Dangers of the Sea

Tomorrow, Ye Will Get Your Pay

Ringing cancels out any of the muted noises coming from the men, but I feel no pain other than the aches in my back and stinging by my ear. Am I dead? Should I dare a look to see?

Without waiting any long, I open one eye. Instead of only the middle eastern man in front of me standing alone, there stands two men. The larger is the giant from the docks. He holds Yusuf's hand holding the smoking gun slightly upward. They glare at each other. 

Smoking gun. So it did go off. I follow my line of sight to right above my head to see a hole blown in the wall a foot above me. I trail my eyes back over to them. They are arguing. I can see mouths moving wide, but they are quiet in comparison to the ringing in my ears.

The boy stands behind to the left where he was before. Did he not move?

"Christ, Yusuf, you shot at her! She's an innocent! You know the Captain's rule on stowaways!" the giant yells. It's muffled, but I can hear it through the ringing. 

"I don't agree with that. She's a threat. A danger and I wasn't about to risk Vincent, " Yusuf snarls. 

"So you shoot her instead of restraining her," 

It wasn't a question. The ringing has subsided by now and the conversation is clearer. 

Yusuf nods and Vincent looks away rubbing his left arm.

"Oh for the love of - This is the last warning you are going to get. On this ship, we do not shoot stowaways without trial. Am I clear?" The giant growls out.

No response.

"Am. I. Clear?" He snarls.

"Yes sir!" both straighten up. The giant releases Yusuf's arm and points a finger at the boy.

"Vincent, get a rope from topside, and tell the Captain that everything is being handled appropriately," he instructs. Vincent nods and takes towards the stairs. Huh, I was right. Those boots are too big for the boy.

Wait, rope?

 "And as for you," A large hand reaches for my throat, but grabs the front of my blouse and hauls me up pulling it taunt against my back.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing on my ship?" He sneers into my face.

Should his breath smell that bad, ugh?

"I can explain! Please, I just need to get to a colony." I twist my hands into my shirt to struggle out of his grip. 

He just holds me higher with my toes just glancing at the ground.

"Then you charter a ship. Pirate ships aren't the best idea for little girls," He scoffs.

This mother- 

"Little girl, you sonuva - I'm not exactly able to charter a ship," I scowl. Yes, let's be a small dog for a moment and fight the bigger being holding me off the ground with one hand.

"Why aren't you able to charter a ship? You're English, no? You'd just pay easily," Yusuf pipes up.

"Because I am on the run, you cunt," I snarl and rear back my foot. I slam it right into the genitals of the giant. He drops me and I scramble away. I make a dash for my bag when a heavy force slams into my back. 

Air drops out of my lungs and the heavy weight rests on me. "Naughty, naughty." Yusuf laughs from where he is on top of me. No, no, no. Get off.

"Get off," I wheeze. Not sounding that dangerous.

He says nothing, and just holds me down. 

Groans echo in the room. "You bitch," is croaked out. 

I fling out my elbow to hit Yusuf off of me, but he catches my arm and secures both together with ease. Well, this can't get any worse. 

"Mr. Winters, I have the rope," is the hesitant reply of Vincent. Nevermind.

"Vince, bring it here. Winters is . . . occupied at the moment." Yusuf calls.

There is shifting from behind me. Coarse rope wraps around the bend of my elbows securing them together with the sharp pinches as the rope tightens around my arms. I pull at my wrists when more rope traps my wrists together. How much rope do they have?

An arm loops around my waist pulling me up from the ground. I'm heaved to my feet. The arm moves after a few minutes with me standing on my feet, and a palm shoves me forward. I stumble and go down to my knees. My shoulder follows cracking against the wood floor to try and push myself back upwards. 

"Good?" Yusuf calls. I use my shoulder as leverage to heave up to my knees. Now for the balancing act. I manage to wobble a little in an effort to full stand and face the three.

"I'm good," Mr. Winters croaks out, getting to his feet. Yusuf stands at the front of the group, Vincent not far behind with Mr. Winters making his way to the front. His face is hard set, he's definitely angry.

"Why are you on the run?" he asks. 

"None of your damn business," I snarl.

"Quite the opposite actually. You are on our ship, and now your only saving grace is why you chose to climb aboard, which I can gather is why you are on the run. Now we can do this the easy way, or I can dangle you off the side and see if you wish to swim with our lovely fishes," Mr. Winter snarls, taking a step towards me. I step back.

"What about her bag, Mr. Winters?" Vincent queries drawing all attention to himself.

Damn brat.

"Good eye Vincent, but didn't anyone ever teach you to never look through a lady's bag?" Mr. Winters steps towards my bag and bends over to pick it up. 

"Hey, put that down, that's mine!" I cry. No one pays any mind to me. He pulls out the one thing I want him not to touch. The documents. 

Yusuf is watching me, so if I want to succeed I need to wait a little longer until he drops his guard. 

"Are these real?" 

What? "What?" I look back at Mr. Winters.

"These documents, they have the official signature. Are they the real deal?" He repeats looking up from where he grips them too tight.

"Yes, now stop squishing them. I need to get them to the colonies intact if I want to warn the people." I plead. He stops squishing them. Looking down, he sets them back in the bag. 

"What is your name?" He asks. The other two stare at him. My name?

"It's Sophia, why?" I raise my head up high. What is he up to?

"Ms. Sophia, if we release you from the rope, promise not to hit anyone or attempt to run?" 

I nod. If they try anything I can always defend better diplomatically, then physically. I move towards the men and twist myself around, keeping an eye over my shoulder to watch for any sign of deceit. Mr. Winters makes quick work of the one rope I was tied up in. How did they even? 

"Now, let's discuss getting you to the colonies."