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Maņana Westward, Chapter 5 |
| Written by Jonathan | |
| Tuesday, 25 March 2008 | |
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Share it:       Yasac soundly slept on his coat that he had taken off to make into a pillow while he slept on the bow beside a few crates of tools. Several maps were spread out around him, as Yasac fell asleep pouring over them. Scarlet was at the helm lazily guiding the ship along its course for the Americas. The rest of the crew was below sleeping or waking, things like that. Chives and Sally emerge from the crew deck drowsily. The sun was just rising and there was a strong wind from the north. But the sun kept everything warm. "Mornin captain" Chives said loudly but with a mumble. "Mmm Chives good to see you. Come here." Scarlet replied with a smile. "Aye?" Chives grunted inquisitively. Chives joged up to the helm prepared for orders. "Well, I've not slept since the day before yesterday, be a dear and take this wheel first matey." "Bah! I should of known, I don't know what drink took your mind when you named me your first mate but, I don't sail no ships!" "Chives! Are you still an arrogant blockhead? She's the captain no?" Sally scolded "Aye, but I'll do anything but sail ships." "What? Why?" Sally inquired "I don't like sailing...err the wheel." Scarlet chuckled to herself. "What with you eh? I call you captain but ya sure don't seem like one." "Oh Sally you know Chives I'm sure. It's not that he just doesn't like it...he its absolutely horrible at it. He turns like a dandy man walkin past a brothel." Scarlet explained with a chuckle. "Ahh, of course. Chives you just suck at it don't you." Sally stated. "No! That's big bull tale." Chives roared "Well I am about to collapse I'll see you all later. Yasac is in charge and Chives make sure to stay on course." "What! I told you woman I'll be sailin no ship! Besides Yasac is asleep make him man the helm it's his ship in the first place." Scarlet shook her head and smiled. "Well those are my orders sweetie. Ta Ta." Scarlet suddenly let go of the wheel, which abruptly started to spin shifting the Manana sideways to port, due to the strong northern winds. Sally and Chives yelled in panic as they fall sideways as the ship quickly turned to the side. "Captain are you bloody mad!" Sally screamed Scarlet pays no mind and crawls into her quarters without any mind to the ship in peril. Shouts and curses could be heard from below the deck as everyone had undoubtedly been thrown out of their hammocks as the ship turned. Yasac still slept as the crates around him slid to the port bulwarks. Yasac too slid and rolled after the crates still quite asleep. Revloc opened the door from the crew deck to see the port side of the ship diagonal to the water. "What the hell is going on!" Revloc shouted. "Chives get on that wheel!" Sally screamed as she holds on the starboard bulwarks as the ship now begins to spin to port very possibly creating hell for everyone still below deck. "Argh! Fine!" Chives yelled from an uplifted plank he held on to. Chives jumped sideways to the wheel and slowly with great strength pulled the wheel. Slowly as Chives turned the wheel hand over hand and the Mañana returned to a normal position. Ayafre and Jane soon emerged from the crew deck in a daze. Ayafre stumbled onto the deck while Jane triped over Ayafre and fell over. Jane groaned loudly as Revloc helped her up. "Anyone going to tell us what just happened?" Ayafre shouted. Chives stood still, very focused on steering the ship, but obviously nervous. "Well...Scarlet wanted to take a break and, Chives hesitated," Sally explaind. Ayafre sighed, and looked around the deck. "Where's Yasac?" Ayafre inquired. "Eh...dunno, I never saw him go below deck last night," Sally comments. Chives suddenly makes a worried face. "Err...I think he was napping...on the bow," Chives stated slowly "The bow! Good god Chives and you didn't mention this earlier? Check the waters in case he got thrown off!" Sally exclaimed. "But...I'm sailing," Chives started "Not you idiot!" Sally shouted as she and the rest of the crew peek over the bulwarks for Yasac. Jane searched the bow to find a mess of crates, and under them Yasac. "Sound sleeper," Jane said to herself "Oi! Ayafre lookie what I found!" Ayafre rushed up to the bow to see Yasac still quite asleep, even with several crates crushing him. "Geez! Don't just stand there get those off him." Ayafre ordered Jane chuckled and helped Ayafre and Revloc remove the crates from Yasac. "He's a killer with a sword but a baby when he sleeps," Revloc commented. "Well...that's not true; he still gets very violent when he dreams. It was rather queer explaining that Yasac gave me the bruises while he was sleeping...err...I mean...never mind." Revloc trailed off obviously not fond of the subject. "Wait...you slept with Yasac?" Jane asked rather amused. "What! No! That was, no...ok so like one time...in jail...oh! No not like that either! It was cold ok! And the...cell was very small; it wasn't like I enjoyed it either." Revloc tried to explain extremely embarrassed. Sally and Jane bursted out laughing. "Did Yasac agree to this then?" Sally asked through laughing fits. "He...was asleep," Revloc says knowing that statement did not help his case. "Good to know what you're attracted to I guess." Ayafre said "No! I would have much rathered any of you in that