English 20-1

Ms. Gole

SHORT STORY
Response
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By Viola Anderson

Have you ever had that feeling? The one where you have no restraint, no willpower, no

self-control. Your soul takes control of your body, your mind, losing yourself completely.
 Most call me Stickin' Pete, but my name is Peter. I have been underlooked my entire life.

When I was just a wee lad my Mum and Dad left me on the porch of a stranger's home. The

stranger turned out to be Lazy-Eye Loui, the local Pirate. Loui told me "ye can ne'er count on

anyone to truly love ye, ye be all alone in this here world an' it's a backpack full o' cement lad."

Growing up, Loui taught me everything about his lifestyle. As a young boy he would tell me

about his adventures involving gold, ships, adventures, crews, and bounties. After hearing all

his stories , the one thing that lit a spark in me was the “Captain". The idea of having high

authority, being able to control my destiny, and having a crew for a family compelled me. From

that day forth I told myself that I was going to become a Captain, nothing was going to stop me.

As time slipped past, the day finally arrived, I was employed on the crew of the Pure

Vida. She was quite the vessel. I took an immense whiff of the air surrounding me, detecting a

combination of salt, fish, and rum of course. Aboard the Pure Vida much was happening - bare

feet thumped along the wooden boards, the sail flapped gently in the breeze, and the first mate

was relaying orders. As my eyes explored this opportunity awaiting me, I noticed a crew mate

sitting and scrubbing the deck. The sun overhead unveiled the lash marking upon his back. His

muscles trembled with each push and pull of the brush, a frail reminder I suppose. The first

mate reminded the man to use his arms to work, not to snatch a cuddle with the Captain's

daughter. A tall 6 ft. man approached me. He had a leathery, salt-worn face that was as rough as

the barnacles along the ship. He was the Captain.

"State your name and occupation," he says.

I respond "Erghhh…Peter and I -"

 He interrupts me "'aha I am only jokin' boy! Ye can call me Cap'n Flint, be welcome

aboard me lass, make yourself at 'ome, but don't be too comfortable" he winks at me. We set sail

into the open ocean in order to find valuables and return safely to port.

Many moons passed as we searched the islands throughout the sea, my urge grew

stronger to fulfill my destiny and become a true Captain, I picture myself being a better Captain

than Flint. The sea is known to make men go mad. They say that men can be overwhelmed by

the power of the sea and they disappear into its depths without even a funeral. That night I had

a nightmare, I was scrubbing the deck of the Pure Vida when suddenly Captain Flint stabbed me

in the back. I couldn't let that happen, never. Intrusive thoughts enter my head sometimes, "I

need to stop Flint before he kills me, I need to kill him first". I know that the nightmare I had

has meaning, and I have to do something about it. Maybe I'm going mad, I don't feel like

myself. But I know one thing for certain, I need to become the Captain in order for all of my

problems to be solved, right? I'll be a leader, I'll have a family, and I'll be free.

Another several weeks passed of sailing. The desire becomes an urge, the weather

reflects my intentions; The wind being rough today, pushes the ship back and forth into a

swaying motion. The first mate hollers to the crew "Avast there you scurvy pigs! Take heed to

the red sky in the morning mates! Stow the sails! Batten down the hatches! Toss overboard all

jetsam!..." The sky began to rumble as if an earthquake were coming. Then the rain came, so

much it soaked the skin. Lightning cracked the sky sending heaven's light through the storms.

The ocean swamped and tossed Pure Vida around as if she were an old newspaper. A wave from
the ocean rose up like an enormous hand, its fingers clinging onto the deck. The storm

triggered me, my soul has control. The Captain and its crew are like a wolf pack - challenge and

kill the alpha, and you become the new leader. Everyone will respect them, they will respect

me. However, there is one exception. If the Captain had a son, the role would be passed on to

his eldest. Lucky for me Flint just has a daughter. Captain Flint is in sight, he is yanking at

ropes and shouting at the first mate. Impulse is dominant. A dagger is stored in a cabinet below

deck in case of any foes that the crew may come across, me. The Captain and the crew are too

busy battling the storm to notice me. My heart races and for only a moment a voice in my head

pleads "don't do it". Nevertheless my heart is too distracted by the impulse and craving I have

to become the Captain, for the desire of gold is not for the gold itself it is for the means of

freedom and benefit. I have to put the dagger in his body, I have to do it to save my life. I close

my eyes, my dagger makes its way into Flint's heart, I pull it out and blood water falls out of his

body. He is dead. I killed him. Why don't I feel accomplished? I'm the Captain! I laugh

insincerely to brighten the situation. It takes a minute for anyone to notice what great deed has

just happened. However an unfamiliar boy comes rushing towards the body. A flood of tears ran

down his cheeks, he swiped at his eyes but the tears came anyway. He propped the body

upward, through his tears said "Dear father wake up, wake up!" A suffocating, heavy feeling

comes over my chest, guilt. I lost my dad too, and now I have taken away his. Who have I

become? //*