Rough Waters

Chapter 8

Kai's POV

     I take off the swim, but I yell out when a searing pain goes through my tail. I watch in panic as the waves from my scream rocks both of the ships. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when no one from our side fell in. Two of the men on the other side did though. They'll soon be shark food.

     I try to swim again, but slower, using more of my now webbed fingers to help me. I swim closer to the side of the boat. If I demolish our smaller ship, then our men can go to the bigger ship while they take down the other men. I go up to the surface and take a big breath of air, before going down. Most of the treasure is in the back of the boat, so I go to the front so it doesn't sink quite as fast. I hold it, and let a rip. I didn't do it at an ear-piercing frequency, but just enough to break the side of the boat. My scream gets louder, now alarming everyone on board most likely. I continue when I see the barnacle-covered boards break. I'm almost out of breath, but if I stop now, it'll be hard to pick up where I left off to get air. I use the last of my air to scream as loud and steady as I can. To my luck, this does the trick. The wooden boards pretty much shatter and the splinters float up to the top. The hole is about as big as a shark.

My lungs scream for air, and I quickly try to get up to the surface. When I breach, I take in a big mouth full of air, breathing heavily. I look up and smile triumphantly when my plan goes how it's supposed to go. Two men get the treasure from out ship and quickly take it to the bigger one, while everyone else cuts down the other party and retreats to the other vessel. I look around frantically for Maximus. I grip the knife I almost forgot I had in my hand.

"Kai!" I look to the Captain's Quarter entrance. My eyes see Maximus looking worriedly at me.

"I'm okay!" I raise my arm to wave but cringe when the cut on my side throbs in pain. I bite my lip, hoping he didn't see my face twist in pain. "I'm coming!" I start to make my way to the new ship. Our old ship and the corpses on it were almost halfway in the water already.

I try to swim as fast as I can, but my tail hinders me from much power. My side is starting to bleed out a little bit, surely drawing in something like a shark. I do heal faster than a human, but it still takes time. I bite my lip and try to swim faster.

Something is thrown in front of me. I gasp and back away, but smile when I see it's a float. I grab onto it, and Maximus pulls me closer to the already thrown down rope ladder. I put the knife in my mouth and grab onto that and pull myself up, my tail drying out when I'm almost to the top.

When my hands grasp the deck, I'm roughly pulled up. Max isn't doing this. I'm pulled up and thrown onto the deck, much like I was about a week ago.

"What the hell man!?" I ask.

"You could have fucking killed us, you bitch!"

"Who are you calling a bitch?! I saved your fucking ungrateful life!" I get up, just to be pushed down.
I see Maximus run to my side, but stop whenever my offender points a knife to my neck.

"Henry, no," Maximus commanded.

"This little shit needs to be disciplined!" I watch in horror as a crowd starts to form around us. I look back at Max, trying to read his expression.

"He saved everyone on this goddamn ship."

"And he could have easily killed everyone on this ship. The deafening scream could have been heard from miles. Not to mention, he could have escaped!" Max looks down upon me, and I nod my head, telling him whatever he chooses, I'll be okay. He takes a long sigh. I'm sure if he doesn't do anything about this, than the ship will go into absolute anarchy. They'll think he's weak.

"5 lashes for every man Kai had killed..."

End of Chapter