"I love you dad." This is the last thing i said to my father before i was murdered. I was born on a ship to a woman named Moll. A beautiful woman who had dreams of sailing the entire ocean. I was born to a man named Owen. Both of my parents were good people and they lived on the water with a crew who took rather good care of me. My name is or was Carrie. I fought along side my family for many years, nineteen to be exact. Owen was the captain of our ship and my mother came along for the ride. After nineteen years of fighting for a family i thought loved me, a member of the crew took a bullet to my head in the middle of the night. He threw my body off the boat as my dear father had watched me sink to the bottom of the ocean. He was angered and decided to throw that crew member over board where he was mawled by sharks and spread across the bottom of the sea. I floated gently on a shallow falls where i lay today, well my bones.
As long as my father was alive i followed his ship and helped him through everything, every fight and every battle. My mother died shortly after me but i never got to see her again as i am stuck here unable to go anywhere. My father is still alive today but he is very old. I no longer follow the ship anymore as it brings memories to my father that he wishes not to remember. So i roam across the sea, alone waiting for someone to find me.
April 24, 1954 a boy looked into the shallow bed where i lay. His eyes as gold as the treasure i once fought for, his skin as pure as the white in the sea, and his teeth the whitest I have ever seen. His bare feet went into the shallow bay and he laid flowers around my body. I watched him as he was so sincere and so gentle when touching my face. He did not seem frightened by my appearance, i was no longer what i used to be but he didnt seem to care. When he finished placing the carefully chosen pedals around my body it reminded me of my mother's death. My father placed flowers all over her naked body and laid her in a cave with many golds and treasures.
The boy sat on the wet rock at my feet and watched the waterfalls and listened to the gentle movement of the water. Every touch he placed upon my body was the same feeling i felt as me. This boy had a gift. He could see the beauty in the dead or maybe he could see the dead as they once were. I touched his hand, his gentle hand. It was warm but before i could make any other assessments he pulled it from me and looked over his right shoulder. He could feel the dead too. This boy was rare and a one to come by type of special. The water moved under his feet so i do placed my feet on top of the water. I in front of him could not feel the same as he did. The water no longer ran over my feet and the feelings of the water touching my face no longer pierced my memory.
i turned my back to the boy and in sadness lowered my head. For moments i believed i was wrong. This boy had no sight of the dead but then he stood in the water and began to walk towards me. His eyes did not look frightened but overjoyed to see me. How could this boy not be frightened by a dead figure? Could this boy be the key, could he be special?
"You are her. The girl laying in the bay."
"Why yes i am."
"You are beautiful. Were you a pirate?"
"Yes for many years."
"Why must you look so sad? Something so beautiful must be taken to a beautiful place." The boy reached his large hand out towards me. I reluctantly laid my hand in his. I could feel him, he could feel me. "Gorgeous my dear. You are delicate but at the same time so strong. What is your name?"
"I am Carrie the roamer of the sea. And you are dear boy?"
"I am Oscar the future king of England." I pulled my hand from his in fright of his words. "Is there something the matter."
"You are royal?"
"Why yes, but i wish to know so much about Carrie the roamer of the sea."
"Someone of your status should not be with people like me."
"The dead?"
"No, a pirate."
"My dear there are many worse things than a pirate. I see nothing wrong with being with a pirate."
"How old might you be boy?"
"I turn twenty in three weeks madam. How old might you be?"
"I have been dead sense April 24, 1950. But i am nineteen formally, sir."
"PLease Carrie call me Oscar. I am not yet king."
"But you are a prince. I must oblige to this meeting, if you were found here"
"No one would know, because they unfortunately are unable to see you. So please i would like to ask questions." He gestures to the rock of which is in front of my body. I slowly walk towards the large rock as he follows close behind. His smile begins to wound him. He seems more like a pirate than a king. No king would trust a pirate but no pirate would trust another pirate unless from the same crew. Oscar's eyes, golden, wanted more adventure. He wanted to board a ship and sail away never to come back to england again, but he was stuck here in his duty. He asked many questions, one many refused to ask when i was alive and well.
"Your father and mother, were they pirates as well?"
"Oh yes. Very good pirates. My mother always insisted i learn to defend myself while my father wanted me to stay in my quarters and write poetry. But my father was a very generous man and one of the most educated sailors i had known. He chose the best crew and they took many things to heart but they never lost sight of their friendship."
