The Black Plague

Caralina (Peter)----

"Why are you sorry?" She asked looking at him. She hoped it wasn't cause he didn't mean to kiss her. For some reason she wanted him to like her. She chewed on her lip, these feelings couldn't be good. "D-do you wish you hadn't done that?" She asked nervously.


*Grrrr, gotta go, mom'll kill me if i don't.*

Captain Raphael--

"No, no of course not!" I corrected her immediatly, stepping toward her again even though I had just let go. "But you seemed upset by it..."

>.< *growl* sudden wall

Arthur Hearthorn -- April 11th, 1650 -- Helmsman/Navigator

I thought about her question for a moment, and how I should answer.

"Nothing, I suppose," I answered slowly, knowing there were about a million things I would have liked to change. But there was no use upsetting her, and besides, they were all little things. Minor details.

***Your not the only one. ***

Caralina (Peter)---

Caralina didn't know what to do. She couldn't think straight with him so close. She looked up at him, "I-I was surprised." She said smiling a little. "I-I should probably go below deck fore I'm missed." She said lookiing to the ground. She didn't wnt to make a fool of herself.

**KK we need to pick up speed here within the next couple posts**

Isabella -- Tristan

I stared at him for a moment.

"Nothing at all?" I asked, trying to make sure I had heard correctly. Out of all this chaos, and all the depression, I could think of so many things I would have liked to change, yet he could think of nothing?

--------------------------
Captain Raphael

I nodded.

"If you want to go below, go right ahead. I can steer," I agreed. She smiled and moved out of my arms. I kissed her forehead lightly before letting her go.

Caralina---

Caralina didn't really want to leave, but she didn't know what else to do. SHe felt nervous around him all the sudden, she liked him, oh yes she did. But she was surprised. He hadn't really seen how she fully looked, yet he didn't care. Could he just be playin me? SHe shok her head at the thought, It was stupid. He wasn't that type of man, was he?

Arthur Hearthorn -- April 11th, 1650 -- Helmsman/Navigator

I looked away. "A few things, maybe, but they're but small, minor details. Nothing of major importance."

"Like what?" she questioned.

I shook my head. "Let's not dwell on the negatives. There isn't any point. That was the past, and there's nothing we can do about it."

I stood up and yawned again, my earlier exhaustion returning in a wave. I stumbled and grasped the table for support, locking my legs.

"I'm going to get some sleep. You'd best do the same," I said quietly.

Isabella - Tristan

Before Thorn could make it out of the room, his exhaustion got the best of him and he began swaying. I got to my feet and rushed to catch him as he collapsed.

Using all the strength I could muster, I pulled Thorn to the bed and layed him down, curling up beside him and disregarding all normal rules and regulations. It was cold, so I pulled the blanket up as well.

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Captain Raphael

I watched Caralina go, smiling to myself.

I had never felt this way before. It was immensely wonderful -- like floating. Only better.

Sighing, I realized that it was no longer nightime, but early morning. The sun was coming over the horizon, and the island was coming into view.

[Dierik]

Dierik was leaning out over the edge of the railing when Toribrio's island came into view. Straightening immediately, he turned and shouted up at Captain Raphael, "Cap'n! Toribrio's...!"

But Raphael cut him off with a nod and a smile. He knew. Dierik yelled out, "Man your stations! The reef's getting closer!"

Dierik knew the reef surrounding Toribrio's island was dangerously shallow and filled with sharks. He raced towards a sail, adjusting it so that it wouldn't catch the wind much. They needed to take this slow.

He looked up, waiting for instructions.

Arthur Hearthorn -- April 12th, 1650 -- Helmsman/Navigator

I was about to protest, but I knew it wouldn't do any good. I was too tired to make it back to my room on my own, having been awake for the past 48 plus hours. I knew Isabella wouldn't take me back, either, and there was no way I was calling more attention to myself than was necessary. If I called someone, it'd either reveal that Isabella was a girl, or it'd look like I was sleeping with...well, you get the picture.

So instead I let myself drift off into welcome sleep just as the first rays of dawn spilled over the horizon.

Captain Raphael

"Dierek," I called, catching his attention. "Calm down. We have plenty of time, and if necessary we can anchor here and wait for a while. Everyone is deathly tired, including myself."

Dierek stared at me, as if shocked, for a moment, and then nodded his agreement. We still had a few miles until we were in the dangerous part of the reef, so I went down to get some sleep before hand.

Caralina (Peter)---

Caralina hadn't made it back to her bed before she heard the yelling. She quickly went to help. She was about to help with the masts when she collapsed, asleep. She had been so exhausted there was no waking her. She was out cold.



*srry it is short*

Toribrio -- Day Count: 5882 -- Keeper of the Maps

I sat, alone, on the cliff face, counting off the seconds until the sun would rise. Just like I did every morning of every day, while birds and insects would fly around me, buzzing and chirping merrily as they passed on their way to begin their search for food.

"...One minute, forty-two seconds...one minute, thirty-nine seconds..."

There was a disturbance in the air, followed by a slight breeze and the sound of talons on stone.

"...One minute, thirty-five seconds - Hello Perp - One minute, thirty seconds..."

The small bird chirped in greeting. A minute and twenty-five seconds passed.

"Five...four...three...two...one..."

The first rays of sun gently caressed my face. I smiled, letting the warmth travel through my body asI held my hand out for the small bird to perch on.

"Today is the anniversary of my mother's death, Perp. I can still remember her telling me stories about the outside world and my father. I wish I could've met him..."

The bird ruffled his feathers and chirped again.

"Its been 2962 days since she died. She never taught me how to measure time other than days, if there even is another way..."

Perp shifted from claw to claw.

"I miss her, Perp. She was the only family I ever had. The only other person I really ever knew. Everyone else had only come for my maps."

I sighed, lifting my head towards the sky that my sightless eyes could not see, but somehow I knew it was cloudless. Streaks of gold, pink, orange and violet sunlight began to edge above the horizon.

I hadn't always been blind. But too many mornings like this, staring at the golden globe rise up over the water, had robbed me of my vision. Now I relied upon my other senses, as well as my 'sixth sense', as my mother had called it, to tell me where I was and what was around me.

And that sixth sense told me that there was a ship on th horizon, approaching my island.

[Dierik]

Dieirik stood motionless for a moment, processing the information. Then he laughed at himself, he had jumped as eagerly as a cabin boy! But then, his hopes were high, dreams filled with treasure and adventure.

He let go of the rope, realizing how tired he was, and slumped against the side of the Plague. Apparently he was sleeping on deck today, whether he liked it or not...

Captain Raphael

I had made sure we were still a good distance from the island before allowing myself to collapse into sleep. Most of the crew had fallen asleep on deck after Dierek had called them up. I made my way below deck, checking on the crew as I went.

Tristan and Thorn were asleep in her bed. Tristan's hat had fallen off, and was lying on the floor beside her. I smiled, sure the something beautiful had possessed my crew.

Caralina had fallen asleep on the stairs. I lifted her into my arms and carried her into my room. I was fairly sure that Tristan and Thorn wouldn't appreciated having someone else in on their secret. Instead I laid Caralina gently in my bed beside me, and fells asleep.

--------------------TIME LAPSE--------------------

Isabella - Tristan

There were shouts from above.

"Toribrio's Island!" the called. The footfalls echoed above us.

"Thorn, Tristan, hurry!" Captain Raphael open the door, smiled at us for a moment, and then turned to hurry above deck.