The Ghosts Inside my Head

Chapter 3

We finally reached Alura, having to make 2 detours and dealing with the death of a crew member. Alura was the home of many pirate crews, and no one could get in without a pirate ally. Clearly we were good to enter, being a very well known crew of pirates. That's where I met Horace's wife. I turned to Horace who was crying, he told me to tell her what happened but I just couldn't. "I don't know a Horace, I'm sorry ma'am," that was all I could say without breaking down. Horace looked at me with both disappointment and understanding. He said nothing about it.

Kai on the other hand, had a lot to say about it, "you should've told her Crystal. She deserved to know. I know it's hard, but think about how much harder you just made it."

"I know, I know Kai. I just couldn't do it. It is my fault he's gone anyway. I was the one not watching over my crew. Too busy worried about one little thing." I felt my voice shaking and a lump growing in my throat. "Please don't cry, not now," I thought. "I'm sorry Kai, I just I need to go help the rest of the crew." That was a lie, I ran to my room and collapsed to the floor. I stayed there, crying, for two hours until Kai finally noticed something was off.

"Crys, I'm sorry, are you in there? Please open the door. Please. You're all I have. I need you." I couldn't let them in though, I couldn't let them see me like this, "I'm sorry for hurting you Crys, please let me in. Please Crys. I miss you. I love you, so much. Let me in." Their voice was shaking more than mine was, they banged on the door to find it locked. "Crys please, please I love you."

"K, please leave me alone, I'm sorry, I love you too, I just- need to be alone right now," that was also a lie, I needed a hug most but couldn't bring myself to say that. I was the Captain, I was supposed to be strong. I heard them leave. That hurt me more than anything, I don't know why, I was the one who told them to leave. But I knew I just broke Kai more. I think that was what hurt me most.

Today was the day I decided I would confront Horace's wife about the truth. If I could find her.

It took me over an hour to find where she was. She had been in a nearby bar worrying about Horace. Horace came with me for support. I confronted her, "Excuse me, Miss Alder. I need to tell you something about your husband, Horace."

"Oh, dear, yes. Did you find him."

"Ma'am, I'm sorry. I lied, because I just couldn't tell you the truth. But now I will because you, out of all people deserve to know what happened. On our way to Alura, we were hit with a huge storm, Horace was hit with a wave, he was already weak so there wasn't much we could've done to help him. His body fell over from the strength of the wave, I didn't know he was gone until I saw his ghost. I'm so sorry." She stared at me blankly for a few minutes. After what seemed like an eternity, she started crying and fell into my arms. I hushed her, "It's all right, it will be alright. I'm sorry I couldn't save him. He really loved you. I found this in his room on the ship, I thought I'd give it to you." I handed her a letter addressed to "My beautiful wife" . I hadn't opened it because I knew it wasn't for me, and I was always raised on how to be respectful.

She opened it and read it through her tears. She looked at me for a moment before saying, "Crystal, i- is that y- you?"

~I had never met this woman in my life~

"Yes..."

"Oh, my sweet girl. My, my lovely baby girl. Crystal, named after your-"

"Mother?"

"Yes, named after... me. I'm your mother Crystal, Horace was your father. We left you in foster care, a very idiotic system now let me say, because being a pirate was too dangerous for a small girl like you."

"Mom? Wait, no- no. My mom died, in a- a fire. Yes, a fire. After leaving me on the doorstep of Megahn Lord because sh- she didn't want me."

"Oh, no, no, no dear, no. I wanted you, I did. Horace did too. We just couldn't risk your life. So we told your foster mother to tell you we died in a fire."

"Ok, maybe it's a coincidence I mean we have different last names."

"Yes, dear, another part of my plan."

"But, it can't be. I- he- it can't. N- no, no it can't."

"Dear I know it's hard. Haven't you seen the resemblance between you and Horace. Or even you and I?" I stared at her, this wasn't happening. It couldn't be. I already faced the heartbreak of losing, or so I thought, my parents. I couldn't do it again with Horace, er- Father. I ran. I ran to the ship. Locked myself in my room. I may have slammed the door too hard because soon after I heard Kai, I let them in. I told them everything that happened, and everything I knew now.

"Oh, Love." They pulled me into a hug. I cried softly, I didn't know what to do anymore. At least with Kai I felt safe.