chapter 13
The crew of the Santa Maria had never seen a storm so terrible. The winds were so
powerful only the mid-sail and one foresail were still open to allow them to maintain
direction.
The rain was coming from all directions, down, sideways and even up. Captain Pinzon
was lashed to the rail fighting with the wheel. He had attempted to skirt the storm, but
it had hit them hard just before sunset.
"Captain the crew has pulled all the sails, but the two you ordered." Cero reported,
yelling so he could be heard over the storm.
"Si, now go below Cero, I don't want anyone washed overboard."
"No Captain I will stay with you."
The waves were breaking over the bow of the ship, lifting it up then crashing it down.
The ship was groaning in every beam, the low desk, taking on water that the crew was
working to pump back out.
Martin stayed at the wheel for several hours during the worse part of the storm. Then
the winds began to lessen, the rain eased, coming only down, not from every direction.
"Cero, have the top sail and two foresails hoisted."
"Si, Captain I think we made it." he nodded, he understood.
Cero went to the hatchway and called down for several men to help him raise the sails.
He was met with shaking heads. Only two men would dare to venture on deck in the
storm. Grazo and Michael.
As the new sails took the wind and the ship began to ride through the waves.
There was a strike of lighting, it hit the spar just above Michael knocking him into
the rigging. Martin saw is all happen, he was untying his rope, and handing the wheel
to Cero in his haste to rescue his crew man.
"Cero take the wheel." He yelled, jumping for the rigging and climbing quickly to
Michael's aid.
"Michael are you hurt?" Martin expected his mate to not answer him, but the young man
moaned.
"Si, Captain I'm alive."
"Were is the pain?"
"My shoulder and arm, my back."
Martin freed the crew man from the rigging and carried him, to the deck. Many hand
reached to assist him. The member of the crew who patched injuries up, nodded he
would care for Michael.
Martin nodded, and looked at his ship, the spar was splintered and the sail attached to it
was lufting in the heavy winds. He returned to the rigging and climbed up to secure it.
There was more lighting in the storm now, but Martin was not afraid, the chances of
two strikes hitting the same ship during a storm were great. He was climbing back to the
deck when he was proven wrong. Lighting struck the mast, knocking him thirty feet to
the deck. He landed on the hatch over the galley and was knocked unconscious.
"Captain! No!" Cero screamed. He abandoned the wheel and ran to his friends aid.
Grazo, jumped to take the wheel as it spun out of control.
"Help him, help him God, don't let him die." Cero prayed.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Samantha looked out her small window for the tenth time that evening. Alber' had been
walking her to her lodgings most nights the past week. She was becoming familiar with
the people in her neighborhood now. She knew the way back to he room. It was growing
late, so she decided he wasn't coming tonight and picked up her bag to leave.
The sky outside was growing very dark, a storm was approaching from the east. She
said a prayer that Martin and his crew were safe. She was half way to the Inn when
a man came up to her.
"Signora, you are molto bella, come to my room with me." he grabbed her by the arm
and Samantha screamed and wrenched her arm free, she pushed him backwards and
he stumbled.
"I'll have you yet, bitch." The man cursed at her.
Samantha didn't stop to hear more she picked up her skirts and ran towards the Inn.
She turned down the first small street she came too and was still running when she
realized she was going the wrong way. But she was afraid to go back to the main
street, afraid the man was still there waiting for her. She slowed to a quick walk.
Hoping to see a building she was familiar with. The rains started, then and she
was quickly soaked to the skin. Thunder and lighting boomed overhead. Samantha
saw it all as a sign that God was against her.
"Alber' had reached the small shop very late, he cursed when he knocked and she
was not there waiting for him. He hurried towards the Inn and found that she had
not arrived there either. The storm was ragging, but he knew he could just let
Samantha wander in city in the rain. He back tracked, looking for her, even calling
out for her above the noise of the storm.
Samantha finally decided she would have to find her way back to the main street.
