Forbidden Island

7 - The Map

"What are you going to do with her?" I asked the Captain as the doctor wrapped a stained piece of cloth around my injured arm.

"I'm going to keep it locked up." The captain responded sharply.

"But why?" I pressed, slightly troubled by the mermaid's threats.

The captain huffed and turned to me, pointing his finger. "Because I don't take kindly to being attacked and nearly killed. The mermaids deserve to know what it feels like having one of their own ripped from them. I lost too many crewman today."

"She needs water. There isn't any down there." I pointed to the where the pirates had taken her through a door that I knew led to the brig.

He paused and considered my words. "Then we'll put it in water. But you, stay out of it."

He expected me to stay put as he entered the door, but I was too worried that they would hurt the mermaid. So I followed him quietly. I supposed the mermaid deserved it for trying to kill the pirates, but I didn't think it would be right to deliberately hurt her when she was out of water and helpless. Louis didn't noticed me follow him as I stealthily crept along the wooden floor boards and down the stairs. When I entered the hold where the cargo was kept, I passed through the supplies and came to the door to the brig where I knew Harry was being held. I knelt down behind some crates.

I heard low masculine voices conversing for a while before the men exited and began rifling through the cargo on the other side. I was thankful they hadn't chosen to come to my side of the space. I heard them grunting and then watched as they moved a large rectangular crate out into the walkway. It was large enough for a man to lie in it.

"Have Grady and Fredrick make this waterproof and fill it with water. Then put the creature in it and nail this wire mesh over the top of it." Louis instructed.

"What about feeding her?" Liam asked.

"The wire openings are large enough to put fish through. I'm sure that's what they eat when there aren't any sailors around to drag under." Louis spat out spitefully.

"It wasn't your fault Captain." Liam assured him as they both began walking back up the stairs, followed by the other men who brought the mermaid down.

Peeking over the crates, I strained to see inside the brig through the cracked door. I caught sight of the mermaid's purple tail through the bars of the cell I had been locked in. They had simply tossed her onto the floor carelessly.

Quietly rising from my hiding place, I made sure the pirates were gone before scurrying up after them. I certainly didn't want to get caught down here. I decided to come back when they had better secured the mermaid and no one would be coming down.

Reaching the deck without anyone noticing, I hurried over to the railing and pretended to act natural when I saw the captain. My long hair was whipping in the wind and getting in my face so I began to braid it all the way down to my backside.

It was several hours later when Grady and Fredrick stopped carrying buckets of sea water down to the brig. I felt sorry for them when the young pirates collapsed onto a pile of sails in exhaustion. I was about to sneak back down to check on the mermaid and Harry when I heard shouts from the chart room.

Tilting my head to listen, I found my feet carrying me up the stairs to the higher deck toward the chart room door. The voices grew louder.

"If we don't get some headway soon somebody's going to lose a limb!" The captain roared.

"I'm sorry Captain! But I just don't understand the map! It doesn't make sense. This isn't what it looked like the last time we were in here!" Niall responded anxiously.