Beauty and the Demon

2

It had been two days since my father had come home from his previous trip, and now today was the day we were heading off to who knows where.

I tried to get the location out of my father, but he wouldn't budge and kept it a secret saying it was a surprise.

I put on a white long sleeve shirt and some light wash jeans and put my chocolate brown hair in a half up half down hairstyle with a blue bow that matched my eyes, and then put on some tall brown boots and pulled my brown leather jacket out of the bag I had packed the other day in my duffel cause I heard it would be a little chilly today. I looked in the mirror and smiled. I'm so excited!

I put my satchel on and held my duffel bag in my right and my guitar in my left.

I skipped down the stairs, and my father chuckled at the sight of me.

"Are you sure you want to go? You don't seem too excited." He joked and chuckled.

"Are you kidding? I'm so excited!" I practically squealed.

"Well shall we?" He winked and we walked out the door, and he held his black satchel close and held his black duffel in his right hand.

We got into the car, and the drive to the dock was short. Soon we were right next to the ocean, and the smell of fresh salt water air up close was intoxicating.

"Beauty, you coming?" My father chuckled. I realized I had spaced out.

"Oh yeah." I chuckled embarrassed, and soon we were next to a ship that was named the Jolly Roger.

"This is it. Ain't she pretty?" He smiled.

"That she is." I said mimicking his sailor slang.

He fake glared at me and replaced it with a giddy smile.

"Come on Beauty, lets get on." He brought us over to the loading ramp, and we walked up, and we were greeted immediately by one of his crew members. He was short and pudgy ad had glasses and a red beanie on.

"Hello Captain Hook." He smiled and removed his cap and did a slight bow.

Captain Hook?

"Oh remember don't call me that." My father whispered so that only the guy who greeted us could hear, but my father is not a good whisperer so I could hear everything. What was he hiding?

"Oh sorry I mean Captain Steven." He said with less confidence this time. From what I know, Steven is my last name, but apparently, it may not be. Something odd was going on here. But soon my thoughts were interrupted my the same short pudgy man that had greeted us.

"You must be Beauty Steven, the Captain's only daughter." He smiled his crooked teeth.

"That I am." I said while shaking his hand politely.

"Well Miss Steven, you'll enjoy this trip. We are going to-" he was abruptly cut off by my father.

"Smee, go find something better to do than to tell my daughter the surprise." My father said through gritted teeth. I've never seen him annoyed before, maybe he got annoyed easily by his crew.

Soon after Smee ran off below deck to go do something, my father turned to me. "I'll show you where you'll be staying for the next two weeks." He smiled and led me below deck. "I prepared it myself and its right next to mine if you need me." He smiled. He brought me to a door that was next to a door that held a sign that said Captain's Courters.

My father pushed open the door that had no sign, and inside was a pretty white canopy bed, and there was a white desk and a white wardrobe. It kind of contrasted weirdly against the dark wood of the ship, but I still loved it. My father even got pretty blue curtains and a blue bed spread to match.

"Thank you father!" I said hugging him tight.

"Anything for you my darling Beauty." He smiled. "Well I'll let you get settled in. I'm gonna be on the deck if you need me." He smiled and turned away and closed my door. I set my bag down on a chest I hadn't noticed before that was right next to the door, and I leaned my guitar case against the wall. I lifted my satchel off and laid it on my bed and walked over to the window.

I was memorized by the clear blue ocean waves and the sun that had begun to to set. The sky was a mix of blue, pink and orange. I loved it. It was definitely a better view from here than from the window in my bedroom. My bedroom window at home faced the wall of the house next to us. So this was a huge difference.

Plus since we were moving around all the time my view would always change. I smiled at the thought.

I decided to unpack my things into the wardrobe, and then I put my books on top of the desk along with my journal and pen. Then I decided to move the chest next to the window to provide me with a makeshift window seat. Then I unlatched my guitar case, and picked up the guitar carefully as if I were seeing and holding it for the first time. I sat on the chest and looked out to the ocean. I rested the guitar on my led and began to strum a random tune. Soon the ship began to move, and we were on our way to the mysterious place my father had kept a secret from me.

Speaking of secrets, what was with Mr. Smee calling my father Captain Hook? Why did my father try to hide a bunch of stuff from me? Why did a name matter?

"Captain Hook." I said aloud. Why does it sound familiar? Of course!

I gently put my guitar down and ran to my desk. I picked up the Peter Pan book and carefully flipped through the pages. Finally I found the page about the infamous Captain Hook. The pirate who would do anything to get rid of the heroine of the book, Peter Pan. But this is a kids book. I flipped through the book more and realized there was a Mr. Smee too. What? How had this not clicked? But there's something different. My father doesn't have a hook. But he has a fake hand, I reminded myself. What was my father trying to pull here? Was my father who he says he is?