Prince of Flour

10. Gunshots

After gaining the post of the ship's designated cleaning-fairy (or Princess Swab), Seonghwa spent most of his time onboard scrubbing at stains that had soaked into the wood for ages. The pirates could not complain and trusted him with the ship. Not seldomly, random thoughts about poisoning their food crossed Seonghwa's mind. His patience had paid off, and his new freedom offered new ways to consider an escape.

It was one of these days when Seonghwa perched on a barrel inside the storage area, scrubbing away at his salt-caked shoes. The pirates would go ashore today, and they planned at the port for a few days so Hongjoong could consult some friends about important pirate stuff. Seonghwa was not involved enough to know if the pirates had a goal they pursued currently and where said goal was. Still, he had spent his days planning escape routes and tried to peek over Yeosang's shoulder whenever the navigator studied the maps.

However, apart from their location, Seonghwa also did not know where to go. He needed to find somebody, preferably that mysterious man who spoke to him on his very first day, who could help him get home. He needed a sailor.

Seonghwa's mind brimmed with ideas while he scrubbed away aggressively; about what he could offer and what people could want from him in exchange for their cooperation. Most folk out at sea were rough scoundrels whose tricks Seonghwa could not fall for.

Seonghwa was so caught up in his stress that the sudden deafening gunshot outside startled him out of his mind.

He flinched so violently while ducking to protect himself that he fell from the barrel and hit the ground with a groan. For a second, he lay still in terror, his ears ringing from the crash.

When nothing moved, Seonghwa dragged his body off the ground. On his hands and knees, he inched closer to the scuttle. His heart pounded in his chest.

Up on deck, the same patterns of steps walked without hurry. The low voices of the pirates sounded dull through the rushing of his blood in his ears, but they conversed without change. Seonghwa doubted they would remain so placid if boarded by enemies. No other trigger got pulled, so Seonghwa breathed in the wet and mouldy air of the ship's belly to calm himself.

Slowly, Seonghwa opened the scuttle. He cradled his boot and rag still in his other hand like a lifeline as he stretched his head out.

Every single hair on his body rose as he stared into the wide and terrified eyes of a stranger. The man looked right through Seonghwa and the big puddle of blood around his head penetrated the wooden boards. Bile rose in Seonghwa's throat as he stared at those lifeless eyes in terror.

A dead body.

Seonghwa slipped from shock. He fell down the three steps leading up to the scuttle and hit his head on a barrel. The pain that erupted was nothing compared to the image that his brain had memorised; those haunted eyes staring with no more help available.

Seonghwa gave a weak cough when something landed on his chest. No harm came upon him as a blood-stained piece of paper floated from the scuttle. With trembling fingers, Seonghwa lifted it to stare at it.

He could not read the text, but he could study the image taking over most of the page.

The scribbled ink showed the crew's Jolly Roger, but the colours were reversed.

While Hongjoong's black flag had a white skull encircled by a just as white whip and with a thick white stripe behind it, this one was reversed.

The inversion made sense since the paper was white, but it still looked misplaced in Seonghwa's eyes that were used to the black flag looming above their heads. Why would the pirates shoot someone carrying their symbol?