Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 12:31:18 -0800 (PST) From: mycandlelight_dreams Subject: Sailor Boys - chap 9 THE NORMAL BORING DISCLAIMER: This story is FICTION, and just one of my fantasies. Any similarity to real persons is purely coincidental. Further, this story contains sexually explicit information between an adult and a teen-ager. If this type of material offends you, do NOT read further. However, if you like these kinds of stories, then read on and ENJOY! --- CHAPTER 9 --- As I started to turn to leave the cabin, Brandon had an uneasy look on his face. It was as though he was frozen in place. "Brandon? What's up, Matey?" I called to him, but he didn't respond. He just stood there still as could be. "Brandon! What's the matter with you boy?" Andrew pushed his way through to Brandon, and started shaking him a bit. "Brandon? What's wrong?" "You see it, don't you?" He finally said in a small whisper. All of us stopped and started looking around, trying to figure out what he was seeing. "There. Right there. Shh...he's moving." Brandon pointed toward the back of the cabin, and I desperately looked inward trying to figure out what he was seeing. "I don't see anything moving," Andrew said, and looked back at Brandon. Brandon just stood there, pointing in the same place. I moved toward the back of the cabin, and Brandon grabbed my arm. "No, wait," he said. Everyone fell silent waiting for something to happen. "Stand really still," Brandon continued. "I think he's going to move again." "What do you see?" I whispered to him. "I'm not sure, but it looked like a person." "WHAT???" Thomas practically yelled. "Shut up, you dope!" Brandon's face was getting red. "You'll scare him away." I looked again toward the back of the cabin, desperately trying to see what or who Brandon was looking at. I decided that I had to get to the bottom of this. "You boys back out of the door." The boys started slowly walking backward out of the cabin, as I proceeded inward to the bedroom of my two-room creation. The leaves that had blown into the cabin crunched under my feet, and each step seemed louder than the last. The bedroom contained no windows to let in light, and the darkness of the room made it difficult to make out much of anything. My shadow across the floor startled myself, and I realized that my heart was pounding faster. My second thought was that I had no weapon, in the event of an intruder. The only weapon I possessed was a pistol left to me by my father, and it was safely locked up back on the ship. I stopped and quickly looked around for something to use as a bat. I saw an old hat rack out of the corner of my eye. That wouldn't work, I thought to myself. Then, I saw my gas lantern on the floor. Carefully, as quietly as possible, I picked it up and held it above my head, ready to strike whatever intruded upon my secret cabin. As I entered the bedroom darkness, he appeared in front of me, stark naked and began screaming at the top of his lungs. I started screaming as well. Both of us, frozen in place screaming like two little schoolgirls. Hearing the screams, Brandon rushed in behind, practically falling over me as he entered the dark room. This snapped me out of my scream, and I pulled my arm back further, ready to strike the person down. Brandon grabbed my arm, saying, "No wait, Captain, look!" My eyes adjusted to the darkness, and the details of the creature in front of me began to clear. He stopped screaming and stood there, waiting to see what his captures would do to him. I lowered the lamp, and looked closer. There, before us, naked as the day he was born, stood a teenage boy, maybe 17 or so, I guessed. His dark skin and almost hairless body led me to think him much younger, but the prominent bush of dark hair around his limp but long dick reaffirmed his older age. "Who are you?" I demanded, lowering the lamp to the floor. "And, what are you doing in my cabin?" "Are you going to kill me?" The fear in his shaking voice was evident. "That remains to be seen," I said, knowing full well I couldn't have killed him. "Answer my questions." The tone of my voice and glare of my eyes certainly declared that I was not to be messed with. "Well?" The tall boy looked at the floor of the cabin. "My name is Miwaka, and I come from the island of Maui. I was only seeking shelter from the storm." A small chill ran up my spine realizing he was talking about the same storm that almost claimed young Thomas. I could feel my heart melt and my