AT THE DAWN THE TWO BROTHERS LEFT THE TOWN. CARRYING SPEAR GUNS AND OPENMESH RATTAN BASKETS, THEY WALKED BAREFOOTED ALONG THE EDGE OF THE SLIDING SEA TOWARDS THE DOCK . THE SEA, STILL WEIGHTED BY THE WIND, SLID IN LONG UNBROKEN SWELLS TOWARD THE SHORE WHERE IT BROKE AND DRAGGED AWAY THE FOOTPRINTS AND DELICATE WHORLS LEFT BY THE CRABS ON THE BLACK SAND OF THE BEACH. THE BROTHERS HAD REACHED THE ELBOWOF THE BEACH, JAWED ROCKS SPRAYCROWLED AT THIS TIME OF TIDE, FROM WHERE THE CURVED AWAY FROM THE TOWN OF FOLLW A TALL, HARSH CLIFF OF CLAY AT WHOSE ROCJY BASE THE DISSOLVING WORLD OF THE SEA ABRUPTLY ENDED. THEY WALKED ON A ROCKY STRETCH OF BEACH. THE ROCKS ENDED IN FRONT OF A SMALL TURTLE- SHAPED CAVE AND MORE THEY WERE ON SIGHING, SALT - DASHED SAND. WITHOUT STOPPING, THE OLDER BROTHER HANDED HIS SPEAR GUN AND BASKET TO HIS COMPANION. THE WIND WAS HEAVY AND COLD. THE SMALLER WAS DARK AND TIGHTLY MUSCLED. HE WAS LOOKING AT THE SEA.
GIVE ME YOUR ANTIPARA, SIMO, HIS BROTHER SAID.
SIMO REACHED INTO A POCKET OF HIS SHORT PANTS PULLED OUT A PAIR OF GOGGLES. HE GAVE THEM TO HIS BROTHER. HIS BROTHER STOPPED AND BEGAN TO EXAMINE THE GOGGLES CLOSELY.
THE CAULKING HAS DRIED, HE SAID SOFTLY. I THINK IT WILL HOLD. BUT I'LL TRY THEM OUT FOR YOU FIERST BEFORE YOU USE THEM.
THEY HAD GONE FISHING AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER LAST WEEK AND THE CAULKING OF SIMO'S GOGLES HAD COME LOOSE. THE GLASS FELL OFF AND THE SALT WATER DASHED INTO HIS EYES. ENJOY YOURSELF, HE HAD SAID. I'LL KEEP WATCH OVER YOU. GOING HOME THE FISH STRINGED THROUGH WITH BLACK NITO, HIS BROTHER PROMISED TO MAKE A NEW PAIR FOR HIM. HE BROJE FOR AIR NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE BREAKWATER. HE CLUNG LOOSELY TO THE ROCKS FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS AND THEN VAULTED UP, SHAKING OFF DROPS OF WATER THAT SPANGLED HIS DARK BODY. FROM THE WAY, HE WALKED AND DANGLED THE GOGGLES HAD SATISFIED HIS BROTHER.
I'LL DO, HIS BROTHER CONFIRMED, HANDLING BACK THE GOGGLES TO SIMO. HE HITCHED UP HIS PANTS,