Chapter Fifteen- The First Storm

When Pocahontas, Nakoma, and Thomas left Virginia, snow was swirling around their heads. Now, that silent, peaceful snow had turned into stinging, cold, heavy rain. A week after they left, they had their first storm.

"Pocahontas! We need to get below deck!" Thomas screamed over the roar of the storm. Pocahontas knew he was right. But the only thing on Pocahontas's mind at that moment was John. Nakoma and Thomas looked at her. They knew she was worried her plan would fail, but right now, they had to get below deck.

"Pocahontas! Hurry!" Nakoma called. Pocahontas looked at the water. If she was swept overboard, what good would she be to John then? If she was swept overboard, John would be hanged for sure!

"Pocahontas! Come on!" Nakoma begged. The storm was scaring her. A wave crashed into the side of the ship and Pocahontas staggered.

"Come on!" Thomas said desperately. Suddenly, a huge wave crashed over the side of the boat and when Pocahontas looked next to her, Nakoma was gone. Pocahontas ran to the side of the ship and looked down.

"Nakoma!" She screamed. Nakoma was holding onto a rope for dear life.

"Pocahontas! Thomas! Help me!" Nakoma wailed above the storm.

"I'm coming Nakoma!" Pocahontas tied a rope to her waist.

"Pocahontas, no!" Thomas said.

"Why?" Pocahontas yelled.

"You can't go down there!" Thomas screamed.

"Why not?" Pocahontas asked.

"I promised John I wouldn't let anything hurt you!"

"What?"

"I promised John I wouldn't let anything hurt you!" Thomas repeated. "Let me go down there!"

Pocahontas thought about it for a minute. She was all John had to live for. But if she didn't go down there, Nakoma would be swept out to sea!

"No! I'm going down there!" Pocahontas yelled. She swung over the side and slowly made her way to Nakoma.

"Pocahontas! Can we go below deck after this? Please?" Nakoma asked humorously.

"Yes! But first we have to get back on the ship!" Pocahontas said. She grabbed her friends hand and Thomas and a crew member hauled them back onto the ship. Pocahontas, Nakoma and Thomas wasted no time getting below deck now. There, in their quarters, they found Meeko, Percy and Flit. Poor Meeko was sea sick and the storm wasn't helping. Pocahontas and Nakoma, who were soaked, wrapped up in warm blankets.

"John would have killed me." Thomas said, mostly to himself.

Pocahontas was quiet. John would have killed Thomas for letting her do that. The thought of John made Pocahontas sad again. And worried. Pocahontas pulled her blanket tighter around her. She missed John and hoped he was doing alright.

…oOo…

The storm raged for three days. They were the longest days of Pocahontas's life. Meeko was still seasick and Percy slept a lot.

The ship tossed and turned and swayed. Pocahontas couldn't sleep at all. Finally, she could take it no more. Pocahontas fell asleep. She dreamed of John. She dreamed that everything was alright again. She hoped that this dream was telling her her plan was going to work. She prayed with all her heart it would. She hoped the storm would silence and everything would be as it should be.