| The Voyage | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 5 2008, 11:20 AM (570 Views) | |
| Khisani Bloodborn | Jan 5 2008, 11:20 AM Post #1 |
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She tugged the cap lower over her eyes so that she could see nothing but the dirty feet of people directly in front of her and the wet planks of the docks. It was the slightest bit foolish - now she could run into anyone - but she could not help but think that all those dark, flinty eyes could see right through her disguise. They all looked at her with disdain, and no matter how much she told herself otherwise, her heart told her they all knew she was a girl. Nobody would know, though. They could all see she was just a skinny ship hand, hired only because she was small and she did not complain. Only, they were wrong. She was a girl, and she had no right to be here. She needed to get on a ship, though, and she happened to know that one of these ships was filled with vermin - pirates. That was the one she needed to board. She had to pretend to be an orphan boy, so she could get hired. Then, she would sail with the pirates to wherever they went, and take some of the money back home to Mama and Papa. To make this work, she would have to believe she was a boy. If she could not believe it herself, how could anyone else? She needed a name. She had a name, of course, that her parents gave her, but she needed a boy's name. Sam was as good a name as any, she supposed. Sam. She was Sam, just one of many orphans in London, but she was going to be lucky enough to be hired on as a ship-hand. She hoped. :dragon: |
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| Jim Hunter | Feb 3 2008, 06:16 PM Post #2 |
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Jim walked back down the gang plank with the last load of stolen merchandice. This would go to the black market to be sold. The tricky thing is that no one can know they were do this because if they were caught... That is why the objects were in a brown, wooden box. This was his 3rd year being a pirate and he loved it! Sailing on the ocean, stealing treasures, and not being governed by the law. At 8 his dad pushed him out of the house. His mom had died in childbirth and his dad was always drunk. Jim's dad sold him to a burcher and Jim hated it. After 2 years he ran away and luckly was not caught. The other 8 years of his life he had spent on stealing and various jobs. Those were the years he wanted to forget. The blackest years were now behind him, he hoped. His 18th birthday was coming, not that he knew the day but that didn't really mater much. Jim fliped his dark brown hair out of his eyes only to have his hair flop back down. The rest of his hair was pulled into a pony tail by the top of his neck. Jim's blue eyes took in everything as his height made it alittle easier to see. Jim's bare feet swiveled to the side so he wouldn't run into a mangy mut troting down the docks. The wooden box was punched into his stomach and then he was flat on the ground. He let out a slight groan and then remembered the box. He knelt down by it. Luckily it was okay, it was turned on its side but not broken. He looked up to find the person that had ran into him. He stood protectively over the box, a frown slipped on his face and his hand was on his belt knife. A curse almost slipped out of his mouth but he controlled himself. |
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| Khisani Bloodborn | Feb 11 2008, 04:05 PM Post #3 |
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Abruptly, Lora fell over, but she leaped back to her feet before she hit the ground. Heart pounding, she looked around until she honed in on a man in front of her. "Sorry," she mumbled, peering at his from under her cap. He had his hand around a dagger, and he was crouched protectively over a box. She held out her hands and stepped back, trying to present as un-threatening an image as possible. Then, she recognised him. "You're," she started and then paused to let a lazy smile flicker across her face. This was all working out for her. "I know who you are," she told him. "I know you're a pirate, and I know who to tell it to. I won't do you no harm, though, provided you let me join your crew. I can be a deckhand, of course." She stepped closer to him again, eager for his response, eager to get back out to sea. She was going to be making money soon, and perhaps Papa would rise in the world, once she lent him some of her riches. ((Sorry, this is a crappy post. The next one will be good. Oh, and I will make an account for her soon.)) |
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| Jim Hunter | Feb 13 2008, 04:38 PM Post #4 |
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"I know you're a pirate, and I know who to tell it to. I won't do you no harm, though, provided you let me join your crew. I can be a deckhand, of course." Jim felt his eyes tighten some. Unless someone really looked, Jim's face was impassive. How in the world had he known that? The boy had the upper hand and Jim knew he couldn't let the boy kept it for long. He staightened and let himself study the boy for a moment. Small in height and weight, quick, good at using leaverage, and a dirty cap, Probably so no one would notice him. "You look like someone that would work hard and diligently. We could use someone like you. You should come and join our crew." Jim touched his silver stud in his right ear breafly and then said, "Welcome aboard!" Jim reached out his right hand to shake. Once they grasped each other's hands, Jim, with his left hand covered the boys mouth and pushed. The boy flew into the sea water. Jim picked up his box and walked away, without a backward glance, into the croud. The boy didn't look like a very good swimmer and hopefully he would drown. Jim laughed. |
