Two days had gone by and still no sign of Barlow. Everyone was on edge. This wasn't like Barlow to keep waiting, especially if he thought you owed him something.
On the plus side it gave everyone more time to prepare, and Jim's hands were finally back to how they were.
Kate was still on the ship minding all crews and keeping a look out, as promised, for Barlow. The signal for his arrival would be a red flare.
Jim found himself continuously looking up at the sky. If his mind was not wandering he was focused on the village. He watched with curious eyes how Iris' people lived. They grew their own food, hunted together, built things together; everything.
There many families here, but they all acted as one. It was no surprise to Jim that these people survived after Barlow's attack. Their spirits were strong.

Meanwhile in the forest, Admiral Blake and Captain Amelia kept their senses keen. By this time they were almost familiar with this whole side of the island that they were on. From afar it looked small, but as you set foot on to its soil, it was much bigger.
Admiral Blake swatted away a giant fly. "If Barlow doesn't kill us these bugs will." He commented.
Amelia let out small laugh. "You must be loosing your mind if you're making jokes, Blake."
Admiral Blake smiled. "Just a little." He paused and then asked, "How are your little ones? And husband? How is Delbert?"
"They are doing very well. I'm sure they are annoying Delbert to death, though. Then again, maybe not. They are just as curious about his inventions as he is." She briefly smiled on the subject."
Just then, a red flare could be seen shoot up past the trees, exploding as it reached its limit. Barlow had finally made his move.

-Five minutes earlier-

"Stop picking at your toes, Arnold!" Kate scolded one of her crew members. "No wonder your fingers always smell." She held a hand to her face.
"But, Captain, if I don't they poke holes through my boots."
Before Kate had a chance to respond she spotted something in the water from the corner of her eye in the water. She pulled out her gun and aimed it at whatever she saw and pulled the trigger. If it was a fish then they would eat, but if it was the enemy, they would get read for a fight.
Kate waited for a few seconds and soon a body floated up. The damn bastard was making his way over to the boat! "They come by water!" She cried. At that moment a few of Barlow's men had climbed on to the ships and started attack. They had just a few seconds to prepare. Kate raised her hand in the air, flare gun ready to be fire, when all of a sudden a bullet grazed her cheek. She cried out in pain, grabbing the side of her face. It wasn't enough to do any real damage but the crimson color staining her skin, shirt and the did not go unnoticed by some of her crew.
"Protect the Captain!" One of them yelled.
Kate didn't need protecting though. She was pissed now. As one of Barlow's men came at her she raised her leg and shoved them back with a hard hit. She let go of her face, blood still flowing, and grabbed another gun and shot the pirate in the head. It was then that she raised the flare gun and let it fly. It blasted high into the sky. Now she hoped it wasn't too late for the others on the island.

Everyone on the island saw Kate's flare. The elder, pregnant mothers and children were all taken to a safe place to hide, while the rest geared up for a fight.
"Are you ready for this?" Jim asked Iris as he watched her put on her leather belt with tiny blades attached to it.
She nodded to him. "If I can keep my distance from Barlow, he will be no match for my speed."
Even though she seemed confident, Jim was still worried. "Remember," he told her, "its okay to run away. I'd rather have you alive than die a hero."
Iris leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I'll be okay." She finished getting ready and ran off with a group into the forest.
No matter how much Jim hated to be away from her at a time like this, this was their plan. If they wanted to survive they had to stick with the course.