"You are very smart and speak very well for a pirate."
"My mother was a teacher on the boat and she taught me the proper way to speak."
"How, may i ask, did you die?"
"A crew member by the name of Den killed me with three bullets to the head. He was forced to shoot three times because believe it or not i survived the first two. Then Den through me off the boat where i floated for many months until i found my way here. My father was devastated and in return had my mother kill him and fed him to the sharks. I stayed with my dear father for as long as i could and i even helped him through the death of my mother, but then he sent me away. And i have roamed the seas for as long as he has sent me away."
"Is your father alive?"
"Yes. He is very old but yes. I visit his dreams sometimes and sometimes i see my mother. But i dont see either of my parents very often. Oscar do you want to be king?"
"That is a very tricky question."
"Not really. It is rather simple. Two answers yes or no."
"I wish to fulfill my duties to my country and my home and my family but in many ways i am betraying my true self for something i barely feel i am capable of doing. Did you always want to be a pirate?"
"Yes, there was nothing i wanted more than to captain my father's ship. You placed pedals around my bones, why?"
"There are no bones. Your body is perfectly preserved, it is beautiful. I felt you deserved a proper burial. I should probably go before they worry where i have run off to."
"So be it. Thank you Oscar, you will make a fine king."
"I will see you again Carrie. Here tomorrow eleven thirty after schooling."
"I'd rather meet along the shore. Here leaves many reminders." Oscar nods and runs leaving me there. I do not sleep, so the many hours of the fish swimming to my side was beautiful but gave the feeling of tediousness and wanting it to finally be time. Oscar was not like others. All those who have seen me have coward in fear and have done no business in knowing me. The hours slipped by like water under the tide. My father no longer called for me at night and has locked me from his dreams. But I know he is not well, without my father I have no one. But i guess it has been that way for a while. The water hit my hand as I reached down into the deeper bay by the port. In the deeper bay a chain touched my hand. I pulled on the large chain and it rose from the sand. My mother's medallion? It had been lost the night of my nineth birthday. My mother had given it to me but before I could open the gift the medallion rolled from the ships deck. I had never seen it up close before, I had never remembered to look for it.
The golden medallion could not be placed around my neck but I would hold onto it. Maybe the prince will take good care of it for me. The medallion had been engraved with my mother's, my father's, and my name. It was our family medallion that was supposed to be engraved with a new name for my children and each new generation of our family. But it was lost and I was killed before any new children could be made.
Eleven thirty came quickly after the finding of my mother's medallion. I hid the medallion in my cloth pocket, but my pocket was practically see through. I was practically see through. But I would try to keep it from him. He had no need of knowing of this medallion unless he wishes to keep it hidden for me. I waited for the prince, he never came. I watched many other people walk above me but he never showed himself. I stayed until nights end and the sun rose on the next day. The prince didnt have the decency to uphold his appointment with me, so i left. I followed the tide back to the shallow bay where i eternally slept. I sat on the rock and looked at my remains. One day there would be no memory of me, not here in the bay, not here on earth.
As the sun rose higher in the sky i heard footsteps coming through the water. I didnt bother to look as though no one could see me. But the footsteps stopped closer to the entrance than anyone else who had visited this shallow bay. I turned to face the person but there stood the prince. His hands extended towards me he began to walk closer. But i stepped backward.
"What is the matter? Why are you frightened to see me?"
"I am not frightened. I waited for many hours for you and you never showed yourself. You kept me waiting. I should have stayed away, i should never have trusted a prince."
"I am sorry. I got held up at the castle. They would not let me leave, but i am here now aren't i?"
"How long must you plea before you understand?"
"Excuse me, i do not understand."
"You plea to be something your not. And in your pleas you wish to be changed into what i am. You can not be what i am Oscar, you dont want to be what i am."
"Your right, i believe i could be something i am not but i am who i am and i want to imagine being on the sea and experiencing everything you can help me experience. I did not mean to upset you Carrie, i only wish to learn more about you and become your friend and ally."
"Would you like to go sailing? Of course you would have to trust me." I extend my hand towards him and he happily took it. We sailed the waves together, our feet never fully submerged but it gave the feeling of the salt on your face. It was gorgeous, it made me feel more like a human than a dead one. But being alive i would have never been able to do anything like this. Oscar seemed to have fun. His golden eyes lit up with every tide and with every wave his smile helped the sun shine. It was nice to finally have a friend, or someone to keep me somewhat alive. The day ended quickly with Oscar falling into the ocean. I helped him up and sent him to the castle where he would find me some day soon. I never intended to see Oscar again, so like a pirate i lied.
