//Okie dokies, since I got some positive feedback, I'm going to soldier ahead. I've added to and re-written some of the first chapter, so even if you read it before it might be good to give it a quick scan. Keep reading, and thank you!//
The middle of the ocean. The sea is calm and blue like the sky. There is nothing to mar the tranquility, until suddenly -
A rowing boat angrily splashed its way across the surface. It was being propelled by the violent strokes of a short bearded man, bald on top but with straggly long hair. Sitting in the stern was a taller, gaunt looking individual with a messy pudding bowl haircut and a patchy attempt at a moustache. He had only one eye, and sported a wooden replacement which seemed to give him some discomfort, as he rubbed it frequently. Clad in filthy rags, both had the distinct look of the pirate about them.
"I told you, stop rubbin' it!" said the bald pirate.
"Sorry Pintel, but it itches me bad." replied his companion mournfully.
"You'll only 'urt yourself, and then were will we be?"
The skinny pirate appeared to give this some thought.
"Where are we now?" he asked after some perplexing seconds.
The one named Pintel seemed exasperated by the question.
"I don't know, do I?"
"How long 'ave we been rowing for?"
"Long enough f'rit to be your turn again!" said Pintel, standing up and causing the boat to rock.
There were a few precarious moments as the two pirates tried to swap places, but eventually the taller was safely seated and the rowing commenced.
They lapsed back into silence.
"Pintel?" said the other finally.
"Yes?"
"'Ow did you know about that loose bar? And that this boat wouldn't have no-one guardin' it?"
"Ask no questions, Ragetti matey, and you'll be told no lies."
Ragetti gave a short laugh and looked down. Pintel looked at him pityingly.
"You, old mate," he said "are not of the thinkin' persuasion. You'd best leave that sort of fing to me."
Ragetti nodded forcefully, still looking down. His lips moved as if he was muttering to himself. Again there was silence.
"S'funny, isn't it." said Ragetti after a while.
"What is?"
"Bein' hungry."
"Oh, bloody hilarious." said Pintel.
"I just mean, after so long an' all." Ragetti looked thoughtful. "What you going to eat first, I mean, when we gets ashore?"
Pintel sighed, but thought about the question just the same.
"Steak'd be a favourite. Rare, like, wiv blood. What 'bout you?"
"...Cake?" he replied.
"Cake?!"
"Ain't had cake in a while." said Ragetti defensively.
"Why don't you just get a lovely dress to eat it in?" said Pintel sarcastically.
"Can't afford no dresses."
There was a pointed silence, which Ragetti spectacularly failed to notice.
"'Ow much does a glass eye cost?" he said eventually.
"Dunno. A pretty penny, I'd say. More than the likes of us can afford, anyhow."
Ragetti nodded once and grimaced a little. His eye was itching again and he couldn't rub it while he was rowing.
He watched Pintel out of his good eye. Pintel was his best friend, but occasionally he was nasty to him. As he said, Ragetti was definitely not of the thinking persuasion, and sometimes Pintel got annoyed with him. But he was glad they'd escaped from the brig of the Dauntless together.
Now, in the middle of the sea, Ragetti wasn't worried, even though they'd been rowing for over a day without any food or water. He had a sunny nature and absolute trust in his friend. Pintel would know what to do.
"Land! Look!" Pintel shouted, jumping up and hitting Ragetti on the shoulder till he turned round. He pushed his companion out of the way and took his place at the oars, rowing frantically.
Ragetti beamed and giggled.
They reached land about two hours later, and they pulled the boat far up on the beach.
The middle of the ocean. The sea is calm and blue like the sky. There is nothing to mar the tranquility, until suddenly -
A rowing boat angrily splashed its way across the surface. It was being propelled by the violent strokes of a short bearded man, bald on top but with straggly long hair. Sitting in the stern was a taller, gaunt looking individual with a messy pudding bowl haircut and a patchy attempt at a moustache. He had only one eye, and sported a wooden replacement which seemed to give him some discomfort, as he rubbed it frequently. Clad in filthy rags, both had the distinct look of the pirate about them.
"I told you, stop rubbin' it!" said the bald pirate.
"Sorry Pintel, but it itches me bad." replied his companion mournfully.
"You'll only 'urt yourself, and then were will we be?"
The skinny pirate appeared to give this some thought.
"Where are we now?" he asked after some perplexing seconds.
The one named Pintel seemed exasperated by the question.
"I don't know, do I?"
"How long 'ave we been rowing for?"
"Long enough f'rit to be your turn again!" said Pintel, standing up and causing the boat to rock.
There were a few precarious moments as the two pirates tried to swap places, but eventually the taller was safely seated and the rowing commenced.
They lapsed back into silence.
"Pintel?" said the other finally.
"Yes?"
"'Ow did you know about that loose bar? And that this boat wouldn't have no-one guardin' it?"
"Ask no questions, Ragetti matey, and you'll be told no lies."
Ragetti gave a short laugh and looked down. Pintel looked at him pityingly.
"You, old mate," he said "are not of the thinkin' persuasion. You'd best leave that sort of fing to me."
Ragetti nodded forcefully, still looking down. His lips moved as if he was muttering to himself. Again there was silence.
"S'funny, isn't it." said Ragetti after a while.
"What is?"
"Bein' hungry."
"Oh, bloody hilarious." said Pintel.
"I just mean, after so long an' all." Ragetti looked thoughtful. "What you going to eat first, I mean, when we gets ashore?"
Pintel sighed, but thought about the question just the same.
"Steak'd be a favourite. Rare, like, wiv blood. What 'bout you?"
"...Cake?" he replied.
"Cake?!"
"Ain't had cake in a while." said Ragetti defensively.
"Why don't you just get a lovely dress to eat it in?" said Pintel sarcastically.
"Can't afford no dresses."
There was a pointed silence, which Ragetti spectacularly failed to notice.
"'Ow much does a glass eye cost?" he said eventually.
"Dunno. A pretty penny, I'd say. More than the likes of us can afford, anyhow."
Ragetti nodded once and grimaced a little. His eye was itching again and he couldn't rub it while he was rowing.
He watched Pintel out of his good eye. Pintel was his best friend, but occasionally he was nasty to him. As he said, Ragetti was definitely not of the thinking persuasion, and sometimes Pintel got annoyed with him. But he was glad they'd escaped from the brig of the Dauntless together.
Now, in the middle of the sea, Ragetti wasn't worried, even though they'd been rowing for over a day without any food or water. He had a sunny nature and absolute trust in his friend. Pintel would know what to do.
"Land! Look!" Pintel shouted, jumping up and hitting Ragetti on the shoulder till he turned round. He pushed his companion out of the way and took his place at the oars, rowing frantically.
Ragetti beamed and giggled.
They reached land about two hours later, and they pulled the boat far up on the beach.