Madd Maxx: The Tale of The Lady In Bones

The second installment in the Madd Maxx series. Happy Halloween, my friends.

Madd Maxx: The Entries of a Man Under Marque

The Tale of The Lady in Bones

A Story By Colton Warr 

Entry 63

October 26, 1707

Just South of Haiti

It should be noted that we were sailing northward. I had given orders to make port at Nassau to restock for another raiding voyage and sell any and all goods we had collected through the past months of plundering Spanish trade vessels. We were coming off of a very good few months, and the fortune would surely speak of that. There was a storm on the way to Nassau, this altered our course. 

“Captain…” It was the thick, West African accent of my first lieutenant, Khari. 

“This storm looks like a phantom.” 

“Indeed it does.” 

I peered through the dirty lens of my spyglass. 

“Can we sail through her, cap?” 

“Can the ship take another beatin’?”

“Of course she can, with ole Madd Maxx at her helm!” 

While my crew members wrestled about with their respective opinions on whether the ship could take another storm, I was already one step ahead. 

“When we make port at Saint-Domingue, we will make good on repairs to the ships hull. Khari and Gilbert, you will see to that all cargo aboard this vessel that isn't rum or cannon be sold for gold.” 

“Even the food, cap?” Gilbert asked. 

“Yes, lad. It may be time we add a little French home cookin’ to our menu.” I replied with a smile. 

I returned to my quarters and retrieved my bible. I picked it up with my right hand and turned to the back window of the ship. I gazed into the storm. 

“Thank you for steering us clear of that darkness.” 

Entry 64

October 30, 1707

Just Outside Saint-Domingue 

There was a tall and beautiful women kneeling over my bed. She reached out with her heavenly hands and slowly ran them through my hair. She was smiling when she finally spoke to me.

“Maxwell. Maxwell, wake up. Wake up I need you!”

I awoke only to less appealing sight of one of my crew members, Gilbert. 

“What is it?”

“Ship sighted on the horizon, sir. She’s French.” 

I rose up out of my bed before speaking. 

“Well I would hope that everyone on this vessel knows, by now, that we cannot fire on French ships. Our letters only grant us permission to fire on Spanish ships. Being these French waters, I assumed we would pass a French patrol or two.” 

Gilbert began to stumble over his words a bit, as every new crew member did when first addressing me alone. 

“Well, sir, that’s what we thought too, but there seems to only be one ship.”

“Is she a merchant, then?”

“I don’t know, sir. Whatever she is, she doesn't seem to be movin’.”

The sentence puzzled me. I placed my hat upon my head and fastened my belt, equipped with my Spanish made cutlass and pistol, around my waist and proceeded out of my quarters and onto the to deck. Khari approached me next.

“Captain, have a look.” 

He handed me a spyglass and walked me toward the bow of the ship. He pointed in the direction of the lone, French vessel.

“She’s just…there, Captain.”

I peered through my spyglass. The sun in the sky caused a slight glare.

“She doesn't appear to be damaged in any way. Sails and hull seem to be in good shape. Perhaps she’s taking inventory.” 

As I lowered my spyglass, Khari grabbed my arm.

“Take another look, there is nye a soul on the top deck.” 

I raised the spyglass back to my eye and scanned the deck. He was right.

“Want us to run out the guns, Cap’n?” Gilbert asked. 

“No. Load the guns but keep them hidden. I want every man ready and armed in case of a boarding. Mr. Khari, take the wheel and take us right up next to her. And for God’ sake, get me a white flag flying over head so they don’t think we are trying to board.” 

We took our ship right alongside the seemingly floating, empty French vessel. There still was not a soul on the top deck. 

“Captain, look!” 

Khari pointed out that the anchor was lose and likely struggling to keep the ship still.      

“Khari, Gilbert, Benjamin and Wisely; come with me. We are going to take a look about the ship. Lay out the planks across the top decks. Just like we are boarding, lads.” 

The four men and I crossed the planks over onto the other ship. 

“Nothing up here, Cap’n.”

“Right. Ben and Wisely stay up here, Khari and Gilbert, you’re with me below deck.”

The three of us traveled down below deck. Despite it being a gloriously sunny day outside, it was terribly dark inside this ship. There was still no sign of anything at all, until we reached the brig. 

