Whumptober Day 17
Nowhere else to go - Ruined Map - Shipwrecked - "We had a good run"
"Yo ho, yo ho... a pirate's life for me", Whumper hummed as they entered their ship's office.
They stomped on a hatch that led to a secret room under their office.
"Are you awake, ye scurvy dog?", they called down to their prisoner.
"Who could sleep in accommodations like this you bastard", a voice yelled at them.
"Watch it or else you won't get dinner", Whumper stomped on the floor again.
"Do you have any idea how many times I've puked today", the voice called up again weakly, "I can't eat anything right now."
It was silent for a moment.
"If you are looking to reward me, I'd love to come upstairs. I'll even stay in your office. It smells down here", they called up, "please."
"Whumpee, yeh drive a hard bargain", Whumper chuckled.
"Please my back hurts from being tied up like this please... plus the whipping I received..."
"Whipping?", Whumper paused.
"Yeah, this morning Captain. You didn't know?"
"No, I didn't know. Please tell me it's not on your back", Whumper started to pull out their keys.
"Back and ass", Whumpee answered.
"Shit", Whumper started down the stairs.
Whumpee nervously watched them come closer.
"I didn't do anything to receive the punishment. I think they were drunk. They staggered down the stairs as a drunk would", Whumpee explained.
"Do you know who they were", Whumper's hands were on their hip, "let's see the damage."
Whumpee cautiously turned their back towards Whumper. They groaned as Whumper lifted their shirt to look.
Whumper had had a tattoo done on Whumpee's back a few islands back before setting off. Whumpee was a prisoner from a different ship. A cruise ship. Whumper had taken a few things of value and sunk the ship with the crew and guests. Whumpee was deemed useful. The tattoo was of a treasure map Whumper had discovered. They were currently on their way to find it. No one except Whumper's best crew mates knew that tattoo was on Whumpee's back. The map and inhabitants of the island were destroyed, so no one would follow Whumper's ship.
Whumpee whimpered as Whumper pressed a firm hand against their back. Blood oozed out from the slash marks.
"The map is almost shredded", Whumper frowned.
"I didn't do anything. I was somewhat asleep when they came down here", Whumpee tried to look back at them, "I didn't try to damage your map."
"I believe you. Do you think you can pick out who they were?", Whumper lowered the shirt, "I'll let you upstairs for a while if you do."
"I can captain", Whumpee nodded, "anything to get out from under the floor. I'm so nauseous."
"I can see that", Whumper sighed at the piles of puke covering the floor.
On top deck, Whumpee took in the sunlight and fresh air. Salt water splashed up at them, causing them to laugh lightly.
They were tied to the railing near the captain's wheel.
Whumper had the anchors hoisted.
They tried to make do with their destroyed treasure map. They didn't want to chance Whumpee's wounds getting infected before they found the treasure. Scurvy would make the map even worse.
Whumpee suddenly cowered away when a newer member walked past them.
Whumper watched as they grinned evilly at Whumpee.
"Is that them Whumpee", Whumper frowned when Whumpee nodded nervously.
"Captain?", the second in command hadn't been made aware of what happened yet.
"Jones, watch the wheel. Keep us going straight", Whumper stood aside.
"You" Whumper pointed at the sailer, "come here slime."
"Yes sir?", they turned worriedly.
"Who gave you permission to go under me office and punish me prisoner. Because of your acting out of line, our entire journey may be worthless", Whumper took dangerous steps towards them until their finger poked right into their nose.
"It's a prisoner. I didn't think anything of it. I was drunk and angry I figured I could take it out on them", they explained.
"You destroyed the vessel for a treasure map is what you did. It's barely legible because of you", Whumper grew more and more angry, "I out to take your hide for bruising theirs."
"I-I didn't know.. .... I-I'm sorry" the person backed away fearfully until they met the railing.
"No one touches me property. You had to go into me quarters to get at to 'em", Whumper continued toward them.
