SandBlast - written 2017 - Copyright Jag Aoti
Chapter 2 – One Day earlier
The Haggenfourth festival was the most anticipated holiday in Hiotai. Celebrated once every three years, it brought the entire sleepy town together for an entire week. This would be Jackson’s second Haggenfourth, and he intended to make it just a memorable as the last.
Haggenfourth was a tradition of music, dancing, and drinking that had spurred from the celebration following the successful defeat of the Bogatti rebellion that had plagued their island for three long years.
“Cindy, what are you wearing this morning?” Jackson said casually over their video call, as he sipped sweet cappuccino from his front porch.
“Barely anything, can’t you see?” Cindy laughed back at him, zooming out to reveal a bleached white string sundress over a cheery red bikini.
“Why are we apart – this is insane. I scribbled Haggenfourth across your calendar months ago. I have the whole week booked off. Why are you a world away?” Jackson replied, a twisted eyebrow thrown in for good measure.
“Work is work, you know that. There’s a story here, I can feel it. And plus, the beaches are almost as good as Hiotai and the pay is even better.” Cindy winked.
“What do you need money for? I give you what you need here.
Cindy winced at the expression, irritation spreading across her face.
“That didn’t come out as I meant it to” Jackson backpedaled.
Cindy chuckled, and left the video call running as she turned to leave – her long brown legs floating across the villa’s floor.
“See you soon Jackson – my boat back to Hiotai leaves tomorrow.”
As the call closed with its familiar “beep”, Jackson flicked open his cellphone and hit play. Sound erupted across his flat with the beat of drums, jangle of shells and techno-like rhythm of traditional Hiotai performers.
A grin scrawled across his face as the rhythm sunk into his bones. He slid across the hardwood planks to his antique fridge – sweating with condensation and just as beautiful as a 1950’s Bel Air with a powder blue finish.
The top rack was lined with fresh fish – cut form yesterday’s catch and ready for a quick fry or filet for sashimi. Jackson had bright orange Pacific Salmon, gleaming white tuna, and diamond-like slices of puffer fish ready for this special occasion. He popped three diamonds into his mouth as he reached for the second row, twenty-four ice-cold bottles of Heeber, the local lager so light that they often shared it with kids on hot days.
As Jackson stepped off his front porch down onto the white beach sand below he dug his feet deep and took a deep breath.
Haggenfourth.
He could hear the rhythm, overlapping with each other from different houses. The street-level cafes, restaurants overlooking the sea and the many pubs dotting the coast line emitted a joyous buzz. With a long drink of his Heeber, Jackson shook the sand from his feet and marched onwards, into the mid-morning sun, into Haggenfourth, Day One.