A PIRATE'S TREASURE

Chapter 15

The stars were out as James examined what they could possibly mean. He followed the constellations and small symbols that led to nowhere. He felt as if time was on fast forward with everything above moving away.

His eyes were getting droopy from staring at nothing but the brightness above.

    "Take a break Captain."

    "Not yet, the clue is here but-"

    "Maybe the clue is more symbolic than physical."

    "Or spread out."

They wrote the story down noticing small parts here and there until James smacked the table with a smile on his face.

    "That's it!"

He raced on the top deck slowly pointing to two stars.

     "True North, second star to the right."

He then spun the wheel in the direction.

    "How far then?" Smee asked.

    "Until we hit the end."

Following the map led to nowhere because then they ran off the page. There were no islands in front but just the blue color in front.

    "End of what?"

    "The world."

Smee couldn't tell if James was serious or not.

The ship rocked back and forth from the sudden change of course.

    "I feel it, Smee, this is it. The water is calm and with the wind on our side we should be there in no time."

The wind was blowing, carrying the ship with it throughout the few days with nothing but water in front of the men. It was as if all life around ceased to exist. The crew was getting antsy from how quiet everything was. The silence was too much for some that they started to go a little crazy. The remaining crew members threw them below locking the door.

    "Captain, maybe we should head back."

    "No Smee, we all knew the risks."

Smee noticed the crazed look he had. He blamed it on lack of sleep but what they didn't know was the small change in the air trying to warn them to turn back. If they felt it, they ignored it and pressed on.

More days passed with nothing to see. Everyone started to question if they even moved.

     "Captain-"

    "Don't start Smee, we're close."

    "You've been saying that for almost a week."

They started arguing with what was left of the crew against the captain. Arguing until they threatened mutiny. James didn't care though drawing his blade.

    "I'm not leaving until we find what we sailed out to do. Even if I have to do it alone!"

In the distance, a large storm cloud was covering the sky. James could hear the thunder while watching the rain descend. The wind then picked up stirring them in the mix.

    "Get it, position men, it's about to get bumpy!"

It was a challenge to uphold the ship with little manpower they had. Some men got thrown overboard with the rocking of the ship and the wind trying to tip it over.

James held the wheel steady as the cold rain pelted his face. He kept shouting orders but the men couldn't hear him with the thunder loudly booming right above them.

The lightning struck down setting fire to the sails.

James grabbed Smee shoving him towards the wheel.

    "HOLD IT STEADY!"

James rushed around to help where he could to keep the ship afloat. It felt like he was about to give up when the rain started to lift and nothing but a small gust of wind blew.

He looked around to see what was left of his crew and not many were alive. Some were missing from the storm and fell overboard. His men were tired and just fell on the floor from pure exhaustion after the adrenaline settled.

James was saddened by how he treated his men before this happened. He could've saved so many if he just turned around.

    "Smee, gather the deceased and give them a proper send-off. Then call everyone else for a meeting."

They dumped the bodies in the ocean, sending them to Davy Jones's locker. A minute to grieve what was lost just for James to pull it together.

    "I know I could've saved them if I just listened. This place seems to be nothing but fantasy now making no real progress. So if you all want to turn back and go home, I'll do what is right."

Before anyone spoke, Smee spotted a body floating on a piece of driftwood.

     "Look, Captain! Man overboard."

Men raced to action to pull a small body from the water. He was just a boy. His chest was rising to signal he was still alive but James looked around confused seeing no other ship. Where did he come from?

The kid coughed up some water and looked around in shock seeing the adults.

    "Who are you? What happened?"

James knelt down trying to calm the boy.

    "It's okay boy, I'm James and this is my crew. The bigger question is where did you come from? There is no other ship for miles."

     "My father just left the island out North until we hit the storm."

    "Island? So the stories are true?!"

    "I guess? He went there for the lost treasure but gave up after a while."

The crew perked hearing the word treasure.

     "What about a spring that can cure any illness?"

    "Possibly, nothing is impossible on Neverland?"

The boy just shook his head.

     "You must head back or else be lost to the island. We were warned before but didn't listen. The island will give you one last chance to go home. Choose home."

James looked to his crew to see no one taking this little kid's warning to heart. He was just probably afraid of the storm. But his crew had a say and they all wanted to push forward knowing what was ahead.

    "I'll get you home kid, but I just want to see what's on that island."

The kid's frantic looked turned sinister.

     "Then welcome to Neverland boys."

They watched the boy shoot up into the air flying around.

James was concerned for only a moment until he started yelling orders around. The boy's warning was nothing but a scare tactic because James can sail through any storm and defeat any enemy that got in the way. This was all for his wife, for his family. The things we do for love.