The man surly had found his way home in the storm. She walked down hill,
her shop was mid way up from the docks, if nothing else she could go all the way
to the bottom of the hill, she would be on familiar ground then.
"You decided I wasn't so bad after all ah?" The man stepped from a doorway and
grabbed her again. Samantha hit him, but he grabbed he about the arms to prevent
her from landing another blow.
"Let me go, you bestia!" she struggled, kicking and wiggling in his arms.
The man, lifted her off her feet, and groped her breasts.
"NO! stop it!"
"Now we will have some fun carino" he leered at her. Then he was gone, his arms
released her and Samantha fell to the ground. She looked up, to see if her attacker had
been smote down by God after all and she saw Alber'.
Alber' had looked everywhere in the driving rain for her. Calling her name, even looking
in public buildings thinking she had taken shelter there. He was about to give up hope
of finding her when he heard a yell. He rushed down the street and turned into an ally.
A man was accosting Samantha. Alber' rushed to her aid, he punched the man in the
small of the back with his fist, then once he dropped her, clouted him over the head
with his cane. The man fell like a stone. Samantha also fell, but Alber' was there in
a moment picking her up, holding her close.
"Samantha sweet girl, did he hurt you?"
"Alber', I was so frightened," she sobbed, in his arms. They were only a short distance
from her shop so he carried her back there to get out of the rain.
"Shh, my sweet, you are alright. I will see to it that man is punished." Alber' attempted to
calm her down.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"Is he dead?" Cero asked, all the while praying that his Captain was not. Promising God
anything at all to save him.
The old crewman that was the healer on board shook his head. "He is not dead, but he
may wish he was, there is a wound in his chest, a splinter of wood from the rigging must
have been pieced him when the lighting struck. I will have to remove it, but not until he
wakes. I must have his permission to try to get it free of his body."
Cero looked crushed, he had prayed for him to live, but now it looked bad for his
Captain.
Garzo, took over the ship, he was the most experienced at steering and navigation.
The storm had finally stopped, and the crew was ashamed of themselves for acting the
coward during it's worst part.
Martin lay bleeding and unconscious for over and hour. Cero was by his side the entire
time. The bleeding would not stop until the wood was removed from his chest. But
as hard a Cero argued the old man would not attempt to remove it until the Captain
gave his permission.
"What happened Cero?" Martin opened his eyes, and a wave of pain hit him.
"You saved Michael and then a bolt of lighting knocked you from the rigging."
"Is he well? How is my ship?"
"Si, Captain he is fine, only shaken up. The ship is fine only a few broken spars.
And some water below deck."
"Bene, why am I here?"
"There is a sliver of wood in your chest Captain, the old man wants to remove it."
"Si, Captain, the bleeding will not stop unless it is removed."
"Then do it, stop behaving like a martyr and remove it." Martin groaned, in great pain.
"First drink this, it will help with the healing, you will probably pass out again after
the splinter is removed." the old man lifted him up so he could drink the wine and
powder mixture. Then he placed a strip of leather in his mouth for him to bite down
on during the painful removal.
Two men were called in to assist him, the held Martin down, so he wouldn't move
and injury himself even worse. The old man pulled the largest piece free in one
good tug, but then he probed with a metal tong for the smaller splinters. Martin
groaned several times but he did not call out. He did not scream.
"There Captain, it is all done, the bleeding will continue for a little while yet.
But then you will start to heal." The old man bound the wound tightly, to help it
to stop the bleeding. I have powders for you to drink, and the bandage must be
kept clean."
"Grazie, old man." Cero looked slightly relieved.
"Grazie, vecchio, grazie." Martin exhaled and closed his eyes.
One of the men who had assisted him pulled the old man aside.
"Will he live truly?"
"Si, if the bleeding stops and a fever does not take him from us in the next two days
he will live."
"Mi dio, only Captain Pinzon could live through such a terrible thing." the crew man
crossed himself.