tone lighten. "Why here? Why aren't you at home on Maui? How did you get here? Are there others with you?" At this last question, the boy began to sob. It was unusual for me to see such a grown boy crying in front of me, and I was a little concerned about his nakedness, which he didn't even seem to realize. The other boys had started to return to the front area of the cabin, and my curious crew now surrounded me. "My name is Michael McFlannery, Captain of the vessel The Mighty Miss, and this is my crew. The scared and upset boy looked around him, as my crew all looked back and began smiling at him. It was hard to tell in the darkness of the room, but I think seeing the other boys there put him somewhat at ease. I stepped back, and pulled a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around the boy. It was then he realized that he was still naked. I instructed Brandon to gather the boys. "It appears we have a change in our plans," I said as I nodded to the boy. We escorted the blanketed boy back to the ship, and as we boarded, Miwaka's eyes grew large. "This is your ship?" He asked. My pride filled my chest. "Yes. You like her?" Miwaka nodded and began to show a small smile. However, as we crested the top of the gangplank, and Miwaka saw one of the life rings hanging on the wall, his eyes filled with tears, and his smile disappeared. We settled our group into the main room, and surprisingly Shaun bounced in and sat right next Miwaka. Brandon glared at Shaun, as if to say, "settle down." Shaun immediately sat still. The message was received loud and clear. As I delivered Miwaka some water, he began to tell us how he came to be on Satan's Face. "I've lived on Maui Island all my life. I never dreamed of leaving there, but I had no choice." He looked right at me and raised his voice, "They would have killed me, don't you understand? I wasn't safe. I had to leave!" "Easy, Miwaka. Just tell me what happened and how you got here." He softly sipped his water, and I admired the tenderness of his quivering lips. "We lived in a small house on the edge of Kalawao. It's a very small village, but it was my home." He paused for a moment, and I could tell that the memories of his village were flooding in. "My mother and father worked in the village, and as I grew older, I worked too. We worked on a sugar cane plantation and the man we worked for was very mean. My parents and I worked very hard, but we are very poor. My father built our house and we were happy there. My parents loved me and my sister, Anjola." The words barely escaped his lips as another tear began its journey down his cheek. "It's all my fault," he continued. "If I had just done what they wanted, everything would be okay. But, I couldn't do it. I couldn't let them hurt me anymore." "Hurt you?" I interrupted. The boy looked fit to me, and I didn't see any bruises of any kind. "Oh yes. My father found out about it, and went to the man. He was so angry, I knew he would kill the man." "Wait, Miwaka. What happened to you that made your father so angry." I didn't understand Miwaka's story through his sobs and stutters. "The man wanted me to stay with him. He wanted me to do things to him, things I didn't want to do. I didn't like him, and he was mean to me. He would take me from the field, to his house and he would touch me and do things to me." Miwaka looked around the room, and not a single word was uttered. All eyes were intently on him. I wasn't sure that I wanted the boys to hear of such abuse, but I also didn't want them out of my sight. I still wasn't sure Miwaka was alone, and I didn't know whether or not to believe this boy. "I finally told him to stop, and I told him that I was going to tell my father. This is what I got for my disobedience." With that, Miwaka stood in front of us, dropped the blanket, and turned his back to us. The still reddened stripes and torn skin showed the evidence of the whipping the boy had received. "My father cried when he saw me," he continued as he replaced the blanket around his shoulders and sat back down. "I have never seen my father cry. Then, he stopped crying, and ran from our house, with his machete in hand. I knew he would kill the man for hurting me. My mother cared for me, and as we were getting ready for bed, my father ran into the house. 