[EternalPen]

Synopsis: Trey is diagnosed with a deadly virus that is believed to have wiped out the Roanoak colony back in the 1500's. The virus was dubbed "The Croatoan" and there is but one cure. The cure only has a small chance of success but, as Trey is about to find out, the Indian roots of the cure go farther back than even the doctors knew. He must face his fears in his own mind to survive, and ultimately cure, the virus.


NOTE: This chapter was a bit long, so I split it into two parts. This is the second.

“So this ‘ere little pissant tried ter take me key, did ‘ee?” the Captain asked. He grabbed Trey’s jaw with his left hand and tilted the thieving face in front of him left and right getting a good look.

“’Ee looks funny. Where ye from, lad?”

“U-u-uh,” Trey tried to talk but the hook on the Captain’s hand and the scimitar in his belt looked frightening. He also didn’t think they would understand his answer if he told them.

“I’m, uh, I’m from South Carolina. Do you know where that is?” he finally said.

“Nawr, never ‘eard of that place ye talkin’ about boy.” The Captain replied, “Are ye sure ye from there? Or did ye make somethin’ up in hopes of gettin’ outta here - alive?”

He breathed out that last word, and his breath reminded Trey of the medicine he took before he passed out. He suddenly felt a little sick.

“Come here, boy!” The man in black yelled as he yanked Trey towards the edge of the ship. The Captain did nothing.

The man in black shoved Trey’s face over the edge of the ship. A large, black shadow ran underneath the structure. The water scared Trey, but then something hit him as his eye caught movement. The inscribed picture on the front of the door flashed through his mind. There was a large creature below the surface. The shadow of the ship moved as the ship stayed, until Trey realized that the shadow was of something that was close to the surface, not reflecting onto it.

A fin cut through the water below and rose up. Another appeared below it, connected to the one that had just risen up. Then another, and another. After a moment, there was a fin protruding from the water, each one slightly smaller than the next, from the tip of the shadow to about five feet from the end.

“It’s coming up!” The man in black yelled.

The Captain hobbled back to the wheel and stepped on a wooden peg that stuck up from the deck. He shoved down with his leg and the peg sank. Trey heard a splashing noise, and then an explosion caused him to fall down.

“Off your ass, boy!” The man in black yelled, “Grab onto something unless you want to be thrown over before your time!”

Trey ran back to the door he had come into this place from and tried, frantically and futilely, to open it.

“Not that door, boy!” The man yelled again, “It will not yet open! Just HANG ON!”

The Captain grabbed the wheel, depressed the peg three more times, and spun the wheel as much as he could to his left. He grabbed a wooden bar to his left and pulled it down. With his right hand, he hooked a wooden bar on his right and pushed it up.

The ship jerked, violently, to the left. The entire ship began to gain speed and rise into the sky. Flames erupted from a structure above them filling the three balloons with heat.

A torrent of water shot into the sky as another explosion filled Trey’s being with fear and adrenaline. Another explosion echoed through the vast ocean as another jet of water blasted into the sky, just inches from the ship. Trey ran to the other side of the ship and hung on for dear life as he saw the Captain preparing to turn the ship the other direction.

He could see the shadow of the enormous beast snaking back and forth in the sea below and the Captain was planning to turn towards it. Trey, once again, fell to his knees and gripped the edge of the ship as hard as he possibly could. The Captain messed with the bars and spun the wheel to the right. The flames stopped completely and the ship took a sharp nosedive in the direction of the beast.

“Woo-hoo-hoo!” The Captain yelped as a large grin spread across his face. “This time WE finish what YE started, ye water-breathin’ bitch!”

The ship pointed straight down and the balloons, completely empty, flapped violently in the wind as they did a nose dive. Trey’s grip failed him and he flew back until he landed on the door he used to come here with. His back was on it and the wind kept him stuck there like he was the door himself. The man in black was still holding onto the side of the ship, but his feet were pointing straight at Trey. The captain managed to stay where he needed to be as he plugged his peg-leg into a hole on the deck.

“YEEEEEEEE-AHHH!” The Captain screamed as he laughed, and for the first time, the man in black was smiling, too. Trey couldn’t tell if he was having fun or if the force of the wind was shaping his face like that, but he could have sworn he was also laughing.

Trey was terrified, but the force of the wind and watching the water rush at them with tremendous speed, and seeing that the Captain was not afraid, couldn’t seem to scream. A smile slowly, but surely, spread across his face.

