Ocean Towers
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A week after his arrival at Ocean Towers, a letter from his brother arrived in the mail. The handwriting was different than it had been when he’d written to him. He read through the missive three times before he began to understand what he was reading.
His brother was marrying someone else and would be moving away for work reasons. It wasn’t that long ago since they’d last seen each other but now his brother lived on another continent.
He was going to be alone again.
The days passed slowly and he didn’t see anyone except the staff who were always friendly. Sometimes he caught himself thinking about how nice it would have been if he could live here with his brother and sister-in-law, or even just share a room like they did back home.
Then he realized that wasn’t possible. They hadn’t spoken much over dinner since the day of their argument, and he felt bad about it, though he couldn’t seem to bring himself to apologize.
He wanted to spend time with them, but whenever he tried to initiate conversation, the subject changed without warning, or there was an awkward silence as if something important had been left unsaid between them.
He missed the people back home, but he also didn’t want to go back. It was too late; everything had already happened. He was stuck.
It was almost two weeks later when he decided to do some research into his family’s history. There were several books on genealogy in one of the libraries near where he slept. After reading through all the entries, he found that his ancestors were among the first settlers in America.
He remembered being told this by his father as a child, so it wasn’t exactly news. Still, he was curious to learn more about his heritage. As he read further, he discovered that most of the men in his lineage were soldiers, while women tended toward occupations such as teachers. His great-grandfather was a doctor and his grandfather was a professor. His mother’s side was equally impressive, with her grandmother having founded the first university in America. One thing he noticed right away was how few children they’d had. His family only produced seven children in its entire history.
His father had died when he was young, so he didn’t remember him well. When he asked his mother about his father, she said that his dad had been killed in combat during the Revolutionary War, which explained why his parents weren’t married. She never mentioned anything about his death, however.
He knew the war had been fought hundreds of years prior, but it still seemed strange to him that no one ever talked about it. Even more surprising was that his mother didn’t seem upset by his father’s passing.
As he continued to read, he came across an entry about his maternal uncle, who’d been killed during the Civil War. According to the records, his uncle had gone missing in battle and his body had been buried in a mass grave with the other fallen soldiers.
That made him stop and think. Had he really known nothing? Or maybe it was simply because his mother wouldn’t discuss it. Maybe she was trying to protect him from the truth, but then again, he was an adult now, and she should’ve trusted him enough to tell him.
Wasn’t she afraid that if she told him, he might get involved with the military? But then again, it seemed unlikely that she’d kept such a secret from her son for so many years. And besides, if he got involved with the military, shouldn’t he know about his own family’s past? Shouldn’t he know what kind of people his forebears were? What kind of blood ran in his veins?
But perhaps knowing these things were dangerous. Perhaps he was better off not knowing.
He returned to the library and looked up information regarding the Civil War. In addition to his uncle, his other relatives who’d served had also disappeared without trace. Apparently, many men in his line of descent had gone missing during the conflict.
Some went missing, and others were killed. Many were never heard from again. It appeared to be a recurring theme throughout American history: a pattern of loss and disappearance, with only a handful of survivors.
Why? Why did they keep disappearing?
Perhaps it was just fate.
Or maybe…maybe it was because they were fighting against the British.
Maybe it was because they were fighting for freedom.
In the end, he decided that the best thing he could do was forget about it. If the government was keeping secrets about his family’s past, then there must be a good reason for it. Besides, it wasn’t like he had any control over the situation anyway.
All he could do was make sure his life didn’t turn out the same way as theirs. He’d done everything he could to avoid becoming a soldier. He’d joined the navy instead of the army. That meant he wasn’t going to disappear. Not unless I’m taken prisoner at sea, or shot down by enemy fire…or worse.
Still, the idea of being a part of something bigger than himself always appealed to him. The idea of being part of something greater than himself. Something heroic. He thought of his fellow sailors on the HMS Vixen.
They were a close bunch, and everyone worked together to get the job done. To make their lives easier. Everyone pitched in whenever possible. No matter what your rank was, you helped someone else out. You pulled your weight. You cared for each other.
And then there was the captain, Captain Jack Sparrow.
