Hi, everyone! Sorry for not updating for a while. I had school and writer's block, but here is the next chapter! Enjoy!
Jim awoke with a start. He wasn't in his galley with Carolyne. He wasn't even in a galley. He was in a room- a nice room. It was rather small, but it had a bed and a small desk. It felt nice to be on a soft bed after being in a galley. He pressed his head against his pillow, taking in the comfort of it.
He was trying to figure out what had happened the day before. His mind was completely blank. Maybe he was just starting his adventure and everything else was a dream. Then, it hit him. He remembered yesterday, and he was the captain's son. That would explain the nice room.
Jim heard a knock on the door, then someone came in. He was wearing an apron and he was carrying a tray of food, so Jim assumed he was the cook.
"Your breakfast, sir," the cook placed the tray on the desk, then left.
Jim liked the sudden rank change. He had no idea what he was served for breakfast, but it smelled a lot better than the stale scraps he was fed in the galley.
After breakfast, Jim left his cabin. The ship looked so much better now that he wasn't a prisoner. The only problem he found were the glares from the crew. They found it unfair that a prisoner suddenly had a high rank. He didn't even do anything notable to get it. He felt bad for getting a special treatment, but at least he was living better then before. He then realized Carolyne and Morph were still prisoners. He decided to visit them, but his thoughts of visiting were interrupted when the ship gave a sudden jolt. Jim fell on his side from the force. There was no sign of a black hole or anything that would cause such a shake.
"Get to yer stations!" Max's voice bellowed through the entire ship. "She's mine this time!"
The crew raced to their stations, ignoring the fact Jim was on the ground. He was tramped by a few on their way to their stations.
The ship tilted, making Jim slide to the rim. He looked over the ship and saw something green and scaly move. He looked again, but it was gone.
The ship regained balance.
"After it!" Max exclaimed.
The ship made a sudden turn and to the direction or the beast. Jim got a better look at the beast Max was after. It was big and long. It had dark green scales and bright red eyes. It looked like a space serpent, but with flippers.
"What is that?" Jim asked, not to anyone is particular.
"That would be the beast I've been searchin' for all these years." Max said, suddenly behind Jim. "She'll make us rich. Then, I'll return to me dear old Sarah with riches."
"You left to get money?" Jim asked.
"Why, of course! The Benbow wasn't doin' well. Yer mom and I had a fight about me leavin', but I needed to get the money somehow." Max explained.
"So...so you wanted to help?" Jim concluded.
"Of course." Max said.
It made sense to Jim. His father only wanted to support his family, not leave them while business was bad.
"Can I help get the monster?" Jim asked.
"Why of course! Go help with the net." Max said, pointing over his shoulder to the lower floor where the longboats were located.
Jim followed that order with a spring in his step. Some of the crew members setting up the net looked a bit confused to see the captain's son. Jim ignored the looks, assuming it was jealousy that he was suddenly the favourite.
"How big is the monster?" Jim asked, wanting to be involved in the conversation the crew was having.
"Bigger than the net." An alien said.
"Then why don't we get a bigger net?" Jim asked.
The crew chuckled at Jim's remark. He gave them a confused look.
"You ain't like yer dad, are ya?" Another alien asked.
"What? You think I can't accomplish anything? That I'll never be as great as him? Just you see. I'll be able to catch the monster in the net on my own." Jim said, hoping they wouldn't take him up on that offer.
"Lad, yer dad ain't who ya t'ink he is." a third alien said. "He ain't great. He promised us a great life on board, and look'it us! We're livin' in rags an' we're eatin' slop!"
Jim shook his head. He didn't believe the crew. They were obviously jealous. Before he could retort and defend his father, the ship gave another violent jolt. Jim ran to the main deck to see the monster was annoyed the pursuit. It had turned around and began attacking the ship.
Jim ran to the prison galley and stuck his hand through the bars.
"I need Morph!" Jim said, and he felt a blob in his hand. Morph looked very happy to see him.
"What about me!" Carolyne exclaimed.
"No time to talk!" Jim left Carolyne alone in the prison galley. He turned his attention to Morph. "Morph, I need you to turn into bait." Jim explained the whole situation with the monster, and Morph was happy to help. Morph turned into a fish-like creature and went overboard. The distraction worked, and the monster went after Morph. Jim soon realized he hadn't thought of a plan to get Morph safely back onto the ship.
"Fire!" Max yelled to someone manning the laser cannon.
Before Jim could protest, a laser ball went straight for the monster and Morph. The ball hit the monster, and it made an angered sound, and left. Jim stood in awe, wondering if Morph was alright, and wondering why they hadn't used the laser canon earlier- it solved the monster.
Jim raced to the lower deck, and took a longboat. He went on a search for Morph, but the pink blob was no where to be seen. Jim turned around and headed for the ship with his head hanging.
Jim jumped when he felt something move. Out of his sleeve appeared Morph with his silly smile planted on his face.
"Morph! You scared me to death!" Jim exclaimed. Morph looked sorry, and Jim couldn't stay mad at him. The two headed back to the ship, hoping the monster wouldn't return.
I hope you liked it! Please review!