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| Lora Cobbler | Feb 17 2008, 05:33 PM Post #5 |
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"You look like someone that would work hard and diligently. We could use someone like you. You should come and join our crew. Welcome aboard!" Lora's lips tightened. She could hardly believe she would be accepted that easily. He reached out his hand to shake and she warily extended her own. She felt a dirty hand over her mouth, and then she was falling backward. With a sharp bite of cold, she hit the water. Her mouth opened instinctively to gasp, but she hurriedly closed it and reluctantly swallowed the salt water. Then, she started to struggle frantically. She could not see the sun, and she could not swim. After a moment, she knew she was getting nowhere, but she continued to kick. She had to live, if only for Mama and Papa. Now that the panic was fading, her lungs began to burn, desperate for air. She kicked wildly until her foot hit a hard surface. She paused, stunned, as the pain coursed through her leg. Then, she reached out and touched a blessedly solid wooden wall. Without considering why there was a wall in the ocean, she dug her fingernails into the wood and began a painstaking climb in the direction she hoped was upward. Within seconds, all her adrenaline had left, and her strength with it. She had not moved far yet, but she knew she had to opened her mouth, so she might as well let go. Feeling much heavier, she heaved once more and swallowed a mouthful of... air? She blinked owlishly and began to cough, somehow maintaining her grip on the mysterious wood surface. She seemed to cough for hours, but she did finish eventually. When she did, she looked up to meet her savior. She continued to look up until her neck was craned back far enough to see the pirate ship. Lora shivered in the cool breeze. With not much effort, she found planks meant to climb the ship - just in case someone fell overboard on accident, she told herself - and she scooted sidewayd until she held on to them. She waited before climbing, afraid to climb up, but terrified of going back down. Finally, she gathered enough courage to begin the climb, but the ship began to move. She had not really been listening to the shouts. She had not really noticed there was sound. Now, though she still he;d on tight, she lost all hope. She could not just run off the ship anymore. Rousing herself, she moved one leg at a time until her fingers were wrapped around the gunwale. As quietly as she could, she hoisted herself over, but she looked up to see a gap-toothed man gaping at her. Smiling nervously, she inched back toward the sea again. Before she got far, the man regained his wits, and grabbed her arms, pulling her viciously on deck once more. By now, a few people had noticed her. "Cap'n!" the man hollered, clearly confused. Lora sneered, but in her mind only, of course. There was not much delay before a man arrived. Lora did not bother looking him over, for she immediately locked eyes with him. He had clear, blue eyes. "What's this?" he growled softly. His voice was not rough or uneducated, as she had expected. She sealed her lips, and did not even notice the boy who had pushed her into the sea in the first place walk up. |
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| Jim Hunter | Feb 20 2008, 05:08 PM Post #6 |
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Jim stuffed the money bag down his shirt so people couldn't steal it as easily. His body was tense as he made his way back to the ship. Alittle way off he saw the ship and rush aboard to help make the ship ready to sail. Pirates rushed here and there tightening ropes, taking up the anchor, and letting the sails down. Miraculously, no one ran into each other. Jim let the rythm of the ship and crew bring his nerves back down. The boy was gone forever and he got his money from the Black Market. The last raid turned out to be a very profitable amount. Jim turned around from tightening a rope and found a crowd on the starboard side. Curiousity overcame duty and Jim walked over. His jaw nearly droped. The boy was stareing the Captian in the face as a crew mate held on to the boy. The Captian growled, "What's this?" Dread washed over Jim. He knew he had to reply. Jim pushed though the crowd and boldly said, "This boy and I met on the docks. He treatened to tell that I was a Pirate. He would keep quiet if he could work on this ship. Apparenly, he knew from some other time that I was a pirate. I pushed him overboard not wanting to kill infront of so many eyes and walked away." All the time Jim stared at the Captian and didn't even glace in the boys way. By this time a circle of pirates surrounded Jim, the Captian, the boy, and the pirate who was holding the boy. Jim prepared for the worst. |
