[IC] The Battle of Sea Salt Bay

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine jumped as Rolo screamed as his friends. She didn't quite understand what was going on. Why wasn't she allowed? She just wanted to look for sea shells. But she seemed to have caused a bit of conflict. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but decided to keep it to herself. Did they get into a fight while she was away?

She decided to brush it off and continue following Rolo. But something in her churned the wrong way. It wasn't fair! She should be able to go where ever she wants! Why was she even listening to them?!

"Oh no! I dropped something!" She lied. "I'll be right back!" Corrine kisses Rolo's cheek before running back under the docks. She smiles at the Salt Bay Turbos and takes out her pocket knife. She quickly carved her initials on the back of the wooden pole, making sure no one can see what she was doing. She gave a cute, but almost evil grin and ran off snickering.

She wrapped her arm around Rolo's and giggled happily.

"So, where are we going?" she asked.

[TwelveOf8]

"Wherever the road takes us baby girl." replied Rolo.

Roll led Corinne back to his Harley Davidson FL that sat parked in ine of the parking spaces near the beach. I slight breeze blew through the air, cooling so every slightly a rather heated man. Rolo began to feel rather uncomfortable in his leather jacket. So much so that he took it off, exposing the pit-stained White t-shirt beneath. His gut hung slightly out of the bottom of the shirt in an unflattering manner.

"Seriously Corinne baby, is there anywhere you wanna go? Cuz I'm up for whatever. Just as long as we don't have to spend no money. Being this powerful ain't cheap." Rolo stated whilst patting his gut.

[Rhythmloid]

"Where I want to go?" She has been in this town for almost a month and had never really explored other than the beach, the boardwalk, and that cliff Rolo took her to.

"Show me someplace... scary! Or maybe somehwere we can explore! I wanna go on an adventure! Pretty please, Rolo?"She was always up for an adventure. She didn't care if she got into trouble or not, it felt nice to be free.

"I want you to take me someplace where I can spend the rest of the day having fun! No limits!" A sparkle could be seen for Corrine's eyes. She could only imagine the old secrets this town held. There was one lace that intrigued her the most. There was a light house on top of a rock at the edge of the boardwalk that didn't seem to be working.

"Take me to the lighthouse! The one over there!" She points to the little rock it stands on.

[TwelveOf8]

Rolo looked towards the direction in which Corinne pointed. At the end of the board walk stood the local lighthouse. It looked like how one would picture a lighthouse. A tall, white, cylindrical structure that had a red swirling stripe painted around, going from top to bottom. It was quite an old lighthouse to be sure, but one that the local community took great pride in. It's constant upkeep and occasional renovations kept the structure in good condition. A charming building if there ever was one.

"You wanna go in there? Well, it's not tourist season so there probably ain't gonna be crowds or nothin, so." Rolo paused briefly before continuing.

"Yeah, let's do it! That lighthouse has the best view of the bay in town. Especially on a nice day like this, what with blue skies, clear water and such." stated Rolo.

And so Rolo and Corinne walked hand in hand towards the what is commonly referred to by the locals as Fishermans Folly or The Lonely Lighthouse.

[Rhythmloid]

"Yay! I wonder what's inside... maybe ghosts~!" Corrine teases. "But ghosts aren't real. They're just made up to scare little kids into doing their chores." Corrine states matter of factly. Again, her logical side is showing. But she was still curious to see what was actually inside. Rolo had said it was a tourist spot, which took the fun out of going there a little bit. There may not be anything spooky there at all.

It took Corrine a little while to notice, but her hand was interlocked with Rolo's. Her cheeks turned pink. She looked away and chuckled. She had never held hands with anyone before besides her brothers when crossing the street. Corrine's heart began to flutter. It was such a subtle yet romantic move.

[TwelveOf8]

Rolo held Corinnes hand like it was a delicate rose petal. His grip was firm and unyielding yet soft and gentle. So engrossed was he by the sensation of her hand in his that he narrowly evaded walking into one of the park benches situated on the side of the lighthouse Boardwalk, facing out into the bay. As warm as the sun was that day, for Rolo at least, it was nothing compared to the warmth of Corinnes hand.

The couple walked in silence, admiring the perfect spring day on the bay. A flock of western gulls nearby took wing on a particularly strong gust of wind that blew. Off in the distance, at the far end of he beach near the rocks, a pack of seals could be heard sounding their distict barking sounds as they lounged on the sandy beach.

A couple of minutes of strolling later they finally reached the base of the lighthouse. Its oak door was left open to the public. An information panel stood next to the doorway, complete with a very old black and white photo of the lighthouse as well as a group photo its builders. They were haggard looking manly men in old timey clothes. One of them sported a a rather large and impressive bushy beard with a smoking pipe in his mouth. The information board reads as follows:

Here stands the Lonely Lighthouse, known amongst sailors as Fishermans Folly. First built in the year 1883, this lighthouse served the people of Sea Salt Bay for many decades guiding fishing vessels back to shore. Sadly though, the Sea Salt Bay local fishing industry ended up going belly up. It just couldn't compete with the industries of larger towns and cities anymore. And so this lighthouse soon fell out of commission when the fishermen left the bay for better opportunities in livelier waters. Despite this, the Sea Salt Bay local council has maintained this lighthouse and opened it up to tourists and the locals out of pride for our town and its history.

