Chapter Eight

By Sarah

Skyler pushed Jason back against the wall and had to drag Bragg out of the brig and onto the main deck.

"What are you doing, Skyler?" He yelled and pulled his arm from her grasp.

"I'm not going to let you kill our only hope of finding that treasure, Bragg."

Bragg sat on the edge of one of the starboard cannons, "I wasn't going to kill him."

Skyler laughed harshly, "Bragg, I've sailed and fought with you for three years, I know when you want to kill someone. I see it in your eyes."

Bragg got up, "He accused me of stealing, Skyler!"

"Did you?" Skyler asked.

"Did I what?"

"Steal his treasure?"

Bragg looked taken aback, "Skyler, you just said you knew me."

"You didn't answer my question."

Bragg sat once again on the cannon and was silent.

Skyler sighed and sat next to him, "Why did you take it?"

"I didn't take all of it . . . it was just one thing."

Skyler put her head in her hands, "What happened?”

Bragg launched into the story; "It was the last raid before Jason betrayed us. We attacked that ship with the skull and wings on its colors, if you remember."

Skyler nodded, "Aye, The Raven."

Bragg nodded in response, "Well after the raid when we was splitting the loot four ways between you, me, Anna, and Jason. I saw something in Jason's lot that caught my eye, it was a golden compass . . . it belonged to my father. I guess the crew of The Raven got hold of it somehow. Anyway, Jason took real pride in that compass and he kept it in his cabin but I had to have it back. The day before Jason broke bonds with the Breaker I took my fathers golden compass from his cabin." Bragg reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the compass, "It's rightfully mine, Skyler, but Jason thinks I stole his property."

Skyler shook her head; "He stole a chest full of our most valuable treasure just because you stole that compass."

Bragg shrugged, "Aye, that he did."

“It must have been for something more . . . “ Skyler thought aloud.

Bragg was about to say something when Ezra came stumbling up the stairs from the brig. His hand was covering his stomach.

Skyler looked over, "Ezra, how's Jason’s head?"

Ezra said nothing and fell over on the deck.

Skyler and Bragg leapt up and rushed over to his side, "Ezra?" Skyler said her voice was full of panic.

Bragg removed the boy’s hand from his stomach to reveal a deep gash in his side.

"Skyler, look at this." Bragg said.

Skyler examined the wound, "It's not a gun shot."

" . . . knife." Ezra said, his voice shaky.

Skyler and Bragg propped him up and leaned him against the wooden base of the foremast.

"What happened?" Skyler asked.

"He had a knife, Cap'n." Ezra said softly.

"Who?" Bragg asked.

"Jason. He somehow … got one and he cut me right when I got into his brig. I managed to close the door before … he got out.”

His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he was out.

Skyler's pulse quickened. She felt for the scabbard at her side where he dagger should have been but it was gone.

"That bloody …" Skyler began.

Bragg looked up, "What?"

"Get him down to the medic cabin." Skyler said.

"He needs a doctor." Bragg said, urgently.

"He is the doctor. When you get him down there splash some water on his face until he wakes, then let him stitch himself up."

Bragg hesitated, "Stitch himself up?"

Skyler stood and walked towards the brig, "Don't look like that Bragg, he's done it before."

"Where are you going, Skyler?" Bragg asked behind her.

Skyler didn't answer and ran down to Jason's cell. He was sitting down pretending to be asleep.

"Give it to me." she said walking into his brig.

Jason looked up, "Give what to you?"

"Don't play dumb with me, give me my dagger!" Skyler yelled.

Jason smiled and motioned to the corner where a bloody dagger was.

Skyler picked it up, "I see you haven't lost your touch in picking a pocket." She tossed the dagger into her right hand and walked towards Jason.

Jason shrugged, "The kid had it commin'."

Skyler gave a mocking smile, "Oh really?" She fell on her knees and stabbed Jason in the leg. Jason gasped in pain.

"Tell me what you did with the treasure!" Skyler yelled.

Jason said nothing.

Skyler began to twisted the dagger, "Tell me NOW!"

"Off the map!" Jason gasped, "Over the edge!"

