The Blow
or
After the Wind
The black ship lay listlessly in the torpid air. The still sheen of flat water could be seen in all directions, the Good Ship had come to a Sargasso. The presence of Mad Jimmy John hovered over all like the malevolent heat. The cabin boy clutched his dog and rested in the small shade provided by the gunwhale.
The aftermath of the "big wind", as they now called it, had been brief and bloody. When the storm ended and the fires were put out the damage was severe, but not yet mortal. Several large hull breaches had occurred. The crew, many of them burnt or wounded were too fatigued to do anything but rest. As things grew calm the remaining limes were shared around and a ration of hardtack and water was given to each man, at least the rain barrels were full.
The first to go were the ALchemist and his lackey, weighted down with money, and thrown overboard. The officers were treated to small cuts and thrown out into the shark infested waters, the crew cheered the sharks on, even now, weeks later, the sharks still lingered in hopes of another feeding.
The most likely winds would be southerly's, so discussion turned now to the future and the best course to take. |
