Fredrick Greene was a respectable man, who lived in a small house near the beach. He was young and handsome, with a fair and noble face. His long ebony hair was wavy and his eyes were the color of genuine silver. Born and raised in Liverpool, Fredrick was the son and only child of Jewish parents, Margaret and Howard Greene. His mother died when he was seven, leaving his father to raise him all alone. Fredrick's father wanted him to become a doctor when he grew up. And when he died, Fredrick respected his father's wishes and went to study medicine at the university.
Now a man of 37, Fredrick had become quite bored with his occupation. As he stood in front of a round mirror adjusting the collar on his ruffled white shirt, Fredrick thought about an amazing, yet mysterious dream he had the other night. There were sword fights, tentacled monsters, pretty damsels, cursed treasures, and rogue pirates. After he finished adjusting the collar on his shirt, Fredrick picked up a ring from his dresser and placed it on his right middle finger. It was a pewter ring that held a black, oval-shaped stone. It had the emblem of a snake on either side. It was not of any value, though it did hold precious memories. It was this very ring that had belonged to Fredrick's late mother. Fredrick loved his mother very much. She always believed in him and always told him to grow up to become whatever he wanted to be. Fredrick smiled as he recalled the times when he and his mother would pretend to engage in daring sword fights with each other.
The ding donging of the grandfather clock interrupted Fredrick from his thoughts. He looked over to see what time it was.
"Brilliant", said Fredrick. It was already eight o'clock. He was late for work. Fredrick turned back to the mirror, put on his black vest, and buttoned it up. He threw on a pale green coat with creamed-colored lace on the front and around the opening of the sleeves. He then picked up his black leather medical bag and proceeded to head out the door.
Fredrick walked out the front door and stepped out into the faint sunlight. The weather would turned grey much later, he was sure of it. The sun warmed his face and the crisp air filled his lungs. He looked out towards the water, a sparkling glow of white glistened against the big blue. The sound of crashing waves and the cry of the gulls seemed to be calling to him. Though he would very much love to brave those waters, Fredrick breathed through his nose and sighed in sadness, before he started on his way towards the city, unaware of the magnificent ship that sailed out from behind the cliff. The Rojo Nieves, it was called. It sailed under a black flag with a blue rose on the left side of a white skull and crossbones. The crew that boarded this fine vessel consisted of seven men. And one woman.