Captain Troy

He swung the lantern three times and slowly the schooner appeared. As I watched the schooner break the water forming waves on the port and starboard side, I could smell the salt from the sea and feel the ocean breeze ruffle my blonde hair that was barely visible in the darkness. I watched my uncle wait until the schooner docked and the ramp lowered until he boarded the ship. I shifted slightly to get a better view of my uncle walking on the wooden ramp but not enough to be seen. As my Uncle David went aboard the schooner, the lantern handle slipped from his sweaty hands because of his excitement. He watched the lantern plunge into the sea with a sorrowful expression. As it smacked the water, I could see him flinch. His eyes expressed a longing desire to grasp the handle of that golden lantern that he just let go of. He stood there for a moment waiting, as the dark waters slowly consumed the lantern. Uncle David picked his head up and continued toward the boat. When at last he was on, the ramp began to reel itself inward. The schooner began to back out of the harbor and I thought I could see Uncle David waving at me. The misty fog rolled in and the schooner disappeared like it was some ghost ship. That was the last time I ever saw my uncle in California.


Five Years Later


“Don’t tell anyone about this.”
That was the last thing he ever said to me. The last thing he said before he boarded that ship and never came back. I was young then, just a few months over eleven. Now sixteen, I had given up any hope I had of finding him or getting a call or even a simple letter from him.
The first few days after Uncle David left, when I was just realizing that he was never coming back, were terrible. I refer to those days as the Dark Days. I cried continuously, and yes I admit it, I did cry (I was only eleven!). I let my eating habits die down and I grew so thin that I could barely recognize myself in the mirror. My mother took me to the doctor’s and prescribed anit-depression pills, which I have finally gotten rid of just two years back. My friends tried to help me, but in the end it was too much for them. They left me alone most of the time and it only got worse when I quit soccer. Heavy rock metal was the music I began to listen to, if I listened to music at all. But that was a long time ago and I’ve put the past behind me since then.
I get good enough grades in school and I’m in a few clubs. I play soccer and basketball and I’m pretty much the best player on both teams, not to brag or anything. I am also the captain of the track team, and although I don’t play on the football team like all the other guys, the girls still flock to me. No one can resist the Alex-charm. Especially when I lay down my sob story about Uncle David. I tell them about how he left us, a year after my father died of cancer and how I looked to him as a father figure. I tell them about my Dark Days were all my friends left me and how I thought about committing suicide. (I didn’t really, but it really gets the girls) And the muscles help too.
Life, in general, couldn’t be better.

When I walked by the beach after school, I saw some girls there and decided that today would be a very good day for a swim. I rushed home and changed then packed some stuff in the car before heading off. (Chicks dig a driver especially one with a car) I arrived at the beach a few minutes later and headed straight for the water. I dived in expertly, and felt the cool water cascade over my skin. I opened my eyes and stared at the murky blue water before rising up for air. I watched a pack of girls playing volleyball over on the far side of the beach. I decided to get a closer look so I dived back into the ocean and swam towards them. While swimming, I saw something glistening in the water. Most of it was covered by dirt, but I grabbed it, unearthing it. There it was, in my own hands. Unscathed, no caked-on dirt, no nothing. Giddy with excitement, (yeah I just used the word ‘giddy’) I swam out with the object. Above the water I could see its true beauty: hand painted pure gold handle with sparkling silver glass. It was my Uncle David’s lantern, the one he had dropped five years ago.

I planned to leave that night. I rested in my bed staring at the lantern until I was sure, Rose, my younger sister, and my mom were asleep. I had it all planned out in my head: go down to the docks, hold up the lantern, and then wait for the schooner. I’d wait all night if I had too. This was the first thing to come my way in years that gave me hope to believe in the return of my uncle. I wasn’t going to pass this up. In the dark, I rose from by bed and pulled the pre-packed backpack from my closet as quietly as I could. I checked my mental list to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything: clothes, food, water. I hadn’t forgotten anything, as usual because I’m pretty much perfect. I thought about writing a note to Mom telling her not to worry, but she will anyway so I guess that wouldn’t matter. Besides, what would I put? ‘Bye, Mom. Went to bring Uncle David back with a lantern I found at the beach’. Yeah, okay. Let’s get real for a moment. I edged down the stairs to the main level of my house. I walked through the silver light streaming through the windows until I made it to the front door. I pulled my keys from the rack next to the door and quickly opened the door, let myself through, then closed it.
