Jeff the Accountant Escapes the Wretched Burning Depths of Hades

Death at The Helm

Onboard the ship Ivan and Fang were met with a familiar face.

A grizzled old sailor had recognized Blackbeard's flag, even though it had been added to with a representation of a bleeding heart. He climbed aboard and found Blackbeard in the captain's quarters, strange half leather, half silky shirts and trousers surrounding him.

"Death!" Ed said when he saw his old friend. "How the hell are you, man?  Strike that - how the hell are you still alive, man?"

"My time just hasn't come, I reckon." "I  heard you'd taken over this ship. Thought I'd see if you could use someone who knows a thing or two about being a helmsman."

As a helmsman, they didn't come any better than Death. Maybe with the exception of Blackbeard himself.

"Yep. Always happy to have someone who knows their way around that particular part of a ship. My crew's a little, a, lacking at the moment."

"Yeah, I heard about that, too, mate. What's this about mingling crews? Not something I've ever heard of before." "And two captains? How'd you make that work? Though I guess it doesn't matter any more. Not after what happened to him. And in his own home town, too..." Death saw the question on Blackbeard's face.

"Stede Bonnett, that was him, right?"

Ed slowly nodded his head, his expression changing. Why was Death using "was", instead of "is"?

Death recognized panic slowly creeping over his friend's face.

"You said that was him," "Why didn't you say that is him?"

Death had never, in all the years he'd known Blackbeard, seen him in such a state. Frozen, but boiling at the same time.

"He was killed, Blackbeard. Stede Bonnett is dead."

Ed swallowed hard. "Take the helm, will you?" "We'll leave as soon as the crew gets back."

"Blackbeard?"

"Leave me. Please."

Accustomed to following orders, but not accustomed to being asked "please", Death couldn't seem to get himself to move.

"I. Said. Leave me."

That's all it took. Those spiky, threatening words sent Death on his way, closing the door behind him. He was walking toward the helm when he ran into the others.

Together they all heard the howl.

"STEEEEEEEEDE!"

They all ran to Blackbeard's quarters, where they found Lucius outside his door.

"You mother fucker you MOTHER FUCKER!!!" Shouting from inside. "You got yourself KILLED???" "You mother FUCKER!!!"

"WHY, Stede??? Why didn't you leave with me? Why didn't you take me with you??? I could've protected you, you ...careless...foolish man."

Crash, as Blackbeard threw something against the wall. Frenchie heard fabric ripping and cringed. His hard work, his one of a kind designs, would anything be left?

More crashes. "Insane foliage" Blackbeard cried. "The best marmalade. You MOTHER FUCKER!!!" and something loud hit the door.

Lucius reached for the doorknob but Izzy stopped him. "I don't think so, do you?" "That venom's got to come out. Better some broken furniture, some torn garments, than him doing something more permanent to you, or anyone else. He'd regret it in the long run, and he doesn't need anything else weighing on him."

Everyone nervously looked around at each other.

"I wanted to feed you snaaaake snaaaacks..." came the absurd and absurdly impassioned cry.

"Oh, Blackbeard." Lucius sighed, his thoughts going back to that day at Ste. Augustine. Those two sad, blind, older men who wouldn't get out of their own way.

"Snake...snacks...?" Scar mouthed the words to Fang, who shrugged, a baffled look on his face.

The crashing quieted down. The ripping ceased. It seemed like as good a time as any for Ivan and Fang to catch up with their old friend and to introduce him to the rest of the crew.

"Everyone, this is Death." It was Izzy, he had the same idea. "You know Fang, and Ivan."

"Hey, mate."

"Looking good, Death."

"Frenchie, Lucius, Scar, Jim." Izzy introduced each of them with a nod. "I can stay with Edward if the rest of you want to go about your business."

"I'm staying" said Lucius, in a surprisingly     un-meek voice.

After a short silence, Izzy said "Good man", surprising everyone.

Leaving Izzy and Lucius at Blackbeard's door, the others walked together to the quarterdeck, not knowing what "business" there was to "go about".

"We should lift anchor" Death said. Blackbeard always thinks better surrounded by waves and whalesong." "We don't have to choose a destination until he's ready. Then, I can steer us wherever he wants."

Ivan and Fang knew he spoke the truth. Strange to feel secure at sea on a ship that, to anyone else, would appear to have an apparition manning the wheel. But secure they were, and they knew it.

Izzy knew as well. "It's okay." he said to Lucius, who reacted when he felt movement on the ship. "Death always knows where Edward needs to be."

As he went on to answer the boy's questions about the newest crew member, Frenchie was elsewhere, forming his own impressions.

Death was a gentle soul. He stood ramrod straight, moved quietly.

He reckoned the man's appearance is what earned him the nickname. "Death" being a descriptor of his appearance, rather than a portent of what he carried or shared.

Gaunt skin and a near-skeletal frame. No other name could possibly fit the man who was now responsible for steering The Revenge to where Blackbeard would heal.