"Hey Usoui! Throw up the lines will yah?! I've got to get these tide up by day break!"
A boy with brown hair jumped down from the poop deck. And climbed up onto the main sail mass. Taking the ropes that where dangling down, he threw them down towards me where I tied them to the ship. These ropes where important. It helped keep the sail mass standing when the sail was up. That way the sails would catch wind and move the ship. Tying the ropes though was the most boring job ever.
(Correction). Mopping the deck held the record for most boring and the worst job ever. Last time I did that was when I accidentally threw a rock at the window pane and it flew into the captain quarters where my mom supposedly was.
So in the end I had to clean the ship down head to toe. Of course I don't ever want to do that again.
" Any news of where we are heading to next Silver?" Usoui yelled down towards me as I finished tying the last rope.
" no clue. My mom won't tell me. She said it was a surprise."
" your lucky."
" yeah, like having a mom as a captain of the ship is lucky. She always on my back about everything. It's like I can't do anything unless it's perfect."
Usoui smiles slightly." Think of it this way. When the cap'n gets old, this ship will finally be yours to sail across all the seven seas!"
" And of course, you'll be my first mate! We shall stir up every piece of gold that's out there together!" I stomp my foot on the deck." I can see it now. Silver and Usoui! The most powerful pirates the world has ever seen!" I giggle before falling into Usoui's arms. He pulls me in closer and I hug him in return.
Usoui is my closest friend and always has been. His parents worked for my mom and where there when I was born. Since me and him where the only kids on the ship, it made things pretty boring, but we always found a way to livin things up. On calm days we would sit on the brims, trying to reach our feet into the water.( or knock each other overboard)😋
Either way, I wouldn't want any of it to change. Just Usoui and I hanging, and joking around like when we where 5.
" Usoui!!!!" I voice from below deck screamed.
I sigh and rub my aching ears.
" The beast has awoken I presume?"
" Yeah, and I think it's hungry." Usoui gulped as he stood up straighter.
If there was one person on the ship that you would never want to piss off, it was Usoui's mother. Mrs. Deller. I swear, even the devil himself wouldn't lay a nasty finger on her. Sometimes I wonder how Usoui and her could be related.
" I better go."
He starts to walk off.
" watch out for the claws!" I yell back jokingly." I heard they're soaked in poison!"
I think that only made him feel worse because I swear I saw his head lower even closer to the wood boards. As if his head was just gonna roll right off his shoulders, tumbling to the ground.
Poor guy.😕
I watched him disappear down below the deck and started walking back over to the main mast. The winds where starting to calm down, and in the end it made for a beautiful sunset. I thought it was pretty how when the sun matched up onto the horizon, that the water would glisten a glittering gold.
I sigh and close my eyes." I wish life could always be like this. I sat there, looking out at the water for a good solid 10 minutes before hearing a click of a door handle.
" Silver! It's almost supper time!" A crew member sticks his head out from the captains courters.
It was Will, a very clumsy but kind pirate. The one thing that I think I can say for the whole crew, is that he makes a killer seafood stew. Gosh, my mouth waters even when I mention it!
Excitedly I push off the side of the ship and sprint down to the kitchen.
The rest of the crew was already there stuffing their faces, and over in the corner sat Usoui. His face was red and a small hand mark was imprinted on his left cheek. Feeling sorry, I picked up two bowls of the seafood stew and plopped myself right next to him.
" you might as well eat. If you don't get it now the crew will finish it for you." I wave my hand towards the crew members, chugging down bowl after bowl.
Usoui just continued to stare at the floor as he slowly grabbed the stew from my hands.
" So that bad huh?"
He shrugs." I'm used to it."
" what did you do that was so bad anyways?" I nudge his shoulder.
Usoui lifts a spoonful of stew to his mouth." I may have accidentally switched out her lotion stuff with hair dye."
" color?"
" light green."
" Nicely done!" I smile, taking a bite floating shrimp.
