Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:27 am by 
Pirates; The word rings in every young boy's ears, the swash-buckling, rum-drinking, cutlass drawing, treasure-hunting lifestyle is one often dreamed of, but it's also one often misconceived. The life of a pirate is only filled with adventure once in a blue moon. This story is a blue moon.
James Artisan wasn't a poor boy, but he wasn't a rich boy either, he was basically what you would call middle class, well, as middle class as you can get for a boy living in the 1600's. His father worked as a street merchant, selling his wares while people rushed by and making a decent wage while he was at it, his mother worked caring and raising two children, James and his older sister Rosemarie. Rose was older than him by 3 years but acted like it was more, she was typically more mature than James but still, that didn't give her permission to act like the boss. James, like a lot of the boys at the time, was obsessed with the ocean, and who wouldn't be at the time! Often his father would come home with stories from the sailors, fresh from the sea, and James would listen intently to the stories, one of them really stuck with James, it was about pirates.
"Oh Owen, don't scare the poor kid" said James' Mother
"But Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa'" James complained
"I think that settles it Anne" Owen, his father, replied, gesturing to James "Now, where was I?" James coughed and lowered his voice, imitating his father
"No chance of escape, there's only one way out, a fight to the DEAAAATH!" James threw his arms back excitedly, losing his balance as he did so "Woah, woah, woaaaaaah!" Owen caught him with one of his hands.
"Easy there m'boy" He chuckled "Anyway, 'Arm the cannons!' calls the captain and the crew roll out two measly cannons from the lower decks, they slot the barrel in to poorly cut rests in the side of the boat, and chain the wheels to the deck, the setup will barely last five shots. Everyone on the crew gives a silent prayer as the pirates inch closer. The crew is barely ten-strong and between them all have less fighting skill than a drunk dog. The pirates come within firing range, the captain orders to fire the cannons and the crew waste no time doing so. A cannonball flies through the air towards the pirate ship, for a moment it looks like it will hit, but it stops short, sinking in to the water in front of the pirate ship, taking the crew's hope with it. The crew go about loading another round, but before they can finish 3 cannon balls fly through the air, each one making a hole in the sails of the ship one clattered down through the masts, and on to the decking, smashing straight through it" He brought his fist down into the palm of his other hand to demonstrate the cannonball.
James Artisan wasn't a poor boy, but he wasn't a rich boy either, he was basically what you would call middle class, well, as middle class as you can get for a boy living in the 1600's. His father worked as a street merchant, selling his wares while people rushed by and making a decent wage while he was at it, his mother worked caring and raising two children, James and his older sister Rosemarie. Rose was older than him by 3 years but acted like it was more, she was typically more mature than James but still, that didn't give her permission to act like the boss. James, like a lot of the boys at the time, was obsessed with the ocean, and who wouldn't be at the time! Often his father would come home with stories from the sailors, fresh from the sea, and James would listen intently to the stories, one of them really stuck with James, it was about pirates.
*
James huddled around his father's legs as he sat back on the broad, leather armchair. James could tell there was a story coming, the smell of hard liquor whisked around him, one of the sailors favourites. His father lifted him up onto his knees "Now James, have you ever heard about pirates?" asked his father, lathering the word 'Pirates' with a mystical insinuation, like one would talk about a vampire, or any other feared creature. James feigned innocence and shook his head. Of course he had heard of pirates, every kid England had heard of the tales of treacherous pirates, sinking military ships and stealing cargo. "Well" his father continued, "Don't i have a treat for you! Imagine this…" His father's voice sunk into low tones as he set the scene. "You're out on a military cargo ship, days travel form anywhere, out on the open sea, nare a living thing in sight. Suddenly you hear a cry from the crows nest 'Pirates!' the word echoes through the ship, imprinting it's meaning on to every member of the crew, everyone on the ship knows of what is coming" James gives short gasps as images start to fill his head, soon enough, his surroundings are warped and twisted, until he is surrounded by the crew, stressing over their imminent doom. "The Captain emerges from the cabin" his father continues "His suit is pristine and his standing reeks of confidence but his expression gives him away, it's the face of a dead man, there's no time to pull back or turn around, they've already seen us, no chance of escape, there's only one way out, a fight to the death!" His father throws his hands in the air to emphasise."Oh Owen, don't scare the poor kid" said James' Mother
"But Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa'" James complained
"I think that settles it Anne" Owen, his father, replied, gesturing to James "Now, where was I?" James coughed and lowered his voice, imitating his father
"No chance of escape, there's only one way out, a fight to the DEAAAATH!" James threw his arms back excitedly, losing his balance as he did so "Woah, woah, woaaaaaah!" Owen caught him with one of his hands.
"Easy there m'boy" He chuckled "Anyway, 'Arm the cannons!' calls the captain and the crew roll out two measly cannons from the lower decks, they slot the barrel in to poorly cut rests in the side of the boat, and chain the wheels to the deck, the setup will barely last five shots. Everyone on the crew gives a silent prayer as the pirates inch closer. The crew is barely ten-strong and between them all have less fighting skill than a drunk dog. The pirates come within firing range, the captain orders to fire the cannons and the crew waste no time doing so. A cannonball flies through the air towards the pirate ship, for a moment it looks like it will hit, but it stops short, sinking in to the water in front of the pirate ship, taking the crew's hope with it. The crew go about loading another round, but before they can finish 3 cannon balls fly through the air, each one making a hole in the sails of the ship one clattered down through the masts, and on to the decking, smashing straight through it" He brought his fist down into the palm of his other hand to demonstrate the cannonball.