Meanwhile in the forest, Captain Amelia and Admiral Blake were already fighting pirates.
"Its as if they resist the idea of dying like the animals they are!" Amelia said as she slashed one pirate across the chest with her short sword killed another with her gun.
"I don't know," said Admiral Blake, "they seem pretty persistent with wanting to die, considering they keep dropping like the flies I killed earlier today." He said this after breaking a pirates neck. Right at that moment as Admiral Blake's attention currently being occupied by a second pirate, he had yet noticed the huge figure coming up behind him.
"Blake!" Amelia cried as she saw Barlow making his move. She fired her gun but it only clicked. "Shit!" She slammed it to the ground and ran at Barlow with her short sword. He turned around quickly and bashed her arm with his fist, sending her flying. This gave Admiral Blake just enough time to gather his senses and fire his gun.
Barlow stumbled back a few steps and then grinned. He ripped his shirt open revealing a bullet proof vest. "You'll have to do better than that, you fucker!" He went at Admiral Blake, fighting fists against fists.
Amelia struggled to get up, one of her crew mates coming to her aid. Barlow had severely injured her arm. She grabbed the gun resting at her crew's side and tried to aim it at Barlow as best as she could, but with all the moving around he did fighting Blake, Amelia was worried she'd hit him instead. Finally, she took her shot, the bullet brushing past Barlow's ear, taking it off. She was going to fire again but she was interrupted by a few pirates and she turned her attention to kill them.
"I've fought bigger." Said Admiral Blake.
"But not stronger." Barlow warned as he took a swing, ignoring the pain from his missing ear, blood dripping from it. He punched Admiral Black in the face, knocking him to the ground. He got on top of him and punched him again, blood seeping from his nose now; another punch. More blood. The hitting continued and Admiral Blake was unable regain the upper hand.
Just as Barlow took his fifth hit, Admiral Blake made the mistake of looking past Barlow's shoulder to where Amelia was standing. She was going to finish him with her short sword by chopping off his neck or slicing his neck; which ever opportunity arose first. But neither did, as Barlow noticed the shift in Admiral Blake's eyes and turned around with such speed that Amelia barely had time to back off.
"Trying to sneak up on me, you little cunt!" He roared and spat at the ground.
"Fuck you!" Amelia yelled and swung her sword, cutting his arm as Barlow shielded himself for that second. The beautiful crimson color of Barlow's blood slid down Amelia's short sword and flicked off at the end as she swung at him. This time, though, he grabbed her wrist, twisting it. As she dropped her weapon, screaming in pain for her cracking wrist, Barlow took it. He raised the short sword, ready to plunder it into her chest. But Amelia was quick, despite the agony now residing in her wrist, and jumped. She wrapped her legs around Barlow's neck, turning her whole body over. The two fell into a messy pile on to the uneven ground and Amelia was finally released from Barlow's deadly grasp. She reached for her short sword but she was too slow and Barlow kicked her on to her back and picked up her weapon.
"You won't get away this time." And he raised the sword, piercing Amelia's good hand, pinning her to the ground. As Barlow turned he kicked Admiral Blake in the face when he tried to stand up. "You're all so weak." And he made his way to the village.

When the fighting finally stopped on the ships a triumphant roared echoed from all of the crew members, Kate included. But the victory was short-lived as multiple explosions were heard and a rumble feathered beneath everyone's feet.
"Oh shit..." Kate said under her breath. They must have missed a few pirates that made their way over to the ships for they had set up bombs on all the ships but one. Her ship started to sink as a second bomb went off.
"We have to get off and make our way to the village!" Yelled Leland. "These ships are no longer our priority!"
"I second that." Said Silver. "They need our help!"
Kate didn't want to abandon her ship, though. "You and the others leave. I'll stay here with a few and we will save what we can." When they did not move from their spot Kate pushed them both. "Move damn it!"
Leland and Silver left the ship with most of the crewmen, leaving Kate a few others to deal with the sinking ship.

As Barlow neared the village Iris held him in her sights. She took down a few pirates with her tiny knives as she threw them, sticking fast into their necks. She could never quite get a clear shot of Barlow. Someone or something was always getting in the way. Iris knew she would have a better chance at getting him if she allowed herself to lessen the gap, but she remembered what Jim told her about dying as a hero, and she quickly reconsidered her thoughts.
Iris and her group managed to take down ten of Barlow's men as they reached the village. She did what she could and fought off any pirates that got too close and watched as the fight unfolded in her village.

