Chapter 15

Back to switching voices. Like I said, it is on and off. Hope you enjoy!

            “The w***e has come out.” Joshua whispers. “I wonder what her and that b*****d of a head midshipman have been doing in that room. I heard an awful lot of giggling.” They continue, thinking that me and Travis can’t hear them. I turn to Travis.

            “Actually, I am not hungry. Being insulted makes me lose my appetite. Good day.” I turn my back on all the boys, hiding my tears from them as I walk into my room.

 

            Maria hasn’t eaten anything in over 24 hours and now she won’t eat dinner. The midshipmen have scared her into her berth.

            “You are so childish! She hasn’t eaten in over 24 hours and you…” Joshua, a 13 year old, rudely interrupts me.

            “Oh, the poor b*****d has lost his b***h. Whatever shall he do now?”Joshua says, sending Steven, Maden, and Joseph into a fit of laughter. Jacob glares at me, trying to calm down Thomas. Thomas looks like he has been crying, his big, blue eyes staring at me, full of sadness.

            “You shut the hell up! This is none of your damn business!” I explode, hearing Maria sobbing quietly in her room.

            “Travis, why would you do that?” Thomas pipes up, his voice shrill and cracking from crying.

            “Do what, Thomas? I didn’t do anything.” I say, crouching down next to him and getting a better view of his red nose and blotchy skin. It is clear he has been crying.

            “Why would you hurt her? You aren’t that type of person, are you?” A big tear rolls down his cheek and I wipe it away. Sadness is obvious on his face and I know I need to tell them the truth though the older kids won’t believe me.

            “I didn’t hurt her. She is just fine. She was just sea sick and I was taking care of her. Remember how I took care of you while you were sick? That is all I did.” I speak calmly, sparing poor Thomas anymore pain.

            “Pratt told us that you hurt her.” Steven explains, his facing giving him away , letting me know that he believe me.

            “It is just a rumor. I wouldn’t do that unless we were married.” I explain, thinking that a rumor would form no matter what. The captain wasn’t too happy with our little joke.

            “Are you married?” Thomas asks, his innocence making me chuckle.

            “No, we aren’t so nothing has gone on. The only thing that is bothering her is her belly.” I rustle Thomas’ hair, his face starting to go back to its normal color and his sadness disappearing.

            “So the b***h is pregnant?” My anger explodes from me, all of it targeted at Joshua.

            “No, you son of a b***h, she is not pregnant. She is hungry because she has not eaten in over 24 hours and when she came out to eat some a*****e made a smartass comment that scared her into her berth. Now, who might that a*****e be? I don’t know, maybe Joshua.” The sobbing in her room subsides and the sound of a pen scratching on paper comes through the door, making me wonder what she is writing.

            “Travis, I don’t believe you. The captain told the entire crew what you two have done.” Joshua speaks up, telling me exactly what I needed to hear to continue.

            “We lied because we didn’t want the captain to hurt her. If we hadn’t of done that, Maria would be down in the captain’s cabin right now, lying in his bed and waiting in fear for him to get on him again. Would you like that?” I have the boys attention. Some of them are nodding their heads, telling me that they understand and agree with my choice. “Would you rather have her down here, with me protecting her? If he took her, who knows when he would come down for one of you.” All of them are nodding in agreement now and several are whispering yes. “Alright then. So you believe I bedded her now?” I ask them all but look at Joseph for his answer because he is the one who doubted me most and was the ring leader.

            “Travis, I don’t believe you did.” Joseph says sincerely, apology in he his voice. The other boys all echo him. Thomas pipes up, his face back to its normal way.

            “So you didn’t hurt her then?”

            “No, I didn’t hurt her. Don’t worry.” The room falls silent for a few moments.

            Then a blood curdling scream comes from Maria’s room.

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[Moyo]

I wonder why she screamed, to the next one!