Chloe never heard the Captain come back into her room that night, and in a way, she was relieved. The only other person she had shared a bed with before was her Mother, for a couple months after her Father died, so she didn't exactly know the proper etiquette of sharing a bed with someone she didn't know. But she also wondered where the Captain had stayed, or if she had even gotten any sleep. Yawning and stretching her limbs out, Chloe woke up much more comfortable than she had the previous morning. The Captain's bed was so luxurious compared to the floor, and even her own back home, which was covered in thirty year old sheets that smelled like her grandmother. This bedspread was silky soft and smooth, topped with a fluffy comforter that kept her warm during the night.
Sitting up, she swung her feet over the edge of the bed and rested on the floor. The morning sun was coming in through the window, it's rays shining down on a pair of clothes and a note that sat on the table. Chloe got up and walked over to it and picked the piece of paper up. It was the list of chores to do in what she assumed to be the Captain's handwriting, which was rather neat. 1) Scrub the deck – Brush and bucket are in the Galley, 2) Wash dirty clothes – The pile is just inside the of the crew's sleeping quarters, 3) Make supper – We only eat one large meal a day, don't worry about lunch. And under that was written: Here is a pair of my clothes and underwear for you. Try not to get them too dirty, you will be wearing them for a while.
And that was it. Her instructions were clear, so she quickly changed into the clothes laid out for her, and headed to the Galley. A wooden brush and soap bar laid in the empty bucket, and she wondered how long it was going to take her to scrub the entire main deck with no help and just that one brush. She was getting exhausted just thinking about it, but it had to be done. So, she trucked back up top, but when she got there, she realized she had a slight problem...she needed water. Looking around, she saw a rope tied to the railing. If she tied it around the bucket handle and lowered it, she could scoop up a bucket of water in no time. Of course, everything seemed easier in theory than it really was in real life, but she was an optimist for the most part.
She took the soap out and set it down on the deck, then tied the grimy rope around the handle and leaned over the rail, carefully lowering it down until it hit the water's surface. As the bucket quickly filled, it pulled Chloe forward, but she resisted and used what arm muscles she had, hauling it back up while attempting not to spill much of its contents. When the bucket was finally back in her grasp, she couldn't help but be pleased with herself, most of the water was there, only a little had sloshed out, so she called this a success. Setting the bucket down and picking up the soap, she lathered it up in her hands, creating bubbly water. Once it was deemed soapy enough, she dipped the brush in the water and started scrubbing. Yeah, it was definitely going to take her a while.
The hours seemed to drag on as her task became overwhelmingly monotonous. She lowered and hauled that bucked up and down from the sea and the ship so many times, along the constant back and forth scrubbing made her arms feel like they were about to fall off. It was late afternoon by the time she was completely finished, and she still had to wash clothes and fix the food. Cleaning her hands the best she could, she put the bucket aside and started on supper. Using the meat that was left over from the previous day's meal, she decided to make soup. Cutting up some celery, onions, carrots, and potatoes, everything came together quickly since she made this all the time with her Mother. After a while of cooking over the fire pit, she hauled the soup back down to the galley.
Like yesterday, the men piled in the small room and helped themselves. Chloe busied herself by making bowl for the Captain, delivering it to her, and leaving before the woman could say her thanks. Finding the pile of clothes in a tin tub just inside the crew sleeping quarters, she lugged it up to the main deck, went back to the galley to get the bucket, and finally started her work. Dumping the clothes onto the deck, she found a washboard at the bottom. After gathering a few buckets of water, Chloe began to scrub the filthy, smelly clothes. She imagined that they didn't bathe too often, which made her shiver at the thought. Guessing by the stench, Chloe guessed that these clothes in particular hadn't been washing in months, and she did her best to not vomit at the thought.
"Once your done, there is a clothes line hung up in the crews quarters." The Captain said, appearing behind her. "Just hang 'em up and you're done for the day."
"Yes, Captain." She replied, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow as the woman started up the stairs to the wheel. "Oh, Captain?"
"Hm?"
"How exactly do you bathe on a ship?" Chloe asked carefully, not wanting to seem stupid.
"Meet me in my cabin when you're done."
The Captain resumed going up the stairs, leaving Chloe alone on the Main Deck once again. That wasn't really the answer she was expecting, but she would do as the woman said. By the time she was finished, the sun had set. A couple members of the crew were talking near the bow of the ship, looking out over the water, the Captain still at the helm, while the rest of the men were in their sleeping quarters. Her nerves were shot from the long, hard day, and now she was anxious about walking into their territory. Once she made it down the stairs and to the doorway, their conversation stopped and they looked at her for a few seconds before turning back and continuing talking. She worked fast as she hung the damp clothes up on the line that ran straight through the room.
Not once did they say anything to her, which she was thankful for, and it made her job much easier. Nonetheless, as soon as she was done, she high-tailed it out of there and back up top. She left the bucket where it was, too bushed to take it back down to the galley, and entered the Captain's bedroom. The doors to the closet were open and the Captain was bend over, pulling a large tin tub, much like the one she used to wash the clothes, but bigger, out and hauled it over near the door. Chloe watched as the woman made trips back and forth with water, until the tub was about halfway full, then set the bucket down, looked at Chloe, and gestured to it. She got the picture, nodding, and started to shyly strip down. The Captain looked away and left the cabin, giving her privacy.