Skyler stopped twisting, "What?"

"I hid it … over the edge."

Skyler pulled the dagger out of Jason's leg, “What edge are you talking about?”

Jason pushed his hands on his leg and looked at Skyler with cold eyes, "The only edge there is, Skyler. Over the edge of the world."

Chapter Seven

By Ian

Captain Bragg sailed away toward the Atlantic with his men getting the wounded below decks to be tended to and the pirates that were still able to get around without trouble started to raise the sails and hoist the Navy flag.

“Mister Bradley where is Mister Starks?” Bragg asked his First Mate.

“Sir I saw him before he went below decks and asked Burleson and he said that Starks might be fatally wouded.”

When Bragg heard those words he was heartbroken and stood there in sorrow and then he flew down the steps to the “hospital galley” and found Starks.

“Starks me worthy Quarter Master.” Bragg said. He found that Starks face was slashed and was almost unrecognizable and a hole straight through him in the stomach.

Why! Bragg thought and started to weep. Then he heard faint words almost like the wind.

“When I depart this world Capʼn, promise one bloody thing...That you will find that treasure.”

“Aye Starks Iʼll find it if it kills me.” Bragg replied straining to keep his voice smooth and calm.

“Ah yes Capʼn, but Capʼn Skyler told you not to get shot...again.” Starks said with a hint of a smile.

“You bloody eavesdropper.” Bragg said with a sad smile.

They sat in a sad silence Starks knowing he was going to die no matter what Burleson did and Bragg knowing that his favorite and only Quarter Master was to die in this smelly rotten “galley.” Then finally Bragg broke the silence: “Who did it?”

“Jason. We were on the starboard side and I saw you cominʼ and I thought you was gonna kill ʻim and thatʼs when he got me.”

“That was you?!”

“Yes it was.” Starks took a deep breath and said his final words before breathing his last: “Iʼm sorry Capʼn Bragg. Iʼve failed ya.” and Starks breathed his last and died a peaceful death.

“No you didnʼt. You were far from it. You led the second biggest charge in the history of the Breaker.” Bragg said weeping heavily now.

Bragg sat there for ten minutes but to Bragg it felt like years.

“Capn!!!” Bragg heard Bradley shout from the port side. Bragg ascended the steps and came to his First Mateʼs side.

“Ship on the horizon.” Bradley said. Bragg pulled out his eyeglass and just made out the pheonix with the flames and the crossed swords. Now what? Did she forget something or is it Jason? Bragg thought.

“Sir when do you expect arrival?” Bradley said. Bragg turned and asked the same question.

“Smith when do you expect arrival?!”

“About ten minutes or Iʼm not a seaman!” Smith shouted back.

..............................

When The Skyrunner got to The Blood-Traitor they tied the ships together and Skyler boarded and took Bragg below decks and made sure there were no eyes or ears. Then said: “Bragg please donʼt tell me that you took Jasonʼs treasure.”

“What the he.... of course not. I wouldnʼt have taken Jasonʼs treasure if my life depended on it.... well at least not back then.” he corrected.

“Jason insistes that you stole it.”

“That bloody traitor!” Bragg boomed and he flew up the steps and boarded The

Skyrunner and then flew down the steps to Jasonʼs cell and took the keys. He unlocked the cell door. “You bloody....” Bragg started and kept

going with a string of very unpleasent curses.

“You think I took your bloody treasure!!” Bragg boomed. Now Skyler was in the room with look of horrer on her face at the men in front of her now cursing each other.

“I DON'T THINK YOU TOOK IT! I KNOW YOU DID!!” Jason roared. Jason was now inches from Braggʼs face staring at each other with a cold stare.

