Hey guys its Harley and before I start the next chapter, I just wanted to tell you a little bit about Sam.
hair: long brown
eyes: greenish blue (like the sea)
skin: fair but tan
body: slender and fairly tall
Sam is an orphan from about 1880 in London. She makes a living as a thief and dreams of having adventures. So now on with the story...
"Now, what's a pretty young thing like you doing aboard the Jolly Roger?" asked the pirate.
"I'm sorry. I was just exploring but I fell asleep. I never meant to stay," I said, slightly afraid.
He laughed. "Don't look so scared, I'm not gonna make you walk the plank," he said, "What's your name girl?"
I paused for a brief moment, and then replied, "Amber, sir." That was my late mother's name after all. She died when I was about 9 in the factories, and since she was always working, we never had much time to bond. As for my father, he left before I was old enough to understand. But don't get me wrong. Life on the streets is a constant adventure most of the time, unless I'm being chased by angry cops.
The captain then reached out his non-hooked hand and pulled me up. "The name's Jones, but most people call me Hook."
"Go figure," I said sarcastically, looking at his hand, or lack there of. "What happened?" I asked, but then realized my boldness. He didn't seem to mind.
"Does Rumpelstiltskin ring a bell?" he asked. I gave him a blank stare, "Rumple-who?"
"Oh right, I forgot. You're from a land without magic," he said.
No duh, I thought, this guy's insane! He turned back to me and said, "I guess this means you'll be joining us on our voyage. We're headed for the island some call Neverland. We'll need to find you some sleeping quarters." He motioned towards a fat man in a bright red hat. "Off you go, Smee. Tidy up a room for the lass." I shifted uncomfortably. A long journey with a bunch of crazy pirates. I don't think so.
When the man called Smee returned, Hook showed me to a small room below deck with a few bunk beds built into the wall of the ship. He pointed me to a bottom bunk in the corner of the room. "How's this?" asked Hook.
"It's fine, thanks," I replied, grateful not to have to sleep with a load of drunken sailors. Hook left the room and shut the door behind him. I sat down on my bed and smoothed out the covers.
"he's not all bad, you know," said a voice from above me. I jumped out of surprise and bumped my head on the bunk above me. A boy about my age jumped from the top bunk. He had a nice face with dark brown hair. "Sorry to scare you," he said apologetically. "No worries," I replied stiffly while rubbing my head. He reached out a hand for me to shake and said, "My name's Bae in case you were wondering."
"I'm Saa-Amber," I corrected myself, still slightly confused as to why he was here and who he was.
"Good to meet you... Samber?"
"Um, no, just Amber."
"So how'd you get here," he asked.
"Well, it was all a huge mistake. See, I was running from the police, and I hid on this ship while it was still empty. I fell asleep, and woke up to find a whole crew already sailing this ship away from my home, London."
"Oh, the captain saved me when I was overboard because my father abandoned-,"he stopped leaving an akward pause and then said, "I'm getting kind of tired. Think I'll hit the sack." He blew out the lantern near his bed and climbed up onto his bunk.
I sat there for a while thinking about my situation, and then, once the ship was quiet, I snuck out of my room on the lower deck. I peered through a crack in the door to see the crew sleeping, and then climbed onto the top deck. The warm, salty sea breeze blew my long hair, as I spread my arms to feel the wind and water on my skin. I looked out on the endless sea, watching the waves and the starry night sky. How beautiful. I walked the length of the boat and peered over the edge. I climbed down the front of the boat into a little nook, sitting on the tail of the wooden mermaid, adorning the front of the ship.
As I looked down into the waters, I spotted something glistening in the water. I saw the face of a girl connected to a long tail. A mermaid! She waved at me as she dived back into the water. I held my breath, not believing what I just saw. A little frightened, I climbed out of my now special place, onto the deck.
"Pretty ain't it?" said a voice behind me. Hook. I turned around and asked, "What? The mermaid?" He looked confused. "Well, they are pretty creatures, but, no, the ocean."
"Oh! Yes! It's beautiful," I replied.
"That's why I started sailing in the first place you know. I loved the smell and the feel of the sea It's a part of me now. I may be known as a ruthless pirate, but that doesn't mean I don't have an eye for beauty," he said.
I nodded. He's not like I would have imagined pirates to be.
"So what's this about a mermaid?" he asked.
"It's just, Well, I thought I saw one, that's all. I know, that's dumb. There's no such thing."
"That's not entirely true, I've seen plenty in my lifetime. They're not always the nicest you know. They can be hell when they want."
Ok. Yeah. He's nuts. But then again, I'm the one seeing mermaids.
"So where's this place we're going. Neverland, isn't it?" I asked.
"That's the one. I need to ask a boy called Peter Pan how I can kill Rumplestiltskin. He's impossible to defeat without some form of magic."
"Magic? There's no such thing! I'm sorry if I offend you, but I'm starting to think you're crazy, with your little magic and mermaids business," I responded.
He chuckled. "I won't take the time to explain myself to you because you find out about it in your own time." I was slightly exasperated at this man's ideas. He's sort of scaring me. "You best go to bed because the sun will wake you up fairly early on my vessel. Goodnight," he said.
"I'll go in a minute. I just need some time to think."
"I wont stand in your way, love." He walked off into the captain's cabin and shut the door behind him.
Once he left, I gazed into the sky and spotted one particularly bright star in the sky. I would wish on it, but I thought I was a little too old for that. As I stood there, my eyes began to drift asleep, and for the second time in the past two days I fell asleep on the deck of a ship. I guess that's just my thing. That night I dreamed of mermaids and stars.
