《The Sea Is A Harsh Mistress》
01 - Theres a Storm Brewing
The sea burned.
What started as a small fire had grown rapidly, flames licking away hungrily at the oil that had been poured as fuel. The wood of the Jewel of the Saldaire would have burned just fine without it, but that wasn¡¯t sufficient for the arsonist that set the ship ablaze. All around him, massive flames were eating away at the ship that had been his safe haven, the roaring blaze punctuated by the sound of wooden support beams breaking and crashing down. The heat from the flames was unbearable. The smell of salt filled the air as seawater pooled on pieces of wreckage boiled away.
Lawson Graham was balanced precariously on a large piece of flotsam, the remains of an ornate door shorn from the ship by the explosion of the ship¡¯s store of black powder. Intricate carvings on the door served as handholds, the wood smooth in his hands. He was laying on the center of the wood, his arms couldn¡¯t reach either edge and his legs couldn¡¯t reach the end. It¡¯s lucky that the sea is still.
The wind picked up, gusting powerfully and reducing the visible fire for a moment. The flames roared out as if in protest. Just a moment later the fire seemed to burn twice as high, twice as hot. From Law¡¯s vantage point it was hard to see just how high everything was. Even the piece of the mast was ablaze, orange flames conquering the wood as it began to sink into the sea.
I don¡¯t know if I can hold onto this door if the waves pick up, but I don¡¯t know how much more of this heat I can take¡ He eyed the water and thought about slipping in. Surely it would be cooler than the air surrounding him, hot enough to bake a ham and growing hotter with every second. I don¡¯t think I could get back on if I let go¡
He was torn. He was too young to have to make these kinds of decisions. His heart thundered in his chest, his breath short and shallow, the heat enough to make his lungs feel like they were burning. It was too much. He couldn¡¯t hold out. He slipped. He fell. Unconscious. The sea swallowed him up without any issue.
Growing up, Lawson had always romanticized the sea. He grew up on one of the bigger islands, Gran Tortala, and his parent¡¯s home was located just a few hundred meters away from the ocean. The smell of the salt air and the soft sounds of the sea lapping at the island shore were never absent in his youth. Their house was just outside the village of Seaside.
One of his earliest memories was playing with a toy ship in one of the tidal pools that lined the beaches. The ship always glided gracefully across the water, just above wondrous treasures hidden in those pools - things like corals, anemones, and other colorful and beautiful life. He would imagine he was the captain of that vessel on an important voyage, not just across the tide pool but across oceans that spanned the ends of the world.
As he grew older, his dreams of being a captain on such a vessel only grew stronger. He had a heart for adventure, the kind of thirst that only strange places and exotic sights could quench. His parents weren¡¯t happy about his dreams. They were a well-to-do merchant family and the expectation was that he would take up the family business as he reached maturity. His own goals and desires hadn¡¯t mattered much to his parents.
His parents hired an expensive tutor to teach him everything he¡¯d need to know in order to make the best merchant possible. Lessons on linguistics, arithmetic, world history and culture were of particular emphasis. His tutor would always tell his parents that he was a bright boy, but he didn¡¯t care to apply himself. They didn¡¯t listen. To them, there was only one possibility for Lawson: Continuing the family business.
Despite his parents insistence that he focus on his future and their goals for him, he wasn¡¯t forced to spend his childhood in isolation. He played with some of the children from the village near his family¡¯s manor. One child in particular had captured his heart at a young age. The fair Selena Borden, one year his senior with a heart for adventure that matched his own. The two of them got into a lot of trouble together as he grew older. They¡¯d run through the jungle near town, exploring small caves that could be found close to the village.
It was in one of those caves that he¡¯d experienced his first kiss. Selena had surprised him that day. ¡°Look, in here, I want to show you something we haven¡¯t seen!¡± She¡¯d said as she drew him deeper and deeper into the cave. Their lantern glowed softly, illuminating the dark walls with a gentle orange light. He had followed along close behind, ready to back her up as always. She was his best friend.
She¡¯s also beautiful¡ He thought. He shook his head. That wasn¡¯t relevant. Lately those kind of thoughts had been entering his head more and more, throwing confusion into his world that had seemed so simple. His voice had begun cracking and he felt a soft ache in his limbs as he began to grow taller. The growing pains of a young boy. ¡°What is it?¡± He¡¯d asked curiously. We¡¯ve been in here before, haven¡¯t we?
She led him deeper and deeper into the cave. Eventually they reached a section that was narrow enough that an adult wouldn¡¯t be able to pass. ¡°It¡¯s in here!¡± She¡¯d said. Her step had an extra bounce in it. Her voice had a peculiarly high lilt. She was jubilant. Radiant. She slipped through the cracks in the cavern as easily as water. Lawson rushed close behind. He was a fool for her, for her energy. She was captivating.
