The Brig

Endings

I'm hoping writing this down will help cure my illness. For the past six months I've locked myself in my chambers. Ever since I returned from my short stint on Minx. I remember how she used to float on the ocean as if the water was unworthy of her. Her three masts stretched towards the heavens and caressed the sky. She smelled like lightly salted comfort. Occasionally I remember the creaking conversations her boards would have with each other.
Jeremy was the reason I was blessed with the opportunity to board her. He had worked with my parents before fleeing to the ocean while I was still a child. I don't remember much from those times, except for his hazel eyes that seemed to only see the good. I strived to share Jeremy's perception of the world. He came back after ten years away, and offered to show me the sea. I had only known books and tutors. So I followed Jeremy to Minx, a beauty sailing to the Caribbean to pick up a crew of captured men and bring them back to England.
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The water around Minx softly swung me awake. I kept my eyes closed, savoring the tranquil sounds of God's domain. I rose from bed, got dressed and then headed to the deck. The ocean silently surrounded us, and in the distance I saw the faintest trace of clouds creeping towards Minx.

I wandered around the deck. The crew, a small band of hired sailors, silently secured all loose equipment. Most of them chose not to speak much—at least not to me. Jeremy, who looked as if he had no concept of a meal, was kneeling down to tie down a chest.

"What's in there?" I asked. He looked up from his task, and his hazel eyes locked with mine for a moment.

He smiled and then continued securing the chest. "It's the gear we took from the dogs." He tilted his head towards the brig. I fought the urge to further question Jeremy about the chest. He turned his attention towards a small wooden lifeboat, making sure it wasn't going to fly overboard.

"Why are you checking the boat?" Jeremy halted and turned to me.

"Prentice, have you ever wondered why you burn so easily?" Confused, I peered at my rose tinted skin. "It's punishment for asking too many goddamn questions." Jeremy grinned; his smile was like a team missing a few members.

"Sorry sir." I muttered as Jeremy rose to his feet. He walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"You're a good kid, Prentice." I winced.

"I'm not a kid, sir." Jeremy smiled again.

"Of course you're not. You're a man! A sailor, in fact! Smartest sailor I've ever met." He shifted his hand to my head and teased my blond curled strands. "Here, go feed the prisoners for me." Jeremy pulled out a gray key, the rust on it resembling aged blood.

The brig was located underneath the deck. A metal hatch containing fifteen men that Captain was paid to ferry home to be sentenced. I made my way to the hatch, unlocked it and descended into the brig. The hatch led to a small wooden staircase. I placed questioning steps onto the feeble wood. With each movement of my weight, the steps warned me to retreat. I paused midway, and glanced around the walls. Metals bars boxed half the room. Light seeped down into the gloomy hole, just barely illuminating the cage. The prisoners pushed on the bars like animals. Bleached teeth stood out from the rest of the dirty, poorly lit men.

"Not letting us starve, huh?" The ivory gave me a simper.

"First mate's orders." I passed small loaves of bread through the bars. The prisoners swiftly grabbed them and ripped them to pieces. My eyes stayed locked on the man with the pale teeth. 

"There's a storm coming, lad," he chuckled, "Hope you don't let us drown." His heavy voice pushed against my ears. I wondered how he was able to determine that, how he achieved such an intimate relation with the sea. I slowly backed away from the cage and walked up the stairs. Grim gray skies now slowly pulled themselves closer to Minx. Worried, I went to find Captain.