Southern Beauty - By Julie Lucia Page 0,45

mind up what to do, she couldn’t swim and David wasn’t around to save her if she tried. She felt like fainting, but Rene was also nowhere to be found. She had no hope in surviving the morning. Fear had taken a hold of her and she was melted to the floor.

“Make a decision,” she said to herself, “or you are going to die.” So she pushed out of her mind the thought of a killer being aboard and probably searching for her and she continued down the dark hallway. She thought if she made it to a dinghy maybe she could row herself back to shore, it wasn’t that far away. Just then two beefy hands grabbed her from behind. She struggled but she was no match for him. He picked her up as if she was a child and he dragged her to the bridge.

“I knew we would meet again Miss Lee,” Captain Myers smiled at her.

“You…you killed the captain,” was the only thing Johanna could blurt out.

“I commandeered the ship, I am its captain now,” Myers explained. “I now own everything aboard including you.”

Johanna couldn’t believe this was happening again. She was being kidnapped except this time her captors were vile murderers. This was not turning out to be her year. Johanna searched the room for a way out or a weapon, but it was all in vain. She realized now why she recognized the deckhand. He was one of Myers’ men. Johanna felt defeated. No one was going to save her now. They were going to kill her and maybe ravage her first.

“Sit,’ said Myers. Johanna obeyed. “Give me your locket.” Johanna reluctantly handed it to him.

“I should have known you would hide it on you. Maybe I should have let my men search your body.” He smirked while he opened it in triumph.

He unfolded the letter carefully. His eyebrows rose with his confusion. “It seems I was not the only one deceived,” said Captain Myers and then handed her the note.

Johanna read it carefully. It took her a few times to understand its meaning. When it did become clear, she knew exactly who it was from.

“Like a thief in the night;

It wasn’t just your heart in plight.”

Johanna dropped the paper out of her hands and as it fell so did a tear down her soft cheek.

“Ah, you trusted someone you should not have.” Myers motioned his men to leave.

“It was stolen from me,” Johanna whispered. She looked up at Myers sadly. She was surprised to see that he actually seemed to have felt sorry for her.

“Now you know why I became a pirate. I too was deceived by someone I loved,” said Myers. “Here this will make you feel better,” he handed her a mug.

She felt numb and yet felt an all too familiar sting that she had felt one time before. So she took the mug and drank it. The shock of the rum burnt her throat and she spit it out as quickly as she tried to chug it. As she continued to cough, Myers laughed.

“Here try this instead,” said Myers. It looked the same but in a different mug.

“No thanks.” Johanna gasped.

“Ah, it’s only apple cider,” he insisted. Johanna looked at him with disbelief. “I have to keep it hidden. There is no way I am drinking with my men. They would slit my throat in a heartbeat. I have to stay sober and alert at all times or I am dead.”

“Well, that’s an awful way to live, even if you deserve it,” said Johanna as she drank the apple cider washing out the rum taste in her mouth.

“You mean sober and alert? I agree,” he laughed.

“No, I mean always feeling like your life is in danger even with your closest friends,” recently she knew about the always feeling like your life was in danger part.

“Ah you get used to it after awhile,” Myers answered. He stared her down. “Listen, I know it’s hard to believe, but they weren’t supposed to kill the captain, someone put his gag on too tight.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” said Johanna. “What about the young deckhand? Why did you kill him too?”

“What young deckhand?” Myers asked confused. “Maybe he was a liability. I sometimes have no control over my men.” He brushed it off.

“So, what are you going to do with me?” she asked.

“I don’t know yet. We will be departing in a few hours. Maybe I will let you go before that,”