When he emerged on the other side of the narrow fissure, he found himself in a room that was lit with a strange blue hue. In the middle of the room was a pool that emanated blue light. The water was crystal clear, the same kind of blue the sea was on the clearest days. The faint smell of salt filled the grotto. On the ceiling he could see tiny stalactites that were made of some crystal, tinged blue in the light. She was standing to the side of the entrance looking at him expectantly. Her face reflected that blue light, her green eyes looking almost purple in it.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
She stepped up to him, closer. So close. ¡°What do you think?¡± She asked with a mischievous grin on her lips. Lips that he¡¯d seen growing fuller with each passing season. The curve of her face was becoming more defined. He¡¯d begun to think of her more as a lady and less as a girl.
¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡¡± He murmured. He wasn¡¯t looking at the pool. It had been an incredible sight and a great find. It¡¯s got nothing on the sight before me now, though. A faint red hue tinged his cheeks. She seemed to notice as her confident posture vanished. She was tracing circles on the ground with her toe. Her hands clasped in front of her. ¡°Really amazing, Sel.¡±
She beamed. Then she didn the last thing he had ever expected. She leaned forward and pressed her soft lips against his own. His cheeks caught on fire. His mind screamed at him to pull back. She¡¯s a girl! We don¡¯t kiss girls! His body screamed at him to stay put. To lean forward. To kiss her more fully. We do now. We like it. We like Sel. His emotions warred as he returned her gentle kiss. She broke it first, her cheeks flushed. ¡°S..Sorry, Law.¡± She breathed. ¡°Couldn¡¯t help it.¡±
He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. It was... ¡° Amazing. Wonderful. The Best. ¡°Really nice.¡± He finished. He reached out with his hand, finding hers in the dimly lit cave.
She smiled at that. Her own cheeks were so red he could see it even through the blue light. She gave his hand a soft squeeze.They stood there in silence for a long while. Holding each other¡¯s hands. Squeezing gently, there in the moment together. Young love.
When he got home that day, he wrote about it in his journal. He was ecstatic. He and Sel spent their days in each other¡¯s company, things a bit awkward as their interactions were framed differently, but so familiar at the same time. So right. As if their new, blossoming relationship was the most natural thing in the world.
A week later, his mother had found the journal while cleaning his room. She¡¯d confronted him about it. She demanded to know when he¡¯d decided that getting romantically involved with one of the villagers was a good idea. ¡°They¡¯re too poor to be good marriage material!¡± She¡¯d practically shouted at him.
¡°I don¡¯t care about that, I¡¯m happy!¡± He¡¯d fired back. She laughed at him.
¡°Do you think I care about that? We¡¯ve worked too hard building this fortune to let you squander everything with some peasant girl.¡± Lawson had looked to his father for support. The man had looked away from him.
He must have found a way to stay out of it again. He always does when mother is involved. He slammed his fist against the wall in response to her statement. Pain exploded in his hand. ¡°She¡¯s not just some peasant girl! I don¡¯t care about your stupid fortune! I want to be an adventurer! I want to be the captain of my own ship, the master of my own destiny! Can¡¯t you see that your life isn¡¯t what I want?¡±
His mother had laughed at him. Genuine laughter. She¡¯d tilted her head back and everything. ¡°What you want now isn¡¯t what matters, you foolish boy. When you¡¯re older you will realize that we were right. You¡¯ll be happy with the life we¡¯ve provided. You¡¯ll have a nice house, a comfortable bed, a wife and kids who make you happy. You just need to do what you¡¯re supposed to until then.¡±
It isn¡¯t fair. Why doesn¡¯t what I want matter? He sighed. ¡°Okay, you win. I¡¯ll¡ I¡¯ll stay away from her.¡± Behind his back, his crossed fingers seemed to suggest otherwise.
He¡¯d continued to see Sel. When he told his parents he was going to play with the local children, he made a point to never specify which children he¡¯d be playing with exactly. Things went well. They managed to spend most of the spring together. It wasn¡¯t until Summer that they were caught.
His mother had sent one of the servants down to the marketplace for some supplies. Law and Sel just happened to be sitting together outside a cafe sharing an ice cream. He¡¯d been feeding her from the spoon when the servant had seen them. There was no denying that the encounter was romantic in nature.
His mother had been apoplectic. That was when she decided that they¡¯d be shipping him to a school on another island. When they chartered the Jewel of the Seldaire. That was when his whole world was destroyed.