Oscar went home and i was left riding the sea. The waves took me far from England and placed me on an island with a ship docked at its north end. There i ran behind trees to see who was coming to such an unprofitable island, unless the island held more secrets than what was on the surface. Many men loaded barrels onto the ship. None of them well fed or well groomed. There were no women in the crew but none of the men would have stood a chance if a woman were to hit their ship, or if i were to try and steal from their load. I became curious about these barrels, so with great caution i walked over to their stash hoping to not be seen by anyone like Oscar. Their map was not set to any one place but to multiple. Their barrels filled with liquor and gold.
I boarded their ship in hopes of finding more answers. I searched through many maps, many crew's quarters when i found my quarters. This ship was my father's, this crew was his but many people had joined. I stopped in the doorway of the quarters in shock to find my own quarters on a ship i had not seen in many years. As i begin to slowly walk into the room a boy stopped me. He seemed to notice no difference in me than in anyone else here.
"How did you get on this ship? Those are the captain's quarters, no one is permitted in the captain's quarters."
"These are not the captain's quarters."
"How might you know that? Does anyone else see this girl standing here?"
"Because this is my father's ship and this is my father's crew."
"Who might the captain be then if you are so smart?"
"Owen the brave. My mother Moll the kill."
"Have you met Owen? Is that it? He sent some little spy to check on us."
"No, i am dead."
"I can see you, your not dead, unless you want to be."
"No one else can see me, isn't that a bit out of the ordinary. I also the difference between the captain's quarters and a daughter's quarters when every ship is different."
"What is the daughter's name?" The boy drops his boxes and pulls out a knife,
"Go ahead mate throw the knife." The boy throws the knife and it stops and falls at my feet. This boy knows nothing of his abilities unlike Oscar. "Like i had said, i am dead. I am carrie the roamer of the sea and daughter of Owen the brave. I was murdered in these quarters and my father made that man pay."
"Jack who are you talking to?" A former crew member said by the name Din. He was always so kind and he seemed to keep his trait of making jokes and going a little too far.
"Carrie."
"Carrie? There is no carrie here anymore." Din pushed Jack overboard into water. Jack had dropped his boxes on the deck but he didnt seem to be able to swim.
"Really? Your a pirate who doesnt know how to swim?" I jumped overboard and grabbed him. At first he didnt see me, but he stopped once he did. His eyes grew enormously as i put him around my shoulders and lifted him back up to the deck from the water. He was amazed, with his jaw hitting the ground i am surprised no one tried to steal his tongue. "You are a pirate yet you know nothing of the water?" I received no answer. "Jack?"
"How did you do that?"
"Jack you have a gift. Carrie is me and i am Carrie. The captain's daughter who was murdered with three bullets. You see me you feel me you are special jack."
"Why must a dead pirate haunt me?"
"I do not haunt the living, i simply observe the sea. If you wish to be pushed back into the sea and drown i would b rather glad to push you overboard."
"Can you make people see you?"
"I have no idea. Maybe?"
"Try!" Jack leans over his shoulder and call out to Din. "Din, come here. I want you to stand here and look through the doors of the old quarters." Din did as he was told and stood there.
"I miss Carrie. She was an amazing pirate and an amazing jokester." I came close to Din with my invisible hands to him i whispered words to him. I hoped this would work as the words began to break the barrier between dead and living. "Do you feel that cool breeze Jack?"
"Din do you remember me?" I say clearly this time. His eyes growing as he begins to see me and his lips began to touch his cheeks.
"Carrie!" He screams with a beautiful version of his smile.
"Din ,Carrie is dead get over that fact and help us carry this load." Friar said from behind the pole. Friar is named what he is because he is the one who kept everyone in line. When anything went wrong he was the one to fix it.
"I told you she had been on the ship. She is here." Din says back to Friar.
"Jack slap him for me would yah?"
"I am sorry Friar, i cant because i see her too." Jack says with a hysterical smile.
"Come Friar, come and see our Carrie." Din places his hand on mine. He was amazingly surprised to b able to feel my hand in his. My feet touched the wooden deck and for once in the past four years i have felt something beneath my feet.
"I see nothing, but the open doors of a forbidden quarter." Friar says unable to see the beauty in their faces.
