The night was dark and stormy, and Nicolas groaned as he got out of his rickety bed. His body ached from sleeping on the hard mattress, and he rubbed his eyes as he looked at the calendar on the wall. "What? It's already the 24th?" he muttered to himself. He had lost track of time in this godforsaken place. He quickly got dressed and grabbed his bag, ready to face whatever this day had in store for him.
He left his shabby house and walked towards the city, hoping to find some work or at least some food. But as he turned a corner, he saw a group of thugs blocking his way. They looked at him with malicious grins, and one of them stepped forward.
"Well, well, what do we have here? Some guy who I don't know just barges into the city, eh?" the thug said, cracking his knuckles. "What do you want, huh? Money? Food? A beating?"
Nicolas was not intimidated by the thugs. He had seen worse in his life, and he knew how to handle himself. He stared at the thug coldly and said, "What do I want? I want you to get out of my way."
The thug laughed and said, "Oh, you've got some nerve, buddy. Are you sure you're from this area? Because if not, then it might be best to leave now. This is our turf, and we don't like strangers."
"Leave? Don't you know what day it is?" Nicolas said, raising his eyebrows.
"Day? What day is it? What the fuck are you even on about?" the thug said, confused.
Nicolas looked at him with pity and said, "It's the 24th, you idiot. The day the pirates come back."
The thug's eyes widened and he gasped. He looked at his companions, who also showed signs of fear and excitement. "The 24th? The pirates? Shit, we've got to go!" he said, and ran towards the city, followed by the others.
Nicolas shook his head and said, "What the hell is wrong with them? Are they high or something?" He shrugged and continued his way, wondering what the fuss was about.
He reached the city after a while, and saw that it was crowded with people. There was a festive atmosphere, and he heard music and laughter. He also saw banners and flags, and heard announcements from loudspeakers.
"Hey, hey, over here!" someone shouted, and he turned to see the same thug who had accosted him earlier. He was waving at him and smiling. "What the hell are you doing here? Oh, wait, you're that guy from an hour ago. Ah, fuck, why am I so unlucky that I bump into you again?"
Nicolas frowned and said, "What do you want now? And why are you so happy?"
"Shh, quiet, keep your voice down," the thug said, and pulled Nicolas to a corner. "Don't you know what's going on?" Nicolas smiles "It's the 24th, man. The day the pirates come back from their voyage and bring us unimaginable treasures. Look, there they are!"
Nicolas followed the thug's gaze and saw a fleet of ships approaching the harbor. They were huge and majestic, and he could see the pirate flags flying on their masts. Nicolas also saw cannons and guns, and heard the pirates cheering and singing.
Nicolas felt a surge of curiosity and admiration. he had always been fascinated by the pirates, their freedom and adventure. he wondered what they had seen and done in their journey, and what they had brought back. Maybe Nicolas himself was a pirate, deep down. He had always felt restless and bored in this land, and he had always dreamed of sailing the seas and exploring the unknown.
Nicolas looked at the thug and said, "So, you're a pirate fan, huh?"
The thug nodded and said, "Hell, yeah. Who isn't? They're the coolest and the richest people in the world. They share their loot with us, the people of this island. They're our heroes and benefactors. Don't you want to see what they've got?"
Nicolas shrugged and said, "Sure, why not. Let's go."
They joined the crowd and made their way to the harbor, where the pirates were docking their ships and unloading their cargo. He saw crates and chests, bags and barrels, filled with gold and jewels, spices and silk, weapons and artifacts. He saw things that he had never seen before, things that shine like diamonds, things that looked so majestic that even his eyes were blinded by their beauty.
Nicolas heard the people gasp and cheer, and he felt a pang of envy and awe. He thought, "I guess being a pirate isn't half bad, eh?"