The crew of the Santa Maria had never seen a storm so terrible. The winds were so
powerful only the mid-sail and one foresail were still open to allow them to maintain
direction.
The rain was coming from all directions, down, sideways and even up. Captain Pinzon
was lashed to the rail fighting with the wheel. He had attempted to skirt the storm, but
it had hit them hard just before sunset.
"Captain the crew has pulled all the sails, but the two you ordered." Cero reported,
yelling so he could be heard over the storm.
"Si, now go below Cero, I don't want anyone washed overboard."
"No Captain I will stay with you."
The waves were breaking over the bow of the ship, lifting it up then crashing it down.
The ship was groaning in every beam, the low desk, taking on water that the crew was
working to pump back out.
Martin stayed at the wheel for several hours during the worse part of the storm. Then
the winds began to lessen, the rain eased, coming only down, not from every direction.
"Cero, have the top sail and two foresails hoisted."
"Si, Captain I think we made it." he nodded, he understood.
Cero went to the hatchway and called down for several men to help him raise the sails.
He was met with shaking heads. Only two men would dare to venture on deck in the
storm. Grazo and Michael.
As the new sails took the wind and the ship began to ride through the waves.
There was a strike of lighting, it hit the spar just above Michael knocking him into
the rigging. Martin saw is all happen, he was untying his rope, and handing the wheel
to Cero in his haste to rescue his crew man.
"Cero take the wheel." He yelled, jumping for the rigging and climbing quickly to
Michael's aid.
"Michael are you hurt?" Martin expected his mate to not answer him, but the young man
moaned.
"Si, Captain I'm alive."
"Were is the pain?"
"My shoulder and arm, my back."
Martin freed the crew man from the rigging and carried him, to the deck. Many hand
reached to assist him. The member of the crew who patched injuries up, nodded he
would care for Michael.
Martin nodded, and looked at his ship, the spar was splintered and the sail attached to it
was lufting in the heavy winds. He returned to the rigging and climbed up to secure it.
There was more lighting in the storm now, but Martin was not afraid, the chances of
two strikes hitting the same ship during a storm were great. He was climbing back to the
deck when he was proven wrong. Lighting struck the mast, knocking him thirty feet to
the deck. He landed on the hatch over the galley and was knocked unconscious.
"Captain! No!" Cero screamed. He abandoned the wheel and ran to his friends aid.
Grazo, jumped to take the wheel as it spun out of control.
"Help him, help him God, don't let him die." Cero prayed.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Samantha looked out her small window for the tenth time that evening. Alber' had been
walking her to her lodgings most nights the past week. She was becoming familiar with
the people in her neighborhood now. She knew the way back to he room. It was growing
late, so she decided he wasn't coming tonight and picked up her bag to leave.
The sky outside was growing very dark, a storm was approaching from the east. She
said a prayer that Martin and his crew were safe. She was half way to the Inn when
a man came up to her.
"Signora, you are molto bella, come to my room with me." he grabbed her by the arm
and Samantha screamed and wrenched her arm free, she pushed him backwards and
he stumbled.
"I'll have you yet, bitch." The man cursed at her.
Samantha didn't stop to hear more she picked up her skirts and ran towards the Inn.
She turned down the first small street she came too and was still running when she
realized she was going the wrong way. But she was afraid to go back to the main
street, afraid the man was still there waiting for her. She slowed to a quick walk.
Hoping to see a building she was familiar with. The rains started, then and she
was quickly soaked to the skin. Thunder and lighting boomed overhead. Samantha
saw it all as a sign that God was against her.
"Alber' had reached the small shop very late, he cursed when he knocked and she
was not there waiting for him. He hurried towards the Inn and found that she had
not arrived there either. The storm was ragging, but he knew he could just let
Samantha wander in city in the rain. He back tracked, looking for her, even calling
out for her above the noise of the storm.
Samantha finally decided she would have to find her way back to the main street.
