dialogue: #DE8CA4
Reaching Bahari wasn't an easy task. After anchoring a ship, anyone who wants to visit the old voodoo man has to take a row boat through the maze of rivers and streams into the heart of the swampy territory of Tortuga, a place still unreached by foreigners and easy to get lost in if you don't know the way.
And this is what the four captains had to do.
Earlier that day, Catalina had spoken to one of the locals who knew of Bahari's whereabouts, the only one she trusted, and had paid the young man, who looked more like a weathered middle-aged man, to show them the way. After growing up on this island and working in these rivers, the man knew the rivers and it's secrets by heart.
Throughout the journey, which had taken a little over an hour, the man maneuvered them through the dark waters in the leading boat where Catalina, Victoria, and Ollie traveled. The other two captains sat in the rowboat behind them and the rest of Victoria's crew, along with the only other person Catalina brought, traveled in the last rowboat.
The group had left around four thirty and by the time they reached Bahari, it was close to sunset since Bahari only met people during the night. Catalina knew they were closed, however, when she began to see the glass bottles hanging from the branches of the trees that grew from the depths of the water. The more she saw, the closer they were to reaching Bahari and the more the glasses clinked together, moved by the wind, in order to make a melody that traveled through the canopy. It was amazing how, despite all of the sounds and indications that signaled human life around the area, no one who didn't know the way and knew that they were looking for Bahari could ever find him.
In fact, Catalina had attempted to find Bahari by herself the first time she came and had gotten lost in the swamp for hours. That was how she met her guide-- or rather, how he had found her and the three other men that had come with her in the middle of the swamp.
"There is is," Catalina said, feeling a wave of relief as she pointed to a small elevated structure still meters away, hidden by the damp vegetation. Bahari lived in a large wooden house made several feet above the water so that it didn't flood when the water level rose. It looked weathered and uninhabited, adorned only by chipping figures in a foreign and unknown language painted onto the wood.
The boats were tied to the house, from where they could step on the ledge that circled the house up to the front steps. The guide spoke to her in his native language and Catalina responded in a broken vocabulary since she wasn't very familiar with the language before she turned to the other captains. "Only the four of us are supposed to go inside, but Victoria, you can bring Ollie along. The rest will have to sit here until we're done."
With that, Catalina stood up and stepped onto the ledge, which was at feet wide so at least it was thick enough to walk on.
When the group got to the front, Catalina placed a few coins inside of a rusted plate that sat on a table and, a few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a man in a long, brown robe. His long hair was gray and his wrinkled skin was painted markings, some similar to those outside of the house. Gold piercings adorned his ears and heavy rings filled his large fingers. His eyes, contrasting his almost ebony black skin, were a golden, honey-like color.
"Welcome, captains," Bahari greeted them in English, opening the door so that they could go in, and smiling at them with his white but crooked teeth, his single gold tooth flashing with the light from outside. Catalina's eyes widened slightly; it was the first time she had heard Bahari speak English since they always communicated in Spanish. She didn't know how this man even knew those languages. "It's been a while, Catalina. Te estabmos extrañando."
The walls of the front room were filled with shelves and tapestry and pieces of furniture pushed against it. Catalina could swear that, at the corner of eyes, she always saw dark figures moving across those walls. But when she turned she never saw anything and, as much as she hated it, Catalina couldn't help but feel disturbed by that. It was as if something -somethings- were watching anyone who stepped through.
Despite having a swamp outside, the house smelled like herbs and incense and was only light by the thousand flames of candles. Catalina was hit by the smile as soon as the door opened and she found it slightly difficult to breathe once inside; she loved perfumes, but the sweet smell was so overpowering for her that it was sickly.
"I heard that you captains are looking to embark on a quest for a treasure," Bahari said, his deep voice resonating through the room, making it appear as if it came from all directions. "But some of you are having trouble with trusting each other."
His golden eyes flashed momentarily to Catalina, who took a small step back. "No me gusta esta falta de confianza, Catalina. Puede ser tu fin. Pero hiciste la decision correcta en venir."
My end? The voodoo man's words sent a chill down Catalina's spine. Hoping to move the conversation along, she cleared her throat. "Bahari, we need--"
"A blood pact," he interrupted, taking a seat on the only chair in the whole room. From the depths of the dark, a large snake slithered out in order to wrap itself around the shoulders of Bahari. "Captains-- Victoria, Lucian, Julius-- you have come to the right place."