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| Lora Cobbler | Feb 21 2008, 02:53 PM Post #7 |
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"This boy and I met on the docks. He treatened to tell that I was a Pirate. He would keep quiet if he could work on this ship. Apparenly, he knew from some other time that I was a pirate. I pushed him overboard not wanting to kill in front of so many eyes and walked away." Lora's head jerked away to face the boy she had met earlier. She bared her teeth at him. He was her murderer! How could he dare claim he did not try to kill her. She struggled, but she could not loosen the man's grip on her at all. The captain was still looking at her, but she did not spare him a glance. Her attention was all focused on the boy. Finally, the captain spoke. "How did get on the ship, boy, if you were pushed into the water?" Her captor growled quietly into her ear. "Aye, lad. Can ye swim?" She wrneched back from his foul, warm breath curling into her ear, and down her neck. "I swam!" she gasped. Her captor straightened, and tighteneed his grasp. He thought she was a liar! She grinned and turned back to the captain. "I swam out to the ship, and then..." She glanced out into the harbor, to check that they were nearly into ope sea already. "I held on until we left the harbor. Then, I climbed up, to find you, captain, and ask to join your crew. I need pay as a deckhand or a cabin boy." The captain frowned. She noticed with a start that he was rather young. He glanced at her murderer, and then back at her. She could nearly see the thoughts traveling through his mind. She was probably too young, and he did not need another deckhand. However, land was quickly receding, and he did not want to waste time, much less risk her telling authorities about his ship. It was her lie that saved her life, though - he thought she could swim. "I see no need for bloodshed, either, Jim. As long as the boy is here, we will keep him." He grunted and barked an order for all the others to get back to work. Within seconds, it was just her, the captain, and her murderer, apparently named Jim. "What's yer name, lad?" Lora opened her mouth quickly, trying not to hesitate, but he spoke first. "You can swim, can you? And you clung to the ship, just like an oyster. Oyster it is, then. Well, Oyster, you step one foot in the wrong place, and you are being warned now what is coming for you." He walked off, caressing his cutlass hilt. He paused, and called back. "Jim, you show Oyster what he needs." Lora swallowed hard, thankful for her life, but not much else. She turned back to Jim and scowled, ready to speak not a word to him. Oyster... what a bloody awful name. |
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| Jim Hunter | Feb 28 2008, 07:46 PM Post #8 |
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Jim knew that it was coming. Because Jim knew the boy, he was now reponsible for the boy. The captain's words echoed in his head, "Jim, you show Oyster what he needs." Jim glanced once at Oyster's outraged face, let an evil grin slid lazily across his face, and comanded, "come." Jim walked away towards the trap door that lead to the hold. Jim had an advantage over Oyster using Captain's words. Jim grinned and thought of all the things he would do to Oyster. Jim heard the light foot steps of the boy behind him as he climbed down into the hold. Once he was a few steps away from the latter and Oyster was all the way down, Jim spun on his heal and put on a serious face. "Do not think that I would not have killed you. We pirates are men of secrets and are not to be medled with. I do as the captain comains and so you will do as I comaind." Jim raised his eye brows alittle to see if Oyster would object but didn't let him get an word in edge wise as Jim walked away. He was going to have so much fun! |
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| Lora Cobbler | Mar 17 2008, 09:07 AM Post #9 |
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Jim grinned, a little too maliciously for her taste, and led her down a ladder into what she assumed was the hold. She looked at the ladder that led to shadows and nothing more and shuddered. Still, she had no choice. With a deep breath, she plunged into the darkness. She scampered down the ladder as quickly as possible. The loose rungs made her nervous. She barely reached the bottom before Jim rounded on her, causing her to stumble backward into the wooden ladder. "Do not think that I would not have killed you. We pirates are men of secrets and are not to be meddled with. I do as the captain commands and so you will do as I command," he growled, and then strode off. She picked herself up, and tried to follow him, though it was dark. His bare feet were quiet on the wood, but loud enough for her to follow the noise. She could hardly believe that he, barely even a man, had the guts to kill someone, especially a child. However, she knew to keep wary. Pirates were big liars, but they also had no morals. He would hardly care if she died. As for doing as he commanded, she had no way of finding out whether that was true. He was clearly just a member of the crew, not anyone particularly important. Still, the captain had told him to show her around. Perhaps that was his way of passing over the command. She would do best to follow his orders to the letter and perhaps gain his trust. He was, after all, her only way of climbing higher in this hierarchy. |