I stood outside for a moment just listening to the silence that surrounded me. The air was cool and the grey moon that hung in the sky illuminated the street. I rustled through the keys looking for the one that started up the car. I began to walk toward my sedan when I heard whining and scratching at the front door. Lana. I could see her furry face in the window as she lifted her head to howl. I rushed back and opened the door, freeing her. She raced out, tail wagging, and began to lick my face. Impatiently I pushed her away; I didn’t have time for this. Her big brown eyes looked up at me happily with her tongue lolling to one side. “All right,” I sighed. “Get in.” I ordered opening the door to the backseat. Lana jumped in eagerly, her thin yellow tail whacking me in the face. “Nice.” I said before closing the door then climbed in the car myself. I turned the keys to the ignition, and with the gravel crunching under the spinning tires we were off.
It didn’t take very long to reach the docks. And they seemed to look darker, scarier like an old poorly made horror movie. All the shadows, concealing the unknown, sent a cold shiver up my spine. Lana was undeterred. She bounded down the dock happily chasing invisible flying things. She snapped up at them trying to catch them. I left her to it. I had other things on my mind. I pulled the lantern from my pack and stood at the edge of the dock. I held up the lantern and waited. Nothing happened.
So, I tried a new approach. I pulled the lantern close to me, and then jammed it forward expecting to see the ship. Nothing. I sighed; it worked for my uncle, why not me? Maybe it’s broken, after all, it’s been five years since it was used, I think. “Alright,” I said aloud. “You want to play like that? Then let’s play!” I did the same motion again and yelled, “Abracadabra! Open sesame! Football!” Yet the schooner did not appear. Lana, however, noticed what I was doing with the lantern, and thought it was some kind of game. She grabbed it from me and raced toward the edge of the dock. She waited for me there, the lantern swinging in her jaw. “Come here, you-” Just then the mist rolled away revealing a ship with gold lettering on the side. Lost Time.
“Ahoy, mate!” came from inside as the Lost Time docked with a wooden ramp extending down at me. I was speechless, and immobile. I couldn’t believe it. The schooner actually came. I guess I never realized it before, but I suppose I thought that this was a little game, that I didn’t really think it would work. Now that it had…I didn’t know what to do. I just stared at the ship incredulously. The low voice from inside the ship spoke again, this time a little irritated. “Ya comin’ or what?”
It wasn’t a very welcoming statement, but I strolled up the dock, lantern in hand and Lana at my heels, her tongue lolling out in excitement. When I was on the ship, the ramp came up and settled into its proper place before I could feel the sea flowing past the sides of the schooner. I stood there stupidly, wondering what on earth I should do. “Uncle David?” I called out, bringing attention to myself. I waited for an answer, but all I got was a head that poked out from behind a pole. Lana jumped at the sight of him then wagged her tail. The haggard man regarded me with curiosity. He even tipped his head at me. I tipped my head too, mimicking him. His eyes widened and his head snapped back a bit in surprise as though he didn’t think I was capable of such a motion. “Hello?” I asked the strange man and he jumped. “I’m looking for someone…” I began walking towards him. His eyes nearly popped out of his head and he jumped up on the pole and climbed to the top so rapidly that he resembled a monkey climbing a tree. I reached the bottom of the pole, looking up and calling to him. “Do you know someone named David Troy?” At the name of my uncle, the strange man eyes locked on to mine. He quickly shifted his glance and I wondered if he knew something. “I need to find him. Can you help me?” Lana danced around the bottom barking at the monkey guy.
“What’s all that racket?!” a raspy voice boomed out. I could hear great thuds of footsteps coming in my direction. My heart beat wildly as I saw a large, gruff man with dark brown hair and beard came into view. A falcon perched on one of his shoulders and just looked about with hungry eyes. As he came closer, I could see that he had only one eye and just a dark and empty socket where the other one should be. Didn’t this guy ever hear of an eye patch? It was disgusting to look at and I couldn’t look at his face. “Are ye the new recruit?” He asked brusquely and noticed that I wouldn’t meet his eye and it angered him. “Got a problem with a one-eyed man trying to make a living?” he said irefully.
