who upon realising his dog was alive released the handle of the chest he carried letting it crash to the ground with a mighty clank and jingling of metals.
With a scrunched face that I am sure was to refrain himself from falling to tears, the captain turned about and fell onto his knees embracing the excited dog who with anxious whimpers licked at his master’s face. ‘Twas pleasing to see the beast had survived the events, though we would never know what he had been through to return to us, nor how he knew where we were. The animal was incredibly intelligent however, I am sure of that. With a great struggle Rike lifted his companion up in his arms who continued to nuzzle the man with a wild enthusiasm.
“Let’s get away from this damned place, lads.” In a rush a deckhand grasped the other handle of the great chest and with a desperate effort we dragged ourselves to the small paddle boats. It was with as much relief as it was dread that we returned back into the dark fogs that engulfed the island. Although the very dimmest lights of the morning had guided us back to our boats, amongst the fog the faint rays were as good as useless as they failed to penetrate the dense mist.
“Stay close!” We heard our captain call out, “we ‘ath come this far, not one more man shall fall upon this excursion!” With a new burst of courage instilled in us by our captain the crew rowed on through the waters with a grand intent, to return to the safety of the captain’s princess and escape from this cursed place for good.
11.
I had forgotten just how thick and bleak the fog was as I struggled to push my paddleboat containing the ancient chest out to sea. In the darkness of the morning, and due to all that I had just witnessed it was with the greatest caution that I slowly began to row out into the ocean. To the left of me, Arnold May, who I was pleased to know had survived the assault of the lumbering natives, rowed his own boat. In silenced we ensured we did not leave each other’s view, and with a troubled effort tried to keep in close contact with all the survivors of Roselyn.
We paddled out for some time into the deep fog, yet there was no sight nor sound of our ship. After some time the crew became hysteric for Roselyn was not where we believed we had left her. The moment it became certain that the captain’s beauty was not where we had anchored some of the surviving crewmates began to call out to Samuels and Fox, others simply began crying aloud as the overwhelming sadness of the recent events caught up with them.
“Samuels!” Captain Rike yelled out himself in efforts to find his beloved vessel yet there was simply silence amongst the eerily deep mist. All at once we seemed to have given up. We floated through the fog without putting any effort into our movement. I recall feeling drained of passion, as though nothing in life mattered any more, ‘twas the strangest sensation.
For much time we floated lost in the endless mist, huddling our boats together we attempted to stay close, it helped us keep somewhat composed amidst the direness of the situation. ‘Twas not until the crew had seemingly given up all efforts to return home to their ship that a faint voice was heard drifting across the sea.
“I think I ‘ear Samuels, sir!” Adams called out through the fog from behind the group of boats though I could not see the man or his vessel.
“From which direction, lad?” Rike yelled back, his voice was wild.
“South West I believe, sir!” With those words heard, with guidance from Sollertis and his compass, we began to turn our boats at a southern bearing yet I recall feeling no stimulation at the thought of our escape, ‘twas as though the fog was draining our souls with each passing moment, as if we were losing our enthusiasm to leave the place. I feared that any longer upon the isle or amongst its mist and we would have become permanent inhabitants of the horrific place, ‘twas as though it was trying to claim us.
“Over ‘ere, lads!” I at last heard the voice of Aran Fox yet with no amount of pleasure. After some time we sailed into view of the captain’s princess, and as though it was only possible to feel suffering, I winced at the sight of her. Her woodwork looked as though it had been resting upon the bottom of the ocean for a thousand years, ‘twas haggard and worn, derelict looking. I thought it was a trick of the fog as we first approached however the closer we got the worse the great vessel appeared.
“What ‘as become of ‘er?” The deckhand that shared my vessel was as stricken as the rest of us upon sight of Roselyn. At last we washed into the waters closest to our vessel and the crew formed a queue ready to be lifted back up to the gangways, one after the other. Samuels and Fox made immediate haste to hoist myself and the heavy chest up onto Roselyn’s deck, and with undivided attention we did not rest until every last man had been hauled aboard. Although the air had drained us of our pleasures it could not prevent the crew’s loyalty to one another.
