Dangers of the Sea

And It's Time for Us to Leave Her

"Really?" I exclaim hopping. This could not have gone better. Wait, need to be diplomatic, change the tone. "I mean - please, let's." I school my expression to neutral contentment, and take a seat on one of the crates. My vision dances black and pain shoots through me.

When my vision returns, raised eyebrows are all that I'm met with. That didn't work out so well. Maybe, I can savage a professional image at the end of this stupid adventure I'm on to betray my country, and save people I have never even met, and have no consequence in my life.  

Mr. Winters twists around to look at both Yusuf and Vincent; he jerks his head backwards towards the doorway. The boy nods, taking off without a word. Yusuf stays in place, not moving an inch. Mr. Winters jerks his head again and levels a look at the other man. Still nothing.

"Yusuf, go. I'll be discussing some things with Ms. Sophia here - " 

"I'm not leaving you alone with her. 'Specially not with that bleedin' head of hers," Yusuf interjects. 

Bleeding head? Did he just call me an idiot?

Indignation rises within me.  

I may be reckless, but I am not stupid. 

Rising to snap at the man, he stops me with a look over at me and points to my head. Asshole. I run my fingers through my hair a few times until I stop at the furthest right side of the top side of my scalp. It's sticky and wet. Like paint sticking in my hair mucking it all together. Pulling my hair as close to the front of my face as I can, I examine it the best I can. The light brown shade of my hair is dampened to a deep maroon red. 

My hand comes away stained a brighter pinkish red. I run my fingers gently up the side of my scalp until pain shoots and I hiss. Found it. Continuing my fingers find a long gash along the top right side. It's bleeding profusely. That's probably not good. 

Fingers other than my own part my hair around the wounded area. With a knee jerk reaction, my head snaps up and I shove my arms into the soft part of a stomach. Air releases in a huff from Yusuf. 

He stands in front of me blocking my view of the rest of the room. Arms in the air, he holds medical supplies. Some cloth wraps, a small bottle of amber liquid, and alcohol. Kendrick steps around to the right of Yusuf near some crates. 

"Ms. Sophia, please let the medic do his job," Mr Winters calls sighing. 

"Mr. Winters -" I begin. 

"Kendrick," he interrupts. 

"What?" 

"My name is Kendrick, ma'am. Since you'll obviously be staying with us. I prefer to be called Kendrick. Mr. Winters isn't me," 

Kendrick Winters, interesting name. Where have I heard it before?

"Okay, Kendrick.  Call me Sophia. And the last time your medic," I snarl the last word. "Was near me, he tied me up. Please, excuse me for being on edge," 

"In my defense, you kicked the Quartermaster, and tried to run away," Yusuf reasoned. 

"Quartermaster?" And now I'm lost.

"I'm the Quartermaster," Kendrick says raising his hand. 

"Not the Captain?" I rush out. If I haven't met the Captain then I'm still in trouble. 

"No she's at the helm," he answers leaning on one of the stacks. Wait, she?

"Your Captain is a woman?" I exclaim. Is that even allowed? 

"May I treat your bleeding head?" Yusuf growls. Oh right, I'm bleeding. Something wet dips in my ear. I mutely nod. 

"Thank you, and please suspend your misogynist disbelief. Women are just as capable to Captain a ship as men. Wouldn't have anyone else than our Captain to command us." he declares setting the supplies down and moving my hair. He grabs the alcohol and pulls the cork out with his mouth. I don't reply. These men hold obvious respect for their Captain. What a woman like that must be like to proudly command an entire ship of men with ease. 

"Drink this, then close your eyes." is all he says and puts the drink to my lips. I get a gulp full before he pulls it away, and pours the drink over the side of my face. It's a snap of cold. Sending shockwaves through me.

"Fuck!" I shout. Snickers erupt from the two. The wounded area stings, but a cloth wipes up the dripping mess. The cloth is rubbed over my face a few more times grating along my skin. I peek open an eye. Yusuf dips a finger into the bottle of amber liquid. It looks like he's about to apply honey to my face, but the consistency isn't the same. This is more liquid than goop. It's applied to the wounded area making the area tingle. 

"What'd you put on my wound?" Reaching up I ask, but Yusuf slaps my hand down. 

"Don't touch. It's to help with the pain and healing," he explains grabbing the other cloth he brought to wrap around my head. "There all done," 

I murmur my thanks, and look back over at Kendrick leaning against some crates. 

"Now that we gotten your head taken care of let's talk about these papers some more." He holds up the documents before handing them over to me.

"What would you like to know?" 

"How did you get a hold of these documents?" Yusuf interjects from next to Kendrick where he moved to sit on a crate. Cue a roll of the eyes.

" I bought them from a fruit seller at the market," I snark, sarcasm rippling through my words. "I stole them, obviously."

"Why?"

"I need to start from the beginning for you to truly understand that."

Kendrick gestures for me to move forward. 

"It started a few months ago..."