Scribbles and Drabbles

Cabin Boy 1

Written: 2012; update 2021 (change from historical to sci-fi because reasons)

"Stop him!" An angry voice yellowed out, echoing against the metal corridors. It mixed with the distinct sounds of someone running over the creaking metal walkways that made up the spaceship. "Stowaway!"

Almost as if that triggered an alarm of some kind, the crew appeared in the corridor. The skinny figure cursed, changing directions as a particularly huge brute of a man blocked his path. The next room was empty, designed as an airlock. He slammed the door behind him and locked it as if that would delay them for long. More men were yelling and wielding sharp swords ahead too, but this area was multiple levels. He jumped onto a pipe and clambered up it fast.

The day was not going well for Peter.

He had thought this to be a crossing ship, he hadn't discovered the fact it was a pirate ship until it was too late for him to get away. Luckily for him, he was old enough to know how to keep quiet and hide. It wasn't unusual for there to be skinny underdeveloped boys running around ships. But there were few on this ship, meaning Peter had to be very careful with where he hid and when he came out. In that time, he'd learnt the layout of the ship well. He'd learnt where to hide and the shortcuts that existed when someone was small enough to wriggle through the vents. It had been three weeks but now they had clocked on that he was not one of theirs.

Slipping through a maintenance hatch, he wriggled into a room and into a storeroom. One of the best places to stay hidden. The pirates weren't going to risk their loot or supplies on one single stowaway. Plus, Peter knew how to get into the vent shafts from here. He slipped inside and stayed still, making sure he was not visible on the off chance that they looked into the small chamber.

He wasn't sure how long he waited. The yells of people looking for him not eventually dying now. They'd be looking for him now. Good thing he'd made a stash of food early on in his stay. He had a fair few hideaways now in spaces in the hull. Faults of the ships design type but it worked well for him. He left little in few, nothing in most. Only in his most secure did he stash anything away. He climbed through the vents and slipped through some of the shafts and connecting tunnels to the engine room. There behind the engine and hidden from view was a small hallow. Originally it had likely been an extra storage room but the pirates had upgraded the engine to a much bigger size than the first. It left empty space behind and Peter was sure that ignoring the other boys, he was the only one who could access the space.

It was. Well. Using a hideout with only one way in or out was stupid and potentially dangerous, but beggars can't be choosers. He could tune out the hum from the engine and it was warm. The space inside was just about big enough for him to lie in and sleep. Ultimately he could survive in there until they made port again and he could slip away.

Settling down, he closed his eyes and listened to the echoed words of the engineers. Pirates, as a rule, did not like stowaways and Peter, in all honesty, intended to jump ship the second he could. But for now, his life had just gotten a lot harder. If they caught him, the best he could hope for was being put to work. Somewhere in the middle was being whipped for the offence. The worst was being thrown out of the airlock unless they were the sadistic type. They didn't seem like that kind though. The boys in their care weren't scared of them. No one beat up the weaker members of the crew for fun. So worse case, death but not torture.

"You lost him?" the captain yelled, jolting Peter up.

The man was in the engine room?

Peter bit his lip and stayed quiet. There was no way that the man knew he was here? Right? There was no surveillance in the room. There weren't even any working ports, ignoring the ones in the maintenance shaft. This was a forgotten room. He was safe. The Caption must have been coming to check on the engine repairs again. The engine was in a constant state of needing them after all.