'You must go, hide in the brush. Take your sister and go, now!' I didn't know what was going on, but I knew my father was serious. I took Anjola by the hand and we ran out of the house. We stayed in the brush for a long time, until we saw bright torchlights coming toward us. The voices were angry and yelling things. As they came closer to my house, I pushed Anjola down in the brush so they wouldn't see her." Miwaka paused a moment. Inhaled deeply and tried his best to compose himself. "The villagers came, twenty, fourty, maybe the whole village. They kicked in the door, and I could see the people enter my house. I heard my mother scream and my father yell back at them. Then, in the window, I saw one of the men grab my mother's hair. They pushed her down on the floor, and I saw him swing a machete down on her. After that, I did not hear her scream." Another tear joined the previous. "My father tried to stop them!" His voice rose again. "There were too many. They beat him. I saw his face as he looked out to the brush. I could see the pain and agony in his face. I cried out to him." I looked at Miwaka's eyes as he told his story, and I could almost feel the pain in his heart. "As soon as I had cried, one of the villagers screamed, 'there's the kids.' I had to get my sister away from these horrible people. We ran, as fast as we could to the water's edge. Anjola got into the canoe, and I pushed it off the sand. It was dark, and as I looked back towards our house, I could see the flames of the torches as they hit the roof. I paddled as hard as I could and as our canoe got further from the beach, the flames got bigger and bigger. Soon, they died down, and I knew in my heart that I would never see my mom and dad again. I held my sister tight and told her that we were on own now. She was only eight. How could she understand all this?" Miwaka looked at me, searching for an answer that I couldn't provide. "I didn't know where we would go, but as I paddled, I did my best to steer toward the Big Island. I knew that if we made it there, I would find someone to help us. I must have fallen asleep, until the thunder woke me. It seemed like seconds before the rain was pouring on us and the water began to beat us. I tried to paddle faster, but I couldn't see. I didn't know what direction I was going in, and as I paddled harder, the rain stung my back. I put the ring around Anjola's chest. I thought that would be enough." Miwaka stopped, as the memories of the storm washed over his speech, much like the waves had washed over the deck of my vessel. "It was the biggest wave I have ever seen." He moved his hands above his head motioning like a building wave. "I paddled harder and harder, trying to steer away from it. It growled at me and dumped over our canoe, tossing us into the cold water. Another wave crashed over my head, and I had trouble seeing which was up. When I got above the water, the tip of the canoe disappeared underneath. I screamed for Anjola. I looked around me and swam and swam, but I couldn't find her. In the next lightening flash, I saw her life ring. I swam hard to it, fighting the water and rain." Miwaka stopped again, this time his eyes filled with tears, streaming from his tender face. "She wasn't in it. I've lost her. I've lost them all, and it's all my fault. Why didn't the water take me? I don't understand why. She was so little." Shaun wrapped his arm around the weeping boy, and Miwaka placed his head against Shaun crying and mumbling. I surmised that the ring is what drifted him to my secret island. The boy was lucky, I thought, that he had survived the storm. Lucky too, that we found him here so quickly. But so very unlucky to have lost his family so swiftly. I reached over and touched the boy gently. "You need rest, my boy." I lifted him from his seat, and escorted him down the hallway to Cabin E. It's a much smaller cabin with a small bed, but it was the only room left on my ship. We placed Miwaka in the bed, and although he barely fit, he was beginning to relax. "Can I stay with him, Captain?" Shaun eyes were gentle and pleading. I wasn't sure that I trusted Miwaka yet. As I leaned in to cover the boy with the blanket, I noticed a thin leather strap around his neck. I slid my fingers under the strap and looked closer at the medallion tied to it. "Where did you get this?" I asked admiring the intricate carvings in the metal. Miwaka lifted his head slightly, and then rested again. "My father gave it to me. He said it gives you strength." The words were barely out of his mouth, and he was dozing off to sleep. "Yes, Shaun," I said as I looked back at Shaun. "You can stay with him. And let me know if he wakes up." I left Shaun and our