The Pirate

The waves crashed against the side of the ship, as the rain beet down on the deck. The crew, at my orders, were trying their hardest to navigate out of the storm.

"Captain Tennant, Sir, excuse me, but could you join us at the helm?" My second mate John said as he came into my quarters. I grabbed my hat with a long black feather in it, and put it on top of my short brown hair. Taking my jacket I walked out onto the deck.

The rain had come down to a light drizzle and the waves had stopped crashing against the side of the ship. I followed behind Barrowman, as I called John, we walked across the deck to the helm. I could tell all of my crew went to hide because they were no where to be seen. Waiting there was John Simm, who we called the Master, because he was in charge of the helm and navigation.

"Captain, the storm has brought us close to the shore, and we have to dock." Master said as I approached.

"Why must we dock?" I replied. "I have no need to stop here in England."

"We have no more food for the crew sir," Barrowman said.

"That is no problem of mine." I replied annoyed that they had interrupted me for this. "If you need food go and get it."

"Sir we have to have your permission to dock since you are wanted for piracy in England." Barrowman said.

"If you need food then you can go and get it." I said yet again. To emphasize my point I grabbed the Master by the scruff of the neck and shoved him off the side of the ship and he splashed into the water.

"Sorry sir we meant not to offend." Barrowman said, putting his hands up for defense. I reached for my sword and pulled it out, pointing it at his face. "It is time you left anyway and returned to your parents. You belong on land not at sea. I will see you around John."

He got the hint and took his hat saying goodbye before he jumped into the water and left. I stood up at the helm and watched as they swam away. It was time they left I needed a new crew they were far to soft for me. I needed a crew that was tough and could withstand all things. I was one of the most ruthless pirates on the seas. I needed a crew who was the same.

From below the mast came my most loyal crew member. She was a girl who was as tough as any man. She took charge but still did what was necessary to keep my ship going. She was swabbing the deck trying to get all of the water off of it by sloshing it down the sides.

"You have just been promoted to my first mate." I yelled down to her.

"Oh have I?" She asked sarcastically as she kept mopping.

"Yes you have you are also now in charge of the helm." I said and she just looked at me flabbergasted. "Now I am going back to my quarters and I expect you get the rest of the crew in order. I would also like supper ready for me by sundown. Tell all of those who are afraid that they haven't seen anything as of yet. NOW GET TO WORK ALL OF YOU!"

I yelled the last part to my crew who I knew had listened to all that had happened. The smallest one either a little girl or boy not sure which sprung up and cried, and crawled on the floor swabbing the deck. I turned and walked away my boots clanking on the wood below my feet.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later I was called to supper. I sat and had my meal placed in front of me. It was corned beef and cabbage. I hated corn beef and cabbage. I picked my plate up and threw it across the room.

"How dare you feed this to me!" I yelled at the woman who had served me. I stood and walked to my quarters and stood there fuming for a bit. I have told them this before yet they repeatedly make stupid mistakes. I heard a knock at my door but ignored it. A man walked in I knew he worked for me but I did not know what he did.

"Would you follow me?" He asked and without waiting for a response turned and left. I stood from the chair I had sat down in and followed him. He led me to the far corner of the ship where there was another woman waiting. She had a smile on her face and there behind her was a plank. I stopped dead in my tracks they planned on throwing me overboard.

The man grabbed me by the arms and took off my hat, coat and boots as he pushed me toward the edge. This was mutiny my crew was turning against me.

"Mutiny, I tell you this is wrong!" I yelled as I tried to run take out my sword which I then noticed the man had also taken from me. As I yelled the rest of my crew came out to see what was going on. "How dare you all turn against me, I am Captain David Tennant!"

"Yes yes no one cares now get just get in."One of my crew members said from behind me.

"Now go jump in the water," The lady I had made my new first mate, said as she pushed me into the swirling blue abyss below.
I fell in with a splash. I swam back up to the surface my hair sticking to my face as I looked up at the side of the ship. I could hear the crew cheering saying finally their plan worked. They had no doubt been planning this for a long time. Oh well I thought I could get a better ship and a much better crew as soon as I make it to shore. I was glad now that I had no clothes to weigh me down as I started swimming.

The shore was not to far away from where I was now swimming so I decided to get a move on before it started to rain again. As I swam there were fish swimming along next to me. I tried to grab one but it was too slippery and swam right out of my hands. As I neared shore the fish left me but now I had something else to deal with, the waves. They crashed over me soaking me all the more.

I was a few dozen yards from shore when I was suddenly caught in a rip tide. All of the foam from the waves surrounding me as I was pulled into the watery depths. There was water swirling around me it took all of my strength to swim out of it. I was exhausted by the time I ended up on the white shore there was soft sand beneath my feet and I realized I was freezing.

I saw someone approaching in the distance. It was a man he had a kind sort of face and look slightly old. As he neared me he started to laugh. I began to get angry at this man. How dare he laugh at me while I was standing here cold, naked, and wet. He was carrying a blanket which he then handed to me.

"Here you are lad dry yourself off," I had not heard anyone call me lad in years. I was very young only around twenty five but I had inherited my ship and crew from my father when he died. I was used to being called captain, used to being in charge! I took the blanket though and wrapped it around myself as the old man gripped my should and walked me to his home, a little cabin about half a mile from shore.

Once there he got me some clothes and said I could stay the night in the guest room. I accepted knowing I I could not make it to my own home tonight, seeing as I had no idea where I was. As I drifted to sleep it occurred to me that maybe I did not have to be a pirate, I owned a home after all. Plus being on land felt good after spending almost my entire life at sea. Of course if I decided to not be a pirate I would still have to deal with the law and being wanted to piracy, but I had enough money to pay that debt off. Oh well, I thought to myself as my eyelids became heavy, I can figure out what I want to do next once I have had a good sleep.