Semper Paratus by Corbin
Chapter one
The rays of sunlight softly played on my face, as I peacefully rolled over to look at my newlywed husband. When I went to put my hand on his back to awaken him, it hit the warm and rough cotton sheets where he had recently been laying. I was at taken back to why he wasn’t next to me in bed, when I suddenly remembered what today was! I quickly threw on my bathrobe and threw my hair up into a sloppy bun, and ran to find my husband. I frantically searched our old and slightly worn house, till I found him on the front porch. I stopped dead in my tracks in the door frame. He had his hands on the railing and was staring off at the rising sun with his bag at his feet. I knew he was in deep thought about what was to come, so I slowly tiptoed my way up behind him and put my hand on his back.
“What are you thinking about Jamie?” I asked in a sweet voice.
“About how much I’m going to miss you.” He said without looking at me.
I smiled but didn’t say anything. I wrapped my arms around his triceps and put my head to his bicep. He slowly turned to face me and wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against his muscular yet soft chest. I couldn’t bare the thought of anything happening to him or him being gone for months at a time. So I pulled out of his warm embrace and told him to come in and let me make breakfast for him. I briskly turned to walk back into the house wiping tears out of my eyes. I heard the creaking of the floor where he was walking a few paces behind me as I entered the kitchen. While I was grabbing the flour, eggs, and other ingredient to make him some biscuits, he pulled out a chair but didn’t sit down. He walked behind me and guided me to the seat he just pulled out. I sat down and he kissed my forehead. He walked over to the counter where I had just put the ingredients and began to make the biscuits for me. I sat there watching him work not sure whether to help or not, thinking all the time that this could be the last breakfast he could ever cook for me.
After a silent breakfast of biscuits covered in honey he got up and grabbed his plate as well as my plate and walked over to the sink. He washed the plates while I dried. When we finished he pulled me forcefully yet loving into his chest. I felt a tear slip off his cheek onto my shoulder, and that was too much for me to bear. I started sobbing uncontrollably into his chest. He pulled me tighter against him and began rubbing my hair. He placed his hand behind my head and kissed my lips. We kissed for what seemed like seconds, but I know was actually at least five minutes.
“I must be on my way.” Jamie said in a solemn voice.
“Already?” I asked as I began to sob.
He pulled me close for one more kiss, said he loved me and started out the door with his bag in hand. I watched him till he was approaching the hill in front of our house and I couldn’t stand it anymore! I ran through the house after him. He heard me coming and turned. He dropped his bag and caught me as I jumped into his arms. In between tears I made him promise that he would return to me.
“As long as I live I shall be yours. I would walk a thousand miles across a bared desert wasteland to be by your side. I would swim a thousand more just to catch a gimps of your perfect face. I will return to you Elizabeth. I promise.”
He let me down out of his embrace and walked over the hill, not looking back. And just like that my Jamie was gone.
Chapter two
Just as I made it over the hill a tear fell from my face, but I kept on walking. I would be back, I would see my dear Elizabeth again. I kept on telling myself this and walked on. I walked till dark and had still not reached the city, so I put up my little tent and went about gathering firewood. I easily found enough wood to fuel my fire, so I then began to cook what little food I had brought. As I cooked I thought about all the things I was going to miss while I was away. The first thing that popped into my mind was Elizabeth, but the thought was too painful so I pushed it to the back of my mind and continued to think about it. Next came my hometown. New Bern. It was where I was raised and where I hope to die. Its such a beautiful town with the Trent and Neuse river, beautiful downtown, and the scenic countryside where I now lived. After my dinner I went to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would be full of excitement.
I awoke later that night by a cracking sound that was coming from close by. I spun, grabbed my sword and raised it high in a matter of seconds! What I saw was not a pleasing sight. Not but twenty feet from me was a eight foot tall black bear! He was sniffing at my food supply, which I had hung from a tree about fifteen foot up. He was circling the tree trying to find a way to get down my food. I knew that I had to ditch my food and get out of the area before the bear got mad about not being able to get the food. So I gathered my stuff as quick as I could and started at a fast jog, looking back the whole time.
I made it to the town of New Bern just before noon and went to a inn that I knew had a killer stew. As I got food I paid for one nights stay and put what little possessions I had grabbed before bolting from the bear in my room. I went down to the Inns lobby and joined in on a conversation with some other guys who were going to be applying for the United States Revenue Cutter Service. Then around ten that night, I told them goodnight and went up to my room for a good nights sleep.
