Chapter One

Start of Crab Season

Most people would say I was downright out of my mind crazy. I would have to agree with them, but what else was I supposed to do? My dad left us, and mom, well she had enough on her plate, being ill, and having three small children to care for. I was the oldest in the house, besides mom of course. Bills needed to get paid, and a crappy job at a convenient store part time wasn't going to cut it. I had to do what I had to do to support my family. I hated school, but stuck it out as long as I could to make mom happy. After school I worked part time at a small convenient store in Dutch Harbor. But lately, things at home were going from bad to worse, I dropped out of school to take a full time position with the store I had been working at. Crabbing season was coming up, and that met a busier store. Since we needed to money, I agreed, and was actually looking forward to it. My mother, however, was upset. She blamed herself for me dropping out of school. I assured her that it was not, and this is what I wanted, and needed to do, but she wouldn't listen to me. I just wish I could do more. I felt sorry for her. She couldn't work, due to her chronic pain from her illness, plus someone needed to be home to care for the children. "Alex, whatcha doin?" I heard my little brother ask. He was the oldest of the three, being only seven years old, Kyle was a curious little guy. I couldn't help but laugh whenever I saw him. He was scrawny, and short for his age, and he often spoke with childish words. He was unique, but I loved him either way. "I am getting ready for work."

"Mama said that we would be fine if you stayed in school, said it would be better for us." Kyle said, as he drew on a piece of paper on Alex's bed.

"Well Mama may be right, but that wouldn't help us right now. Besides, your too young to worry about such things. Shouldn't you be getting ready for school?" Alex asked, as she fixed her hair. Alex was average height for a seventeen year old girl. However, her looks could question anyone that didn't know she was a girl. She was labeled as a tomboy, and frankly, she could care less. She worked hard, and was not afraid to get her hands dirty. She could do more work then what normal girls could do. Often, Alex pushed her limits, testing to see how far her body could go. At one point she was managing a paper route before school, then school, then a four hour job at the store, and after that she would go to the local fish market, and pick up any little job she could. Usually it was cutting up fish for bait, or sorting the fish into packages. On the days she sorted the fish, she would bring them into town, selling what she could to local stores. Currently, Alex let those jobs go, as she was working full time at the store now. If only something better could come along. She ran her hands through her extremely short dark brown hair, before pulling on a black hoodie. Alex walked into the kitchen chugging down a glass of orange juice for breakfast, her mother was fixing breakfast for the two smallest children. Ally, who was two, and Beth, who was four.

"Wont you sit, and eat some food, you dont start work for another hour." Helen asked.

"Sorry mom, boss wants me in early. Crab season is startin up again, and we got a lot to prepare for."

"Alright sweetie. Please be careful."

"I will, bye mom, love you!" Alex yelled as she ran out the door." Alex yelled as she ran out the door.

I stuffed my hands into my my black hoodie. I took in a deep breath of cold Alaskan Sea air, which burned my lungs just a bit. It wasn't even a five minute walk to the store, but that wasn't the direction I was headed to. I know how badly we needed money, and I also knew the easiest way to get it, but it was the hardest, and most deadliest way to earn a living. My cousin had easily become a fishermen, and he often told me how much money he made, and the off time that he had. He loved working on a crab boat, and I couldn't help but think that maybe I could be like him. three months at nine months at sea, and he was able to buy a new house, and a very nice new car. If I could give that to my family, who so desperately needed it, then I had to try. I walked down to the dock, where most all the fishing boats lined. I could see the different crews together, checking their boats, and sorting everything out, when I heard a familiar voice yell out my name, "Alex! Alex, over here!"

I ran up to my cousin, embracing him in a hug, "How are you squirt?" Scott Hillstrand asked. I playfully nudged him, "Not much, just came out looking for work I guess."

"I thought you worked at the store the the street?"

"I do, but its a part time job, and well, I need the money."

"You know dad, and Andy offered to..."

"You know how my mom is Scott. She wont take the money. She even fights with me about taking the money I bring home."

"I know, your moms a hot head, just like you."

"Have you heard from my dad?" I asked, sounding a bit too hopeful.

"Nope, sorry bout that." There was an awkward moment of silence, which Scott attempted to break, "So what kind of job are you looking for?"

"Why, are you going to offer me one?"

"You kidding? You know girls aren't allowed on the boat. Plus, you couldn't handle the work anyway."