Chapter Six

By Sarah

Skyler watched Bragg sail off into the sunset back towards the Atlantic Sea and Captain Anna towards the Pacific Sea. There weren't many threats to pirates this time of year as the navy prowlers were all in ports avoiding the tropic storms. Skyler smiled, military men never did have sea legs. She stood remembering the time when Bragg, Anna, Jason and herself had encountered a maelstrom; they came back in tattered pieces and had to trade with a native clan on the coast of Cuba. Most of their weapon supply was taken in trade for new rigging and wood. After that they had to raid ten navy ships to get their weapon supply back up. Of course that was back when they all belonged to the same crew on one ship. No one had been the Captain in those days; all four of them had made decisions together. Skyler rubbed the timber of The Skyrunner; things had seemed so much simpler in those days. She remembered how Jason used to say that the greatest joy in life was to stand atop a mainsail mast and give the order to hoist the colors, to show your enemy that you were not just any ship but a pirate ship. Skyler grimaced; just thinking about Jason made her angry. She gave the order to heave way and as The Skyrunner began to pick up speed she slowly walked down the steps to the brig.

The Skyrunner’s brig held ten cells, five on each side. Skyler hated the brig it was always to stuffy and it reminded her of a time she’d rather forget but this had to happen. A young boy no older than sixteen walked out of the very back cell carrying some loose medical supplies.

“Ah! Mister Ezra!” Skyler said, “I hope you didn’t have to cut off his head.”

Ezra shook his head, “Nay, Cap’n. Though I wish I had an excuse to.”

Skyler smiled, she had always thought of Ezra as a little brother. He was only two years younger than she was but he was the best carpenter and surgeon The Skyrunner had. Not many pirate ships had surgeons but Skyler thought it was a necessity as last season one of the young riggers took a fall and died because not one person knew how to set a broken bone.

Skyler walked to the back cell and stood at the door peering inside. Jason sat on the wooden floor, his arms shackled to the wall and a bloody bandage wrapped around his head.

“Where is it, Jason?” she asked, coldly.

There was no answer.

“Jason, you can’t play this game forever, just tell me where the treasure is.”

Silence.

Skyler groaned and started to walk away when she heard a voice.

“Perhaps, if you came into the cell, and not stand outside it as if I were some wild untamed beast, we might come to a mutual agreement that would suit both our fancies.”

Skyler couldn’t stop a smile from playing on her lips. Jason had always spoke as if he were some proper English gentleman. That’s why, at one time, she’d liked him. Skyler grabbed the keys off a peg on the wall, opened the cell door and walked inside. She stood in front of the door with her hand on her pistol to be sure Jason didn’t run.

“Alright, Jason, what is you agreement?”

When Jason spoke he kept his head down, “I will tell you where your treasure is if you give me back my ship and my crew.”

Skyler laughed, “I think you have lost your privilege with your ship and crew. After all you betrayed The Breaker, Jason.”

Suddenly Jason was on his feet and only about twelve inches from Skyler’s face. His shackles kept him from going any further.

“You think I betrayed The Breaker?” he said, his bright green eyes that Skyler remembered all to well started furiously at her. “I did nothing wrong!”

“You killed Braggs mother and father, Jason!” Skyler said, pulling out her pistol, “That is what you did wrong!”

“I was trying to get my ship! I did not know his father and mother kept the port, therefore I did not know it was them who I killed!”

“You stole our treasure, Jason.”

“Because you stole mine!” Jason yelled, “We are pirates, Skyler. An eye for an eye, a treasure for a treasure! You stole mine, I steal yours and without my help you will never find it!”

Skyler looked at Jason, “We never stole your treasure, Jason, what are you talking about?”

Jason laughed, “Oh, he didn’t tell you then?”

“Who didn’t tell we what?” Skyler asked.

Jason sat down on the wooden floor and smiled, “Why don’t you ask Cap’n Bragg?”

Chapter Five

By Ian

Bragg looked out into the sunset thinking about all that happened. He did remember

Skyler saying that if he entered the Caribbean that she would take him. He still

wondered if Skyler would still be alive if...

“Capʼn!” Bradley shouted from the starboard side.

Bragg walked over to the starboard and looked into his First Mateʼs eyes.

“Yes, me only worthy sea dog?” Bragg said smiling at Bradley.

“Skylerʼs wavin”

Bragg looked over and sure enough there stood Skyler waving. Bragg waved back then realized that she was beckoning him to come to the ship. He turned to his First Mate and said: “You know what to do, and follow her.”

