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Chapter Fifteen
The lag of time was made worse by the unchanging sight of the sea. Even the waves seemed identical, smooth and stable after the agitation of earlier. Sometimes, if he peered very closely, Lloyd could spot a fish, drawn by the shadow of the ship, rising closer to the surface before sinking back to safety.
The mist had settled, but strange shapes still rose and fell and soft sounds, dulled wails and groans, could be heard emanating from within it.
"Souls of the damned," one of the crew muttered as he passed. "Those ripped from the decks. Aye, lad," he smiled cruelly, revealing split and yellow teeth. "Watch ya' back! That's a warnin' to ya! They’d like an offering, be a nice treat! Might even save us some grief.”
"I'm running out of room in my head to store warnings," Lloyd retorted bitterly. "That's all I've heard since I've got here. Maybe I ought to turn to stone, then I won't do anything."
The man guffawed, his eyes bulging from the too big
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March; 1745 Could anything compare to the majesty of the seas? So many stories travelled the crests of blue, heroes were made and the unfortunate languished. Some sent to the grave of the sea earlier than they should, a single mistake ending their life in a trice. Mistakes were not to be tolerated. Nathaniel had made that clear each time one of his crew erred. Blood had stained the boards he walked on, ally and enemy, and still his conscious never bothered him, despite the words of the former naval commodore he had slaughtered some months prior. 'It will haunt you, worthless cur,' the man had spat, his voice garbled with his own blood. 'Your sins will be your ending.' 'I'm sure,'Nath
Dark Water Chapter Seventeen
Present DayLloyd listened as Nathaniel spoke. Able to picture the scenery he describes. Thoughts of the adventure novels and comics he used to read as a teenager sprang to mind. Plump, lush jungles, curious natives that were either friend or foe. And intrepid, mainly pompous, explorers, looking for their next chapter in life."The crew scouted out a wide area," Nathaniel leaned back against the rails, ignoring the uneven surface that dug into his back.The open air was more pleasant than the stuffy cabin, and now the sun was setting it was safer, the beasts that lurked beneath the ship often ventured off, diving deep below the surface in search of prey.Sometimes, if one looked over, bloody scales and blubber floated idly on the surface."What happened?" He pressed, feeling like a rapt schoolboy. "You obviously found stuff.""Aye," Nathaniel sighed, looking up to the clouds that billowed over the darkening sky.
Dark Water Chapter Eighteen
The crew had made themselves at home on the sandy shore, using spare sails to create a decent shelter and were busy fishing and building a fire.They had already caught three green turtles that the cook was busy slicing, putting the shell aside to sell later. Even polished up and clean, it surprised him what some people would part with their money for.The presence of the drums was still eerie, but had become less of an issue. Clearly, the natives were not interested in their visitors or they would have besieged them already. The pattern rarely differed. If they were not welcome, they knew about it."Reckon we might get lucky with some of the women here?" A scrawny man asked as he unhooked a writhing fish, casting it back after deeming it too small. "We've got a few things from the last plunder that we can offer, normally means a fair time!""Aye, they're normally open to a trade," the helmsman chuckled, his mind drifting to more interes
Dark Water Chapter Nineteen
1745Nathaniel passed on joining his crew, who were merrily falling into drunkenness. The cook was a marvel at brewing his own alcohol and the strong liquor would flow freely. It ever failed to bemuse him, that men so hardened to drink became intoxicated so quickly.Like himself, many had been drinking since they were children, lulled to sleep by parents dousing milk with brandy. Consequently, Nathaniel's tolerance to the heady brew had started early, and he could indulge in well beyond the realms of healthy without even getting a sway in his step."Make sure we don't lose any in the sea, lad," he muttered to Thomas as he swept past towards the dark of the rocks. "If we do, don't bother fishin' them out. I ain't go time for idiots on board."Thomas mustered a smile. "Aye, Sir," he answered to the departing back. "If they'll listen."Putting a task like that on him was hardly wise. The crew were older and unlikely to listen to
Dark Water Chapter Twenty
Modern Day"So that's how you made that deal?" Lloyd toyed with his sleeve, trying not to appear judgemental. "Sounds to me as if it jumped on something you said without meaning it.""Aye," Nathaniel nodded, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "But that's what they do. And before you ask, that doesn't mean the bargain isn't lawful. All your legal tommyrot doesn't stand up to infernal contracts. There ain't any clauses or loopholes.""You found one."Nathaniel stiffened at the frank statement, hanging his head. "I don't think you'd call it a loophole, lad. More a clause to benefit that beast."Blood. Death. And too much of it. The actions simply damned his soul more. Yet, if he didn't do it, his entire crew would be damned as well. Including Thomas. The demon had reneged on that loose promise when he found that route."How did it happen?" Lloyd pressed, swallowing the lump in his throat as he added. "I mean, if you wanna tell me. You don't have to, obviously."Nathaniel bit his tongue, gaz
Dark Water Chapter Twenty-One
The fire in the village roared high, sending smoke twisting into the sky. The flames writhed, forming images that were beyond nightmarish. A wizened woman stood nearby. One eye was glazed, blind from birth but giving a rare sight that no other had. The second sight to the other world and powers that foretold present and future. She watched quietly. The crackling filled her ears as she studied what the fire was saying. 'What leads travellers to be so foolhardy?' She asked herself, shaking her head. 'They see not the true treasures that surround them. Only caring about trinkets that hold no real worth.' She shifted, looking across in the direction of the sea. The intrusion was widely felt but none felt what she did. A great blessing as the cold darkness chilled one to the core, like a cloth, saturated with rain and clinging to the skin. "May the Gods and their guardian spirits come through to them," she whispered. "The errors must be seen, and the price must be paid. May my prayer
Dark Water Chapter Twenty-Two
Greed keeps men forever poor, even the abundance of this world will not make them rich. Even their tombs are too small. Nathaniel sat back; his eyes fixed on nothing. On his desk was a small pile of coins, polished to perfection and gleaming in the soft candlelight. He reached out unconsciously, touching the glimmering gold and feeling the familiar sensation, an electric tingle, flow through him at the coldness. Cold. Hard. And divinely beautiful. More alluring than the fabled Sirens that cursed the ears of many a seafarer. Every time his eyes sight of them, the draw grew. The bargain he'd made fell further into the abyss of his mind. He clicked his tongue, picking up the map thoughtfully. The faded images were still clear, albeit smeared, and far more useful than any writing. "Ain't goin' to hurt," he muttered. "Using what I bargained for to find what I sought, even if the damned thing ain't goin' to be happy by the end of it." He tossed the map aside and reached for the rum.
Dark Water Chapter Twenty-Three
Lloyd swore under his breath as he plucked the wiry splinters from his chafed hands. The sharp fragments of the rope had embedded themselves snugly under the surface of the skin. It was times like this that Lloyd cursed himself for biting his nails as the blunted fingers struggled to pluck at the protruding ends. "Soak your hand for a while." Thomas glanced over as he walked past, hearing the grumbles. "That will bring them closer to the surface. One of the crew also swears by putting a thin layer of paste or something sticky on them. Then they pull out." "That sounds worse than waxing your legs." Lloyd forced a smile. "Something I swore I'd never do again. I took half the skin off." "It won't do that. Not if you're careful. We'll be sailing again soon, so you'd best sort it out before then. Try a potato. Press it for a while and it can draw them higher." The crew had slowly returned. Their faces set like stone as if they could feel no enjoyment anymore. The fascination of the e
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