The year is 1496. Ships are going across the seas to discover new lands and trade routes. In England a very experienced captain, gets a small crew of sailors. He promises an exciting adventure and the opportunity to make a fortune. The Lauren-Mary, filled with street boys who can't find a better job and rich merchants with a desire to travel, sets off. However...not everything is as it seems, and there may be more to this journey than anyone could have ever expected.
The streets bustled with people and horses, the docks were filled with ships, some off to find new land, some filled with items for trade. But in the heart of it all, was a large ship. It's flag blowing majestically in the wind. The large ship's black wood glistened with water. On the side in gold lettering it read Lauren-Mary. Two men stood at the top, watching as the crew slowly flooded into the ship. "I think we'll be departing soon" one of them said. He had seen the sea many times and enjoyed it, but he knew that this would be his toughest journey yet. He smiled at the beautiful hunk of wood that was his ship.
Jane ran down the dock, looking for the ship. The sac cloth bumped up and down on her back, in it she carried all her worldly goods. Jane looked in a store front window, tucked in some runaway hairs back into her cap then continued on her way. The ship glistened in the rising sun, she dashed towards it. "Hello sirs, I'm Jack, are you in need of another crew mate?"
Frank looked at the person standing below him. "Jack, what's your last name" he asked.
Meanwhile on the ship, William was washing the floor, he stopped to catch his breath and saw Frank and John talking to someone. He squinted but couldn't make out much. William hadn't seen this person before and he was pretty sure he had met everyone on the ship. He snuck over to some crates and ducked behind them, listening to the conversation.
"...are you in need of a crewmate?" He heard the mysterious person say. William guessed that this person was someone who was looking for a bit of a luck and find a ship about to depart. Maybe they wanted to sail but hadn't officially gotten into any crews yet.
“yea my last name is McLarson. Could I have a job?” Jack looked frantic, stealing glances beside the two men and behind her. “ I got good eyes and I can work hard, if ya’know what I mean.” Jack shuffled from foot to foot, waiting for a response.
Her eyes lit up at their response. “I’ll take the job, thank you sirs.” He quickly tipped his hat before dashing up the plank leading to the ship. Crew mates milled around on board, tidying up ropes, checking the sails and storing large crates. The masts reached high up into the sky, the crows nest was perched on the middle one. He gulped, it looked so small from down here. “What are you doin’ standin’ there? Get to work twig!” A large burly dude shoved him out of the way. Before he could get angry at him Frank and John walked onto the deck.
Behind them was another boy, the boy scanned Jane "you're Jack right? I'm the other crow's nest, you cover the night and late afternoon shift, I'll take the morning and early afternoon shift, sound good?"
"Hello." He nodded his head to the boy. "That'll be fine and what was your name?" The boy looked to be only 14, he seemed skinny for his age. No wonder he's in the crow's nest, he though to himself.
"Billy" the crow's nest said before marching off. He approached two of his pals jovially and began joking around with them. "Who was that you were talking to Bill?" The one on the right, Shawn Trenton, asked. "The replacement for Tim" Billy replied. "Wait who's Tim?" The one on the left, Thomas Hudson, asked. "The other crow's nest." "Oh right" Thomas nodded "too bad he got sick, he was a good kid." Billy nodded. "What do you think of the replacement" Shawn asked. Billy shrugged "he's alright I suppose."
William kept looking back at Jack, something seemed off about him but he couldn't quite place what it was. He slowly moved closer to Jack to see if he could make out any distinct features as he mopped the floor. Finally he decided to introduce himself "hey" he waved.
Jack could feel the questioning stare from one of the boys in the group. He subconsciously re-adjusted his hat. He slightly jumped when one of the boys greeted him. “Oh, hello!” Jack waved back. “I’m Jack, I’m in the new crow’s nest person.” He thrust his hand out and shook the boy’s. “What’s yer name and what do you do? Also when’s the ship leaving?”
Why is this guy being so friendly? What does he want from me? Jack was decidedly wary of Will. But he covered it up with a friendly smile. “Yea, I’ve never sailed before.” He nervously laughed. “But, uh, it’s nice to meet you Will.” The boys behind Will seemed nice however. “Hello!” he called out to them and waved. He walked over to them and introduced himself. “The name’s Jack, how do you do?” He thrust a hand forward to shake the other boys.
Billy raised an eyebrow at the extended hand "don't you have work to do?" He smirked, crossing his arms. This got a chuckle out of Thomas. "I've got work to do as well" Shawn said "catch you two at lunch" he said, pulling a wet rag from his pocket and heading to the lower decks of the ship. Billy and Thomas turned their attention back to Jack. "Well c'mon, hurry on, wouldn't want the ship to crash cause of you now. And don't get lost." Billy and Thomas laughed as they walked away.
He raised an eyebrow at their response. They weren’t as nice as he thought, but it wasn’t completely uncalled for. “How do you expect me to not get lost if you haven’t shown me around? Also you still haven’t introduced yourselves. What am I gonna do call out “HEY YOU” whenever I want your attention?” Maybe he was being a bit rude but these dudes. But they deserved it.
Follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path then by all means you should follow that. — Ellen Degeneres
