A Pirate's Life For Me

Chapter 32 - Kill Them

OLIVIA

The sudden noise is overwhelming. The voices rise up all at once like we just appeared out of a tear in the night sky.

"This is it," Robin whispers, watching the outlines of the crewmen hooting and hollering, running for the ropes. We stay behind, the humid summer air hanging down like a blanket wrapping us together. 

He watches me watch him, tears shining in his eyes. Saying goodbye will be hard. I don't know if I can.

Instead, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him until we're both flushed and out of breath. Even then, I keep going, finding my way into his mouth. I hope he can hear what I'm trying to tell him. I love you, I need you, I'm sorry, goodbye.

I pull away suddenly, my eyes blurring with tears. He starts to say something, but I run.

I catch up to the pack; they are assembling, ready to swing over to the other ship. The first eight men climb on the wall, rising on the encouraging shouts of the others. Grimacing, I push through the crowd.

I swing my body up over the side along with them, anxious to avoid Robin. I don't need him begging me not to do this. I don't even look behind me because I can't stand to look at him, knowing it's the last time I ever will.

"Go for it, Ramsey!" A voice behind me hoots. The exclamation is punctuated by the excited hollers of the first round of men jumping from the side. This will be a difficult landing as they have to first avoid smashing into the side of the Encantador and becoming pancakes. If they manage to remain 3-D, they'll have to switch ropes.

I wave away the shouts, squinting at the outlines of the crewmen streaking toward The Encantador. I wonder where the Cuban crew is. There's no way they haven't realized who we are yet.

We took down The Fina's sky blue sail and replaced it with your typical skull-and-crossbones black flag. The Encantador, in all its glory, would hardly be intimidated by this. That was the plan. We hoped to catch them off guard with the fact that the ship is mine.

Still, they must have figured it out by now. Up this close, the details of the ship are visible in the darkness, the intricate carvings in the wood and the glinting metal rails. It makes me wonder, do they have a plan as well? Am I missing something?

I sit down on the side carefully, letting my legs hang over the side of the wall. The ocean is so far below, shrouded by the thick mist of summertime. I'm grateful for the shouts of joie de virve coming from the crew. They keep the anxiety and emptiness at bay.

I want to make sure that they all get over before I go, so I wait. The first round of men has long since disappeared. Judging from the shouts of laughter, I'm pretty sure at least most of them made it.

"Go!" I order, waving to the next line of men. They join me on the side without hesitation.

I rub my finger along the glossy, ebony wood, marveling at its perfect state, even in The Fina's old age. Lost in thought, Robin's face surfaces in my mind. His sharp jaw line, his brown eyes, the way they soften when he looks at me. His lips, pink and soft as pillows, resting above his dimpled chin. I want to cry. My dear, beautiful Robin, left all alone in this dark haze of life. I can't believe I'm leaving him.

"Um, cap'n?" I hear the hoots of the others taking off at the same time as this more timid voice meets my ear. I look up, startled to see the deckhand squatting on the wall next to me.

"Go!" I snap. "You're holding up the line."

"But," He says, "The Cubans. They're on deck." 

I roll my eyes at the boy. "No kidding. Is that all?"

"What do I do when we get up there?" He whispers. I see his eyes dart back and forth between me and The Encantador. 

I narrow my eyes at him. "Didn't you hear me before? You kill them. All of them."

"I've never killed anyone before."

I look up to the sky, thinking, Heaven help me. 

"Go!" I shout around Le Roi. The next hoard of men don't hesitate to jump to it. I turn my attention back to the deckhand. "Look," I deadpan. "I know, you might find it hard, but you don't want to die do you?"

"Of course not."

"Then kill them!" I shout in his face, causing him to teeter and almost fall off the wall.

"But what if I can't?" He whimpers.

I growl. "You have to. So deal."

"I won't."

"Then I'll push you off the plank."

I stare him down. His entire body is shaking, but his eyes don't leave mine.

"Do we go, cap'n?" I hear Bill shout from the foredeck, interrupting our staring contest.

"Yea," I reply. "Go for it."