Pierre, the Pirate

Pierre gave the order to sail close by and latch on to her with grappling hooks. He had no fear and neither did his crew, who had come into cold and hostile waters in search of this sort of prey. It was only when they got on board that they all knew something was really wrong. It was the stench when they got below decks and the moaning. Pierre had been on slave ships before. He was prepared for the sight of Africans chained one to another lying down on makeshift wooden shelving, but not for this. Half of the slaves were dead. The other half were dying and only God knew where the captain and crew were, having abandoned this cargo of misery to whatever pestilence stalked this ship.

Pierre returned to the deck and checked the captain's cabin. There would not be much in the cash box, since the slaves had not been sold and now it looked like they would never be. Then Pierre knew what he had to do. He asked the men to draw lots for the unpleasant task. Then he and the unlucky group went below deck to put the dying Africans to the sword. "One would put a wounded horse out of its misery the same way," thought Pierre who also cursed his luck.

Then, as he entered the middle decks filled with stench and misery, the lantern that he and his fellow assassins were using to light their way went out. Pierre uttered an oath and felt around for the stairs to the deck. They were gone. So was the odor of decaying and sick bodies. Pierre felt cold though the air around him was warm. Then he saw stars. They were golden yellow. He was on deck again, but he was alone and it was night.

A tall black man stood beside a barrel marked with the X's to indicate that it was fine Jamaican rum. Others sat at drums and other instruments. Several frightened children looked on. Women stood on the other side of the deck. Pierre had no idea what was going on. He stared out across the sea for his own ship but could not find it. He looked in both directions.

Just then the tall black man tapped the rum barrel. "We make a sacrifice to you, oh Exu, who frees the bound and who has brought a curse upon those who would take us from our native home. He has delivered us a captive and we make that captive a present to you."

That was when Pierre noticed that the tall black man had a knife. Fortunately, Pierre still had a sword and he still had his wits about him.....

1. Pierre fights the African priest who wants to sacrifice him.
2. Pierre asks the African priest: "What about the dead and dying on the 'real' ship?"

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