Becoming The Pirate

Mission Cookie - 8 yrs

Papa was busy in his study. He had guests over, men that do business with him. Papa always told me to stay away from him when he had guests over, and I got stuck with Sophie. Since Mama died, she became my maid, and I thought she hated me.

I make too much trouble, she says. And I cause problems for others. But I was a good boy, well, I tried to be, but a boy gets bored, you know?

What was I supposed to do?

But one day, I was hungry. I haven't had lunch yet, and I wasn't going to eat in an hour. That was just too long! I couldn't wait!

Would it be so bad if I got a snack?

"Sophie, I'm hungry, " I said, testing the waters. "Can I have a snack?"

"No. You are to eat in an hour, and we don't want to spoil your appetite, now would we? Go play, young man; you have plenty of toys, " Sophie said, making my bed. Sophie was about Mama's age, but she wasn't anything like her.

Mama was sweet and kind, but since she died, Sophie was nasty and bossy. She wanted me to be a good boy. Sophie said, Mama, would want me to be a good boy, but what did Sophie know? Mama was dead, and I was smart enough to know she couldn't talk to the deceased.

"But I'm hungry now!" I said, stomping my foot. "Can't I have a small snack? Please, pretty, pretty, please?"

Sophie put her hands on her hips. "No. Young man, play with your toys. Now."

"But-"

"You can always help me clean. I'm sure your father would approve."

"No!" I screamed and ran off into my playroom, hearing Sophie laugh behind me.

I frowned. I was never going to eat! I was going to starve! But I had to be a good boy or else Papa would be mad. So, I rocked in my rocking horse for a while. I named him Lucky, just like the horse Mama invented.

Papa wouldn't let me ride a horse yet. He said I was still too small. I was too small for a lot of things! I couldn't have a gun; I couldn't go hunting with him. I couldn't do anything!

But I was small enough to steal a little snack without getting caught.

Smiling, I got up from my trusty Lucky and patted him on the head. "I'll be right back, " I said. "I'll bring you back something, boy."

Lucky didn't say anything, but I knew he wanted a snack. He would like one.

I looked outside my playroom to see if anyone was around, but there was nobody, not even Sophie. Yay! I snuck out of the room on my tippy toes and down the hall, where a few servants were running around.

I guess they were for Papa and his friends. Oh, well, that meant no would notice me! Instead of sneaking about, I walked. I walked to the kitchen, stopping at the entrance. I looked inside.

The kitchen staff was busy at work, cooking all the stuff Papa probably asked for his guests. Paps always did this. I didn't think people could eat so much!

Among the many foods on every surface was a plate of cookies! I smiled. Yum!

While nobody was looking, I crept into the kitchen. Luckily, nobody saw me. Maybe it was good that I was small. Nobody would notice me, or maybe it was because everybody was working, I didn't know.

I hid under counters and tabletops, quietly crawling underneath while everyone else was working. I watched as their feet moved. If it wasn't one place, it was another. They were busy with Papa and his friends.

When I made it to the table that had cookies on it, I peeked from under the table. Before I could chicken out, I snatched the plate, pulling in underneath with me.

I balanced it in my lap and started to devour the cookies. I stuffed them in my face. They were so good! How could I have more than one! After my fifth cookie, I began to get full, so I put a few in my pocket to bring to Lucky and to save for later.

Lucky would be happy with my find. I just knew it.

As I was trying to stuff one more cookie into a full pocket already full of cookies, the plate fell from my lap, making a noise when it hit the hard floor.

I thought nobody would hear it, but someone did, and that someone was Sophie! What was she doing in the kitchen?

"You!" She screamed. Uh, oh.

Forgetting the plate and the rest of the cookies, I crawled out from underneath the table and made a run for it. I swerved out of the way of all the kitchen staff, causing shouts and screams to follow me out the door, but I didn't care. I needed to get back to Lucky!

I ran down the hallway, running as fast as I could, but I heard someone behind me. I turned my head for a second, and it was Sophie! Why was it always her!

I ran faster, pushing harder. I was going to make it! I was! Lucky would be so proud of me if I hadn't tripped over myself and falling on the floor. Ouch.

Cookies fell from my pockets, and I didn't have enough time to gather enough up and run before a hand snatched my arm, pulling me up.

"That's it! You are going to your father!" Sophie yelled and dragged me up the stairs.

"No! Let me go! Let me go!"

"I've had it with you, young man! Can't you do what I say? I was going to grab you a cookie, but no, you had to sneak off and eat the whole plate!"

"But I didn't eat the whole plate, " I cried, pulling against her, but Sophie didn't let me go. Her grip was tight, and I couldn't escape. "Some of the cookies were for Lucky!"

"Lucky is a toy!"

"He's my horse! Oh, let me go, let me go, let me go! I don't want to go to Papa! Please, please!" I begged. I didn't want to see Papa! He always took me on his lap and spanked me whenever I was bad.

"Christopher Taylor, the answer is no! Why can't you listen? I have had enough of this; you're in your father's hands now, and I don't care if he has company. You will be punished."

Tears fell from my eyes. I was going to die! I was going to die! I was too young to die!

Reaching Papa's study, Sophie knocked on the door. "Come in, " Papa said. Oh, no, no, no!

Sophie opened the door and threw me inside, everyone one of his friends turning their heads. Papa looked me over and sighed.

"Son, what did you do now?"

Wiping my tears, I reached inside my pocket and grabbed a cookie that was stuffed in there good. I smiled and held out the cookie.

"You want a cookie, Papa?"

I got spanked hard that day.