Chapter Three
At noon I was at the boat USRC Diligence, and was officially apart of the United States Revenue Cutter Service. I was walking on the plank to the ship when I saw the captain. He was about my height, but thicker. He had a layer of fat on his stomach, but the rest of him was toned from labor. I was told to go see Captain Smith. I went up to the man who I had seen moments earlier, and told him that I had just enlisted and was told to see him. He looked me up and down once taking his time...
“Do you have any experience on a ship?” asked the Captain.
“No sir, I have never been on a boat of this size” I replied.
“What is your former occupation sailor?” He asked me. All the while commanding people to get ready to be underway.
“I was a farmer and hunter” I said as the sail was raised higher and higher until it was at the top of the mast and the ship surged forward.
“Well you can't be a rigger, for you are far too tall and built. Nor can you be a mate on your first day. Therefor you will be a A.B.S.” He declared.
“Yes sir” I said a little confused, because I was lacking in the terms of sailing so I didn’t know what a A.B.S. was.
He saw my look and knew I was confused so he told me to go see the first mate. I nodded and left the captain. When I found the first mate and I told him that the captain sent me, he told me to follow him and pay close attention.
“This is the main deck, that is the gun deck, that’s the quarter deck, and that’s the poop deck. Any questions... good. This is the main mast, that’s the foremast, and that is the mizzen mast. That’s the cock boat. Now that’s the outermost of the boat.” He said in about four seconds.
“Ummm... got it.” I lied.
“Follow me to your cabin, your belongings are to go in your assigned area. No were else, or they will no longer be yours.” He stated.
He led me to a small wooden room that had two bunk beds in it, all of them were nailed to the wall and floor. The room was clean, but very small and clustered. He told me that I had a small dresser and the area under my bed, which luckily was a bottom bunk. Then he walked out and left me to put up my belongings. After I put away my clothes and other things in a very neat manner, I walked back up to the main deck. The sun just starting to set and the water looked beautiful with the sun coloring the Neuse to be a reddish orange color. The air was cool and a nice breeze was blowing, I thought to my self “I could get used to this!”
Chapter 4
Just as that thought crossed my mind I heard a bell start ringing from higher up and heard people start to scramble! I looked around in panic and had no clue what to do! I ran to the man nearest me and asked what was going on! He told me that a known pirate ship was just in sight! I looked out over the bow of the ship and saw a speck of a ship on the horizon. I didn’t know what to do so I ran up to the first mate and asked what I should do! He told me to grab my sword, because this could get bloody. I ran below deck and grabbed my sword, when I was in my cabin I could hear the trampling of feet above me as people scrambled. I ran back up to the main deck and saw a group of men gathered just below the gun deck, so I jogged over and joined them.
“We are going to do a standard check of the boat. If they don’t allow us to come aboard, we will board with force... is that clear?” the captain said to us with a stern look on his face.
The captain told the riggers to unfurl the foremast and the mizzen mast for full speed ahead. The pirate ship saw us coming and changed directions so it was heading directly away from us, yet we were gaining on it. By this point every man had reached their battle stations. The captain began walking around picking out a group of men that would go aboard the other ship, whether it was willing or not. I was picked to be apart of this group. My heart was pounding, yet the whole ship seemed to be calm. Men just standing around. Waiting for the inevitable to come. The only noise that could he heard on our boat was the lapping of waves against the hull. Then as we continued to gain on the pirate ship we could hearing yelling coming from on board. The men on board my ship started to get excited or scared, either way they couldn’t stop from moving. I personally was scared out of my mind. I had been in several sword fights, and won all of them... yet never on a ship! We were close enough to the pirate ship that I could have thrown a rock with ease and hit the ship, no more than thirty feet away from us! The captain relayed a order down to the master gunner to fire a warning shot. Moments later a huge boom sounded from the side of our ship.
A distinctive voice arose from the rest, and the pirate ship fell silent. It was eery to be sailing with at least forty men, plus the other forty or so that were on the pirate ship. Yet the only sound that could be heard was the hull of each boat cutting through the water.
“United States Revenue Cutter Service! Bring your boat to a stand still” Yelled our captain.