visitor in Cabin E, and asked Brandon to settle the boys with duties on deck, and then come to my cabin. "We need to talk." The sternness of my voice left no doubts, and Brandon immediately set to following his orders. --- One half hour later, a soft knock was heard on my cabin door. "Come in, Brandon." "The crew is working to secure the ship for sleep tonight, Captain. I've brought up the gangplank, and secured the rail door. I've also made sure that the anchor is secured." "Excellent, Brandon, thank you. Please, be seated." Brandon took a seat opposite of me, waiting patiently for his next direction. "I don't suppose in all your years of fancy schooling that you've ever heard of an ancient tribe known as the Ebeu." I looked at Brandon, who shook his head. "I didn't think so. Damn schools don't know what's worth knowing and what isn't. That boy in there, Miwaka, is a direct descendent, if my guess is right." "Sir? I don't understand." "That medallion he got from his father. It's a shield marking of the Ebeu tribe. Only the heads and family members of the original tribe were given one. He's right about the strength part, but that's not all." I rose from my chair, and started looking through the books on the shelf above my bunk. "Damn it, where is it? Ah yes...here we go. I've only seen that medallion one other time. Now, let me see...yes, yes, here it is." I flipped the pages until I arrived at a page with a single picture and some historical writing about the Ebeu Tribe. "See?" I said as I pointed to the picture. "That's it. That's the medallion that Miwaka is wearing." I began reading the passage and in mid sentence began reading out loud. "'...given to the head of the tribe. It was then passed down, generation by generation, but only to the eldest boy. The tribe was forced out of their lands and took refuge on the 'uncharted' islands, now known as the Hawaiian Islands. There, they survived until the late 1700's. It is not known what happened to the tribe after their dissention to the islands.' I told you I'd seen it. This kid is telling the truth, Brandon. I can feel it!" Brandon nodded his head. "We'll have to do our best to get him home. He was heading for Hawaii, so maybe he has relatives there. We'll talk about it at dinner. It's getting late." The clock on the wall read 3:00. "I'll allow him to stay in Cabin E tonight, and that will give me time to figure out what to do after that. Have the crew prepare for an early dinner. And, Brandon?" "Yes, Captain?" "Keep an eye on Shaun. I'm not sure what his interest is in the boy, but I don't want anything bad happening to Shaun." Brandon smiled at me. His heart filled with pride that I was being so protective of his little brother. Brandon then left the cabin, and gathered the crew. I stayed behind and studied the text a little more. The drawings of the tribal people looked just like Miwaka. "A real Ebeu," I said to myself. --- Dinner was tabled promptly at 5:00, and the aroma of Italian spices and garlic coming from the pasta sauce soon engulfed the ship. The hot bread, fresh from the oven, was the topper. All the boys gathered around the table, and even Shaun had wandered from Cabin E to the galley. I assumed that Miwaka was still sleeping, since Shaun entered alone. We began to eat when our guest appeared in the galley doorway, still wearing only his blanket, casually thrown around his thin but dark body. "Would you like something to eat, Miwaka?" I smiled at him, as Shaun scooted over, opening a place for him at the table. "Are you sure it's okay?" He hesitated at the doorway. Shaun got up from the table and practically dragged him to his seat. "Well," I started to laugh, "I guess that means it's okay." The rest of the crew began to chuckle and laugh too, and Miwaka's tension seemed to slip away. "Help yourself, Miwaka, there's plenty here. After dinner, we'll get you some clothes. I'm sure I can find something that will fit you." I was grateful the weather was warm, as any additional uniforms I had would surely fit his slender body. They just wouldn't be long enough for winter apparel. Miwaka ate and listened to the hustle and bustle of conversation among the boys. Shaun continually engaged Miwaka in the festivities, and although he tried several times to get Miwaka to tell more of his story, I quickly changed the subject, darting my eyes at Shaun in disapproval. Now was not the time for such discussion. I needed to make my own inquiries of Miwaka and I didn't want Shaun's inquisition