JOURNEY TO THE SEA

The wind blew gently greeted the young handsome man who stood in the harbor. He wore a captain uniform. It was 25th of September, there will be ceremony. He prepared himself for speech. He would always retell the sea adventure and the hero, Mr. Neill. “Captain Frank, let’s start the ceremony” one of the ship’s crew said politely.

Today “Portgas D. Ace” would not sail. It was a celebration day. Brave and glory day for every sailor in the ship. Captain Frank was at home. He opened the wardrobe and wore an old shirt. If he was not save, that shirt would be buried with all the memories of his sea adventure. He wanted to make sure that tomorrow the meeting with all his old friend at “Portgas D. Ace” who has been retired would run well. His mind flew into ten years ago. Frank Bumble a fourteen years old orphan, he lived with her poor old granny, Mrs. Oliver who loved him much. Their life was hard, so Frank worked to a boss Mr. Arnold Weigh who own a ship called “Portgas D. Ace”, he was a crew and Mr. Weigh loved him since he has great skill worked with the net, fishing line to catch fish. At that time “Portgas D. Ace” only had five crews and a captain, Mr. Dodger. “Portgas D. Ace” would sail for ten days. Big capture of fish meant they would get reward from the boss.

That evening Frank was stomach full of the supper prepared by old Mrs. Oliver. She used to cook her best storage before Frank sailed, baked potatoes with tuna sauce. Mrs Oliver prepared Frank’s clothes for the sailing. She was startled when she saw one of the cloths, the old shirt torn. It was Frank’s daddy shirt. Mrs. Oliver used to said to Tom that shirt would get off his bad luck along the sail. She took needle and string started to mend it.

At dawn the sea was beautiful, the wave was calm. “Portgas D. Ace” was ready. The wind blew sofly to his wavy dark hair. Little Frank tied up the old shirt that was too big for him on his hip. As usual Mr. Arnold started short speech and fresh jokes and led the pray for them to be home again safely. They tosses small cup of wine, except Frank. “Take this boy” Mr. Oliver handed red strawberry syrup. When the anchor was tied off, Mr. Arnold waved his hand while shouting loudly “Big fortune men, bring home the swordfish.”

The ship sailed to the west. Captain Dodger has good knowledge. He has checked the map and opened his sea journal. The warm climate was good place for the swordfish that can be found 1.800 feet in dept of the sea. A big sailor with muscles on his body, Mr. Neill was grumbling when he, and three others pulled out the net and they just caught groups of pilchard. “Don’t surrender Neill. Big swordfish waiting for us ahead” Mr. Arn said while laugh for their small capture. “Aha…Frank go on and check the ice, not too bad, these pilchard must be fresh when we got the harbor! Mr. Neil threw the fridge’s key to Frank who directly ran down stair to check the ice. It was their fourth days. Yet, their luck didn’t get closer. They lodged lobsters, pilchard, squid and some big tuna. They wanted to have the chance to meet swordfish soon.

“Frank, will you meet a guest?” the warm sound of Mrs. Oliver get over his stairs of memories. “Who?” He replied. “Your old friend, I’m sure you missed him much” Mrs. Oliver left a puzzled on her answer. “Old friend of mine?” Frank was curious. He went down stair and there he saw a middle age man, handled a crutch with his gray hair and blue jacket he looked so gentle. “Mr. Harry…you’ve been here?” Frank hugged that man, his old friend at “Portgas D. Ace”.

“Glad to see you Frank. You are a captain now” He clapped Frank’s shoulder. “They had talked about their past experience during the sea adventure. Mr. Harry lived with his wife and son in the village far away from this island for he wanted to open a new life journey to forget the bad experienced he had. His leg has been amputated because of the bad infection.

“Impossible for me to forget that day Frank, but in the village I didn’t get the nightmare here” Mr. Harry added. “What about your journey captain? You never meet pirate again? Shoot me for revenge if you meet them.” Mr. Harry smiled. “Yes, three times, but they were not like the bad guys we met” said Frank. Frank offered a room for Mr. Harry to rest. He understood it would not easy for Mr. Harry to live after the battle in “Portgas D. Ace” with the pirates on that stormy night. Frank remembered about their journey for swordfish. On their fifth days to the west, at twilight the sea became wild. The sky was dark and the big wave made strong roll to their ship. It was getting worse, the heavy rain poured down. The wind howling like a stray dog hungry for yummy bones. The thunder and lightning came by, made every single bones in the crews struck in fear. Captain Dodger made all his effort to keep the ship in balance. For almost an hour they did the battle with the weather.

