To Live on the Land We Must Learn from the Sea

Chapter 7

 Are the characters written accurately for this chapter? Probably not.

Do I care? No

Was ASL around in the 1700s? No

Would David Jenkins care? No. Neither do I.

Basically this is as accurate as the show is lol. Enjoy!

Word Count: 3,272

  Stede awoke the next morning to the sound of his door being opened. He opened his eyes to see Black Pete coming in. He waved. 

  “I’m on cleaning duty today, so I’ve come for your waste buckets,” Pete said, slightly unhappy, which Stede didn’t blame him for. He sat up as the man went to the corner across from his bed and grabbed one bucket, then approached where Stede was lying. 

  “Is this also waste?” Pete asked, nudging Frederick’s bucket with his foot and peering inside. 

  Stede shook his head rapidly. Frederick couldn’t get dumped overboard! 

  Black Pete squinted, then reached into the water. Stede’s stomach twisted into knots. He pulled out Frederick, who had hidden away in his shell. “Is this a pet?” 

  Stede nodded and smiled, but it quickly disappeared as Pete continued to speak. 

  “Blackbeard doesn’t tolerate pets,” he quipped, turning toward the door with Frederick still between his fingers, the waste bucket now forgotten. 

  Stede scrambled to his feet as Pete took off running toward the main deck. He couldn’t let him get rid of Frederick! He’d been a constant in Stede’s journey so far! 

  I already thought I lost him once , Stede thought as he raced up the stairs, his eyes watering. I can’t lose him again!

 “Blackbeard!” Pete yelled, running across the deck to where the captain was standing at the prow. He turned as he saw the stocky man running up to him. 

  Stede, winded, slowed for a moment before grabbing the nearest object–an orange someone had brought up from breakfast–and hurled it toward Pete. It hit him square in the back, causing him to whip around. 

  “Hey! That was my orange!” Frenchie exclaimed from nearby. 

  Stede ignored him and stalked toward Pete, who was glowering at him. He didn’t care if he got thrown overboard, as long as Frederick would be with him. 

  “Woah woah woah, what’s going on between you two?” Blackbeard asked, looking between Stede and Pete. Stede heard footsteps behind him to see most of the crew coming up the stairs, wondering what the commotion was about. 

  Pete held Frederick between his thumb and forefinger. “I was getting Stede’s waste bucket out of his chamber and come to find out, he has a pet .” 

  Blackbeard furrowed his eyebrows. “Okay…?”