He climbed the Foremast, found a rope and swung. The pain in his arm was almost unbearable. He was slipping, he only had his finger tips...He slipped. Bragg was falling toward the water. He unsheathed his sword and right as he got to the hull he stabbed it.

Now he was dangling like rag-doll. Bragg pulled himself up and grabbed the clean hand of Captain Skyler with his bloody one. He was again slipping, he held fast and was pulled to safety. He stood up expecting to be punched again, but to his surprise she did nothing of the sort,

“You need that arm bandaged.” Skyler said. They went below decks and she started bandaging his arm. When they got down Bragg looked around and whispered: “You may not believe that the treasure is above the surface, but I donʼt care under or above, Iʼm going after that bloody treasure that caused Jason to turn.”

Skyler continued bandaging and they sat in an awkward silence until the bandaging was done.

Then Skyler said: “Whatever you say admeral.”

“What?” Bragg said.

“When you left the last Meeting Anna and I stayed behind and discussed who the new admeral would be, and luck found ya Bragg.” Skyler said smiling, “Even though there is only three of us. Youʼll call the next Breaker meeting.”

“Itʼll be within the month.”

“Good so you can be on your way then.” Skyler said helping him up.

When they got to the decks Skyler gave Bragg a hug and said: “Be careful out

there Bragg.”

“Iʼll see you within the month.” Bragg said smiling. He climbed the Mizzen Mast and swung back to his ship and sailed off toward the horizon.

Chapter Four

By Sarah

Skyler and her crew had their swords drawn and guns cocked ready to board The Curse. She could see that the fighting had already begun and even Captain Anna and her crew had joined in. Bragg's old ship, Te Great White, had sunk under the heavy cannon fire and now only The Skyrunner, The Black Heart and The Curse remained floating. Skyler had given the orders to ram into The Curse’s hull with the iron-covered tip of The Skyrunners Bow, once that had happened the gun crews would fire all and then they would board.

“Can you spy Cap’n Bragg?” Skyler asked Colton as the neared The Curse.

“Couldn’t say Cap’n, what does he look like?”

“Oh, he’s probably leading a massive charge or cuttin’ down five men at once or "“

“Or could he be the one with a gun pointed at his face?” Colton interrupted.

Skyler wiped out her spyglass and scanned the deck of The Curse. She saw that Colton was right; Captain Bragg did have a gun in his face. She looked to see who the holder of the gun was and wasn’t surprised to find that it was Jason.

“That bloody traitor, I swear I’ll kill ‘im.” She said.

Suddenly The Skyrunner rammed into The Curse with full speed. The triple row of cannons fired and The Curse’s cannons were smashed.

“BOARD!” Skyler yelled and within minutes her entire crew was on the deck of The Curse.

“Crew of The Curse! Stow your weapons!” Colton shouted.

Slowly hundreds of swords and pistols clattered to the ground, except for one.

Skyler walked over behind Jason and put her sword to his back, “Drop it, Jason.” She said harshly.

“That’s Captain Jason, if you please.” Jason said sarcastically still holding his weapon to Bragg’s head.

Skyler pulled out her own gun and put it to his back, slowly cocking it.

“Now, now, Captain Skyler.” Jason said, “Let’s not do anything irrational.”

Suddenly a loud shot echoed across the sea and Captain Bragg dropped to the deck. Captain Anna screamed from the left and there where gasps amongst both crews.

Skyler’s eyes went wide and for a few moments she was petrified. Then anger took over. She hit Jason with the butt of her pistol and he fell to the ground, senseless.

Skyler ran over to where Bragg had fallen.

“Bragg?” she said softly turning him over on his back.

Bragg coughed, “It’s just me arm.” He said painfully.

Skyler motioned for Anna to help her help Bragg to his feet and when he stood once more Skyler reeled her hand back and punched him in the cheek. Bragg stumbled to his right, “Skyler! What in the name of "“

“HOW DARE YOU INTERFERE WITH MY ATTACK!” she shouted, “We agreed that if he was to enter the Caribbean Sea I was to take him.”

