Chapter two. Trigger warning, graphic description of Gore, self-harm, and drugs. This chapter is a little longer, a lot happened and I didn't see a smooth cutoff
Later that night, Jim lay awake. His shoulder hurt but in a good way. In a way that made him feel alive, better, a type of relief he thought he could only get from weed. Jim took a small knife from his boot and pressed it against his palm. He saw little chrisom bubbles rise. He stopped. He just existed for a while. Then he thought "Wait is this bad?" Can I get in trouble? Should I be doing this?" None of which he found the answer to.
While he was lost in thinking he heard heavy footsteps. "Shit. Sliver!" He quickly thought. Jim quickly turned over and fell asleep.
Sliver was checking on the crew, making sure everyone was accounted for when he noticed some blood near Jim's hammock. He leaned closer, putting the lantern near.
"Lookin a fresh to me," he thought.
He took a mental note and walked back up out of their sleeping area.
"that...was close," Jim thought mentally relieved. " Maybe it's a sign I shouldn't be doing this"
The next day, with a sliver
"I like how hard Jimbos been working lately. Maybe I outta take with me to get more supplies" Sliver thought "as a reward"
sliver led Jim to the long boats
"What am I cleaning today?" Jim asked solemnly
"Ah jimbo, today yer best be spendin with me, supply run"
"supply run!" Jim said excitedly
the two got in the long boat and shot off to a nearby planet. Once the two go close enough to the planet sliver asks if Jim wants to take over and land
"really?" Jim asked with stars in his eyes
"Of course! I've seen how ye can run a boat lad, yer got a gift"
Jim took over and landed the boat spot-on. Sliver looked at the list Amelia gave him along with some add-ons Sliver put down himself. He scratched his head "Jimbo, we best be here awhile. Stay sharp, this 'ere planet 'a drug money planet, we wouldn't have come if wasn't needed lad" Sliver explained.
"I hear you, sliver" Jim already had caught a vibe from the place and sliver just added context.
The two went about gathering what was needed on the silver list. Sliver was sweet-talking prices like second nature and Jim was being quite helpful by snagging an extra box or two. Jim thought Sliver wouldn't be fond of Jim technically stealing but all Sliver did was laugh proudly and that's all Jim needed to hear. Jim helped load up the long boat, run errands, and practically anything else.
"Jimbo?" Sliver asked
"Yes?" Jim replied
"lad, you've been awfully helpful with this run for restock lad. We've been off half the day and we're practically done"
"is that good?"
"That's great, lad wer' ahead of schedule. Listen, how about as a treat, ye go be taken the rest of the current and buy somethin' ye like? As a reward?"
"thanks" Jim replied suspiciously. Reward he thought.
"I'll be by this near pub, rewarded myself" Sliver winked.
"I won't tell Captain if you won't" Jim joked back
"Meet me back here Jimbo and we'd best be back on way," Sliver said making his way into the bar.
Jim walked around thinking about what he could really buy. What did he want? Should he just save the money for next time? But really when would there be another supply run? And where else was this money really used? Just then Jim saw a suspicious interaction with what appeared to be a drug dealing. Jim's eyes gleamed. He hadn't smoked in a while due to his prole. "They won't drug test me during the voyage, right," Jim thought to himself.
He stood there for a second, thinking. "Nah," he said out loud and made his way down the alley.
Silver leftovers didn't get him much of anything. He only got a little one once baggie of weed and something called θανατηφόρα ψηλά he didn't know what it was but something possessed him to spend his change on it. The dealer said everyone called it syoors for short on the street in case he wanted to buy more later.
Jim made his way back to the pub where Sliver said he'd be, he stored his little stash tied on his leg under his baggy pants with little rope. A trick he learned from years ago.
He walked into the pub, and many different types of aliens crowd the area. Some big, some tall, some huge, and some with more eyes than limbs or more limbs than eyes. He looked for the one with more metal than limbs. The place was packed, but Jim pushed past until he heard a familiar laugh.