“Cap’n…I think there is someone in there.”

As we all moved closer to the brig the image became clear, there was a tall, African Woman with her face painted white. In fact, her entire body had white paint on it. It was only when we arrived at the door of the brig that I was able to make out what the paint was. There were bones painted all over her, essentially they were painted where her actual bones were. She wore a dirty dress that appeared to one day, a long time ago, be that of royalty. However, instead of pearly jewels around her neck, she wore a string of bones and teeth. She had a mask on, but not a mask a women would wear to a masquerade. No, it was made from what appeared to be actual human facial bones. 

“State your name and where you are coming from.” 

No response from the Lady in Bones. 

“Lady, you answer when the Captain speaks to you!” Gilbert yelled.

Still no response. She was merely standing in the center of the brig, staring at me with what appeared like dark, lifeless holes where her eyes should be. 

“Is there anyone else on this ship?” 

Again, no response. She was standing completely still until Khari moved closer to the brig. Her lifeless gaze went from me to him. 

“Madame, we are here to help you. Do you know if there is anyone else on this ship?” 

She just stared at Khari and began to tilt her head sideways, slowly.

“Perhaps she’s a mute. Khari, take her out of the brig but tie her hands. We are to take her aboard our ship and turn her back into the French when we make port tomorrow.”

“I do not have the keys, Captain.” 

“You don’t need them.” 

Khari then noticed just as I did that the door to the brig was unlocked and had been this whole time. As he grabbed the handle she sprung into action. She grabbed the handle with one hand and Khari’s arm with the other, digging her dirty nails into his skin. I withdrew my pistol, pulled back the hammer and pointed it directly at her face. 

“You will come willingly or you will not come at all.” 

She was still staring at Khari before finally releasing his arm and the door. He entered the brig and tied her hands behind her back. All while my pistol was still fixed upon her head. 

I pulled Khari close to me as he passed.

“Take her to our brig…put three locks on the door.” 

“As you wish, Captain.” 

Just as Khari was heading for the stairs, Gilbert gave us all a reason to stay on that level. He began vomiting where he stood. And where he stood was important. He was near a large opening in the middle of the floor that lead to the bottom level of the ship where the cargo is usually held. 

“Gilbert, you alright lad?” 

I hurried over to him only to be greeted by a horrific smell. 

“I know you’re going to look but I am going to tell you not to anyways.” 

Gilbert was pointing towards the cargo hole. I walked over to its edge and looked down. The sight caught my sole and squeezed. I felt as if someone was gripping and squeezing my throat intent on killing me. The bodies of what I could only assume to be the crew members of this ship were all thrown down here, laying on top of each other in a bloody mess. Every fly and mosquito in the Caribbean was there to feast on the blood. There were men missing body parts of all sorts. I started to cough. 

“Alright, back to ship. Quickly now.” 

As we arrived back to the top deck and crossed the planks back over to our ship, I noticed my crew was very curious about our prisoner. 

“Back away, you scoundrels! She is to be put in the brig and left there. Not a soul is to try and talk to her nor free her for any reason. And gents, I wouldn't look her in the eye, either.” 

Entry 65

October 31, 1707 (Morning) 

Four Miles from Saint-Domingue 

I had nightmares last night. They made me long for the nightmares about my wife’s death. The ones I had last night were of fire on the ocean. There were hundreds of ships burning in the night at some floating dark fortress. I tried to think back to simpler times, where I would light a fire for myself and my wife. But it was getting harder and harder for me to drown out the nightmares. 

“Captain!” It was Khari who bursted into my chambers.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” 

You need to see what’s happening below deck.” 

I quickly rose up from my desk where I had been reading and followed Khari below deck. I noticed that the demeanor in my crew had changed. They were no longer as cocky and chipper as they once were. We arrived below deck to a gathering of crew members. I glanced over at the brig and saw the Lady in Bones staring at the gathering. They appeared to be circled around something. 

“Stand aside.”

The men parted and revealed Gilbert twitching on the wooden floor. I walked over to him. 

“Gilbert. Can you hear me?” 

He would not respond. He continued to twitch as foam began accumulating in his mouth. I began to search his body for any marks or wounds. Nothing. 

“Did no one see what happened?”

