On the next day, my friends and I spent the entire day talking. I needed a distraction, so I had to keep speaking with them to avoid going crazy. Although Maartje still appeared to be devastated, she cried significantly less on that day. Sven seemed calm, but I wasn't sure if he was relaxed or carefully planning his revenge against Isaak. My thoughts were still a mess. Maybe because of my dehydration and hunger, maybe due to the shipwreck... I could never be sure. All I knew was that I'd go insane if we didn't find land soon. It was late afternoon, so my eyes were burning even more than before. I wasn't sure if we could survive another day in the middle of the ocean. My throat was dryer than a desert and my stomach growled. Maartje observed the sea with a hand on her chin and had a stern expression. Sven laid down on the pirogue with his eyes partially open.

"From all places, did we have to end up where not a single ship passes by?" I crossed my arms and huffed. "Maybe a shark monster that spits fire lives here, that's why it's so empty..."

Maartje laughed softly and shook her head in denial, "Only you to make me laugh at a moment like this, Eva."

Sven pressed his lips together and sighed. He cleaned a drop of sweat from his forehead, seemingly worried and sad at the same time. Was my friend still thinking about finding Isaak to get his revenge? Or was he upset because of uncle Ruben's possible death? Although I wanted to ask Sven those questions, I decided to respect his privacy.

I smiled at my cousin, "I'm glad I made you happy."

"Being with you always brings me joy," Maartje downturned her head and rubbed both eyes. "I just wish we were safe at dad's vessel instead of dying of thirst."

I took a deep breath and bit my lower lip. Apparently, my cousin was still shaken due to the shipwreck and uncle Ruben's disappearance. Honestly, I was also devastated. Damn, how I wish a miracle had happened at that moment! Although my friends and I had never been angels, did we really deserve such a sad ending? It was as if my heart was stabbed every time I thought of our death. I wouldn't mind if God killed me since no one really cared about me, but He could at least spare Sven and Maartje.

I laughed nervously and nodded, "I agree. Even spending an entire day with my brother would be better than this."

The three of us laughed. I liked to make people laugh in tough situations sometimes because it was the only way to help me forget about the sadness for a while. Unfortunately, our moment of joy didn't last for long. The only sound we heard for several minutes was the ocean. After the nearly endless silence, I heard dolphins. When I say two of them jumping, I couldn't help but smile. Maartje observed them as well after drying her moist eyes.

My cousin chuckled as she looked at the animals, "At least we aren't completely alone."

"Did you know that dolphins usually show up where sharks are?" Sven raised his eyebrows as he spoke. "We're doomed now..."

I grinned sarcastically, "Always the optimistic one, aren't you, Sven?"

Someone has to take us away from this torture...

My head was spinning as I stared at the blue sky. I couldn't tell if that occurred due to my hunger or thirst. Perhaps I'd lose air until I pass out just like my father, who knew? The uncertainty brought by that terrible situation was killing me slowly.

"Please, God, I only want to see my father!" Maartje's eyes bulged and she put both hands on her head. "This is not too much to ask, is it?"

Sven pressed his lips together, "God is no longer listening to us at this point, Maartje."

My cousin briefly gazed at him and then came back to staring at the ocean without blinking. When I opened my mouth, ready to say something, my eyes widened. My lips curled into a broad grin since I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My chin trembled and I was about to break into tears of joy.

I pointed at the ship ahead of us, "Sven! Maartje! Look!"

Sven's eyes bulged and he gawked. Maartje smiled widely, apparently astonished, and hugged me. I grabbed the wooden oars and rowed as fast as I could to reach our potential saviors. The air went in and out extremely fast as I moved.

Sven waved his arms, "Hey! Please, help us!"

My arms burned due to the extreme effort. I ground my teeth. What if we'd lost our only chance of being saved from death? I couldn't be sure if the crew from that vessel would rescue us, but I had to give it a try. The ship we chased was a schooner. My father had shown me several types of vessels when I was a child and that was why I had familiarity with them. Schooners were smaller than galleons, had less firepower and people capacity, and only two masts. Despite all that, they were easier to sail and faster.

Maartje knit her brows, "Help!"

I breathed faster while moving our boat towards the target. Once we were side by side with the schooner, I rowed even quicker to make sure we wouldn't miss that chance. I wasn't sure what I feared the most: losing sight of the ship or being shot by its cannons. Sven waved his arms more often than before and shouted loudly. My cousin bit her lower lip as we got closer.

My eyes bulged as I approached the schooner, "Hello! We need some assistance here!"

When I started losing hope, four men showed up and talked to one another loudly as they laid eyes on us. I pressed my lips together and wondered if they would actually help us somehow. My anxiety increased and the same appeared to happen with my friends.