"Please.... I had no idea", the sailer shrunk down. They knew what Whumper was capable of.
Whumpee burried their head into their arms, also knowing what Whumper was capable of. They didn't want to see anything more than what they had already witnessed.
Whumpee heard more pleading, then screaming, then a loud splash..... then a gunshot.
"Dead men tell no tales", Whumper frowned as they caught Whumpee looking up at them.
Whumpee weakly stood, but didn't dare look over. The seagulls were diving. Those buzzards told them exactly what they would see.
Whumper took over the wheel, Jones walked over to Whumpee and harshly lifted their shirt.
"No", Jones stated in disbelief.
"We will try to push on", Whumper frowned at Whumpee, "even if they die from infection. We will use their corpse."
Whumpee shuddered, "I think I'm gonna be sick."
"Puke over the side. I might lose it if you throw up on my ship again", Whumper frowned.
"I don't want to look", Whumpee frowned as they leaned their head against the wood.
It was late in the night when Whumpee felt a blanket cover them. They had sat down earlier, and apparently dozed off
"Captain?", Whumpee looked up.
"What?", Whumper had gone back to the wheel.
"You're still awake?", Whumpee frowned.
"Aye, I've been dreaming of this treasure for a long time. I won't let anyone be in my way of achieving this", Whumper sighed, "it isn't my first time pulling an all-nighter. I use to run an entire ship deck on my own at night when I was a mere mate. Everyone else would sleep while I worked", Whumper sighed, "I rather sail by the moon and stars, they be your only friends sometimes."
Whumpee looked up and saw the sky, "it's beautiful. You don't see it like this in the city."
"Aye, the city is always awake. Not a place for a seaman", Whumper sighed, "get some rest."
"Did you mean that earlier? Do you think I'm going to get sick and die?", Whumpee's lip quivered, "I don't want to die."
"I don't know, unfortunately you're already sick. I'm not a doctor, nor is there any on the water. I don't think the tattoo is healing. Plus, those whip markings are opened wounds. Unfortunately, you may meet an untimely end" Whumper seemed to be quite saddened to deliver the news, "I've kind of grown to enjoy our back and forth banter. I even considered keeping you alive to be my pet."
Whumpee frowned, "what if I do live though? Maybe there are things I can do to keep from getting worse."
"I suppose you will be allowed to live... as long as you behave yourself", Whumper grinned.
"Do you have any cool stories about your times at sea?", Whumpee looked at Whumper with puppy dog eyes.
"No, now go to sleep", Whumper sighed.
Days passed...
Whumpee weakly watched as Whumper and the crew rolled away from the ship to land.
"From what I can tell, the treasure is here. They were growing weak and would slow us down. That's why they were left on the ship", Whumper told Jones.
"And you're sure your fondness for the creature has nothing to do with it. There is clearly an infection, they may be dead by the time we return", Jones made a knowing glance, "I like them too, they've grown on me, but we have to accept we are seamen we don't get things like that."
"We can certainly try Jones", Whumper grinned weakly.
After some time they finally found the markings, the 'X' if you will.
"It's here Jones... it's really here", Whumper celebrated.
Cheers amongst a few crew members caused Whumper to look their way.
The trusted crew men... the ones who would be living to enjoy their earnings stepped away from those premarked for death. Whumper only allowed their most trusted crew to live.
"I'm sorry mates, but I'm afraid ye sailed your last sea", Whumper pulled out their pistol.
Jones followed.
Whumpee jumped at the sound of gunshots.
"Captain", Whumpee whispered.
"Dead men tell no tales", Whumper frowned.
Whumpee laid on the deck. They lifted their head slightly when the Captain, Jones, and crew climbed aboard.
"Whumpee?", Whumper hurried to their side and knelt.
"I heard the... gunshots", Whumpee coughed, "I was nervous."
"We found the treasure... it's here see", Whumper held a gold coin close to Whumpee's eyes, "you helped us find it."
"That's good", Whumpee blinked slowly, "I don't feel good."
