The legend of Rico and Sable

The air spun about them like a ballet. The tiny island floated above the world and spun with gentleness. Serenity and peace were the rules of thumb. At least, they would have been if Rico would stop kicking at the dirt with his shoe.

"Can you stop that?" Sable demanded, "You are driving me crazy."

"Sorry," said Rico, "It's just that there is nothing else to do."

"You should have thought of that before you got us in trouble." said Sable.

"It wasn't my fault!" Rico said in response, kicking the dirt again.

"Stop it!" Sable shouted, "It is your fault!"

"I just wanted us to help." replied Rico.

"Help? By stealing?" Sable said, "How was stealing bread supposed to help us?"

Rico began to pace the perimeter of the island. He sucked his teeth and shook his head.

"We were hungry. We needed to eat." he said, "Dad wasn't around. I had to do something."

"Dad was five minutes late from work, you moron." Sable said back, "Besides, it wasn't the theft that got us here."

"You can't say the bakery burning down was my fault." said Rico, defending himself.

Sable stood up and faced Rico. "Yes I can! You knocked over a candle into a pan of oil." she said, "Oil is flammable, the place went up like a matchbox."

Rico shook his head again. "Well, what was the baker doing with that much oil anyway?" he said, "I still don't know why I got in trouble. I tried to put the fire out. Everyone saw me trying to put it out."

"With gasoline." growled Sable, "You picked up a can of gasoline and doused the bakery with it. You made it worse!"

"I didn't know it was gasoline! Shouted Rico.

"It was in a gas can!" said Sable, "Who puts water in a gas can, Rico?"

"I still don't think it's my fault." said Rico, "And it's not my fault it was so windy either."

"Rico, You might not be able to control the wind, but you started that fire and the wind spread it across the town." said Sable, "You single handedly burned down seven homes, the brewery and the school. It's your fault!"

"Yeah, they were pretty mad about the brewery." Rico said.

Sable sat back down and planted her chin on her knees. She peered out at the clouds that surrounded them, the vast nothing that was the sky. Somewhere, the cry of an eagle broke the silence. At least it was beautiful up there.

"So what did you do?" asked Rico, "Why are you up here?"

With the sort of feminine fury that made even the mightiest men lose their composure, Sable glared at Rico. A lump developed in his throat. He stepped back, and back again until his heel rested on the edge of the island.

"I didn't do anything!" Sable screamed, "I was just the person you handed the stolen bread to when you picked up the gas can."

"Easy, Sable!" said Rico, "It's not that serious!"

"Not that Serious?" said Sable, "You got hungry and couldn't wait for dinner, so you stole bread from the baker. On your way out you knocked over a candle into a bucket of oil and started a fire. You tossed me the stolen bread and tried to put the fire out...with gasoline! The wind spread the fire across town and now we've been sentenced to exile! On a floating island! I can't even make sense of that!"

" I guess it doesn't make sense." said Rico. How did they get this thing to float anyway?"

"That's not the point, Rico!" Screamed sable, who let out a growl and plopped herself back down, watching the clouds again.

Rico rubbed the back of his neck. He felt caught up in a series of events, a victim of circumstance. Walking the perimeter again, he found his way to Sable and sat down next to her, saying nothing. They sat quietly for hours.

Sable started to cry. Confused, Rico made the mistake of caring. This was something he would come to regret.

"What now, Sable?" Rico asked.

Sable looked up at Rico. "I have to pee.", she said.

Horror, terror, and dread filled Rico from top to bottom. Aghast at the thought that there was no bathroom on the island, and that he would have to figure out how to make this work. The very thought of watching his sister urinate in the open air was worse than exile on a floating island.

"I guess it's easier for me..." said Rico.

Sable started sobbing. "I'm about to wet myself." she said.

Looking around the tiny island, Rico noticed a thick root in the dirt. He had an idea, he set to digging around the root, a confused Sable watching him claw through the earth. He dug until he uprooted it, and found that it was about three feet long.

"Eureka!" said Rico. "I have a solution!"

Sable stared at Rico, curious what he would say.

"All you have to do is hold onto this root." he said, "I will turn around and face away from you, holding the other end of the root. Then you just lean back over the edge, drop your trousers and do your business. Easy as pie."