A while later, the same guys came back with three shrouds, which were probably additional material to be used if the original ones were torn. Sven rowed our pirogue, bringing us closer to the vessel. Once our boat almost touched the schooner's hull, we climbed the shroud.

I hope they don't swing the shrouds to throw us into the sea...

My legs trembled as I got closer to the ship. Was that a trap? The last thing I needed was more problems, but life can always get crazier, can't it?

Sven smiled widely as he approached the crew, "Thank you so much for doing this for us."

Maartje, Sven and I boarded the ship with help from those same men. They went away with the shrouds once we were on the main deck. We hugged each other quickly and celebrated our rescue. My chin trembled and I couldn't stop giggling due to my extreme enthusiasm. Maartje's eyes gleamed and a huge smile formed on her face. Sven shook his head in denial and laughed as he looked around, apparently amazed that miracle had happened to us.

Led by two men, some crew members approached us. Both dressed similarly to uncle Ruben and were tall. The one on the right had dark brown eyes, long hair of the same color, and light skin. An evil grin formed on his face as he lifted an eyebrow. The man on the left had light brown hair, eyes of the same color, and slightly tanned skin. His lip was curled, and he shot an icy glare at us. Both had blood stains on their clothes.

"Welcome to the Sea Urchin. I'm Captain Damian Fletcher," the guy on the right said, with an English accent, narrowing his eyes at us. "This is a pirate ship, so behave, or there will be consequences!"

Off to a great start...

I gulped. That had to be some kind of nightmare. Had my friends and I just boarded a ship led by a mean captain? No. We had suffered too much to endure more agony. My father had always told me that the English were ruthless and cold. I prayed to all the saints I knew that dad was wrong about them.

"I'm Quartermaster Graham Knight," the other guy said while walking around us as if we were prey. "Only call me when absolutely necessary, otherwise I'll punish you."

The crew members fixed their gaze on me as if they tried to say something. Some of them bit their lower lips while others rubbed between their brows. I frowned, wondering what was going on. Sven and Maartje looked at each other for an instant. I didn't move, doing my best not to demonstrate fear.

At that moment, a dog approached me and licked my boots. I wasn't sure if it was excited or scared... Don't judge me, I wasn't good with animals. The dog had a white face with light brown stains around its eyes and its body was almost entirely brown. For a reason I couldn't understand, it wouldn't take its paws off my left leg.

"This is Francis, the most annoying bulldog ever," Captain Fletcher pursed his lips as he glared at the dog. "I don't know why we haven't killed this freak yet since he belonged to the previous idiotic captain."

Francis whined and recoiled. Although dogs probably couldn't understand phrases, he clearly felt Fletcher's hostility. Maartje and Sven seemed to have noticed the captain's hostile attitude as well. I pressed my lips together, unsure whether I should say something.

The captain raised his brows, "To be clear, you morons, we only rescued you because we're in need of swabbies."

After that, Fletcher made a signal to Knight. He nodded and brought three wooden buckets filled with water and three pieces of cloth. Maartje wrinkled her nose and scowled. I know what you're thinking... My friends and I were in trouble. Would it have been better if we'd stayed in the pirogue? Perhaps the sharks would've been kinder to us? I didn't even want to think about it.

"I don't want to sound ungrateful, Captain, but my friends and I are experienced sailors. We worked in another pirate ship for years," I raised a brow and took a step closer. "Don't you have a job in which we can be more useful for you?"

A couple of crewmembers whispered. I squinted while trying to listen. Sven gulped as if he felt what was coming. Knight took a step forward and grabbed me by the shirt. I glared at him and smiled sarcastically. No, I wouldn't show fear. If the captain and quartermaster of the Sea Urchin happened to be two Hendrikas, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of my pain. Sven widened his eyes and Maartje put both hands on her mouth. Francis barked angrily and I wasn't sure if it was for Knight or me.

The quartermaster punched me in the stomach, "Never question Captain Fletcher!"

My back bones crashed against the wooden floor as I fell. I flinched but didn't show what I'd genuinely felt. The crew suddenly walked away, leaving me, my friends and the two leaders on the main deck.

His last name is Knight, but he's definitely not a knight in shining armor.

The captain laughed cruelly and walked to the forecastle deck, "You may use the cat-o'-nine-tails on her."

My eyes widened and I bit my lower lip as the quartermaster dragged me again. He tore my shirt and vest, exposing my back, and squeezed my body with the rope as he tied me on the mainmast. I controlled myself not to scream as I felt my bones being smashed. I couldn't believe I'd found the embodiments of my stepmother on that ship.

Knight let out an evil laugh, "I see you're a misbehaved girl."

