The Pirate's Revenge

14-"Only if You Change One Thing"

          When I woke up, it was to an empty room. Molly's hammock hung empty across the room, through the dimness.

Slowly, I woke myself up, sitting up sorely and slowly. My feet touched the cold boards of the deck as I heard feet trample above me on the quarter deck, calling out names.

The sound woke me up out of my twilight, and I recognized again where I was. Each time it didn't seem believable.

I made my way across the room. My boots were sitting by the door, neatly. I didn't even realize that when we got back I didn't have them on.

I stopped and slipped them on over my bare feet, lacing them up the sides carefully before leaving the bedroom, exiting into the hallway.

The voices of men calling out orders and feet pounding could be heard as I walked back the way I came this morning. This morning? What time was it?

I could see light spilling out from the doors in front of me, so it was daytime still. I pushed on the doors lightly at first, and was rewarded with my weak efforts by slamming into the door when it didn't budge. I collided with the heavy wood doors, and paused and rubbed my forehead.

Heavier than I thought. This time, I tried a bit more, using my shoulder to push it open. How did Molly do this so effortlessly?

This time, I was rewarded with my extreme efforts by stumbling onto the deck like an idiot. I caught my balance and looked out at the 5 men working nearby who stopped when they saw me.

One of them, of course was the overly talkative first mate of Wren, Killian.

Ask exited onto the deck, he beamed at me, smiling like a child, and he removed his large hat as he approached across the sunset boards.

"Miss Adley!" he called. "How are you doing this evening?"

I crossed my arms over my chest, and blew a strand of messy hair from my face.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Quarter past 4, malady." He said, stopping next to me. "I know that Molly and Captain Daniels were wanting to speak to you..." he trailed off, "but I am here to tell you that we are set on course to be arriving in the early morning to Eclipse Island, the home base, if you will."

"Your own island?" I asked, in disbelief. No wonder these guys got so powerful. I wondered how many others had their own islands.

"It isn't much, Miss, quite small, maybe 15 acres. But we will be arriving tonight, or very early tomorrow." He said in his accented voice.

"Now, come along, we've made the captain wait."

Killian took off at a brisk pace for the stairs that led to the quarter deck, and the entrance to what was probably an office of sorts, a navigation room. I followed him forward, hopping over thick ropes for the sails, which were not fully out. The heat was thick, but for once, a smiled at the lack of insects, which were the bane of my existence back home.

As I pushed up the stairs, I ran my fingers through my oily hair. I would give anything for a wash. Come to think of it, I was suddenly aware of how gross my skin actually was. I shuddered it off. No way was I getting a bath on a boat.

Killian walked briskly across the quarter deck to the double doors, where he waited for me to come to his side.

I better be getting some fucking clear explanations.