Lawson had spent the first half of the voyage staring sullenly at his cabin wall. His parents were on the ship with him, and despite their attempts to patch things up with him, he didn¡¯t have any interest in hearing what they had to say. He was on a ship - a real ship - for the first time and he was barely even able to enjoy it. His first day or two had been spent getting his sea legs. He still didn¡¯t feel totally comfortable walking around on the ship when the waves got too big, but things were going better for him now. He didn¡¯t feel sick to his stomach anymore. The only thing that bothered him was the aching in his chest. Sel would love to be here with me¡ He¡¯d thought.
He¡¯d tried to make the best of things. He wandered around the ship at night, the moons overhead bright. Char is particularly bright and red tonight. His gaze was drawn to the red moon. I wonder if Sel is looking up at this same moon thinking of me¡ He had no way of knowing. He planned to send her a letter when he got to whatever island his parents were taking him to. The gentle rocking of the waves helped to calm him.
The aroma of salt, wood, and oil helped to distract him. He closed his eyes and imagined he was on a voyage of his own volition. Sailing to a land far away from his problems, on a quest to find some glorious treasure. A small smile played across his lips. At least I can pretend to do what I want. He opened his eyes and looked out across the moonlit sea. The gentle rolling of the waves, endless, was hypnotic. Soothing.
When he lay down to sleep that night, he was almost at peace with his circumstances. I will see you again, Sel. Someday. They can¡¯t keep us apart forever. He fell into a deep, restful sleep.
He didn¡¯t wake again until his mother was leaning over him, shaking him vigorously. ¡°Law! Law, you have to wake up!¡± She hissed at him.
He stretched and opened his eyes, instinctively moving to wipe the cold from them. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked. He looked up at his mom. I¡¯m still mad. He thought. He saw her expression. Her eyes were wider than normal. Her shoulders hunched. Her breathing was quick. She seemed to be looking back towards the door an awful lot.
¡°We¡¯re under attack.¡± She responded. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but the sound of an explosion drowned out his voice.
02. The Jewel of the Saldaire
An explosion tore through the hull of the ship. He could feel the vibrations through his bed as he stared up at his mother. ¡°Under attack¡?¡± He asked. Is this a dream? He started to get up, but his body was sluggish after being woken up from his deep slumber. He could see fear in her eyes. Insistence. He rolled out of bed as she continued to tug on him, feeling the cool wood of The Jewel of the Saldaire beneath his bare feet. ¡°What do you mean?¡±
She looked at him and then to the door. Fear visible. Another explosion tore through the ship and the vibrations were strong enough to knock him off his feet. He fell backwards onto the bed. The mattress, stuffed with feathers, absorbed the worst of the fall. His head thudded lightly against the wooden bulkhead of the cabin. He watched as his mother stumbled, her momentum carrying her wide of the bed.
She hit the bulkhead with a sickening thud. He clambered to his feet, his head throbbing from the blow and a knot forming on the back of his skull already. The muffled sound of another explosion made him wince and sent pain through his head. His mother didn¡¯t rise. ¡°Mom?¡± He asked. She was lying on her back.
He moved over to help her up. Maybe she¡¯s just dazed. He leaned down next to her. He saw her eyes. Open. Sightless. ¡°Mom?!¡± He shook her gently. She didn¡¯t respond. What¡¯s wrong with her? He touched a hand to her neck to feel for a pulse. Nothing. Her neck was twisted at an odd angle. His hand moved beneath her nose to feel for air. Nothing. Mom?! The thought of never seeing her again started to hit him. His eyes felt moist. It was hard to breathe.
He heard a loud thump outside. He straightened and looked towards the door. Under attack? I guess I should hide. He snuck beside the door as it begun to open. It swung inward. He hid behind it as he heard some particularly heavy steps. ¡°Law? Law are you here?¡±
Sounds like Dad¡ He thought. He peered around the door and saw his father¡¯s silhouette. He slid to the side of the door so that he wasn¡¯t hidden by the wood. ¡°Dad?¡± The shadow moved into the room and the door closed softly. His father stood there, tall and proud. His body was thick and strong like an oak tree. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Dad?¡±
His father was silent. He moved over to stand by his wife¡¯s body. He crouched low and brought his fingers to the side of her neck, feeling for a pulse. His head and shoulders drooped. He hunched over her body, his strong arms surrounding her form as quiet sobs escaped his lips. His shoulders quivered.