The pirates ship sail began to go limp and the ship slowed as a result. We pulled up beside the ship, and our sails went limp as well. On the other ship was who I was guessing was the captain and three others. I was confused by there only being three others, because we could clearly hear the voices of at least forty men when we were closing in on them. The captain was also confused by this, but hid his look of confusion in seconds. There was a smirk on the other captains face. I could tell that something was off, but I couldn’t tell what. Our captain walked across first, with the group of men he selected walking behind. I was in the middle of this group when we boarded the boat. When the last of our group was on the boat one of the pirates kicked the board off our ships into the water, and the sails went taut and the boat surged forward! We were trapped on the pirate ship!! When the boat got moving about thirty men poured out from below deck! I drew my sword and turned to face the pirate nearest me! He made a diagonal slash at me, but I spun to the right and stabbed him deep in his gut. He fell with a thud to the ground and I spun to parry the next swing coming at me. I blocked it just in time and came back at him with a slash across the chest and he dropped. Then I looked around for anyone of my mates that seemed to be in trouble, and saw that the captain was taking on four guys at once! I ran over and slammed my shoulder into one and sent him flying overboard, then turned toward the other. He took a step back from the captain and took a swing at me! He went for a straight jab at my chest, but I turned to the side and he went past me without harm. Then I went for a overhand cut and he blocked it. Pushing me back and swinging at my right arm, I dropped below the reach of his blade and when I stood up I used my force to push the sword deep into his chest. Then saw that our ship had caught up with the pirates, our men ran and jumped to our ship! We had lost four men. Not bad considering the magnitude of the attack. As soon as the captain boarded our ship he gave the order to fire. A few moments later there was a huge boom, followed by two others! The pirate ship shuttered and began to slow as it filled with water! The boat slowly went down and the men began to swim where the boat used to be. We threw over ropes and the pirates slowly boarded the ship. When their feet hit the floor of our ship, they were tied up and taken down to the holding chambers.
We returned back to New Bern to get repairs and to lock up the pirates in a more secure location. When we pulled into the marina, and tied up the ship and went about getting the ship back in prestige condition. We had a tone of chores assigned, yet all I could think of was how close I was to Elizabeth. She was a two days walk away. After a few hours of repairs and cleaning the ship, we were allowed by the captain to go out into town. We were told to be back by ten that night. I knew that visiting Elizabeth was out of the question with less than four hours to ourselves, but I couldn’t get it out of my mind. We walked through the beautiful city of New Bern, usually bustling with people! Today it seemed as if there was no one here...
“Where is everyone?” I asked to no one in particular.
They all shrugged and kept on walking, just a little more cautious now that I said that. We were walking past the city hall when we saw blood on the steps leading up the building. We all drew our swords and walked up the steps, looking around in anticipation of attack. We made it inside, and saw what looked like every person who had lived in New Bern. Their bodies were thrown throughout the room. They had been murdered viciously, and without mercy. We were at a lost of what to do, when I saw a woman with blonde hair laying face down on the ground! I ran toward her and shouted “Elizabeth!!” I rolled over the bloody body and looked at her face. It wasn’t Elizabeth. I let out a sigh of relief and gently took the woman’s head out of my lap and placed it on the ground. I thought of what could have happened out at our house! Miles from the nearest neighbor! I left her all alone, and defenseless.
Chapter five
Keep running. Don’t stop. If you stop Elizabeth, they will catch you. So I ran on. I wished with all of my might that Jamie would come back and save me, that he wouldn’t have left. But he did. He left me all alone and vulnerable. I was running toward the city of New Bern, probably the one that Jamie had taken on his way to join the United States Revenue Cutter Service. I pushed that thought out of my mind and kept on running. I heard someone rushing through some bushes in front of and so i dove to the side to hide. I lay perfectly still until i saw that it was Jamie rushing through the other side of the little clearing. He was sprinting as fast as he could in the direction of our house. So many mixed emotions flashed through me. Anger for him leaving me. A strong burning desire to be in his arms, to know that i'm safe. I was frozen in place and couldn't speak. He was running right toward the British army that had just sent our house up in a blaze. I finally found the courage to speak and shouted out his name. He froze. He spun around as i stood up and ran over to me, lifting me off the ground and spun me in a circle! I didn't hug him back.
“How could you have left me!? We were just married and you went running off!” I screamed at him.
“I'm sorry love. We needed money. I still hadn’t bought you a proper ring.” He said in a broken voice.
He fell to a knee and looked up at me. “I'm back, and i won't ever leave you again.”
