The sunset was beautiful tonight. My eyes caught the wonderful shades of red, blue, and pink as the sky grew darker. Gentle waves cascaded along the sides of my ship as I lie on the deck. A wave of peace washed over me as the last color of light left the skies.


Pirate life was great. Yes, you heard me right. Don’t jump to conclusions now. My crew and I are different. This kind of living is the best. Not being bound by the rules of sea was true freedom. That’s why we call ourselves pirates. I love the sense of freedom as I sail from island to island discovering new items and rare treasures.


I now lie down on my back gazing up at the night sky. Tons of stars blanket the blackness in a sea of dancing diamonds. A person could get lost while looking upon this amazing sight. The stars tease me as they seem close enough for me to reach out and grab them. This true beauty continues to dazzle me as I think of my life as a pirate.


Most naval bases leave my crew alone as they learned that we aren’t a threat. A certain someone, however, constantly tries to arrest us. This person really isn’t so bad but it can get annoying after a while. My crew and I couldn’t really call ourselves ‘pirates’ if someone didn’t try to catch us.


As the calm night continued, several thoughts rushed through my mind. Night is like my best friend, in a manner of speaking. It is the only time when I can think clearly and not feel judged. My crew is asleep and I’m left alone in my ponderings.


Tony Little, Carl Jones, Ray Peterson, and Johnny Loveson make up my crew. All of them are my closest friends. Well, four of them at least. One friend is not apart of our crew…not yet anyways. We’re on our way to find her. That’s where my thoughts have me trapped.


When I was young, my father had me sail with him on his pirate ship. That’s where I met my crew. Father was the normal pirate. He would kill without mercy and collect boundless treasure. My love for the sea came from him but his traits didn’t carry on through another generation.


My four comrades and I found another ship at a distant port and started a crew of our own. From there, we found ourselves sailing toward a little harbor called Port Greenwood. We met someone there that we didn’t expect.


A girl met us in Port Greenwood. She asked us questions regarding who we were and where we found the ship. We were a little wary at first but we soon found ourselves becoming attached to her. Jo Greene was her name. She told us that she longed to sail. We promised her that the next time we came to Port Greenwood, she could join our crew. That’s where we are currently heading.


I guess you’re wondering about how I didn’t carry my father’s traits. As mentioned before, my crew and I are different from other pirates. We don’t attack or fight unless it is absolutely necessary. If people are in trouble, we do our best to get them out of it. The five of us call each other pirates for the sense of freedom that comes with it.


The sky once again captures my attention. An amazing sight catches my line of vision. A meteor shower develops the darkness into thin streaks of bright light. All my troubles and thoughts are lost as I watch this spectacular display.


No storm has come upon us tonight. Waves gently crash around us as our ship sails toward Port Greenwood. A gentle breeze blows against my face as I gaze into these dazzling skies.


It has been seven years since I started this ‘career’. Seven long, peaceful years on the open sea. Okay, maybe not so peaceful all the time but I find it that way quite often.


Over the years, I discovered a treasure that is far greater than gold and jewels. Sure it took me a few years to find what was staring me in the face, but it was worth it. Stories have told of this glorious treasure but don’t do it justice. No object on earth is worth greater than this prize to be won.


Helping people brings a feeling of pure satisfaction to my soul. It makes me happy to see their faces light up when they no longer worry about their troubles. When I see someone in need, all my troubles are forgotten until theirs are fixed.


Most people jump to the wrong conclusion when they learn we’re pirates. Due to that, my crew and I like to keep a low profile when we’re in harbor and ports. We’ve done a good job so far but still a few people know. Luckily, those people are ones we’ve helped so they agreed to keep silent about it.


It is very rare that other pirates cross our paths. When another crew is spotted, I try to avoid them as much as possible. Little conflict is better than a war breaking out among us and others. However, it’s impossible to avoid conflict with a certain naval base.


That certain someone, as mentioned before, is convinced that we are just like all pirates. I’ve tried to convince this person time and again to no avail. We are constantly trying to avoid being arrested for false accusations.


The sun is beginning to rise on the horizon. I can’t believe that I stayed awake the whole night. My body tells me that it’s ready to rest. With a big yawn, I get up to head to my cabin. We only have two more days until Port Greenwood. I want to be in perfect health.


As I turn the door handle to my cabin, a cannon from another ship fires. My eyes search until I find the ship. The world stops as the ship comes into view. This can’t be happening. The certain someone is trying to sink us. Couldn’t she wait until I had a decent rest?

...to be continued