A Pirate in Time (Completed)

29

Despite being basically worshiped by this tribe of people, I felt as though I was just as captive as Ikem. They kept close watch on me and I could never do anything without being trailed by a handful of islanders.

The trails of mud they had smeared on my face were dry and cracked, but I didn't dare wipe it off, for fear of offending them.

Ikem was growing antsy. The ship was supposed to be coming for him tonight, and he was still bound and lead around on a leash. That anxiousness was wearing off on me as well. I had no idea where Jay was. I could only hope he wasn't...

I shook that thought away. He was fine, probably hiding out in the bushes somewhere, or back on the beach eating the same fruit they had given me.

One of the tribesmen brought me a coconut half filled with a foggy liquid that I quickly realized was coconut milk. In truth, I didn't even really like coconut, but after having an empty stomach for a few days and surviving off of ship rations for a month or so before that, I wasn't about to turn down an offer for something with actual flavor.

I brought the half to my lips and gulped down the liquid inside. It had a sweet taste as it hit my tongue, and once it was empty, I started to scrape off chunks of the white coconut meat from the shell. 

The man stood, probably waiting for some sign of approval, and once I gave him a smile, he grinned and walked away.

"What is plan?" Ikem asked from beside me.

"When is the ship supposed to be here?"

"In harbor from high sky to dusk. If no Ikem, they leave."

I looked up. It was still morning. The sun was about halfway between the horizon and the highest point in the sky. We still had a little bit of time before we could do anything.

I cleared my throat as I voiced my thoughts, "I am a Woman of the Sea. Women of the Sea need to be in water every now and then, or they will dry out. If you could get them to let us near the beach, I can get you untied and we can make a run for the ship."

And hopefully we'd pick up Jay along the way.

I cast my gaze towards the treeline, hoping to God that Jay was hiding somewhere within them so that he might pick up on my escape plan and follow us. If not, I didn't know if I could leave him behind.

"And now?" Ikem asked.

"For now, we wait."

-----+------+-----

Once the sun had started sinking towards the western horizon, I turned to Ikem. 

"How much faith do you have in your shipmates?"

He met my eyes, a look of worry across his face. After setting his jaw, he looked away and nodded.

 "They'll be in harbor."

I went to run my fingers through my matted hair, but stopped when I remembered the crown of bones, sticks, and leaves they'd woven into it. Instead I sighed, dropping my hands into my lap.

"Then we should leave soon," I said, glancing into the trees again. "Tell them I need to swim. If they try to make you stay behind, tell them I want my translator with me."

He nodded and turned to the nearest guard. The conversation was slow and a bit slurred. The guard kept asking questions which Ikem tried his best to come up with answers to. He was struggling though, that much I could tell.

Ikem shook his head. "He don't understand me. Don't know to translate that."

"Then I'll show them."