Devil's Luck Pirates

Every person is bound to see the sunrise for the last time.

Some fear this idea. Others desire it with all their passion.

And when they know this is their last sunrise, they cry in fear and try to escape to see it just one more time. But for me? Oh, I was counting the days to my last sunrise.

It's a cold morning. The markets at the docks haven't even opened yet when they came to my cell.

I stand up from my bed and happily follow the guards together with the others. We talk about how glorious and memorable this day will be for the rest of the town.

As we walk outside, we see the crowd of people waiting for us. We respond to their cheers with waves and smiles.

I walk through the crowd recognizing almost all of them. In the end, the scaffolding of the gallows is waiting for me.

At the end of the crowd, right before the stairs, my father is waiting for me. Tears running through his face. He gives me a tight hug and tells me how proud he is of me. Our ancestors always met their end at the gallows. A tradition that started with our predecessor who built them a long time ago.

I walk up the stairs with the others, and I climb up the stool as I wait for the rope to come around my neck. The mayor starts to give his usual rousing speech.

I can almost see the whole city from up here. I can see the school where I've met most of my friends. The mayor's manner sitting on top of the hill near the woods where I used to go play with my brother. And of course, the tavern where I spent a long time with my father playing cards and making a lot of money from strangers.

That tavern is where my opportunity to be up here presented to me in the form of a silver spoon with a very fancy "M" engraved on it. I have to thank those guys if they...

My thoughts trail off as I remember that I won't get the chance to meet with those guys again.

Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate the opportunity to be here at the gallows, but I just lament the fact that I won't be able to thank them for giving that spoon.

Now that I remember, I was supposed to go play with Marcos today.

Also, Rebecca said that she had something to tell me. I wonder what that is...

Oh, Mrs. Carmen also asked me to help her with her stool on the market tomorrow. And his son also wanted me to teach him how to play card games.

And Samillion still owes me those 5,000 Bellies.

I can see all of them from up here. Cheering with all their might as the guards put the ropes around our necks.

Well, this is it. The moment I've been waiting for.

The executioner pulls the lever and the trapdoor below him opens. Dropping the stool the grown and hanging him.

The crowd's screams get louder as the man stops moving.

Then there's the next one. And the same thing happens. Apparently, I'll be the last one.

The mayor keeps talking some nonsense that I don't even bother to listen to. I'm just waiting for my moment to shine.

The executioner seals the fate of another one. A woman this time. Only two more to go.

I observe the crowd, all their happy faces, their smiles, and their euphoria. It must be really fun to be down there...

Another one hangs lifeless on the rope. Just one more...

What is this feeling? This sudden tightness in my chest. Am I afraid to die? Am I afraid of the very thing that I always wanted?

The executioner stands beside me. His hand on the lever that can seal my fate and en my life.

The mayor spits some more nonsense and the crowd cheers claiming for the hanging of a twelve-year-old boy.

...You know what? I am afraid. I don't want to die. I want to go play with Marcos. I want to know what Rebecca wanted to tell me. I want to go help Mrs. Carmen and teach her son how to play cards. And I want my damn 5,000 Bellies.

I start to shake profusely trying to free my hands so I can run to see another sunrise. I start to protest and scream for help. But all they do is cheer.

The mayor tosses the very same spoon that put me in this situation at my feet and ordered the executioner to pull the lever.

The trapdoor below me opens in an instant. The spoon falls to the ground below together with the stool making me a part of the Gallows

I feel the rope tightening on my neck taking my life away. Until suddenly, the rope snaps, and I fall to the ground.

I expect the cold and solid ground to receive me, but I only feel a pair of equally cold arms preventing me to fall to the ground.

I only take a quick glimpse at the hooded figure before she puts me down and turns to face two guards that came to finish the job that the rope wasn't able to.

My savior takes out a dagger and dashes towards the guards.

He dodges the two swords that come his way like nothing and slashes the throat of one of the guards and stabs the other one. They both fall to the ground dead.

More guards enter the scaffolding with their swords and spears in hand.

The hooded figure takes a step back and takes out of his pouch something very peculiar.

It's a tiny white snake. He whispers something to the snake and throws it to the ground.

The tinny snake then suddenly grows into a giant, intimidating snake with giant fangs and a blade for a tail that it uses to destroy part of the scaffolding blocking the way of the guards.

The giant snake then returns to its original size and slides back into the pouch at the hooded person picks me back up.

I managed to get the spoon from the ground before he carries me away into an alleyway. Leaving the furious mob behind.

After dodging and killing some more guards, we reach the edge of the island where a small boat covered in vines and leaves awaits us. He puts me inside and we quickly set sail.

After setting up everything, My savior removes its hood to reveal a pale, busty woman with green hair, snake-like eyes, and a rather revealing bikini made out of leaves.

She cuts me free, removes the rope around my neck, and sits beside me.

-What a day, Am I right? – She asks with a calm and almost melodic voice – You were so happy to be up there. What made you change your mind all of a sudden?

I look back at Gallows Island and remember all the things I wanted to do before dying. But now, there's no point in wanting to do any of those things.

Then, I look at the spoon in my hand. It's silver from being by the droplets of water that fly into the small boat. There's only one thing left for me to do.

-Revenge.

I say with anger filling my voice as I squeeze the piece of cutlery in my hand.

The woman simply smiles and looks forward into the sea.

-I think the old man will find a good use for you then...

I won't rest until you see your last sunrise, William...