The sun shone brightly on the crystal clear waves as I lay on the beach staring at the bright blue sky. I sighed and turned over in the direction of the port, trading ships from various lands took leave here to trade their wears. The royal navy marched the docks looking for ruffians, Peeta my best friend wanted to join the royal navy and serve the crown. He secretly hoped to become rich enough to buy some land in America and become a farmer. I sighed and got up heading towards the bakery in search of adventure.
I walked the streets of Port Royal looking for the door that leads to the bakery. I passed various shops and food stands, their owners tentatively smiling at me hoping to catch a rich kids eye, but I am not rich I only a small home where my mother owns a fish shop. I pass by a dark store that sells swords this is where the local bully Benjamin Cutter Luis usually hangs out with his little group of followers. "Benji" as I call him wanted me in his little group, he even asked nicely before trying to use force, "Oy! Finny" I look to my left and find him lounging in a rat infested alley against a wall smoking a cigar like always. "Hello Benji! Nice day isn't it" I smile warmly at him causing him to stop his approach to think. He goes with it, "Yeah, it's a pretty amazing night. Do you wanna hang out with us?" I pretended to think about it for a little. "No, I only serve myself thanks" Benji's grin flickers for a second then is replaced by his usual sneer. His brown close cropped hair is caked in dirt, and soot from his street fights, "don't make me cut you Finny I still want you in one piece when you’re serving under me." Benji growled showing me a shining silver blade attached to his belt, "I got a little birthday present I still need to test it out." I eyed the blade and decided to play it cool, "Nice knife your daddy bought you that? That's sweet I hope you don't lose it." Benji chuckled slightly followed by a chorus of laughter from his little gang. "Ok Finn we're sixteen you’re seventeen that makes you top dog. Of course there are ten of us and one of you, we can beat you silly right now" Benji's tone turned from light to menacing quickly. My grin faded and I looked for possible escape routes, I found one. "Ok if you let me see the knife I will consider joining you" I smirked holding my hand out, Benji may look clever but he isn't, he handed me the knife and I took off.
I sped down the streets weaving through the crowd; I slid under a shipping crate and kept running. I heard the splash of one of Benji’s friends falling into the water after attempting my stunt. One weakness Benji and his crew has is, they can’t swim. I charge up the gangplank of a stationary sloop and stand at the bow of the ship. I turn around clutching the knife with white knuckles as Benji approaches. “You sure would be an excellent addition especially since we aim to be pirates and you could serve in my crew” I laughed at the idea of him becoming a Captain. Benji wasn’t happy at my skepticism and he lunged for the knife. I turned around kicked him in the stomach and hurled the knife into the crashing waves. Benji had a look of pure hatred on his face as he tried to tackle me. I chuckled at his feeble attempts of beating me as I tripped him, causing him to fall on his butt. “I’m going to get you Odair!” he growled and scampered away clutching his nose likes the rat he is. I cackle with glee as I hop off the gangplank and head to Peeta’s such a spectacular beginning for a spectacular day, I thought as I walked back up the docks the way I came.
“Finn! There you are, I’ve been looking all over for you!” Peeta said patting me on the back and herding me into the warmth of his home. “Next year we are going to head to the Navy you know that right?” Peeta said with an excited glint in his eyes, I yawned. “Pete, you know I don’t like the Navy” Peeta shrugged and stretched out on the couch. “Well my brothers are in it since they turned eighteen before me” I sighed and looked around the dim glow of his families bread ovens made the room toasty warm. “So I ran into our friend Benji today” I chuckled, Peeta rolled his eyes and got up. “What did they do this time, correction what did you do?” Peeta sighed as I told him the story of my morning escapade. “One day they are going to learn your skills and your going to get cut” Peeta exclaimed shaking his head in exasperation. I laughed and suggested we head out to one of the pubs since we look like we’re old enough to drink a cup or two. Peeta agrees and we set out for the afternoon.
