Chapter 3

                                CHAPTER 3

It was a little chilly the next morning. There was a little fog outside. At the down side of the basement in the Orlop of the ship, were prisoners kept in the prison, captured from the cruise ship. The place was dirty. Some men were sitting down dejected, while some were standing, holding to the bar of the prison cell.  Men and woman were put in different cells. A pirate walked to the prison gate, smiling with his gaped teeth, eating a lap of a chicken. The prisoners rose up when they saw him, salivating.

‘You want some?’ He tossed it before them. They’re very hungry, looking at the man as he ate it. Four out of the prisoners are young boys, while the rest are adults. When the pirate saw their reaction, he threw the remaining part of the chicken into the cell, and they scrambled for it. The pirate was enjoying the show, laughing when another senior pirate walked in, and challenged him.

‘Luke, what are you doing here?’ Lex asked.

‘Nothing.’ He gave grinned. ‘I’m just watching them.’

‘Do you want to join them, too?’ 

‘No. why should I?’

‘You better get down to the kitchen and get food for these prisoners. It’s been whole day, they’ve been starved.’ Luke scratched his head and walked away.

‘Yeh! You better get rid of that bad habit of yours.’ He cautioned Lex.

The horizon as changed for better, looking bright. The day was becoming young, and smiling, getting rid of its gloom. Captain Casablanca walked out of his cabin, half dressed, yarning. 

‘Good morning.’ He said to himself, and looked down, seeing some of his men, sailing the ship. A pirate shouted to him, ‘Morning, Casablanca,’ he saluted.

‘Good morning, Philips.’  He said. ‘It’s good to be a captain.’ He smiled, and walked back to his cabin. After about two hours later, he walked out of his cabin, fully cleaned up, and shouted.

‘Comrades, yesterday was a great one.’

‘Yes, Captain.’ They affirmed.

‘We’ll use today to count on the loot of yesterday.’ 

‘Yes.’ The pirates shouted in jubilation. He looked round at the pirates, and they went silent.

‘How many prisoners do we have?’ He asked.

‘Many of them, Captain.’ A young pirates said, and laughed.

‘Thank you, Young. Zealot, how many of them do we have?’ He insisted to know the actual figures.

‘They are about twenty of them, Captain.’ Zealot answered.

‘Good.’

‘Captain! Captain!’ Jack the Dwarf was trying to get the attention of Captain Casablanca.

‘Yes, Jack. What’s the matter?’ He asked, watching as the man walked up to him, and everybody gave way to Jack. ‘Speak, Jack.’

‘Captain, we have a miracle worker among the prisoners.’ Everyone boasted into laughter, chattering.

‘You mean what, Jack?’ Captain asked again.

‘There is a Scientist among the prisoners. I got him captured yesterday. He can perform a miracle.’ Everyone wanted to hear the full detail from Jack, seeing he was serious about matter. He said further, ‘I have his goods with me.’ He looked at his colleagues. 

‘What kind of miracle can he perform?’ Captain asked, smiling, still not convinced by Jack’s words.

‘The science can make one disappear.’

‘What?’ Captain said with surprised.

‘Yes, Captain.’

Others began to make jokes about it, ‘How possible can that be?’

Captain looked round, and called Zealot, ‘Follow Jack to get the man is talking about.’

‘Aye, Captain.’ Jack and Zealot walked down to the basement, and later returned with the scientist. Jack was carrying the Scientist bags, while Zealot held the man by the arm. The whole pirates were surprised to see him. The Scientist was an average tall man. Captain walked to him, playing with his bushy mustache. ‘Are you the scientist?

‘Yes.’ The man replied.

‘What’s your name?’

‘Sorry. I don’t tell stranger my name.’ The man replied, and frowned, defiant to Captain Casablanca. 

Captain Casablanca laughed, ‘Am I the stranger?’ Others laughed. ‘Okay. I will tell you my name afterwards; you’ll tell me your own name.’

‘I said I can’t tell you my name.’ The man insisted. Captain Casablanca drawn his sword from the sheath, and laid it on the throat of the man. 

‘Tell me your name or you die.’ Captain cautioned ordered him.

‘Oh, please don’t kill me.’ He begged. 

‘Then tell me your name or I waste your life.’

‘My –my name is Alexandra White.’ He said, seeing he could be killed and thrown into the sea.

‘Good. Where are you heading to before we captured you?’

‘France. I came from Edinburg in Britain.’ He answered.

‘You’re going to France. Why?’

‘I was going there to display my science invention.’ 

‘What’s that?’

‘A beer.’

‘A beer?’ Captain laughed. ‘You must be joking. Do you think I called you up here to waste my time?’ He shouted on him, and the man was scared. The pirates laughed.

‘No. I’m not joking. It’s really true.’

‘Okay. Bring it here for us to drink.’

‘Yes.’ Everybody laughed. 

‘No. it’s not just ordinary beer, sir.’

‘Oh! How does it work?’ Captain was enjoying himself.

‘He can make one to disappear and reappear again.’ The scientist said. 

‘Try it before us, and let’s see it if it’s really working.’

‘Oh,no. I’ve not tested it. I just finished the experiment.’ He explained. 

‘You just finished an invention, and you haven’t tested it. How do you know it can then make one to disappear and reappear? You must drink it now. Okay?’

‘What? What if I die?’ The scientist asked, not willing to drink it. 

Captain laughed, ‘that’s your luck. We’ll throw you into the sea when you die. But if it works, your life will be saved. Will you drink it or not?’

‘I, I’ll drink it.’ He finally agreed to drink, and the pirates laughed, as the whole eyes now shifted on him. The ship was sailing south, even though a scene was on going on it. The weather was getting clearly better afterward. The sun was rising.

‘Where is your specimen?’ Captain asked.

‘It’s with this man.’ He pointed to Jack. Jack brought the bags to him, and he opened it, and poured some content into a mug, and a little powder into it. He stirred it together, and looked at Captain Casablanca. Captain nodded, and the pirates began to shout, ‘Drink. Drink.’ The scientist began to sip it, and finally drank it. Everybody was surprised after he had drunk it. They were all watching what might happen next. Nothing happen for about five minutes; everybody began to mock him. 

Captain Casablanca was furious, and said, ‘Throw this dog into the water for the fish to feed on him.’  The pirates rushed to take the scientist when suddenly he disappeared. They all stayed back, very surprised, waiting for him to reappear. About five minutes later, the scientist reappeared. The whole pirates started to clap, carrying him high. Captain Casablanca was very happy. ‘This man lives.’ He said.

‘Yes.’ The pirates supported. 

‘He will become part of us.’

‘Yes.’ The pirates said.

‘Zealot, get this scientist a good room. Let him to take his bags along.’ Captain ordered. He smiled mischievously.

‘Yes, Captain.’