“No, no.” I muttered, with my head down. Even Lana had her tail between her legs. She whimpered quietly and ran behind me. Like that would do her any good.
“Where’d ye get the lantern?” he asked menacingly trying to scare me. It worked.
“I uh, what I mean- I-” I stuttered. His one eye looked me up and down.
“You look familiar.” He commented.
“I’m looking for some one.” I said feeling a little bit braver at the thought that I might look like my uncle.
“Aye?”
“Yeah, he’s my uncle, his name is David Troy. Have you seen him?” I asked. The man looked at me with wide eyes. “Yer uncle, yeh say?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“Well I’ll be darned! The little nephew of Captain Troy!” He chuckled making the falcon bump up and down. He reached one of his meaty arms and placed it around my shoulders. I nearly collapsed it was so heavy. “Hey, men!” He called out. “We got another Troy on our shoulders!” The first man I had met, now up the pole, scuttled down and stood there in front of me. “What’s yer name, son?” the burly man asked.
“Uh, Alex Troy.” I said uncertainly. The man squeezed my shoulders tighter, nearly cutting off circulation. “Well, young Troy, welcome aboard the Lost Time. This here climber is Dob.” Dob looked up with grey eyes at his name than raced back up the pole. “Mute that one…and a little nuts.” He said pointing his index finger at his temple and twirling it in circles. He led me- or pushed more like it- toward the wheel. Lana paddled behind still fearful of the man. Welcome to my world. There was were three men up there, one man with long dark hair steering the wheel and listening intently to whatever an old man with white hair said. Another man with black hair was staring out at the endless sea through a spyglass.
“Men, here’s Troy!” the large one-eyed man said heartily. All three heads turned in my direction and stared.
“I don’t see Troy anywhere.” The man at the wheel said.
“Yeah, and who’s the kid?” the black-haired man with the spyglass said.
“Jake, this is Troy.” The big man pushed me forward. Jake looked at me with cold brown eyes. “Don’t tell me he’s got a curse on him.” He said still looking at me funny.
“What? The curse of eternal youth? That’s not a curse, lad.” The old man said with an Irish accent.
“Nope. This is his nephew!” The big man boomed.
Jake’s eyes glistened with new interest. “Really?” He said. “He might prove useful.”
The man at the wheel shook his head and looked at Jake worriedly. What did that mean? I wondered. Jack then went back to concentrating on the coordinates that the old man was reading. “Well, that there is Jake. The one steering our fine ship, Jack, and the old man is Wade. And as for me, me name is Sullivan.” Sullivan said. “Now, you better get some sleep. It’s nearly midnight. You can meet the others tomorrow.”
What? I left after midnight. “But-” I started.
“To bed, son.” Sullivan said firmly.
“But where’s Uncle-” I began once again before I was rudely interrupted.
“Bed, now.”
I sighed angrily and I felt as if steam was coming from my ears. I marched after Sullivan as he led me to my room. After I was sure he was far away from Lana and I, I felt like such a fool. I sounded so stupid half the time. I was so angry for myself that I started to punch the limp pillow on my cot making it even limper. Lana just stared at me like Dob had. And what was worse, I came here to find my Uncle Troy. Did I find him? No. Did I find someone who knew him? Yes. Did they tell me anything about it? No. I was fuming, slamming the lantern on the table beside my bed and flopped down, letting the white blankets surround me. I lay there staring at the ceiling until at last, I feel into a deep sleep.
I woke to Lana’s tongue on my face. I pushed her off my cot thinking that it wouldn’t hold us both for more than three seconds without collapsing. I got up and wished there was a mirror, so I could look at my sexy self. I rummaged through my bag and ate some of the food in it and fed a little to Lana. This place had food; I knew it, but good food? Doubt it. I walked up the stairs listening them creak with every step. I looked at the floor, just realizing that there were drawings all over the ship. Intricate drawings that I had never seen before. It didn’t look like anything from any of the art museums I’ve ever been to. And trust me, I’ve been to a lot of them.
