Oasis Chapter 2 Part 1

By: Mani Michelle McCarthy

Nanai was finding his way to the night market which was filled with chatter around all the different food stalls. One of the guys there that owned a fruit stall had just placed some oranges. They were wrinkly and old and made the guy wonder is he would make any profit from them just when Nanai entered and started to smile.

"Are you actually going to sell those? I wouldn't buy them."

"Kid, I don't think you've ever 'bought' anything in your life." sad the stall owner

"Haha...Hey Mero" - Nanai

"Hey Nanai. Been a while" - Mero

"So where did you go this time? Anything new?" - Nanai

"Enseada. Nothing interesting." - Mero

"Then what are these? And why are they so sharp?" - Nanai

"Those are called 'durian'. And trust me, you really don't want any part of them." - Mero

"Is that a dare?" - Nanai

"...Yeah. Let's call it a dare." - Mero

Mero took the durian out of the cardboard box and started to show Nanai some things.

"And then you just start cutting down the center." - Mero

"I can't believe this is a fruit. It looks like a weapon. Just throw this at someone's head and they would die" - Nanai

"Yeah, probably." - Mero

"I could just take a few home. No one would ever suspect me if i just carried a fruit as a weapon." - Nanai

"'suspicion' is the default reaction people feel when they see you. With or without a weapon." - Mero

"Wow, I haven't seen you in months and you're already being mean to me. I'm just-???" - Nanai

"You what?" Mero looked up to see Nanai covering his nose in shock regarding to the smell the durian produced after being cut.

"PFFT- HAHAHAHA"

"Ah, kid you never disappoint. I told you, you didn't want any part of it" - Mero

Nanai still covering his nose replies "Why does it smell like that?"

"Haha, who knows. It's an acquired taste, and one that i don't have. I hear the people of Enseada eat it like candy. It's a wonder they don't drag the stench around with them at all times." - Mero

"Oh, hey. It's you again. What brings you to my booth?"

"Well, weirdly enough, i'm looking for him" Milo says pointing at Nanai

"...But i also couldn't help but hear your durian discussion, and had to cut in. Don't misunderstand, we think they're nasty too, ok? That's why you see us trying to get rid of it all the time." - Milo

"And now you've put the stench all over the street. We're getting looks now, well done." - Nanai

"As long as it keeps paying well, i'll keep bringing them back from Enseada. Now i have customers to tend to."- Mero

Nanai started chuckling when Mero tried to sell off his durians

"Hey, Milo...Let me take you around the night market." He asked while holding his hand out.

"So how come you're here anyway? Milo asks while adjusting the cloth he wrapped around his neck covering the rest of his body below.

"I live here. Why are you here?" - Nanai

"Yep...Still pleasantly unfriendly. Not sure what I was expecting." - Milo

"haha...I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a delight." - Nanai

"Yeah, whatever. I see your bruise looks better, by the way. Do you remember who helped you with that? It was me. I did that. You're welcome." - Milo

"Uh-huh. I'm pretty sure you just slapped a crushed up leaf on my face and called it 'healing'." - Nanai

"We'll, you're not wrong." - Milo

"...Was it really just some leaf?" - Nanai

"That's generally what herbs are, yes." - Milo

"I'm guessing you probably pick up any leaf you see and call it an herb then, don't you. You sure you're actually a healer?" - Nanai

"Ah, i never said i was a healer." - Milo

"You absolutely did." - Nanai

"Nope, don't remember that." - Milo

"Then you're a bad healer and an amnesiac." - Nanai

"Alright, Alright, Anyway, while you're here and not dong anything important, you can help me with something." - Milo

"What makes you think i wasn't doing anything important?" - Nanai

"I mean...Were you?" - Milo

"No, but I could have been." - Nanai

"Oh my god i've known you for like an hour, and i already want to strangle you." - Milo

"Hahaha" - Nanai

"You want to help or not?" - Milo

"Sure! What are you trying to do?" - Nanai

"My friend and i are trying to cross the desert. But no one is willing to take us. And we're able to pay obviously. The problem is that they reject us before we can even talk cost. I heard you and Geema mention the night market today, and i was curious. So i asked around about how there were things sold here that weren't really being sold anywhere else." - Milo

"And you heard the night markets sells...escorts?" - Nanai

"Well...I guess so, but it sounds kind of weird when you put it like that." - Milo

"Well...They exist, but they won't be standing around the night market. Why do you need to cross the desert anyway?" - Nanai

"Uh...Kind of a long story, to be honest. We just need to get to the boarder." - Milo

"Most escorts don't even bother this time of year." - Nanai

"This time of year?" - Milo

"But luckily I know someone who will...probably. Fair warning though. It won't be cheap."- Nanai

"Yeah, i figured as much. What kind of price am I looking at?" - Milo

"You'll have to ask her yourself. She's the one who deals with that, but I can at least take you to her." - Nanai

"And she's...for hire? How do you know about her?" - Milo

"I know about everything." - Nanai

"Hah-, yeah whatever. She have a name? Lula and I can always come back tomorrow." - Milo

"Uh, no. It's probably best if I'm there for this. She doesn't really like...people, I guess." - Nanai

"Okay...so, again, does she have a name, or?" - Milo

"I'll just let her introduce herself" - Nanai

"Nanai, this is sounding more and more like a trap. Why are you being so secretive about this? Unless...oh god, you're leading me down a dark alley. This is a trap!" - Milo

"...How old are you again?" - Nanai

"Just trust me, she's the best there is. She can get you across the desert, no problem." - Nanai

Milo then starts to eye Nanai and not in that kind of way while they're walking out of the streets of the night market

"What is it milo? Is there something on my face?" - Nanai

"Oh, not really." - Milo

"That was a 'yes' or 'no' question." - Nanai

"I was just thinking...that woman from earlier, your mother." - Milo

"...what about her?" - Nanai