Jim was well prepared when it came to guns. Not a single pirate could get close enough to him. However, he knew he would soon run out and had with him two daggers.
As soon as Barlow came into view aimed, ready to fire
But he was interrupted when he pushed to ground by Lee.
"What the hell!" Jim yelled. But he soon understood why Lee has brought him down. A few pirates were making their way behind him and Lee saved his life by knocking him over and throw knives at the pirates, stabbing them in the eye. He quickly finished them off and Jim picked himself back up. But he was now out of bullets. "Shit!" He pulled out his dagger, Barlow only a few feet away now. Jim was quick and managed to nick Barlow a few times.
"Too slow, kid." Barlow scolded him, swinging at him.
Jim barley moved in time to escape Barlow's heavy blow.
Lee saw his moment and jumped on top of Barlow, plunging his dagger into his arm. Barlow cried out, grabbing Lee by his long hair and flinging him forward. He went flying and landed on top of a few others that were fighting in the crazed crowd.
Jim went at him again, slicing Barlow here and there all the while trying to stay away from his reach. But all that running around and dodging was slowing Jim down.
Iris could see this from where she stood. Her heart was beating fast. "Come on, Jim. You can do it!"
Just as victory looked to be in their grasp Barlow stopped Jim's attack and gave him one good swing to the face.
"No!" Iris yelled.
The village being taken captive just like the last time and Iris could see Jim suffering the same fate as her father as she watched him be held back Barlow's men.
Barlow clicked his tongue at Jim as he picked up his dagger. "You know, you almost had me there." Pressed the dagger on Jim's chest, close to his heart, but kept enough pressure off as to not pierce his heart. Blood slowly seeped through Jim's shirt and he winced in pain, trying his best to not show weakness in front of Barlow. "Its been a pleasure getting to know you, Mr. Hawkins. Tell her friends I say hello."
Jim eyes grew wide as he heard multiple explosions go off. They could be heard coming from the ships.
"Are you surprised?" Barlow asked him. "You can stop worrying now since you'll be dead soon." He pressed the dagger deeper into Jim's chest, cutting more skin.
"No!" Iris cried and flung herself at Barlow as she threw a rock at his face. She sliced his belly with her tiny knife, but he moved away from her reach just quick enough so that she could not further her damage on him.
Barlow grabbed Iris by the neck and shoved her to the ground. She kicked and clawed at him but it was futile. Barlow looked to Jim and said, "You're going to wish I killed you first." And he took Jim's dagger and started carving the crystal out of Iris' chest. She screamed out in agony, tears falling down the sides of her temples.
With one hand fighting Barlow back Iris reached out to Jim with her other. "Jim! Help me!"
Jim tried to free himself from the hold that Barlow's men had on him and they only held him down tighter and he was useless. "Stop it!" He yelled. "Stop it, you evil bastard!"
But Barlow would not and he continued to cut the crystal from Iris' chest. Blood was oozing out, her screams for help becoming fainter. Jim couldn't stand the sound of the crystal ripping from her chest. And like that, a hole was the only thing that remained.
Barlow let got of Iris and he stood up, proud and tall as he held Iris' blood covered crystal. "This will fetch me a pretty gold coin or two." He grinned at Jim. But Jim was not looking at Barlow when he said this. He was looking at Iris' motionless body as she stared back at him. The light in her eyes had vanished.

Sorry for the delay. I published my very first book a few days ago. If you like my writing style you may like my original stories too. This book of mine is called "Secret of Epping Forest". Here is a direct link to the book: Secret-Epping-Bridget-Kathleen-Pueppke/dp/0692142878/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530733401&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=secret+of+epping+forest

It has romance(implied sex)angsty scenes, mystery, and some ghostly things. Its also kind of like a "slice of life" story. If you like all of those things I highly recommend you check the book out. Here is the plot:
It's early summer as young Rose Fair travels to England from California with her parents. The house where she is staying has many secrets, and so does the forest behind it. Unfamiliar with rural life, Rose quickly becomes enchanted–and most of all curious–as she stumbles upon a secluded mansion. The residents, Edmond and Thackeray, don't seem to be from the area. They don't even seem to be from this era! Rose unravels their secret but then must choose whether she will stay or go. And she has just until summer's end to decide.

I know that I have errors in my fanfic, but they are just for fun. My editor and I have spent a lot of time trying to perfect this book. And even though there's not a single story that is perfect, its the emotion the story gives to its readers that IS important.
Thank you for reading! And remember: a review is food for the writer's soul.