This is my entry into Finish the Story Contest hosted by @bananafish. I really wish I had more time to fix this entry before the dead-line. I was having difficulty coming up with something until an hour ago. Funny how the creative process works. For better or for worse, here it is.
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!”
He took command of the ship's steering. He barked out an order to his apprentice to have the men get ready the "long nines." The speed of his apprentice was about to prove his worth. The speed of Ariel was about to prove her grace and elegance in the increasing choppy waters.
Wither barked out orders to have the sail's position changed. As one mind, the crew swings the sails in place as Wither turns the wheel. Ariel whips a hundred and eighty degrees around as if on a dime.
The Flying Dutchman was shrouded in a yellow mist that enhanced the darkness around it. With the blue sky blotched out, the wind coming their way filling the air with a rancid odor that made the men wrap anything they could grab around their faces.
At the moment Wither had maneuvered his ship's bow facing the enemies bow, the "long nines" rang out. They watched as their effort splashed in the water beside their enemy's ship. That was their only chance at a shot.
The Flying Dutchman invited the brawl by letting Ariel come starboard to starboard side. What tricks did the Dutchman have up his sleeve?
The captain stood on the starboard side, waiting to give the command to fire upon the enemy before the command to throw hooks was given. But, there was no one to fire on when they were beside the ship. Where was the crew?
Fifty hooks were flung over, catching the Flying Dutchman's railings, ropes, and sails. The men pulled the ship close to them at the captains command.
"Take ye not a prisoner," the captain said, "least ye want to be left behind yerslef." Sixty men crossed over, leaving Wither and just enough crew behind to defend Ariel.
As soon as the captains boots touched the ground, a change came over her and the crew. It is as if she and the crew got hoodwinked. She ordered the crew to fire on Ariel's last remaining crew.
A hail of bullets tore through Ariel's boundries, hitting men on board. Wither called out, "Hold yer firing." He looked at the captain. She was no longer her normal self. A starfish for an eye, octopus arms and her feet were now eight crab legs. The crew on her side had also taken on ungodly shapes.
Wither's shouts to the men onboard Ariel to cut the ropes. The forty men who dared to get up from behind cover were gunned down instantly, leaving Wither's alone to fend for himself.
We should nev'r of hadda woman yon board. He scolds himself while keeping his head down. Spotting a corked bottle of run, he grabs it, and takes a generous drink.
The sound of boots hitting the wood makes him whirl around. He can't believe his eyes. She stands before him - normal again.
"Blimmy! What happened here Wither?" the captain asked. The men around are speechless at the site of mutilated, bullet ridden body stung about on the deck.
"DEVIL!" His voice deadened by the humid air choking his throat. He looked for the Flying Dutchman. It was no longer there. The rest of the crew noticed as well. "DEVIL!" he shouts again shaking his finger at her.
Wither, locked away in the holding cell for the murder of the crew members, lay curled up in a ball in the cell's corner, chanting under his breath over and over, "The gods I will appease. She'll bare her bare beast to please. Or, she be tossed ov'rboard, letting the devil take back what is his."
| Previous Finish the Story Contest Entries | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Town That Changed | Even the Clouds Smile | The Border | Horror Vacui | |
| Black Star | Quitting Life | LER | It Awakens | |
| Apocalypse and Pretzels | Metallic Kisses | Curie upvoted The Battle of Bloodneck Valley | Awakening | |
| Curie Upvoted Obstinancy | The Last Will and Testament of Geralda Connors |
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Tools:
- The Most Dangerous Writing App - This program keeps me from getting to bogged down with what I think is the perfect way. It forces me to keep writing no matter what comes to mind.
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- List of 21 sites. Photos that you can use freely in your blog posts.
twenty-four hour short story - You gotta be quick to get this one posted in time. He posts the contest on Sunday (usually) and ends it about 48 hours later. This contest has a 2000 word limit.
Finish the Story Contest - The contest begins on Wednesday (usually) and end 5 days later. This contest will test your write skills with something a little different each week. Pletty of time to write something around the 500 word mark.
Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest! - Coming out roughly every week. If you enjoy card games like Magic, Yugio, and others like it, you might like this game. Write a fictional tale about the card they present in the contest and your entry just might be the one they choose to showcase.
Tell A Story To Me, And Win 5 SBD! Writing Contest - Kind of random when it comes out but don't worry. You will have two weeks to complete your work of art from the given prompt. Have fun!
Haiku - These are coming out every couple days or so. If you stuggle with rhymes, no worries. Haikus don't have to rhyme. All you need to make a haiku is five syllable on the first, seven syllables in the second line, and again back to five syllable for the last line. So easy it makes me think I'm being super product. LOL
Mizu No Oto - Every Image Has Its Haiku Contest - By reading the title, you should be able to guess how this haiku contest works. You're given an image and you write. I've really enjoy this contest because there are people here who've actually gone to classes to learn how to write haiku's; so if you want, you also can learn how to write quality haikus from reading the comments and critiques they and others give.
50-word Challenge - This is an interesting challenge and very challenging to say the least. You only get fifty words to tell a story or a vignettes. Here is a great post that will explain the difference between the two concepts. Good luck, Brave Story Writer!