cell." "Good luck with that..." Jane stated sarcastically. Revloc moaned and walked back down from the bow. Ayafre squated down and examined Yasac. Jane joined her and began poking Yasac. "Stop that!" Ayafre whispered loudly. "Oh goodness, he'll live love struck! If he slept through Chives' antics a little poking... Suddenly at one of Jane's pokes Yasac awoke with a gasp and grasps Jane's throat while whipping out a knife. Ayafre fell backwards and screams. Yasac quickly got a bearing on his surroundings and let Jane go. "Eh, sorry Miss Twist Hair. Too many nights in the wilds and ya get pretty paranoid." Yasac speedily explaind. "Oh...no problem, I'd probably do the same if some clown were poking me in my sleep," Jane answered keenly. Yasac squints up at the sun and stretches his neck around. "Man, how long have I been sleeping?" Yasac asked. "Well...since you fell asleep. Which is...well I'm not sure actually," Ayafre explained. Yasac yawned looks around at the many maps scattered around. "Well best figure out where we are." Yasac stated as he gathers the maps and searched his pockets for his navigational devices. "Say Yasac, are you sure we need to go all the way to the Caribbean to get some crew? I mean I know we are already on the way but it seems quite silly to cross the Atlantic with just seven people." "Silly! It's bloody suicide if you ask me." Jane interrupted "No, not with this ship." Yasac answered with a sudden darkness to his voice. "The Caribbean is where we must go, mind your place." Ayafre and Jane were taken aback by Yasac's sudden use of authority. "Go do something productive I have work to do." Yasac orders as he turned away to focus on his maps. Ayafre and Jane trade glances and slowly walked away.
Half a day later crew was busy keeping the ship on course. Yasac had taken the helm as Chives made it quite apparent he did not know how to follow Yasac's course plotting. Scarlet emerged from her cabin after a good rest.
"Good morning Mañana!" Scarlet shouted to her crew. "Afternoon actually ma'am." Sally answered with a smile, looking up from a small table next to the central mast covered in an abundance of items; shells, powders, flasks, various metals and several tools. "Good golly gee I knew my nap felt good. Whatcha up to my dear Sally?" "My favorite things, black powder and bombs to put em in." "Ahh wonderful you can make them as well as throw them!" Scarlet says excitedly. "Aye! So what's the agenda for today?" "Hold that thought child...Chives! First mate Chives! Bloody he ain't at the helm is he!" "Nein! He sails like elephant; I took it upon myself to keep us on course." Yasac shouted from the helm. "I think he's down with the cannons captain." Ayafre said as she descends the forward mast from atop the sails. "Go get him for me dear." Scarlet asked "Aye," Ayafre quickly answered as she jumped from the bow to the main deck. "Alright me hearties gather around! Up on the helm all of ya!" Scarlet commanded. Ayafre returned from below the deck with Chives and followed the others to Scarlet and Yasac at the helm. As Yasac continued to keep the wheel steady, Scarlet climbed up the forecastle mast and leaned sideways hanging onto a cord, to view her crew while on the mast. "Alright listen up! It's high time I gave you all official titles. First! I am Captain, yes still, now and forever will be captain, admiral, duchess, baroness, and queen for all I care of this here ship known as the Mañana, this being the case, I have full authority of the helm and the wheel, it's my wheel so steer clear of it, ha! Secondly Chives you suck sea water, and I am demoting you to...uh wait hold that thought, right now your nothing until I figure everything else out. Let's see, Yasac! Dear Yasac, love, yer my new first mate slash navigator, you steer the ship when I dun wanna. Ok second second Sally, sweet sweet Sally, you are second mate and official munitions maker. Third! Third mate prize goes to Chives, just foolin about nothing buddy, oh and your cannon master, in the event of a fire fight, grab anyone not dead to help ya fire back. Ok uh, Yasac what else do ship crews do." "Eh...we need a quartermaster and uh..." Yasac started "Hmm quartermaster. Well it probably wouldn't look good to have a thief as quartermaster no offence girls. Well blast I'll probably have to be quartermaster in that case." "Uh...Captain...me?" Revloc hinted. "Yeah, Revloc was quartermaster when I was captain," Yasac added. Scarlet sighed. "Ick, you? You're the janitor, you shovel feces from decks." "Well, everyone cleans the ship, so." "Bloody damn, fine! You can be the stupid quartermustard. So that leaves the delightful beautiful lovely cat burglars. Hmm Jane you're quite the monkey, you command the upkeep of our sails sailmisstress, right now just grab anyone available to help ya until we get a full crew. Hmm Ayafre, oh of course! I adored your cooking when we rescued that sap Revloc, yer the new cook! Alright that's everybody everybody. So go do your thing! The crew scattered back to their new posts to organize their newfound masteries. "How's that for being a captain aye?" "Great Scarlet." Yasac replied with a chuckle. "See, there ya go, I knew you could be a jolly character if ya tries to." "Yeah, I guess so." "So whatcha think this trek so far?" "Well it won't be easy but it's worth it. Luckily good weather and more good weather by the looks of it." Yasac answered with a smile.
