his coat. He placed the mortar and remaining powder next to a wonderful treasure chest.

  Arieo brayed loudly. The mahogany donkey bobbed his head in his defense shaking his neck, waving his mane. That little donkey even stamped his hooves a few times.

  “Yes me knows it be a side effect.” The man commiserate with his donkey pal. “But still Arieo, ye be the one who know when it be day. I mean what be the point of seeing if its dark right?” His master smiled, bringing warmth back into his cold narrow face. A narrow face with a long nose to match his donkey’s.

  Arieo watched while his master pulled his thick hair up.

  His master had tight twisty hair, it had a strong smell like ocean and tree bark. It wasn’t silky like his mane either nope his master had greasy hair that stayed together when he would twist it, sort of like he was doing now.

  “Well, shall we then. We need to find some more, we each only have one now.” He said with a bend, grabbing his leather bag, tucking the remaining two shards back within. Folded the flap, and placed it with the mortar and pestle. He then reached for the mortar and reamed his pointer along the inside rim, collecting that gritty shard resin.

  “Here Arieo come here buddy.” His master said, rubbing the resin between fingers.

  Neck muscles flexed in the donkey’s stout body as he turned his long head. Tall ears flicked with excitement and anticipation.

  “Hee-haw.” Arieo brayed happily with patting hooves of his own.

  The donkey then curled his lips exposing his blocky teeth and purple gums. The man laughed with Arieo as he coated his donkey’s gums with the resin.

  Those large nostrils on that big round nose flexed, widening with each passing of his masters finger. And the beauty of those big brown eyes thinned as the glossy black pupils took mass. Arieo brayed loudly lifting his head high, mocking his master’s daily rituals of backwards head tipping.

  “Atta boy.” The man wiped his finger along the opposite arm. “Feels so much better now don’t it?” He said, still smiling with his long-faced buddy.

  This moment of serenity was broken by the chirp of a bell. That lovely ring of a bell brought one warm smile to a cold flat stare. That ring of a bell was soon followed by the subtle sound of the breaking waves, and gulls of coastal birds. That flat stare then begin to scan the bottom of his peppery looking brows, as eyes narrowed. A sound the man recognized, but hadn’t been familiar with for centuries. He swallowed slowly, looking at the words only visible through his inner eye.