The Children: The Moonserpents

Chapter 18 Calder - Saying Goodbye

"So, let me get this straight. You want us to find your ship. But you don't know where it is?"

"Exactly!" Ash said, thrusting his glass full of rum into the air, spilling more on his underaged companions.

"Could you... Maybe... Explain what it looks like?" Glacie asked, a small tuft of her alcohol drenched hair in her mouth.

Ash cleared his throat for dramatic effect. "Well it-"

His eyelids drooped and he stumbled backwards. Ash's body crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll. That is, if a ragdoll snored.

"Is he sleeping?" Asked Calder, the stress sending his voice into a high-pitched squeak.

Glacie simply nodded as she grabbed the pirate's long legs. "You grab his arms." She commanded.

Calder instantly did as he was instructed and grabbed Ash's rum drenched arms. It was a very strange sight, two clearly underaged teenagers shuffling out of a bar dragging a completely smashed man behind them.

Glacie's eyes darted back and forth and her elfish ears pricked up at the slightest of sounds. The more people stared at the strange sight the more on edge she became. It was the first time Calder had seen Glacie this worried.

"Are you ok?" he asked between laboured breaths.

She nodded quickly, making no noise, her eyes still on the many people surrounding them.

"There's nothing to worry about." Calder said softly, his sweet freckly face smiling up at her.

Glacie stared at him for a moment before quickly everting her eyes. "I'm... I don't like people."

"Don't worry. Everyone here is really nice." Calder said.

He turned to a passing stranger and waved. "Hello."

Glacie froze in place, her eyes darting around the street looking for a suitable weapon. The stranger smiled at Calder and tipped his hat.

"Do you need help kiddo?" The stranger asked kindly.

"No thank you." Calder said as he smiled back. "See?" He said, turning back to a thoroughly frightened Glacie. "There's nothing to worry about."

But Glacie still wasn't convinced. She dragged them into an alleyway dropping Ash's legs and leaning against a wall, taking deep shaky breaths. Calder stood still, not quite sure what to do with the pirate's arms. After a few minutes he decided to place them gently on the ground. The longer they stood in the alleyway in complete silence, the more unbearable uncomfortable the silence became. Eventually Glacie strode deeper into the alley, leaving Calder to "protect" Ash's currently vulnerable state. In less than a minute Calder heard a metallic thud resonate from deeper in the alley, followed by quiet cursing and another metallic thud. Calder ran after the sound to find Glacie standing in front of a large ship gripping her forehead with her left hand and violently shaking the other.

"What happened." Calder asked, worry making his voice crack.

"I walked into the ship. It hurt my head. I punched it. Then it hurt my hand." Glacie replied casually.

Calder looked at her exasperated. His eyes drifted behind her and to the large ship she had left a small dent in. He had never seen anything like it in his life. The rusted metal giant looked very strange in comparison to the buildings in the dome which had all been lovingly crafted using marble and sandstone. Ash's looming silhouette drifted up from behind him, his shadow casting fearsomely across the ship.

"Ye bucket 'eads found my ship. I'm almost proud." He said in a gravelly voice only created by the worst of hangovers.

Ash strode confidently towards his ship and opened the hatch. "Ye bucket 'eads gonna get in or what?"

Glacie sprung forward with vigour, her purple, fluffy companion speeding after her. Calder hesitated in the alley as anxiety chewed at his insides. "I-I can't just leave... What about my sisters? I- "

Ash gave him a putrid look and an exasperated sigh. "Fine." He said gruffly. "Ice cube, you wait with my ship." Ash stomped ahead with Calder following meekly behind him.

By the time they were back at Calder's home Reef was pacing back and forth in the front garden. When she spotted her brother, she bolted towards him and lifted him into her arms, squeezing him so tight he couldn't breathe. She stared daggers at the pirate who followed grumpily behind him.

"Reef... We need to talk about something." Calder said softly.

Reef looked down at her brother, her faced filled with concern. She placed him gently on the ground. "What is it?"

"Ash is leaving and... I want to go with him." Reef stared at Calder, utterly lost for words. "I want to be outside of the dome. I want to see the world. I-"Calder was interrupted by his sister pulling him into a hug. It was a warm hug. It reminded him of the hugs his mother used to give. Warm and safe. He could hear Reef choke up as she let him go.

"Okay." She rested her hand on his head. "But promise me one thing. When you go out there. You remember what our parents taught you. As long as there is one good person, it's still a beautiful world." She smiled at him softly as she bit down on her lip to hold back tears. Reef planted a kiss on his forehead before letting her brother go.

"And you." She said turning to the pirate. "You bring my brother back to me and you bring him back alive or I will make your life so horrible you will wish you were dead."

Ash replied with an erratic cackle. "Listen sweet cheeks I already wish I was dead."

Reef glared at him. "So maybe killing you will be doing you a favour."

"You haven't changed a bit Reef." Ash called as he walked out the gate with Calder in tow. "Honestly I'm a little disappointed."

When they got back to the ship Glacie was sitting on the ground seeing how far she could flick Super SeaWeed figurines.

"Does anyone else have any issues before we finally get away from this place." Ash asked begrudgingly.

Calder cleared his throat making Ash groan. "What the zapnarg is it now fishsticks?"

"I... before I get in the ship, I have one condition."

Ash gave Calder the most disgusted face ever created. "What?" He asked sharply.

"No killing. We can't hurt other people."

"Look kid. I know your trying to be morally correct or whatever. But I think you're forgetting the fact that I'm a pirate."

"But-"

"I'm your captain. You do what I tell you." Ash commanded.

"I'm not going unless you promise." Calder said defiantly

"MY GOD WILL YOU GROW UP! YOUR JUST LIKE MY SIST-" Ash's mouth snapped closed, he turned on his heels and stormed onto his ship. "IM CAPTAIN. YOU FOLLOW ME, OR I LEAVE YOU BEHIND!" He shouted as he disappeared into his ship.

Calder stood still. Unable to move and unsure where to turn. Glacie looked at him sympathetically before following her captain into the ship.

The engines started to glow a crimson red and rumble. The hatch on the side of the ship began to slowly close. Tears dripped down Calder's face and his lip quivered as he stood in the smoke produced by the ship.

"I'm going to be who my parents wanted!" He yelled at Ash.

Ash's hand slammed against the hatch, holding it open.

"My Ma told me the same thing. They were liars." Ash glared at the boy dangerously. "You're parents were the same. Ye can't change that. But... but that doesn't mean ye can't choose the type of person ye want to be. I'm willing to give ye that opportunity. I won't stop ye if ye want to be the good guy. But ye may need some help 'cus I don't think ye have enough muscle to do it alone." Ash joked as he held the door open.

Calder ran up to him and smashed into a hug.

"Captain." Calder said quietly

"Yeah fishsticks?"

"You smell like rum."