• Chapter 3: The Sea Serpent
    In Josephine’s, Clover’s and Violet’s room, they decided to throw a little private party. Caitlyn and Tressa were there as well as three other pirate girls. Josephine stumbled out of her hammock and headed for her personal chess and took out a radio.

    “Josephine, I told you not to take the radio when we were visiting land in that big mall,” stated Tressa examining it. “Do you think it’ll actually work up here?”

    “Hey, it can play CD’s. Like…the CD’s I stole two months ago,” Clover pointed out and placed one CD in the player. She began to sing as Josephine poured her another glass of rum that they sneaked into their room. “Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play.”

    Josephine continued, “Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day!”

    Then, they sang together, “Home! Home on the range! Where the deer and the buffalo-”

    “I’m pretty sure it’s antelope,” answered Violet as she wasn’t really paying attention to their little party. She was reading a book about the sky. She leaped off of her hammock and joined them sitting on the floor. “You two are unbelievably drunk right now so I think we should stop our little party before the Captain wakes up. You do know she’s in the cabin right above us right?”

    “Violet dear,” began Josephine hanging her arm around Violet’s, “You need to lighten up. You know, go with the flow. We’re girls; we need our little fun of rum and music. I know you’re new here and all, but, the captain sleeps like a rock at night. She won’t hear anything. Now, take a sip.”

    “No, I’m underage,” she said as she climbed back in her hammock. “I know you all can drink since technically your older than the legal age so drink away. But I’m not cleaning up your vomit when you’re having your hangover.”

    “We’ll just get that Blake guy to clean it up,” Clover suggested as she chugged down a lot of rum. “He’s really something isn’t he?”

    Josephine and Clover sighed in unison. They had their own little fantasies with Blake.

    “Well I heard Tressa has had a moment with young Blake,” Caitlyn added as she took a small sip of rum. It was her twentieth. “He’s a little too confused for me. His eyes were so wide when he first came onto this boat. It was absolutely hilarious.”

    “I think the captain has got something out for him,” suggested Clover as she turned off the radio. “She did have a chance with him in her cabin.”

    “You really think so?” asked Tressa a little worried. “It didn’t seem like anything happened.”

    “Ha,” interrupted Violet. “I was there; it was all just plain business. Trust me, it doesn’t seem like the captain has time for men since she is captain of ‘the Darla’.”

    “She actually has it out for another guy,” Josephine blurted out.

    “Who,” they all asked in unison.

    “That first hand boy on ‘the Lock’. I forget his name though. They say that both of his parents were just normal folks and he was captured by Captain Conan, but he saw potential in him and took him into ‘the Lock’. This was all before the captain and her brother took their little game more seriously. Well, the captain and the boy met then and I heard she has some feelings towards him.”

    “Our captain has feelings for a man?! I always thought she was too busy for that stuff. You know, with her ‘we need to beat that stupid ship’ attitude.” Clover stood up to mock her a little bit. “ ‘Oooh, I’m captain of this ship.’”

    “…Ugh, Clover honey-” Josephine suddenly began.

    “Not now Josie,” interrupted Clover.

    “But Clover!”

    “Josephine can’t you see I’m busy!”

    “I would think so,” said a very calm but monotone voice. Clover turned around to see the captain standing right behind her. Everyone was frozen. The captain had her arms crossed and tapped her foot impatiently on the wooden floor. “Now, give me the rum.” She stuck her hand out and every one gave her their own little bottle of rum. “Now, since this little party was unscheduled and was not run by me, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to put all you ladies on kitchen duty. Unless someone confesses whose idea this was-”

    Caitlyn, Tressa, the three other pirates and even Violet who was still reading her book all pointed towards Josephine and Clover who were pointing at each other. They all gave everyone evil glares and put up their hands to take the blame.

    “Alright then, I wasn’t expecting this at all,” she said with sarcasm. “Starting tomorrow, you two girls will be working in the kitchen and helping David. Now, you girls go back to your rooms and please, just go to sleep.” She was about to leave until she remembered something. “Oh yeah, his name is Conrad. Good night ladies.” They could hear her footsteps go back to her cabin.

    “Party’s over, I see,” Violet finally joined in as everyone was leaving to their cabins. “Well now, enjoy kitchen duty tomorrow. I heard from David we’ll be having fresh French stinky cheese tomorrow and he needs extra hands to prepare it.”

    “I’ll even chop off a chicken’s head just to get to work around Blake!” screamed Clover. Josephine and Clover jumped around in a circle until Violet turned off the lantern and everything went black. “Fine, poppet, we’ll go to bed. We won’t be happy about it, but we’ll go to bed. Come Josephine.” The pair of them slipped into their hammocks and quietly gossiped about how they thought their day was going to go with Blake. After five minutes, they screamed again with excitement.

    “GIRL’S GO TO SLEEP NOW OR ELSE I’LL PERSONALLY MAKE A PLANK AND MAKE YOU WALK ON IT, YOU HEAR!!” screamed Captain Jenison now very cranky. And with that, the chatter stopped.
    __________________________________
    The next morning Blake woke up to see two figures standing beside his hammock. They were whispering to each other, like little fairies. He rubbed his eyes to see two pirates, Clover and Josephine, sighing over him sleeping and now waking up. He flipped out of his hammock and landed in David’s. David was already preparing breakfast. The two pirate girls were wide eyed and fascinated by Blake.

