The Village – Part VI : The Sea Captain by David Crerand
The seas were continuing to build , and I was tossed up against the bulkhead as I struggled to pull the captive up the ladder to the afterdeck . She was young , and unaccustomed to the sea , and had been held in darkness below deck for two days now , still , she knew to fight . The Captain , coming out on deck just after sundown , had ordered that I bring her to him at midnight . The storm had come upon us since then .
I held tightly to her wrist with one hand , while with the other I opened the hatch to the deck . As I forced the door open against the driving wind , she tried to pull away . I drove my knee into her stomach , forcing all the air and fight out of her . I regretted having to do it , but the Captain had ordered that she be there promptly .
The rain pelting us was so heavy that we were both immediately drenched to the skin . Ship ’ s bosun , and my co-conspirator , stood the wheel .
“ Mr . Ryan ,” I shouted into the gale , “ fasten the wheel at present heading and give me a hand .” He drew a well-worn , rope yoke , fastened to the deck , and draped it over opposite spokes on the wheel , securing the course . The sleeve on the girl ’ s dress ripped as I dragged her across the deck . Catching her breath , she began to struggle again . Mr . Ryan came to my aid and we quickly raised her to a standing position , pushed her back up against the
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