Oak watched as Ash ran out the door to see what was going on. There were yells from the crew. Ash fired a pistol shot into the air away from anyone who could be hit by the falling bullet. Captain Oak hurried to his feet weakly and hobbled to the door. Silence came over the crew, and all eyes were on Ash.
“What the hell is going on!?” Ash said as she stared down at everyone.
A drunken Boso wobbled forward and then fell to the ground. With his face buried on the deck floor, he tried to mumble out words, but they were incoherent between the sobs and laughter.
A deck hand spoke up, “It was Gulliver’s damn man on this ship. He and Boso were arguing till someone threw a punch.” The deckhand punched the air and grabbed his arm around another crew member.
“And would that someone be Boso?” Ash said. She put her hand on her hip and pointed her gun at Boso.
“Someone did it, and I ain’t saying who,” The drunken deckhand said.
“Well, you better,” Captain Oak started, “If Gulliver finds we are just as scummy as he is, then we’ll never have our freedom back.” Captain Oak held himself up on the door frame.
“Who cares if he thinks we’re scummy. The fat bastard deserves it,” said another member of the Rhytidome.
“We all deserve to be sent to the bottom of the sea, so it's best not to take fire unless you want to be fired at. We all signed our lives away the moment we decided to be pirates. We don’t bother anyone unless we are being bothered. Other pirates, the Royal Guard, and even everyday folk would rather see us dead, but we choose to be free out on the high seas,” Captain Oak said. “Now get back to work; we sail westward into a new adventure.”
“Aye, Aye Captain!” The crew shouted. They started to weigh anchor and plotted a course to the western islands.
“Ash, please bring Stur into my quarters after I get something to eat,” Captain Oak commanded Ash.
“Aye, Captain,” replied Ash.
Ash walked past Boso on the ground and gave him a little kick to the side of his ribs before heading to the galley of the Rhytidome.
Captain Oak lay back down on his bed. His fever still lingered, and his stomach felt nauseous. The urge to vomit came over him, and before he knew it, his stomach was emptied. Translucent reds and greens splattered on the floor, Captain Oak fell to his hands and knees, and his body gave way to one more emptying event. He expected more reddish-green stomach acid, but what came out shocked Captain Oak even more. A small snake slithered out of his mouth and onto the floor.
“Oh, you slimy bastard,” Captain Oak said out loud. He chased down the snake before it could slither away. Oak grabbed the body of the snake and, with his other hand, grabbed its head. With as much strength as Captain Oak could muster, he let go of the body and grabbed his bottle of gin. With one quick strike of his bottle, he smashed its head. The bottle shattered on impact. Bits of glass were scattered around, and Captain Oak’s hand was cut by the shards.
Ash walked into the room and almost dropped the food she fetched for Captain Oak. She ran over to Oak, who was on the ground, and stared at his hand.
“What are you doing, Oak?” Ash said.
“That damn snake took refuge in my stomach," Captain Oak replied.
“What snake?”
“The one that bit me. He came out, and I smashed his head.”
Ash looked over to see a jagged gin bottle stuck into her captain’s hand. The smell of sour vomit and copper blood stung her nose as she leaned in to pick up Captain Oak.
“Oak, I see no snake, unless you think your hand is a snake. All you did was waste your gin and lose more blood.” Ash picked up Captain Oak and put him in his bed. “I’ll get Tiko; please don’t move.”
Captain Oak lay on his bed, and a tear rolled down his face. He looked at his hand that had his bottle halfway in the back of his palm.
“Damnit,” Oak said to himself.
A few moments passed, and Tiko came into the room and started to patch up Captain Oak’s hand. Tiko gave opium to Oak to dull his pain. The warm feeling rushed over Captain Oak’s body as the pain reliever settled in.
“That should do it,” Tiko said.
Oak soon passed out again.
“I’ll keep an eye on him, Tiko,” Ash said.
Captain Oak laid still on the bed, his breathing was soft and for the first time since they left Deckkers Port he seemed at peace. The sounds of ocean waves calmed his spirit and the swaying of the Rhytidome gave the feeling of being rocked like a baby who found security in their mothers arms.