The strangest moments past as we dragged our crewmates over the woodwork of the captain’s beauty, no man spoke, many that returned were crying without control, others simply fell to the their knees holding their heads in their hands.
The last man to leave his boat was Captain Rike, he had us lift Achilles aboard ship before he himself was raised to the boat’s upper deck. He looked around with a look of such sorrow on his face that no man knew what to say him.
“Bill, Reid,” I turned to face the remains of our crew, “‘ave the chest delivered to the captain’s chamber.” Rike himself had begun to walk about aimlessly. His loyal companion tracked his every footstep as he stared about without saying a word in sheer disbelief.
“‘ow did it ‘appen, Samuels?” I asked. The stocky navigator shook his head with a look of grief.
“It just began to change, Sailor, three o’ the crew mates took their own lives whilst you were away, and Liner’s still beneath the orlop doin’ nothin’ but cryin’ durin’ is wakin’ hours. I ‘ave felt nothin’ but sadness these last two days.” He continued to shake his head, “we can’t be ‘way from this dreaded place quick enough, sir.”
“Indeed, matey, raise the anchor and get us out o’ these cursed mists.” He nodded to me and went on his way. I looked across the deck, and over the ruined woodwork at the crew who sat lifeless across the boat’s gangways. There was not an area of woodwork that did not appear rotten. It seemed as though the entire vessel could have completely fell apart at any moment. I looked up at Roselyn’s masts and even her sails were ruined, holey and moulding. I shuddered at the unexplainable sight, looking once more at my disheartened crew.
“If you wish to rest, men, I suggest you do so. We’ll be clear o’ the fog soon enough, go, let sleep clear your mind o’ your troubles.” As I spoke I saw Rike enter his chamber leaving Achilles to guard the door, he had not spoken a word since he had seen the condition his ship was in. I could not imagine why but the strange fog was destroying the will of every man on deck.
“Fox, ‘ow do you fair?” I approached the young male who stood to attention at the vessel’s primary crow’s nest.
“I haven’t felt well, sir, strange things have occurred on deck, I thought the sight of the crew returning would lighten my spirit, yet I feel nothing.”
“Aye,” I nodded “I fear we all be feelin’ your troubled mind. Will you keep a close eye upon our surroundings, matey? I’ll be briefly checkin’ in upon the capt’n.”
“Aye, sir.” Fox nodded and immediately began an ascent to the top of the crow’s nest, I myself made way to Rike’s chamber. Achilles set himself aside as I approached the quarters. I stroked his head as I knocked upon the woodwork and he licked at my hand and wheezed looking up at me with a strange intensity to his gaze, as though he had some gravely important news to tell.
After a brief moment Rike acknowledged my entry and I stepped inside to see a most distressing sight. Tears rolled uncontrollably from the great man’s eyes though he tried to cover his face with a shaking hand, to see him crying was possibly the worst feeling I could recollect since the passing of my parents, ‘twas most unsettling.
“Capt’n,” I paused, I truly did not know what to say. “The shi
p’ll be clear o’ the fogs soon enough. We’ll get ‘er ‘arboured and clear ‘er up. She’ll be fine, sir.” Rike nodded repeatedly in silence before speaking.
“This ship be mi life, Sailor, to see ‘er like this...” He did not finish his words and I was sure whatever misery the crew was under was responsible for his state.
“Aye, sir.” I left the chamber feeling as though any further time spent within was degrading to the captain’s dignity. Stepping out onto the upper deck, I noticed the majority of the men had taken my advice and retreated beneath the orlop. The fog was still thick though I could see across the entire deck and quickly realised Sollertis was not at his chessboard nor anywhere to be seen. Out of curiosity I went down the hatchway into the orlop and found him resting upon a barrel on his own, on the starboard of the orlop.
“Sollertis?” He slowly turned to me and pulled a face as though to ensure me he was ok. “Do you mind if I join you?”
“Of course not, Harvey, come, sit.” With a heavy sigh I pulled up a barrel and rested against the woodwork of Roselyn’s starboard. Sollertis was looking out at the fog through the cannon holes in her woodwork.
“Do you know what could cause such a thing, bos’n?” He shook his head slowly, still staring
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