Although I couldn't see him, I had a feeling he was observing my scars.

I chuckled, "Courtesy of my dear mom."

I know, I didn't tell the truth, but I knew the crew would be more horrified and perhaps empathetic once I said my mom had caused the scars instead of my stepmother. The few crew members left on the main deck whispered again. Some of them frowned, others gaped. Sven ground his teeth, apparently afraid. I forced a smile, trying to reassure him. Maartje looked downward while Francis sniffed her.

"Just to be clear, I wasn't questioning anyone. I only made a suggestion," I turned to the captain and shot him a defiant gaze. "Isn't a leader supposed to take people's opinions into consideration before making a decision?"

A significant amount of men smiled, apparently happy with my bold attitude. I won't lie, I may have sounded confident, but I was scared as hell. Even though nobody seemed to notice, my legs trembled.

I smiled mischievously and raised my eyebrows, "Unless I'm wrong and you're a bloodthirsty dictator instead of a captain."

Captain Fletcher bared his teeth. "Ninety lashes!"

Mr. Hendrika... I mean, Captain Fletcher took a step backwards and the quartermaster started flogging my back. At that moment, I put a goal in my head: remain serious and quiet during the entire punishment. As I felt the whip against my skin, I stared at a fixed point on the quarterdeck. My back burned even more than it did when my stepmother lashed me, but I'd grown stronger since then. Knight sliced a new piece of my skin at every second that went by and yet I didn't make a sound. Maartje gawked and so did other crew members. I couldn't tell if they were impressed or scared.

Once the punishment ended, a woman cleaned my wounds. She also gave me a new white shirt and a dark blue vest.

Captain Fletcher scowled and crossed his arms, "Go change your shirt and start cleaning the forecastle deck with your dumb friends, witch."

I glared at him, hid and quickly changed my clothes. When the crazy captain and his violent quartermaster left, I went to the forecastle deck with Maartje and Sven. Yes, the place was as dirty as you're thinking. Besides lashing me on the first day, Captain Fletcher gave the worst task ever to my friends and me. You must be wondering whether we drank some water and ate before starting to work... Guess what? Nope! We could barely stand and yet we received no nourishment.

Francis observed me with his tongue out as I rubbed the disgusting floor on my knees with a cloth. I had no idea how the crew managed to leave so much dirt on the floor. Also, I couldn't understand why that dog wouldn't stop looking at me.

I gazed at the dog, "I wouldn't be in this gross place if I were you, mate."

The dog cocked his head as if he was confused. My legs trembled so much that I didn't know how I hadn't fallen on the ground yet. Sven winced after every movement he made with his arms. Maartje bit her lower lip and squinted, seemingly wanting to throw up. I began to lose my senses as time went by. My throat was so dry that it hurt when I talked and my stomach so empty that I appeared to have a hole inside me.

"I can't believe that crazy captain lashed you on our first day here," Maartje shook her head in denial while staring at the floor. "He's insane!"

Sven nodded and pressed his lips together, "Pirate captains and quartermasters aren't supposed to be that violent! How hasn't the crew kicked them out yet?"

"The crew is probably afraid of them, just as I was of my stepmother," I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Regardless of how many times they whip me, I won't put up with their violence."

Maartje raised a brow, "Is it my impression or you want to start a mutiny on your first day?"

"Maybe. I won't swallow another Hendrika," I sighed while glaring at Fletcher and Knight as they talked on the quarterdeck, "and much less two."

Sven scowled, "What do you mean, Storm?"

I smiled mischievously, "What I mean, my friend, is that I don't intend to be silent when they do something unfair."

Sven gulped. A broad grin formed on Maartje's face and she nodded as if I'd made her proud. Although I feared the consequences, I meant what I'd said. There was no way I would tolerate Fletcher and Knight's abusive behavior.

"Your courage never ceases to amaze me," a familiar man's voice said from behind me. "I missed you, Eva."

No way! I must be hallucinating!

I got up from the ground so quickly that I almost tripped. My heart pounded in excitement. My smile was so broad that my cheeks hurt. After so many years, my first friend had finally come back to me. I gawked while going down the stairs to meet him at the main deck.

My eyes gleamed, "Laurens? I can't believe it..."

Laurens cried tears of joy while smiling, "I told you we would see each other again."

At that same instant, I ran to Laurens and embraced him. Once I let go of him, I couldn't stop grinning. He seemed delighted to see me as well. Having Maartje and Sven by my side was wonderful, but finally meeting Laurens again made everything even better. Being with my three best friends would make my life inside that ship a lot easier, given that the leaders were violent. I couldn't wait to find out what had happened to my oldest friend after I helped him run away.

****