After a few moments the man took a deep breath and seemed to steel himself. His fingers brushed over her sightless eyes, pulling her lids down. He lifted her body with ease and placed her on the bed. He leaned down to tenderly kiss her forehead and Law heard him speak, ¡°Farewell, my love.¡±
He looked up and turned to face Lawson, lines running down his face where tears had escaped from his eyes and dove to the deck. ¡°There are some very bad pirates attacking the ship and they¡¯re preparing to board. We need to get you to safety. You¡¯ll have to follow me, and whatever you do, stay close and low.¡±
Lawson moved close to his father and noticed something hanging at his waist. A belt with two holsters. A large knife was in one holster. The other held a large curved sword. His father didn¡¯t seem bothered by the prospect of danger. His jaw was set, his eyes determined. His arms seemed tense as he opened the door. He seems different. Intense. The man stepped outside and motioned for his son to follow.
Law followed him outside. His dad was standing ahead of him, blocking his view of what was happening on deck but the sound of metal clashing on metal was echoing all around him. Gunshots thundered. It was chaos. Hell. There was black powder residue all over the deck. There was a black haze in the sky that reduced visibility, smoke filling the air and making it hard to breathe.
He heard the screams of combat around him. The sounds of battle. Of death. ¡°It¡¯s Captain Grimm! I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s him! Defend the ship! If we let them board, we¡¯re done for!¡± Someone shouted from somewhere above. A few moments later a body thudded to the deck near Law, a thrown knife buried in the corpse¡¯s neck.
He crouched down close behind his dad who was busy looking around the ship, as if trying to find something through the haze. Law turned his head to look at the vessel that had pulled alongside the Jewel of the Saldaire, the pirate ship was massive in comparison to the Jewel. Two gangplanks extended from the bigger vessel sloping down to lay on the bulwark, the small wall that surrounded the main deck of the smaller Jewel.
Men were rushing down from the pirate vessel with weapons high, trying to break through the crew of the Jewel that surrounded the gangplanks. He could just barely make out a flag flying high above the pirate¡¯s ship, a black flag with a skull that had a tricorne on its head. The universal symbol for pirates.
Law¡¯s dad turned and moved to the left, towards the port side and away from the pirates. They were closer to the back of the boat, the stern, than anything else. His dad hugged the bulkhead that made up the difference in height from the main deck to the quarter deck. When they reached the portside toe-rail, a low rail about waist high on Law, he began to move towards the bow, or front, of the ship. Law followed close behind. ¡°What are we looking for?¡± He asked. The air was cleaner here. Clearer. He felt like he could breathe again.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
His dad never stopped moving as he answered, ¡°I¡¯m trying to find the captain. It seems like we might lose this battle. I want to know where we can hide you. Captain Grimm is a¡ Well, the man¡¯s a monster. He¡¯s a brutal pirate who is particularly notorious for what he does to children.¡± Law didn¡¯t ask any more questions. He followed his dad to the bow of the ship where they ran into the captain.
The Captain of the Saldaire was standing on the bow of the ship with a brass spyglass in hand. He was sweeping iit back and forth to count the number of attacking pirates with a grim expression on his face. He wore a large red overcoat that was parted in the middle. He was of considerable girth but despite his belly, his arms were thick as tree trunks and suggested great strength. He had one hand resting comfortably on the pommel of a massive cutlass that hung low by his side.
Law had spoken with the man a few times. He seemed a good sort to the boy. Law had learned that Edward Rodgers had been the captain of the Jewel of the Saldaire for longer than Law had been alive. It was a good ship, with a good crew. A merchant ship.
They had to deal with pirates from time to time, so Law knew the crew was no stranger to fights but based on the screams he heard and the look on Captain Rodger¡¯s face, this wasn¡¯t a fight they were likely to win. His dad moved forward to speak with the Captain. Law only heard snippets until he got closer, when he heard his dad asking, ¡°Where can I take my boy? Where do you keep items that you may want to¡ Ah¡ Avoid being prone to inspection?¡±
The man didn¡¯t hesitate to respond, ¡°It¡¯s back the way you came. In the captain¡¯s cabin, there¡¯s a loose panel just to the left of my bed. Behind that panel, there¡¯s a switch. If you press that switch, a small hatch will open up. That space exists between the decks. The mechanism is designed to reverse when the hatch is closed. If there¡¯s anywhere your boy will be safe¡ That¡¯s it.¡± The man reached down to his side and ripped his cutlass free from his belt. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me¡ I have a ship to defend.¡±
¡°Good luck, Captain.¡± Law¡¯s dad said. He¡¯s just one man¡ Law thought. He looked down towards the main deck. The pirates were starting to make headway on the gangplanks. The corpses of crewmembers were starting to litter the main deck. They were doing the best they could - for every one member of the Jewel that fell, they took two pirates down with them. It isn¡¯t enough. The captain rushed down to the main deck, screaming curses at the pirates as he joined the fray.