“He was down here alone for awhile, sir. He was going to get extra rope.” 

“Extra rope, that should only take a few seconds.” 

“Yes sir, after a few minutes we noticed that he was still gone. We came down here to look for him and found this.” 

His body was still twitching and his mouth was still foaming. I was quickly filled with anger and rose up and looked to the Lady in Bones. I marched over to the brig, Khari closely following me, and slammed my hands onto the iron bars. 

“So, Madame, did you see what happened to my crew member?” 

She just stared at him, still twitching, in silence. My patience was wearing thin. 

“I asked you a question.” 

She finally spoke. She began speaking in a firm tone, but she was speaking in some other language. My temper reached its breaking point as I withdrew my pistol and pulled back the hammer. As I pulled the trigger, Khari grabbed my arm and pushed it upwards, sending the ball that was fired somewhere into the wood of the ship. 

“No, Captain!” 

“Let me go, Khari. She is harassing my men!” 

“Captain, it’s not worth it. She is dangerous.” 

After a few seconds I cooled off. She was still speaking in whatever language that was. 

“What language is she speaking?”

“It is of African dialect, although I do not know exactly what. I heard men speak it at one of the plantations I worked. I think she is a dark spirit, Captain. I think she knows the ways of Voodoo.” 

I took a moment to digest what Khari had just divulged. 

“Voodoo?” 

“I had my suspicions when we captured her, her dialect now tells me the whole story. She is a Voodoo priest of some sort.”

As I continued to stare at her I noticed that there were three locks on the door, as I had asked for, but all three were unlocked. I felt my breathing pick up. I never believed in such stories of magic and spells, but this Lady sure tested my notions. 

“I want full, around the clock, guards on her. 15 men at the minimum. All armed with rifles and spears. I want someone to walk down and check on the guards every half hour until we make port. We will be there a little after noon. Until then, we guard her. And if she tries to speak in that dialect again…shoot her.” 

She must have understood English to some degree because she stopped speaking.

Entry 66

October 31,1707 (Night)

Saint Domingue

We arrived in Saint Domingue a few hours after noon. I decided to dine on my ship before leaving to go tell the French authorities about our prisoner. While I did, I was reading over some of my favorite scripture. It gave me peace, but I couldn't decide if that was because of the holiness of it or the fact that every word reminded me of my beautiful wife. And each and every time I thought of her, my soul knew peace. After dinner, I boarded a dingy and rowed myself to shore. I reported our ship and told the dock guards of my purpose under the moonlight of a clear, Caribbean night. 

“My name is Maxxwell Warren, and that is my ship-“ 

“Papers, Monsieur. And state your business in Saint-Domingue.” The guards French accent was heavy. 

“I don’t have any papers, I just have this letter.”

I handed them my Letter of Marque from the English crown. 

“Ahh we have ourselves a Pirate, do we?” 

“No sir, I work for the Royal Crown of Britain. That is my Letter of Marque”

“And how does a business man like yourself end up at a neutral port like this, I wonder?”

He folded the letter back up and handed it back to me. 

“I need to speak with the Baron. I have a French prisoner on board my ship and I would like to exchange her for gold.” 

“Her?” 

“I would rather not go into anymore detail at this time until I can speak with the Baron. Thank you.” 

“Actually, you’re a pirate. An English one, at that. We don’t really have much respect for either one of those two things, Monsieur.” 

I reached out and grabbed one of the guards and put a small blade to his neck while withdrawing my pistol and aiming it at the other. 

“Listen to me you little Frenchmen, I have a valuable prisoner on board my ship that I think your commanding officer might want back in his possession. You will take me to him, now, or I will cut you both down and find my own way. The choice is yours, lads.” 

After a few seconds of silence, the two guards decided it was in their best interest to take me to the Baron. 

After arriving at the Fort, I was taken to the Baron’s office which was at the utmost center of the structure. I was a lone Englishmen among a sea of Frenchmen. It was safe to say I was uneasy. 

“Monsieur, Maxwell Warren, is it?” The Baron asked a he entered his office and shut the door. I had already been sitting at his desk. 

“Indeed, sir. Pleasure to meet you.”

We shook hands. The Baron started. 

“Now, I believe you claim to have a prisoner for me?”