Rico had that big, dumb smile on his face. The same one he had when they were kids, and he used a mousetrap to try and knock out Sable's loose tooth. She stared at him in disbelief. Why on earth did she have to be related to such an idiot?

"Rico, that's the stupidest thing I have ever heard." she said, "I can't believe anyone alive is dumb enough to think that would work."

"You may think it's dumb, but it's the best we can do." said Rico, "Otherwise, you will have to crouch down up here and risk soiling your trousers. Even then, you would have to deal with the puddle of pee. We could get sick!"

"This is not funny, Rico." said Sable.

"I'm not trying to be funny." said Rico, "I am trying to help, and help you keep some dignity in the process."

Sable considered it. She rolled her eyes around the island, looking for an alternative, but Rico seemed to be right. Even if she dug a latrine, they would run out of spots to dig in just a few days. She wiped her tears, swallowed her pride, and made up her mind.

"I swear," she muttered, "If you turn around and look at me I will throw you off. If anyone ever hears about this, they won't find your body."

"I promise I won't." said Rico, "Who would want to see that anyway?"

So they did as he had planned. He took one end of the root, Sable took the other. She lowered her trousers, leaned back, and let go. Sweet relief! As she did her business, Sable took time to think about how kind Rico was being. He was so considerate to think about a plan for her to pee with a smidge of dignity.

"You know something Rico, I was too hard on you." said Sable, "You were really looking out for me, and I know you are well intended. I'm sorry for yelling at you. Can we forg-"

The root slipped from Rico's sweaty hand.

"Rico!" screamed Sable, as she slipped beneath the clouds.

Rico turned to see his sister gone. Nothing but clouds and the setting sun as far as the eye could see.

"Sable?" he asked out loud.

No reply, only the wind and the swirling motion of the island. Rico couldn't believe it. How could this happen? His plan was flawless. He cursed at his sweaty hands.

He dropped to his knees. How was he meant to live with himself? Sable, his only sister, was gone! Agony spread its wings over Rico's shoulders.

"I'm so dumb." he said, "I guess this is my fault too."

After a moment, Rico decided that if Sable was dead, he deserved to die too. He took a moment to consider his life, his bumbling stupidity. Remembering the good and bad of life, he was ready. After all, death was a better alternative than exile in the sky.

Rico jumped from the edge. The air brushed his hair out of his eyes and he felt the sensation of weightlessness. This didn't last long, the pull of gravity set in and his velocity increased. He fell past the clouds.

Rico didn't have time to register why the clouds were so close to the ground. He smashed into the dirt, and into a wet puddle. After a moment of shock, he realized what he was laying in. The smell gave it away.

"You idiot." said Sable.

Rico sat up, covered in urine and dirt. He looked at his sister, alive and well.

"Sable!" he screamed, "But where are we? Is this heaven?"

"You never were very bright." said Arlo, Sable and Ricos father, "You better have a good story for this, Rico."

"But I thought..." started Rico.

"So did I," said Sable, "But it turns out that Dad followed the island and managed to snag it with a harpoon. He has been pulling us down for hours."

Rico was stunned. "But, I thought you died." he said.

"I fell eight feet." Sable said, "Can you even imagine how embarrassed I was when dad saw me land face first, my trousers around my knees?"

"But, the clouds?" asked Rico, "We saw nothing but clouds for miles."

"Fog." said Arlo, "You were just above the fog. You were also fortunate you didn't try your ridiculous root scheme an hour ago. Sable, next time you have to pee, just do it."

Sable shot a glare at her dad and an even more vicious glare at Rico.

"Hey," said Rico, "I'm the victim here. I'm the one who landed in a puddle of pee."

"Aaaagghhh! You irresponsible, moronic, jerk!" said Sable.

Arlo scratched his head. How he ended up with these two, he had no idea. "I am still waiting for someone to explain to me how my children managed to burn down a village and end up in exile." he said.

Sable and Rico paused. "It's all her fault!" said Rico, pointing a finger.

Sable slugged Rico as hard as she could. The sun set on a family reunited. Sure, they were homeless, one of them was covered in pee, and they had nowhere to go. Still, they were together. If they were careful, they figured they may even survive each other's company.