A Pirate in Time (Completed)

4

The soft sound of ocean waves gently pulled me from my slumber. I stretched, slowly opening my eyes only to find myself in a foreign environment. My heartbeat quickened before my brain kicked in to remind me how I'd gotten here.

I'd almost drowned and was saved by the guy who owned the boat.

I relaxed back into my pillow before turning my head to the side, blinking away the remainders of sleep.

A golden light streamed into the room, just barely skirting the edge of my cot. I stretched out my arm, letting the sun warm my skin.

The sound of men shouting orders to each other drifted through the open porthole.

With curiosity peaked, I slowly sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I transferred my weight gently and gradually onto my feet until I was standing fully on my own. It felt good to be out of the bed after all the time I'd just spent sleeping.

I started walking to the porthole, overjoyed to find I was not in nearly as much pain as the last time I woke up. Now, only the dull ache of the bruise on my side and the stiffness of underused joints troubled me.

I gripped the circular frame for support as I drew closer. I was still a bit shaky, probably from not eating much for the last couple of days. I made a mental note to find some food later.

Peering out the window, all I could see were the vast waters of the open sea. The deep blue of the ocean paired with the sharpness of the cloudless sky made for a lovely contrast.

A cool breeze swept in, filling my lungs and making me feel more alive than I had in the past few days. It was quite refreshing after having been bedridden for a while.

Feeling better than I had since graduation, I made the decision to go topside. I could use a good opportunity to limber up my joints and escape the confines of this room.

I crossed the space to the door in a only a few steps. With my hand on the doorknob, I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye.

Turning my head, I found a pair of worn, knee-high leather boots waiting just to my left. I bent down and picked them up. They were heavy and a bit large, probably meant for men, but right now I figured they'd be better than my damp Chuck Taylors.

Shrugging, I returned to sit on the edge of my cot, slipping the boots over my bare feet. As I'd guessed, they were a bit large for me, but thankfully they didn't rattle around too much. I made another mental note to make sure I wore socks next time I put these on. I didn't want to get any blisters.

Standing up I realized the boots had a slight heel. It wouldn't be a problem, but it did make me feel a little taller.

The top of the boots folded down, adding to my quirky attire. This only brought up more questions about my current situation.

Why was that guy, Jeremiah I think he said, dressed like a pirate? Better yet, why am I dressed like a pirate? And where in the world am I? Where are my friends?

I stood for a moment, trying to make sense of the delirium running rampant through my mind. The only deduction I could come up with that made mild sense was that maybe I was on a pirate themed cruise ship or something.

What had Jeremiah said the name of the ship was? M something. It started with an M. Definitely an M.

Unable to pinpoint that particular memory, I happened to stumble on another. It was when Danny's father decided to let him name his sailboat. He had been really excited, immediately running down the docks with a can of black paint in his hands. He had scrawled in mildly fancy letters the word 'Lucy' on the starboard bow.

Shrugging, I moved to the door again, craving both air and food. I was relieved to find the door unlocked.

The door's hinges squealed in protest as I edged it open. Stepping out into an empty hallway, I looked from left to right. I was unsure of which way to go, but for some reason, my gut was pulling me left. I decided to follow my instincts, swiveling my heel to head in that direction.

After a short walk, I soon found myself facing a few steps that led up to open air. I clutched the railing on the side to steady my quivering muscles as I stepped up.

Once to the top, it took my eyes a few moments to adjust properly. Once they did, I couldn't help but gape at the sight before me.

I realized now that Jeremiah had truly meant it when he'd said ship. It was a triple masted vessel with monstrous sailcloth pulled taught against the wind. Just the shear size of the sails had me struck with pure awe.

I thought the sails on Danny's boat were big, but these blew his out of the water.

The sails were originally white, yellowed with age, sporting several rips and holes, though not enough to hinder their performance. Ropes and rigging danced in the breeze, securely tied to masts, posts, and railings.

Crewmen scurried around hurriedly, completing tasks like a well-oiled machine. They were also dressed similarly to me, or I guess I to them. They seemed to pay me no mind as they completed their various tasks.

Looking closer, I saw that the majority of them had some form of scraggly facial hair. Others were decorated with scars and bruises, sporting rippling muscles and longer hair, tied at the nape of their necks. A few even had dreadlocks.

I furrowed my brow and took a cautious step back, accidentally stepping into the path of a passing figure. We collided with a sudden thump. I fell on my butt while whatever the person was holding fell to the deck with an enormous clatter.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," I started apologizing profusely as I turned. The young boy was already picking up his supplies.

"S'okay Miss," he mumbled under his breath, refusing to look me in the eye.

I reached out, picking up a few miscellaneous tools and handing them to the boy. He accepted them with a quick nod.

I stopped him before he could scurry off again, "What's your name?"

He stopped and cleared his throat, still not looking at me, "Thomas, Miss."

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Thomas," I smiled, sticking out my hand. He stared at it for a second before finally accepting the shake.

He only nodded again before hurrying off to finish whatever he was doing. I watched the shy boy leave with a curious expression.

"I see you're feeling better," an amused voice sounded behind me. I whipped around to find Jeremiah standing with his arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips.

"Yeah," I quickly stood and faced him, brushing myself off, "I am."

"Excellent," he responded, nodding his head, "You must be hungry, correct?"

My stomach answered for me with a loud, embarrassing gurgle. I looked down at it with scarlet cheeks.

Jeremiah chuckled softly, "Allow me to escort you to the galley, then."

He held out his arm, elbow extended towards me like some sort of butler. I stared at it confusedly for a few moments, unsure of what to do.

"I won't hurt you," he said after noticing my hesitation. That immediately raised more questions in my mind. Why would I think he'd hurt me?

Thankfully, something in my brain finally clicked. I remembered reading about the Courts and Ladies in some of my books, so I took the hint and placed my hand in the crook of his elbow.

It felt strange and foreign to do so, and I wondered why the man was leading me around like this. He pulled me back towards the stairs I'd just come from, presumably taking me down to this so-called galley.

I really hoped that meant kitchen.