Law could see that there were many more pirates crowded and ready to come across the gangplank with their weapons out. Several of them had flintlock pistols or muskets that they were firing across the way. The sounds of screams filled the air. Law¡¯s dad pulled his cutlass free from his belt and surveyed the main deck as they began to move along the railing towards the captain''s cabin. Law stayed close behind.
A pirate jumped out of the smoke to land in front of the two of them. Law shrank back further behind his dad. We¡¯re through. No way Dad can do anything. His dad didn¡¯t hesitate at all. He surged forward with that massive cutlass of his held overhead. A scream of rage thundered out of the man as he brought the weapon down in a mighty chop. The pirate, a look of shock on his face, lifted his hatchet to try and block the strike.
To Law¡¯s complete surprise his father cleaved the man¡¯s hatchet in twain and his cutlass didn¡¯t stop there. Law¡¯s father cleaved through his torso like a hunk of meat, nearly cutting him in half. An odd sound escaped the pirate¡¯s lips as the cutlass traveled through his body. A spray of blood burst from the man¡¯s wound, gore and viscera visible in the laceration. Law turned to lean over the toe-rail and heaved, his stomach emptying itself over the side. He felt a hand on his back. Large, familiar. Comforting. ¡°How did you d-?¡± The hand grabbed the back of his shirt and tugged him away from the side, cutting off his words.
¡°Law, we don¡¯t have time for this. Come on.¡± His dad moved along the railing towards the captain¡¯s cabin. No other pirates got in their way. When they reached the cabin, they did exactly as the captain had said. Pressing against the loose plank near the bed revealed the button. The button popped open the hatch. His Dad was just helping him get into the hidden compartment when the door was kicked open. A massive brute of a man filled the doorway. His muscles have muscles¡ The man was wielding two large hatchets. He banged the two weapons together and stepped forward, his steps loud and heavy in the small space. His presence filled the cabin. He seems strong. Law shrank down into the hatch. Looks like there¡¯s enough room for two in here.
¡°Dad! Come get in here! No need to fight!¡± His dad shook his head and flicked his cutlass towards the wall. Law could see droplets of the previous pirate¡¯s blood splash against the dark brown wood of the cabin.
¡°I never told you this but I was a soldier long before I was a merchant. I can¡¯t run from this. He¡¯ll just let Captain Grimm know you¡¯re here.¡± He rushed forward and swung his cutlass at the monstrous man. The giant caught the strike on his hatchets and pressed forward, knocking his dad¡¯s defenses off to the side. Law¡¯s dad surged forward and buried his shoulder in the man¡¯s stomach. He could be heard struggling to breathe as his breath was stolen away. The man crashed against the wall and slumped down, stunned. His dad stepped forward with his cutlass ready. He brought it across the man¡¯s neck swiftly, separating his head from his neck in one quick motion.
The sight made Law feel sick again but he fought down the compulsion to start heaving. His dad turned to face him and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Son. Your dad is tougher than you think. I won¡¯t let these guys take me out so easily. Now I want you to get in there. Everything is going to be alright.¡± He came over and kissed the top of Law¡¯s head, then pressed down on him until his head was in the compartment. His dad locked eyes with him for a long moment. ¡°I love you, son.¡±
¡°I love you Dad!¡± He answered back. His dad closed the hatch and darkness enveloped him.
03. The Fate of the Jewel
His world was enveloped by darkness.
In his chest, his heart thumped against his ribs at a quick pace. The inability to see anything combined with the sounds of soft creaks and moans of the wood fueled his anxiety. Each and every second that passed had him wound up more tightly. In the darkness, every sound was magnified. His imagination ran wild in the absence of light.
He was hiding from the pirate crew of the notorious Captain Grimm, and every noise filled his head with visions of his potential capture. The sea jostled the Jewel in a gentle fashion. Before things had gotten bad, the steady rise and fall of the ship had been comforting. Now, down in the darkness, it was a source of terror as each move threatened his precarious sense of balance. Each move elicited new groans from the aged wood of the ship that filled his head with worries that the ship would sink somehow.
Lawson could hear pirates stomping around the cabin above him. Muffled sounds of conversation filtered down through the wood that made up the ceiling of his hiding spot, their words muted beyond clarity. I hope Dad is okay. He tried pressing his ear against the wood to make out the words being said, to no avail.
The darkness was absolute. All he could do was sit. Wait. Alone, with nothing but his thoughts, fears, worries, and the fact that his entire world had been killed or destroyed in the past few days to keep him company.
