The Silent Thief

IX

IX

               It was the natives of the island that kidnapped me.

I struggled against my bonds eager to get off this man’s shoulder. I tried to tell how many of the natives were surrounding me, but could barely see anything because of the darkness. Soon, the man stepped out from under the trees into a clearing and so did the rest of the natives. The moon shone brightly above us letting me see my surroundings better. The man basically threw me off his shoulder onto the hard ground. I looked around seeing a small village. Little children peeked out of the grass windows of their huts. Looking back toward the forest, the fog slowly crept out along with the rest of my crew; one hundred stiff-legged half dead men.

What is wrong with them? I thought trying to come up with a plan. My father taught me how to think. He taught me how to make a plan when I was in a stressful moment, but in this moment, my mind was blank. I was broken hearted at the thought that we might die in the hands of these natives. I prayed, My God, I humbly ask that you help us now.

Looking up again, I hadn’t realized that a drum had started at one time. It grew louder and louder until I thought that it couldn’t get any louder. Suddenly, it stopped and with it, the crew. They all stood completely still, facing a man on a wooden throne. The whole village had gathered around us, studying and watching our every move—well, probably only my moves since the men were as still as logs.

The man on the wooden throne stood. He was a huge muscular man wearing a tiger’s skin on his back. Other than the tiger’s skin, he wore exactly the same thing as the rest of the natives; no shirt and a loin cloth. He slammed the end of his spear on the ground and the natives stopped whispering all at once.

Then he spoke, “The white man has caused us enough pain and suffering.” He had a thick African accent making me wonder which island were we on. “He has come to steal our women and kill our men! We all remember when this happened. He came and took my son from me, our son!” The whole village cried out and started coming closer. “That will never happen again! We have been blessed with the Fog so we can protect ourselves from them!” The, what I guessed to be their king, pointed a finger at the captain. “Now we will watch them fight to the death just as they had made our people do before.” The village shouted together and some of the male natives pushed the captain and another crew member forward. The other crew members started waking from their daze. They looked around shocked, and started stumbling over each other. “Hold them!” The king commanded. The male natives held the crew back making enough room in the center to fight. “Bring that one to me,” the native king ordered pointing directly at me. A man grabbed me behind the neck and dragged me toward the king. The captain and the other man that the natives had shoved forward, were standing looking confused like they were wondering how they got there.

“You!” The king said glowering down at me. He leaned down and stared at my masked examining it. “Why do you keep a secret? Who are you to resist the Fog?” He spat at me. “The Fog can affect every man that it has ever touched, so why not you?” He stood up then called for some one. A man with markings all over his body and strings in his hair came. He grabbed a fistful of something then suddenly threw it in my face. It was dirt. It went through the holes in my mask and stung my eyes badly. Some got into my mouth making me cough roughly.

“She is a woman, my king,” the crazy native reported. I wondered how he could tell that by just throwing dirt in my face.

“Nonsense! It look like a man. I tell you, it is the mask. That is why you are able to resist the Fog. The Fog effects only man with no mask,” the king said rubbing his chin. “How do you take off this…” he paused thinking then spoke again, “thing that conceal face? I must know this power.” I had no intention to answer him. He obviously knew nothing about locks and keys. “Fine, you wish not to answer me? Then you can watch your friends die,” he spoke to me again. “Take him away!” I was drug back to the place where they had tied the crew up. They took my bound hands and tied them again to another crew member. I looked to see it was Sir William. His face was emotionless though he was fully awake now.

Then the natives grew quiet as the king commanded some men. Our two Englishmen were still standing at the center of the circle. A native man walked up to them with two spears and handed each Englishman one. They took it still confused.

“Now fight to the death!” the king commanded.

Captain James and the other man just stood there looking at each other.

The king let out a frustrated growl and yelled to the crazy native, “Bring me the Fog.” I guessed that the crazy native was the village’s voodoo man. I had heard about men and women like him before. Almost every village had one.

The voodoo man came to the king with a small box. The king took it in his hands. I realized what he was going to do. I had to stop him. Under the influence of that green fog, the king would be able to control everyone.

“Sir William!” I whispered desperately. “I need my key.”

“At a time like this, how could you need to unlock your mask?” He asked back.

“I know what I’m doing. Just trust me if you want to get your arse out of here. Now help me get loose,” I said struggling against my bonds.

“Such language for a woman, nevertheless, I will try.” He reached his bound hands into his pocket trying to reach his knife. He managed to grab it then pointed inward cutting his own ropes. Once loose, he hesitated.

“We’ve no time, come on Sir William!” I said to him. I noticed the king had started walking toward Captain James with the box in his hands. “Now, my key,” I said holding out my still bound hands. Sir William reluctantly pulled my key out from under his shirt. He put it into the lock and turned it. I quickly grabbed my hood pulling it low over my head to conceal my face. Sir William tucked the key back into his pocket. I didn’t have time to get it from him now. “Cut my ropes!” I nearly yelled at him.

It was too late. The king opened the box; the green fog finding its way toward the captain and the other crew member. They both took a step back only to find natives holding them in place. I looked back to see Sir William gone. That coward! I struggled even harder against my ropes feeling them get a fraction looser. The fog found the other man first. He tried holding his breath but finally breathed it in. His eyes turned foggy and his body turned stiff again. The fog made its way to the captain; all the while I fought at my ropes. The captain could not move because of the men holding him. He breathed it in.

I counted, one…my ropes were almost off my hands, two…the king grinned widely, three…the natives were getting excited, four…my hands were free and I jumped up running toward the captain, five…Captain James’ body stiffened. I reached him putting my mouth to his, breathing the fog into my own. His body collapsed. I fell to my knees gagging on the horrible bitter taste in my mouth. I saved the captain. I saw his eyes flutter open. He stood up and held out his spear. He held it to the king’s throat.

Captain James spoke to the king, “Let us come to an agreement, shall we?”

*******

Sorry for not posting sooner. I am finished with my school year and I am now currently free! Thank God! I'll be posting a lot more now.:D I'll try posting at least twice a week. Sorry again, for not posting sooner. Also, the cover pic is coming soon too. For now, please endure the colorless, boring, cover picture. Thanks for reading my author's note.;)

I always love reading your comments, so type your heart's desires,

Robin

P.S. On the right is another pic of Grace.