Legends of the Sea

The Cabin Boy

The Youngest of the Crew,

He always finds Adventure

MY BLOOD ran cold as I momentarily forgot how to breathe. A single thought was racing through my head, I am dead. I am dead. I am dead.

The voice stepped out of the shadows revealing a young boy who could not have been older than ten. He held a lantern at his eye level revealing squinty green eyes as he watched us with a devilish smirk etched across his face. His hair was a mess of red curls and freckles dotted his face like stars on the night sky. His skin was a similar shade of red as my own as we share the same skin tone.

"Who are you?" Flake asked in a surprisingly calm voice to the boy.

"Shouldn't I be asking that of you?" he asked slyly, "Whatcha holding?"

Flake revealed two empty hands as I witness in the dim lantern the map falling onto the wooden floor.

"What are you holding?" Flake asked, tilting his head towards a furry lump on his shoulder.

"Him? His name is Matt," the boy answered, revealing in the light a monkey which grinned back at us. I shivered at the sight of its yellow teeth and cruel eyes. I hate monkeys.

As if hearing my thoughts the monkey turned towards me and stuck its tongue at me with wicked dark eyes.

"I have all rights to report you and to get you thrown overboard," the boy grinned, revealing a set of yellowed teeth. Someone hasn't been brushing their teeth.

"Yes you do," Flake stated and I shot him a seething look. Is he on a suicide mission or what?

The boy looked puzzled as the starkness of Flake's comment. He tried to regain his position as before, but couldn't help to ask, "Most people beg, for fear of what I can do, but why not you?"

If he wants me to beg, then I will happily do so to get out of this, I think as sweat dripped down my face. I shot Flake another look, wondering how he will get out of this mess.

"Why shouldn't I?" Flake said and in the light of the room, I felt small compared to him. All of his personality towers even higher over his already tall build. Flake can easily move a room if he wanted to with his posture and charming smiles.

The boy continued to fall deeper into a puzzlement trap that Flake had carefully laid before him, "I-I caught you!"

"And you want to be known as the tattletale of the ship?" Flake asked as his perfect eyebrow raised to a smooth arch.

Matt the monkey paced the boy's shoulders feeling the cloud of confusion converging onto the boy. I still felt unnerved at the human-like characteristics of the monkey as it continued to stare at me. As if it can see through my disguise and know that I am not who I say I am.

"No...," the boy said his face falling.

"I'm guessing you don't exactly have a lot of friends," Flake commented, placing a foot upon the chair seated in front of the desk. He rested his elbow on top and his chin on his fist as he surveyed the boy.

The boy sighed and plopped down on the chair opposite of Flake, his face hung with defeat, "No... uncle doesn't let me engage with any of the crew. Says that I am too young and have better things to do..."

The word uncle caught me and I shared a brief look with Flake, Is the Pirate King his uncle?

"How old are you?" Flake continued to causally pry.