"It's okay, just hang in there. We are going to sail to another island. I think there is a village there. I'm making the decision to save you. I've not done that for anyone before. You can't waste that", Whumper held Whumpee up and watched their skin get paler, "you can't die on me."
"Whumper they've been dying since that tattoo was done", Jones held Whumper's shoulder, "you've fallen in love with something that you marked for death."
"Don't fucking remind me", Whumper yelled, "dang it you scurvy dog... you can't die."
"I'm.... sorry..... Captain", Whumpee's breathing more labored, "can you tell me a story, I'm really tired."
Whumper shook their head to try to fight away their tears. Captain's can't cry.
"There once was a brave soul who came aboard my ship and put up with this old captain's stupid ideas. They never acted defiantly... even allowing a map to be tattooed on their back by a questionable source. Never complaining about how sick they've grown from it", Whumper sighed, "you're dying because of me. You said you didn't want to die."
"Dying isn't as scary as big thought', Whumpee winced, "I think I'm now afraid of being alone."
"You will never be alone", Whumper hugged them close, "never."
After a few moments Whumpee took their last breath.
"They're gone", Whumper sighed as they felt Whumpee's lips for any breath, "the first person that I grew to like. That wasn't disposable to me, and I let them die."
Jones sighed, "you couldn't control it. You didn't know that this would happen. That person that did the tattoo knew what was planned. I fully believe they did this on purpose. To get back at you for destroying their village."
Whumper only nodded, "I know, but I didn't care. Now I do care and they're dead."
"The damn seagulls are already overhead. What do we do with the body?", Jones knelt down.
"I'm not burying them at sea", Whumper lifted up Whumpee's body, "I promised they'd never be alone."
"I'm not sailing with a dead body", Jones frowned.
Whumper sighed, and started toward their office .
"Where are you going?", Jones frowned.
"We remain anchored here for now, bring the treasure to my office. I need to do something first. We will divide the bounty tonight."
Whumper wrapped Whumpee in a blanket and carried them down under there office.
"I know you hate it down here, but I have no other choice", Whumper carefully laid the body on the floor.
Whumper set down to a long piece of paper and, to the best of the memory, drew out a new map. They had planned to find an uninhibited island to call home. Whumper and Jones planned to settle there after the treasure was found. They only needed to find it.
Jones came in and handed a cup of coffee to Whumper.
"Captain, my Captain. You need some rest", Jones leaned in against Whumper, "you didn't know this would happen. You worry me."
"I know, but Whumpee didn't deserve it. I grew to love that bastard. I think they were okay with me too. Just the other night, they asked if they would be allowed to live if they survived the infection. I already knew the infection was there, but I didn't have the heart to tell them the whipping sealed their fate. They would be dead soon, that's why I pushed to get us here. I can't rest yet either, I promised the crew we'd divide the treasure."
"They all agree we can wait until tomorrow. They are celebrating", Jones smiled, "so what are you doing. I can see you've drawn up the map that was on Whumpee. There is a lot of extra space. May you be deciding where our town may be located? You do still love me right. After what you said about Whumpee being the first thing you've grown to love, I was a little concerned ."
"I loved you from the start. The moment I saw you Jonesy", Whumper smirked.
"Aye, I wonder the lads and lasses care to turn back for home tomorrow afternoon. We can come back and find our island. Do ye think you'll be okay sailing with a corpse for a few days? I want to burry them in a fitting grave. On our island."
"Yes, my love", Jones nodded, "now that we have our normal crew back, I have my love back."
Whumper finished hammering Whumpee's cross at the head of their grave.
"There we go a fair grave, better than any I've ever given anyone else. Ye even get a good view", Whumper knelt down, "you'll see my ship leave whenever I go collect up my crew for an adventure. Every time we come home, you'll see us again. I am very sorry you died. I hope this is an acceptable grave for you."
A giant wave came up and sprayed Whumper in the face.
Whumper chuckled, "ye scurvy dog."
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