Chapter 2.
Bo stepped off the boat and onto the dock of Castanet. The sea breeze gently floated around her. She was here! She was in Castanet! Her eyes scanned the dock. The only people on the dock, besides her was a man, carrying some fish to a small shop.
"Now Bo," said Pascal, walking off the small boat behind her. He pointed to the left, into Harmonica Town. "Just keep walking straight until you reach the main road and then walk north. You will reach a church. Walk past it and you'll reach a mine cart. Use that to get to the Garmon Mine District. That's where Dale lives."
"Thanks," Bo placed her hands in front of her and bowed to the sea captain. "I'll see you later!" She ran up the small set of stairs and into the town. Since it was pretty early in the morning the streets were empty. She stared at the multi-colored shops in awe. A bar, tailor shop, inn, clinic, the list went on and on. She couldn't wait to come here later to check all the shops out. Of course she had to remember she was a boy and could not act like a girl.
After she passed the shops, she found the main road and began traveling up it. The path took her to a huge church. She stared up at it in awe. "Wow," she commented. Remembering why she was there, she passed the church and headed down a set of stairs to a…rickety old mine cart.
Bo stared at the mine cart, not really comprehending what was in front of her. It looked so old and rusty. Was it really able to move? She glanced down the mine shaft and shuddered. She couldn't see much except for tracks leading into the darkness. It was impossible. This cart wouldn't move. And even if it did, what would keep it from flying off the tracks in the darkness?
"There has to be another way up there…" she thought, looking around. Of course it didn't help that she didn't bother getting a map of the island. She hung her head in defeat. "I guess I was too excited to think of complications."
She was about to head back up the stairs to return to town when she saw a woman walk up the other set of stairs. The woman was older maybe in her thirties. Her light wavy purple hair ended an inch below her face. Her eyes looked tired and sad.
"Oh. Hello. I've never seen you around Are you the new carpenter apprentice?" she asked.
Bo slightly bowed. "Yes. I am. My name is Bo." Excitement filled her. What luck! She had found someone who could help her! "Ummm, how do I get to the Garmon Mine District?"
"I'm Mira," spoke the woman bowing back. She then pointed to the rickety mine cart. "That's the fastest way to the district."
Bo slowly turned around to face the mine cart of impending doom. "A…Are you sure about that? I mean, could there be another way?"
"There is," replied Mira walking over to the mine cart. Surprisingly she was able to climb in with little hindrance. "But it will take you some time to get there if you don't own a horse or some other transporting animal."
Bo gulped. "It's okay. It's okay. Do it for your dream!" She walked over to the mine cart and sat on the other end of it, facing forward, her hands gripping the sides of the cart.
"Here we go," said Mira pushing a button which released the locks holding the mine cart in place.
Bo clenched her teeth and shut her eyes as the mine cart disappeared into the darkness. She wanted to scream in fear but that would just raise unnecessary questions to Mira. She could feel the mine cart going up and down, the wind buffering against her face. "I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. Goodbye dream of being a carpenter."
"Bo. Open your eyes. We're here."
"Eh?" Bo opened his eyes. Mira was getting out of the mine cart. "I'm alive?"
"Of course you are," Mira chuckled. "Anyway. Just go down the path and Dale's carpenter shop is the last one. You can't miss it. See you later. I need to get to work right now." She walked away, leaving Bo to focus on getting out of the mine cart.
"That was scary," she whispered as she climbed out. She promised herself she would get an animal so she would never have to take this thing again. Suddnely remembering where she was, she glanced around. There were a couple of shops and a huge mountain towering on her left. She leaned her head back but she still could not see the top of the mountain.
Hang on! She shook her head. She couldn't be standing around here! She had to go begin her dream. She hurried towards the carpenter shop, passing a blacksmith, an accessory store and a general shop before reaching a building made out of wood. It looked kind of like a log cabin. Right next to the cabin-like building was an ostrich; a long rope ran from a loop around its neck to a small post in the ground.
The ostrich looked up from its grazing to watch Bo with black eyes. Bo shivered and quickly hurried to the door, out of the view of the ostrich. Why was the ostrich there anyway? She reached up to open the door when someone opened it from the inside and it smacked her dead in the face. Bo hit the ground, her vision blurry.
"Oh! Sorry! Are you okay!?"
Bo blinked and held her head as she slowly got up again. She glanced up at the person who hit her.
"Oh geez," spoke the young man. The blue hair sticking out from under his bandana was messy. His golden eyes were watching her intently. "Dad will kill me if I kill the new apprentice before he can do anything!"
"I'm fine!" snapped Bo, getting to her feet. Who was this guy? She rubbed the spot on her head where the door had hit her. That was going to leave a mark. Suddenly remembering where she was, she felt horrible. This might be her fellow apprentice! She couldn't get on his bad side. "Uhh, it was my fault." She slightly bowed. "I'm Bo."
"Luke," he replied. "Come on inside. I'll tell Dad you're here." He opened the door wide so Bo could walk in before running in and entering a back room, yelling that the new carpenter was here.
Bo took a deep breath and the smell of cut wood filled her nose. This was it. Her dream of becoming a carpenter was finally going to come true. "Nothing is going to stand in my way," she stepped inside to finally begin her dream.
