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Pirates of the Parallel

Adventure Awaits in a Child's Imagination

By E.L. MartinPublished 3 years ago 7 min read
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Pirates of the Parallel
Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

Afar we see a sailing ship! Be they friend or foe? Off the sails, the masts, and bow, to adventure we will go. Through the murk and rocky crags. Against the waves and shore. Do we face treasures aplenty or be it tale and lore? Where shall we sail today, me hearty? Come, let us have a little chat. Tell me, where we shall set foot today, and I will draw the map.

Argh! You say, and dance a jig. You swing your arm like pirates do. "Yo, ho, ho!" you follow with, and I know it's time to go! We pretend the ship we see we're on. We tread through waters deep. We look around for deadly sharks while boards begin to creak. You squeal and chuckle at this noise. Glee I've barely known. I ponder my thoughts at how happy you are, and at how much you've grown. We battle with swords we know are sticks, but that’s not how it seems. We look through telescopes and stand at the bow, in search of hopes and dreams.

“Ship A-hoy!” You call out. I grab and hold you dear! Too much excitement for me my boy! You nearly caused me fear! Get down from the crow's nest and balcony! Slowly, if you please! You're caught in the net! You squeal again. I cough an evil hiss. I see I've got to come up there! Your eyes say “Mom, you'll love this!” I protest, but then I see your smile. The light that keeps me going. I climb much faster and skillful than before, and now I see you glowing. You cheer and clap. You're such a chap, but now the wind is blowing!

We sway this way and that, but by now it's started snowing! Snowing at sea? How can this be? Is this what you were showing? A sailing ship, not moving fast. I see now on the horizon. Some icy figures dressed in fur are slowly, quietly approaching. Are they aliens, friends, or strangers? Maybe monsters or some shamans? By now, my son is curious and signals down the tall ones. These creatures wave back, to my surprise, and I send a small wave back. My nerves of steel are wearing thin, and I wonder if they'll attack. My son swings down the rope from the net, and yells at all the men. I had no idea there were so many, just where has our crew been? I count a dozen then ten more show, the numbers start to grow. Oh, little one, how can this be? We are no longer alone. How did we get all of these men, tell me, do you know? In your hand, I find some seeds. Are these what you used to sow? I thought these were flowers or trees or fruit, but you shake your head at me "no."

You grew a crew while on our boat? You nod a confirmed, yes. What magic did you grow them with? You pull aside a pouch. Fairy dust is that what's in it? I ask, but you shrug "I don't know." You found a pouch with powder in it, and suddenly things grow. You turn my attention back to the deck at all the men that are clambering. Reign them in, the Captain says. "Yeah, yeah, now quit your hammering." I'm now shipmate to my Captain son, who'll make me swab the deck. He lets out a chuckle, and clouds appear. By now it's really cold. Can you make warm clothes with that fairy dust? If not, you'll freeze your toes. You sift through your pouch, and sprinkle some dust, but the first batch makes you fly! What fun you're having despite my grabbing and panicking all my own. You silly boy, get down from there! But you soar across the sky. A loop de loop here, a loop de loop there, while leaving a trail in the air. My son soars left; my son soars right. He swings toward the other ship.

He flits and flutters, while our men utter. I silence them with a wave of my hand. Be careful up there! There's wind in the air! Don't let it cast you away. He laughs a small chuckle again as he leaps. The men start to grumble, my son starts to tumble, and then I order them to their seats. Little one, little one, don't fly too far! I look at how far he goes. He's pulled out his pouch and dusted his feet, but now he's at least covered his toes. Boots made of pixie dust, huh, what a wonder? But then a wave crashes, and I fear going under.

Now I'm in charge of this ship while the boy's away, and you men will do as I say! All hands on deck! “Aye-aye!” They call out, and carry on their merry way. Take control of the rudder, and point the stern toward the waves! We'll ride this one out today! We change the ship's position, and triumphantly crash through the waves. My son is impressed, I hear a cheer and he swiftly flits further away. I see he is close to that other ship, and I'm so nervous I'm tempted to pray. Just then I see that he's coming back. He arrives quickly, and draws near.

He tells me a message of one we love dear. He scrambles to explain. We prepare the ship, and take our actions. Inform our men, and load our weapons. Canon balls ready? Fire ablaze! Swords are steady, and ready to raise! Those scallywags they! They've hornswoggled our Captain. Swashbucklers to the rescue because Daddy is their captive! “Rescue Papa!” our Captain exclaims! “You heard the orders!” Mama explains.

Our Captain and his first-rate crew, encountered struggles as the winds blew. Mama played the role of quartermaster, and chanted as the ship sailed faster. Further, onward toward the bow! We've got to take those pirates down! Men, get ready at your stations! Be they foreign or close nations. We shall beat them, so you see! We will beat them, we're a team!

Just then we saw their sails go down! Their tattered pirate sails weren't found. Quick, make ready to raise the white one! Those things or monsters murmured, frightened. "We surrender!" They exclaimed. Come forward now, you should be ashamed! You stole our papa, and kept him bound. Over toward their mast we found. We pointed toward the mast that kept him. Cold and in some ice, he stood victim. He was frozen, but there he be. You have kept him, that much we see! Melt away his icy bounds! Free his chains and encased surrounds.

We are sorry, so they say. We cannot melt the ice away. We are frozen too, you see. Frozen ice bergs from the sea. We found a treasure, but it cursed us. Now, we no longer have a purpose. We cannot fish or wish or seek. This experience has made us weak. Do not fear our men call out. Our Captain's near, and able to help. He sprinkled dust on each one's hand. The blocks of ice could not withstand. We saw a human hand come out of cracked ice. Former men who had a vice. Shouts and cheers were all aboard. The men moved freely, of their own accord. “You've saved us little one!” They said quite happy. I yelled at them for being yappy.

Captain sprinkled dust on Papa, and spoke enchantments "goo-goo, gaga." It had been so long since then. Baby Captain way back when. Daddy's ice shell cracked a bit too. From his mouth a smile grew. Captain and Mama hugged dear Papa. The ice became like molten lava. Papa woke up with a “Where am I?” Then raised his head up towards the sky. It stopped snowing. We smiled a grin. I told you boys we would win!

The former ice people looked at us, and apologized in large swift gusts. We are sorry, so they say. Sorry that we've kept him away. “Why did you kidnap him?” we interrogate. They reply with, “His navigating is great! He led us right to the treasure. When we found it, we leaped with pleasure! Once it froze us, cold as ice, we blamed him for his advice. We realize that this was wrong too, but can you blame us? What would you do?”

“Go away!” Our Captain says. Let them find some other friends. We don't want you on our boat. We'll return to our ship. You float. We will find our own path home with our navigator, ours alone. Leave our Papa, and never say he was the reason you went astray. With those words, he turned and left. Not Papa's fault, he is so deft.

We joined our Captain and our crew. Daddy with us; me, and you. We held him close, and drew him near. Our precious family is all here. We smiled onboard on our way to adventure. Who knew we’d find daddy instead of treasure? He's a strong boy, that one my dear. He will make his intentions clear. While you've been away their captive, I can assure you; our son has been active. He has saved you, he and they. Now that I look, our men have gone away. We're back at the same place that we stood. Right in our very own neck of wood. Daddy's come to play pirate too! Now he fights with stick-swords too. He's off from work now finally. We can now play as a family!

literature
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About the Creator

E.L. Martin

Powered by Nature, Humanity, Humor, Food, Lifestyle, Fiction, and Culture; Oh, and a questionable amount of coffee.

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