He stood and pulled me close, and i hugged him back. He pulled away and said that we had to go. That the whole city of New Bern had been burned down and the only place we could go was the Outer Banks. So we set off through the woods, sticking to the side of the trail. We were halfway back to New Bern when a group of Red Coats walked by. We dropped to the ground and Jamie went to draw his sword but found that he dropped it and cursed under his breath. There was five of them and one was carrying a large rabbit. We needed food.
Chapter Six
Elizabeth leaned over and whispered “We need food Jamie”
I suddenly remembered that we didn't have food, nor a gun to get food with. I told her to stay hidden and went to stand when she grabbed my shirt.
“Don't leave me” is all she said.
I whispered that i would return and walked to the edge of the clearing. I crouched low and waited for the last red coat to get past me and sprang out! I drew his sword from his sheath, and cut him down before he even knew i was there. I then went at the closest man and as he struggled to draw his sword i stabbed deep into his side. He slouched over and fell to the ground. The remaining three began to circle, i was blocking attack after attack. Until my guard slipped! One of the red coats got a slash to hit home, and rendered my left arm useless and bleeding badly. I tried to look as if it didn't phase me, but it did. I was badly crippled, every movement sent a jarring pain up my arm and into my back. I blocked two more attacks and made a lunge at one of the other men. He leaped out of the way, so i spun and slashed the man to his right across the chest. The final two continued to send rapid attacks at me. I was holding my ground the best i could, but knew that it was a losing battle. A red coat sent multiple attacks at me, and while i was busy blocking those attacks the other slipped out of my peripheral vision. I felt the cold steel blade of the man i had lost sight of push through the fabric of my clothing and then plunge deep into my back. A searing pain went throughout my torso. I paused. Looked down and saw the tip of the blade protruding from my chest. I tried to gasp, but was choked by blood. I feel to my knees and felt the blade being withdrawn. I felt my body go limp and saw the world fall around me for what seemed like an eternity. I was on the ground looking toward the trees that Elizabeth was hiding behind. I scanned the woods for her but could not find her. She suddenly burst into the clearing and ran screaming toward me. She was grabbed by one of the red coats and my throat made a choking sound. She was thrown to the ground crying and screaming. Right before i blacked out, i made eye contact with her and she got silent. Then the blade slit her throat.
- - - -
I chose to write about what is now know as the United States
The rays of sunlight softly played on my face, as I peacefully rolled over to look at my newlywed husband. When I went to put my hand on his back to awaken him, it hit the warm and rough cotton sheets where he had recently been laying. I was at taken back to why he wasn’t next to me in bed, when I suddenly remembered what today was! I quickly threw on my bathrobe and threw my hair up into a sloppy bun, and ran to find my husband. I frantically searched our old and slightly worn house, till I found him on the front porch. I stopped dead in my tracks in the door frame. He had his hands on the railing and was staring off at the rising sun with his bag at his feet. I knew he was in deep thought about what was to come, so I slowly tiptoed my way up behind him and put my hand on his back.
“What are you thinking about Jamie?” I asked in a sweet voice.
“About how much I’m going to miss you.” He said without looking at me.
I smiled but didn’t say anything. I wrapped my arms around his triceps and put my head to his bicep. He slowly turned to face me and wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against his muscular yet soft chest. I couldn’t bare the thought of anything happening to him or him being gone for months at a time. So I pulled out of his warm embrace and told him to come in and let me make breakfast for him. I briskly turned to walk back into the house wiping tears out of my eyes. I heard the creaking of the floor where he was walking a few paces behind me as I entered the kitchen. While I was grabbing the flour, eggs, and other ingredient to make him some biscuits, he pulled out a chair but didn’t sit down. He walked behind me and guided me to the seat he just pulled out. I sat down and he kissed my forehead. He walked over to the counter where I had just put the ingredients and began to make the biscuits for me. I sat there watching him work not sure whether to help or not, thinking all the time that this could be the last breakfast he could ever cook for me.
After a silent breakfast of biscuits covered in honey he got up and grabbed his plate as well as my plate and walked over to the sink. He washed the plates while I dried. When we finished he pulled me forcefully yet loving into his chest. I felt a tear slip off his cheek onto my shoulder, and that was too much for me to bear. I started sobbing uncontrollably into his chest. He pulled me tighter against him and began rubbing my hair. He placed his hand behind my head and kissed my lips. We kissed for what seemed like seconds, but I know was actually at least five minutes.
“I must be on my way.” Jamie said in a solemn voice.
