Petibone (Fantasmical 2024)

12. Pirate ship_ Talesofthedeep

Prompt: You're the newest addition to the crew of the most notorious pirate ship. Not long after, the crew mutinies, the captain is murdered, and crew members began to die mysteriously.

**

Ships. Goblins are not exactly seafaring creatures, yet I found myself on a mission that required me to deliver an essential message aboard the pirate ship Venom's Kiss.

Finally, a job that wasn't one Luther had passed on, and maybe that's why I was pleased about it—because they had asked me first. It was a small sign of recognition, or at least it felt that way.

As I mentioned, I had reservations about ships and everything related to the water. I had only observed Narig's harbor from a distance, finding it fascinating to watch the enormous ships arriving from distant places. But the water itself was not my friend. I was okay with small lakes or rivers where I knew I could touch the bottom. But the sea was different.

But it didn't matter; I had accepted the job and found myself on a vast ship. Since it was a secret mission, I had to blend in with the crew.

We're talking about a pirate ship, which wasn't anchored at the main port but further away at night. My contact arranged for me to be taken on as a crew member, and it didn't take long for me to disguise myself as a goblin boy.

So, there I stood in line with the strange crew, being scrutinized by the captain. Yes, he was the typical pirate captain, ominously tapping his peg leg on the wooden deck and wearing a black patch over one eye.

Next to the captain stood his first mate, or right-hand man, Matthew, who was also my target. I had to deliver the message to him; I just needed to find the right moment. If I could manage this before we set sail, I could get off the ship and avoid the pirate ordeal.

The captain cursed at us, called us all sorts of names, and threatened to throw us into the sea as shark bait if we didn't shape up. Well, this is off to a great start. I discovered that since I was so small, my job would be to watch the horizon from the mast. I'd be free from heavy physical labor, but how would I blend in with the others and find the right moment to pass the message?

I decided it was better to finish this as soon as possible and kept my eyes on Matthew. But then I forgot everything else and suddenly noticed the commotion and shoving among the crew. Before I knew it, Jiri, one of the grim-faced pirates, grabbed the captain and shouted, "Mutiny!" They started pushing the captain and Matthew down into the cabins while quickly setting the sails.

I was bewildered, and someone grabbed my shirt and shouted in my face from two inches away: "Get up there and tell us if you see any ships!" It was Jiri, undoubtedly the self-appointed new leader.

As a child, I was good at climbing trees, so that wasn't a problem. But from up high, when I saw all that water, I felt dizzy.

I heard Jiri's voice yelling at me to climb even higher. My whole body was shaking, and when I looked down, I felt dizzy. It was a different height; I usually handled that well. It was the swaying of the ship and the vast expanse of water surrounding it. I gathered my strength because I didn't want to become shark food, so I only threw up once or twice. That night, I was able to come down to rest, and that's when I noticed blisters on my hands and feet. The thick ropes I was gripping had rubbed my skin raw.

The crew wasn't as grumpy as they were at the start. They were drinking and eating merrily, and I had no idea where we were headed.

Because of my rumbling stomach, I could only eat an apple while listening to a bawdy song about a girl named Mary. I decided to find a way to deliver my message. I went down to the ship's hold, pretending to look for my bunk, hoping to see Matthew. I encountered a caged-off area, presumably for difficult crew members, but it was empty.