Even though the tin tub wasn't the most comfortable thing on the planet, Chloe was grateful that she was able to wash off the day's dirt and grime. She wasn't looking forward to tomorrow. Her arms would probably feel like jelly and be useless. Through all the hard work, though, she couldn't help but smile to herself. Doing chores like scrubbing the deck kind of made her feel like a real pirate. The only thing that seemed to be missing were sword fights, gun battles and plundering. So far, everything had been relatively unexciting. However, she took into consideration that they were in the middle of the ocean, so she assumed that not too much action happened out here, more so when they stopped at land. She finished quickly, by the time there was a knock on the door, she was in her dress slip.
"Are you decent?" The Captains voice came through the door after a small knock.
"Yes!" Chloe replied, pulling the second strap onto her shoulder.
The brunette peaked in before opening the door all the way, and Chloe sat on the edge of the bed.
"If you need an extra towel to dry your hair, there a few in the closet." She pointed to where she had gotten the tub, and on the shelf above her wardrobe, were a few white towels.
"Thank you." Chloe smiled grabbing one and rubbing her hair to get the moisture out.
Next thing she knew there was talking, and she looked up to see the biggest guy in the crew pick up the tub, take it out to the deck, throw the dirty water overboard, and bring the tub back before leaving.
"Go ahead and go to bed, I have a few things to do before I turn in."
Chloe nodded, slipping into bed and blowing out the candle on the dresser, leaving the only light source to be a small candle on the table. Closing her eyes, Chloe heard the door open and close, and let the gentle rocking of the ship lull her to sleep. The Captain took a deep breath as she stepped out into the cool night air, letting it fill her lungs before heading up to the helm. Other than the whooshing of waves as the ship sliced through them, it was a quiet, peaceful night. The moon was shining bright in the sky, reflecting off of the water in front of them, as if it was a trail they were following. After a while, she joined Chloe in her bed, who was quietly snoring. She couldn't help but chuckle softly and shake her head. It was strange, but she actually liked the other girls' company.
For so long now, she had been on her own. Sure, she had a crew, but she ached for more than that. She wanted companionship. Someone to take care of, someone that actually wanted to take care of her. It was hard in this life, always moving around. She loved the sea, but sometimes it made her feel so small, so insignificant. Being out in the ocean for too long could also drive you mad. She loved land as well. Particularly uninhabited islands. She loved sleeping on the beach, taking barefoot walks on the damp sand, letting it squish between her toes. The smell of the fruit in the jungles. Catching a wild boar or a net full of fish and cooking it on the beach for a feast as the sun set. She wondered what Chloe's life had been like before she was unexpectedly whisked away from her life at Barden.
Shaking her head, she shouldn't think about that. Soon, Chloe would be gone, so best not to get to thinking about her if she didn't have to. Looking up to the Crows Nest, she spotted Tiny, the smallest member of the crew, looking out over the ocean. Hollering up to him that she was going to hit the hay, then made her way back down into her room. She shed her vest and took off her boots, then blew out the candle on the table that was still burning, before climbing in bed. After her eyes adjusted to the dark, she looked over at Chloe, who was now positioned in the middle of the bed, facing her, a few strands on red hair in front of her face. Reaching out, she carefully tucked them back behind her ear before rubbing her tired eyes and letting herself drift off.
For the next week, Chloe's duties mainly just consisted of staying out of the way, and making meals. The men seemed to have gotten used her her presence by now, not sneering at her like they had in the beginning, and even the biggest one, Jay, had started talking to her. He wasn't as scary as he looked: over six feet, thick with muscle, bald, covered in tattoos, and a gold tooth. In fact, one evening when they were sitting on two crates watching the sun set, he'd told her about how he used to have a pet cat on board. The way he described the animal, Chloe knew that he was a softie at heart. Unfortunately though, the cat had passed away recently due to old age, having already spent most of it's life roaming the streets of Singapore before Jay had found it and it had taken a liking to him.
Once Jay had befriended her, she didn't feel so alone on a ship full of strangers. It was nice, even if they didn't have much in common, she would ask him to tell her stories of adventures he had been on, and she eagerly listened, soaking up as much as she could. It all sounded so exciting. She even learned about a few of the other crew members, each of them were like her, the black sheep, never fit in or gave in and did what they were supposed to do. Instead, they found other misfits and became a part of a family. Though none of them would ever willingly admit it. But all these guys had were each other, and that meant something to all of them. Chloe found it interesting to sit back and watch them interact with each other. They were like brothers, and the Captain was like their big sister.
Her interaction with the Captain still wasn't much. She mainly saw her every once in a while throughout the day when Chloe would be doing some work on the Main Deck and the Captain would be at the helm. They ate dinner together in their room, and at night when they both would take baths and go to bed. But Chloe wanted to get to know her, however, the woman was intimidating, and she didn't want to be a bother. So she sat back and observed her. The Captain was soft spoken, and besides giving orders, she really didn't seem to like to talk much, unless it was to her second in command, Jay. The days were fairly quiet as well for the most part, but that all changed one morning when Chloe was rudely awakened by a loud boom that shook the entire ship.