“Already?” I asked as I began to sob.
He pulled me close for one more kiss, said he loved me and started out the door with his bag in hand. I watched him till he was approaching the hill in front of our house and I couldn’t stand it anymore! I ran through the house after him. He heard me coming and turned. He dropped his bag and caught me as I jumped into his arms. In between tears I made him promise that he would return to me.
“As long as I live I shall be yours. I would walk a thousand miles across a bared desert wasteland to be by your side. I would swim a thousand more just to catch a gimps of your perfect face. I will return to you Elizabeth. I promise.”
He let me down out of his embrace and walked over the hill, not looking back. And just like that my Jamie was gone.
Chapter two
Just as I made it over the hill a tear fell from my face, but I kept on walking. I would be back, I would see my dear Elizabeth again. I kept on telling myself this and walked on. I walked till dark and had still not reached the city, so I put up my little tent and went about gathering firewood. I easily found enough wood to fuel my fire, so I then began to cook what little food I had brought. As I cooked I thought about all the things I was going to miss while I was away. The first thing that popped into my mind was Elizabeth, but the thought was too painful so I pushed it to the back of my mind and continued to think about it. Next came my hometown. New Bern. It was where I was raised and where I hope to die. Its such a beautiful town with the Trent and Neuse river, beautiful downtown, and the scenic countryside where I now lived. After my dinner I went to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would be full of excitement.
I awoke later that night by a cracking sound that was coming from close by. I spun, grabbed my sword and raised it high in a matter of seconds! What I saw was not a pleasing sight. Not but twenty feet from me was a eight foot tall black bear! He was sniffing at my food supply, which I had hung from a tree about fifteen foot up. He was circling the tree trying to find a way to get down my food. I knew that I had to ditch my food and get out of the area before the bear got mad about not being able to get the food. So I gathered my stuff as quick as I could and started at a fast jog, looking back the whole time.
I made it to the town of New Bern just before noon and went to a inn that I knew had a killer stew. As I got food I paid for one nights stay and put what little possessions I had grabbed before bolting from the bear in my room. I went down to the Inns lobby and joined in on a conversation with some other guys who were going to be applying for the United States Revenue Cutter Service. Then around ten that night, I told them goodnight and went up to my room for a good nights sleep.
Chapter Three
At noon I was at the boat USRC Diligence, and was officially apart of the United States Revenue Cutter Service. I was walking on the plank to the ship when I saw the captain. He was about my height, but thicker. He had a layer of fat on his stomach, but the rest of him was toned from labor. I was told to go see Captain Smith. I went up to the man who I had seen moments earlier, and told him that I had just enlisted and was told to see him. He looked me up and down once taking his time...
“Do you have any experience on a ship?” asked the Captain.
“No sir, I have never been on a boat of this size” I replied.
“What is your former occupation sailor?” He asked me. All the while commanding people to get ready to be underway.
“I was a farmer and hunter” I said as the sail was raised higher and higher until it was at the top of the mast and the ship surged forward.
“Well you can't be a rigger, for you are far too tall and built. Nor can you be a mate on your first day. Therefor you will be a A.B.S.” He declared.
“Yes sir” I said a little confused, because I was lacking in the terms of sailing so I didn’t know what a A.B.S. was.
He saw my look and knew I was confused so he told me to go see the first mate. I nodded and left the captain. When I found the first mate and I told him that the captain sent me, he told me to follow him and pay close attention.
“This is the main deck, that is the gun deck, that’s the quarter deck, and that’s the poop deck. Any questions... good. This is the main mast, that’s the foremast, and that is the mizzen mast. That’s the cock boat. Now that’s the outermost of the boat.” He said in about four seconds.
“Ummm... got it.” I lied.
“Follow me to your cabin, your belongings are to go in your assigned area. No were else, or they will no longer be yours.” He stated.
He led me to a small wooden room that had two bunk beds in it, all of them were nailed to the wall and floor. The room was clean, but very small and clustered. He told me that I had a small dresser and the area under my bed, which luckily was a bottom bunk. Then he walked out and left me to put up my belongings. After I put away my clothes and other things in a very neat manner, I walked back up to the main deck. The sun just starting to set and the water looked beautiful with the sun coloring the Neuse to be a reddish orange color. The air was cool and a nice breeze was blowing, I thought to my self “I could get used to this!”