It was too much. Moisture welled in his eyes as the pressure in his chest increased to the point that it threatened to escape as a sob. He doubled over in the smuggling space and pulled his knees to his chest. A loud sob escaped his lips, so he slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle the rest of them.
Images of his mother¡¯s body flashed through his mind. She must have died thinking I hate her. He thought of his father, of the fate he had likely met at the hands of his foes. If those pirates captured him, there¡¯s no telling what they¡¯re doing to him¡ With nothing but his wicked thoughts to keep him company, time seemed to grind on. Before he knew it, he drifted off into a deep sleep, exhausted from the emotional trauma.
He was torn from his slumber by a booming sound that left his ears ringing and buzzing. All he could hear was a high pitched whine. He opened his eyes to pitch black. What was that? He pressed his ear to the ceiling once more, but he wasn¡¯t able to hear anything over that buzzing sound. He felt movement in the boat itself. A sudden shift that was so powerful he was thrown from his feet, rolling backward.
As he came to a stop, he felt moisture on his arm. That was odd. The ship should be watertight, shouldn¡¯t it? He groped around in the darkness, his hand eventually finding a small puddle. It almost seems to be¡ Is it getting deeper? He wrapped his free hand around his wrist to mark the water level, then pulled his hand away and waited for a hundred heartbeats. He placed his hand in the same spot and found the water had definitely raised, covering both hands now.
His hearing was starting to come back. He could hear a trickling sound that accompanied the rising water level. Maybe there were some barrels down here that broke? He sniffed. Salt filled his nostrils. More than it had on the deck. He cupped his hand and brought some of the rising liquid to his lips. Saltwater. Just how far did I roll? He recalled the sensation. It felt like he¡¯d turned over about seven times. That meant the hatch would be about seven paces back the other way.
He rose to his feet, his body hunched over in the cramped space, and took a few steps forward, his hands feeling along the ceiling of the small compartment for a groove that would indicate the hatch. He found it just where he¡¯d expected. He pressed an ear against the wood to try and hear any muffled indications that the ship was still occupied. Nothing. Only the soft trickle of water into his compartment. Seems like they¡¯ve left. Time to get out.
He pressed his hands against the hatch and gave a shove with all his strength. It didn¡¯t budge. He gave it another try, this time crouching down before jumping up to try and ram his shoulder into the wood. Nothing. Suddenly, the ship seemed to heave again, and he was sent tumbling back into the water. This time he tumbled until his entire body was submerged.
He came up sputtering. In the darkness, he couldn¡¯t see how deep the water was, but he could tell the level had risen considerably. The ship seemed to be moving erratically, angled in a way that wasn¡¯t cohesive with the design of the crawl space. There was sea water in the compartment. He crawled out of the water and sat on the angled floor.
It¡ It¡¯s sinking. He realized. It felt as though the dark space was closing in all around him, suffocating him as surely as the rising water would. His heart pounded in his chest. His breathing came short, shallow, rapid, lungs struggling to fill with air. He reached up to grab at his chest, his arm trembling mightily. He thought calming thoughts and tried to force himself to relax.
It wasn¡¯t working. The water level continued to rise, the cold liquid coming into contact with his back. Oh¡ if it¡¯s sinking, then I need to do something or else I¡¯ll die...It was a terrifying thought, but it was the kind of thought that gave him strength. Purpose.
He felt around the ceiling for the trapdoor once more. He found the groove of the wood and tried to dig into it with his fingers, his nails scratching and trying to gain purchase on the small crevasse. There was a sudden, sharp pain as one of his nails bent too far and broke in the gap. He winced and brought his hand down to his mouth, the metallic taste of blood on his tongue as he sucked on the wound.
He fumbled around in his pockets, feeling around for something that might help him. He brushed against a piece of wood. Useless. Or was it? As his fingers explored further, he realized it was just what he needed. His pocket knife.
He pulled it from his pocket and pulled the blade from between the wood, a soft ¡®click¡¯ sounded as it locked into place. He brought the blade to the gap between the trapdoor and the rest of the wood and began to pry at it with his tool. The sound of rising water never ceased as he worked at the door.
The door wasn¡¯t moving as he tried to pry it open. He couldn¡¯t feel the lock, but he could tell it was stronger than his blade. Throwing subtlety to the wind, he pulled the knife back and slammed it against the wood of the door, a chunk of wood bouncing off his arm as it fell to the floor. He pulled back and jammed the knife against the door again, another large chunk falling free, but unfortunately for Law the vibrations knocked the blade from his hand.
He heard it fall to the floor and slide down, a soft ¡®plunk!¡¯ as it wound up in the water. You have GOT to be kidding me! I don¡¯t have time for this! Frustration was starting to overtake his anxious state. He crawled down to the water with as much speed as possible, plunging down into the liquid to feel around for his knife. It was getting deeper and deeper. He had to hold his breath as he fumbled around for the blade.
