The Sea (part 1)

Chloe leaned against the railing on the side of the ship. Salty sea water sprayed her form. It was a rare moment where she was able to catch a break. Usually, she was being dragged every which way by other sailors or the captain. People didn’t want her there and they didn’t bother attempting to hide it. The sentiment rather seemed to be that if they treated her poorly enough, they might be successful in driving her away altogether.

Chloe’s short blonde hair was tousled by the wind as she enjoyed the sensations of freedom carrying her across the waves. The sea didn’t only have a smell that lingered on Chloe’s clothes, but a briny taste that toyed with her tongue. But it was a lovely taste, a lovely smell, a lovely feel. The ocean had beckoned her for years, promising a vast expanse to sail away from the horrid life she’d been living.

And the pirates intensified that liberty by leaving places behind after every raid. She only had to linger upon the islands they frequented as rest stops, drinking and cavorting noisily. Perhaps the crew didn’t like how in those situations Chloe plastered herself against the wall instead of joining in the raucous merriment. But she knew in her heart it wouldn’t matter, she was a woman, and no matter what she did many would see her as bad luck merely from being on the boat.

Being an orphan, Chloe had known a long time that life was more dangerous to girls. But that didn’t stop her from surviving when her brother was stabbed. Perhaps the constant fear of being attacked had ironically made her stronger. She’d taken every opportunity to improve her fighting skills. In fact, Chloe had become so adept at fighting she’d started taking jobs as an assassin. That was what put her brother in danger in the first place. It was funny, in a way, how their supply of money, which was their life source, also became his untimely demise. The world seemed to enjoy playing cruel jokes on her.

Chloe looked down into the sea amidst her reminiscing, watching the dark waters churn and curl. Her last paid hit had been a figure too high in the political scene, and once her brother passed, she had no reason not to flee. She hadn’t asked permission to be on the pirate boat, and by the time they found her, they were too far out to sea to turn back.

She’d known she ran the risk of being tossed into a watery grave once found, but had nothing to lose. Besides, every day of her life had been a struggle, what made this time any different?

It was her skills as an assassin that kept her alive. The captain, seeing how she kept four men at bay, decided she’d make a fine addition to the crew. Very few agreed with him. That was two years ago.

Right now, they were headed to a small island within the Bermuda Triangle, a speck of land with a cave that allowed them to hide their loot. They’d been in the Triangle multiple times before, finding it a quiet place to stash goods for later. The spooky ghost stories people told about the Triangle did their job of keeping most far away from the hidden treasures.

Chloe couldn’t put her finger on why, but for some reason, this trip felt different. As if a sense of foreboding wafted on the salty mist.

~G.G. Marshall

Keep Reading!

Part 2 (Avail 11/21/24): https://www.ggmarshall.com/post/the-sea-part-2

Part 3 (Avail 12/19/24): https://www.ggmarshall.com/post/the-sea-part-3

Want to know more about the creature that inspired this story?

https://www.ggmarshall.com/post/sea-serpent-profile