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The trio had awoken early. The campfire smoldered. Amias, with backpack readied, stood and leafed through a text. The Fellow rolled a cigar. Exhaling smoke rings, he looked like a gentlemen from across the waters. Eli had read of such places—tailored suits and obnoxious wigs, lush irrigated landscapes.
Eli lifted his gaze; the grey clouds parted for a moment. The moon was high in the sky; it paled over the bleached woodland. The eastern winds whipped through the canopy and then, they were upon them. Zigzagging like serpents through the underbrush, they sounded at great rapidity a strange language. Their mudded figures were lithe and muscular and they'd human features, torsos, limbs and strength enough to swiftly pin the boys to the ground. Eli and Amias observed intently.
They were dressed in loincloth, bare-chested and feral sounding. At least twenty of them circled the Fellow. "You'll regret it if you don't kill me now," the Fellow grinned. One of them sounded a battle cry. They swarmed the Fellow's position and in a gloom of darkness vanished.
***************
When Eli and Amias came to, their skulls throbbed and it was noon. The smell of the sea mixed with a pungent odor permeated the air. The boys had again been ambushed and surrounded. The brawly crew numbered twelve and reeked rum.
"They're awake, captain," a towering, grizzled man said. The burly crew parted as a lady approached.
"Just two striplings this year?" She raised an eyebrow, emerald eyes procuring her new goods. "We'll have to teach that Orator a lesson."
"Who are you?" Amias asked rising to his feet.
The company jeered, "Goons, thugs, cutthroats!" and broke into hearty laughter.
"My name is Rebecca, darling. I take it you'll surrender." her lips curled.
The boys, backs to each other, searched furtively for escape routes. Then glancing at one another, they fled in opposite directions. Amias bolted deeper into the forest; Eli headstrong toward the crew.
The bandits roared as their lieutenant intercepted Eli. Rebecca stood at ease. Amias, realizing Eli's plan was to occupy the group so he could escape, pivoted to retaliate.
The boys were again apprehended. Their torsos pinned to the ground by a knee to the back. Rebecca kneeled to the downed Amias. "So you came back for your friend?" Her rouge hair covered one eye. "Bind their wrist and string them along."
Handcuffed and unsure, the Eli and Amias filed behind the crew. The crows squawked in the boughs; batting their wings, restlessness drove them to the skies. The horizon was wide and empty.
Exiting the eastern mouth of the forest, they approached the coastland. The sun flickered just below the horizon. A ship glistened on the waters.
***This chapter didn't receive to many revision or additions. It's still shamefully short (450 words), but lmk what you think need sprucing. One Love. Iron sharpens iron.
