just where to navigate the captain’s beauty.
With dusk sweeping across the ocean we departed from Rike’s quarters to inspect the ship and crew. “Where be Achilles, Sollertis?” The captain asked.
“I left him beneath the orlop with Austin and Everett, captain, I knew how he would react to our guest.” The captain nodded his head a number of times.
“Would you mind fetchin’ ‘im for me?”
“Not a problem.” Sollertis went on his way, momentarily afterwards May left us, retiring beneath the orlop to rest.
“There be little space left beneath the orlop, Lupino lad, though I be sure ‘arvey ‘ere will find you a place of privacy should you seek it.”
“I thank you, cap’n, most kind. However,” he paused, “there be something odd about ‘ow I sleep upon ship, I know not if I be cursed or be dreamin’ but for your crew’s safety I suggest you lock me away during the hours o’ mi rest.” Again Rike laughed at the man’s words.
“You’re full o’ amusing tale’s, Lupino, an interesting character indeed. If you truly wish it be so then allow mi first mate to lock you away.” The captain turned about shaking his head and returned to his quarters, leaving me to take Lupino beneath deck in efforts to find a room with space enough for the man to sleep within.
‘Twas upon the orlop deck where my own quarters were found, next to Sollertis’, however I seldom slept there. At the far side of the orlop was Davey’s old chamber, no longer used by any man. Within the chamber ‘twas most peculiar, ‘twas bare but for a wooden shelf which the giant had evidently used as a bed for marks where his great brown coat had been laid upon stained the haggard woodwork. On the far wall were also engraved five words:
Into the darkness I stride
I shivered as I read them. I am sure no man alive has seen the sorrows Damien Rones has experienced, I could only image the event that preceded the etching of these words. ‘Twas likely the giant had believed his time was up.
The doors of the chambers upon the orlop had been fitted with a number of circular steel frames through which chains could be thread. The purpose was in the case we should be holding prisoners of any significance, I had not in all my time upon Roselyn been required to lock someone away as I did with Lupino, however ‘twas at his own wishes.
“Be sure it’s secure, Sailor.” We nodded at each other and Lupino went into Davey’s chamber. I secured the door with a number of chains and locks and put little thought on the matter for the captain seemed to speak so much it was difficult to part truth from lies.
Once the locks were fastened I departed from the orlop, I went beneath in efforts to sleep for the few hours I had previously taken had done little to settle me. The night that lay ahead of me on that evening would truly be one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. I had never once had a fear of the unnatural until Roselyn’s journey was to cross ways with the stray captain, events that persisted after our uniting with the man I would rather have no memory of.
I cannot be sure of what hour I was awoken from slumber that night. ‘Twas with an eruption of calls from my crewmates I was brought to consciousness. “Sailor sir! It be Lupino! ‘e be locked away wi’ the cap’n’s beast!”
“It be tearin’ ‘im ‘part, sir! Quick ‘fore there be a thing left o’ ‘im!”
It took me some time to fully stir from slumber and admittedly I thought I was within a dream. As I sat up near half the crew surrounded me with looks of fear stricken upon their faces. “You’re sure?” I asked, still half asleep.
“Aye, sir! The beast be nowhere in sight, you can ‘ear ‘im inside the room!” After a moments more hesitance I rolled down from my hammock and slowly made my way up the ladder towards the hatchway that led to the orlop. Softly, I pushed the heavy board upwards and looked across the orlop deck towards Lupino’s door. Most abruptly an almighty bang caused the door and the chains that held it secure to erupt, flailing all about the door scarcely held in place. I immediately ducked back into the resting chamber and looked over to the crew who stared at me with horror.
“Whad’ you see, sir?” Bill whispered to me poised in his hammock as if ready to defend himself.
“You’re sure it be Achilles, lads? The capt’n ordered Sollertis fetch ‘im earlier.”
“I ‘as, aint see’s ‘im, sir. I was sleepin’ ‘neath ‘ere all the time.” Liner was a mess, he was not the sharpest of men on deck and his face looked as confused as it was scared. His unkempt beard was dripping with some kind of liquor. He stood swaying, resting a hand on his bald head.
“Liner, ‘ave you been drinkin’ again?” Austin stood staring at the man and as I shook my head every man I could see suddenly flinched for another great crash shook the door in the orlop.