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| Jim Hunter | Mar 17 2008, 10:45 AM Post #10 |
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Jim walked down the hallway and rounded the corner into an empty room. It had a hard bed, a broken washstand, and a small trunk. Despite everyone being a pirate with lots of money, no one cared to fix things. The room was also cramped and couldn't hold more than 3 people in it. "This is your room. You will not be spending a lot of your time down here so don't get comfortable." Jim left the room and walked down another hallway into the kitchen. Jim nodded to the cook as a puff of steam inveloped him. "That's Dan the cook. You come here to eat or grab a bite but nothing else." Jim said to Dan, "This is Oyster, our new recrute." Dan turned around and smilled a snister smile and then turned around to focuse on his work. Jim snagged a piece of bread of the table and pull his hand away just in time as a knife came down were Jim's hand use to be. Jim walked out of the kitchen and tore a piece of he bread off as he walked back down the hallway. He threw the piece over his sholder and said, "You have to be careful about taking food from cook when it is not out for you or you might lose a body part. Although, it is a very good way to practice your skills." Jim stopped outside of Oyster's room. "My room is right next to yours. When you are done settleing in, come up to the deck and I will teach you about tying ropes." Jim went into his room and looked round. He had made a make-shift hamack above his wooden bed and over time he found furs and blankets to put on it. Jim pulled the trunk over to him and took out the bag from inside his shirt. Jim lifted the catch and checked behind himself to make sure that no one was watching. Even if Jim had lived with this guys for years, he didn't trust them at all. Jim fingered a crack in the lid and slowly pulled out a hidden compartment. He had worked a long time on that compartment. Jim pulled some papers out, put the bag under everything, and put the compartment back. He shoved the trunk under the bed and walked out of the room without a backwards glance. Now he got to teach Mr. Oyster how to tie ropes, great! |
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| Lora Cobbler | Mar 17 2008, 11:36 AM Post #11 |
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Jim led her to a tiny room that was - shockingly - even smaller than the shared space she had back at home. There was a bed, a washstand, and a trunk somehow squished into the space. There was hardly enough room for both Jim and her to stand in. "This is your room. You will not be spending a lot of your time down here so don't get comfortable." Lora bit back a sarcastic reply as she realized the implication of his words. She was going to stay here. She could put her things into that box. She grinned. Then Jim was leaving, and she hurried after him. They went down a hallway that actually had light, though it was dim. "That's Dan the cook. You come here to eat or grab a bite but nothing else." Then he turned to Dan and said, "This is Oyster, our new recruit." The man was large and burly, more like a street rough than a cook. She nodded politely at him, only to receive a snarl in return. Then he focused on his food. Jim reached over to grab a piece of bread, and a knife shot out of nowhere. Lora gaped, but then realized that Jim's hand was already gone. She lifted her eyes to Dan, who was already engrossed in his food. How had he noticed Jim? She clicked her teeth shut, and turned to Jim. He was gone. Swallowing irrational panic, she rushed out into the hallway in time to catch a flying piece of bread. "You have to be careful about taking food from cook when it is not out for you or you might lose a body part. Although, it is a very good way to practice your skills," Jim was saying. She could steal well, she had thought, for she used to do it all the time. She had not even seen Dan turn around, though. Her stomach rumbled and she stuffed the bread in her mouth with a shrug. She would learn. They stopped just outside the room that would be hers. She smiled faintly. "My room is right next to yours. When you are done settleing in, come up to the deck and I will teach you about tying ropes." She blinked and watched Jim move into a room that seemed to be as crowded as her own. Stifling her rude curiosity, she forced herself to enter her room, instead of spying on Jim. It turned out the washstand was broken, but it was more than a dirty river, which was all she had at home. The bed was just a stiff cot, and rather dirty. At home she simply shared a blanket with her sisters. The trunk... well, it was empty, but it made her proud nonetheless. Because of her less than ordinary entrance, she had none of her meager belongings, simply the clothes on her back. Hopefully she could acquire things here. Satisfied with her surroundings, she left her room and went to the ladder. Her hands clutched at each rung with a fervor she did not approve of, but she had to admit, it seemed ready to break at any point. Coming into the sunlight was dazzling, but she squinted and saw Jim, so she hurried over to him. Punctuality was necessary to keep a job, her mother told her. Piracy was a job, wasn't it? |
