Forgotten Wars

Chapter VII

Clinton sits hovered in the corner of his locked cabin. His throat was sore from all the screaming he had done the past day or so. They had stopped at an island. Where he did not know, but he had felt the forward movement of the ship come to a halt. It would be several hours before they would start their journey once again. Vane had come back aboard joyous. He had even taken the time to come down to inform Clinton about the sight of his mother. The boy had resorted to begging in order to go home. His parents were so close. He did not understand why they did not rescue him. What Clinton had not known was that The Ravager was at a nearby island shoal. He was nowhere near his mother during the incident. Vane and a few choice men had gotten into a boat and rowed to shore while The Ravager hid from sight. 

After Vane's taunting, the boy had fallen back into screaming and crying for hours on end. He was now worn out. Too tired to put forth the effort. The boy tensed as the door creaked open. A sailor comes in offering the boy food and water. It was the same man who came about two times a day to give the boy his meals. He was at least being well taken care of in that mannwe. The man strolls in, leaving the door open as he sets the plate on the bed. Clinton's eyes flick to the open door. He had no idea where he was going but he just had the urge to run. His mom had always told him to never give up, to keep fighting even when the odds were not in his favor. 

Clinton glances wearily at the man and then the door. It was now or never. The small boy jumps up racing to the entryway. The man was surprised that the boy had the balls to go for it, but not so much so he'd let him get by. He takes one step to him, grabbing the boy by the back of his collar. He lifts him up off the floor. 

"And where do you think you're going squirt?" The man laughs out. 

The boy scrunchies up his face at the comment. He does not like the mocking tone the man is giving him. He didn't even like it when his daddy did it to him sometimes when they were playing around. He twists in the bigger man's hold, earning a deep chuckle from the man. Clinton twists his face in angered displeasure. The toddler starts to kick his legs. His foot coming into contact with the man's groin. His eyes bulge out of his head as all the air is pushed from his lungs. He releases the boy as the need to throw up raises into his throat. 

Clinton hits the ground hard. A whine slips past his lips at the impact. That had hurt. Clinton lets out a shaky breath as he wipes his nose on his sleeve. The man groans, dragging Clinton out of his teary mindset. The boy scrambles to his feet, rushing out of the door. 

"Stop!" The man yells. He rests himself against the frame as the boy runs up to the upper deck, "Grab the boy!" 

Clinton rushes up to the open space. The cool night air pricks at his skin. Clinton frantically looks every which way. He cannot just jump overboard as he cannot swim very well. His mommy was teaching him but he was having a challenging time picking it up like she can swim. He was not entirely sure where he was going to go or what he could do to escape. Every fiber in his body just told him to run and that is exactly what he did. 

The men start to converge on him. Someone needs to get the boy before he ends up in the water. No one felt like going in after him on the chilly night. The boy was a sneaky slippery little rat though. Every time one man thought he had him cornered. He would slip through his hands, or crawl between their legs. The men were getting tired of the games. 

Mattis growls lightly as the boy rushes by him once again. Carter taught her son well. Mattis admits bitterly. He forcefully places his hands on his hips as he watches the boy run the length of the ship, avoiding the men with an ease only a child would know. He had to figure out how to capture the boy quickly before the Captain came out. The words had no sooner left his mouth when Vane came stumbling over towards the chaos. Mattis swallows hard, dropping his hands from his hips. Oh no.