As they got dangerously close to the surface of the water, the man in black pulled himself forward. The Captain yanked back on one of the bars and flames spurted from the top of the ship again. The balloons began to fill with heat, and Trey could feel the ship going back to its original position. The man in black was able to pull himself to the floor, where he held himself as much as he could.

The shadow of the sea-faring beast was directly below them and it was coming up out of the water. Its deep-yellow eyes opened as it rushed upwards. The Captain pulled another lever and the flames began to turn backwards.

“WOOOOOO!” Trey screamed. “YEEEEAAAAA-”

The flames were pointed directly beneath the flapping balloons and they filled instantly. The ship jerked into an upright position in less than a second and Trey flew to the deck, face-first. His nose smashed into the wood and blood poured out as he struggled with himself to keep his consciousness.

The Captain stomped the peg to release the explosives several times and pulled another lever. The ship rushed forward, just as the enormous beast broke the water’s surface and leaped into the air where they had just been only a moment ago.

Everyone on board only got a glimpse of the beast, but Trey was still holding his nose and groaning. He missed it completely. He stood and looked back at the man in black and the Captain. They were both gaping and wonder filled their eyes as they looked behind Trey. He heard a sharp crack, like a whip, as the beast shut its jaws tight. He turned to just to see the beast disappear into the water. Several muffled explosions sounded off in the distance and the Captain removed his hat.

“Ye were a beauty of a fish to look upon, I’ll give ye that!” He sighed, “But alas, I have won again. Send another one after me, aye? A bigger one next time!” His smile returned and he took the wheel once again.

***

“Did ye see the look upon his face?!” The Captain asked the man in black. “He’s nawr seaman I’ve e’er laid me eyes on, but he’s got spirit, lad!”

“Yes…” Was all the man said in reply as he stared at Trey.

“Well what do ye think?” the Captain asked, “Should we make ‘em part ‘o the crew? He’d do good ter wash the deck, aye?”

“Yes…” The man in black said again.

“If I may have a say in the matter?” Trey asked.

“Aye.” The Captain replied. “Where’d ye like ter work?”

“Um,” Trey started, a little unsure of himself. “I’d like to go home.”

The Captain threw his head back and laughed, loud and long.

“Arr, they be no turning back whence ye board upon WALLACE’S balloons!” He said, still smiling. “Unless, ‘a course, ye go through that door yonder.”

The Captain pointed his hook towards the door Trey had taken to get here.

“Well, how do I get it to open?” Trey asked.

The man in black stepped up and answered this one before the Captain could.

“Only the Captain of this ship can get that door open, boy. If you want to go back, you have to earn your way through.”

Trey looked desperately at the Captain.

“How long do I need to work here?” he asked, afraid of the answer.

The Captain and the man in black looked at each other for a little while and the Captain turned back towards Trey.

“Not long, lad.” He said, “A good year oughtta do ye in for a reward of sorts, like goin’ on ‘ome.”

“A YEAR?!” Trey yelled in horror. “I only have one week to live! I need to get back home so I can tell my folks goodbye! I’d be dead by then!”

“Well then,” The Captain answered him, “A year it is. When ye pass on, yer spirit can haunt anyone that might try to board our ship without the permission of the Captain. Then ye can float on ‘ome and let yer mum knows how ye are!”

He laughed again and hobbled away, leaving Trey very, very discouraged.

***

Trey was given a mop and he washed the deck. It felt like he been on the ship for weeks, but he had actually been on less than three hours. He knew he would die before he got off, so he watched the Captain all the time he worked. He hoped to catch a glimpse of a key or code he used to open the door, but no one on board the ship ever even touched it. Trey began to wonder if they even knew it was there.

The sky darkened and stars began to dot across the sky. The sun disappeared below the surface of the water and was gone. That’s when the beast arrived.

“The beast! It’s back!” One of the crew members yelled.

The Captain smiled again and whispered, “So ye come to take revenge?”

The Captain prepared to dodge and maneuver again like last time, and the crew took cover. The Captain was a bit too slow this time around, and the beast leaped out of the water. It soared over the ship, and caught one of the balloons in its mighty jaws.

Trey saw the beast completely this time around, though it was very dark. It was either black or a dark blue, but its eyes were a flaming shade of yellow and its black pupil darted around, searching for what it needed to do next. The Razor sharp fins were all along its stomach and back, and it fell back towards the water.

