My eyes were heavy and my head ached like hell. Man… That had been an ace party. Or maybe it had been awful and I was just too drunk to tell. That was Tortuga for you! I had sailed here with my friend Charlotte last night and we were roped into an almighty bar fight and later a drinking competition. It had been the first time I had ever been drunk and I was sixteen years old. Charlotte and I had a small sailing boat which we nicked from some rich, English guy's boat shed. He had loads so we thought he wouldn't miss one even if it was already roped and ready to go, the temptation was unbelievable. All of my life I'd been on the streets, taken in by strangers now and then. I have very few memories of the orphanage where I was raised until I was seven, I ran away because the older kids were horrible to me and so were the staff. I was left at the orphanage with only a strip of cloth as a blanket and the only other possession I held dear was a doll that was sent to me when I was fourteen. I kept that doll with me at all times, the only connection between me and my past. Charlotte and I had run away together from the orphanage, she was my only friend and was incredibly loyal. We both had been raised in a not so pleasant environment and we would only occasionally nick stuff and bend the rules. She and I were as thick as thieves and wherever I went, she went and vice versa.
I scrunched up my face in pain, not wanting to open my eyes. The sun was bright and there was a terrible stench of sweat and sea salt. I could hear men shouting around me and sea gulls squawking loudly. It wasn't until I heard Charlotte shake me that I sat up abruptly and took in my full surroundings.
"Georgia!" Charlotte moaned "I've been trying to wake you for ages! Get up! We need to get off this ship."
"Ship?" I questioned, suddenly putting the pieces together. "Who's ship?" Clearly in our unstable state we had somehow signed up to join the crew of some unknown sailor. Or even, a pirate.
"I don't know… We must have been pretty drunk last night." Charlotte nodded.
"OI! You muckers! Get off your fat arses and start working!" Shouted a seaman, throwing us a rope.
"We're in so much trouble." Charlotte winced, picking up the rope.
Charlotte's hair was cut short, mine was tucked neatly under my hat and we were wearing outfits stolen from two young sailors who had passed out on the floor. Anyone could mistake us as young boys and kick us aboard a ship.
"We should seek out the captain or first mate; explain to them our exact situation and request they drop us at the nearest port." I suggest, thinking it through in my mind.
"I don't know if they will listen to us Gee." Charlotte frowned.
"Have you got a better idea?" I asked keeping my voice to a whisper.
"Not right now." Charlotte rolled her eyes, reaching her hand out to help me stand up.
We made our way around the ship, hiding from any gruff looking sailors and trying suss what kind of ship we were on. It seemed fairly orderly but the crew were raggedly dressed and very rude. It was either a merchant ship or pirates. Right now we were praying for merchants, after all, pirates would never listen to us. We made it to the cabin and together we knocked vigorously on the door.
"Enter…" Called a heavy, rough sounding voice. I pushed open the door slowly and stepped forward. "What is your purpose in my cabin when two such fine young men should be out on deck assisting their fellow crewmen sail?" A man with long ebony hair and a sleek beard that looked like it had been burnt until it had turned a whitish silver colour asked sternly.
"Captain…" I leaned towards him slightly.
"Drake." He nodded politely. "And seeing as you have no clue where you are, welcome aboard the Silver Phantom. You must be the couple of the lads the crew picked up in Tortuga last night. I was told there had been a rather intense drinking competition held and you two were the winners. The first mate likes a heavy drinker and asked you enrol. But as you seem very confused, I'm assuming that signing up was not your intention. But don't worry, many a man has awoken at sea, you'll be a fully-fledged pirate in no time at all."
Pirate… The word resounded in my head over and over. I was aboard a pirate ship! Part of me was terrified! I had seen a pirates work, a man came to the orphanage one night and kidnapped three of the older boys along with the box where we put our keep-sakes and our inherited goods of value. All of us lost something that night and all because of a stinking pirate. And yet, adrenalin pumped through my system with the excitement of the word, the idea of being completely free and able to do anything I wanted.
Charlotte's face looked stricken when I glanced at her. She bit her lip and her eyes were glistening with fear.
"P… P… Pirate?" She stuttered.
"Aye me lad, this be one of the most ordered pirate ships on this world's oceans. We work together and get the job done smoothly earning us the name the 'phantom'. We have strict rules aboard and I expect you to follow them or face the… Consequences."
"But, we just want to be let off at the nearest port." Charlotte quickly added.
"Ah, but that not be for a few days sailing so if you'll get back to work." Captain Drake smiled ushering us back through the cabin door. "Dermott Gyles! Show these lads how to tie the ropes around here."
"Yes captain!" Dermott replied scuttling forwards and grabbing our wrists.
"What are we going to do?" Charlotte whispered in my ear.