“Yes sir, I came across an African lady on what appeared to be an abandoned ship of yours about a day outside of port. The ship was not abandoned, it was lifeless. All that remained were the remains of the crew and this Prisoner. She was in the brig and the door was unlocked. My first mate tells me she is Voodoo, if that means anything.”

I stopped speaking because of the Frenchmen’s face. He looked at me with great startle and worry. 

“Was she wearing a mask?”

“If you wish to call it that, yes.”

“Is it made from human bone?”

“I believe so.” 

The Frenchmen paused to call one of his guards over. He whispered something to him and then the guard exited the room. 

“I would like to be informed of what is going on.” I was growing restless. After all, that Lady was still on my ship. 

“What makes you think I want her back, Captain?”

The sentence alone had me second guessing my decision. 

“If you don’t want her, I’ll sell her to the British.”

As I started to leave the Frenchmen came to his senses. 

“Wait!”

He reached down and pulled open a drawer. Out of it, he grabbed a chest. He put a key in it and unlocked it. He opened the chest and retrieved money from it. While it was open, my eyes caught glimpse of a small collection of bones in the corner of it. My mind was quickly distracted as the same guard that had exited the room before came crashing through the office doors. 

“Baron, Baron! Come quick, you must see this!”

The Baron and I quickly rose from our seats and ran to the walls of the fort. The fort sat up on a hill looking down over the bay. As we approached the walls, I could see a red glow. 

“My God in heaven.” The Baron gasped. 

The French fleet that was sitting in port was set ablaze. One by one we watched as the last few were set on fire from what appeared to be within. My ship appeared to be next. 

“Meet me down at the docks.”

With that I jumped from the walls and onto the roof of a small ammunition hut before jumping down again onto the ground. I quickly located a horse within the fort and then raced out of it and down towards the bay. The only thought I had in my mind was that of my crew and if they were safe. I arrived at the shoreline to see that my ship was still not ablaze. I jumped into the dingy and started rowing towards the vessel. The fire illuminated the dark night. The sound of the flames all throughout the port almost sounded like constant roar of thunder. An image then halted my row. 

“No.”

I saw smoke beginning to rise from the inside of my ship. 

“No!”

I started to row faster. It seemed like I had to row miles to get there. As I continued to row I looked up only to see flames. I was shocked at how quickly my ship was burned. The fire started to consume the deck, and like a fast moving spill, began to spread to the sails and masts. My ship was lost to fire, and so was my crew. I stopped rowing just yards from the ship. I could feel the fires heat. There was no sense in boarding the ship now, it was engulfed. Anything and anyone still on it was burned. 

I felt drained of everything. I changed my gaze from the flames to the water. A dark water that reflected the carnage above it. I noticed something floating towards me. It was the body of the Lady in Bones. She was holding something up to her heart. My bible. The body floated right next to my dingy. I reached down and grabbed the bible from her cold hands. I noticed something new about the cover. She had made scratch marks all over it. As I stared at it, puzzled, she suddenly came alive and reached up and grabbed my arm and pulled me into the dark water with her. 

There was a struggle following that. We were grabbing and pulling at anything we could on each others body. I tried to get back up to the surface but she grabbed my leg and pulled me down. As I grabbed her throat I felt something penetrate my side. I withdrew my knife and cut at her stomach. We were now wrestling in a blood soaked, murky water. I finally broke free and surfaced, gasping for air. I swam to the dingy to stay afloat. Just as I was climbing back into it I heard something. 

“Captain!” 

I could never mistake that thick, West African accent.

“Khari.”

I turned and saw him swimming towards me.

“Khari, no! Swim back to the shoreline!” 

As he grew closer something attacked him. I dove back in the water and headed for him. While submerged, I arrived at Khari to see him unconscious and floating. Still submerged, I then turned to my left and saw the white of the skull mask right in front of me. She let out a demonic scream and collided with me. The collision knocked the knife from my hands. I tried to reach for it but she was dragging me away from it and closer to the fire. I turned and began to pull her hair, so much that her scalp bled. She turned and scratched my face which allowed me to place both of my hands around her neck and squeeze. I could tell she needed air. She began clawing at my skin while I held her beneath the surface, my face at this point just barely above water. I felt the claws digging away at me as she struggled to rise. She then stopped. I stuck my head back underwater and saw her beginning to swallow the ocean as she could no longer hold her breath. I wouldn't let go until I knew for sure. Finally, her body collapsed on itself, her lungs filled with water, and she drowned.

