Chapter 21: The Fall of Captain Thelma

The night made it almost impossible to see if anyone was about but The Calico Crystal took its chance. Thelma took out the small spy glass and searched the sea for any movement, none, there was nothing out there. The Sea Slaughterer left no survivors yet here she was, she survived that ship twice, the first time when she was with her mentor, she survived yet he didn't, they killed a man who taught her everything, they took him away from her. The second was with when Dreama lost her voice; they took away her sister's happiness. All this was enough; she wanted revenge and planed on receiving it.

Night passed and soon mourning came, fog covered the water. The crew was exhausted, never had Thelma made them work that hard. Everyone was just about to pass out from fatigue but not Thelma, Thelma was wide awake ready to take on anything.

She abandons the spot she stood at for nearly three hours and took on another one, she won't give up, and she'll track down that ship no matter what it takes. She'll find that ship that ruined her sister's life, she'll take her revenge and soon. But was this really all for her sister and herself? Could it be maybe she knows the consequence of fighting The Sea Slaughterer so she tracks it down? Does Thelma want to die? If so why? The one question stung her, was it because she wants something she knows she can't have? It must be. She loves Erik, first time she feels something for someone.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a faint boom. She knows that sound all too well.

"All heads down now!" the crew did as she command. How could she miss it? How could she not see the ship coming right for her? The cannon ball hit the broadside not making any serious damage. Thelma looked in the direction where the cannon ball came from; she could see nothing but fog. But knowing it came from broadside was enough for her.

"Load the broadside cannons now! Load all pistols, load all rifles come on crew move it, move it!" Thelma pulled her pistol out and stood next to the cannons where the crew was getting ready to fire. Half the crew was loading cannons while others were loading the smaller guns. Finally they were ready.

"Ready! Aim! Fire!" Everyone plugged their ears as the first cannon went off, then the second, then the third, then the forth. Reload. First, second, third, forth. Reload. First, second –

Time suddenly stopped when The Sea Slaughterer fired and took out two of our guns injuring three men. Thelma staggered for a moment; her main rule was that if anyone became injured they retreat immediately. But not now, she was so close to getting her revenge. Thelma looked back at her target and saw as it appeared through the thick blanket of mist. They were only thirty yards away. Thelma cocked her pistol, pointed to the group of men handling the cannons.

"Keep firing," she then pointed to another group of men helping load the cannons. "You men pull out your guns and start firing!"

She shot first at the ship hitting one man aboard it. Her crew fired hitting the ship and its crew, yet still they kept coming, its like they had more then hundred men aboard, no matter how many men they killed more kept coming.

Suddenly Thelma realized The Sea Slaughterer stopped firing. She signaled the crew to stop as well. Silence.

Suddenly The Sea Slaughterer's flag shot up, the black flag with a skull and two bones crossing it, she knew what that meant.

Her heart suddenly stopped; when ever they pull out their flag it meant only one thing. They have domination. When ever they pull out that flag it meant they fire their guns not cannons, and everyone knew each man on that ship was excellent with a pistol. Men popped up from no where on The Sea Slaughterer and aimed at The Calico Crystal.

Thelma took no chances with this.

"Down crew, down now!" The crew all fell to their knees and so did Thelma, but then she heard something. She looked up and saw Kid Kit's sleeve was caught and he couldn't hide for cover, he would be shot to death. Thelma stood and ran toward Kid Kit, she heard the pistols go off and thought she would be too late but no she wasn't. She tackled Kid Kit and kept him low, but something else was not right. What was it? She didn't have time to see what the problem was.

She then heard the cannons go off; it struck her ship in many places causing the ship to sway left to right left to right. She glanced around the ship and saw two of her men laying dead on the ground; she glanced around again and noticed the whole ship was on fire.

She lost…her ship was going to sink. More cannons went off, more pistols went off.

"Captain! The ship is going to sink!" yelled a crew member. Thelma was still on the ground keeping Kid Kit safe. She couldn't believe it, she lost.

Finally back into focus she yelled at the crew. "Men load the boats now! Jetty James!" she called a crew member, he quickly went to her.

"Yes Cap'n?"

Thelma looked at him in defeat as she said the words she hopped to never say.

"Blow it"

Jetty James looked at her in shock but soon did as he was told. He ran down to the cellar where a bunch of barrels were, barrels that were filled with gun powder. He lit the small string that lead to all forty of them and quickly left the cellar.

Thelma knew what she was doing and hoped she would never have to do it but here she was, doing it. She was going to blow her own ship up so the dark clouds of smoke can confuse the other ship giving Thelma and the crew time to escape with the three small boats.

They only had a minute now before the ship would blow, everyone was aboard the boats and they quickly began to row as fast as they could. The minute passed then second then…

The black cloud erupted in a big ball; everyone flinched at the wild loudness. Indeed it gave them just enough time to get far away enough from The Sea Slaughterer. For when they glanced behind them, The Sea Slaughterer was nothing but a small dot on the horizon.

Thelma was silent, she couldn't think. Her ship was gone; two of her crew members were dead, three of them injured. Now they were here in three boats going back home to Arthur Barstool. Thelma was heartbroken, she failed. Suddenly she couldn't breath, she tried yet it was no use. Her hand flew to her chest, it was there she felt something wet, and she glanced at her hand and saw the blood that covered.

She was shot.

"Captain!" men began shouting at her trying to help stop the bleeding yet nothing it kept flowing freely. Thelma knew it would happen, she now knew she didn't do it for her sister or herself, she did it out of jealousy, she knew she couldn't have the one thing she actually wanted. She wanted Erik, and she couldn't have him.

The never ending darkness took her.

Hey guys...I'm glad I got this chapter up today I was afraid I wasn't able to...ok...yes I know Thelma has been shot and died...I suck I know...(or did she really die?) lol I don't know...what I do know is that I'm cruel HAHAHAHA! ok sorry about that

Please review!

"Life is a mask, its our job to take it off and discover the journey behind it not in front for there is nothing there but a mask"

Crystal A.