"I've always loved this lighthouse." stated Rolo.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine looked at Rolo, puzzled.

"Really? Why?" She looks up at him and cocks her head to the left. "Its just an old lighthouse. What's so important?" What was the point of loving an old building? Though she couldn't say anything. She had quite the attachment to her old home.

[TwelveOf8]

Rolo gave Corinne a slightly amused look.

"It's a Sea Salt Bay thing Corinne. You're the new chick, so I don't expect you to get it. But wait til you see the view from the top of this baby!" Rolo exclaimed excitedly.

He then grabbed Corinnes hand and led her inside the lighthouse. The room inside was circular, as the architecture visible from the outside suggests. On the ground floor was what what looked like a living area filled with antique furniture. The room was quite spartan in decoration, which perfectly represented the simple and humble life of a lighthouse keeper. A pinewood dining table with four pinewood chairs sat in the middle of the room. Beneath the winding staircase that circled the interior of the wall, lay a single bed. On the opposite wall sat a wardrobe, a couple of kitchen appliances, and a large antique radio. A door to a small bathroom area stood nearby. Overall, it looked like a cozy place to live.

Rolo walked up to the dining table then put his hand on to the table top. He felt the old, smooth wood grain beneath his finger tips. He stood there, lost in thought. A deeply pensive look played across his features.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine wasn't to used to Rolo acting so reminiscent. He looked like he was remembering something near and dear to him. She gently tugged his shirt, trying to snap him out of his reverie.

"Rolo? Hey, Rolo? Are you ok? Are you day dreaming?"

Rolo didn't seem to budge. She decided to go interrupt whatever he was thinking about. A creaky door caught her attention. She quitely left Rolo's side and wandered off up the stairwell and into another room.

[TwelveOf8]

"Hey Corinne! Wait for me!" Rolo called out.

It took him a few moments to realise that Corinne was trying to get his attention, so enraptured he was by the memories the table elicited. Memories both wonderful yet painful in equal measure. Such memories stirred a deep longing within Rolos heart. For what did he long for, Rolo had yet to tell a single soul. But the longing was there, with its ceaseless intensity. The sound of Corinne walking up the spiral staircase though, at long last, finally broke his reverie.

Rolo walked up the spiral staircase towards Corinne, who stopped in her tracks. They were only a fraction of the way to the top but already Rolos heart beated rapidly. A new batch of sweat formed upon his brow.

"It's a long way up to the light room at the top, and I don't wanna be left behind." stated Rolo.

"But you know me, I ain't what I used to be. I'm gonna level with ya baby girl. Those are a hell of a lot of damn stairs, and I don't think I can make it all in one go. Maybe I can, with you by my side. Just go a little slow ok?" confessed Rolo meekly.

It was the first time in a long time that he began to feel ashamed of his weight. Such concerns, he always believed, were way too girly for a tough guy like him. The fact that he had trouble climbing the lighthouse stairs though, made him feel not so tough. The very thought made him feel uneasy.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine laughed. "Aw, I'm sure you'll be fine! Have a little more faith in yourself! You can accomplish more than you think. But since you asked me nicely I'll go slower." she grabbed his hand and began walking up the stairs, much slower than her usual speed walk.

Something struck a chord with her. Rolo's words ringed in her ear.

"I ain't what I used to be."

What was that supposed to mean? How much different was past Rolo compared to present Rolo? Then again, she didn't know much about Rolo in the first place. Only the things that he and Chet told her. She felt compelled to ask, but didn't know if she should. She didn't want to bring up anything bad. Yet her words decided to act on their own accord.

"Hey, Rolo...?" She started to ask softly.

[TwelveOf8]

"Yeah?" Rolo asked.

[Rhythmloid]

"Is Rolo your real name?" She blurted out quickly. She didn't want to sound rude, but her curiosity was too great.

[TwelveOf8]

"Errmm uhhh." Rolo stalled.

Such a question always made him feel uncomfortable. As far as he knew, nobody else but Chet knew his real name. That was exactly how Rolo liked it. If Switch and Divo were to ever learn the truth, then. It was an outcome that Rolo dared not ever let come to pass, for his street cred would be shot otherwise.

"Let's get to the top of this baby. You'll love the view." said Rolo. He hoped that he effectively dodged Corinnes question.

And so Rolo and Corinne ascended the spiral staircase of the lighthouse. Rolo stopped to take a breather ever seven to ten steps. He couldn't help but feel that Corinne was getting very impatient with him, though she showed no outward signs of it. After what felt like forever they finally made to the top of the lighthouse. At the top of the stairs Rolo issued a heavy sigh.

