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The moon still hangs high in the sky when I make my way to the crow’s nest. I smile as I see the last of the land behind us disappear behind the horizon. I love the ocean. I look at the moon and then towards the east. The first rays of sunlight are peeking over the horizon and color our sails orange, instead of the usual white. I look down at the ocean and notice how still the water is. I can see the reflection of our ship in the water. Very unusual. But nothing to be worried about. Yet.
I watch the sun rise slowly over the horizon. And soon I’m being called down.
“Katherine, what are you doing up there?” My sister calls up. I smile at her. Our captain. I love sailing with her. She’s my everything. I love her even more than I do the ocean.
“Nothing, just sitting,” I call down.
“Well, come down,” she shouts.
“I will, just a second.” I look around one more time. I’m about to make my way down when I see something strange. An entire flock of birds is making its way towards us. I watch them fly over. And then suddenly what seems like a million birds fly over us and through our sails.
“What the hell?” I whisper. I look down and the whole crew is looking after the birds. My eyes go back to the ocean and there is a lot of movement under the surface. A million fish, dolphins, and other sea life are swimming under our boat in the same direction as the birds. What the hell? I look out a little farther out to sea and notice a pod of whales coming our way. Their backs and tails surface. My heart skips a beat. No, they'll hit our boat.
"Secure yourselves, " I shout, "whale pod ahead!”
There’s a flurry of movement below on deck as everyone finds something to hold on to. They know what to do. But my sister is climbing up the rigging towards me. She’ll never make it in time.
“Captain, don’t,” I shout at her. But she doesn’t listen.
“No, I need to so for myself,” she says. The whales come closer. When they reach our ship, they bump against us. Were tossed and thrown along the backs of the great beasts. My sister holds on tight to the mast. When the whales have passed us she starts climbing again. I see the whale to late. It has a strange white mark on its back. There is another thump. In slow motion, I see my sister lose her hold on the rope she was holding. She falls back, her face shocked.
“Noooooo, Liz!” Her body hits the deck with a sickening crunch. No, no, no, no, no, no. I make my way down faster than I ever have. I fall next to her on my knees. But I can see that I’m too late. She’s staring up with an empty gaze. Her chest no longer moving.
“No,” I choke out, “No, Liz, please.” I take her body in my arms as my tears start to fall.
“No,” I cry. I don’t know how long I sit there. Eventually, I’m pulled away from her body. She’s wrapped in silk and being prepared to be given to the sea. I just watch as she’s lowered down into the water. She sinks and her spirit is released through the bubbles. I smile. At least she’s free.
I go below deck and sit in my sister’s chair. My mind goes back to the whale. It will pay. There’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I call out. The door is opened by the first mate.
“I’ve been talking to the crew, and we think it’s best that you become captain,” he says.
“Me? But you’re the first mate,” I say.
“And it would be my honor to be yours,” he says with a small bow.
“Thank you, Daniel,” I say. I take the captain’s hat he’s holding out for me and put it on.
We make our way back on to the deck. I stand before my new crew.
“Thank you all,” I start, “Today is a sad day. But we will not let it go to waste. I promise you that I will lead you as well as my sister and we will make her proud!” The crew cheers. And we will kill that whale, I add in my head.
“Let’s get to work.” The crowd breaks up and they all get back to work.
“Captain!” I turn to the voice. It’s Daniel. He looks worried.
“Yes, what is it?” I ask. He just points at the horizon. I squint. A warm glow seems to be coming closer and closer.
“Is that fire?” I ask confused. As I say it, I realize it is and it’s coming our way fast. And it’s heading for land.
“We’ve gotta warn them,” I say. I feel that panic around me as the crew starts to notice the fire racing towards us.
“No panicking, boys, we are the fastest boat in the navy. So let’s go before it’s too late,” I shout. Our ship starts moving faster but the fire is speeding up too. I clomb back into the crow’s nest. I can finally see land.
“Land, ho,” I shout. The men cheer but I realize we won’t make it in time. My sister’s death will be in vain. And we will all soon join her. Our ship catches fire and I hear my crew screaming as they are burned alive. The fire races up the mast.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. I’m swallowed up by the hot inferno. I see my sister right before everything goes black.
