Chapter Five: Crate

The crate had been a bad idea. This whole plan had been a bad idea! Not only did Page need to use the bathroom, but he was losing feeling in his legs. Sitting in the same position for hours will do that. Page sighed. When was Pearl coming back?!

Last night Page had listened to the crewmen talk amongst each other. They talked about work, food and other things. Page found himself nodding off to sleep after a couple hours in the darkness. He had been rudely awakened as the chef wandered around, lifiting the tops off barrels and crates. Page had nearly had a heart attack when the chef rummaged through a barrel right next to his box. He tried not to breathe, but his heart was hammering loudly in his chest.

A couple minutes ago, belowdecks had become quiet. Page was tempted to peek his head out from the box just to see if he were truly alone.. But he restrained himself. After staring at the same spot in his crate for a couple minutes, he couldn't take it anymore. He had to stretch! He started to move around ready to stand.

Then he heard it. The sound of quiet footsteps approaching his crate. He stopped moving. He was going to get caught. He closed his eyes and waited for the retribution to come.

"Page, open the crate. Yer safe to come out." Page dis as he was told. He frowned when he saw Pearl standing a few feet away.

"What took you so long? I've been down here for hours!" She laughed nervously.

"Sorry, me Mum needed me to go and fix something on the rigging. I couldn't say no, it'd be suspicious!" She folded her arms and Page rolled his eyes.

"Its fine, do you have a bathroom?" She looked at him with surprise.

"Have you needed to pee this entire time?!" She erupted into laughter and Page stretched his sore muscles. Oh it felt good just to stand.

"Yes I have. Now give me a chamber pot." He paused. "Please." She nodded as if that was adequate and then kicked a small grey pot out from under one of the hammocks.

He jumped from the crate and she turned around. After he was done, he sighed. "That was the worst couple hours I have ever had." She smiled and turned back around. Today she let her red hair flow feely down her back. It curled in some places and in others it was smooth. She wore a white button-up shirt and a maroon sash. Her black pants were form fitting and she had black boots that reached halfway up her calves. In all she looked very pretty. Page looked down at his clothes. His white shirt was dirty and loose. His pants used to be Brown, but they were coverednin so many patches that they looked more rainbow.

She seemed to notice how awkward he got and she smiled. "I grabbed you something. I don't know if it'll fit... but it'll probably be better than those." She motioned to his pants and he blushed. She tossed him a pair of long black trousers and another white shirt. He caught them and stared at them.

"Are you giving me these?" She shrugged and smiled. He looked at the practically new pants and the clean white shirt. He had never had anything so nice.. "Wow..." was all he could say.

"Try em on Page. Don't just stare at em." He didn't have to be told twice. He climbed back into the crate and pulled off his old ragged pants. The black trousers fit perfectly. He stood and pulled off his white shirt. He saw Pearl blush as she saw his bare chest and look away. He pulled on the new shirt and buttoned up a couple of the buttons. He left a few undone and it was very comfortable. He climbed out and Pearl held one more thing out to him. He was getting embarrassed at all these gifts.

"These were my father's, I thought you might like them." Her voice was quiet and soft. She held out a pair of straps. He looked at them and took them gently from her hands. They were suspenders. They looked to be made from leather. They looked expensive. He sighed and placed them back in her hands.

"They're amazing Pearl, but if these came from your father, I want you to keep them." She smiled.

"You are very kind Page, but what use do I have with a pair of suspenders?" He has to admit she was right. She placed them back in his hands. He smiled as he clipped the buckles into place on his pants. He tried to reach the ones on his back, but found that he couldn't quite reach. Pearl noticed his struggle and lithely made her way around the crates untill she was standing behind him. She pulled them down and clipped them to the back of his pants. They fit snugly and Page notced a mirror in the corner. He made his way over to it.

Pages eyes widened. He looked so much more grown up. The pants fit him just right and the white shirt brought out his tan skin. He grinned and turned around. Pearl was smiling. He picked his way back to the barrels and gave her a hug. She seemed caught off guard. She stiffened and then relaxed.

"Thank you." She nodded and he noticed her face was the shade of a beet. He let go. Suddenly there were footsteps at the top of the stairs. Pearl pushed him toward his crate, panic in her eyes. He jumped over a barrel and leaped into the crate, he closed the lid just as the footsteps stopped on the stairs. He sighed. That was close.

Pearl made her way out of the barrels and talked to the men who had made their way down. Then he heard the small taps on the stairs as she quickly left. He sighed and looked down at his new clothes. Wondering what he did to deserve them.