PROSE
When the seas rage, they hardly stop. Wave after wave, the sea blubbers white foam at its lips, salivating at the thought of consuming wandering
Neri’s frequent business trips to the Soda Islands often interrupt Kanzo’s scheduling. A flash of scarlet interrupts their conversation, illuminating the sky as if it had been dyed with blood. Neri’s face morphs as her body starts convulsing, her heart aglow with the same shade of ruby belonging to the
The boat rocks quietly in the small of the ocean, holding onto the waters like a child pleading to be carried by its mother; this is the only solace Kanzo can find in the brooding night. The swaying lulls him to a light slumber, yet as his eyes flutter closed, a soft hum permeates the air once again. His head drifts in acknowledgment, nodding off in different directions as the notes change beat.
WHIFFS OF POMEGRANATE travelers. Crashes and booms fill the air as the thunder illuminates the crystal clear water. A lone, run-down ruin of a ship bounces across the sea, slowly disintegrating as the sea plays with its new toy. Above the thundering lightning sounds a voice, sweet as honey picked right off the comb and light as a feather. As the tune swims through the air and into the cabin, a dark-haired figure turns his face towards the window, beady, raven eyes flying to the bursting column of water emerging from the water. As a flying sword hits its mark a hair from his neck, Kanzo dryly weeps at his broken window. “While I appreciate your flaunting of swordsmanship, could you aim farther away from my duck figurine?” He looks pointedly at the floating nymph. A glass duck that looks a little too close to the bookshelf’s edge glistens under the warm, fluorescent light, almost winking back at Nerissa. Huffing, the sea fairy graciously leaps onto the dilapidated ship, sweeping the debris off the ship’s deck with a wave. As much as Kanzo loves Neri, he knows that she cared not for the intricate design nor the clever naming of the U.S.S. Liquor Ice (how dare she). Despite becoming acquaintances 10 years ago due to “work”—with Kanzo’s job as a sailor and Neri’s as, well, the guardian of the sea—the pair rarely meets, as
23|The penchant||NOV 2021
sky. The ghost singer’s voice turns gaunt, the song’s melodious harmony turning into a mumble of broken words from an ancient spell. Her eyes shine pure white, pupils shifting into a slight shade of wine as her arm stretches forward at an unnatural angle. The tune scales across octaves, reaching high into the soprano until—all sound breaks. An ear-splitting screech overtakes the world. Night turns from scarlet red to dark maroon. Neri disappears. Wincing at the noise, Kanzo scrutinizes the empty shadow. As the waves lap against the ship, the lone figure leans against the flagpole in blunt silence.
An ear-splitting screech overtakes the world
by isabel lai
