Day 6

The ocean was calm, almost too calm. It was so quiet I could actually hear the water beating against the hull of our ship, and a few seagulls nesting on the rocky cliffs of the uninhabited island we had lowered anchor for the night. The sun was high in the sky, nearing its peak.

We we’re floating just off shore east of the small mountainous island of Inagua Islands, south east of Jack Bay. So far we had evaded the Spanish bounty hunters during last nights storm. Setting anchor so close to an Island like this would be considered mad.

The men were desperate to get back to Nassau, at least a days sail north west from here. The Captain had considered bringing the ship about to head south for Tortuga but our prise was in Nassau.

The Captain withdrew from his cabin scaring every man not at their post to return immediately. I never left my post, I didn’t have one to leave, I was responsible for keeping the ship afloat along with several others on this frigate.

The Captain barked orders at every member aboard this ship. Weigh anchor, prepare for sail, cast the sails, manned the helm. I joined those climbing the rigging, advancing higher to the top sail I join two others in loosening the sail. As each sail came loose the ship groaned awake the wind catching in the sailcloth forcing them to bulge from their restrictions in turn pushing the ship across the water.

Like clockwork the men would set sail, the moment they felt the ship propel forward, gliding across the waters surface they would start to sing. Today's song of choice was Running Down to Cuba, lead by Hector another of the Boatswain. “Running down to Cuba with a load of sugar”

“Weigh, me boys, to Cuba!” We all chanted together.

“Make her run you, lime juice squeezes” Hector sang.

“Running down to Cuba” We sang in return.

“Weigh, me boys, to Cuba” Hector joined us in chanting the chorus.

“Running down to Cuba.”

The blast of a cannon was hear to those on the starboard side, little attention given as they chanted ‘Running down to Cuba’. The ship was stunned into silence as rocks fell from the nearby cliffs after being hit by a cannon ball.

Our quartermaster shouters orders, the men charging to their posts, the gunners checked the cannons, loaded them if they had to. Those on the port bow narrowly missing fallen rocks. The Captain ordered the carpenter to access the ship for damage before turning his attention to the firing ship.

“Hoist the Colours!” He shouted the kid who had been assigned the job cabin-boy jumped to action.
I joined those controlling the guns with a rifle ready to fire when the Captain got us within range. The cabin-boy joined his Captain at the helm, the kid loaded pistols for the man steering the ship closer to the our assailant.

Others had joined myself and the gunners on the starboard side rifles raised, fingers already pulling the trigger. Once we were in range we all fired upon our opponent. Assessing the ship it was clear we had the men, the guns this Spanish ship was a was a brig, she had half the guns we had and a third of the crew.

We had men hanging from the rigging, and the lower sails for all three masts, they were the men waiting to board the Huntress. Our ship came upon our attackers, I dropped my rifle already reaching for rope to tie the ships together. Once secure the Captain shouted his attack, ordering those closest to board the rest to stay and defend the ship.

I jumped over the rail drawing my cutlass ready to fend off the pirate hunters. Cannons were abandoned a pirates and Spanish hunters clashed, fighting for justice and loot. The first man was easy he went for an over arm attack leaving his body open for me to go for the kill. He fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes clearing the way for the next soldier to attack.

The next guy I found tricky, slashing frantically from left to right I jumped back almost falling over the man I’d just killed. My back collided with the rail, I raised my sword ready to block his next attack which never came. He had a pistol pointed right at me. Surely this was the end of me.
“Bang” A high pitched voice said, followed by a chuckle.

My friend stood in front of me a plastic gun pointed at me, a drawn on eye patch and mustache. He had a red bandanna wrapped around his head a cheesy black pirate hat with a white skull and crossbones on it.

My costume didn’t differ from his that much, I wore a bandanna also just a plain black one, I never bothered to have an eye patch or facial hair drawn on my face. I had a red sash tied around my waist which had a plastic pistol tucked into and served as a holder for my foam sword.

Our ship was the tree house our fathers had built for us when we begged for a pirate ship. Two trees that served as masts for the tree house ship they had built together all those years ago. The trampoline still sat beneath the port-side of the old tree house where we used to play walk the plank all those years ago.

Least there’s one thing I know, our kids are going to love this tree house as much as we did when we were kids. I smiled as I turned from our old playground ground to face my friend, my love, my husband as she approached me with a glass of water, his hand resting on the baby bump his smile changing to a grin when he felt a kick.

Not long now and there will be another boy and girl running around playing pirates, maybe together they can defeat the pirate hunters we always fell prey to.