Chapter 5
Jim lay crotched down in the thick vegetation on the edge of the clearing. The sky was pitch black, not even the stars were out and the dark clouds were rolling in.
Storm coming…a real bad one.
Jim had to make a choice. He could either grab the girl now or run in hopes that the storm would keep the pirates from following or he could seek shelter, wait it out, follow them and wait for another chance. He glanced around the small site and saw a large glass tank about a dozen feet from where he was. He looked more closely and his eyes grew to the size of saucers.
She was easily the most beautiful girl of any species Jim had ever seen. Her slender body was creamy and smooth. Her skin was pale and her hair a flame. Jim couldn't stop gazing at her. He couldn't even see her face and he thought she was drop dead gorgeous. He almost jumped out right then longing to grab her up in his arms and feel just how smooth her skin was and see the vibrant color her eyes would be. Jim shook his head.
Get a grip! She's a mermaid princess and you're just a dirt poor cabin boy.
Still, he couldn't help, but to think of her. He would just grab her up now and run. He tried to justify that he was doing this because he didn't know if would get another opportunity like this, but really he just wanted to hold her in his arms.
He crept slowly up to the very edge of the clearing. Her tank was only four feet away now; it wouldn't be hard to run out, scoop her up and start running. He couldn't carry her the whole way back to the shore in one night, no way. Even if he gave her the ring to use he would have to carry her, just because she had legs didn't mean that she knew how to use them.
Jim looked up at the dark sky, quickly filling with black clouds. The rain would start soon and he needed to grab her and get out before this storm got really bad. He dashed out of the jungle like a bullet out of a gun straight for the tank.