A devilish grin took over Alex's face, and Scott couldn't help but worry about the look that sparked in his younger cousins eyes, "Alex, whatever your thinking, your moms gonna kill you if she finds out."

"Scott please, you have to try to help me." I looked up into my cousins eyes, and gave him the most pleading look I could muster.

"Do you have a plan?" He finally broke.

"Look at me Scott, if you didnt' know I was a women, would you think I was a guy?"

Scott looked Alex up and down, and put his head down shaking it from side to side. "Alex, this is insane."

"You know its true. I dont have any girly clothes, because we can't afford them. I dont exactly have a very girlish figure, I'm straight up and down. I chopped all my hair off to make a quick buck two weeks ago. Admit it I look like a boy, and you know I can pull it off."

Scott slouched his shoulders, and put his head down, "Alex, its not a good idea. This is a deadly job. If you do this, and you die, whose gonna take care of your mom then?"

"I wont die, Scott you know its in our blood. You know I can do this. If any girl can its me."

"That maybe true, but how about this, you keep your job at the store, and I will write you a check, and you can help your mom that way?"

"No Scott. I can either do this with or without your help. All I need is for you to get me on a boat, and I will do the rest."

"Ok fine, but listen we need some rules. If anything happens to you, I will not be held responsible. If my dad, or uncles ask me if your on a boat, I have no idea what your up too. If you get hurt, I dont want to know. I ..."

"Scotty, I get it. Thank you so much!" I said as I hugged him. He hugged me back, "I can't believe I'm helping you do this. Do you know how crazy this is? Whats going to happen when they find out you're a girl?"

"They wont. I promise. I'll take care of everything."

After a few hours of plotting, and coming up with several plans. Scott took his cousin to a boat he knew for sure needed a greenhorn.

"Ok, this boat is a good boat. They will make you money, and keep you safe. You'll have a good time."

Scott collected his composure, as he reached the Cornelia Marie. He spotted Josh first, and greeted him.

"Whats up, man?" Scott said, as they gave each other a hug.

"Same old thing, getting the boat ready."

"I hear ya man. Hey, is your old man still looking for a greenhorn?" Scott asked, feeling somewhat sick to his stomach. He wanted more then anything to find a way to get his cousin out of the mess she was about to make for herself. But Alex was always so headstrong. She didnt' take no for an answer. He remembered growing up with her, they were close, and she played like one of the boys. She was a tough little girl. Growing up with her, and going to school, he could always tell Alex was different from all the other girls. Alex was a tomboy, she didn't resemble anything feminine at all, and that is one of the reasons why Scott agreed to go through with her plan. The other reason being was, because she was a tough girl. She was strong from working, and lifting heavy boxes. She was mental strong, dealing with all she had dealt with. Scott always saw her as one of the guys, but putting a tomboy on a boat was something completely different. Being a crabber himself, tested his limits, and he found himself asking himself what the hell was he doing on a boat? He tried to convince Alex this was the wrong thing to do, but she didn't care.

"Yeah, as far as I know, dad doesn't have a replacement." Josh answered back. Alex stood behind Scott waiting to be introduced, but Alex knew better, if Scott could make her look bad, then that's what he would do to make her stay off a boat. Alex had something better in mind, she wasn't going to stand behind her cousin, and let him do all the talking. "Hi, I'm Alex, I'm nineteen, and I'm looking for work." She said as she stepped in front of her cousin, and extended her hand towards Josh. She lied about her age, but she had no other choice. Josh smiled, and shook her hand. Alex voice wasn't girly either. Being surrounded by boys all her life, she had a rather boyish voice.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Josh. My dad owns this boat, I'm a full share deckhand, along with my little brother Jake, who is working over there." Josh said pointing to his brother, "over there, and this is our boat, The Cornelia Marie. Are you the greenhorn?"

"Am I hired?" Alex asked.

"Well you have to talk to my dad."

"Well then I'm not yet the greenhorn." Alex smirked. Josh laughed, and Scott shifted his feet nervously.

"Hey pops, potential greenhorn over here." Josh yelled out to his dad who was already on the boat.

"Bring him up." Phil said through the speaker.

"Thanks Scott. Tell your dad, and Uncle Hi for us." Josh said as he led Alex onto the CM, Scott couldn't do anything except watch his seventeen year old cousin walk into a deathtrap.

Let me know how you all like the new story. Sorry the first chapter sucks! I promise the second chapter will be better! :)