The Scourge - Pirates & Privateers

Chapter 20: Survivors on the beach

Of the fifty crew that had originally signed on with the Scourge when Emily had joined the ship, only eighteen remained. They all sat on the beach and pondered their situation in almost dead silence.

Most of the men, like Ostrid, had given in to despair, content to rock back and forth on the sand and sob into their knees. Ulrich and Doctor Cotral were doing what they could to hold the ranks together. From the flotsam that had drifted to shore, they'd salvaged a few bags of jerky and hardtack, though they had hoped for wine. It was likely that the Terror had already snatched it up from the wreckage, having had first pick of the carcass.

Jacobi, being a skilled fisherman, and Jennes, volunteering as chef in place of the late Cook, began to prepare a feast consisting of raw bass that Jacobi had cornered in a reef, and the coconuts Young had foraged from the trees, broken open with the butt of his knife.

Schleckt was busy dividing up the rations as best he could between the eighteen men and one woman huddled in the dark. What had looked like a life-saving treasure hoard when they had fished it out of the sea now looked pitiful when divided out. Nonetheless, he made the most of it.

Emily was waiting in line to receive her driftwood plate of food from Schleckt, chewing her nails and shivering in the bitter evening cold.

'Here.' Schleckt pushed a morsel of jerky and a cube of hardtack into her hands. 'Eat. You'll need your strength.'

'Thank you,' Emily muttered, sheepishly. She made ready to turn away, but as she did, she hesitated. 'Um... Schleckt?'

'Yes, Miss,' he grumbled.

'I... well... I-I wanted to say... I...I'm sorry.'

'What for?' he grumbled again, his voice echoing from somewhere deeper in his throat.

'For, um... for... This is all my fault,' she sobbed. 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to save my father. This wasn't how this was supposed to be. I feel-.'

'Miss.' Schleckt cut her short by slamming down his knife onto the makeshift chopping board at his knees. 'I appreciate your apology. But even if I were to accept it, it'd mean Jack because I'm not the one you should be apologising to.' Schleckt gestured behind her.

She followed his gaze. Martin, a dark eclipse, was sat on the beach with his elbows rested on his knees and his chin on his folded arms as he stared out, with a catatonic stillness, at what remained of the Scourge.

Emily swallowed. 'I... I can't,' she stammered. 'W-what if he doesn't want to talk me? What if he wants nothing to do with me?'

'Do you want anything to do with him? He betrayed your trust, after all.'

'After I lied.' The wind whistled in the silence before Schleckt tilted his head and clicked his tongue.

'If you don't try,' Schleckt answered, 'you'll never find out. That the sort of coward you are?' Schleckt scooped a wad of jerky and a cube of hardtack with his knife, then placed them on a board and offered it up to her. 'He needs to eat at some point.'

Emily nodded and took the plank. 'Thank you, Schleckt.'

'Can't say you're welcome, Miss.'

Emily trudged through the sand, the grains scratching between her toes. As she approached Martin, she hesitated, thinking for a second she saw his head move, but it was just her own shadow in the moonlight.

'I...' She cleared her throat. 'I brought you some food.'

Martin didn't move. His eyes stayed fixed on the ship's gravesite. He gave no indication that she had been heard.