Pain bloomed in his palm as the blade sliced through his skin. He wrapped his fingers around the blade and came up with it in his hand, drawing in a breath and shaking his head to clear the saltwater from his eyes. He hurried back to the spot below the trap door, his steps splashing all the way there. He switched the knife from his injured right hand over to his left and then worked the blade against the door again. His arm shook as he began to ram his knife up against the wood.
He tried to keep hitting the same spot to whittle away at the barrier, but in the darkness he couldn¡¯t really tell how successful he was. Chips of wood rained down on him even as the water level grew higher, up to his ankles, then his knees. As the water rose, his stabs grew more and more frantic. He could feel the blood surging through his veins, pounding in his ears, his heart beating against his ribs with such force that it threatened to burst from his very chest. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
He managed to break through the door as the water reached his waist. It was just a small hole, but it was enough to give him hope. There was a beam of light, orange-tinted, shining down through the hole. It was faint enough that it didn¡¯t offer much illumination, but to his eyes that were so adjusted to the darkness, the beam was blinding. Inspiring. The light seemed to do as much inside his heart as it did inside the compartment, battling the shadows until they were driven away.
He began to chip away at thew wood, working with haste to widen the opening as the water level grew higher and higher. He could see it rising as the light reflected against the murky blackness that threatened to overtake him. He could feel heat coming through the hole, the warmth comforting as cold water rose to cover more and more of his body.
The opening widened rapidly, but the water level seemed to rise just as fast. By the time he could fit his hand through the hole, there was water coming up to his chest. He grew more frantic in his motions, chipping away at the wood. His hand was practically a blur in the light, the orange glow glinting off of his blade. Panic. ¡°Help!¡± He called through the gap. He lost control of his breathing, his vision fading out, his chest tightening painfully as if someone was squeezing his insides.
Water reached his shoulders. He snapped out of his panic and continued to work at the hole, but with his arm partially submerged he couldn''t attack it with the same strength. He began to saw at the opening instead, saw dust raining down on him as his blade cut through the wood. It isn¡¯t going to be enough. He tried to put that thought out of his head, working as swiftly as he could. His arm pistoned in and out of the water, splashes carrying salt towards his face and eyes, making him sputter.
The water was to his neck. Then his chin. He gave up on his knife, swimming up to the hole and screaming, ¡°HELP!¡± He yelled until his voice was hoarse. He could feel moisture welling up in his eyes as he realized just how grim things were. Reaching through the gap, he groped with desperation for anything that could help him. The water was up to his nose now, forcing him to withdraw his arm so that he could press his mouth to the opening and draw in a gasping breath.
Water overtook him. He reached through the hole again, feeling blindly for something, anything that could help. The ship shifted, tilting mightily, the water rushing in a different direction. He resisted with his arm through the hole, but the air was burning in his lungs. His sight began to fade to black. Lungs screamed at him to exhale and take a breath, regardless of the fact that there was nothing but water to fill them. I don¡¯t want to die¡ He rammed his body at the opening, trying to force his way through. He brought his lips up to it, but the water had already risen high enough that he could no longer find air.
Just when all hope was lost, the ship rocked again, and the sound of a muffled thump was carried to his ears. The door swung open, and with his arm still in the hole, it dragged him free of the hold. He broke through the water into the air and exhaled with a sputtering cough before he drew in a deep, shuddering breath. Sweet, sweet air filled his lungs. It tasted of salt, oil, and smoke, but it was the sweetest thing he¡¯d ever had. The room was so bright that it left him feeling almost blind. He blinked and brought a hand up to his eyes to shield them from the excess light as they adjusted.
He removed his arm from the hole and looked around the cabin. It was angled in a way that struck him as unnatural. In the back of the cabin, near the button that opened the trap door, he could see the corpse of the mountainous man his father had killed. There were two other corpses that belonged to men he didn¡¯t recognize there, cut to ribbons. He could see there was an orange glow coming from the deck outside.
Law moved over to the corpses, searching for anything useful. He found a large cutlass and hefted it in his left hand, giving it one or two test swipes. Just in case anyone¡¯s still here. One of the men had a large piece of rope wrapped around his shoulder, which Law picked up and wrapped around his own shoulder, trying to ignore the wet feeling of the blood that had soaked into the rough fabric.
He walked through the door. The deck was ripped in half in some locations, jagged pieces aflame and jutting up from the deck. Loud groans and creaking sounds emanated from the fissure in the boat as the wood that was still together protested the increased strain. He scanned the deck for any signs of life, but the only people he saw had been killed in the battle. He didn¡¯t see his father¡¯s corpse, nor that of the captain, but he didn¡¯t dare to hope that they may have survived amid the fiery inferno.