At the top of the staircase was a large circular room that housed the massive decommissioned kerosene beacon. Rolo was always surprised at how great yet humble the beacon looked up close. He could only imagine what it looked like when it was lit. Of course the walls of the circular room were mostly made of huge glass panels, as to allow the light from the beacon to be shone out into the waters below. A little further along this wall from the stairs was a single door. That too was left open, allowing the sound of the ocean and its fresh breeze to blow through the circular room.

"Looks like we made it Corinne baby. I couldn't have done it without you." Rolo admitted meekly.

[Rhythmloid]

"Whoa... you can see forever." Corrine leaned against the window, staring out at the blue, crystal waters. She could see a few families and their picnic baskets on the beach, playing and laughing while splashing in the water.

It all reminded her too much of home. She wiped her hair way from her face, only to feel that her cheek was wet with her tears. She hadn't realized that she was crying and rather audibly at that.

"Rolo?" she said. "I miss my old home. I miss Caramel Cove and I miss all my friends. I miss the old, broken down lighthouse I used to play in and I miss my old school. I miss my family, especially Mama. Everything is being taken away from me. Pretty soon, all my brothers are gonna move out and I'm gonna be left all alone with that jerk! I'll have to move away from everyone and I'll be all alone!"

She falls to her knees and buries her face in her hands.

"I'm such a big baby..."

[TwelveOf8]

Rolo dropped down on his knees next to Corinne and and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He could feel her shake with each sob. She was so small, so fragile. Yet there was an element to her that Rolo could sense. There was something about her, something unbreakable. She wore her heart on her sleeve, it seemed, yet she was not afraid to throw caution to the wind. Perhaps Corinne merely was as sentimental as Rolo was at times. And so he just held her whilst not knowing what to say, but understanding all the same.

"Corinne." whispered Rolo.

"Let's go outside. The view out there is amazing." suggested Rolo in a more lighthearted tone.

He helped Corinne back onto her feet then led her out of the open door. The doorway lead to the balcony that circled the outside of the top of the lighthouse. The railing surprisingly had very little rust, and not a trace of bird poop to be found. Rolo grabbed the railing with both hands and leaned forward. He let the wind tussle his hair. From their lofty vantage point they could see the entire bay, as well as the various restaurants and tourist shops near the boardwalk. To their right the sea stretched out into the horizon. Rolo could vaguely see the fellas beneath the boardwalk itself. Such a vista was in itself a representation of Sea Salt Bay. Beautiful on the outside yet mysterious and dirty just beneath the surface.

"Ya know what Corinne?" asked Rolo.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine wiped her face with her handkerchief. Her eyes were still red and her nose was still runny. She didn't look like the cute, porcelain doll that she normally seems to be.

"Hm? What is it?" Corrine sniffled, still staring out at the beach town bellow.

[TwelveOf8]

"Who needs it. Who needs any of it." replied Rolo.

He then turned to Corinne at his side. Rolo gently and deftly wiped a single tear that rolled down Corinnes face with the side of his right fore finger. He then swept her hair out of her eyes.

"We got our whole lives ahead of us and it's only just the beginnin. We can't go back to the way things were, ain't none of us can. But the road ahead promises diners that have waffles with bacon and ice cream. What I'm sayin little lady is screw the past, who needs it. The futures where it's at." lectured Rolo.

"But maybe we can swing by Caramel Cove one day, ya know, just for laughs. We can laugh at the squares who are too chicken to move on with their lives. And I do love me some caramel." stated Rolo.

"First of all sweet thing. I gotta do somethin crazy. Somethin I've always dreamed about doin. And baby ya better believe it's gonna shake the house down, ya dig!?" blathered Rolo excitedly.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine wiped the tears away from her face. Rolo was right. She couldn't dwell on the past. If she did, her life wouldn't move forward. She would never grow up. She had to focus on making a future for herself. Her frown turned into a smile, then a giggle.

"You know what? You're right, Rolo. You're really really right. Let's just keep moving forward." She said. She sighed with content and leaned into Rolo's chest.

"Maybe you could take me to caramel cove. It's like here but...more antique. There's lots of old people. They're all so nice though. They're sweet, like you!" Corrine gives him a quick peck on the cheek and smiles, blushing.

[TwelveOf8]

Rolo issued forth a forlorn sigh. There were so many things he wished to do in this world, in this life. And all of those things he wished to do he only wished to do with her. It would all begin with both Rolo and Corinne riding off togeher into the sunset. The engine roaring in defiance of all that wished to crush their spirits and cage their hearts. Sadly though, such a thing could not be, not yet anyway. Whether he liked it or not, Rolo had an obligation he just couldn't walk away from. An obligation known to him and him alone.

"Little lady, I wish we could blow this popsicle stand for good. But I....." began Rolo before pausing in a state of indecisiveness.

"I love this town ya know. Its corny as all hell and totally square but, I guess you can say, I've got that home town pride." Rolo confessed.

"I don't know when we could go the Caramel Cove Corinne baby. Stuffs real messed up with the gang right now. Nobody has said nothin but I can tell that shit ain't right. The fellas need me, ya dig?" explained Rolo.

"But I promise you baby girl, as soon as things are tight again, we'll go wherever you want." said Rolo earnestly.