Saudade (Published under Indie Pop)

Chapter 31: The Poison in the Pirate's Wine

Chapter 31: The Poison in the Pirate's Wine

I didn't know how long I cried on the stage or how many pirates were watching me as I broke down. All I knew was I needed to let the thing that was silently ruining me inside out of my chest. It was already too late when I realized the embarrassing situation I got myself into. When my crying subsided, I looked at them unable to find ways of how I would get myself out of the grand hall. It was really silent and I was just waiting for them to begin laughing at me. But the mockery and laughter didn't come and instead, it was the Skull who came rushing towards my direction and grabbed me by my arm. I wanted to get away from that place so I let him usher me to the exit. No one dared stop us. They just watched silently as we escape the greatest drama of the pirate world.

If this was another story, I would consider this eloping as a great scene. If fairy tales did exist, I would be the princess who was saved by my prince from the sea of monsters and ran away together. It would be like our love against the world and we would do anything to keep it burning even sacrificing our lives. We would have run away from the evil witch or the hungry giant who wanted to devour us. We would be the heroes who saved the kingdom. But I knew too well that our story was different. Our lives weren't as easy as that. Our story that once promised rainbow and lively colors were now tainted with blood and dark adventure. It was another dark fairytale.

Apparently, there was a canoe waiting for us outside the grand vessel. We got on it and he paddled back to the Obsidian. It would have been better if we had a farther place to escape to. However, the vastness of the sea set a limit to where we can only reach. None of us dared to speak about what happened – not yet. I remained silent as he helped me get on the deck of the Obsidian. I wanted to punch my chest as my heart started to beat faster at the touch of his hand.

"Wait here. I'll be back," he said and quickly disappeared at the entrance of the hallway. Now that I was alone in the darkness, I began thinking if everything was just a nightmare or a product of my horrible imagination. But the stinging of my eyes and my dampened cheeks told me otherwise. I was doomed.

I looked around for a place to hide because of embarrassment. I didn't want anyone to see me at that very moment. I looked up towards the crow's nest and realized that no one was watching there. So I walked to the center post and started climbing the rope ladder. I had climbed this before and I could feel my muscles getting used to it. It was easier now compared to the first time. I felt myself becoming stronger than I ever was. Maybe this was what the pirate world could do to you.

Once I reached the crow's nest, I breathed the cold air and hugged myself as I felt the strong wind brushed against my skin. Up there, no one's going to judge me. In solitude, no one's going to hurt me. It seemed that the moon and the stars were gloomy that night for they refused to show themselves to me. Without them, it was so dark. I felt so alone.

Just as the tears threatened to fall again, I heard some movement from the rope ladder and after a minute of waiting, the Skull emerged at the top. He brought a bottle of water with a blanket wrapped around it. He handed them to me which I immediately hugged the thick cloth and sat on the floor of the crow's nest. I drank on the bottle and leaned on the railing. I closed my eyes and rested, knowing that it was the time for him to leave me alone. For that was what he always did, save me and then leaving me afterward. When minutes passed and I could still feel him with me, I opened my eyes and saw him standing, staring intently at me.