Horrors of History

February 8th, 1732. This is time researcher Amy Bankes. Interviewing Edward Flannigan, AKA “Bully.” This journal entry takes place around the era where pirates were at their peak. Today I am interviewing a pirate soldier who worked with Charles Vane. Interview time, noon: (Amy:) “let’s start with your name please” (Pirate:) “I am known to my mates as Bully, but you can call me Flannigan.” (Amy:) “Well Mr. Flannigan, please speak loud and clear into this device, and we can get started.” (Flannigan:) “Well erm, MY NAME IS FLANNIGAN!” (Amy:) “Please! Not that loud, this equipment is quite sensitive” (Flannigan:) “Sorry lass, my story begins in the streets of Britain. I was orphaned by British cavalry at the age of 12, no father or mum to feed or clothe me. So, I roamed through each neighborhood, trying to find a place to call home. It was 3 years before I knew that no one would accept me into their homes, to the people, I was nothing more than common street filth. It was around 1716 where I decided to become a pirate. At the ripe age of 15, I stowed away on Vanes’ ship. I stayed hidden for a week before I was discovered. I was caught eating their reserves of salted beef. They all crowded me and lifted me out to starboard. Right then and there, I knew it was it. This crew was gonna feed my arse to the sharks. That was until Vane saved me. He ordered his men to release me, and I was faced with the captain of the Ranger. Of course, as a teen, I had no fear. So, I stared right back into his cold, dead eyes; but rather than stick me in the gut right then and there. He started laughing, as did his crew. It wasn’t long until they accepted me as one of their own. I was a young lad, but Vane took a liking to me, and gave me a spot on the Ranger as a cleaner. For 2 years I was happy and had finally found myself a home. The crew there felt like the closest things I ever had to a family since me mum died. There are countless stories I could tell you.” (Amy:) “let’s stick to the story we talked about, tell me about your experience with the Red Waters” (Flannigan:) “Apologies lassie, I tend to get carried away when talking about this. It was my 3rd year on the Ranger, and Vane finally gave me a cutlass rather than a bucket and mop. The first ship we plundered together was a blast, I still remember the fear in those British captains’ eyes as we tossed his men overboard. I stayed on that ship me whole childhood. I miss those boys dearly. (Amy:) “What exactly happened to them?” (Flannigan:) “We don’t talk, not after; what happened.” (Amy:) “And what exactly; happened?” (Flannigan:) “We were chasing down an English merchant-ship, after we had cornered them between rocks; they were forced to sail into a thick fog. Vane wasn’t the type to give up easily, so we went in after them. We operated the Bahamas, plundering traders that came and went. So you could understand our surprise when the temperatures dropped the way they did. It was so cold we couldn’t feel our hands on our blades. Some of the crew had to retreat back under the ship as we trekked on into the fog. It was so quiet; you could hear a pin drop. Vane wanted me at his side, he thought with my young eyes, I’d be able to spot the ship from a mile away; but there was no trace. On top of that the fog didn’t end, it stretched on for hours. At this point, even Vance became hopeless. Not only were we looking for the ship, but we were also looking for a way out of the dense fog. Vance ordered me to mop the centerline, I was upset to have to mop again. But it’s not smart to upset a pirate captain when you’re in the middle of the sea. So, I picked up me cleaning supplies, and swabbed puddles off the floor. After a while, me mop turned bright red. I thought it must have been the merchant ship, spilling dye off the bow. But after examining it; I saw that it wasn’t dye, but blood. I turned to Vance and hollered, “Red Waters Ahead!” Every pirate knows that red waters mean bloodthirsty sharks below the waters. After I yelled, Vance looked to the waters; they were a deep crimson red. The crew began to emerge from the cabin, they were just as confused as Vance and I; the ocean was filled with blood. It looked like something straight from the bible. This couldn’t have been the work of bloodthirsty sharks. The crew was silent, no one knew what to make of this. We all turned to Vance in hopes he knew a way out of this. He looked back at us, confused. When you’ve been a pirate for over a year, you understand that your captain is not just your boss, but your mentor, your protector, the smartest man on the whole damned ship. And even he didn’t know what to do. I looked over the side again, the water was still red, only, there was something in the sea. I thought I saw a shadow move deeper into the water. Just then, the crew shouted from the other side of the ship. “GULLY JUMPED; GULLY JUMPED!” Vance ran down the steps and looked over starboard, to see a crew mate floating overboard. I’ll never forget their eyes, clouded, dead as if their very soul was stolen by the devil himself. Suddenly another member jumped off the bow, then another, and another…” (Amy:) “Please focus, Flannigan, why did they jump?” (Flannigan:) “I… I heard music, beautiful music. I heard the angels themselves sing to me. I looked up, and I saw no angels, only when I looked down into the red waters did, I see her.” (Amy:) “See who?” (Flannigan:) “My mother, she was swimming; it looked like so much fun. I wanted to join her, I took advantage of the chaos, and walked on the plank. Vane noticed that I was going to jump, but it was too late. I was already down there, floating in the drink. I thought the water would be dark and cold; but I felt so warm, so safe. It wasn’t long until my mother swam to me, from the depths. She held my face in her palms, her hand was so soft, I closed my eyes and enjoyed her embrace. I felt at home, until my cheek started to burn, I opened my eyes and saw blood forming a cloud on the side of my face. My mother's eyes turned inky black, and her smile turned crooked, showing her blood-stained jagged teeth, her skin became pale blue and her hair dark green. The water felt so cold, I froze as she unhinged her jaw, ready to swallow me whole. Just as half my head was in her mouth, Vane pulled me from the waters and held me as he climbed up the ladder. I laid there, motionless on the centerline, Vane put a rag on my cheek and told me to hold on. I felt pressure on my head, as I passed out right then and there. When I awoke, we were back at the port, I was in Captain Vanes bed, where he stood idly by. After I sat up, he walked toward me and patted my back. I’ll never forget the last words I said to him, I told him I wanted to go home. As if that ship, as if that crew wasn’t already my home. He gave me a smile, but I knew he was upset to see me go; he gave me to a church, where they taught me to write. We wrote to each other every day, until he went to the Bay Islands, where he died to a rogue storm and the Ranger was lost. People say he was just a bloodthirsty pirate, but he was more than that to me, he was the only father I had, or ever will have. I’ll never forget him.” (Amy:) “That concludes this interview, thank you for your time, Flannigan. Please look at the tip of this device, stand very still, it will produce a flash.” (Flannigan:) “Whatever you say la-” (Amy:) “Journal entry, 1732, file name: Edward Flannigan. Story collection complete, Memory wipe complete, Document termination complete. You are a homeless drunk who roams the streets of Britain, you have no family, and you have no history” (Flannigan:) “I am a homeless drunk who roams the streets of Britain, I have no family, and I have no history” (Amy:) “Very good, now go. This is Amy Bankes, requesting a recall.” (Mysterious voice:) “Exceptional work Amy, the boss will be pleased.