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Chapter 6. The Grand Maria
The Grand Maria was having a bad trip. Contrary to its name the ship was a rotting, stinking old vessel for rent that did whatever it's renters wanted it to do. Up until two weeks ago it had been out as a fishing vessel, holding enough fish to make the sailors filthy rich – or would have done if the vast quantities of fish hadn't rotted before they had made port. Now it was acting as a transport vessel, carrying many low down, dirty layabouts, ragamuffins and generally persons from the dregs of society from A to B, the B part being seemingly unknown to the entire party, the captain included. Now, having a large number of people on board a relatively small ship is generally bad enough. However, having it also smell of rotten fish seemed too much for most, crew included, who had mostly never been on a boat before (crew included). The captain and renter of the boat, a Mr. Zacharius Gibbs, seemed to be the only seafaring man onboard and at this moment in time was, quite rightly, questioning his decision to partake in such a venture at all.
It was in this frame of mind that, standing by the railings, he spotted the body. What he was seeing didn't click within him at first, as it is generally not something you expect to find. As it bobbed past him, he realised what it was and he called for one of his crewmen to haul the body out of the water. His second shock came to see that the body was that of a young man and, even though he was sporting a rather fine wound on his back (and had been lying face down in the water), he was still alive. If only just.
Several blows to the chest later, he was breathing.
"It's a miracle the lad's still with us sir." Said the crewman who had pulled him up.
"God's certainly with this one." Said another.
"Wonder wha' happened to him." Gibbs mused, half to himself.
"Dunno, but it seems he took 'alf the reason with 'im." The man who had pounded on the boy's chest unclasped his clenched fist, revealing a single blue eye.