Another loud creak sounded and his eyes returned to the growing split in the deck. That won¡¯t hold for long. What do I do? Are there any rowboats? He ran to the near side of the deck, peering over the side and seeing only ropes hanging free. Moving to the right side, he found that it was also void of the little dinghies that were used to go ashore when a port wasn¡¯t available.
He cursed. Through the haze of the smoke, he could see Captain Grimm¡¯s ship as it sailed away. His eyes straining, he just managed to read ¡®The Fall of Seas¡¯ written on the back of the ship as it continued on into the horizon. The name burned into his mind. He never saw the face of the man who had robbed him of so much, but he would never forget him. One day, he¡¯d have his revenge.
One thing was certain: He couldn¡¯t stay on the ship and wait for it to burn. Law ran back into the cabin and looked for anything that seemed like it would float. A large wooden chest hinted at buoyancy, its polished wood suggesting that it would be able to keep water out. When he tried to slide it, it didn¡¯t budge. He ran from the room and looked at the hatch that led down into the lower levels of the ship. There was a rather large corpse splayed there.
He fought down his disgust and crouched down beside the man. He seemed to be a pirate, his unkempt appearance not matching any of the crew of the Jewel that Law had met. He set his cutlass down. Slipping his hands beneath the man¡¯s stomach, he bit back a gag as the man¡¯s mouth lolled opened in as he moved him, the smell of death and rot escaping his mouth.
Law gritted his teeth and heaved with his legs. The corpse started to roll the opposite way, but something in Law¡¯s leg protested at the weight and he lost his drive. The corpse rolled back to face him, the pirate¡¯s mouth open wide in a mocking grin, sightless eyes staring at him. He gave another strong heave, and this time the corpse rolled free of the hatch.
The victory didn¡¯t bring him any elation. He lifted the hatch open and peered down into the dark hold, beams of light piercing the darkness and revealing water sloshing freely inside. He clambered down the steps and into the water, his eyes straining against the darkness to search for a barrel or crate that looked seaworthy. He was up to his knees in water. He saw a shadowy shape bobbing up and down in the darkness and splashed over to it. As he grew closer he could make out the tell-tale cylindrical shape of a barrel and a small smile graced his lips. He could see dozens, perhaps hundreds more floating there. He might find a way to survive this nightmare.
He grabbed one of the barrels and guided it over to the stairs as the water level continued to rise. By the time he made it to the stairs, he was waist deep in water. Have to hurry. He thought, dragging the barrel up the stairs one at a time. When he finally managed to haul the barrel onto the deck of the ship, orange flames hungrily engulfing more of the ship with each and every moment, he knew he didn¡¯t have any time to waste. He grabbed his stolen cutlass and set to work prying the lid from the barrel. The pressure made his hand, cut open from the knife, ache, but he gritted his teeth and dealt with the pain with a quiet hiss.
With a loud crack, the seal broke and the lid flipped free. Law peered into the barrel and saw it was full of black powder. His brain started to work overtime as he considered the sight of the black powder, the rapidly growing flames, the fact that the ship was already half sunk. His heart felt as though it dropped through the pit of his stomach. Working at a frantic pace, he tilted the barrel over to empty it of powder. The ship shifted as he poured out the powder, and his wet fingers didn¡¯t have a great grip on the barrel, which escaped his grasp and rolled into the fire.
The sound of an explosion. Fragments turned to shrapnel pelted the ship and hit several of the corpses. Law was lucky enough to go unscathed, but his potential ride out was gone. Worse, the explosion seemed to have torn a bigger hole in the deck, sending fiery planks down into the hold below.
Where hundreds of barrels of gunpowder floated ominously. A massive explosion deafened Law, heat and light filling his eyes before everything went black.
The sun beat down on the white sand of the beach. Waves lapped against the skin of a man who was lying face down at the tideline as the sea receded. A soft and gentle breeze blew in from the sea, broad-leafed sea grape bushes rustling as they were blown into one another. Birds chirped cheerful songs to one another, crabs of all shapes and sizes scuttling along through the sand. Palm trees lined the beach just a few meters removed from the tideline, coconuts laden with milk hanging in the trees.
The figure was still enough that the animals on the beach didn¡¯t react to his presence. His body was tinged red, his clothes soaked, saturated with salt water, singed and torn. His skin was bruised and battered. Suddenly, he drew in a deep breath and raised his head, hand coming up to brush sand away from his eyes.
Law was awake.