to preclude him from feeling comfortable talking to me. On Shaun's final attempt at the conversation, Brandon kicked the boy from under the table. "That's enough, Shaun." And that was enough. Shaun may have missed my "evil eye" treatment, but there was no mistaking Brandon's direction. God, I loved that boy. I had to remember to thank him for that one! In the meantime, Miwaka seemed satisfied to have a decent meal, the warmth of the blanket, and people around him that didn't want to kill him. I felt stupid for my comment earlier when he asked if I was going to kill him. I'd have to apologize for that one. As usual, dinner was quickly consumed and the crew was already beginning clean up duties. Miwaka did his best to pitch in, and still hold his blanket. "Oh, leave it," Shaun said as he pulled the blanket off of Miwaka. No one even gave a second look. Except for me, the boys went about their business. Everyone on my ship was so comfortable with nudity, that they didn't even give Miwaka a second glance. It only took a few moments for Miwaka to realize this as well. He smiled to himself, and then went about helping with the clean up, baring it all along the way. I didn't mind either, as it gave me a wonderful chance to admire his beautiful body; dark mocha skin that was evidently treated well under the bright sunny Maui days, jet black silky hair that was short but in need of a good washing, no body hair except a tiny patch under each arm and a slightly larger patch above his thin but long uncut dick. I guessed that the boy was at least 5 inches, and would grow to a hearty 8 inches of man meat. This vision made my dick stir and my nuts ache. Watching him freely move about my ship in his youthful form was a wonderful addition. I cursed myself for creating the "no nude pics" rule. I sat at the table watching the boys and burning the image of this naked tribal god into my memory. When they had almost completed the kitchen duties, I escorted Miwaka back to Cabin E, and presented him with one of my t-shirts and some uniform shorts. The t-shirt was baggy but the shorts were quite tight, emphasizing the beautiful orbs of his firm young butt. I smiled at him, and said, "Do they fit okay?" "Yes, thank you, these are fine." Yes they are, I thought to myself. I tried to clear my mind and address the issues at hand. Namely, what to do with this boy that dropped from the heavens into my secret island? "Do you have any other family, Miwaka? Uncles, Aunts, older brothers?" The question was forward, but appropriate. Miwaka looked at the floor, as if ashamed. "No, my mother and father and Anjola were my family. I have no one else." "What did you plan to do when you got to Hawaii with no family? Do you have friends there or someone to care for you?" I sat next to him on the bunk, and gently placed my hand on his knee. He shook his head. "There is no one. I was hoping the police would help, but who would believe me now? They are all dead and my house is gone. No one can help me now." "Well now," I said in my proud and proper voice, "I'm not so sure about that, Mister Man. You don't think the Ebeu would give up so easily, do you?" Miwaka's eyes lit up, and turning to me, he whispered, "You know my father's tribe?" My own eyes began to water. My suspicions were confirmed. The bastard villager's had killed an ancient and sacred tribal head and left a wake of damage behind. My heart ached for the boy and my anger at such horror boiled. I leaned over and lifted the medallion resting on his neck. "Your heritage is years old, Miwaka, and among the right circles, your family was respected above all others." Miwaka looked down at the medallion, and then up at me again. "How do you know my father?" I let go of the medallion and gently rubbed the back of my hand across his soft tender cheek. "I didn't know your father, Miwaka, but I no of him. You and your people have been forgotten by most. Left to die alone. But there are some, like myself, that know of your people, the sacrifices they faced, and the wonderful contributions they have made to the Hawaiian Islands." My words drifted across Miwaka's heart like a swan song, and as he listened, I could feel the warmth return to his eyes. "My mother used to tell me that someday our tribe would rise again. I guess she was wrong." Sadly, he looked to the floor again. I lifted his chin, took his face in my hands and whispered, "She wasn't wrong. You're here now...alive and well. The Tribe lives on within you." I touched his chest