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| Jim Hunter | Jun 20 2008, 02:10 PM Post #12 |
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Jim leaned on the banister of the bow of the ship puzzleing. Oyster knew him? Was this when he first came aboard this ship and was drunk off of rum and theaving? The character of salt water and the slow buffet of waves ebbed over Jim's hunting mind. He let himself be swept away. Unwillingly, he pulled himself back to the task he had in hand. Oyster stood there waiting. "Come." Jim sat down and leaned back. "Sit." He picked up the coils of rope by his feet. "I wont spend forever on the basics because you have been on a pirate ship before." Jim went though the many knots, what they were usefull for, and what not to do. A thumb knot or figure eight knot for stoping a rope from fraying. A sheepshank for shortening a rope. Clove hitch for tying a rope to a pole. Lark's head to attach a rope to a ring. Sheet's bend for tying two different sizes of rope together. And many, many more. Jim looked up and saw the sun starting to sink. "Alright, if you can get this knot untied and show it to me, todays leasons will be over." Jim turned around and tied all the knots into one big one. Let's see him get that one out! Jim walked away to comply to his noisey stomach. ((Sorry, I had major wrighting block!)) |
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| Lora Cobbler | Jun 30 2008, 12:37 PM Post #13 |
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Jim noticed her right away and said, "Come. Sit." Lora obeyed, just like a dog would. He picked up the coils of rope by his feet. "I wont spend forever on the basics because you have been on a pirate ship before." Lora barely let her eyes widen, but she wanted to gape. Where did he get the idea that she had been on a pirate ship before? Well, she might as well keep him thinking like that. It could do her good. Jim spoke of every kind of knot possible, how to tie it, when to tie it... in other words, her mind drifted. Quite a lot. Therefore, when Jim straightened and said, "Alright, if you can get this knot untied and show it to me, today's lessons will be over," she was startled out of her reverie, and slightly dazed. He turned and made some quick movements with his hands, and then hand a lump of rope to Lora. She was supposed to untie this? Where should she even start? She looked up, ready to protest, but Jim was gone. She dropped to the deck with a thump, and stared at the hundreds of knots. Well, she would have to get out of this herself. She just stared for a moment, recalling everything she had learned today, but it was mostly the simple things he told her at the beginning and that would not help her here. After and while, she picked and the ropes till her fingers were sore. Her throat hurt, dry from lack of water, and she glanced at the sky. It had not even been a quarter of an hour since Jim left her, though it seemed like all day. Suddenly, an idea hit her, and she smiled. Searching the deck, she found a somewhat less-than-terrifying man, and walked up to him. "Please sir," she said politely. "Will you help me with these knots?" She proffered up the heavy rope and he took it with an ugly scowl. "I was practicing, but I'm afraid I've mixed myself up too much. I can't untie it." Wordlessly, he slipped every knot loose with dexterity that she hoped she would someday acquire. Victories, she ran off with the rope and found Jim in his rooms. "I've finished, Jim," she said, her voice sing-song. |
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| Jim Hunter | Jun 30 2008, 07:03 PM Post #14 |
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Jim was fishing though his chest to find his stone when Oyster said, "I've finished Jim!" in a sing song voice. That was pretty quick. I guess he was paying a lot more attention than I thought he was. Wait... I've never known a man who sung like that. Jim looked Oyster up and down frowning. I guess there is a new time for everything. "Um... great. Keep the rope in your room so you can practice some more. Dan has some food layed on the table in the kitchen." Jim found his sharpening stone and left his room. Once on the stern of the ship he hung his legs over the edge and took out the dagger that was up his sleave. Methodically Jim worked the stone alone the length of the weapon. His vision was filled with the sun and the colors it spilled behind it. Oyster's voice nagged him but he pushed it out and focused in on his work. |
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| Lora Cobbler | Jul 1 2008, 02:13 PM Post #15 |
