Chapter 9

Silence

Something wet was running across Westly's face. He felt it as it ran over his face it seemed endlessly.

Over,

And over,

And over again.

Westly's eyes began fluttering open to something furry. He reacted like any normal person would. He spazzed out, moving to the other side of the room.

It turned out to be a dog, the same dog he had saved on the island.

"So you finally decided to come back huh?"

The dog barked before leaping back into Westly's arms. Westly looked around and noticed where he was.

"This isn't the island…"

The door began shaking as the hair on Westly's skin stood up. His thoughts immediately began racing. The first thought that came to mind was that they, both him and Caitlyn, could have been captured by the same pirates that destroyed their home. He looked around and found a small metal flag pole. The dog began barking again, but strangely not at the door. Westly looked to the dog and pressed his finger against his lips.

This time the knob on the door turned. Westly felt a sharp pain in his chest, shoulder and back all at the same time as he stood. He positioned the pole in his unhurt arm as he was prepared to fight his way off the boat, as irrational as it sounded.

The door opened.

Before Westly could even react the dog had ran beneath his legs tripping him and making its way towards the open door. Light spilled into the room as Westly fell on his ass, the pole rolling to the opposite side of the room.

"You're awake?!"

Caitlyn's voice was unmistakable. Westly's squinted and his eyes got used to the light. Caitlyn was now holding the dog, who was enjoying the petting Caitlyn was handing out to him. Caitlyn kneeled beside Westly.

"You okay?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Yeah I'm fine, whe-"

Another figure appeared in the doorway, Andreas stepping into the room.

"Look who's alive!" Andreas exclaimed as Westly got back to his feet. Andreas hugged Westly which made his wounds feel as if they had just happened seconds ago.

"My fault." Andreas spoke taking a step back from Westly.

"Come on up to the wheel, we can talk there."

Andreas was already out the door followed by Caitlyn and Westly who had a hard time walking being out for so long. They made it up to the ship's wheel, as Andreas took helm again.

"So what happened on the island?" Westly spoke looking around the helm.

"From what Caitlyn told me you saved her and passed out because of your wounds, she patched you up and dragged you to somewhere safe." Andreas said still looking out to sea.

Westly looked to Caitlyn who smiled nervously at him as if she knew the next question he would ask.

"So what happened to my- our families." Westly asked eyes narrowed.

Andreas was silent still looking out to sea, and this time when Westly looked towards Caitlyn her head was down, the smile wiped off her face.

"We're not sure where they are…" Caitlyn answered, a tinge of despair in her voice.

"What do you mean not sure?" Westly felt his heart sink as soon as those words made it out of Caitlyn's mouth.

"She means we couldn't find them Westly. We don't know where they are, they could have escaped the island."

Westly placed his hand on the nearest wall, he felt nauseous.

"West-" Caitlyn let out getting up to move towards Westly.

"Don't touch me." Westly spoke, gritting his teeth.

"Westly it's gonna be al-" Andreas finally turned around to comfort Westly as well when a fist flew out to meet his face.

Andreas was taken aback as his arm slammed into the wheel, the ship making a hard right off its initial course. Caitlyn's eyes were wide as she looked between the two.

"Don't talk to me Andreas." Westly's fists were balled now, his face looking down towards the ground. "If we hadn't followed you to that dumbass cove I would've been there for them, I'd know where the hell they are right now!"

Andreas' eyes narrowed before he began laughing, his lip had been cut open.

"You act like you're the only one that lost something here Westly." Andreas stood up now, wiping the blood from his lips.

"I don't know where my family is either, on top of that I watched 7 people die right in front of me including my brother who blew up trying to save my life."

Westly immediately felt guilt for what he did. "Andr-"

"Caitlyn doesn't even know what the word family means!" Andreas was now yelling. " Her father hasn't ever been in her life and her mother left her to go run off with some scam artist before she was 10. All that being said she lost her grandmother, the only person that cared, last year!"

Caitlyn had her eyes glued to the floor again. "That's enough, both of you." Tears were in her eyes now as she spoke, looking back up between the both of them.

"Caitlyn I'm sorry." Westly said sincerely as Caitlyn continued speaking.

"We'll still be able to find them if they're still alive, your family, Andreas' family and mine, just have some damn hope alright?"

The tears had disappeared from Caitlyn's eyes as a new look was on her face, one that Westly had never seen before. Westly's back slouched against the wall as he slid down it, sitting on the floor. This time his eyes were the ones glued to the floor as Andreas already had his eyes set out on the sea.

They sailed the rest of the way in silence.