|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:16 pm
Before I post the story, there are a few things I would like to say about it. For one, this is a completely original story, and I would really appreciate it if no one plagiarizes from it. This is the first story I wrote for my Creative Writing class in school, so any constructive criticism on how to improve it would be greatly appreciated. Also keep in mind this is just the rough draft, so please expect some spelling and grammar errors. And...I think that's it. Well, I hope you enjoy "A Pirate's Life for Me," by Stefisgarden.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:18 pm
1704 AD
It was a warm September afternoon in the Atlantic. The only sight was the endless ocean stretching out to all sides. The smell of salt was heavy on the wind. The only sounds were those of the ocean waves and the squawking of the sea birds soaring above the rolling water, along with the creaking of a wooden ship skimming across the water.
Crowe stood on the bow of the pirate ship Challenger. He stared out at the water, taking in the sight. The slight ocean breezed ruffled his hair and caressed his skin. The salty smell filled his nose. The sounds flowed through the air around him. He felt at ease, more at ease than he would on dry land. Having had spent half is life at sea, Crowe felt quite at home.
Turning away from the ocean, Crowe looked around the ship. The deck of the ship was made of light brown wood and looked relatively smooth. The railings and the door were made with the same kind of wood. There was not a spot of wear, not a sign of rot. The ship looked as if it had been made only yesterday, but all those on board knew otherwise.
The members of the crew were about the ship, doing their respective jobs. The lookout, who went by the name Hawke, was in the bird’s nest, watching for any signs of land or other ships. The navigator, the man they called Falcan, was at the wheel, directing their course. The master gunner, Raven, was checking the cannons for rust. The cabin boy, a young boy about the age of twelve named Kiwi, was running around, doing what any of the other crew members asked him to. When any of the crew saw Crowe looking, they would briefly stop their work, call “Ahoy, Captain!” and then return to their work.
Captain. Yes. Crowe was the captain of the Challenger. The crew members had elected him as captain by unanimous vote. However, he had not always been the captain. It had been two years since the leadership of the ship had been placed at his feet. Two short years…
1702 AD
First mate Crowe walked across the light brown wood of the Challenger’s deck. The crystal blue ocean sparkled in the sunlight. The smell of the ocean salt hung around the air like a thick mist. The weather was fair, the temperature nice. It was a perfect summer day.
That is, with one exception: it was too quiet. The pirates had not seen another ship for the past two weeks, which meant no money to take. The pirates were used to not seeing ships for days, but not usually for this long, and they were getting bored. If they didn’t come across another ship soon, they would have to sail north, which would put the captain in a foul mood.
Crowe thought about the captain, James Billow, with disdain. Yes, he did have some respect for the man, as would be expected from someone of a lower rank, but at the same time didn’t trust him. Billow was a man who would cheat his own men out of much of their share of the booty. Crowe knew this, but, without any proof, the rest of the crew wouldn’t believe him.
A shout cut into his thoughts like a knife through warm butter.
“Ship to portside!” Hawke, the lookout, yelled. Having heard this, the others in the crew murmured a few words in excitement.
Billow, who had been standing at the bow, turned. His face was just one large grin. Crowe could see eagerness and greed showing clearly in his eyes, but, of course, the others were too wrapped up in their own excitement and avarice to notice.
“Ready the cannons!” Billow bellowed.
At his order, the crew rushed to the three cannons they had and started loading them.
“Get ready to fire! But be careful not to sink her! Her treasure is no use to us at the bottom of the ocean! Everyone else get ready for boarding!”
Crowe checked to make sure his cutlass was at his side and his two flintlock pistols in their places. Many of the other pirates were doing the same thing, or something similar, including Billow.
“Cannons are ready, captain!” Raven reported.
“Good. Aim…Fire!”
There was a loud boom as the cannons were all fired simultaneously. Three cannon balls whizzed through the air. Two fell just short of their mark, but the last one struck the hull of the other ship. A moment later, the crew of the other ship started firing their own cannons. Every shot missed the pirate vessel. The pirates did nothing. They knew the cannons would soon stop firing.
Sure enough the cannon balls stopped falling and the sound of cannons stopped. As soon as the smoke cleared, the Challenger started sailing towards the other. Closer the ship came…Closer, closer, and closer still. The Challenger approached the enemy like a lion stalking its prey. The two ships were soon side by side, and the pirates lowered some wooden planks to connect them, each plank resting on the railings of the two ships.
Like lightning, pirate after pirate darted across the planks, Crowe and Billow among them. The sights and sounds of battle were everywhere. The clash of steel on steel rung in the air. Shots from guns could be heard miles away. The shouts of pain and agony were ear-piercing. Here blood flowed freely from a wounded leg. There a man held his wounded arm. Everywhere pirates were prevailing.
The battle was over in a matter of minutes. The crew of the enemy ship, caught by surprise and ill prepared, had not had a chance against their pirate attackers. The captain, seeing that, ordered his men to stand down, rather than see them slaughtered before his very eyes. There was a loud clang as swords and guns hit the deck.
