Stowaway (A Pirate Novel) (Completed)

Chapter 1 Escape

*It'll be rare that I interrupt the novel however I would like all of you to vote and comment. share your ideas on how the novel should proceed. keep in mind that I'm not good at editing. also keep in mind that I'm on a cell phone and the punctuation may be lacking. thank you. .*

Elle ran out of the treeline, panting she stumbled and righted herself. Ella saw the ship off the cliff. It was just a dark shape in the twilight. Within minutes, the night would completely cloak it. She stopped at the edge of the cliff. She looked behind her as she heard the dogs draw closer. Their braying echoed off the trees. She ran away from the cliff, she turned and ran at full speed.

At the last moment Ella pushed off the cliff face, arms above her head she arched her back. She felt the wind rip at her clothes. She tried to breath but barely managed as the wind pushed against her face. She leaned forward bending slightly at the hips. She hoped she had jumped far enough to avoid the rocks below. She straitened her body. Her hands sliced through the water, she held her breath and arched her body as it was engulfed by the outgoing tide.

She heard the crushing thud of the waves as they assaulted the rock and then the silence of the ocean as it cradled her in its cool embrace. She swam, away from the shore, she hopped, until her lungs burned. But her body was numb from the frigid water. She arched her back once again. Her lungs caught fire.

There was no glimmer of light in any direction. Had she swam the wrong way? Where was the surface? Franticly she looked around. She saw nothing. Was she to die now? Had it all been for nothing? Had she escaped him only for the sea to kill her for him? She ordered her mind to calm down and think.

She stopped moving filled her mouth with a small measure of air from her burning lungs and let it out slowly. She ached to draw a breath but closed her eye as the needed air left her lips. They moved toward the surface and lift her hair. The pain in her chest was excruciating. Her muscles barley obeyed her command to swim. Still she struggled to follow the bubbles. Every stroke made her muscles scream. Her skin felt like needles stabed her repeatedly. Her lungs burned with a white-hot intensity that forced more air from her lungs. Her hand hit the surface; she opened her mouth and sucked in the cold salty air. She couldn't stop the coughs that racked her body. Her teath chattered.

She looked around and spied the ship. She swam toward it and finally found the anchors' chain. The chain links were huge. A wave lifted her and slammed her into the links. The pain was mild as her body was already numb from the cold. She wrapped her arms around the links. She placed her feet, pushed, than she pulled with her arms. She climbed the 15 to 20 feet. Salty tears mixed with sea water on her skin.

She heard voices the closer she got to the deck. She lifted up and peered over the side. There were only eight men. Still they worked and ran about in the dim light of lanterns. Staying as low as possible, she slid over the side. She crouched behind some crates that had been secured by chains fastened to the wooden deck. She feared someone would hear her teeth chattering.

"A hoist sails!" came the captains' call. "Weigh anchor!"

She crouched lower. She tried to remain still but the cold felt as if it went to her bones. She knew if she didn't move soon she would die of the cold. After some of the crew pulled the anchor, that was dangerously close to her hiding place, she did move.

Ella scurried quickly over the deck. She kept low and hidden. She found a hatch and moved fast. The air was dank and ripe. Her nose wrinkled. She moved through the hall. The ship swayed her stomach rolled. Somehow, she made it down into the hold. She was less careful now. Her head ached. Her stomach boiled and her limbs felt heavy. She neither had slept nor ate in almost two days. The climb up the anchor line had truly stolen the last of her strength.

Almost half of the space was in use except close to the entrance. Ella only found a small area the size of a large trunk. She found an old blanket and pulled it into the small space with her. Thankfully, it was hidden by tied down cargo. Just a small rest. I'll just close my eyes a moment. She thought. She sat down and curled up in the dirty grimy blanket. It stank of fish but it was warmer than her wet clothes. In moments, sleep claimed her.

For weeks, Ella stole about the ship, moving her beding as the need arose. One night she was almost caught in the head, another below the poop deck, twice the galley. Once in the single cell she assumed was meant for prisoners. She had learned quickly that it was a pirate ship. She still bound her breast- dressed as a boy and slept in the hold were ever she could find enough space. She had spent time sleeping in the cell but felt terribly exposed despite its location. she is exclusively used the cells privy, it was just a hole cut into a bench that released the waste somewhere below. If she were caught she wanted the men to believe she were male.