by Dani Hoots
“Now,” he wrapped his arm around me. “Go out and find exactly who doesn’t follow me, those who will die next to fuel my continued restoration of power. I leave it up to you to make that distinction.”
I nodded slowly, letting all the information sink in. Both that of Nia and how the salt was his weakness. “Yes, master.”
The sky went dark and the moon started to grow smaller, as the full moon was only the night before. I stared up at it, wondering why such a moon, so pure, could bring dark power to the demon. It was a thing of light, yet it too gave power to such a dark creature.
As I stood there, I thought about the list I put together of those who wanted to overthrow the captain. They all wanted to take over the ship and find a place to port at, claim innocence of being a pirate, and give the other pirates up to the authorities. That, at least, was what I overheard them say. I found that some of them were meeting in the kitchen to discuss it at that moment.
Bazil didn’t know, but he had actually not come out of the captain’s quarters since he let me out. He was testing me, to see if I was loyal to him, which I wasn’t, and why would I be? Just because he was powerful, just because he thought that was enough to control a person? Well, to me it wasn’t. And it was up to me to stop him.
I went down the stairs to where the pirates were gathered, or I guess forced-pirates as they put it, and as I stepped down, they all stared at me.
“What are you doing here? Witch! Get back!”
I wasn’t quite sure why they called me a witch, but from what I knew about pirates, it was probably just because I was a girl.
“Did you hear us? Get away!” one man yelled as he tried to punch me. I grabbed his fist and bent it back. He yelled out in pain.
“Now that is settled,” I said. “I need your help taking down the Captain.”
They all stared at me. The leader, a dark haired man, eyed me with suspicion. “How much do you know?”
“I know that you are trying to take over this ship, kill the captain, and head to the authorities to give them the rest of the pirates so you get off free as a dove.” I smiled. “And if you listen to me, then your plan might actually work.”
They mumbled to each other, not sure if they should believe me or not. The dark haired man looked me over. “And why should we believe you.”
“Because, I know his secret, and I can bring the demon that he is, down.”
I told them everything, and for some odd reason, they believed me. I think it was because they had nothing to lose if I was telling the truth or not. Either way, what we were going to do was going to kill the captain, there just had to be extra precautions that had to be made in order for the demon inside of him to stay powerless.
And that was where the salt came in.
I held in my hand, a sword covered in salt. I knew that I had to be careful not to touch it, or I could be harmed as well. As for the rest of the men who wanted to take over the ship, they followed with salted swords as well. A handful gathered together a canon ball and chains, for the only way to dispose of him was to drown him the ocean below.
We snuck up to the cabin where he slept. I opened the door to find him asleep in his cot. As careful as we could, we went up to his cot with the sword, and stabbed him through the heart.
Bazil’s eyes opened wide and stared at me. “Traitor!”
He tried to stand, the sword had weakened him some, but it didn’t stop him. I could see his eyes turn red with anger, the demon inside of him trying to gain strength.
We were in big trouble if we didn’t take him down fast.
“The rest of you, drive your swords through him! Quickly!” I yelled.
They did as I said, each and every one of them weakening him. He raised his hand and a fireball appeared.
“Get down!” I yelled but it was too late. One of the men who was about to put a sword through him was hit full force with the fireball and went backwards, screaming as the fire ate away at his chest.
“Keep stabbing him, it’s the only way to make him stop!” I ordered.
The third sword went through his chest, but Bazil still had enough power to create a fireball. He flung it at me and knocked me down.
“Renee!” one of the pirates called down.
I shook my head. “What did I say, keep at it.”
As the fourth sword went in, I thought we had won it, but I was wrong. A third fireball hit another one of the men, causing him to die just like the man before him. If we didn’t get him weak enough quick, all of the men would be dead and I would be in for an unimaginable amount of pain.
But I would not give up.
“Another!” I yelled. After the fifth sword pierced his body, Bazil collapsed.
“Now, bring the ball and chains and grab his body. We have to dump him overboard before he gathers enough strength to retaliate.” I ordered.
The pirates did as I said. They pulled his body up on the side of the ship and locked the chains and metal around his ankles. Then, all together, we pushed him over the ship and into the ocean depths below.
The pirates cheered in victory. I was celebrating too, as I was now free of serving a demon.
As for the rest of the pirates that followed Captain Thomas, they were thrown in the cells that were below the decks, as the pirates who wanted to be free outnumbered them easily. They promised to tell the authorities that I had been captured, and nothing whatsoever about the demonic possession that had gone on.
