2. In Town

THUD!

It wasn't the first time Arun had rolled out of his hammock, but he never got used to it. His shoulder and face hurt as he tried to get his wits about him from being woken by falling out of bed, the wood floor wasn't soft. How rude, he thought at his hammock behind the front desk of the Aurie View Lodge. He rubbed his face with the hand that belonged to the shoulder that didn't ache, and glanced out the windows, the day seemed to be starting slowly. The few bits of fog surrounding a few buildings and the central park were illuminated silver under the breaking light of Merroi (Verroi was still below the mountain horizon, but only for a moment longer).

A golden light fell upon the town as Arun watched, Verroi had risen over the Tilsclev Range, the mountain range dividing Cleveal from Tilstroal, the nation to the west. He heard scuffling of feet upstairs and knew that guests and residents were rising. 

Can I have a cot--Raain, can I have a -- behind the desk--can I have a cot, Raain? -- A cot would be great--this hammock is killing me-- desk--I keep falling out--Raain can I have a cot?--for the nightshift--cot-- The thoughts swam randomly through Arun's head, fast and then slow, and round about over and back and in and down, and up and left...

Shut up thoughts Arun shook his head as if trying to clear his brain of clutter. It does no good to dwell on what no one will do, they could get me a cot--Raain, can I have a cot?--for the night shift--desk--QUIET! his thoughts were too scattered today, there would be no way he could move the bread if this kept up. hammock--cot he hit himself over the head.

"Arun, quit hitting yourself and come help me," it was the gruff voice of Talur, carrying a tall stock of majna leaves. This is what Arun needed to clear his head and get the day going right, he bounded after Talur towards the kitchens.

Talur fat fingers were perfect for getting a good grip on the dense leaves at the top of the stock, Arun watched in longing as Talur ripped the top off the stock, setting it aside, Talur handed Arun the remaining two foot long leaf stock, "Juice this, and then we'll go smoke this," he indicated to the top.

"Can't we smoke it now? My brain's not steady today, I fell out of my hammock again. I keep asking for a cot but no one gets me one."

"Alrighty then, come on out back." Talur carried the majna leaves and lead Arun out the back door to the vegitable garden that stretched out from the back of the lodge. The mists were still hanging around the tomatoes and corn, and the berries were damp with dew glistening in the gold and silver morning light at the edge of the long shadow cast by the three floor building, half of the garden was in shade.

As Talur pulled his pipe from his belt, Griegg, Tedd, and Jerricho came around the side of the stables and joined Talur and Arun in a circle under the light of the roia.

"G'morning," said Jerricho dragging his short tail. Jerricho's features were distinctly humon, except for his cat-like tail and odd nose that was somewhere between a man and a cat. His Caitian features were almost lost through the generations mixing with humons.

"Late night, for sure," Griegg said as he began to pack his own pipe that he'd brought out unsure if Talur would be up yet.

"Put that old stuff away, Griegg! I got fresh leaves for ya, is that the same leaf you left here with 6 months ago?" Talur said.

"Habbit," Griegg replied as he knocked out his pipe and pocketed it, "yeah, it's old, will be nice to have something fresh."

Jerricho lit a wick and handed the flame to Talur for the first toke, but Talur passed it to Arun first.

Arun enhaled the smoke of the majna leaves, held the smoke in his small lungs, and felt his brain slide into place. "Haahhh, that's better." He passed the pipe and wick to Jerricho with his now focused mind. A smirk grew across Griegg's face, he was proud of Arun's progess of control.

"Think you can hold the pipe and light it for me?" Jerricho asked Arun, who did just that, and then passed it on to Tedd who also toked the pipe floating in midair, and then Griegg and Talur, there was just enough leaf for the circle.

"Though that was impressive Arun," it was Raain, shouting down from her bedroom window, "I told you guys, not around the Lodge."

"We're not around the lodge, we're behind it!" Jerricho retorted and Raain scoffed turning away and closing her window. Everyone but Griegg laughed at Jerricho's jest. "Well, she is right, that was impressive, Arun."

"Thanks, it helps a lot when my brain is out of control," Arun said.

Each took a turn washing their hands and face before reentering the kitchen. Arun went straight to the remaining majna stock and carried it by hand to the juicer and began squeezing the golden green juices into several pitchers which he then set out behind the bar, ready for the morning customers to drink with breakfast.

Griegg began frying some thin strips of fatty meat that had been soaking in tula nut syrup overnight, while Talur began cooking eggs.