Giving Fantasia: The Taking Fantasia Sequel

Chapter 9: Give Me Fantasia

Chapter 9: Give Me Fantasia

"Uhh- huuuuuh. You want my ship....for revenge?"

Sinbad sucked his cheek. He looked back to his crew.

"Guys." he muttered confidently. "Let me handle this."

Sinbad returned to Pitch.

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm NO."

The undead army growled. The shadows hissed. Captain Hook flexed his scythed-hook.

Pitch raised a hand, staying their attack.

"No? What do you mean no?"

The devil living inside Sinbad's conscience did a happy dance. Yay. He got to be snarky.

"Um, how else can I say it?" Sinbad counted on his fingers. "NO as in 'way in Hell.' NO has in zilch, zip, zippity, zero! NO as in nil, negative, negatory, nein! NO as in hit the road jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more! NO as in F off! NO as in F you! NO as in NO, as in NO, as in NO!"

Sinbad spread his hands. "Any questions?"

Pitch regarded Sinbad.

"Fine." Apathetically, he waved. "Kill them."

The Princess's crew – the most fearsome pirates of The Otherland – freaked out.

"Kill? Can we TALK about this?" Tulio shrieked. "Maybe if they ask nicely?"

"Sinbad!" Marina snarled. "Sinbad just listen to him!"

"We're going to die!" Tulio wailed. "We're going to die! We're going to die! We're going to die!"

"Does anyone else think things have escalated a little too quickly?" Dimitri cried.

"DEATH!" Tulio banged his head against the mast. "Pain! Anguish! Murder! Agony!"

"We're going to be executed?" Miguel bounced. "Can I have dibs on keel hauling?!"

"I still owe people money! – oh wait." Tulio blinked. "I'm starting to see the silver lining."

Ruber thrashed against his ropes. Veins bulged from his neck as he condemned Sinbad. "You are not captain! I charged the mutiny so I am the captain and I decide if we – "

"And you're doing great!" Sinbad sneered. "First day on the job and captured by the Boogie Man? Round of applause everybody for Captain Ruber!"

"We cannot fathom their power!" Ruber glanced hungrily at Pitch. "Spirits from the grave? Supernatural monsters? THINK of the power we would – "

"Hopping along the ocean with an army of zombies – " Sinbad interrupted. "—is not my idea of a good time!"

"You spineless, coward, yellow-bellied – "

"And I'm not comfortable ---" Sinbad retorted, pointing at Pitch. "—handing my life over to a slimy-gumball-creep that popped out of a giant-ass whirlpool with his undead friends, AND who has CLEARLY missed one to many dental appointments!"

"Sinbad!" Eret and Tulio yelled. "Look out!"

Sinbad ducked. He had been fired at often enough to know 'Look out' means 'hit the deck or eat bullets.' But as Sinbad plunged, the projectile did not whizz over his head.

It stopped. Midair. And as Sinbad uncovered his eyes, he looked straight into a shadow before it attacked.

The shadow pulverized him. Pouncing into his head, the shadow shred Sinbad's brain for memories. His neural connections screamed, replaying the memory of his crying son. With each repetition the memory intensified. The image became palpable. Sinbad could feel his son grabbing his leg. He could feel wet cheeks and an open mouth when he pushed his son away. And he could feel that scraggly little string of hair when his son stumbled and fell. Oh. Right. The rat-tail. That had been Sinbad's idea. He'd forgotten.