My older sister, Damone, is one of those weird Goth artistic types. Mom said she was just going through a phase and we should encourage her until she got over it. Well, this ‘phase’ has lasted for six years, starting freshman year. She’s now in college becoming an art major. She’s nuts. I took a few pages out of her twisted books during my Dark Days and believe me; I’m never doing that again.
I looked a little farther, following a long line in its twists and curves and noticed a pair of big black boots. I let my eyes gazed upward, running until they reached the green eyes that started down at me. Light blonde curls fell on beautifully thin shoulders. I, none too gracefully, got up and quickly brushed myself off. Perfect face, perfect body, perfect femininity stared at me with an amused look. I felt my hand glide over my hair smoothly, the essence of cool. “What’s a lovely lady doing aboard an awful ship like this?” I said coolly. Wow, I really am the man.
She raised a gorgeous eyebrow before answering. “My father built this ship.”
Ow. I tried to look like that didn’t concern me. “You make it look only even more beautiful.” One of my best lines, for the best ladies. It got me a smile; it always does. “You’re a little young for me, lad.” So, her father was Wade. Her statement didn’t affect me; after all, all the college chicks say that before they date me.
“Susan, get up to the crow’s nest!” A tall woman with dark brown hair and blazing blue eyes commanded coming up the blonde. This place was crawling with women; where I’ve I been? The brunette examined me mentally, her eyes shifting up and down. “What would William say to find you with Troy’s nephew?” she said with a glint in her beautiful icy blue eyes.
“Silver, I was just meeting him. That’s all. And if you were a little more laid back, you would’ve met him to.” I could tell that this was an old argument resurfacing.
“You are needed in the crow’s nest, not gallivanting after boys.” Silver said. It sounded like something Damone would say to Rose. As I looked at the both of them staring at each other, I realized that Silver was Susan’s older sister. Susan scowled at Silver then stomped off. She turned around smiled and winked at me before climbing up to the crow’s nest. I smiled back, and I was still smiling until I noticed Silver staring at me. She had a dangerous look about her and I didn’t like it. She reminded me of Jake from yesterday. “Have you eaten breakfast yet?” she asked not sounding kind. “Yes.” I said. She nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose we didn’t start off on the right foot as far as introductions go.” She smiled a little more warmly this time extending her right hand. “I’m Silver.” I took her hand and shook it strongly. “Alex Troy.”
“Well, Mr. Troy, welcome aboard the Lost Time.” She said revealing her pearl white teeth. With a curt nod of her head, she let go of my hand and began to walk to the wheel. She talked for a minute with Jack and Jack held the ship’s wheel until she could have a firm grasp on it. Something passed between them, a smile, but something a little more than that was behind that smile. Jack looked around then came down towards me. This was my chance to learn something about my uncle.
“Um…Jack?” I asked, feeling awkward about calling an adult by their first name. His head turned towards me. “Yes?”
“I was wondering, you all seem to know my Uncle Troy, and if that’s so, where is he?” I felt as if I said this too fast, but it seemed to be fine with Jack.
He sighed. “He was captain of our ship for about four years.” A pained expression passed his face but was gone within the next moment. I feared the worst. “What happened?”
“He searched long and hard for a treasure…he disappeared on the island the treasure was supposedly on and we can’t find him. We’ve continually searched and searched that island to no avail.” He gave a weak smile. “But don’t worry, we’ll find him again. We will go back and search for him the on island again. He is bound to be there.” The news hit me like a rock. I vaguely saw Lana snapping at the falcon as my eyes clouded over. My uncle was as good as dead and that was worse then him begin on a ship in the middle of nowhere. “I’m sorry,” Jack said looking at me sadly in response to my sadness. He began walking away when he leaned in towards me. “Watch out for Jake.” He said his eyes jumping up. Jake was up there at the crow’s nest with Susan. He was looking through his spyglass again. Jack left to get some rest in his cabin. I imagined that he had been up all night steering the ship. As he disappeared, I heard the lumbering steps of Sullivan coming.
“Well, son, we got some work for you!” He thundered. He clasped a big arm around me and led me to a room underneath the wheel.