The man surly had found his way home in the storm. She walked down hill,
her shop was mid way up from the docks, if nothing else she could go all the way
to the bottom of the hill, she would be on familiar ground then.
"You decided I wasn't so bad after all ah?" The man stepped from a doorway and
grabbed her again. Samantha hit him, but he grabbed he about the arms to prevent
her from landing another blow.
"Let me go, you bestia!" she struggled, kicking and wiggling in his arms.
The man, lifted her off her feet, and groped her breasts.
"NO! stop it!"
"Now we will have some fun carino" he leered at her. Then he was gone, his arms
released her and Samantha fell to the ground. She looked up, to see if her attacker had
been smote down by God after all and she saw Alber'.
Alber' had looked everywhere in the driving rain for her. Calling her name, even looking
in public buildings thinking she had taken shelter there. He was about to give up hope
of finding her when he heard a yell. He rushed down the street and turned into an ally.
A man was accosting Samantha. Alber' rushed to her aid, he punched the man in the
small of the back with his fist, then once he dropped her, clouted him over the head
with his cane. The man fell like a stone. Samantha also fell, but Alber' was there in
a moment picking her up, holding her close.
"Samantha sweet girl, did he hurt you?"
"Alber', I was so frightened," she sobbed, in his arms. They were only a short distance
from her shop so he carried her back there to get out of the rain.
"Shh, my sweet, you are alright. I will see to it that man is punished." Alber' attempted to
calm her down.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"Is he dead?" Cero asked, all the while praying that his Captain was not. Promising God
anything at all to save him.
The old crewman that was the healer on board shook his head. "He is not dead, but he
may wish he was, there is a wound in his chest, a splinter of wood from the rigging must
have been pieced him when the lighting struck. I will have to remove it, but not until he
wakes. I must have his permission to try to get it free of his body."
Cero looked crushed, he had prayed for him to live, but now it looked bad for his
Captain.
Garzo, took over the ship, he was the most experienced at steering and navigation.
The storm had finally stopped, and the crew was ashamed of themselves for acting the
coward during it's worst part.
Martin lay bleeding and unconscious for over and hour. Cero was by his side the entire
time. The bleeding would not stop until the wood was removed from his chest. But
as hard a Cero argued the old man would not attempt to remove it until the Captain
gave his permission.
"What happened Cero?" Martin opened his eyes, and a wave of pain hit him.
"You saved Michael and then a bolt of lighting knocked you from the rigging."
"Is he well? How is my ship?"
"Si, Captain he is fine, only shaken up. The ship is fine only a few broken spars.
And some water below deck."
"Bene, why am I here?"
"There is a sliver of wood in your chest Captain, the old man wants to remove it."
"Si, Captain, the bleeding will not stop unless it is removed."
"Then do it, stop behaving like a martyr and remove it." Martin groaned, in great pain.
"First drink this, it will help with the healing, you will probably pass out again after
the splinter is removed." the old man lifted him up so he could drink the wine and
powder mixture. Then he placed a strip of leather in his mouth for him to bite down
on during the painful removal.
Two men were called in to assist him, the held Martin down, so he wouldn't move
and injury himself even worse. The old man pulled the largest piece free in one
good tug, but then he probed with a metal tong for the smaller splinters. Martin
groaned several times but he did not call out. He did not scream.
"There Captain, it is all done, the bleeding will continue for a little while yet.
But then you will start to heal." The old man bound the wound tightly, to help it
to stop the bleeding. I have powders for you to drink, and the bandage must be
kept clean."
"Grazie, old man." Cero looked slightly relieved.
"Grazie, vecchio, grazie." Martin exhaled and closed his eyes.
One of the men who had assisted him pulled the old man aside.
"Will he live truly?"
"Si, if the bleeding stops and a fever does not take him from us in the next two days
he will live."
"Mi dio, only Captain Pinzon could live through such a terrible thing." the crew man
crossed himself.