The balloon exploded in its deadly jaws and its teeth collapsed around the fragments that were left over. As it fell back towards the water, its tail slammed into the bow of the ship, and Wallace’s ship tilted down. The Captain struggled to pull the ship up, and it finally lifted.

“Come ‘ere, lad!” The Captain yelled to Trey over the roar of frightened crew members, “Can ye take the wheel?!”

Trey dashed up next to the Captain as the crew ran around, frantically, trying to figure out what to do.

“The wheel, lad! The WHEEL!” The Captain yelled as he let go of the wheel.

Trey took it and yelled, “WHICH DIRECTION DO I STEER TO!?”

The Captain was halfway to the back of the Ship before he turned and yelled, “ANYWHERE! IF’FIN YE MAKE THIS, YE CAN GO ‘OME! JUST DON’T GET ME KILLED! AYE?”

Just as soon as he finished the statement, twelve large, ivory spikes exploded from the bottom of the ship, one of which splintered the Captain’s peg-leg. The Captain toppled over, and with terrifying force, the beast shut its mighty jaws together, taking half of the starboard side and the Captain with it. A few of the ropes snapped and a second balloon let loose and floated off. Most of the crew members began to fall off the ship, and three were taken along with the Captain. The man in black stood next to the door that Trey had used to start this whole mess and he motioned for Trey to follow.

Trey grabbed a crewmember and yanked him in front of the wheel.

“You’re promoted!” He yelled, “Steer!”

Trey ran back towards the man in black, but the only part of the ship that was left was a thin boarder of the port side, which was quickly breaking in half. Adrenaline pumped through Trey’s veins, replacing his blood. He dashed as fast as he could onto the thin line of wood, and it snapped in two the moment he stepped on it. The entire bow of the ship plummeted towards the ocean, taking the last of the crew, save three lucky souls, with it. Trey was almost included, but he jumped as hard and fast and far as he possibly could, and landed on the other side just in the nick of time. The last balloon was suspending what was left of the stern.

“Boy!” The man in black yelled, “There is but one lifeboat left intact on board! Would you like to take it?”

“What about you?” Trey yelled back.

“I’ll be staying along for the ride! What say you? Stay or go?”

It took Trey barely any time at all to answer. He hated water, and he was about to die from the virus anyway. Besides, he hadn’t had as much fun on Wallace’s ship as he had ever experienced, and with the Captain gone, there was no way he could get home.

“I’ll be staying with you, sir, if you don’t mind!” Trey yelled.

The man in black smiled and nodded his head.

“THAT’S what I like to hear, dammit!” He yelled, laughing. “You have told me what I wanted to hear you say, and Wallace, the Captain, grants you your wish to leave! Good luck, boy!”

The man in black, Wallace, opened the door and Trey instantly recognized the room inside.

“But…” Trey started, “How?”

Wallace had already put on a harness that he attached to the last remaining Balloon. He pulled a lever that Trey hadn’t noticed before on the mast. A wooden contraption sprung forward, and collapsed the opening of the balloon. Wallace opened his trench coat revealing a simple black t-shirt and faded blue jeans. On the inside of the trench coat were many different weapons. Knives, swords, scimitars, and a many different styles of modern-day pistols lined the inside.

“Don’t ask a Captain questions he doesn’t have time to answer, boy!” Wallace yelled, a smile on his face, “A Captain always follows his balloons! Just remember to spread the story of my adventures!”

Wallace grabbed a knife from his left side and kicked Trey into the room. He hit hard, and looked up to see Wallace. The Captain had his knife raised, and was about to sever the connection of the last balloon and what was left of the ship.

“Wallace, NO!” Trey yelled, “Come here! Come with me!”

“Share my adventures, boy! Tell the world!”

With that, Wallace cut the balloon and the rest of the ship fell. The sight out of the door didn’t budge, but the rest of the ship plummeted down into the ocean below. Wallace dropped his knife and whipped out two pistols and began unloading their contents towards the beat below, who was circling for his final attack.

The beast lunged out of the water and Wallace dropped his guns. He grabbed two long, sharp swords and yanked them out, cutting his trench coat in the process. The jaws of the mighty beast encircled the Great Captain Wallace, and the two swords he had chosen he raised in defiance towards the beast.

Wallace swung down with all his might.

The Beast began to close its mouth.

The door in front of Trey slammed shut, never to open again.