A couple of days passed, and in exchange for me helping them destroy the Captain, they taught me how to use a sword properly. They were surprised at how fast I could pick up the sword and disarm some of their own men who’d been using a sword far longer than me. I wasn't sure if it was because of my new strength or if it was because of dance lessons, but I had a lot of fun learning how to use such a sword.
We arrived eventually at Curaçao and the men gave the pirates over to the Dutch authorities in exchange for amnesty. They also told the authorities that I had been captured and was going to be used as ransom if any military ship had attacked them. They asked me for my mother and father’s name, but I told them they had been killed back on Tobago. After a couple of days, Admiral Flower’s ship was spotted on the horizon.
He was alive, I found out, as he had been searching for what happened to me after he had been shot. The bullet had simply hit him in the left shoulder, he was lucky. His wound was wrapped up and his arm was in a sling when he found me at the inn near the port.
“I am so glad you’re all right,” he wrapped his free arm around me. I nodded, letting him embrace me even though it felt awkward since I hardly knew him.
“Yes, I am fine. The pirates on the ship killed the captain and declared amnesty. They also explained to the authorities that I had been held prisoner so I am free of any charges, I suppose,” I explained.
He gestured to the table. “Here, you should sit. It must have all been so much to endure.”
He had no idea. I wanted to tell him the truth of everything that happened, but I doubted he would believe me. “Thank you.”
We sat down at the table, him across from me.
“You… do you know what happened to your mother and father.”
I nodded. “I was informed, yes.”
“What are you going to do?”
I shrugged. “I suppose I should go back to France to live with my aunt and uncle. That’s where I was heading…” I stopped, realizing how much it really hurt thinking about my parents after everything was said and done. I had been so mad about moving to France, and yet even after their death, I still decided I should head back. I definitely didn’t want to go back to the island, but there was so much more I could explore.
Admiral Flowers grabbed my hand. “If you don’t want to go back, I can take care of you. I have a lot of money saved up from hunting pirates. I would make a good husband, I promise.”
I stared at him, half wanting to laugh, half debating whether or not I should say yes. He was ridic
ulous, wanting to marry me after just meeting me, but then I realized that most women of my rank didn’t even meet the men they were to marry. He was brave and he had risked his life for me. Marrying an admiral, I could travel the world with him, that is, if he let me. I had a feeling he wouldn’t have me go on his adventures, though, but leave me at home to care for what he thought was his property.
But would France be much better?
A gust of wind went through the room. I turned, realizing I had left the window open. I smiled, reassured by what it was telling me.
“I’m sorry, Admiral, but I can’t. My heart lies somewhere else,” I said.
He nodded. “I understand. The offer still stands, until you leave. If you change your mind, let me know.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
He left the room, and I pondered how many people he has proposed to in his life. It didn’t matter really, but he was definitely a character.
When I stopped on the ship that would be taking me back to France, I felt a change in the wind and I smiled. It was going to take me where I needed to go, I knew it. Little did I know the ship I boarded would be ambushed by another pirate, a pirate by the name of Anne Bonny, but that is a completely different story. That is the story of how I became a pirate.
That was so many years ago, and time had seemed to pass by fairly quickly, this story just a mere fragment in what the world has to offer. I still sail the ocean, listening to the wind and letting it guide me. I have found many others who have been cursed to roam the land, their stories as sad as mine, if not more. I have spoken with many of them, and they are as worried as I am about the fact that something dark and sinister is growing all around us, something that is hiding in the darkness, ready to change the world at any moment.
So I remain the person I am, always looking for adventure, and always aware of what the wind is asking of me. I do sometimes wonder if what happened to Bazil was indeed the death of him. Looking back on it, it seemed all too easy. But there is no way he could escape, not with the swords and salt that were in him, and the chains that were locked around his ankles. If he wasn’t destroyed completely, there still was no way he could escape the hell that I had put him in.
But with the wind as restless as it has been recently, could I really believe that for a fact?
I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me in writing and in this story. A very BIG special thank you to Justin Boyer for helping me edit and make this story so much stronger, he had made such a difference; Daniel Somerville for all the wonderful covers thus far, and I am sure to come; and Marcy Rachel for formatting and getting the novella ready to publish and supporting me through all this. I also would like to thank my friends and awesome cousin Earlene for helping me create this series and letting me bounce ideas back and forth with them (believe me, they are probably annoyed by me now). Lastly, I would like to thank my parents and my loving husband for always supporting me and helping me out when everything feels overwhelming. I love you all!
Dani Hoots is a graduate from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and a Masters in Urban and Environmental Planning who loves anything with a story. She travels around the west coast working at comic conventions and selling her stories and murder mystery party kits. Currently she lives in Washington with her husband and two cats.
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