A Pirate's Life for Mei

St. Mary's? Ha!

Sources:

The Kalinago language: http://divisionofculture.gov.dm/creole-languages/7-the-kalinago-language

Slavery: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_slave_trade

Mei

The sun was as bright and unforgiving as ever. The two cellists, Andon and Stasio, vainly hid from the ball of fire by hunching under their cello cases in the front of the sloop while also using their bodies to hide their prized instruments from its harsh rays.

Juan and Armand sat in the stern, with Lance at the tiller. All had their shirts pulled over their heads against the sun's relentless attack.

Mei and Lia sat next to each other in the point of the bow, having fun, despite the heat, their cracked lips and headaches, and their hollow stomachs. Mei touched her head, which had definitely been hit with sunstroke despite the captain's coat draped over the two women. "Head."

"Ichie," Lia replied in her first language. Lia pointed to her nose. "Nose."

"Icherie," Mei stated, giving the word in Lia's language. "Ear." This time she didn't point.

"Aricae," Lia answered, pointing to her ear and getting it correct. "Eye."

"Acou." Mei clapped her hands in delight. "This is so much fun."

Lia looked at her own, mostly bare body for ideas. She seemed unconcerned about being topless, even around males. For modesty's sake, they'd sacrificed Mei's vest and cut it up to make bandeau tops for the two females, each a white band around the upper torso.

Mei giggled and waved her hands to signal a stop. "Ok, ok. No more body parts. Let's try phrases again." She raised her hand and waved. "Greetings!"

"Mabpwika!" Lia replied, smiling and waving back. She paused, then gestured at Mei. "Ita bia?"

"How are you?" Mei bowed her head. She rubbed her stomach. "Ni lamaha tina."

"I'm hungry." Lia struggled with the pronunciation but she was getting better. She pointed to herself. "I am good."

Mei had to think about that one. "Mm...Irufu tina?" She wasn't quite sure.

"Mm!" Lia nodded in confirmation. She clapped her hands.

A voice came from above. "She's picking English up really fast. She must be smart."

Mei squinted and covered her eyes with a hand as she gazed up at the top of the mast. "Are you going to stay up there all the way to St. Mary's?"

Cheeto clung to the very top of the mast, behind the sail and with his arms around the upper crossbar. "Until you feed your pet cat, I'll stay up here where it's safe," he defiantly retorted. He cast distrustful eyes at the jaguar curled up at the bottom of the mast.

They had all been going without food these past few days as they healed and slowly drifted towards their destination. Jie was growing even more irritable than the rest were. When she'd started growling at people, Cheeto had decided that it would be safer out of reach.

"You know cats can climb, right?" Juan mocked. He and Armand sat in the st

"Then I'll jump into the ocean if she tries!"

"Um, Cheeto?" Mei pointed out. "Jaguars are excellent swimmers, remember?"

"Well, if I'm up here and you're all down there, she'll eat you first. Cuz you're easier." He nodded to himself. "I'm just fine up here."