above his heart. "It lives here, Miwaka." --- Miwaka and I talked for a couple of hours, and as we spoke, his shy, quiet demeanor began to break away. He even smiled a couple of times, but I knew in my heart that the wounds, both physical and emotional, would take time to heal. I tucked him into bed in Cabin E and bid him sweet dreams. "I'm just down the hall if you need me." I took my chances, reached down, and gently kissed the boy on the forehead. He smiled up at me and said softly, "Thank you for your kindness, Captain." Closing the door behind me, I returned to my cabin and summoned Brandon. "Yes, Captain?" Brandon said as he re-entered my cabin. "Thank you for handling Shaun so well at dinner. You once again proved that I made the right choice for First Mate." I hugged him tightly and he returned the hug. "You're welcome. I knew you'd want to talk to Miwaka on your own. Is that all you needed?" Brandon looked anxious to get back to his cabin, or more specifically back to his Andrew. I finally noticed the softening bulge in his pants. "I won't keep you long. I have an idea of what to do with Miwaka, and I wanted to run it by you...you know, see what you think." I smiled at him, and his curiosity overtook him. "What kind of idea?" "Well, as it turns out, the boy has no family, no friends and no where to turn. I'm thinking of keeping him on board." Brandon's smile faded and it took me a moment to realize the threat to his position that he was feeling. "Now, you understand, this wouldn't change the ranking around here. You're still my first mate, and Miwaka would be a crew member just like everyone else." Brandon's smile returned. "Good Lord, Red" I thought to myself, "You can read this boy like a book!" "Do you think he'd want to stay onboard, Captain? I mean, we are kind of a rowdy bunch, and he has had quite a bad time." Brandon's words were sincere and right on target. It was exactly how I was feeling. "I'll talk to him tomorrow. If he agrees, we'll finish the clean up work on the island and head back out to sea. Thank you, Brandon, I'll let you know." With that I opened the door, and Brandon returned to his waiting lover. --- "What was that all about?" Andrew asked as Brandon slid back into bed, his naked legs rubbing against Andrew's naked butt. "The captain is thinking of adding Miwaka to our crew." Brandon responded, snuggling in closer to Andrew. "That would be cool. I think Shaun has the hots for him." "Hey!" Brandon said as he jabbed Andrew in the ribs. "That's my brother we're talking about." "I know. But tell me you didn't see how he was acting during dinner. He was all over the guy. Your brother definitely likes him, no doubt." Andrew smiled to himself because he knew that Brandon couldn't deny the truth. Andrew knew that Brandon indeed had noticed Shaun's behavior and the fact that the captain had let him "watch over" Miwaka before dinner didn't help. Brandon thought for a moment about the situation. "Well," he finally said, "if this guy does join our crew, he'll have to answer to me." Andrew giggled at Brandon. "Oooo, listen to you. At this rate, you'll be Captain before this trip is over." "Shut up." Brandon said as he jabbed his stiffening dick into the crack of Andrew's ass. "Mmmm, yeah, Brandon, keep doing that. I love it when you stick your dick in me." --- As usual, morning came quicker than I liked, and as I stretched, and began kissing Jeffy as my way of waking my angel boy, I realized that I had slept through the night. I felt good, relaxed, and ready to take on the day. My first order of business was satisfying a much-needed urge to spill some of my nut juice. My morning hard on was at full mast, and as I kissed Jeffy, I poked it against his naked firm butt cheeks. "Good Morning, Captain," he yawned. "Are we going to play this morning?" "Would you like to, Jeffy?" I already knew the answer as I pushed my dick harder against his soft skin. My answer came when Jeffy rolled over, lowered his head to dick, opened his tender mouth, and engulfed the head of my pulsing cock. "Mmmm, yes, Jeffy, that feels great." Jeffy moved down my dick a little further, and I knew he was trying his best to fit as much of my thick hard dick into his tender little mouth. Then, Jeffy began moving up and down, keeping his lips tight around my cock head. The feel of his tongue across the sensitive underside of my dick was wonderful, and I lay my head back, closed my eyes, and let Jeffy give me the best blowjob he had given me so far. I