“Khari!” I yelled while returning to the surface. 

I found his body and swam to shore with it. 

“Khari! Come on, lad, don't go on me just yet.” 

I pulled him all the way out of the water and onto the sand. I proceeded to give him air and push in on his chest. 

“Damn you, Khari, don’t you leave me too.” 

After several more seconds of pushing, Khari awoke in a gasp of air. He started coughing as I sat back to rest. 

“Christ, am I glad to see you breathing.” 

“Monsieur, Maxx.” 

It was the French Baron from the fort. He and some 20 men were awaiting us at the shoreline. 

“What of my prisoner?”

I rose to my feet and then helped the dazed and stumbling Khari to his. I started to walk past the Baron.

“I let the sea have her.” I replied while patting him on the arm. 

The guards behind him then aimed their rifles at me and Khari. They surrounded us. We both put our hands up. I turned to look at the Baron. He was looking onto the scene of fire in his port. 

“Well, she had a price on her head. Since you killed her…that price is now on your head.” He said while turning with a grin on his face and my ship burning behind him.  

Author's Note

My friends, please leave your thoughts below and tell me what you liked and perhaps what could be better. And tell me what you think may happen in the next installment! Thank you all, as always, for your kind remarks and taking the time to read. I am thoroughly greatful.

Reviews

[terry smith]

Very interesting story!! there are a few places where the wording could be changed a little to make it feel more natural,but overall very good job...I would think in the next part maybe he is visited in prison my the new voodoo queen who would give him the choice of dying on the gallows or become her servant.

[Colton Warr]

Thank you very much, Terry! I appreciate the kind words! I will go through and do another round of editing to see if I can't make it feel a bit more natural. I'm glad you enjoyed the story! That is an interesting guess, my friend, you will have to wait and see! The third installment will be out sooner than you think! Thanks for reading!

[terry smith]

Let me know when it is ready and I will read it!!

[Warrior]

Great story telling. This did justice in the realm of getting the message across. Great message. There's lot of times where a story can have a great message to aim for, and have a lot of under lining things but then no one gets it, and if no one gets it, then the point has failed. But in my opinion this did well to get the message across. You made it clear, which is why I think it's good. Keep up the good work. What was also great was that I could imagine the story as I read it, and that is also a strong point of stories. The ability to have the reader imagine it because after all we're reading not watching it, but it was as if I was there as I read this, and that is great. Good job once again.

[Ms. Twitch]

Reading the last line reminded me of when only two or three Harry Potter books were out, and we were waiting for the next to find out. Only having our imaginations of who and what will come next. I absolutely loved this story, the details painted the characters perfect, and the mystery of Lady Bones. I enjoy stories of the sea and pirates, ever since I was a little girl. This captivated me and I wonder who she is and if she's from French royalty and where she came from. Beautifully written! Thank you for this, and I can't wait to read the next installment! :)

[Cyndy Robinson]

I did not read the first installment. I am not identifying with the characters in this one. That maybe be a problem with "installments". It has a great dialogue it is well written, but I am just not being drawn in, maybe I would be with the first installment. Its a problem with reviewing things this way. My comment would be that the characters need to be developed a bit more, but perhaps they dont. It might have already been done. Hard to read something in the middle.

[Mary Swingler]

Mr. Warr, you are clearly on the road to fulfilling your dream. Your interest in history and travel combine your two passions in an imaginative story. You create an adventurous tale from the ship's log. You have a strong story line or plot.
Sometimes I feel that your language is not consistent or accurate. The terms "captain," "cap," and "cap'n." If I am not mistaken, "captain" is the more precise terminology.
Another problematic element in the content of your story is the Phantom reference. I am curious to know the source of this term. I researched this meteorological term, but I could find no information about this type of storm. I did read some articles about a different phenomena. Sometimes in a foggy environment, the apparition of a Phantom ship becomes visible just above the water.
I wish you had included more details about your characters. You could elaborate more about their thoughts and feeling. Perhaps let the story reveal more aspects of their personality. This would create more genuine characters that your readers could identify with.
I have no idea what will be the next installment of your story. The only idea that seems normal under these circumstances would be for the captain to return home to recover from his recent tragedy. He lost his wife, all the men aboard his ship, which was also destroyed.
You are the author, the storyteller, does your creative imagination whisper to you?I will look forward to the next addition of your saga.
I was blessed to read and review your creative work. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.
a fellow writer.

