A Few More Good Years

That night, the crew settled down for dinner. Jacinda sat in the back against the wall with her recent companions.

"It was a different story all together." Jass decided to finish telling on how she killed over fifty men who tried to steal from her. Mina and Kat sat back in complete awe.

"Finish the one on how you saved everybody from the curse of the amulet!" Mina said, practically drooling for details.

"Can't." Jass stated and took a swig from her cup.

"Cause we're on that adventure right now."

"Oh...right."

"We can't keep her alive." Jaden said, holding her cup with one hand on the wooden table.

"We can't kill her either." Jack countered looking back at Jaden as Shavai's children ran by screaming behind them and up the stairs to the top deck.

"No, no we can't." Jaden said quietly eyeing the children as they ran by. "But can we get rid of those two? Please?" She begged Jack but Jack stood solemn for once not a blithering imbecile.

"I think you've had enough to drink." Jack said standing up and taking Jaden's arms. Jaden stood up with her mouth agape looking at him.

"I never, want to hear you say those words again." She said.

Megan, Will and Brandon and Shavai sat back finishing their dinners quietly, discussing the matter of the new girl.

"I don't trust her." Megan said as she took a sip from her glass. Shavai sat diagnally from Megan and their counterparts sat across from them both. Benjimen and Sydney ran in and out chasing each other with their swords up and down the steps in and out of the door disturbing the crew's meal every 5 minutes.

"Well, I do. She hasn't even been awake to do anything to us." Brandon said taking a bite of his food.

"I think it's the nun we have a problem with." Will suggested after a few moments of silence on his part. "Stories of Greek mythology- do any of you really believe that?"

Everyone thought silently, as the doors once more burst open to the screams of Bejimen as his sister ran behind, terrorizing him and they both ran around their table before running back out. Will stood up.

"Don't worry, I'll get them." He said as he started to leave when Brandon stood suddenly.

"Nah, I'll get them. After all, I have to learn some day." With that, Brandon left the room after the children.

Once Brandon got to the upper deck, he started looking around for the children. It was pitch black except for the occasional lantern which still was not enough to see through the darkness, which engulfed everything. He felt the heat from the humid air, a storm would soon be on them. It had been building for a few days, but now it seemed as omnious as ever. Lightning flashed and lit the entire ocean momentarily as a small wind that lasted less than a second blew through his short, cropped hair. He heard the usual creaking of the ship, but there was something else adding to it that made a similar noise. Something else was creaking. Another flash of bright light filled the sky momentarily and presented a door to his right that was opened and swinging opened and closed in the breeze. He approached it cautiously, calling for them.

"Sydney?" He looked down inside and saw the stairs for a second as the light flashed again overhead. "Benji?" He called quietly, feeling he should've brought someone with him. He heard a small female shriek.

"Sydney!" He called and raced down the stairs into the darkness. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, everything in his eyesight seemed to go darker than it already was.

Many minutes had passed since Brandon had taken off in search of the children.

"Where could they be?" Megan asked, looking at the door as they continued their dinner.

"Relax. He's probably just playing swords with them." Will suggested, Shavai leaned her back against his chest and he crossed his arms over her.

"No way he would be playing with them this long." Megan said standing. "Sydney's too violent for him." She turned her back from them and looked at the door. Will looked down at Shavai.

"She gets that from you, you know." He said as Shavai merely beamed with pride.

"I think we should go look for him." Megan said finally, turning back to them. Shavai sighed.

"Alright." Shavai got up. "But you just ruined a free lap ride for me." She said as she walked passed Megan towards the door.

"I'll give you a free one later." Megan said in a joking manner. Shavai glared back at her.

"I'm sure you would." She said with venom.

Megan walked over to Jack and Jaden. They were holding each other's hands across the table talking incoherently.

"I'd hate to disrupt your romance, but we have to look for Brandon." She said.

"Fine! Moment's ruined anyway!" Jack said throwing a fit like a spoiled- ten year old. Jack stood quickly and threw on his hat. Everyone walked to the door. Jack was the last to make an exit but before he did, he turned back to the crew. They looked at him from under their beards and dirty skin and paid him their attention.

"When we get back you better be finished." Jack stated sternly and walked out, shuting the door behind him. Just before he started up the wooden steps, the doors started banging as though the crew had thrown the food they had left at the door.

"I hate when they do that." He said, and caught up with the rest of the group. Megan took a lantern from on the side of the ship and handed it to Jack.

"Let the brave man lead." She muttered, smiling at how he was cowering behind Jaden. Jack was pushed to the front by everyone else. Shavai muttered to him.

"Dead man walks alone..."

"Shut up!" He said sternly stopping as he did so. When they continued they began calling for them.

"Brandon! Bejimen! Sydney!" Jack finished off their callings "Jack!"

Everyone looked foward at him. He shrugged with an embarrassed smile. The sky started letting a light drizzle fall, but they continued in the rain. The lightning lit it's own bright flashes. Megan tapped Jack and pointed out the door to the right. Jack gulped with the realization, he might have to go down there. Cautiously, Jack inched forward to the door and flung it open. He looked at the stairs and made his first few creeking steps. And once he saw the sight with the dark liquid on the ground, he spoke the words on everyone's mind.

"Oh my god."

The nun was cradling Sydney and Benjimen's head on her knees on the ground. Brandon laid on his side to the wall; the strange girl was also laid on the ground, bleeding profusely - not breathing anymore. Megan ran down the steps to Brandon as Shavai and Will rushed forward to get the bodies of their children.

"What happened!" Jaack yelled as Jaden stood back, too stunned for words.

The nun had her head down, sobbing.

"I don't know..."