reached down and began kneading my aching balls, and I could feel my precum lubricating his tongue. "Keep going, Jeffy. You're making me feel very good." Jeffy followed my direction and kept sucking my dick without even taking a break. While I kneaded my own balls, I reached over with my left hand to find Jeffy's stiff dick welcoming my touch. I looked down to see Jeffy smiling the best he could with a mouth full of my dick. "Oh yes, Jeffy," I said as I once again closed my eyes, and let my mind focus on the feelings of my dick and hands. Jeffy began milking my dick faster, hungry to once again taste the nectar of my balls. As he moved faster across my dickhead, I stroked his stiffness faster. Jeffy began to fuck my fist, pushing his hips forward, begging my hand to milk the fluid that his young tender balls was not yet able to produce. Jeffy bucked harder, and in a moment, he laid perfectly still. Then, even harder than before, began bucking his hips and fucking my fist. He let my hard cock slip from his mouth and began breathing harder and deeper. His dry orgasm was the strongest yet, and Jeffy was riding it for everything it was worth. His tender dick was red from my firm stroking, but Jeffy kept pushing and pushing, until at last his orgasm peaked. Jeffy finally relaxed and began breathing normally again. He immediately went back to work on my aching love pole, and the feeling of his dry orgasm had already made me leak huge amounts of precum, to which Jeffy licked up clean, swallowing as he worked. His tongue and lips were doing wonders on my dick, and I knew I was about to cum. I stroked the back of Jeffy's head, and softly warned him that I was about to shoot. I expected Jeffy to lift his head and let me finish the wonderful job he had started. But instead, he kept sucking, harder than before, begging my nuts to explode. "Oh, uh, Jeffy, I'm gonna..." I couldn't get the words out. My legs stiffened as my balls began to push their juices up my tubing. The first forceful blast of hot cum shot from the tip of my dick and whitewashed Jeffy's mouth. Jeffy swallowed and swallowed, try to inhale every drop. My next shot was not as forceful, and Jeffy took his time tasting the precious cream before swallowing again. My last shot coated Jeffy's tongue, and as he let my softening cock slip from his tight lips, he licked the last of my cum from my dick. I pulled up my body and began passionately kissing him, probing his wet mouth with my tongue, enjoying the flavor of my cum in his mouth. "Thank you, Sweetness." I paused, knowing what I wanted to say, but not sure I should utter the words. "I love you, Jeffy. I really do. I'm so glad you're my roommate." I smiled at him with love in my heart for this tender boy who entered my world. He smiled at me, hugged my chest tightly and said, "I love you to, Cappy." --- "Hey, where do you think you're going?" Shaun's loud voice could have waked the entire ship. "Shhh. Listen, little man, I can't stay here." Miwaka was trying his best to quietly sneak off the ship. But, Shaun, heading to the bathroom for an early morning pee, apparently caught him in the hallway. "I mean, I want to stay here. The Captain seems really nice, and you guys have been great to me, but..." His words trailed off. "But, what? You're just gonna leave? Not say goodbye or anything?" --- "Stay here, Jeffy." I said as I heard Shaun's voice. I quickly opened my cabin door and entered the hallway as I heard Miwaka speaking. "The Captain doesn't know it, Shaun, but I'm bad luck. I got my parents killed, got my sister drowned, who knows what'll happen to you guys if I stay here. I'm bad luck and that's all there is to it. I'll just have to live on this island and wait to die." "I don't think so," I interrupted as I walked up behind Miwaka. "Shaun, go back to your cabin. I'll take care of this." "But, Captain...he's running away." Shaun eyes were beginning to tear up, and I was realizing, now more than yesterday, that Shaun was beginning to really like this boy. "But nothing. Do as I say now, understand? Go back to your cabin, that's an order!" My glare at Shaun left no doubt in his mind. His arms slumped down, resigning his fight, and returned to his cabin. As my focus was on Shaun, Miwaka turned to run down the hallway toward the deck stairs. "Oh no you don't, Mister Man," I said as I grabbed his arm. "We need to talk." --- I hope you're enjoying this adventure. I welcome comments and questions, so, write me at mycandlelight_dreams@yahoo.com.