After the sea was friendly, there still fog ahead, suddenly Frank saw another ship from a distance. It has a flag of a pirate. “Captain, the pirate behind us!” Frank shouted panicky. “By the God’s name, we shall fight” said Mr. Arn. “Get the gun and sword Frank, hurry up!” Mr. Neill ran to the deck to check. Frank ran to the box near the big barrel and he handed the gun to everyone. “Boy help us, you can use the gun, right!” Mr. Neill filled a short gun with some bullets and he threw it to Frank. Captain Dodger was panic, but he tried to be calm in front of the crews. The pirate’s ship waylay “Portgas D. Ace”. Then, seven pirates jumped over the deck. The three of them ran fast to the Captain room like a flash. Tom the Captain assistant was not able to fight three of them, so he was arrested and two pirates asked the Captain to focus on the ship. “Give us your treasure, so we don’t need to hurt anybody here” A black man with shoulder white hair walked so brave to us. He wore a head craft and a small skull necklace. He swung a gun around his finger. Frank almost scream when he saw the man’s face clearly by the moonlight. He had a rude big scar on his cheek. The crews strucked in fear. It was the first time they met pirates with guns. They froze as cool as ice. There was silent after the pirate spoke. Mr. Neill swept his eyes around. The pirates has encircled them. “We don’t have treasure Sir, we are fishermen” Mr. Neil spoke calmly. “You want to negotiate?” The pirate got closer to Mr. Neill and he walked around him, pointed his gun to Mr. Neill’s head. “We had killed a lot of people. No matter, young, old, even a woman” He added. “Well if you don’t have any treasure give me that boy to be our slave,” he smiled wickedly glanced to Frank. In a fast movement Mr. Neill shouted “Let’s fight…” He kicked the pirate behind him and shot his gun to another pirate. The black man who seemed as the captain was so startled. One pirate fell down and blood came out from his shoulder. It was crowded, four pirates in the deck and came another two from the captain room fought over five crews. Frank took his position while observing the enemies. He hide behind a big net and his gun was ready. Suddenly he saw Mr. Harry wounded on his shoulder, he screamed. The pirate was getting closer and when his sword swayed to him, Frank with all his bravery pullet out his gun to the pirate’s head, he felt down. Mr. Harry jumped up and shouted “Thanks Frank, you save me.” Mr. Harry got his spirit back and he helped Mr. Arn who fought with a sword among the two pirates. Two pitares has felt off and when Mr. Harry wanted to set Captain Dodger free, he didn’t realize that a pirate still alive and shot his leg “Arrgg…” Mr. Harry felt down. Mr. Arn kicked that pirate off the ship. Frank ran to the Captain room, he tip toed and when he was in good position, he shot the pirates and set the Captain and Tom free. In another side of the ship Mr. Neill fought with Captain of the pirate using sword. Mr. Neill was good enough at his sword. He was save from the Captain of the pirate’s sword that swung like a flash and so sharp.

Captain Dodger asked Frank to help the crew who got wounded. The fought in the ship has made four pirates fell and two crews Mr. Harry and Mr. Arn injured. Captain Dodger ran into abox in his room, he brought it outside. “Here is the treasure you want.” He lit a matchstick and burn its fuse. It was a bomb. He threw it to the pirate’s ship, the ship burned and it forced the pirates to jumped to the sea and climbed up the ship. There was another bomb threw by Captain Dodger. The Captain of the pirate grimaced to see his glory ship burned. He jumped but before he ran, he shot his gun to Mr. Neill who was not ready for the fast flying bullet. It perched right to his heart. Mr. Neill so shocked, he hold tightly to a sail pole, then his big body fell off.

The ship that was driven by Tom ran fast, left the burning pirate ship. Frank has helped Mr. Harry who lost much blood on his leg. He tore a cloth and bandaged it to Mr. Harry’s shoulder and leg. Mr. Arnold ran to them, with blood on his arm, he shouted “Neill…he was shot” Everyone ran there. “Oh Neill…Neill…” Mr. Arn hugged Mr. Neil’s dead body. “He was a great man, God will place him in heaven” Captain Dodger wipe his tears.

There was silent. Everything was mess. Two dead pirates were there too. Captain Dodger asked Mr. Arn to throw their body to the sea. The sea was calm but their heart was in grief. Tom cured Mr. Harry. He was good at medication. He did small operation to pull out the bullet in Mr. Harry’s leg. They didn’t have anesthesia, so Mr. Harry was given some wine to reduce the paint. Captain Dodger decided to go home and stop the swordfish hunting. They needed five days to be home again. Along the journey home, Mr. Harry just laid on his bed since he was not allowed to move a lot, he also got infection. All crews hope that he would be saved and the local doctor in the island could save him. Captain Dodger wrote the experience on his journal. Mr. Arnold often check Mr. Neill corpse and mourned over him. They were good friend since their childhood. Frank decided to catch some fish with his fishing line. He was lucky to get some Red King Crab and baked for the crews. He also lucky to get an exotic deep water fish, a peppermint angel fish. He gave it to Mr. Harry and told him that his son would be happy to have it.

The land was getting near. The smell of the porter’s sweat caught by their nose, the noise of crowded fish market sounded to their ears. Frank, smiled and he hug Mr. Harry “We are home Mr. Harry, you will be save” He held Mr. Harry’s hand that was getting cold. “Yes, Frank we bring a great sea adventure and the brave story of Neill” Tears came out from his weary eyes.

Frank saved his memories. He wanted to go to “Portgas D. Ace” with Mr. Harry, and prepared the celebration with old friends there. He tied his old shirt from his dad and happily he walked with Mr. Harry there, waiting for Tom, Mr. Arn and Captain Dodger who has been retired. They had their own living and business, but the sea adventure would bring them together tonight. THE END.