" Yeah, and it's gonna take me forever to make up for." He grits his teeth in anger.
" Don't let it get to you. Besides, you've done worse. Remember the time we played pass the cannon ball, and the ball fell straight through the ship floor? It took weeks to repair." I giggle slightly.
He smiles back and takes another bite." Sure was fun though."
" Agreed." I nod with satisfaction.
Usoui and I went back and forth on past pranks or tricks we often did. The big ones, and the extremely bad ones. It was hilarious, but not as hilarious what I saw walking down the steps to the table. It was Mrs. Deller with her spring time green hair. So green I thought flowers would sprout from atop.
I held my breath and covered my mouth trying not to laugh.
" Little brats." She grumbles under her breath as she walks by.
" Mrs. Deller?! Is everything alright?! What happened?!" Will looked her up and down.( mostly up)
" My scoundrel of a son, that's what happened."
Tom, another one of the crew members smirks slightly." Not to be rude or anythin, it's just that you look a bit......... green."
Everyone bursts out laughing, including myself. I ended up laughing so hard that I fell off my seat and onto he wood floor.
" oh shut up you bunch of dirty dogs. Or the next colorful rainbow I see might just find its way into one of your bunks!" She glared, and the whole crew fell silent.
When Mrs. Deller threatens something, there's nothin that will keep her back from her word.
And that...... Could be the end of you. Of course, it's always nice to laugh....... At someone that's not you.
" well then, what's going on down here? It's so quiet, it's like the reaper just popped in to take a look around."
I look up to find the captain. Fully fitted in blue and white. Her captains hat, blue and white as well with a silver skull on the brim. And at the top hung a single silver feather.
The whole crew jumped to attention as she entered.
" calm down men, its just me. Glad to see that I'm still respected at my age." She joked.
The crew loosened up a bit and sat back down to eating. Will was the only one who got up and handed a bowl to the captain.( I can't even truly call her mom. Sad isn't it?)
" how's it lookin?" Tom eagerly asked.
" Nothin but clear blue sky's and calm blowin winds. Might pick up a bit tomarra but we should make it there by no later than noon." She winks back at him.
I shook my head in confusion. I had no idea where we where going, and neither did Usoui.
" excuse me captain. But might I ask where are we going?"
She smiles and only shakes her head.
" why won't anyone tell us what's going on?! This is driving me ballistic!" I yell looking up at the ceiling.
The crew only laughs and continues to eat. Usoui seeing me the way I was patted my back and finished up his bowl." Want some more?"
" sure. Why not. Not like there's anything else to do around here."
" and I thought I was in a bad mood."
" whatever." I smile at him, kicking at his shoes as he walks away.
" Silver. I want to have a word with you in my courters after everyone's done eat'n." The captain sits down at the crew table to eat. Not even taking a glance at me.
" Yes ma'am."
" yes what now?" Slight anger in her voice.
I quickly sit up realizing the mistake I just made" I mean Yes Captain."
-Shoot! You never call her ma'am! What was I thinking!-
I cringe, waiting for another lecture but when I look back up, she's eating.
-That's strange.... Usually I have her go off about how she struggles to keep her crew fed and rested including me, and how she did not go through all this struggle and hard work to have her daughter completely push aside her manors and etiquette. Know your place!-
Something weird was going on. Maybe I'd figure it out when I talked to her in the captains courters?
Usoui walks back over with another bowl of seafood stew and hands me it. It's delicious smell wavers up into my nose and I happily scarf it down.
When the rest of the crew finished up they headed towards the sleeping bunks.
" Good luck with the captain, Silver." Usoui waves to me before hopping up into his hammock to sleep. I smile back and walk over towards the golden rimmed door. I could see through the window panes that the lights where put to a low flicker. The shadow of my mom moved a crossed the room, bending the lights back and forth.
I look down at the handle, and inhaled a deep breath.
" Here we go." I close my eyes and knock.
A muffled voice from inside answers." You may enter."
-no turning back now-