The Den Den Mushi (Part 3)
Yassop lay sprawled on a beach chair, a half-empty beer bottle in his hand—a reward for emerging triumphantly from a game of rock-paper-scissors against Benn Beckman. He was the first to notice the two shadowy figures in the distance. With a sharp whistle, he alerted the others. "Ohh, we're in trouble."
"Whaaat, did ya say?" Shanks swayed unsteadily as he got up from his seat. Beckman's gaze lingered for a moment. "Damn, she's quite the looker, huh?"
Shanks took a sip from his mug and slurred, "What the hell should we be worrying about? No one in this crew is going to do anything to her. They'll look, and that's it. Isn't that right, guys?" His statement carried an implicit threat, daring anyone to challenge him. There was an unspoken code among the crew—no one would lay a finger on an underage kid, especially not under Shanks' watch, not in his crew.
"Aye!" The crew members answered enthusiastically.
By the time they returned to camp, almost everyone was thoroughly wasted—everyone except Benn Beckman, who was calmly sipping tea by the bonfire. He beckoned Ann over and patted the empty spot next to him. They talked, and he shared tales of their adventures. As the night wore on, the stories became increasingly outrageous, making Ann slowly doubt his sanity. A Fishman. A Mermaid. An island under the sea. An island above the sky. A sea elephant? Why on earth would an elephant choose to live in the sea? What would it even eat?
"I'm stuck in a nightmare or a coma. Yes. That's the most logical explanation. My comatose brain is making all this weird stuff up. When I wake up tomorrow, everything will turn out to be just a dream. Sleep it off, and everything will be fine."
Sleep didn't come easy. Ann tossed and turned throughout the night. The next morning, she woke up disappointed to see Shanks' stupidly grinning face as the first thing in her view. He seemed remarkably lucid, with no traces of a hangover. "Big day today, aren't you excited?" he said. It was still dark, the sun not yet risen. Ann gave him a weak smile and nodded weakly, dreading what was to come.
It took the entire morning for the Red Hair Pirates to dismantle their camp. The remaining whiskey barrels were securely stowed away on their ship. Shanks observed the scene with a twinkle in his eye and a mischievous grin. "For a future party," he declared as the barrels were hauled onto the deck. His statement was met with a mixture of groans and cheers from his crew. Soon, they were the only ones left on the beach.
"Don't screw this up," she thought, taking a deep breath to steel herself. Ann moved forward and bowed deeply. "Thank you very much for saving me," she stuttered, wincing. The words didn't sound sincere at all. This had to be one of the worst apologies she had ever given. And with a teacher like Dave, she had accumulated a lot of experience.
"Sure you don't want to join us? Maybe hitch a ride to the nearest town? Beck scoured the entire island again this morning; there's no one left," he offered. Shanks still hadn't given up. He had been trying to recruit her all morning.
"Yes!" she replied, a little too eagerly. "I'll just... I'll wait here."
Just leave. Ann couldn't stand to spend another minute on the same island with a pirate crew. She'd feel better once they left. More in control. After that, she'd figure something out and get the hell off this island. Who was she kidding? Just leave. Her mind was starting to short-circuit with all this stress.
"Very well, I guess this is farewell," Shanks said, extending his hand for a handshake. Instead, he proceeded to scoop her up, placing her over his shoulder. Ann let out a surprised yelp as her world suddenly turned upside down.
"Let me go! You said you'd leave me here!" she cried, struggling to free herself.
Shanks laughed playfully and headed to a boat waiting by the shoreline. "Stop struggling so much. You're not wearing underwear. Let's not give these men a show." She immediately froze, her face turning beet red with embarrassment.