Land of the Dreamers

What did he mean by that? What did I do?. I reeled back slightly trying to get my thoughts back on track.

More and more little things seemed suspicious to me;the more I thought of our brief conversation.

'He said I only get one question didn't he? But didn't I ask more than one?'

Hoonkk!!honkk!!

I pulled my time piece out of my jacket and looked at the time. It was just past 9:30 pm. The vessel would be docking soon.

Looking at him on the bench nonchalantly fiddling with his bloody bandages I decided to introduce myself to him. But he quickly distracted me and pointed in a direction.

*whistle*

" Now thats a sign of liberty don't you think?"

I turned to my left and my gaze was baked in awe as we passed a statue of bronze hundreds of feet tall. It arm outstretched toward the sky holding up a torch.

" Bellissima "

It stood proud illuminating the bay even during the darkness of the night. Its circular light rotated in a regular elipse . For a brief moment I could see the face of a woman still under construction. The men like tiny ants on her cheeks. I could not take my eyes off it until it faded back out of view into the nightly haze.

I turned around flustered forgetting my manners.

" Im sorry-…eh? Where did he go?"

I started frantically looking around the deck for him but it didn't take long for him to make his presence known.

" A foreign beauty such as yourself will be a new dawn on this land of dreams. I pray you find what you seek my darling. I could hear him but with the fog it sounded as if he was trailing off into the wind.

" Where are you!?" I frantically chased after the sound of his voice until I reached the Portside of the vessel.

Less than a few meters away was a docking area filled with newly arriving vessels and stone walkways. The vessel slowly passed rows and rows of other ships of many shapes and sizes . As for the ones that docked just before us sailors were tying ropes to the stone that jetted out of the water. Some were making sure the ship was ready for inspection and others were sitting on the edge of the water drinking to celebrate their return home.

I focused my vision onto the darkness on the edge of an empty dock. There he stood. His silky black hair flowing in the wind. His clothes in no better conditions than when we first met but he carried the aura of a true gentleman as the ship glided by.

He spoke as he receded into the distance. It was strange how his words clearly echoed in my mind.

" Let me leave you with a bit of a parting gift my beloved. A short phrase that may help you survive this challenging new world. ' Oh Ye Children of the devil be wary of angels ' ".

' Children of the devil?'

Before I could ask what he meant. He had already faded into the backgrounds of the swaying ships.

His words lingered on my thoughts for a while but I couldn't stay here for much longer. I sneakly headed below deck and slept in my room until the next morning.

Meanwhile….

"Hey! YOU LAZY ASSHOLES! Get ready its time to dock!"

A fury of men stood tall before an old man wearing a captain's insignia.His outfit was white but a bright blue jacket was hung over his shoulders that oozed authority. Around 20 men in uniform stood patiently waited for his orders. They aligned themselves by their scarf colors. Blue stood in front then yellow then white. Some auxiliary staff also found themselves standing in line but they quickly realized they were not the ones being called to action and swiftly left. When the shuffling of feat stopped the men called out.

" Yes captain!"

" I want this to be smooth and quiet we don't unload until dawn so lets not wake any of our sleeping guests.!"

He pointed to a random sailor with a blue scarf. His figure was tall and burly just what you would expect from a typical seaman. However his face and beard were well kept. Showing his pride in his looks. His hair was black bit there were slight tinges of brown to his tips. It was obvious he had spent years in the sunlight that had gradually bleached his hair.

" Cullen. Go tell the boys downstairs to cut off the engine and have them make sure the ballast hasn't taken on too much water. "

" Aye Captain." Cullens deep masculine voice said plainly as he walked below deck.

He then pointed to a group of five young men. Who seemed to still have a hard time maintaining a center of balance while standing at attention.

' I keep forgetting that we have new recruits. Hmm have to break them in with something simple.'

" You two privates. What are your names?"

They both stepped forward in line with the front row and shouted their names.

" Jacob Sir! " " Whilliam Sir"

He gave them a casual once over. They stood nervously with their chest high and hands behind their backs.

Jacob had curly brown hair and was no taller than 2/3 of a door frame. He was skinny but it seemed that life had sea had put a few pounds on his frame. He was of foreign descent maybe southern it was hard to tell with the darkness.

Glancing at Whillam's face he could pull vague memories of boy from some island up north who begged him to be a sailor.

The captain nodded at them before delegating their tasks for tonight.

" Jacob make sure everyone is where they're supposed to be. All passengers in their rooms. Including auxiliary staff. When you return inform me of any issues or concerns. "

" Yes sir." Jacob immediately flew down the staircase and began his investigation.

"For you Whillam I got a strange feeling tonight. Sweep the deck for anything strange. Doesn't matter how small or insignificant tell me anyway."

" Aye Captain." He turned deciding to start from the stern.

Noticing the three had finally left. He then addressed everyone else.

" Alright men its almost 10 If we finish before 11 you'll have the bar to yourselves till midnight. My treat. You three privates make yourselves useful in anyway you can. The rest of you know the drill. Get to work!"

They all began working with new found vigor.

Whillam while walking towards the stern saw shards and splinters of wood scattered on the ground in front of him.

He bent down to pick them up. He could tell they were recently made or whatever it was was recently broken. There was still a slight warmth around the edges of the shard.

He continued to look around to see the deck bench that had a gunshot hole in it. Deciding that whatever his investigation would yield would take to much time he decided to just inform the captain.

He ran towards the captain.

A few minutes later 3 people were gathered infront of a small bench. Jacob, The Captain and the Vice Captain , who he rarely saw as he was the one who specialized in naval operations and spent most of his time on the bridge.

The vice captain was an older man of similar age and stature to the captain. However he was alot taller and did not have a cane. He was relatively fit and even had a bit of muscle definition extending from his shoulders and biceps.

The vice captain bent down and felt the metal behind the bench and with a bit of force pulled something out of the wall.

Putting it under the lights of the ship it was a small round no more than 10 mm.

The captain held a grave expression.

" What do you think?"

" There was only a small quantity of blood on this round. It induced a flesh wound but nothing more. There doesn't seem to be any signs of a continued struggle. So whatever was being threatened didn't give up at the sight of the weapon and it became an effective warning shot. "

The vice captain put the bullet in a small paper bag.

" Although it seems we have nothing to worry about. Its left the ship."

" How do you know?" The captain inquired out of curiosity.

He pointed towards the docks. " Whoever confronted it probably only wanted something from it seeing as there was no other conflict they probably got it without issue. Unable to remain on this ship safely it fled."

" I see " The captain and vice captain continued their conversation unrestrained by the presence of the young sailor.

Whillam continued replaying the conversation in his head.

' Isnt this all a bit unnatural.? And why does he keep referring to the victim as if their an animal or not human..?'

Before his thoughts could get a clear answer. The captain called to him.

" My boy. Good job. We'll report this incident to the authorities in the morning. Go find your friends and head below deck. "

As Whillam left the capitain sighed.

" More and more are coming to this land of dreams"