A Vast Sea

•● Chapter 7 ●•

"I'm still not gettin' it, though!" Monty thought out loud as Foxy wrapped an injury on their arm.

Everyone was resting in the cabin after that battle. For the most part, they came out relatively fine. The one who was doing the worst was Freddy.

He was lying on the sofa and wincing in pain as he tried to relax. He was treated first due to the severity of his injuries.

Gregory was sitting by his side awkwardly, sparing worried glances to him.

"What was that bottle she attacked us for, anyway??" Foxy asked.

Gregory made eye contact with Cassie, who gestured for him to tell them. The boy still refused. Finally, she spoke up.

"Mom...? I have something to tell you..." her voice shook nervously. Roxanne and the others turned their attention towards the girl.

"She... she wanted a contract me and Gregory had.."

Gregory face-palmed in frustration.

Roxanne's eyes narrowed. "Where did you get a contract...?"

"W-we found it while you guys were in the volcano thing... we... snuck away from the boat -" she muttered the last line.

Roxanne scowled. "Cassandra! That was dangerous. Why would you do that?!" She raised her voice.

The girl winced at her full name being used. Before she could stutter out an excuse, Gregory came to her defense.

"It was me who did it. I left the ship and she came looking for me." He spoke up.

He did not mind Roxanne being angry at him, so he had no problem being honest. That was until he remembered Freddy was there.

"You wandered away from the ship-?" He painfully sat up and furrowed his brows.

Gregory's ears lowered in shame. "I-I was bored, I'm sorry..."

Freddy wiped a paw over his face and took a deep breath to calm himself. "You wandered off and disobeyed me... and then you hide what you found from me??"

Gregory flinched and curled in on himself, lifting his knees to his chest. He looked down guiltily.

"I'm sorry, dad..."

Freddy hissed in pain as he tried sitting up more and instead layed back down. He sighed and stared at the ceiling.

"I am very disappointed in you, Gregory."

The boy felt his whole world break into pieces. Freddy was hardly ever mad at him, let alone disappointed.

"What was on the contract, lad?" Foxy asked in newfound interest. The boy shook his head.

"I don't know... we couldn't read the cursive..." He muttered.

Monty hummed. "I can't read cursive either..."

"Ye' don't know how to read at all." Foxy finished wrapping his wound. Monty nodded in agreement.

The boy was not paying attention, though. He kept his gaze on the ground to hide the shameful tears developing in his eyes. Cassie offered him an apologetic look, but he brushed it off. He also chose to ignore the glare he got from Roxanne.

When it was time for them to sleep again, Freddy was too injured to carry the boy to bed, so he just walked alone.

His dad wished him a good night and trudged back to his own hammock. Gregory assumed he was still mad by the fact that he did not get tucked in as he usually does.

Sleeping was difficult that night. Not only because of his dad being mad, but for the contract.

He still had a nagging feeling he made the wrong choice, but he could not figure out why.