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Jim looked up, none too pleased with her speedy finish, she judged. "Um... great. Keep the rope in your room so you can practice some more. Dan has some food laid on the table in the kitchen." With that, he stood and left. Lora did not bother to follow. He was clearly grumpy, after all. After attaining some of the food, which tasted rather like what she imagined heaven would taste like, she went to her room. It turned out that it was not wholly her room - there was another deckhand on the ship. He stoodnearly a head taller than her, though she assumed he could not be more than fifteen. Still, he was bulky, and not happy to have a roommate. "What're you here for?" he demanded in a crude scots accent. She bowed her head demurely and tried to inch around him to sit on the bed. The one bed, which meant one of them would be sleeping on the floor. Her, of course. "This is my room too, now. Don't mind me." He would mind her, though, even if he did not mean to. She was just starting to show her womanly parts, and she did not even have the privacy of a room to hide them in. How could she stay disguised as a boy? Boys' voices deepened around her age, perhaps a bit later. They grew taller, and they gained big muscles. Most importantly, they certainly had no breasts. She finally reached the bed and sat with a sigh. The boy turned. "I didna say ye could sit yerself on me bed," he growled. Lora was tired, and in no mood to argue, but his crossed arms and imperious look irritated her. She lay down stubbornly, and closed her eyes. "We'll talk about it tomorrow." Not terribly surprised, she was lifted and dropped roughly to the floor. "That's yer spot." She kept her eyes shut, too proud to show that she even minded. ___________________________________________________________ The next few days were composed of bullying, exhausting work, and loneliness. She had expected to be pushed around, yelled at, and generally treated horribly. It was not like that, though. Mostly she was completely ignored, and that was much worse, in her mind. Jim was the only one that spoke to her, and she had suspiccions that he would not even do that if it was not his job. Life was miserable, but she knew she would make good money, and that would save her mother. She hoped. Today, she was busy swabbing the decks when Jim came above deck. He sort of meandered about until he stood staring at the sea near her. She paused in her scrubbing, as much to rest her arm as to see what he wanted. "Good gi' ye good e'en, Jim," she greeted him, and then realized he probably did not believe in God, being a pirate and all. Oh well. |
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| Jim Hunter | Sep 24 2008, 02:30 PM Post #16 |
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Jim was troubled. The captain had informed him where they were going. Jim didn't like the information he had heard. There was also Oyster. There was something about him that was wierd. And the wierdness was something obvious but Jim couldn't understand it. He wasn't sure that the wierdness was a big problem or if it was something small. But he knew something was up. How to tell him. Did the words matter which way they were placed? Would he be excited or taken back? This never had happened before. Jim talked normally to the boys but of some reason Jim sometimes felt uncomfortable around Oyster. "Good gi' ye good e'en, Jim," Oyster greeted. Jim nodded. He watched the waves swirl around the ship and tried to organize his thoughts. Finally, Jim looked into Oysters eyes. "Our next pillage will be in the Port of Winddale." Jim paused, "You are going to come with me to plunder in Winddale. You will need to know the basics and I could teach you but you would have to stay with me and follow my orders." Jim finally looked up into Oyster's face. Jim winced. ((Sorry about the wait!!!!)) |
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| Khisani Bloodborn | Oct 27 2008, 04:29 PM Post #17 |
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Jim nodded - a sufficient reply in his mind. Very reluctantly, Oyster went back to scrubbing. He had decided to become a boy - become Oyster - as best as he could. He would allow no suspicion, but to do that, he would have to believe himself. It was diffculy, but possible, he was certain. It was already starting to work anyway. I'am a... boy... I'm a... boy, her mind chanted as she scrubbed back and forth. "Our next pillage will be in the Port of Winddale," Jim said, completely to Oyster's surpprise. "You are going to come with me to plunder in Winddale. You will need to know the basics and I could teach you but you would have to stay with me and follow my orders." "Oh." Oyster clenched his jaw. Stealing, killing, plundering... that was the life of a pirate. And the dream of any real boy. Oyster was a real boy, though, so he forced himself to smile. This was his dream, wasn't it? "Ah, that sounds great." He paused, looked up, and saw Jim looking into his eyes, looking somewhat nervous. What does that mean? he wondered. It must have been a misinterpretation, of course, for pirates were not nervous beings. "When do we start?" He would stop the scrubbing for anything, even unwanted skills for demolition. Half uncertain, he stood slowly on numb knees. |
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| Jim Hunter | Dec 12 2008, 05:50 PM Post #18 |
