The Damned: Part 1~ Innocence

Chapter 9

CARIBBEAN SEA SEPTEMBER 1685

Flying Dutchman sailed along at an even pace, keeping a sharp eye out for wrecks.

It was storm season and most shipping in the profitable West Indies stopped.

Any ship that was unlucky enough to get caught there was practically doomed along with her crew.

Flying Dutchman hated her job sometimes.

Finding the bodies of dead sailors strewn about the water wasn't her idea of fun. But someone had to do it.

Someone had to help those poor souls.

"Debris, dead ahead!" came the cry.

Flying Dutchman sighed. If there was one thing she hated more than finding dead bodies, it was the human's gunk.

Fishing nets were some of the worst.

This one looked like it'd been washed overboard in a storm. And what's more, there appeared to be something in it.

Curiosity drove her and she approached albeit cautiously.

There was no guarantee the creature, whatever it was, wouldn't turn on her suddenly.

As she drew closer, Flying Dutchman's crew, every single one of them including Vandecker, backed away.

"It's a giant squid!" Jones breathed in awe.

"Actually it's a cephalopod." Vandecker corrected.

Jones scowled and was going to snap a harsh retort when Flying Dutchman intervened.

"Stow it, the both of you!" She growled.

They sighed and nodded.

She turned her attention back to the poor creature trapped in the netting.

It seemed to be alive, thrashing weakly as it noticed the ship coming towards it.

"It's okay." Flying Dutchman soothed it, unsure if her gift of language had interpreted the creature's speech correctly.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

It seemed to understand and quit struggling.

Flying Dutchman looked it over, admiring its thick muscular hide and its big wide hazel eyes, staring up at her through a mass of tentacles.

Flying Dutchman smiled reassuringly at it as she set to work untangling the net.

Soon it was free and it splashed around joyously before facing Flying Dutchman.

The crew tensed as it gripped her heel.

Flying Dutchman felt herself being pulled under.

Her crew had no time to react.

"Gah!" Flying Dutchman gasped as she vanished below the surface.

The thing pulled her along a short ways before letting go.

The first thing Flying Dutchman noticed was she was floating.

The second thing she noticed was she was sailing. She was actually sailing underwater!

The thing did a twirl of joy in front of her.

"How is this possible?" Flying Dutchman breathed.

"It's possible because of your powers." replied a voice inside her head.

The sound of it appeared to be female and startled, Flying Dutchman looked around widely for the source of it.

Again, she turned her gaze back to the creature, seeing it staring back.