Oak dreamed about his time growing up in Thornroot, and how Ash nearly blew themselves up with a small deck cannon.
“Oak, where are we going to get gun powder to fill this thing? I want to fire at the trees,” A young Ash said while patting the little cannon.
“I think Mr. Willow has some in his shop above his desk,” Oak replied. He pulled out a round shot out of his bag and tossed it at Ash. The sudden weight of the ball landing in her arms nearly knocked her over.
“Hey, watch it or this ball will fly back at you,” Ash said as she dropped the ball next to the cannon. “Now lets hurry to Mr. Willows shop.”
The two kids ran to the edge of the islet where their makeshift raft was anchored at their makeshift dock. Both kids climbed in, Oak raised the anchor, which was a large rock tied to the raft with rope, and Ash untied the blanket that acted as a sail. They both grabbed an ore and began to row across the river back to the edge of town. When reaching to the edge of town a tall slender boy stood at the top of a hill looking down at Ash and Oak. He held his arms crossed and the scowl on his face read like the kids got caught doing something they shouldn’t be.
“And where do you think you’re going?” The boy asked in a condescending way.
“Oh shove off Boso, we don’t need you ratting us out,” Ash said as she walked past him with a bump against his shoulder.
“She’s always been so pleasant, hasn’t she, Oak,” Boso said, smiling at Oak.
“Yeah, she gets this way when she wants to make things go boom,” said Oak, gesturing with his hand an explosion.
“Did you get the cannon to work?!” Boso said in surprise.
“We don’t know yet, we need to get the gun powder from Mr. Willows shop,” Oak said.
“How do you plan to do that?” Asked Boso, now joining the other two.
“I don’t know yet, Mr. Willow doesn’t leave his desk, unless we can draw him out of the shop for a moment,” Oak said, looking down at his bag.
“You got something in there that would help?” Boso said as he wrapped his arm around Oak’s shoulders, “You do tend to have just what you need in that bag of yours at all times. It’s almost like it can read the future of your situations,”
Oak opened his bag and looked for something that might help. He pulled out a stick.
“Are you going to play fetch with the old man?” Boso mocked.
Oak put the stick back in his bag. He rummaged around again, he pulled out this time a jar of black sand.
“Maybe I can swipe the gun powder with this?” Oak said, handing the jar to Boso. With another try to find something that would help, Oak pulled out a box of matches and a stick of firecrackers. There were six stringed together by a long fuse.
Boso let out a long air laugh, “Ash, I think you are going to like this,” Boso said as he grabbed the firecrackers and tossed them to her.
Ash looked at the firecrackers for a moment, and slowly her head raised up to meet the eyes of the two boys. A devious grin spread across her face, and she then looked at the box of matches.
“I get to be the distraction!” Ash cried out and with a quickens grabbed the box out of Oak’s hand.
Oak and Boso laughed at the little girl's excitement.
“Okay, here is the plan,” started Oak, “Boso runs in to Mr. Willows spot and yell that there are pirates attacking the town, and then grab something that can be used as a weapon and run back out there,”
“Why do I have to go back out there?” Boso asked.
“Beacuse you are the only one arrogant enough to fight while being out matched,” said Oak.
“Fair enough, continue,” Boso replied.
“Mr. Willow will head the disruption and the taking of something from his store, but he won’t chase, let alone move, unless he is being attacked. So, Ash, throw on stick first to alert Mr. Willow. Light two more while Boso is in the shop. Then light one more to make it seem like they are closer.” Oak looked at Boso, “You need to act like that firecracker got you, Boso.”
“But why? I can take on some dumb pirates,” Boso said, pretending to fight the air.
“Becasue you need to be humbled,” Said Ash.
“Oh, quiet you,” Boso said, sticking his tongue out at her.
“Hey, focus, now when Boso acts like he got hurt, Mr. Willow will run out, and Ash,” Oak looked at the girl and gave the same devious smile, “Have fun with the last two sticks.” Oak gave a wink and stood up.