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"When do we start?" Jim hardened his heart. There was nothing wrong with the boy and there shouldn't be anything wrong with his self. Was there something wrong? Oysters actions felt like an act in a play that wasn't being performed right. Oyster was making Jim act weird. When had Jim ever felt jittery talking to a boy? Wait... whenever he was jittery and acting weird, there usually a girl around. He felt the same exact way around a girl as he did around Oyster. Was it even possible? Jim looked Oyster up and down and found nothing that supported his theory. But his girl sensor NEVER lied. Jim smiled, "Were going to start right now." Jim slid his leg behind Oyster's shaking legs and pulled. Jim used his momentum and turned to one of the walls and grabbed two wooden swords. He flung one to struggling Oyster and got into a fighting stance. "Let's see what you can do." |
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| Lora Cobbler | Dec 29 2008, 11:48 AM Post #19 |
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(Oops, I didn't realise you had replied. Oh well. Here it goes!) Jim looked Oyster up and down, as if seeing how ready he was. Oyster tried his very best to look tough and strong, though he was nearly trembling with exhaustion. "Were going to start right now," Jim told him. Oyster barely had time to widen his eyes before Jim .... ((Okay, I don't quite understand what Jim just did, but you can explain to me later and I will fill it in. ;) )) He found himself standing awkwardly with a very heavy wooden thing. Presumbly a sword, Oyster realised as he looked up. Jim was standing menacingly just a few feet away with his wooden club held expertly. "Let's see what you can do." Oyster had no intention to die, and he surely would die if he remained in place. So, half-stumbling, half-running, he moved far away from the threat. And then he realised his mistakes: one, assuming he was about to commence a swordfight, he should attack, not run away; two, boys were not afraid of being bruised and beated. Especially if it meant being seen as brave, rather than a coward. That seemed to be about one of the most important things to a boy - that he seemed tough and courageous. Oyster was not quite sure whether he could be seen as courageous, especially after running away like that. Nonetheless, he knew better than to give up. Staying on this ship, plunding the village - this was his duty, his life, and the only way to save his family from starvation. Awkwardly hefting the sword, he ran forward and tried a wild swing. He found himself flat on his back staring up at the cloudless sky. His head was ringing. He was fairly sure that Jim had hit him in the arm, for it was throbbing terribly. I guess I am too light to stay standing, he thought. Then, he turned and threw up. "I don't think I'm very good, Jim," he muttered. |
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| Jim Hunter | Jan 2 2009, 09:44 PM Post #20 |
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((Jim basically pulled Oyster's feet out from under him and turned to grab two wooden swords. Sorry about that!)) Jim blinked once as Oyster ran away. He followed and hit Oyster one time on the arm. Very simple but effective. What did he have to lose? Oyster ran in a fight, very weak, Jim's jittery feelings, and, most of all, that first day they met when Oyster was wearing that hat. Jim decided to take the chance and if he was wrong then so be it. "I don't think I'm very good, Jim," Oyster whispered. Jim bent down very close to Oyster's ear so no one would hear. "You don't think you would be good at fighting or disguising yourself as a boy?" Jim looked into Oyster's confused face. "Yes, I know. Don't say anything here where people can hear." Jim straightened up. "I guess we should take care of that bruise." Jim rolled his eyes to add to the drama as the gathered crowd chuckled. Jim helped Oyster up and helped him, no her, into her room. As the crowd began to part, an ear splitting shriek split the feeble air into multiple wind storms. All faces lifted to the sky, but before anyone glimpsed the smoky blue haze of the sky, it hit. Jim fell hard on the wooden deck as burning chunks of wood whizzed by. Jim struggled to raise on shaky limbs and started to yell orders. Jim could hear nothing. Not even the rasp of his smoke filled lungs. The heat and smoke burned his eyes. Jim finally tottered onto his feet, to find himself face to face with a mangled body. Jim recoiled and found himself starring at the sky. Sound came back hazily and with it understanding. They were being attacked. The boards fell out from under Jim only to hit Jim hard as another bomb hit the ship. The air left Jim in a rush. Jim opened his mouth to breath and found only soot. Jim labored to have the object that he used every day. Air slowly trembled back down his throat and again Jim got his feet under him. Everything in Jim's body felt sluggish. The drawing of a breath taxed Jim but it also gave him strength. Jim heard the air whistle and only had time to widen his eyes before the metal pulley thumped into the side of his head. The world slid by Jim as the wall rushed forward to met Jim's head. Jim tried to raise himself up but collapsed into a world of pain. Jim's last glimpse was of Oyster's small form amongst the burning ship as he was pulled into the blackness. Edited by Jim Hunter, Apr 24 2009, 04:54 PM.
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5:44 PM Jul 10