[Richard Patrick]

It has alot of depth. The woman was a voodoo priestess, she has destroyed the ship. The crew of the ship werre dead. She was standing there in brig. The crew had been slain or so, they thought by her. They could have been. The crew taken back by her.
She cast a spell on the ship, the ship was set a blaze. Why was the captian so certian that they would bring the her here. With the intention to turn her over to the count. The count seemed not to be interested in her. Until your captain pointed his pistol at him.
She destroyed the french fleet that was at the dock, they were ablaze.

[richieb]

Colton, I thoroughly enjoyed your story. It had a fast pace and held my interest. I love sea stories from that era especially when pirates are involved. Had a Michael Crighton flavor alike his novel "Pirate". I look for your hero's to be imprisoned and have a gallant escape perhaps finding out information on the bones in the French captains wooden chest.

[Kaliope]

A great continuation that I really enjoyed. Your style is lively and the adventure just leaps off the page. So congratulation on yet another wonderful chapter.

There is one thought however I would like to give you on your way through editing and further chapters: Beware of the ever-mindful-first-person-narrator. What do I mean by that? Well, first person has its advantages and many writers think it much easier to apply than the alternatives. Nevertheless, there is one huge disadvantage many overlook: We're stuck inside a single person's mind. A mind which - naturally - can and will reflect on the things going on, but also a mind that is bound to dismiss and overlook certain details. If it doesn't, it tends to comes across as exaggerated and thus unnatural. A few examples:

"I returned to my quarters and retrieved my bible. I picked it up with my right hand…" Did he really take such care to choose the right hand? Isn't that second nature to a pious man like him?

"I placed my hat upon my head and fastened my belt, equipped with my Spanish made cutlass and pistol, around my waist…" I assume the Captain dressed a whole lot of times in his life, so would he really be mindful of every piece of clothing and equipment he dons and where exactly it goes?

"With that I jumped from the walls and onto the roof of a small ammunition hut before jumping down again onto the ground." Nice to know it's an ammunition hut, but why does he care when he's worrying about his men? (And - to be honest - why should the reader?)

There are quite a few more examples but I hope you see what I mean. I'd like to point out that almost each occurrence on its own is fine and justifiable. The Captain is a religious man, so he might be taking great care never to use his left hand to pick up a bible. And he seems to have a narcissistic streak, so he might be going the extra mile in his thoughts to make sure he's perfectly attired. It's just the amount of such moments that distracts a bit.

Rest assured that I'm criticizing on a very high level here. I really like this tale and the way you're telling it. It's engaging, great fun to read and I'm definitely looking forward to the next chapter.

Cheers,

Kali

[Irenic]

please write and publish third installment as soon as you can please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it is simply amazing piece which binds my interest completely. My eyes were somehow glued at screen looking at words and reading it.
and now i want to request you to please save Maxwell and do something so that he would not get punish,please.
your story is simply amazing. Your effort and writing skills should be appreciated.
thanks for sharing such a intriguing piece with us. :)

[Celie Rose]

I enjoyed reading your story...kind of reminds me of a good ole swashbuckler sea adventure. Kept my attention throughout the whole story. Am very curious as to what will happen next. Well written..Keep writing.

[Colton Warr]

Thank you so much, Celie! I appreciate the kind and encouraging words! I'm glad you enjoyed this one and the swashbuckling adventure within. Stay tuned, the next one will be on here sooner than you think! Thank you so much for giving this a read!

[K.M]

This story is amazing! And it has great potential :) Great plot, and 100 points for creativity :) - Kenzie

[Colton Warr]

Thank you so much, Kenzie! Your words are too kind! I'm glad you enjoyed this piece and I appreciate you saying that it has potential. Because there will indeed be another installment! I appreciate the positive review! Thanks for giving this a read!

[Colton Warr]

I apologize for the late response!

[K.M]

Anytime Colton :) And its okay, I don't mind :)