My Entry - Finish the Story Contest - WEEK #35!
Well, here's another go at a bit of fiction writing with an entry for Week 35 of The Finish The Story Contest. The task is to provide the rest of a lively pirate tale that was started by @theironfelix. This was a lot of fun to write, trying to talk like a pirate without over doing it was a challenge as well. Arrg! and Yo Ho Ho, here we go.... I really hope you enjoy it.
Pirate Hunters
by @theironfelix
Boots calmly walked towards an open window-hatch, a bottle of rum is lowered down onto the sill. Upon the placement, the pirate places his scarred-induced hands on his wailing back and pushes.
“Argh! Me back be free of this wretched ache! Well, guess I learned a lesson: take a break when the Cap’n says so. Welp, time to rest...”
Taking his cue, the sill creaked in annoyance as the pirate’s body self-inquired the best resting position while perched on a sill. With a hairy arm supporting his night-colored beard, he spent his leisure-time mentally capturing the seas itself. There the familiar specs of white dots danced about the blue sky; he gasped before slowly releasing the captured air, he remembered how deep in the seven seas the ship was. With the mind returning to boredom, his eyes scanned under the blue sky.
“Ah poor ship, how these blue, blue, waves harass yah. I can hear yer wails, but I judge not. And even when the harassment be over, the aches only then take over; yet only can I respond with ‘such is life’... Huh, what be a ship in these waters be doing here? Where’s me spotting scope!”
The boots thus began a chaotic dance recital; the arms took the center stage as it flailed around to uncover the hidden telescope. As the telescope may have enjoyed the scene, it soon squeaked loud upon the firm clasp on its metallic skin. The pirate returned to the window-hatch and his arms stretched the telescope wide-wards. Eyeing in on the odd element, his eyes darted around to find any friendly symbol but soon froze.
“Oh me Flyin’ Dutchman! We’ve been tracked! Hey ho! Sound the alarm, pirate hunters come and in full-mast they set sail towards us!”
Whatever wail the ship can ever muster, the cacophonies of a hundred bodies darting around alone had easily drowned out such sorrows. The pirate unsheathed his sword, the sun’s naïve light touched and bounced off the sword. Sheathing his sword, he unholstered his flintlocks and his arms helped his eyes scan such. Cocking and holstering them, his body emerged from his room and joined in the traffic of the workplace as pirate bodies shuffled and kicked around to ready on their position. Albeit the humidity would’ve granted a hasty rest through stroke, the adrenalin surging about the bodies had protected them from unwanted advances of humidity.
Finally getting to the deck, he about-faced and attempted advancing towards the Captain’s spot. However, the Captain echoed:
“Brace!”
And the pirate mass dropped dead and clung hard to any support they could find; as soon the ship screeched thanks the holes formed from the steel cannon-shots who mercilessly ripped through her. With that, the pirate mass resumed its circuitry and soon he met with the Captain; he screamed:
“Madame! I’m here, let me take over the steering and yah the commandin’!”
“Finally yer here, Wither! Please, they be gainin’ too much ground. So steer us towards oure enemy! And when we get close, steer us parallel to their starboard side and avoid portside! Today, I must accept my bounty and let them hath none of it!”
“Cap’n oh Cap’n! Are yah mad?”
“Mad? No! Blimey, avoid their hull Wither!”
My Entry
“But Cap’n she’ll tear us t’shreads. Thar be as many guns on the starboard as thar be on da port”
“Aye, Wither, but we cans’t out run her, she be flying twice da silk we are,” She replied with a bit of frustration.
“Brace!”
They both grabbed a firm hold and waited as the cannon ball splashed into the ocean just off their port bow.
“That be one issue, madame, when I swing her bout, we be sail’n in’ta da wind. We’ll have’ta tack in front of that chase gun at least twiced.”
“H’it be a chance we have’ta take. Give me one minute and swing’er round.” With that she spun on her heels and trotted down the steps, barking orders as she went, and left Wither muttering under his breath about sail’n with women.
How many times had she heard that a woman had no business on the sea, but it never bothered her. She could best most of her men with a sword, and out think all of them. This plan was desperate, but in the open sea there was no way they could out run the Dutchman, and if they decided to board they would be out numbered three to one.
“Brace!”
She dropped to the deck instinctively, just as a cannon ball ripped through the starboard rail and took two of her men to the locker.
When she dropped into the hold every head turned, they all looked nervous. “We got’ta work fast men, h’every gun on da port side needs be raised in da back.” They all just stared at her, “Dhat means put timbers under da back wheels and be quick about it.” The men finally started to scramble, as they could feel the ship turning about. We should have just enough time to get them ready.
She continued to bark orders as they work levering up the guns “Men, we be gett’n one shot at dis. We will be fire’n each gun as da bow of da Dutchman passes yah port hole. We want ta hit her in da stern at her water line.” With that she turned to the master gunner, “Mort, yah understand?”
“Aye, Capt’n”
“I musts be get’n back topside.”
“Brace!”
Everyone grabbed hold of what they could, as a cannon ball whistled overhead, Then she started up the stairs and back to Withers.
“Capt’n she be cut’n sails” Wither yelled pointing at the Ductchman.
She smiled, “That be what I’ma hope’n for. They got ta cut sail or they’ll be over run’n us. They no be turn’n that beast too fast. Wither we needs be about fifty feet off their bow when we pass, just far enough ta avoid board.”
Wither shook his head, “But capt’n their starboard guns…”
She cut him off, “Aye we will take damage, just be pray’n they don’t hit da mast or da powder. They’ll fire everything they have once’st we’re broad side.” She was certainly glad they had left off firing there chase gun. Just a few more seconds .
“Prepare ta take fire!” she yelled.
Three, two. The first cannon fired, the sound was deafening, but it was too early and splashed into the sea. She could see the captain of the Dutchman yelling orders as the next cannon fired, exploding a hole in the bow of the Dutchman. The remaining four guns fired ripping into the Dutchman, then the whole world exploded as the Dutchman unleashed her guns…..
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did...
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