How cool would it be to sail alongside Captain Jack Sparrow?
A little voice inside whispered, “Yes,” but he ignored it.
Jack Sparrow was famous for saying that the pirate life suited him. He liked to go his own way, doing whatever he pleased, regardless of the consequences. But he hadn’t become a legend overnight. It took him decades of sailing the high seas, living his own life. Of course, Jack was always surrounded by a crew of loyal friends who followed him wherever he led.
And there was his trusty sidekick, Will Turner. There was even his first mate, Mr. Gibbs, whom Jack considered a friend. Jack was lucky to have them all around him.
So how come I don’t have anyone like that?
At least, not yet.
He tried to imagine having a group of loyal friends like those on board the Vixen. He imagined that they would be the sort of people who would stick by him through thick and thin. They’d be the ones he could rely on. Who’d stand beside him no matter what?
The image of those loyal companions stayed with him as he walked back to his cabin. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep instantly.
***
“Are we there?”
Sebastian turned his head toward the sound of the voice.
“Where are we?” the voice repeated.
“We’re here!” Sebastian called back.
There was a pause before a young man emerged from the shadows.
It was the same boy from earlier, the one who’d been playing with his dog.
“Who are you?”
“I am Captain Sebastian Cabot.”
The boy cocked his head. “Is that really your name?”
Sebastian smiled. “That is my name.”
“What ship are you from?”
“I’m aboard the HMS Vixen.”
The boy nodded. “Oh! Is that where you stole the dogs?”
“No, that wasn’t me,” Sebastian replied.
“Well, it looks like you’re not alone after all,” said the boy. “Look, there’s another one.”
He pointed to a nearby sailor who was walking into view. His hair was tied back neatly, and he wore a long coat, which made him look older than the rest of the boys.
“You know this guy?” asked Sebastian.
The sailor stopped and gave them both a suspicious glare. “Yeah, he’s a friend of mine.”
“Hello,” said the boy.
The sailor waved and continued toward the center of town.
“Do you live here?” asked Sebastian.
“Yep, I’ve lived here all my life.”
“How old are you?”
The boy hesitated before answering. “Eighteen.”
“Me too,” said Sebastian. “My birthday’s coming up.”
“When’s yours?”
“August fifth.”
They exchanged a glance. “Same day as Jack Sparrow’s?” asked the boy.
“Pretty much,” said Sebastian. “Why does Jack Sparrow have an August birthday?”
The boy shrugged. “I think he just likes the number five.”
“What about you? Do you like the number four?”
“Not especially,” answered the boy. “But I suppose it can’t be that bad.”
“I don’t like it either,” admitted Sebastian. “In fact, if I had my way, I wouldn’t even use numbers at all. Just speak to each other directly. Like this.”
“Speak?” echoed the boy.
“Exactly.”
“You mean like talking to animals or trees?”
“No, silly. Trees don’t talk. At least, I haven’t heard any yet.”
“Okay, well…” the boy started. Then he paused. “Actually, I guess maybe I do talk to trees sometimes. Maybe once in a while, when I’m feeling really frustrated or upset. Sometimes I feel better just speaking to a tree and telling it my problems.”
“Sounds good to me,” agreed Sebastian. “Talking to trees is a great way to relieve stress.”
“You seem very relaxed,” remarked the boy. “Maybe you should try speaking to a tree sometime. You might find it helpful.”
“Thanks for the advice,” Sebastian told him. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready to meet the governor.”
“Governor?”
“Yes, the governor of Port Royal,” explained Sebastian. “He’s going to take me under his wing, teach me how to navigate these waters safely.”
“Will you tell him everything you did today?”
“Probably not,” Sebastian chuckled. “If I do, he won’t let me stay around anymore. I need to keep some things to myself. And besides, I only took those dogs so they could help me catch some pirates.”
“Pirates?” The boy raised his eyebrows.
“Yep,” said Sebastian. “Pirates. I plan on hunting them down and killing them.”
“Wow!” exclaimed the boy. “You sound serious.”
“Very serious,” agreed Sebastian.