And this is what the four captains had to do.
Earlier that day, Catalina had spoken to one of the locals who knew of Bahari's whereabouts, the only one she trusted, and had paid the young man, who looked more like a weathered middle-aged man, to show them the way. After growing up on this island and working in these rivers, the man knew the rivers and it's secrets by heart.
Throughout the journey, which had taken a little over an hour, the man maneuvered them through the dark waters in the leading boat where Catalina, Victoria, and Ollie traveled. The other two captains sat in the rowboat behind them and the rest of Victoria's crew, along with the only other person Catalina brought, traveled in the last rowboat.
The group had left around four thirty and by the time they reached Bahari, it was close to sunset since Bahari only met people during the night. Catalina knew they were closed, however, when she began to see the glass bottles hanging from the branches of the trees that grew from the depths of the water. The more she saw, the closer they were to reaching Bahari and the more the glasses clinked together, moved by the wind, in order to make a melody that traveled through the canopy. It was amazing how, despite all of the sounds and indications that signaled human life around the area, no one who didn't know the way and knew that they were looking for Bahari could ever find him.
In fact, Catalina had attempted to find Bahari by herself the first time she came and had gotten lost in the swamp for hours. That was how she met her guide-- or rather, how he had found her and the three other men that had come with her in the middle of the swamp.
"There is is," Catalina said, feeling a wave of relief as she pointed to a small elevated structure still meters away, hidden by the damp vegetation. Bahari lived in a large wooden house made several feet above the water so that it didn't flood when the water level rose. It looked weathered and uninhabited, adorned only by chipping figures in a foreign and unknown language painted onto the wood.
The boats were tied to the house, from where they could step on the ledge that circled the house up to the front steps. The guide spoke to her in his native language and Catalina responded in a broken vocabulary since she wasn't very familiar with the language before she turned to the other captains. "Only the four of us are supposed to go inside, but Victoria, you can bring Ollie along. The rest will have to sit here until we're done."
With that, Catalina stood up and stepped onto the ledge, which was at feet wide so at least it was thick enough to walk on.
When the group got to the front, Catalina placed a few coins inside of a rusted plate that sat on a table and, a few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a man in a long, brown robe. His long hair was gray and his wrinkled skin was painted markings, some similar to those outside of the house. Gold piercings adorned his ears and heavy rings filled his large fingers. His eyes, contrasting his almost ebony black skin, were a golden, honey-like color.
"Welcome, captains," Bahari greeted them in English, opening the door so that they could go in, and smiling at them with his white but crooked teeth, his single gold tooth flashing with the light from outside. Catalina's eyes widened slightly; it was the first time she had heard Bahari speak English since they always communicated in Spanish. She didn't know how this man even knew those languages. "It's been a while, Catalina. Te estabmos extrañando."
The walls of the front room were filled with shelves and tapestry and pieces of furniture pushed against it. Catalina could swear that, at the corner of eyes, she always saw dark figures moving across those walls. But when she turned she never saw anything and, as much as she hated it, Catalina couldn't help but feel disturbed by that. It was as if something -somethings- were watching anyone who stepped through.
Despite having a swamp outside, the house smelled like herbs and incense and was only light by the thousand flames of candles. Catalina was hit by the smile as soon as the door opened and she found it slightly difficult to breathe once inside; she loved perfumes, but the sweet smell was so overpowering for her that it was sickly.
"I heard that you captains are looking to embark on a quest for a treasure," Bahari said, his deep voice resonating through the room, making it appear as if it came from all directions. "But some of you are having trouble with trusting each other."
His golden eyes flashed momentarily to Catalina, who took a small step back. "No me gusta esta falta de confianza, Catalina. Puede ser tu fin. Pero hiciste la decision correcta en venir."
My end? The voodoo man's words sent a chill down Catalina's spine. Hoping to move the conversation along, she cleared her throat. "Bahari, we need--"
"A blood pact," he interrupted, taking a seat on the only chair in the whole room. From the depths of the dark, a large snake slithered out in order to wrap itself around the shoulders of Bahari. "Captains-- Victoria, Lucian, Julius-- you have come to the right place."