The room was beautifully furnished with mahogany wood bookshelves and chairs. In the middle of the room was a large red table with lit candles and various apparatuses jumbled its surface. Golden and silver navigators clicked and spun, taking the coordinates of where they were every second.
“Charlie,” Sullivan said to the chair that was turned around, showing the back. The chair swiveled toward us. I noticed that the ship was old, like a pirate vessel, but the things they had aboard were very modern. How odd. Charlie was a lean man and looked a lot like Jack except where Jack had black hair, Charlie had reddish brown. Charlie’s hair was short and his face clean-shaven unlike many of his crewmates. He had sharp features and very edged cheeks. He had hard hazel eyes that looked deep into mine. “Troy.” He said to me. I nodded.
“Yep,” Sullivan said proudly. “Young Alexander Troy has come aboard our fine ship to look for his uncle.”
Charlie tilted his head. “Well, then. We could certainly use you, Alexander.” Charlie got up from his chair and walked toward me. “We are looking for your uncle too.” I nodded tersely. I hated being called Alexander.
“Tell me, can you read this?” Charlie held a piece of parchment in front of me. The piece of paper had pictures of islands, sea creatures, and words scribbled all over it. “Yeah,” I said simply. Couldn’t he read?
Charlie smiled. “Good…I want you to draw exactly what is on this map on this.” He pointed to another piece of parchment and a quill. I stared at them. “Uh…okay.” I said dipping the quill in the ink. I wasn’t much of an artist like Damone was. This is something she’d enjoy, but me, I’d prefer to Girl Scout. I was afraid they were going to laugh when it was done, so I tried to make it as well as I could. They waited patiently with me, staring over my shoulder, nodding and speaking quietly to each other a couple of times. When I was done, I leaned back and admired my work. It wasn’t bad. I picked it up and showed them. They smiled like little boys getting new presents before Christmas. Charlie eagerly took it. “Sullivan, tell Wade to chart a course for this island and ask him how long it will take to get there.” Sullivan bolted out the door with such energy that I never knew he had. “You have been a very good help, Alexander.” He placed a hand on my shoulder gently.
It turned out that it would take about two to three weeks to get to the island, Wade said.
So I waited. And waited. And waited. I watched the sun roll by and the skies darken. Sunrise, dawn, dusk, and sunset were all combined into one time. I mainly watched Dob jump from rope to rope while listening to Sullivan’s violin. It was amazing that such a colossal man could play such a delicate instrument. I kept my eye on Susan a lot of the time as well. I was beginning to like Jack. He reminded me of an older brother. He told me stories of his day at sea, how he got involved in seafaring, and how he met my uncle. He told me strange urban legends and sea tales in the dark, to scare me I guess, but it didn’t work. He gave me such free rein around the ship when Sullivan and Charlie wouldn’t. And he was the only one who could calm Silver; they’re in love I know it. I can sense it. However, it wasn’t all joy and happiness. One night, I suppose tensions were running high about positioning on the ship, and I heard crashes above my cabin. I stealthy crept up to the kitchen (that’s where the sound was coming from) and looked in. Jake was there, red with fury and a sword in his hands that glistened with blood. Jake’s eyes were on a figure huddling in a corner. The head looked up at Jake and stared at him with hatred clutching his arm trying to keep the blood from seeping through his fingers. The crash did not go unnoticed, and I saw Jack running toward the kitchen. I hid behind a corner as Jack ran past me. He took one look around the room and ran to Charlie, helping him to his feet. “Get out of the way!” he whispered angrily at Jake, as Jack supported Charlie to Wade for medical help. Nothing was said the next day and everything went as normal. However, I stayed clear out of Jake’s way after that and I made sure that Sullivan really, really liked me.
Susan was standing at the crow’s nest looking bored at the endless sea. She wiped out a spyglass in one swift motion, I watched her, as she stood there unmoving, almost rigid. Then her beautiful voice drifted down below us. “LAND AHOY!” she pointed excitedly forward with a look of pure bliss on her face.
I ran immediately to the rim of the ship and peered outwards, searching for it. There it was, a small strip of island with green floating above it. It was the extraordinary. Lana bounded up to me, excitedly and I pet her happily. Now I knew, I felt it, that this is where I’d find my Uncle Troy.