Chapter 4
Just as that thought crossed my mind I heard a bell start ringing from higher up and heard people start to scramble! I looked around in panic and had no clue what to do! I ran to the man nearest me and asked what was going on! He told me that a known pirate ship was just in sight! I looked out over the bow of the ship and saw a speck of a ship on the horizon. I didn’t know what to do so I ran up to the first mate and asked what I should do! He told me to grab my sword, because this could get bloody. I ran below deck and grabbed my sword, when I was in my cabin I could hear the trampling of feet above me as people scrambled. I ran back up to the main deck and saw a group of men gathered just below the gun deck, so I jogged over and joined them.
“We are going to do a standard check of the boat. If they don’t allow us to come aboard, we will board with force... is that clear?” the captain said to us with a stern look on his face.
The captain told the riggers to unfurl the foremast and the mizzen mast for full speed ahead. The pirate ship saw us coming and changed directions so it was heading directly away from us, yet we were gaining on it. By this point every man had reached their battle stations. The captain began walking around picking out a group of men that would go aboard the other ship, whether it was willing or not. I was picked to be apart of this group. My heart was pounding, yet the whole ship seemed to be calm. Men just standing around. Waiting for the inevitable to come. The only noise that could he heard on our boat was the lapping of waves against the hull. Then as we continued to gain on the pirate ship we could hearing yelling coming from on board. The men on board my ship started to get excited or scared, either way they couldn’t stop from moving. I personally was scared out of my mind. I had been in several sword fights, and won all of them... yet never on a ship! We were close enough to the pirate ship that I could have thrown a rock with ease and hit the ship, no more than thirty feet away from us! The captain relayed a order down to the master gunner to fire a warning shot. Moments later a huge boom sounded from the side of our ship.
A distinctive voice arose from the rest, and the pirate ship fell silent. It was eery to be sailing with at least forty men, plus the other forty or so that were on the pirate ship. Yet the only sound that could be heard was the hull of each boat cutting through the water.
“United States Revenue Cutter Service! Bring your boat to a stand still” Yelled our captain.
The pirates ship sail began to go limp and the ship slowed as a result. We pulled up beside the ship, and our sails went limp as well. On the other ship was who I was guessing was the captain and three others. I was confused by there only being three others, because we could clearly hear the voices of at least forty men when we were closing in on them. The captain was also confused by this, but hid his look of confusion in seconds. There was a smirk on the other captains face. I could tell that something was off, but I couldn’t tell what. Our captain walked across first, with the group of men he selected walking behind. I was in the middle of this group when we boarded the boat. When the last of our group was on the boat one of the pirates kicked the board off our ships into the water, and the sails went taut and the boat surged forward! We were trapped on the pirate ship!! When the boat got moving about thirty men poured out from below deck! I drew my sword and turned to face the pirate nearest me! He made a diagonal slash at me, but I spun to the right and stabbed him deep in his gut. He fell with a thud to the ground and I spun to parry the next swing coming at me. I blocked it just in time and came back at him with a slash across the chest and he dropped. Then I looked around for anyone of my mates that seemed to be in trouble, and saw that the captain was taking on four guys at once! I ran over and slammed my shoulder into one and sent him flying overboard, then turned toward the other. He took a step back from the captain and took a swing at me! He went for a straight jab at my chest, but I turned to the side and he went past me without harm. Then I went for a overhand cut and he blocked it. Pushing me back and swinging at my right arm, I dropped below the reach of his blade and when I stood up I used my force to push the sword deep into his chest. Then saw that our ship had caught up with the pirates, our men ran and jumped to our ship! We had lost four men. Not bad considering the magnitude of the attack. As soon as the captain boarded our ship he gave the order to fire. A few moments later there was a huge boom, followed by two others! The pirate ship shuttered and began to slow as it filled with water! The boat slowly went down and the men began to swim where the boat used to be. We threw over ropes and the pirates slowly boarded the ship. When their feet hit the floor of our ship, they were tied up and taken down to the holding chambers.
We returned back to New Bern to get repairs and to lock up the pirates in a more secure location. When we pulled into the marina, and tied up the ship and went about getting the ship back in prestige condition. We had a tone of chores assigned, yet all I could think of was how close I was to Elizabeth. She was a two days walk away. After a few hours of repairs and cleaning the ship, we were allowed by the captain to go out into town. We were told to be back by ten that night. I knew that visiting Elizabeth was out of the question with less than four hours to ourselves, but I couldn’t get it out of my mind. We walked through the beautiful city of New Bern, usually bustling with people! Today it seemed as if there was no one here...