“What else could it be, cap’n? Err, Sailor sir?” Liner slurred before falling face first into a hammock, probably unconscious.
“Davey’d of already ripped the door off and been done wi’ it, sir.” These words were enough to make me feel ridiculous. I took one deep breath to steady my nerves and jumped up into the orlop though immediately froze in fear as I heard deep growls coming from within the room.
“Lupino?” I yelled out. Other pirates rushed up through the hatchway joining me within the orlop.
“Let ‘im free, sir! ‘e’ll surely be dead otherwise!”
“Nay, sir! The beast will eat us all now ‘e ‘ath tasted one o’ us!”
As I listened, the sounds coming from within Davey’s chamber were most disturbing. Growls and gnarling mixed with strange whimpers and screams. It’s true I recall thinking, our guest was being mauled to death by Achilles. Austin brought me the keys from my chamber to unlock the great locks that imprisoned the stranger yet I simply could not bring myself to release the chains. A man’s imagination is as much his worst enemy as it can be his most valuable asset, and at that very moment I was unable to act through fear of the dog having tasted blood.
“Let ‘im out, sir!” Reid pleaded, however I was stricken by an endless number of dilemmas in that moment should I have opened the door. At the time it was for fear that we would have had no other choice than to have slain the captain’s beloved companion. The beast could have broken free and no man knew its true strength, it could have been the death of us all. In reflection, I truly know not what would have occurred should I have unlocked the door on that night, though I am quite certain the sight we pirates of Roselyn would have beheld would have haunted us to our graves.
7.
‘Twas not long before the feral sounds within Davey’s room resided that we returned to rest. I struggled to sleep that night for such a feeling of guilt engulfed me, in my time I have taken men’s lives and sat beside friends as they passed away in the grimmest of ways, the thought however of imprisoning a man with a wild beast that had taken his life made my stomach churn. As first light came upon the Caribbean I rose to the upper deck of Roselyn, all was quiet, Fox stood upon the crow’s nest and Samuel’s sat at the steering post. The majority of other pirates remained beneath the orlop for the hour was young and little was required of them.
In the quiet of the morning I made my way to captain Rike’s chamber, if Achilles had tasted blood then he might have been the only man onboard who could bring about calmness in the beast. I stood for some moments outside his door before knocking lightly on the woodwork. From within the room I heard claws scraping at the door. Rike acknowledged my entry. Pulling open the woodwork Achilles forced his head through the slight gap and startled me barking loudly before pushing the doorway wide open making his way out onto the deck.
“Be there a problem, ‘arvey?” The captain asked looking over his map of the Caribbean.
“Achilles ‘as been in your chamber all night, cap’n?”
“Aye, lad, I kept ‘im in for ‘e ‘ath been awful unsettled ‘round our guest.” Un-alarmed, the captain leant over the map to measure something.
“Cap’n, I thought your dog ‘ad been locked away with our gu
est last night, for it seemed and sounded as though ‘e were bein’ eaten alive.” The captain looked up at me at this moment with a most peculiar look on his face.
“Were you dreamin’, lad?”
“Nay, I be sure ‘twas occurrin’, cap’n. I be sure.” In the midst of the moment I questioned myself, the event simply did not make any sense.
“Come, let us see what ‘ath become o’ our guest.” Somewhat hesitant I followed the captain down to the orlop deck, the chains and the door of Davey’s room looked undisturbed yet I quickly became aware ‘twas not a dream for a mass of Roselyn’s crew had also gathered on the orlop deck.
“Beware, cap’n, your beast be inside!”
“‘e ate Lupino, sir! We ‘eard the screams.”
“Achilles be upstairs, lads, ‘e ‘ath all night. Calm yourselves down and back away from the door.” The men parted and Rike stepped forward with the keys to the locks.
“Lupino?” He called, banging upon the door heavily. With no reply the captain rapidly began unlocking each of the locks that held the chains secure. As they came apart one after the other the crew fell silent, finally the chains fell from between the metal frames crashing to the floor with a clunk.
A hand immediately forced the door open, I was as shocked as any man with whom I stood as Lupino’s face appeared, he looked as though he had experienced the finest sleep