Fiction: St. Felicity's Newest Arrival 4

June's Words for Wednesday is hosted by Charlotte at Mother Owl Musings. June 15th's prompts are: guidance, tea, argument, role, thanks, warning, leadership, song, nation, highway, piano, owner. June 22's prompts are: dozen, tiger, redundancy, mile, confuse, equinox, mountain, treaty, suspicion, strategic, investigation, light.  For more Words for Wednesday, visit Charlotte at Mother Owl Musings over here.

Read part 1, part 2 & 3.

Fiction: St. Felicity's Newest Arrival 4
In the afternoon, Mrs. Hodge returns to sit in the corner of the kitchen where she has set up a small table and a pair of chairs. Quietly, she sips tea while Ben makes lunch.
    After Ben takes the food out to the newly restored dinning room with some absent items, Mrs. Hodge says, "Bring me a bowl of porridge. And that bottle of hot spice we got in the last shipment."
    Ben fills a bowl with porridge and set it and a spoon on the table along with the bottle.
    Mrs. Hodge brings out her handkerchief, unfolds it and empties the content into the bowl. Then she stirs the gruel and then slather a great amount of the hot spice into the bowl and stirs again. "Bring a tray and take this to Mr. Driver. Tell him that's all he's getting for today." She pats her hair. "Thank you, Ben."
    Ben nods.
    Mr. Driver has been told very sternly by Mrs. Hodge to stay in his room if he wants to keep on living. Since he have no money, she has taken all his possessions to pay for the broken dishware and various damages.
    Up the flight of stairs and down the hall to the last room on the left, Ben stops at Mr. Driver's door. He wonders if it is dirt Mrs. Hodge has dropped into the bowl of gruel. He would not blame Mrs. Hodge considering what Mr. Driver has done. Earlier, Ben has broke the harpoon to pieces and burned it though it isn't poisoned but he did not want Mr. Driver to use it ever again.
    In his room, sitting on a chair by the window, Mr. Driver watches as Ben sets down the tray with the bowl and put it on the table. Ben leaves the room quietly without a word to Mr. Driver.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During dinner time, Ben has hoped Beany would show up and has even cooked some bacon for her. But the hours pass without any sight of her.
    After cleaning up the kitchen and washing the dishes, Ben walks out of the lodge and turns toward the lighthouse. The wind blows wildly. On his right, the water twirls and twists as if in a rage. He walks quickly and enters the lighthouse.
    No one on the island locks their doors. Mrs. Hodge has said if you have to lock up your possessions, then you are too attached to your things. Besides, anyone can break locks.
    Without turning on the lights, Ben sits down on the bed and leans his head back against the wall. A tepid but fast wind glides in from the open window. He has never bothered with seasons but here on the island, every season is about the same, kind of cool at night and warm during the day. This wind is unusually disquiet.   
    The bell for midnight rings out, echoing through the island. Has he been sitting long? As a rule on the island, everyone must keep the lights off after midnight to conserve energy. The generating tower to power the island often fazes out if too much electricity is used.
    But the bell is not the usual soft reminder. This one is blasting in is sharp and ominous much more like a warning than a simple alert.
    He walks to the window and look out. Outside, it's still dark as the sun has not risen yet. The warning sound is almost drown by the wind. Rain begins to splatter his face. He closes the window. Has Beany found shelter? The island has many unoccupied houses. When Ben has asked why, Mrs. Hodge has looked worn for a moment before replying, "Many of the islanders left during the great storm." She has not added any more.
    The ground begins to tremble. He holds onto the window's edge.
    Clinking sounds fills the lighthouse. Ben looks toward Beany's ship on the bookshelf. The spoons seems to shine like tiny stars in the shadows.
    There is a bang on the door. "Ben! Ben! We've got trouble." Mrs. Hodge sounds worried.
    Ben races down the stairs and opens the front door. "What is it, Mrs. Hodge?"
    Mrs. Hodge is fully dressed and carrying a lantern. Her brows are furrowed. "We're voting on what to do about the tsunami. You must come to the Hall." She looks from Ben and behind her and then back to Ben. "Just come!" She turns away and disappears into the darkness.
    What could possibly make Mrs. Hodge looking so confused and worried? It must have something to do with the blast warning. He runs out toward the Hall which is only ten or twelve houses away.
    Inside the tall building, islanders, some fully dressed, some in sleepwear, with a few carrying lanterns, crowd the large bare space. From two glassless windows on either side of the room, bits of moonlight fall onto the steel railings on the walls, pillars here and there and piles of ropes surrounding the place. Ben has not been here before as there has never been any town meetings.
    "Are we all here? There is no time so I'll dispense with everything. Ladies and gentlemen, a tsunami is coming and we all must decide whether to stay or go. Those who wish to leave must do so now but your chances are better in here. Do not delay whatever decision you make." Mr. Peacock, the island's mayor, stands on top of a podium against one windowless wall. A pair of floor lanterns stands on either side of him. He presses his lips into a tight line and strokes his long white beard. Most islanders don't question his leadership though there isn't much Mr. Peacock does other than help them make decisions now and then. The islanders pretty much govern themselves.
    "This building you are now in is the safest place on the island. If you're staying, tie yourself to one of the railings or the pillars and make certain you're tied up pretty good," says Mr. Peacock.
    The crowd murmurs but none are moving. "We will drown staying here," someone shouts. A couple of people agreed with cries of yes.
    "That is true but staying put is our better chance," says Mr. Peacock. "Those of you who has lived on the island long must remember ten years ago. During that awful two days, our children drown while we, on land, struggled to stay alive. But I will not persuade you to stay nor leave. It is up to you. But as for me, I am staying." Mr. Peacock steps off the podium and the crowd makes a path for him. He picks up a rope and bind himself to the nearest pillar. Arguments break out with a few people following Mr. Peacock's example.
    Standing behind Mrs. Hodge, Ben can't decide what to do. He has no experience with such things.
    "What do you think? I'm going to stay. It's no use trying to fight waves," says Mrs. Hodge.
    "Are they certain it's a tsunami?" Ben asks.
    "Most of us know the signs. Short earthquake, wild wind and have you seen the water? It looks like it's having a tantrum. As you must have heard Mr. Peacock just now. Ten years ago, the same thing happened but we had been too late to do anything. My own daugh—" Mrs. Hodge shakes her head. "They built this building specifically for this reason. It's better to stay." Mrs. Hodge looks down at her hands rubbing each other. She looks up. "Ben, don't be foolish trying to leave the island. It is far too late for that."
    "I will stay but first, I need to get something from my house but I'll come back quick." Ben races out the door.
    Mrs. Hodge shouts, "Don't take too long! These things come quick!"
    
