Story 19/1001

• braid
• looting
• withdraw

“Captain, it seems abandoned.” Will looked through his spyglass.

Thomas Red frowned, and took the spyglass from his hands. Will signaled to the crew to slow down the ship and keep quiet.

“Suspicious, indeed.” Red murmured.

“Should we withdraw?”

“Withdraw? We aren’t in a battle, kiddo.”

“We are the same age, Captain.”

“Yet you look like a boy. ‘Withdraw’ is something the Navy would do. And say.” He leaned closer to Will, not breaking eye contact.

“Then you shouldn’t have a former navy officer on board, Captain Red.”

Red smiled.

“Don’t lose that spirit, Will. We will play along.”

“You mean, aboard the ship? But-“

“I want to see who the new Admiral is. This must be his trap.”

“Captain!”

Red turned around to see a plump older man behind him.

“These waters are cursed. Even your curiosity needs to know it’s limits.”

“Jack. When have I ever had limits? Get closer to the ship.”

Will and Jack looked at each other, but yielded to their captain’s commands. Because of him they were rich, other pirates respected or feared them – and no one dared to rob their islands.

Soon they were close enough to board the creaky ship. Red took four of his sailors with him, and told Will to make some space between the abandoned ship and the Red Ark.

They made themselves comfortable on the main deck, and waited.

As twilight approached, they saw Red’s favorite flag closing in on them.

Red smiled widely when he noticed a familiar face standing on the bowsprit. He waited for their ship to come close enough for him to take a better look at the feminine silhouette.

“Abigail Rowe. You still have the same braid, I see.”

Red smiled, remembering how he used to pull her long hair whenever she wore a braid.

“We are not children anymore, Red.”

“No, you certainly are not, Abigail. You became a beautiful woman.”

“I am an Admiral for the Navy. And you have just been caught looting.”

“There is nothing to loot here.” Red walked towards the side of the ship, never looking away from Abigail. He noticed her slight hand movement, a tick she had ever since she was a little girl. She always tucked on her dress when she was nervous.

“No need to be nervous, Abigail. Or do you still like me?” Red smiled.

“Your pirate days are over now.” She retorted, frowning.

As soon as she said that, her army jumped on the abandoned ship, and surrounded Red and his men. Red nodded and one of his men blew into a whistle. The sound carried through the waves, and Abigail turned her head to the sound of waves crashing.

The Red Ark appeared next to them, in all her glory.

Abigail gasped. She was outnumbered. No one in the Navy knew the size of the Red Ark. Those who were tasked with finding it, never returned. And ordinary people who have seen it, never spoke about it. As if just talking about it puts a curse on your soul.

“Magnificent, isn’t she?” Red looked at his ship.

Abigail calculated the risks. Even if she managed to somehow capture Red, she can’t secure the safety of her crew. The only hope she has is relying on the wind. A ship as big as the Red Ark, can’t be that fast.

“Captain, there’s something under water!” Jack yelled, holding his torch over the ocean. A black shadow, almost as large as the Red Ark, was below Abigail’s ship.

“Withdraw!” Abigail yelled and her crew ran towards the boards connecting the abandoned ship with theirs.

“We need to leave, now!” Abigail’s office yelled, and she nodded, glancing over at Red boarding his ship.

But they were too slow. Something below the surface slammed onto their ship, breaking it in half. Abigail was trying to lower the rowboats, but the ropes snapped, leaving them on a sinking ship.

“I told you these waters are cursed.” Jack scoffed.

“She was beautiful.” Will said, looking through the spyglass. “But she will not survive this.” Will turned around, looking for his captain.

“He didn’t-“Will searched in the water and saw one of their rowboats heading towards the beast.

“Abigail, jump.”

She heard a voice calling out to her, and saw a handsome man extending his arms towards her. For a moment, she didn’t see a wanted criminal. She saw her first love, her friend. But the screams of her crew woke her up.

“I am not leaving. Run away on your Red Ark.”

“Still as stubborn as ever.” He scoffed and climbed on the sides of a tilted boat.

She moved away from him, but he grabbed her hand and pulled hard.

“I am not deserting my ship!” She kicked. He held her tighter and lifted her in his arms.

“This might hurt.”

He said, jumping on his rowboat. When they were far enough from the disaster, he took a rope and tied her arms.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She scoffed at him.

“An Admiral would never aboard the Red Ark willingly.” He smiled. “You are my prisoner now.”