The Mermaid And The Captain

taken

Stella and her brother, Marco, were swimming in the Atlantic ocean. They weren't supposed to be far from home. Marco sat on a pile of rocks. Stella kept splashing water on him.

"That's annoying." said Marco.

"We're fish. You should be used to this. It's just water. We live in it." said Stella.

The sun was going down. Stella wasn't aware. "We gotta get home." said Marco.

Stella looked at the sunset. "Oh dang. Days go by fast. Do you remember the way home?" said Stella.

Marco looked around around. "We better not be lost." said Marco. Marco called out signals. It would be easier for their family to find them.

A pirate ship was​ sailing by. "They didn't hear my signals. My throat is sore." said Marco.

The pirates dropped nets. Stella was trying to get out the water. She headed towards the rocks. Marco held out his hand for her to grab it. Her tail was caught in the net. She was being pulled to the ship. Marco held tight to her hand. Stella was pulling him into the water.

"Let go. They'll take you." said Stella.

"No. I'm not leaving you." said Marco. He tried to untangle the net caught on her tail. The pirates dropped another net. Stella was being pulled above the water. Marco kept shouting. He couldn't think of a way to get on the ship.

Stella was lying on the floor. The pirates were surrounding her. She was flopping away. The captain's partners was dragging her across the floor. They put her in a cage.

Marco was catching up to the ship. Marco knew there was nothing he could do to save her. He had to find his war home. He wasn't gonna bring her back without any help.

Stella was crying. She couldn't see anything. The room was dark. The pirate crew danced and cheered. Frank, the captain's son, was furious. The captain was drunk. He tried to get his son to dance with him. "This isn't a funeral. We got a mermaid." said the captain.

"That was really cruel. She was minding her business. You can't just kidnap her. When are you gonna bring her back?" said Frank.

"What do you mean? She'll be in a better place. You should be happy. We're gonna be rich. We have to sell her." said the captain.

Frank walked off. He tried to get pass the screaming crowd. Frank was trying to get into a locked door. But he didn't have a key. He didn't have a way to get close to Stella. The room was forbidden. Sebastian was sleeping on the floor next to the door. He always sat in the corner. Everyone complained about the way he smelled. "Sebastian, do you have a key?" said Frank.

"Only the captain has access to the key." said Sebastian.

Frank went to his father's office. He looked in the desks. The captain turned the doorknob. Frank jumped in the closet. The captain noticed things were out of place. He swung his hook.

"Who's is muy office?" said the captain.

The office was off limits. Even for Frank. He stayed in the wardrobe for a while. When the captain finally left, he had the chance to escape.

The captain was at the table with his buddies. They were getting too drunk. So they fell asleep. Frank looked through the captain's clothes. There wasn't any keys. Frank took the captain's shoes. The key was in his sock. Frank went in a dark room.

Stella was sleeping on the floor. Frank banged on the bars. Stella didn't wake up. Frank threw seashells. "Hey, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm one of the good guys." said Frank.

"No you're not. I can't trust anybody." said Stella.

"Do you need anything? What makes you comfortable?" said Frank.

"I need water. Get me out of this cage. Take me home." said Stella.

"I can't take you home. They're gonna sell you. Mermaids cost a fortune." said Frank.

"Then there's no way for you to help me. I wanna be alone. I'm not facing any pirates." said Stella. She turned her back.

Frank went upstairs. The party was still going on. They were clapping and dancing. Sebastian was clapping in the corner. He always sat on the floor. Frank sat next to him.

"It's a good thing your dad is asleep. He shouldn't be dancing." said Sebastian.

"How far are we from home? We have been traveling for months. That mermaid won't let me help her. There's nothing I can do. But I wanna cheer her upset. I understand why she won't talk to anyone." said Frank.

"Everything is gonna be okay. . . . for us. When we get home, she'll be sold. I guess she'll be free. Don't know if she'll live. They'll probably keep her." said Sebastian.