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ben snatches the book off the shelf, the one thing he has always kept with him. The pages are wrinkled from too much soaking of water and are full of smeared scribbles and drawings telling the tale of a girl human who befriends a merboy. Ben has referred to it as Birdy's Book since the name is on the last page. He flips through the wrinkled pages and smiles.
     Loud clinking sounds make him turn about the room. "Beany?" he calls out. The candle lantern he has lit and placed on the table gives off a bright light and makes most of the shadows around him longer. From outside, he can hear the wild wind and the crashing of the waves.
    There is another clinking sound and he looks up.
    Beany hangs upside down from the ceiling with her tails clinging to the light fixture. As she straightens, the tips of her black and purple ponytails nearly touches the floor where a foxhound sits with his tongue out and peering up at her.
    "What are you doing?" Ben rubs his tired eyes. "Is that Two? You've saved him!"
    "Thinking," she replies. "And yes, that is Two. He is my friend."
    Ben suddenly knows what to ask of Beany. "Will you get down here? I have my wish. I need you to fulfill it right away." He tucks the book into the pocket of his shirt. His hand are shaking. Outside, the sound of the warning blasts echoes faintly.
    Beany tilts her head to look at him. "You have your wish?" She jumps down onto her feet. Her tail twirls behind her. "Tell me! Tell me!" She giggles and claps her hands.
    "I want you to save the islanders from the tsunami. I know this is a big wish and it might require a great amount of power but is it possible?"
    Beany smiles. "Any and all wishes are possible but you must be certain. Do you not desire to travel back to the sea and see your people?"
    "How do you know I came from the sea?"
    "Brother recollect for me. He knows where you come from."
    Ben smiles. The ground trembles and he holds onto the edge of the table.
    Beany merely shifts a little and shakes her head. "That is not me. I did not make the ground quake."
    "I know it isn't you. Look, I don't wish to go back to the sea. I want you to save the islanders. And that is my one and only wish."
    Beany seems to grow as her tail stretches her upward. Her blue eyes meets his brown ones. "Once I grant you this wish, it is gone forever. Do you know what I mean?"
    Ben nods. "Yes, I do. Please, will you save the islanders? Or would that be too much for you?"
    Her tail curves and she is once again on her feet. Beany smiles with her eyes shinning. "Nothing too hard for me. I can do it. I will use my ship."