Ash being giddy started to run down the road and got herself into position. The next few minutes were a sight to behold. First, Boso tripped when running into the store. Second, what sounded like yelling was laughter from the old shop keep. Third, Ash forgot to light the second two sticks while Boso was in the shop. Fourthly, When Boso ran out he grabbed what looked to be a paper weight. Finally, Ash managed to light the next two while Boso ran out. They popped right at his feet which made him trip again. Lastly, Mr. Willow casually walked out of his store and looked over to Boso on the ground. He then turned to Ash who had the last three sticks in her hand ready to prime and throw. They both stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. When finally Ash lit the sticks and hurled them at Mr. Willow.
POP! POP! POP!
They went off right on his chest, the noise and the flash made him flinch. Ash quickly ran away and Mr. Willow followed after her.
That is when Boso and Oak fought their way through the store. Both trying to be the one to swipe the jar.
“Why are you trying to take the jar?” Oak asked, pushing and pulling at Boso.
“I embarrassed myself, it's only fair I get to be the one to grab the treasure,” Boso replied.
“Hurry then, I don’t think Ash could out run him for much longer,” Oak said, as he tossed the jar of sand to Boso.
Boso almost dropped the jar and once having a hold of both contents he switched the items and jumped down off the desk.
“Okay lets go-”
“And what do you think you’re doing?” said an old stern voice from behind the boys.
Mr. Willow stood looking at the boys with dagger-like eyes. He carried Ash in one arm and held out his other for the jar.
“My jar please,” Mr. Willow asked.
“Sorry sir,” Oak said, reaching for the jars from Boso.
When a sudden loud bang rang across the sky. Screams soon followed behind as another bang rang out again.
“PIRATES!” Yelled a voice from outside.
Three more explosions stepped closer to the shop. Mr. Willow put down Ash and looked at the kids.
“Get to safety, hurry,” Mr. Willow said, he walked over to a table and pulled the drawer. Out fell a pistol, a few coins, and a map. “Try to make it to Thornroot keep. At least that place is fortified.”
The kids all ran out the door and followed the road to the keep. While running the air was filled with cannon fire, screams, and stomping of feet. The kids ran together, but Ash soon trailed off to her raft. Oak went after Ash and Boso stayed on the trail to the keep.
“Ash! What are you doing? We have to go.” Oak said, trying to catch his breath.
“We have a cannon, we can fight back.” Ash said, untying the raft from a tree.
“We are going to get ourselves killed,” Oak said, jumping onto the raft. “Let's hurry.”
The two kids with all the strength they had rowed out to the islet. They abandoned tying the raft to the dock and just flung the rock off to the side hoping the raft wouldn't float away. They rushed over to the small deck cannon and loaded up the round shot. Oak couldn’t tell which jar was the correct one so he poured both jars in the cannon. They struggled to move the deck cannon, but with one combined push managed to aim the cannon to the town.
“Wait for pirates,” said Ash.
“How do we know?” Replied Oak.
Distant screams drowned the kid’s thoughts. Buildings tumbled as cannonballs made contact. People falling over, kids running uphill to the Thornroot keep, guards rushing past the people to clash with landing pirates.
When one dangerous looking man popped his head over the hill from the far side of town, Oak stared.
With a tremble in his voice Oak mustered to say, “Fire.”
Ash looked at Oak.
Oak pointed.
Ash looked.
“FIRE!” Oak yelled.
Ash lit the fuse. The sizzle counted down the doom that would meet this unsuspecting pirate. The kids covered their ears. The boom that sounded out the cannon was deafening to the kids. The deck gun was not fastened properly to the ground. The recoil slammed into both kids and knocked them out.
Captain Oak soon awoke from his dream with Ash by his side. She fell asleep on the chair with her head laying on the table. Captain Oak grabbed the blanket off of him and placed it over her. Captain Oak went back to his bed and looked at his bottles along the shelves. A small cracked jar with a little bit of black sand or gunpowder sat across the room. He gives a faint smile and falls back to sleep.