Finding Time

Chapter 9 - Anna 1871

They had turned their sails that morning. Goodbye to Asia. They had flown over Tibet.

It was freezing when they did too.

Kai and Rebecca were not speaking to one another, and the Captain made sure that they were not interacting in any form possible. He made this so by keeping Kai busy at doing manual labor and Rebecca at fixing equipment / mapping the journey.

As for Anna, they put her on guard. The ship was not supposed to stop most of the time but anytime someone set off a flare and a single firework, Anna was instructed to make sure that she notified the captain.

Somewhere over Armenia, a single flare and firework set off.

Anna, as if woke from a dead sleep, set off to tell the Captain.

"Captain. There's a... there's a..."

"I can't understand you if you don't complete your sentences" barked the Captain.

".... flare and firework."

"Are you sure?"

"I am most positively sure."

"Inform Kai."

Anna ran to get Kai who stood above on top of the mast fixing the sails.

"Bring up the sails to full. Captain's orders."

Kai untied where he had previously bundled up. The sails began to unfurl.

"Get the other one for me won't you?"

Anna looked up at the mast, sighed, and began to climb. Once she reached the top, Kai instructed her how to unfurl the sails.

Captain Wentforth already was at the steer, taking the ship down to what seemed to be a grassy area. There, a man stood awaiting them.

He had dark brown curly hair, was tall, and dark skin. His brown eyes made him look devilishly handsome to Anna.

"Welcome travelers. My name is Narek. We are in need of your upmost assistance."

He waved his hands, leading them to an abandoned Roman temple surrounded by a mass of rolling landscape. Behind was a village, of which Anna could see men and women traveling back and forth as well as children playing. They did not look immediately friendly but not scared of them either.

Inside, a few other men had waited with their own weapons at bay.

"We have been experiencing some trouble. We have reason to believe that in a few decades, a massacre will be in our wake. We have few needs: gunpowder and metal" said Narek.

"You're lucky sir. It just so happens that I do carry such things on my disposal" huffed Captain Wentforth.

"There's more. Recently, a witch has taken resident in the hills."

"A witch?" roared the captain "Surely you don't believe in such things."

"I do. I understand how completely out of place such beliefs are in our modern society, but I have reason to believe in not being pressured by the demands of high society mannerisms."

The captain looked flustered and slightly embarrassed but allowed Narek to continue.

"Every full moon, one of the children of the village is being taken. The men try everything they can to prevent it but it continues without fail. Witches in country folklore are know to inhabit the Earth and generally not be malicious but this one seems to be inhabited by an evil entity. We ask that you find this witch for us."

Captain Wentforth looked at his daughter.

"I am generally very concerned for your safety but I have seen the woman you have become. You're strong and resourceful. I entrust you to Kai and Anna. I know they will take care of you. As for you Narek, I do expect you to accompany him while I transfer goods here."