“Where is everyone?” I asked to no one in particular.
They all shrugged and kept on walking, just a little more cautious now that I said that. We were walking past the city hall when we saw blood on the steps leading up the building. We all drew our swords and walked up the steps, looking around in anticipation of attack. We made it inside, and saw what looked like every person who had lived in New Bern. Their bodies were thrown throughout the room. They had been murdered viciously, and without mercy. We were at a lost of what to do, when I saw a woman with blonde hair laying face down on the ground! I ran toward her and shouted “Elizabeth!!” I rolled over the bloody body and looked at her face. It wasn’t Elizabeth. I let out a sigh of relief and gently took the woman’s head out of my lap and placed it on the ground. I thought of what could have happened out at our house! Miles from the nearest neighbor! I left her all alone, and defenseless.
Chapter five
Keep running. Don’t stop. If you stop Elizabeth, they will catch you. So I ran on. I wished with all of my might that Jamie would come back and save me, that he wouldn’t have left. But he did. He left me all alone and vulnerable. I was running toward the city of New Bern, probably the one that Jamie had taken on his way to join the United States Revenue Cutter Service. I pushed that thought out of my mind and kept on running. I heard someone rushing through some bushes in front of and so i dove to the side to hide. I lay perfectly still until i saw that it was Jamie rushing through the other side of the little clearing. He was sprinting as fast as he could in the direction of our house. So many mixed emotions flashed through me. Anger for him leaving me. A strong burning desire to be in his arms, to know that i'm safe. I was frozen in place and couldn't speak. He was running right toward the British army that had just sent our house up in a blaze. I finally found the courage to speak and shouted out his name. He froze. He spun around as i stood up and ran over to me, lifting me off the ground and spun me in a circle! I didn't hug him back.
“How could you have left me!? We were just married and you went running off!” I screamed at him.
“I'm sorry love. We needed money. I still hadn’t bought you a proper ring.” He said in a broken voice.
He fell to a knee and looked up at me. “I'm back, and i won't ever leave you again.”
He stood and pulled me close, and i hugged him back. He pulled away and said that we had to go. That the whole city of New Bern had been burned down and the only place we could go was the Outer Banks. So we set off through the woods, sticking to the side of the trail. We were halfway back to New Bern when a group of Red Coats walked by. We dropped to the ground and Jamie went to draw his sword but found that he dropped it and cursed under his breath. There was five of them and one was carrying a large rabbit. We needed food.
Chapter Six
Elizabeth leaned over and whispered “We need food Jamie”
I suddenly remembered that we didn't have food, nor a gun to get food with. I told her to stay hidden and went to stand when she grabbed my shirt.
“Don't leave me” is all she said.
I whispered that i would return and walked to the edge of the clearing. I crouched low and waited for the last red coat to get past me and sprang out! I drew his sword from his sheath, and cut him down before he even knew i was there. I then went at the closest man and as he struggled to draw his sword i stabbed deep into his side. He slouched over and fell to the ground. The remaining three began to circle, i was blocking attack after attack. Until my guard slipped! One of the red coats got a slash to hit home, and rendered my left arm useless and bleeding badly. I tried to look as if it didn't phase me, but it did. I was badly crippled, every movement sent a jarring pain up my arm and into my back. I blocked two more attacks and made a lunge at one of the other men. He leaped out of the way, so i spun and slashed the man to his right across the chest. The final two continued to send rapid attacks at me. I was holding my ground the best i could, but knew that it was a losing battle. A red coat sent multiple attacks at me, and while i was busy blocking those attacks the other slipped out of my peripheral vision. I felt the cold steel blade of the man i had lost sight of push through the fabric of my clothing and then plunge deep into my back. A searing pain went throughout my torso. I paused. Looked down and saw the tip of the blade protruding from my chest. I tried to gasp, but was choked by blood. I feel to my knees and felt the blade being withdrawn. I felt my body go limp and saw the world fall around me for what seemed like an eternity. I was on the ground looking toward the trees that Elizabeth was hiding behind. I scanned the woods for her but could not find her. She suddenly burst into the clearing and ran screaming toward me. She was grabbed by one of the red coats and my throat made a choking sound. She was thrown to the ground crying and screaming. Right before i blacked out, i made eye contact with her and she got silent. Then the blade slit her throat.
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I chose to write about what is now know as the United States