Crowe had been in the middle of a sword fight when the order came. His foe hesitated before he finally lowered his weapon. Crowe, rather than kill the now defenseless man before him, simply stepped back and sheathed his cutlass. Despite his life of piracy, Crowe would never raise his sword to a man who could not, or would not, defend himself.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Billow approaching the enemy captain. The saw the two men started talking, Billow gesturing threateningly now and then, the other flinching and cringing. Then the enemy said a few words and Billow’s mood visibly lightened. Leaving the man where he stood, Billow walked forward a few steps until he stood in a place where everyone on the ship could hear him.
“Tend to the wounded!” he ordered his crew, who immediately started running around the deck, looking for any who were injured. Billow himself walked through the door leading inside the ship, where the sleeping quarters and, more importantly, cargo hold would be. Crowe, as suspicious as ever, silently followed the greedy captain.
The hallway he found himself in was long, but well lit. There were dozens of doors lining each side of the corridor. The floor was covered in a thick, red carpet that muffled sounds.
Billow was walking down this corridor, just a few yards away. Then he suddenly turned into one of the rooms on the right side. Crowe walked slowly down the hall, treading lightly so as not to alert Billow. A few steps before he reached the room Billow had walked into, Crowe pressed himself up against the wall and, with his back against the wall, inched his way to the door. He cautiously peered through the doorway.
Billow stood in the center of the room, his back to the door. He was holding something in his hand that sparkled in the light. Looking more closely, Crowe could see that it was a diamond studded necklace. Before Billow was a large, open chest, which was filled to the brim with gold, silver, and jewelry. As Crowe silently watched, Billow stuffed the necklace into one of his pockets. Then he grabbed a handful of the gold and stuffed it, too, into the pocket. He filled both his pockets just enough so that no one would notice that there was anything in them.
Crowe, knowing it was only a matter of time before Billow turned around, rushed down the hallway and back up onto the deck. A slight smirk crossed his face. Now he had the proof that Billow was cheating his men. Now he had the evidence needed to expose the captain for what he really is.
Crowe walked a small distance away from the door so that the captain, if he came up, would not suspect that he had been down there at all. He was just in time, too, for not even five minutes later, Billow walked out of the door.
“Crowe, Raven,” he said, beckoning them over.
“Yes, Captain?” both Crowe and Raven asked simultaneously, walking over to him.
“I found the booty. I want you two to help carry it up here and back to the ship. Follow me,” Billow said and reentered the door.
“Aye, aye,” they both said and followed.
About fifteen minutes later, the chest was sitting on the deck of the Challenger. All members of the pirate crew were standing on the deck, staring greedily at the contents of it. The other ship and her crew had been released and were even now sailing off into the distance. The pirates murmured to each other about the amount of treasure they had won.
“Now, as usual, we all receive an equal share of the booty,” Billow told them.
“All except you,” Crowe said suddenly, to the surprise of Billow and the others.
“What do you mean?” Billow asked, narrowing his eyes.
“You have already claimed some of the booty, yet you will still give yourself as much from the chest as you will the rest of us.”
“I have done no such thing. What proof do you have of your claim?”
Crowe did not answer the question directly, but rather looked over at Raven. “Check his pockets.”
“You will do no such thing!” Billow cried.
“Oh, really? If you have nothing to hide, then you shouldn’t be opposed to it, for it will only serve to prove your innocence,” Crowe said with a smirk.
While Billow hesitated, Raven stepped up to him. Billow flinched ever so slightly, but let Raven reach into his pocket. When Raven withdrew his hand, a pile of gold was rested in his palm.
“Look!” yelled one crew member.
“Crowe speaks the truth!” yelled another.
“The captain has cheated us!”
All at once, the enraged crew started shouting and drawing their weapons.
“Wait!” Crowe’s voice roared over theirs. When they quieted down, he continued. “I say we let the sea decide his fate.”
The crew then started to speak amongst themselves, debating about their course of action. When at last they reached a decision, they turned to Billow. “We, as the members of your crew, strip you of captainship and banish you to the sea.”
A few minutes later, Billow, who had decided to cooperate rather than be torn to shreds, stood on a small boat that was floating in the clear water, far below the deck of his former ship. There were no oars or anything else that could be used to move the ship. The only thing he had was the clothes on his back.
Crowe, standing on the deck of the Challenger, called down to him. “If you are lucky, a ship may pick you up. If not…Well, to put it simply, you will die. So long, Billow. May Lady Luck shine on you.” Crowe then turned around and never looked back. The Challenger started moving again.
“Now…To the business of finding a new captain…” he said to the crew, who were all standing on the deck.
“I say Crowe should be the new captain!” Hawke shouted. The rest of the crew yelled in agreement.
Crowe stood where he was, eyes widened slightly, mouth partially open, as if he was trying to say something but couldn’t make a sound. “Me?” he asked when he finally found his voice. Despite his disdain for Billow, he had no desire to become captain. The thought had never even crossed his mind.
Crowe saw the respect and loyalty in the crew’s eyes and immediately knew what he should do.
“If that is what you decide, then I will be honored to accept.”
1704 AD
At last emerging from his memories, Crowe looked out at the horizon. He wondered what had happened to Billow, whether or not he was picked up, but did not dwell on it, for he heard Hawke give a cry from the bird’s nest.
“Ship to starboard!”
Crowe pushed the thoughts of the past to the back of his mind and turned toward the crew. “Ready the cannons!” he shouted, just as Billow had done two years ago to the day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