    “Do you know you talk in your sleep, Blake? It’s enchanting,” Clover explained with a sigh.

    “I hope you don’t mind but I took a quick picture of you sleeping,” Josephine said showing her old fashion camera. She then took another picture with the flash really bright, “I also just took one of you awake. I hope you don’t mind.”

    All of a sudden they were hit on top of their heads with a big wooden spatula. “Let the boy get ready and cut the cheese outside,” instructed Ethan as he pushed the two girls out of his kitchen carrying cases of French cheese and small kitchen knives.

    “WAH! This is unfair David!” they both whined.

    Blake quickly got changed into a pirate shirt and he stuck with his jeans. He also put a bandana in his hair to keep it from bothering him while cooking. He looked at himself with a small spoon and from what he saw, he looked very much like a pirate. He took his overly large apron and tied it around his body. “What can I do?”

    “Well, you can prep the canteen area. That’s where we’ll serve the breakfast. Just open the big wooden window over there and place out the assembly line. They’ll get their own bread and what not and we’ll serve them their drinks at the end. Now these ladies are sometimes cranky when they get up, so, treat them with respect and they won’t go crazy on ya. One time, I accidentally spilled some juice on Tressa and she didn’t talk to me for a whole day!” Tears were beginning to swell up into David’s eyes. “It was heart clenching!”

    “…There, there,” Blake said as he walked outside to open the window.

    He saw Clover and Josephine slowly, and not really doing a good job, cutting the cheese. He unlocked the window and slid it open to see David again. He then went back inside to place the bowl of juice at the end of the assembly line and then he placed the rest of the food. He then offered to help Clover and Josephine with the cheese but David stopped him because he could see how it would’ve gone. He just sat outside and stared out into the clouds below.

    They were quite gray that morning. He could see in between some clouds that it was a thunder storm below and the ship shook when thunder happened. He also swore he saw something moving in the clouds. It was long and it was slithering. He leaned over the edge of the boat to see what it could be. He just saw something moving in the clouds. Suddenly something grabbed him from behind and he jumped a little.

    “Sorry,” it was David, “didn’t mean to scare ya. Come on lad, it’s time to serve the ladies.” David left and headed back inside the kitchen.

    “Yeah…” he said still looking down in the clouds, “…I’m coming.” He then ran to the kitchen to see a long line already beginning to emerge.

    He headed back inside the kitchen and saw that Clover and Josephine were finally done so they were kicked out of the kitchen for their breakfast.

    “I didn’t even spend anytime with Blake,” whispered Clover.

    “He does look dashing in his pirate’s clothes though,” sighed Josephine with bright eyes.
    Blake prepared himself at the window and the first pirate seemed like she was in a bad mood.

    “How are you today?” he asked while pouring her drink into her mug.

    “Just give me my drink,” she muttered until she looked up at him. She then went quiet. “Fine, thank you…” He then gave her a smile and she blushed. She then took her mug and ran off. Laughter came from the next pirate, it was the Captain with her first hand, Caitlyn.

    “I see you already got many of these ladies’ swept off their feet,” she said as she messed his hair.

    “Good morning, Captain Jenison and Caitlyn,” he said as he fixed his hair then got their drinks. “Enjoy your breakfast.”

    “We will, thank you, Blake,” Caitlyn answered as she got both of their drinks and they both headed up back to the Captain’s cabin.

    “I’m next!” screamed Josephine. She then gave him a seductive glare, “Why, hello Blake. Longtime no see.”

    “Uh, right,” he said as he poured her drink.

    “Knock it off, Josephine,” stated Clover as she pushed her aside, “Hello Blake, Longtime no see.” They began to push each other.

    “Ladies, I’m sorry but you’re going to have to go now! I just don’t David’s hard work go to waste so if you please…” he ended silently.

    “Awe,” they sighed in unison. “He’s such a man. Bye Blakey-poo.” They both ran off to eat on the side of the ship.

    “Well, looks like you are doing a good job,” it was Tressa who was next. “Morning, Blake.”

    “Good morning Miss O’Terrance,” he said warmly with a smile. They’re hands accidentally touched when he handed her the cup and his hand pulled back quickly. “Have a good breakfast.” She nodded and went off.

    “To think you were the bad-a** boy at school and here, you’re like a true gentleman pouring everyone’s drink. It’s so cute,” teased Violet as she took a bite of her apple.

    “Just have a good breakfast,” he said as he rolled his eyes. He gently handed her mug onto her tray and smiled. “See you later, Violet.” She left and gave him a smile.

    She was right though. He was the kid who always got in trouble at school. Here, he felt like he had to be nice to these pirates since they let him in so he might as well give back. He went on serving the pirates with their drinks and with every drink came a smile. On that moment, he became a gentleman amongst everyone, he even noticed himself.

