The skies darkened even as I watched it. I knew we were headed straight into chaos, but there was no other course. Looking out at the sea as I stood at the helm, I felt the waves crashing against The Manila, my beloved ship, even more violently than it ever had. The usually deep blue green water was an angry black, swirling and pulling and pushing, harder each time.
I looked back at my crew and saw them scrambling across the deck, securing the ship as best as they could. "Batten down the hatches," I called out. "She's getting angry!"
The wind was picking up, howling as it did, making it difficult to hear anything. The rain began to strengthen, blurring our vision. I struggled to identify my first mate, Sophie, amidst all the chaos, and saw her climbing up the mast with two of my crew to furl the sails. I was searching for Cor, my second mate, when a rumbling sounded beneath the wood. I looked up and met her eyes, she nodded and started yelling "Oy! You four! Get below and secure the guns, they're moving!"
I thanked every deity that I picked my first and second mates wisely--they were smart and could think on their feet. I went back to the helm and grabbed the wheel, steering as best I could. My hands were getting rubbed raw and my muscles protested, pain from the effort shooting up my arms. The Manila was getting harder and harder to steer.
I looked up and saw Sophie gripping the yardarm, attempting to reach the sails as they blew out into the wind. The sails needed to be furled but the storm was too strong. A gigantic wave blew over the ship just then, soaking us even worse. I held onto the wheel and watched as Sophie and the others attempted to reach the sails. It was no use.
I looked around and yelled at Cor to come over. "Steer! I have to get up there," I shouted. "I'm useless at the helm, Captain!" she screamed back. "It doesn't matter," I answered. "No one can steer properly in this demon of a storm! Just keep us steady!"
She nodded her assent and I rushed ahead. I jumped onto the rigging and my hand nearly slipped. I pulled myself up, my entire body screaming in pain as I attempted not to get blown off into the sea. I reached Sophie and as soon as she saw me, I made a cutting motion with my hand. She was yelling something at me and I couldn't hear, the sound of the howling winds filling my ears. I pulled myself up and moved across the yardarm, gripping for dear life.
"You have to cut the sails loose, Sophie!" I yelled.
"These sails are new, Captain, we can't!"
"We have to! If we don't, we'll lose the ship!"
She looked back at the two behind her and shouted the instructions. I took my sword and cut the nearest rope. We held on as we watched the wind pull our sails straight into the darkness. We climbed down, struggling, and held on to the railings.
There was nothing else to do but wait out the storm and hope for as little damage as possible.
I looked back at my crew and saw them scrambling across the deck, securing the ship as best as they could. "Batten down the hatches," I called out. "She's getting angry!"
The wind was picking up, howling as it did, making it difficult to hear anything. The rain began to strengthen, blurring our vision. I struggled to identify my first mate, Sophie, amidst all the chaos, and saw her climbing up the mast with two of my crew to furl the sails. I was searching for Cor, my second mate, when a rumbling sounded beneath the wood. I looked up and met her eyes, she nodded and started yelling "Oy! You four! Get below and secure the guns, they're moving!"
I thanked every deity that I picked my first and second mates wisely--they were smart and could think on their feet. I went back to the helm and grabbed the wheel, steering as best I could. My hands were getting rubbed raw and my muscles protested, pain from the effort shooting up my arms. The Manila was getting harder and harder to steer.
I looked up and saw Sophie gripping the yardarm, attempting to reach the sails as they blew out into the wind. The sails needed to be furled but the storm was too strong. A gigantic wave blew over the ship just then, soaking us even worse. I held onto the wheel and watched as Sophie and the others attempted to reach the sails. It was no use.
I looked around and yelled at Cor to come over. "Steer! I have to get up there," I shouted. "I'm useless at the helm, Captain!" she screamed back. "It doesn't matter," I answered. "No one can steer properly in this demon of a storm! Just keep us steady!"
She nodded her assent and I rushed ahead. I jumped onto the rigging and my hand nearly slipped. I pulled myself up, my entire body screaming in pain as I attempted not to get blown off into the sea. I reached Sophie and as soon as she saw me, I made a cutting motion with my hand. She was yelling something at me and I couldn't hear, the sound of the howling winds filling my ears. I pulled myself up and moved across the yardarm, gripping for dear life.
"You have to cut the sails loose, Sophie!" I yelled.
"These sails are new, Captain, we can't!"
"We have to! If we don't, we'll lose the ship!"
She looked back at the two behind her and shouted the instructions. I took my sword and cut the nearest rope. We held on as we watched the wind pull our sails straight into the darkness. We climbed down, struggling, and held on to the railings.
There was nothing else to do but wait out the storm and hope for as little damage as possible.
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