The Mermaids

Chapter 3 : The Flying Dutchman

A ship appeared before them. A giant black ship without any flag symbols is flying above the water.  The sides of the ship were hollow and covered with moss and seaweed.  Makes the ship look even more terrifying.  Like a sea carcass awakened from its slumber.  The fishy smell was getting stronger as the ship got closer.  Instinctively, a ship with such conditions should sink to the bottom of the ocean.  But the magic power had turned that ugly and fragile ship into the strongest and invincible ship.

They called it "The Flying Dutchman".  A ship of the strongest pirates number one in all the oceans, defeating The Black Jack led by the one eye, The Blackbeard.

No one knows how the origin of the ship.  Some rumors say that the ship was cursed for being a robber, but The Flying Dutchman never robbed.  They only destroys other ships that they encounters.  Some say that The Flying Dutchman sailed with the spirits of the dead.  However, none of these rumors have been proven true.

Will, who was repairing the hull near the stairs, accidentally looked up.  He saw Jackson frozen on the spot.  Out of curiosity, he called Jackson.  But until several times Jackson's calls remained silent without a response as if he couldn't hear anything.  Will was forced to go upstairs and over to him.

"Hey, what's going on?!"

Will followed Jackson's gaze and saw what his friend was currently looking at.  Now they were both frozen in place.

"LEAVE THE SHIP!!"

Will's scream made Jackson wake up and immediately ran and threw himself into the sea.  Gill and Kurt who were moving fish on the upper deck immediately ran out of the boat.  They were as surprised as Will and Jackson.

"DOOR!"

A cannon blasted off as Gill and Jackson tried to dive into the sea.  Making the boat of the four poor fishermen destroyed instantly and leaving wood debris tossed about by the waves of the ocean.

Will swam as hard as he could, grabbed the large board floating not far from him, and held on tight.

"Jack!"

"Gil!"

He looked around.  There were only waves and ship wreckage, while The Flying Dutchman's ship was getting farther and farther away.

"Gil!"

"Kurt!"

He yelled again, but still no answer.  The thick fog made the visibility very limited.  His three friends might have drifted away from the waves.

Will again wiped his wet and salty face.  Focus your eyes and look around.  Seen a person floating while supine a few meters away from him.  Will immediately pedaled the board to the person's place.

"Jackson?!"

"Jackson!"

Will was overjoyed to have found one of his friends.  In a situation like this, you will be very happy to meet anyone, even if it is your enemy.

"Jack!"  Will shook his body.

Slowly Jack opened his eyes.  Will pulled Jack's body away from being hit by the waves.  He looked around.  No one can help them at this time.  The only way to survive was to sail to the shores of Ponta Delgada.

"Wake up, Jack! We have to get out of here or become shark food."

Will realizes that his friend is too weak to help.  He took the initiative to pull a board not far from him.  Tells Jack to hold on tight to the board while he pulls up another board and picks up the rope that floats with the torn sail.  As much as possible survive the waves while tying knots on both boards, then adding another board.

After making sure it was safe, he approached Jack who was already very weak.  Raise Jack's body on a simple boat that is only tied in a knot from a rope, then go up to the boat.  Will began to paddle the boat toward the shore using a plank.

It took thirty-five minutes for them to reach the shoreline.  Jack was still lying on the boat.  With a weak condition, Will slowly walked along the shoreline and into the grove of grass and found a small spring.  He plucked a leaf beside him and drew water using a leaf.  Drink it slowly and feel the cool flowing down your throat, although there is a slightly salty taste.

Will plucked the bigger leaves and filled them with more water.  He didn't want to make his only friend on the island die of thirst.  He quickly carried the water to the boat, where Jack was still motionless.

"Jack ... Jack ... Wake up!"

"Jack ...!"

Jack only opened his eyes briefly.

"Drink this, you need energy."  Will helps Jack to drink.

"Cough… Cough…" Jack started to regain his senses and looked around, "Where we are?  Where's Gill and Kurt?"

Will shook his head, "They didn't survive."

"What?!"

"I am so sorry, Jack."  Will couldn't hide his sadness and hugged Jack who was in tears.

However, they had no other choice but to survive for a while on this island until a ship passed by to help them.

***

Two weeks had passed since they had set foot on the deserted island.  Will and Jack work together to survive by relying only on what the island has in store for them.  Bird eggs, fish, and various types of mushrooms and plants that are fit to be consumed will fill the stomach when hungry.  The springs that never recede greatly help them quench their thirst even though it tastes a bit salty.  When night falls, the bonfire on the beach is a mainstay to warm the body, as well as a signal to passing ships about their whereabouts.

"Do you think we will be here until we die?"  asked Jack as he lay on the sand staring at the stars.

"I don't know.  I don't think so," Will said as he continued to rub the sharp stone on the tip of his homemade spear.

"We could have died here.  It's been two weeks and no sign of a passing ship at all.  It is clear that this area is seldom traversed by ships."

Will stopped his activities, "Then what?  We can't go anywhere.  We have no ships, and no adequate equipment.  If only you would listen to my words to keep coming back."

"What?!  So you blame us?  Hey, listen!  If we could catch fish well, we definitely wouldn't be here right now. That's mean it also your fault!"

Will didn't argue back.  There's no point in serving the useless words of a drunken man like Jack.

"Besides, no one asked you to sail, you were just forced to come with us because your wife is pregnant."

Will clenched his fists tightly.  He doesn't mind being insulted, but if someone says bad things about his wife – no matter how small it is – he will not tolerate it.

Will stood up, quickly grabbed Jack's shirt, and smacked him in the face.

"Don't you ever dare say bad things about Isabelle? Listen, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be able to sail either! Have you forgotten who owns the equipment, huh?!"

Will's sharp gaze managed to make Jack's guts instantly shrink.  He didn't even dare to look the shoulder-length hair man in the eye.

"And you ..." Will broke off in a daze.

A light that came from a distance in the middle of the sea managed to grab the attention of the two men who were arguing.  Will immediately let go of his grip on Jack's shirt.  They stared at the sea from which the light came.

A large object came approaching from the darkness of the sea.  Making the two men's eyes not stop staring at the sea with mixed feelings.