    Once everyone was served, he sat down near the edge of the boat again. He just took an apple for breakfast since that was almost all that was left. A loaf of bred landed right beside his hand. Tressa joined him gazing down at the clouds. He realized that he really did like Tressa. “Do you want some? I took an extra loaf.”

    “Oh, you’re a pirate now,” he said shocked, “Stealing food from the kitchen.” He put on a shocked look on his face.

    “That’s what I do,” she joked. Both of them laughed while they both looked down in the dark gray clouds.

    A low hissing sound rang through their ears. It was so horrifying; they had to cover their ears. Everyone on the boat did the same. It went on for five whole minutes. It almost felt like an hour. The hissing finally stopped and Captain Jenison came barging out of her cabin. She looked a little shaken by it. She looked around on the edges of the boat and couldn’t see what her theory was. However, she didn’t want to see if her theory about who made the hissing noise was true.

    “All hands on deck! Get this ship out of here!” she yelled out. “Let’s move, move, and move!”
    Everyone got up and scattered around the ship. They went to their designated places. Captain Jenison stood beside Violet who was taking the wheel. Everyone was keeping close to their weapons of swords and ropes.

    “Get into the kitchen,” Tressa urged as she pushed Blake towards the kitchen. “We’ll deal with this.”

    Blake looked back eyes wide. There it was the thing that caused the hissing. It has scaly emerald skin and a yellow head. Its body looked like the diameter of a gigantic tree trunk. Its eyes swirled with red and its long tongue stuck out with it’s sharp teeth peaking out. It was also right behind Tressa.

    “Move!” Blake yelled as he knocked Tressa over just in time. The monster darted its head towards where Blake and Tressa just stood. They both backed away and Tressa forgot her sword in her cabin. “Ugh… Captain Jenison?”

    “Sky Serpent!” yelled Clover as she got her sword out, many repeated after. They headed for the sky serpent.

    “Violet, I want you to make a sharp right on my call,” she said in a low calm voice. “Keep sailing north.”

    “But captain,” began Caitlyn, “If we keep going north, we’ll hit open sky! The ship hasn’t been repaired enough to do that! We’ll fall if we hit it!”

    “I know,” she said still calm looking north.

    “Well?” Caitlyn was waiting for changed orders.

    “Violet, keep sailing north,” she said with a smile. “Caitlyn, come with me. This sky serpent is a fresh one. Let’s go.” The captain then jumped from the wheel to right in front of the serpent.

    “Aye, me,” sighed Caitlyn. She swung out her sword and headed for the serpent.
    The serpent was beginning to wrap itself around the left side of the boat. Whenever, it got hit by a blade, it either just didn’t budge or if the cut was deep enough, it would let go of the certain part and look for another place to find support. When Captain Jenison was attacking it, it was almost like she was dancing.

    “Clover, Josephine!” she called out, “Tie a rope around the serpents body…now!”

    Clover was standing on one mast way up high; Josephine was standing another one same level. They both were above the snake. They both jumped from the mast and the rope was caught around its neck. Still swinging, they criss-crossed each other twice and the rope was securely around its neck. They both landed onto the main deck and the rope was long enough to reach it.

    “Everyone, grab a rope!” she yelled as she joined Clover. Caitlyn went to Josephine’s side and other’s follow. The snake was trying to pull back with all its force but the rope was the only thing in its way. “Violet, how far is the edge of the cloud!”

    “1 kilometer!” she yelled back.

    “All right, on my say, we all let go of the rope and Violet, make a sharp right. Let’s make this serpent regret of ever meeting us.” Everyone thought they were going to die because the edge was near and the ship was still in some repair from the crash against the school. Blake joined Violet near the wheel. He knew she wouldn’t be strong enough to do it by herself. The serpent began to go crazy trying to break free from the rope.

    “Now!” Captain Jenison yelled. Everyone let go of the rope and the serpent fell back. Both Violet and Blake turned the ship right just in time and the sky serpent fell into the open sky, down into the ocean. The captain looked down in the ocean to see the serpent turn into sea foam in front of her eyes. She was very pleased with herself. The pirates cheered and celebrated as they joined to see what the captain was so proud of.

    “Whew,” she sighed, “that was a close one. Well done all! There’ll be rum for everyone tonight! Caitlyn, we will go back to the Captain’s cabin.” They all saluted the captain and once she entered the cabin they all cheered.

    “Long live Captain Jenison!” they chanted. Captain Jenison looked out the keyhole of her door and smiled.

    Tressa ran up to Blake and hugged him! “Are you okay? Oh my goodness, thank you so much for saving me back there!”

    “And thanks for the help, Blake,” added Violet as she stuck out her hand for a high five. “Well, I have a good book waiting for me so; I’ll leave you two alone.”

    David came up and placed an arm around his niece. “I saw what you did for my Tressa back there…thank you, kitchen boy.” They did a handshake and David then left.

    “Should I call you my new hero?” she asked as a joke. “You were really brave over there, I couldn’t believe it!”

    “I know! ...same here as well,” he muttered to himself. Tressa gave him a small kiss on the cheek and ran off. He touched his cheek and smiled to himself. That was quite an adventure he had himself today. He then whistled a dainty pirate tune and headed back to the kitchen.