The Chronicles of a Pirate

Chapter 3: His Majesties Royal Navy.

          "I awake again lying beside my uncle. He is face down, on the planks inside our little room below deck. My eyes go from his feet, to his back, tracing the bright red lashes all over him. The back of his shirt is torn open, and his pants are torn all over. I cant tell if he is awake or not. He is moaning. It is clear he is alive though. I tentatively touch his shoulder and he lets out a great, struggled moan, and trys to shake his shoulder, but barley moves. I bring my hand away and just look at him. Why does he have to be such a coward. He is always worried about something. Worried about me being captured, or my family. Always worried. We should fired on this garbage ship and not worried about it. We should draw swords and fight these mongrels. I'm so tired of being afraid. I am a man now. The only thing keeping me from charging up onto the deck and hitting the first pirate I see, is the knowledge that, finding my uncle useless now, they will kill him. I sit with him for hours before we both fall asleep from the rocking of the ship. I wake the next morning, and begin my chores. 'Learning to sail like a man.' I hate it. I hate being around the people. When I get back in, my uncle is praying.

          I cant help but look up and think, "God, how can You be real and let these things happen? Let people like this live?"

          He doesn't answer of course. He never does. My uncle says He works in strange ways, but He is real. I just don't know. Sometimes I believe that there's no way he CANT be real. But sometimes I wonder how He could be. After a few more days of chores, I finally look at my uncle and ask him what been on my mind, for eighteen years.

          "Who was my father?"

          "Edward, please. I've told you its to hard to talk about."

          "Uncle, who, was, my, father?" I say with teeth clenched.

          "Edward, I'm telling you, I cant tell you that."

          "Why? What happened that was so bad you cant talk about it?!"

          "Edward, please." He cringes from his still tender back, but I don't care. Its time I knew.

          "These pirates, they treat me like a dog, but with respect among themselves. They say my name like it means something. Why is the name Goldsteel so special?!"

          "Edward, stop asking me, I will not tell you today, its for your own good."

          "Whats for my own good?! Is someone going to come kill me? Are they going to capture my family?! No! You know why? Because your a paranoid old fool!"

          "Edward, I've taught you nothing for no reason. One day, men will come, and they will threaten your life, and you cant know why because that day will come sooner. They day you find out, is the day you may sign your death certificate. They will not stop."

          "Fine, if you wont tell me, I'll ask the captain!"

          I stand, and move towards the door. It slams behind me as my uncle yells, "Edward, please don't!"

          I storm up onto the deck. The first mate looks at me and yells for me to get back below deck, but I don't listen. I march straight up to the captain."Who was my father?"