*Journal pages flip open*
-Monday July 20, Year of 2009
Captain's Log
Aye, twas a fine day in the early morn. I started me day like any other, with a bit of crusty ol' bread, and washed it down with with some imported Puerto Rican rum. Me crew was still sleepin, them lazy swines. I went to the helm and Short Step Jeff, who was in charge of keeping us on course fell asleep. I checked the bearings......we were off 3 clicks to the east. I awoke Jeff at sword point and yelled to him, "IF YE WISH TO BE SLEEPIN ON YER DUTIES, THEN YE BEST BE SLEEPIN LOCKED IN THE BRIG! CAUSE THATS WHERE YE BE HEADED IF I CATCH YE AGAIN!" He replied with a simple stuttering, "YE-YE-YES S-S-S-SIR!" The bumblin git. As he went to his quarters I took the helm. I rubbed me hand along the wooden wheel....it was cool from the spray of the sea. A salty wind blew at me head. Aye, this was me life. Free to roam wherever the seas would take me with no worries. With the sails filled, I resumed course. A few miles from our destination, I beheld a destructive sight........a merchant ship half sunk. The bow of the ship was still above the water. Without waking me crew, I lowered the anchor. It be a hard task fer a man with a hooked hand, but i managed. I got into one of me ship's dingys. As I lowered meself down I thought of all the precious cargo and rum that could be mine fer the taking. As i neared the sinking vessel, i saw the torn canvas, and bodies crates, and shattered wood littered the blood red water. I reached the remainder of the ship, and began to loot the remaining crate filled with food and ale. Then I decided to go below deck into the water logged upper floor. The water was up to me waist....the wood was creaking. It was very dangerous, I had to be careful. I began to pocket some dubloons i had found along with some various treasures, when i heard a loud gust of wind above. I stood still, listening. Then there was a loud, "CRASH!" as the ceiling that was the deck collapsed and wood shot at me in every direction. The remainder of the mast had caught the wind and broke, falling through the deck into the first floor where i was. As i opened me eye from the crash i realized i was caught under a heavy barrel. I tried to lift it i did, but a broken piece of the mast had landed on it. The water was now violently rushing in. Water was spraying me face, It was hard to see. I yelled in pain, as the water weighed down on the canvas left on the mast, forcing it to put pressure on the barrel. The water was rising to quickly, i had nowhere to go. I heaved and heaved but the more i tried to lift the more it seemed to want to hold me down. I took one long breath right before the water rose above me head. Then as the last of the ship began to tilt and sink toward the darkening abyss below, a cannon came loose. It fell and crashed into the barrel. There was a sharp pain. The cannon had shattered my left leg. Blood was flowing everywhere....but i had no time to think. I was running out of breath. I began to quickly swim as best as me could out of one of the ships cannon holes. Right before I breached the water top, I glanced down below me to see the ship sink into blackness. I broke the water top, and climbed into me dingy collapsing in pain. As I took deep breaths of air, i looked at me leg.........It couldn't be saved. I went back to me ship. Me crew was awake and helped me aboard asking questions. Before i told them what happened my leg had to be removed. I called forth our crew member with the most medical experience. He cut off my leg and sowed on a peg. It was so much pain. Me mates began unloading the leftover cargo and treasure i managed to get, as i was lifted to me cabin. As I laid on me bed and before I slipped into sleep, my last thought was "It was a bad sacrifice, but at least I am alive.................at least I am alive."
---Captain Phineaus Dread
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How I lost me leg.
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