Isle of Dreams

Plot outline:

The ship is a merchant ship just barely scraping by.
They leave port, late and in the middle of the night. They hit a storm that they weren't expecting. They lose a couple hands over the side and run from a ghost ship. They are driven into a safe harbor of a mysterious island not on any of the sea charts. They disembark to find supplies. They discover a mysterious lost civilization full of beautiful people. They discover that the people are soul eaters. They escape from the island, but almost don't and run into another storm. They barely survive that storm and are driven into a safe harbor in the port they were originally making for...a day earlier than they left the first port. They deliver their cargo and get a bonus for early delivery but wonder about the island, decide not to say anything and go on with being a merchant ship.






The darkness was filled with fog and accompanied by a sickening swaying. The throbbing in my head made a nice counterpoint which I completely failed to appreciate. In response to the percussion resonating within my body, my stomach curled into an exceptional abstract,then voided its contents.

Unfortunately, my brain was sluggish and unpleasant liquid made its escape through both nostrils. I gagged, repeated the performance through a more acceptable opening and sneezed several times.

The swaying, accompanied by various familiar creaking sounds, intensified as I regained consciousness.

"Ooooo..." My groan echoed in my ears. I attempted to roll onto my side and immediately regretted the action which triggered a myriad of soundless explosions behind my eyelids.

"'Ad too much ta drink again, didn't 'cha Capin'?"

"Hush!" I commanded in what sounded like a death-rattle.

"Heh," came the unsympathetic response. "Tol' 'cha ta stay on board I did. Tol' 'cha ta stayoutta ta pub. Tol' 'cha."

"Yeah I know," I groaned. "Shuddup about it already!"

"It's half way through the afternoon," my current nemesis taunted. "Ya been sleepin' 'most the day. We's still in port too and should'a been gone hours ago."

"So why didn't you get us outta port?" I attempted to pry one eye open and was rewarded with piercing light lancing off the optic nerves. I squeezed both eyes shut and plastered my arm over them.

"'Cause half the crew's in the pokey. Y'all busted up the port perty good. I only 'ad enough ta get you outta hock."

"Marvelous," I muttered. "Get me something to drink."

"'Ain't you 'ad enough?"

"Water", I clarified with rising urgency. "Now. Before I spew again!"

Scuffling sounds reached my ears a few seconds later and a rough hand pulled my arm away from my face.

"'Ere, sit up 'n drink."

I forced myself to a less prone position and reached out hand. "Where's the water?"

"Open yer eyes Cap, it's right 'n front 'a ye."

I let out a string of curses, flailed unsuccessfully in the air with one hand and heaved my guts over the side of the bunk. A chuckle from the first mate rewarded my efforts which didn't help my temper. Tepid water cascading over the back of my head a moment later made it worse.

"Hey!" I sat bolt upright and gasped as skyrockets exploded in my brain. I clamped both hands over my eyes, dropped backwards onto the bunk and attempted to pass out. The first mate cackled with glee and upended a bucket of salt water over my face. I growled, forced myself to sit back up and glared at him.

"Git up!" He smacked my bunk with his open hand and snickered.

I growled at him, swung my legs over the side of the bunk and aimed a kick at the bucket. I missed. He chortled at me and hobbled out of the cabin. I glared at his retreating back, climbed from the bunk and stepped in the mess I'd previously made. My stomach reacted by twisting into a knot and attempting a repeat performance. Nothing came out, which hurt. The mate hadn't come back so I stumbled out onto desk and sought the first water barrel I could find and tried not to fall into it.

It took me almost an hour to recover and clean up but I managed somehow and wound up standing on the docks as the sun dipped toward the horizon. I needed a full crew and I had to have them before high tide. I debated bailing out the men who were in jail but funds were low so I rejected that idea and started scanning the boardwalk for sailors who might be in need of a job.

I found a few. Not what I really wanted but they all had hands, some of them had brains and they all had experience on the open sea. I hired six of them and got us underway.

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