When we arrive at the local pub we sit up at the bar looking at all the people seated there. “Hey there” I turn around to see a giant bulky blonde guy sitting beside me. He looks like Peeta except with short spiky hair, and deeper ocean blue eyes. “Hey?” I exclaimed, he gestured to the cup next to me and I passed it to him. “You looking for a pirate crew to join?” he grinned I shrugged and he rolled his eyes. "You know Captain Haymitch Abernathy is looking for a crew. Any age as long as they have a taste for adventure" this last comment attracts my attention causing me to look up from my cup. "Ah so we have someone looking for a good story to tell! Well then my names' Cato nice to meet ya mate" he held out his hand and I shook it. "Follow me" he waved me over and I weaved through the crowed behind Cato who came to a stand still in front of a huge oak table. "Captain I think I found a new recruit" Cato grinned sitting next to a small girl with dark hair and hazel eyes, she caught me staring and glared at me something in her eyes told me if I bugged her I would find a blade in my brain. “Captain this is uh, what’s your name again?” Cato tried to whisper but said it clearly so everyone heard him. “Really Cato? You bring in a random stranger that you met by the bar and don’t learn his name! He could be a stinking red coat spy!” The girl with the death girl growled. “Aw come on Clover it was an honest mistake” Cato rolled his eyes and plopped down in the seat next to Captain Abernathy. “Well then Mr. what’s his name?” everyone shrugged at the question and I sighed and introduced myself. “Ah then Finnick if you can find a way to get me a ship then maybe you can join my crew” Haymitch drawled propping his feet against the table and sipping from a bottle. I thought about it and formed a plan.
I returned to Peeta where he was sitting at the bar, “Pete! Guess what!”
“What?”
“If we can steal a ship we can join a pirate crew!”
“You’re going to steal a ship?” Peeta said incredulously. I nodded with excitement and pulled Peeta over to the pirates’ table. Captain Haymitch welcomed me warmly as I sat down. All I told the pirates was to meet me at the docks by 7:30 pm. They agreed and Peeta and I left discussing the new heist we were going to pull off.
The next day I headed to the bakery to notify Peeta of the beginning of our master plan. “Mom, I might not come back if I succeed” my mother nodded in understanding since she always figured I would become a pirate. She wasn’t a big fan of the Navy ever since they dragged her father off to jail for an execution that wasn’t even looked into until after the hanging. She hugged me goodbye and I stored my pack in a hiding place under the docks. I tapped the glass of Peeta’s bedroom window hoping that it wasn’t his scary mothers’. “Hey, pssst Peeta pssst Peeta!” I hissed I heard Peeta stumble towards the window and fling it open. “What!” he whined he was dressed in a button up shirt, black leather belt covered in tools and weaponry, half of which he didn’t even know how to use. “Can you fight with any of that?” I muttered as he landed with a thud next to me. “Lets go” Peeta grunted dusting off his pants and setting off towards the port, I sighed as I followed him towards the Navies best ship, the Man’ O’ War.
The rough wood of the dock creaked under our boots as we crept across the wooden planks. Peeta kept making the loudest creaks from behind me sometimes I wondered if he was trying to hit every loose board on the damn dock. “Dude can’t you step lighter?” I hissed glaring at him angrily. He frowned and the sound of his footsteps decreased slightly. I ducked behind a barrel as a passing security guard patrolled the docks. I signaled Peeta to set loose the first explosion, he nodded and tossed a lit up smoke bomb towards the far side of the docks. BOOM! The guard flinched and charged towards the explosion cutlass drawn. While the guard was distracted we set the ship up for launch as the sun started to slip behind the crest of the sea.
We signaled the pirates by lighting a torch on the ship. They pulled up next to us in a small rowboat. “Told you they would get it done Clove” Cato chuckled elbowing Clove lightly in the stomach. “Shut up Cato” she grimaced turning the other way. “Captain we should set sail soon! The Navy dogs are heading this way!” a brown haired grey eyed boy said slitting the lines holding the ship to the dock. "Full sail!" Captain Haymitch yelled through the pounding of the waves, the whole crew rushed about the ship tying and untying knots throughout the deck. The sails unfurled and the ship moved off into the sunset.