"Oh friar how you haven't changed, not even one bit." I placed my hand on his and stared into his usual eyes. "Listen not with you ears but with your heart." I touched his warm chest. He began to breathe heavy as he could feel my hand on him.
"This is impossible. Carrie had been gone for four years."
"Yet i stand in front of you laughing at the predictable things you are saying." I say as he along with everyone on the ship, began to see and hear me. "I know may of you, but i will have the pleasure of meeting you."
After everyone had seen me they invited me to stay and i could not pass up their requests. At dinner they made fish and cucumber. We laughed and learned more about everyone. Friar even laughed. But half way through the delicious meal Oscar had requested me at the bay. He was speaking to my bones and in saying my name he has called me to him. I wanted nothing to do with the prince but it was what he needed therefore he will be given what he needs. I left the table with no word as to why and came to the bay angry.
"What is so important that you must see me?"
"Carrie? Where have you been? I have waited to see you at the castle and you never showed yourself."
"I want nothing more to do with the prince of England. You have a life to live, i have a family to get back to."
"You wish to not speak anymore?"
"Why is it me that you must speak to? You have other people you are able to speak to and many i am sure would be glad to be your friend. Why must you speak to the dead?"
"Because the dead listen. No individual believes in the undead spirit. They do not listen to my dreams and except that i do not want to be giving orders in a castle, i want to be riding the sea. But if you wish to not speak to me than i shall go."
"Oscar, being dead presents challenges to the living. But i have abilities, inhuman abilities ones only the living good imagine. I will visit your dreams, but i can no longer speak to you in person, for i have a family to protect."
"Family? You said that"
"They found me."
"If you have been dead but four years than how is your father very old?"
"He was old when i was conceived and born. When i died he was already approaching his sixties. How dare you bring my father into this?"
"How dare you bring in my status?"
"I will visit Oscar, now go before the castle sends out a search for your sorry excuse of a being." I returned to the table and they hadn't noticed my absence. They were still laughing and making jokes, while my medallion began to glow from my pocket. Jack saw the glow and grabbed it from my pocket.
"What is this? Some medallion."
"That is my mother's medallion. It was lost on my nineth birthday, you should know that Din. I found it in a deeper bay off the port of England. It is worth nothing to anyone besides family ties."
"Worth nothing? This is craved out of pure gold and engraved with pure silver." Jack says holding the medallion close to his chest.
"Jack that means more to Carrie than meets the merchant's eye."
"Give it to me Jack. I would not forget that i know something about you that could kill you."
"At the next port i will sell it to the most willing bidder." I became angry and turned from my invisible blue to a fire red that would be found in the caves of guarded treasure. Water seeped from under his chair and broke it from limb by limb. The water materialized around his small neck and held him over the side of the boat.
"Give me the medallion Jack." Din says reaching his hand towards Jack.
Jack hands the medallion to Din who then in return hands it to me. "This was the last thing my mother gave me before i died." I begin to pull him back into the dine hall. "I insure you that unless you are keeping it safe this medallion will end your life." I say returning to my invisible blue.
"Then why didn't you kill me?" Jack says not frightened by me in the slightest way.
"Because i see no use in killing fresh meat, especially meat that is useful. You have a good eye for volubility, plus you have a gift. In killing you i would be hurting my family, the only family i have ever known."
"This routy crew means a lot to you doesnt it?"
"More than my life. What about you?"
"This crew is the only thing i have."
"Than dont mess it up."
THE NEXT MORNING
all night i was fascinated by Jack's dreams. He was not as shallow as i had originally thought. He had a family of his own once. His mother, his sister, his brother all of them were killed in an explosion at a village i had not heard of. Probably because it was blown to bits. When he awoke in the morning he was frightened at first but he was calmed by the fact that it was me. I of course visited Oscar as i had promised i would. He put me through the rut in his dreams, he was obviously infuriated by my actions.
within moments of Jack's awakening i had left his quarters and saw the open ocean once again. I had never thought such a view would be in my reach again. The beautifully colored sunrise that made any morning feel like a dream. As i stared at the beautiful sunrise Jack snuck up behind me. He could touch my shoulder, he brought me to the ground.
"You like the sunrise?"
"How could i not? Its gorgeous, its something i always loved. You have awaken early for a crew member."
"I usually begin my chores around the ship, but i decided to watch the sun. Like part of my family had always said a young girl would do."