“Well, if you happen across any pirates, you come to see me right away. I’d love to hear more about them. They must be pretty tough guys to survive in these parts.”
“I bet they are,” Sebastian laughed. He looked over at the clock. It was almost time for the governor’s arrival. “Well, I should go and meet with him now. See you later, kid.”
“Bye!” shouted the boy.
Sebastian walked through the village square and found himself staring up at the clock tower. There were no windows, but it still seemed like something out of a fairy tale; the clock itself was so big and impressive, its face was covered by a wooden canopy.
“Come in,” called a voice from within.
Sebastian entered a small office inside the tower. A desk sat in front of a window overlooking the ocean. In the corner sat two chairs facing each other across the desk.
“Please, sit,” said the governor.
Sebastian took a seat. “Thank you for meeting with me. My name is Sebastian St. Cyr, and I am here to ask your assistance.”
“I understand you are looking for pirates,” Governor Swann stated. “That is why you came here. Am I correct?”
Sebastian nodded.
“And what is it exactly you would like to learn from us?”
“Nothing too complicated,” Sebastian explained. “I simply wish to know where I might find them.”
“Are you aware there has been an increase in piracy along our coasts recently?” inquired the governor. “It seems we have a new generation of criminals who have decided to prey upon innocent sailors.”
“Really?” said Sebastian. “Is that true?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Pirates are nothing new, but these recent incidents are different. We have never seen anything like it before. This year alone, we have lost nearly three hundred ships to pirate attacks. Many others were captured and held for ransom. But most troubling of all—and the reason Captain St. Clair sent for you—is that one ship managed to escape.”
“Who was the captain?” Sebastian asked.
“A man named Bartholomew Roberts. I believe he went by the alias Black Bart.”
“Roberts,” Sebastian repeated thoughtfully. “Interesting name. Sounds familiar somehow. Did he have a crew?”
“Only six men, plus their cook. They made it back to Nassau unscathed.”
“Hmm… That’s strange. Usually, pirates leave survivors behind. They want someone to tell their story to.”
“The fact that this particular group survived at all is surprising,” said the governor. “But even stranger than that is that they actually returned home without being caught. Not many people can say that.”
“How long ago did this happen?”
“Nearly two months ago,” replied the governor. “They sailed into port just a few days after their encounter with the Black Pearl.”
Sebastian stood up suddenly, causing the governor to look up curiously.
“Excuse me,” Sebastian apologized quickly. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I’ve had another thought.”
“Go ahead.”
“What would make pirates attack a ship full of helpless prisoners? Wouldn’t it be easier for them to capture a ship with weapons aboard?”
“Good question,” admitted the governor. “Perhaps they wanted the cargo instead of the crew. Maybe they planned to sell it or use it themselves.”
“Maybe,” Sebastian mused aloud. “Or maybe they just didn’t care about the passengers. You know what they say: ‘There’s no honor among thieves.'”
“So, you think they may be pirates too?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. If Roberts was really as good as you described, then he must have learned a lot during his years in prison. I wonder if he picked up any tricks while he was locked away.”
Governor Swann leaned forward. “You’re right. Roberts could have learned some interesting things in jail. And when you add those tricks to his already considerable skills, he could become quite formidable indeed. Let us hope we can stop him before he gets started.”
Sebastian smiled. “Of course! I will do everything I can to help you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready for my audience with the king.”
He turned to go, but paused as the governor spoke again.
“Before you leave, there is something else you should know. The queen has requested that I give you a gift on behalf of her son. She hopes you will accept it, and I think it best not to disappoint Her Majesty.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Sebastian. He glanced down at the black box in the governor’s hands. It looked like it contained jewelry, judging from the weight and size. “Yes, I would love to see what she has given me. Please, let me take a look.”
As Sebastian opened the lid, a faint gasp escaped his lips. Inside lay a single pearl—a large one—the size of his palm.
“This is magnificent!” exclaimed Sebastian. “Where did you get such a thing?”
“From the Queen of England herself,” answered the governor. “She has taken great interest in the work you do and wishes to support your efforts in any way possible. So, please accept her gift, and thank you very much for coming.”
The End