Bragg clutched his arm; blood was running down his fingers, “I didn’t want you to take him alone, if anything happened to you --- “

“Bragg I am not some incapable child! I’m a captain of a bloody ship!”

Captain Anna walked up to Skyler, “Skyler, he was only trying to help you.”

“I know what he was doing, Anna. He was trying to protect me.”

Skyler sheathed her sword and turned around, “Crew of The Skyrunner take Cap’n Jason and put ‘im in our brig.”

“What about the crew, Cap’n?” Colton asked.

Captain Anna stepped forward, “They’re welcome to stay in my brig.” She said with a smile.

Skyler nodded, “From now on this ship will be known as The Blood-Trader! It is now under the command of The Pirates of the Breaker!”

She turned to Colton, " Take half of the crew run down to the hull and fix it up the best you can. Just stop it from sinking, Bragg's going to need a new ship."

Colton nodded and suddenly the deck was loud with people moving to different ships. Jason was dragged to The Skyrunner still unconscious, the rest of the crew was forced onto The Black Heart and the dead bodies were tossed into the sea. Soon it was just Skyler and Bragg.

Bragg looked out to the afternoon sun, “Do you think Jason knows where it is?” he asked.

Skyler looked down at her feet, “Bragg that treasure has been missing for three years, he probably tossed it to the bottom of the ocean just so we couldn’t get hold of it.”

“We’ll get it out of him.” Bragg said.

Skyler walked up to Bragg and looked him straight in the eyes, “You scared me half to death today, Bragg. Never get shot again.”

Bragg smiled, “I’ll try my best.”

Skyler tipped her hat, “Cap’n Bragg.”

Bragg mimicked her motion, “Cap’n Skyler.”

Skyler grabbed a rope and swung onto her ship and Bragg was left alone.

Chapter Three

By Ian

The cannons boomed and The Curse’s port side was blown to bits. The men of The Curse were boarding The Great White and starting to plunder. Bragg drew his sword and cried: “FOR THE SKYRUNNER!!” and stabbed a helmsman from The Curse. Then he spotted Jason on The Great Whites port side...right where he wanted him. He snuck up behind Jason right as Jason killed the man. Bragg drew his pistol cocked it and put his finger on the trigger. Right then Jason turned around and pointed his sword at Bragg.

“We meet again my fellow privateer!” Jason cried with a triumphant smile on his face.

Then there was a faint boom and the next thing they knew they were being blown out of the water by The Black Heart (Captain Annaʼs ship.) Bragg climbed the rope leading to the main mast got to the top and expertly walked on the outside mast and found a rope connected to the mizzenmast in front of his mast. He grabbed it and swung all the way to The Black Heart. He let go and fell to the starboard side of The Black Heart. Right when the rest person saw him they pointed their guns and swords at him.

“Get Captain Anna!” a man shouted.

One of the men ran down below decks and waited until literally ten seconds later a woman Braggʼs age came up the steps and got a good look at Bragg then said: “Aye Capʼn Bragg what are you doinʼ here?” she asked.

“Well it seems to me that youʼre blowinʼ my ship TO SMITHEREENS!!” Bragg roared.

Unlike Skyler, Bragg had a grudge against Anna because this wasnʼt the first time she had done it. That was Braggʼs fourth ship heʼd had to purchase. Three out of the four were because of her and the fourth was because of Captain Jason.

“Oh it is?” she asked shocked.

“Yes! Now I need to tell my men to transfer to The Curse and you can continue

blowing up The Great White, but do that when I give the signal. That signal will be when I say: For the Skyrunner.”

“Aye Capʼn Bragg!” the men thundered back.

So Bragg swung back to The Great White and ordered the men to retreat to The Curse. He went below decks and grabbed both flags and gave one to Bradley and kept the other and they both swung over to The Curse.

“FOR THE SKYRUNNER!!” Bragg boomed over the battle. He was now aggressive and was ready to see The Black Heart blow Captain Jason out of the water. Right as he said those words the cannons of the started booming, steel and steel met, and pistols fired.

Then Bragg turned and saw Jason holding a pistol and pointing it in

his direction. The men saw to and thought that all hope was lost.