A Wave Of Pirates 8) Escaping While Sinking

"Idiot!" I shouted and shook my head.

"Hey, if not for my actions, we wouldn't be here to save you, so quit it okay?" Jack snapped. "Besides no one asked you to come to this bastard's rescue."

He glared across the room at Henry and Henry raised his eyebrows. He must've had no idea why Jack disliked him.

I sighed and looked at Edward. His eyes were still glued to the pirate on the floor.

"Hey, buddy. You said there's an escape up there right?" I asked.

He swallowed and nodded his head. "Up in the ceiling. But we'll have to hurry."

I nodded and glanced back at Jack.

"We?" He said. "What does the kid mean by we? He's not with us."

"He pointed out the escape and untied Henry," I said. "There's no way I'm leaving him here to drown."

I headed over to Edward as he stared up at the ceiling.

"There's a door right up there," He told me. "You'll have to push pretty hard, it's been painted shut."

"Hey, Henry give me that chair." I said. He slid it over to me and I put it directly under the location of the door.

I climbed onto it and looked up. There was a spot on the ceiling that was a bit lighter than the rest of the ceiling.

"Could be a trap." Jack said but I ignored him.

Edward snorted. "Like I'd take a dumb risk like that."

"Shut up." Jack snapped.

I placed my gun in my waistband and reached up and gave the ceiling a hard shove. But it didn't budge.

Would I have to push or have it pulled?

I pushed again but it wouldn't work. I sighed in frustration and jumped down from the chair.

To my surprise I plunged into water. The water only came just pass my feet but it would be getting higher soon.

"Maybe we should shoot it open." Jack marched pass Henry gripping his shotgun tightly in his hands.

"Whoa!" Henry exclaimed as if he seeing the gun for the first time.

I stepped back as Jack stepped under the escape. He pointed the gun at the ceiling and started firing without hesitation.

Dust and concrete fell down onto him, coating his body.

Edward started laughing, and seconds later I joined him. Soon we were all laughing at Jack as he coughed and wiped concrete from his face.

"How dumb can you get, Jack?" Kevin asked with a smirk.

Jack spit concrete from his mouth as I walked pass him and looked up at the hole.

It was open now and surprisingly I could see daylight shining in. So I started to climb up but stopped when I heard a groan from far behind me.

I turned and saw that the pirate was back up. He was holding a dagger in his right hand and he wrapped an arm around Kevin's throat.

Kevin let out a yelp as the pirate plunged the dagger into his side.

Then he pulled it back out and shoved Kevin into Jack. They both fell to the floor and the shotgun fell from Jack's hands.

Henry was distracted by Kevin and Jack, so he didn't see the pirate preparing to stab him too.

Edward yanked Henry away from the pirates blade just as he attacked.

"You little runt!" The pirate shouted.

I took out my gun and fired at him twice. Both bullets caught him in the chest.

He gasped and staggered backwards. Then he slumped down against the wall.

I almost lost my balance as the chair began to slide back across the slippery floor, but Henry caught it.

"Climb up!" He shouted. "Hurry!"

I took a glance at Kevin who remained on the floor clutching his wounded stomach.

I stepped down from the chair as Henry stared at me in confusion. I tossed my gun into the water.

"You go first." I said and he rushed up onto the chair. I held it in place for him and he started climbing up.

"You go next." I said to Edward as he gaped at the pirate against the wall.

"Okay." He said in a whisper.

Jack was now on his feet standing over Kevin. I could hear Kevin breathing heavily and see the blood mixing with the water rising around us.

Henry finally made it up top and Edward headed to the chair. But he didn't climb onto it.

"Don't worry." Henry called down to him. "It's all clear."

Edward nodded and climbed onto the chair.

"I hope your father finds out about your betrayal." The pirate said and we turned to him. "And when he does he'll kill you with his bare hands... Coward."

A grin spread across his face. "You deserved everything he did to you. Starvation, sending you out alone at night, the whoopings. They were all to make you into a man... But he failed. But he will not fail in killing you... You'll see."

The life faded from his body. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and his head rested back against the wall.

"You can make it, man." I heard Jack say and I turned my attention to him. "Just stay with us..."

He was stooping down beside Kevin in the water. Kevin sat against the wall holding his side.

"Get out of here." Kevin choked. "I won't make it out of here alive. Even if I do I would end up dead in this condition. Make sure everyone else is safe." He looked up at me. "Matt... get Brandy some help. Get everyone home safely no matter what."

I fought back tears and nodded. "I- I will, Kevin."

He nodded back at me and shut his eyes. I turned away. I wouldn't be able to just stand here watching him die.

Edward still hadn't climbed up yet. He was looking over at the pirate, trembling.

"Hey, get moving." I said and he snapped out of the daze. He looked up at Henry and grabbed onto his hand. He allowed him to help pull him up and Jack climbed to his feet.

There were tears in his eyes as he looked down at Kevin. His hands balled into fists and he shook with rage.

He turned to me and I saw rage in his eyes.

"These bastards are going to pay." He whispered.

I nodded and tapped the chair. "Well let's get started."

He climbed onto the chair and started climbing up, much faster than the others.

"Get your damn hands off me." He snapped. I looked up and saw that he had pushed Henry away after Henry tried helping him up.

I climbed up onto the chair and grabbed onto the ledge. I used all my strength to pull myself up and onto the top.

Henry helped me onto the floor and I thanked him. Then I took a look around.

The sun was shining high in the sky causing the blood spattered sand to look nearly as white as snow. The ship was still sinking ofcourse and in minutes it would be completely gone.

There were still several dead bodies from the earlier battle lying on the sand.

I gasped as I saw dozens of pirates already on shore. They were all surrounding the house.

I jumped down off the ship and landed gently on the sand. Jack landed beside me.

I glanced at him. "We have to hurry."

He nodded and we both began walking toward the house. There was nothing left to talk about, no reason for making plans. All we could do now was just fight, and hope we'd make it alive.