Edward Teach Died on a Beach (OFMD)

Chapter 16

Also I didn't upload for a while bc I forgor

As the storm grew worse around them, they moved to the mast. Some of the crew had gone to the lower deck. Stede knew he could go hide in his quarters, but he also knew that Ed would stay out and help the crew. He didn't want to be separated from Ed.

Water raced down the deck, coming from both the rain and the waves that clawed their way up the hull. Sam made his way to them.

"We're holding up well right now," Sam shouted above the thunder.

Ed nodded. "Can you see the other ships back there?"

Sam frowned deeply. "Not at all, I'm afraid."

Ed sighed deeply, shaking rain out of his hair. "Shit."

Stede frowned. "I hope they're okay."

Ed nodded a little. "They probably just got turned by the wind a little."

Stede kept frowning. The ship shuddered as a wave hit them on the port side. The waves were getting rougher.

It got to the point that Ed pulled Stede to the mast and held onto it. Jim and Oluwande ended up there too. Jim glanced between Stede and Ed with a dark expression. They smiled weakly. Jim seemed nervous, for once, which made Stede nearly pass out from fear. Still, Ed seemed a little more confident again.

The ship lurched backwards suddenly. Sam slid down the deck and landed right between Ed and Stede with wide eyes. He stood up quickly, brushing himself off.

The ship was predominantly rocking forward and backward now as it traveled over the waves. Their hope of outrunning the storm had disappeared, but keeping the ship moving helped them stay afloat. The ship was rocking violently, with waves crashing over the bow. Stede was worried about his figurehead for only a moment before he realized he had more to be worried about.

The ship sank to the port side very rapidly. Ed found himself sliding in that direction. Waves crashed against the ship hard enough to trip him up a little. He fell onto his ass and slid until he was against a cannon and at the end of his rope. He looked back at Stede with wide eyes.

The ship suddenly rocked in the opposite direction, sending Stede flying backwards away from Ed. Stede landed against a cannon as well. As Ed tried to get up, he realized his rope was tangled around the cannon's wheel. He turned away to look at it for a moment, trying to get some leverage on it to loosen it.

When he glanced back up, Stede was crawling up the deck. The ship rocked toward Ed again. Stede fell nearly all the way to him as the ship tilted sideways. It began to fall in the other direction. Ed's eyes locked onto the mast. One of the ropes was beginning to fray. Ed followed the line and then swallowed deeply, desperately beginning to try and free himself from the ropes.

Stede's rope was about to snap. As Stede managed to make it to his feet, leaning against it again, it began to unravel. Ed desperately pulled at his own rope.

"Stede!" Ed shouted.

Stede glanced over at him and frowned. He began to slowly inch closer to him, but the ship tilted again. Stede slid once more, his eyes widening as his rope snapped. Jim, who'd slid to Ed, had paused to watch Stede with wide eyes. Ed drew his dagger and began to cut off his rope. Stede was about to fall off.

Stede landed against the railing of the ship, entirely soaked in water. He coughed as waves poured over him. As the ship turned toward Stede's side, Ed let go of his rope and slid down the deck toward the railing. Sam was already pulling Stede back up to the mast. He held onto the torn end of Stede's rope, dragging him up the deck with a surprising amount of strength. Ed felt jealousy bubble up into his throat like a bad burp. Ed planted his feet and leaned back, managing to get a decent grip on the deck. He landed against the mast, his jaw clenched. Stede looked at him with wide eyes. Stede glanced at the captain's quarters.