Pirate Captain.
This a short story I wrote for the Steemmonsters contest week 7
Click here to see the contest.
“Fire the canons!” I shouted. The smell of gun powder filled my nose. The Gray Whale, a large vessel with an even larger treasure, was coming closer on the port side.
I held my position and looked at The Gray Whale through my eye glass. My mouth watered at the thought of the treasure on board-pearls, emeralds, diamonds, and gold. Enough gold to buy my own country.
My crew of the Black Shark leaned over the port side railing firing their pistols and guns.
The Gray Whale was not undefended. They fired back.
“Captain! We can’t get to the whale! They’re too heavily gunned!” my second mate Percy informed me.
I lowered my eye glass. “Of course they’re heavily gunned! You damn fool. That’s why I’ve politely asked to FIRE OUR CANONS! BEFORE THEY FIRE THEIRS” I shouted. Percy bolted down the stairs.
I felt the first canon fire from the read port side, the Black Shark rocked. Then the next canon, and then the third and fourth. The Gray Whale was silent.
“Good they’re too scared to fire back,” I thought to myself. “Raise the Black Flag!” I shouted. Several men ran over and lowered the flag and raised the black flag. It was my intention on taking the treasure without anymore fighting. I hoped the canons were enough to keep the remaining crew from defending the treasure with their lives. “Man the boats! Prepare to board!” I shouted.
Then the Gray Whale fired a canon. And hell was upon us.
“Bring us mid-ship! Board in the smoke!” I shouted. The smoke from the gunfire makes for good cover when boarding a boat that is fighting back. My men made me proud. They knew of the treasure we were after. And they wanted their share.
My men made their way to the bridge of the ship. Some men of the Gray Whale stood down, knowing that they would never have gotten a piece of the treasure they were carrying. Why give your life, when someone else is going to get the wealth? It was our code to let anyone who laid down their arms we would allow them to live. Fire upon us. Well, we’ll kill you.
There he was. The captain of the Gray Whale. Woody and Whitebeard, two of my men, held the captain. My other men had made a circle around them. I held my sword at the captain, “My name is Captain Blue Skull.”
“We know who you are,” replied the captain.
I took a deep bow, “At your service. But alas! What is your name?” I held my sword to his throat.
“You kill me and my men will sink this ship.” The captain of the Gray Whale replied, in spite of my sharp sword pressing against his throat.
“I know the rules. What is your name?” I held my sword steady at his throat.
“I am Captain Vaughn.”
I bowed again, “It is a pleasure to meet you Captain Vaughn.” I stood up and leaned into his face, “Now where is the treasure?”
Captain Vaughn stared silently back at me. He didn’t speak.
“So be it,” I replied. “Men! Bring me the treasure!’
My men cheered, they showed their way, this way and that. Until Percy, shouted from below, “We have it captain!” Percy and four other men brought a huge chest. They hollered with their excitement.
“You weren’t meant to have that treasure,” Captain Vaughn whispered.
I turned and looked at the captain, “I know. That’s why I stole it.” I turned and faced my men and shouted “Open it!” Percy’s smile stretch across his face, the smile seemed to hurt his face. He opened it, and there it was diamonds, jewels, and gold. “Enough to buy my own country with,” I whispered to myself. “Put it on the ship!” Cheers went up from the men.
Percy and the mend dragged the treasure up the stairs and to the starboard side of the ship. Smoke still wafted in the air, as they eagerly lifted it over the side. Men from the Black Shark placed a plank across the ships. Percy led the men and the treasure across the plank. “Keep your men at bay, and we will not sink your ship.” I told Captain Vaughn as a I backed away from him. He remained silent.
I joined the rest of my men back on the Black Shark. We lifted the plank from the Gray Whale and pushed off. The men left the treasure for me on the port side of the ship. Standing around it in a circle, I lifted the latch with my sword, and there it was up close, treasures beyond I could have dreamed.
Then we felt the first splash of water. Then a second. Men began to scream. There above us, high in the air was the first tentacle.
“There is another!” shouted Whitebeard. Behind us on the starboard side was another tentacle that reached high into the heavens. Both tentacles crashed down on the Black Shark. Breaking the masts, and breaking the first half of the ship.
The Black Shark sank.
I survived with half of my crew. We washed up on shore. I don’t know why I or any of my men survived. Maybe it is meant as our purgatory on earth for taking the treasure.
But I’ll be damned if I am going to rot on this island. I need a ship back. My ship. Forget the treasure, I want the Black Shark back. That is the true treasure. A captain and his boat.
I need my ship back.
I looked out into the ocean with my eye glass. And there it was—The Gray Whale.
I lowered my eye glass and turned to my men.
“Men, I believe we have found our ship. Let’s begin our escape.”
Short Flavor Text
Captain Blue Skull is stranded on a deserted island after stealing a magically protected treasure. Now with the help of the crew of The Black Shark, he aims on getting a ship and off the island.