Chapter 3: The Crew

The captain chuckled at Jackson's outburst. He was amused by his reaction. He had seen many strange things in his life, but never someone who appeared out of nowhere in his cabin. He wondered where Jackson came from and how he got here. He sensed that he was not from this world. He decided to have some fun with him. He put his arm around Jackson's shoulder and led him to the door. "Calm down, lad. No need to be rude. I didn't do anything to you. You just fell out of the sky. Maybe it was fate that brought you here. Maybe you're meant to be a pirate. Come on, let me introduce you to my crew. They're the best bunch of people you'll ever meet." he said cheerfully.

Jackson tried to resist, but the captain was stronger than he looked. He dragged him out of the cabin and onto the deck. Jackson blinked as he saw the bright sun and felt the warm air. He saw dozens of people working on the ship, singing songs, telling jokes, playing games. They were all dressed in colorful clothes, with hats, scarves, earrings, and tattoos. They had swords, daggers, pistols, and muskets. They looked like pirates, but they didn't act like pirates. They didn't seem cruel, greedy, or violent. They seemed happy, friendly, and peaceful.

The captain waved his hand and shouted. "Ahoy, mates! I have a surprise for you! This is Jackson, our new recruit! He just dropped in for a visit! Say hello to him!" he announced.

The crew stopped what they were doing and looked at Jackson with curiosity and amusement. They greeted him with smiles and cheers. "Hello, Jackson! Welcome aboard! Nice to meet you! You're one lucky lad!" they said.

Jackson felt overwhelmed and embarrassed. He didn't know how to react. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be a pirate. He wanted to go home.

But he had no idea how to do that.