Desert Umbra

Queen of Darkness

I walked until I found Jonathan sitting at a table playing poker, he was surrounded by four different American men. The atmosphere was crowded and full of cigar smoke. However, I knew this was the place to be if I wanted to be around people. It was a relatively small part of the boat but it was the only place where those who wanted company went, while there were three decks that could be occupied, I felt safer here. I was itching to get a drink, there was a bar further past the groups, a bit gaudy for my taste, it had a mirror behind the bartender and faux gold inlay in the design where the bottles of liquor sat. The bartender was assisting an exuberant couple probably here on their honeymoon, I assumed. I waited patiently refusing to sit on the stools provided. The girl from my visions was getting in my head, I watched my reflection in the mirror scared to see what she was doing this time. I listened to the Americans conversation to distract myself from the reflection.

"Quit playing with your glasses and cut the deck, would you Burns?" One asked his colleague who clearly needed his glasses to see. My reflection smiled wickedly in the mirror back at me.

"Without my glasses, I can't see the deck to cut it, can I Dave?" He wittingly replied.

I smiled as I waved the bartender down to order. He smiled at me cleaning the glass in his hands with a towel, waiting for me to speak.

"Old fashioned please" I all but mumbled to him as he nodded I heard my brother join the conversation. I stared down at the wooden bar, following the wood stain patterns with my eyes.

"O'Connell, sit down. Sit down. We could use another player." Jonathan chided Rick, hoping to become friends, I'm sure.

"I only gamble with my life, never my money," Rick said, the words coming from him like an anthem he had. I watched as my drink was mixed with bourbon, sugar, bitters, and water. Happily, the barkeep dropped some cherries in for me. I smiled and thanked him putting some money down on the bar. I took a sip and smiled feeling the cold drink hit my empty stomach. I walked back over to the table where Jonathan sat with Rick standing at his side.

"Never? What if I was to bet you $500 says we get to Hamanuptra before you?" The man with a cigar in his teeth asked my brother.

"You're looking for Hamunaptra?" Rick asked the confusion was clear in his voice for me. However, not to the one he was talking to.

"Damn straight we are." The man persisted.

"And who says we are?" Rick asked.

"He does." All of them said at once, pointing a finger at Jonathan.

"Well how bout it? Is it a bet?" The man asked again. I rolled my eyes.

"All right, you're on," Rick said.

"What makes you so confident sir?" Another pompous fellow pipped up.

"Well, what makes you?" Rick countered.

"We got us a man whose actually been there." The man continued to give away his position. Rick and I both knew how to gamble and win with men like this. Giving information away was the easy part to know what and how to win against them.

"What a coincidence because O'Connell..." Jonathan trailed off as Rick hit him with his pack getting him to shut up.

"Whose play was it? Was it my play? I thought I just..." Jonathan quickly diverted the conversation.

"Gentleman, we got us a wager. Good evening, Jonathan." Rick squeezed Jon's shoulder cracking the bones beneath it.

"Night." I heard Jon say as Rick looked up and saw me standing across from him, sipping my drink. His eyes changed, he knew something was wrong. He rounded the table and took my arm in his leading us to the starboard side of the ship to the promenade where there was no one around. He let go of my arm standing in front of me now.