Later that night the Mañana sailed directly into a horrid fast moving storm. Lightning cracked the sky and thunder wailed on everyone's ears. Waves were far higher than the ship and bludgeoned the Mañana endlessly as the poor crew tried their best to cope. "Batten down the hatches! Hold the sails! Revloc! Sally! Pitch that water!" Scarlet ordered from the helm "Yasac! I hate you!" "It's not my fault!" Yasac shouted as he hangs onto the bulwarks trying to see his compass threw the pounding rain. "Do ye have any idea where we be?!" Scarlet exclaimed A wave strikes the ship and threw Yasac from the starboard bulwarks to the portside. Yasac's glasses are thrown from his messy wet haired head. Yasac quickly chased the glasses around the deck until he catches them and abruptly places them back on. Yasac rubbed the water from them and realized his compass was gone. Yasac looked up at the sky to see only pitch black clouds as far as the eye can see, which was not far. "Blast! I can't see the moon and I have lost my compass! We're lost until we get out of this storm" Yasac replied as the ship was hit again by a huge wave. Down below on the main deck Revloc struggled to hang onto the outside of the bulwarks as the last wave threw him on the outside on the ship. Chives rushed over to help Revloc back in, but another wave hits, and One-Eyed Chives was swept overboard. "Man over board!" Ayafre yelled. Streak Haired Sally grabbed a rope but she also was swept away.Twist-Haired Jane jumped to save her but was carried away as well. "Get them those lines!" Scarlet commanded "And don't be..." but she was cut off when the ship hit something and all were launched over board and everything went black. Yasac unconsciously floats in the water but struggles and thrashes about despite this.
The storm hit again and again as the two ships fought furiously. Fire briefly lit the night as the two ships traded cannon fire in between waves that assaulted the ships as well. The crews were in chaos, friend and foe were hard to tell. Every man fought alone against all around him. Yasac cut down man after man growing tired as the helm was halfway coming off and being hit hardest by the waves. Gun fire from the other ship suddenly struck Yasac and the people around him. Yasac fell over in pain and disbelief that the enemy had just killed their own men to fire at Yasac. More invaders swarmed the Boston Fall, Yasac's cousins and quartermaster fought to reach the helm where Yasac had fallen. Yasac blacked out for a moment and awoke a few minutes later to see the massive enemy captain standing above him, sword in hand and his crew around him. His cousins were trapped on the bow fighting with the rest of the crew for their lives. The captain suddenly grabbed Yasac by the neck and lifted him. The captain smashed Yasac hard in the face several times, blooding his nose and smashing his glasses. Everything became blurry and slowed down; Yasac heard the click of a pistol being cocked. Yasac coughed up blood as he gasped for air but was suffocating in his own blood. Yasac felt extremely weak as the rest of his wounds bleed more life from him. Yasac coughed again and his head did not have the strength to hold itself up any more. Yasac's head leaned forward in the captain's grasp. As he looked down Yasac watched the blood spread rapidly on the floor making the water around it the same color, but it did not stop, blood poured from Yasac's wounds, making the water even bloodier and bloodier until the whole sea was made of blood. Yasac couldn't even feel the captain's grasp anymore. With a loud crash a wave hit and Yasac was thrown backwards into the sea of blood. Yasac choked for air but the sky poured down blood. Yasac began to sink, further and further until nothing was left.
Until Yasac faintly heard a large banging noise and a few muffled voices, it was still very dark. "Yasac! Yasac! wake up already!" Yasac opened his eyes to see Revloc holding a bucket of water. "Whaa?" Yasac didn't have time to finish as Revloc threw the water right in his face. Yasac froze all movement from the shock, and sat in the sand with a stiff mouth and half closed eyes. "Yes...what happened?" Yasac slowly asked still in a daze. "Well you hit by one of the floor boards that broke off and you fell into the sea luckily we were all close to this island and were able to swim here, but it looks like the Mañana needs a lot of work." Revloc explained "Wait so that was all a dream? I was sleeping the whole time?" Yasac asked confused as he brushes some wet hair from his eyes. Revloc raised an eyebrow to Yasac. "Yeah you must of hit your head real well mate come on Scarlet wants the ship fixed as soon as possible" Revloc then left Yasac and headed for the Manana nearby. Yasac got up in a stupor and saw Chives and Jane chopping a tree down and Ayafre sitting over a pot of food over a fire. Yasac shook his head, he then quickly felt all around his coat to be sure he didn't loose any blades, to Yasac's relief all of his blades were still about him. Yasac reached over his shoulder and pulls out his katana along with the sheath. Yasac unsheathed the sword and whipped both the sheath and katana around removing the water. Yasac brought the sword to his face and looked at his reflection. Yasac pushed up his glasses "Another nightmare." Yasac murmured to himself Copyright 2008 Jonathan |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 01 June 2008 ) |
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