Bloodworth's Den

When the young Amelia is left for dead in the freezing snow by a senator's arrogant son, old Nan tells her the 18th Century story of a framed army captain named John who uses a full moon, beastly curse to gain vengeance against the greedy nobleman who murdered his family. With the assistance of a pirate crew, and the mentorship of a crazed Frenchman, will John be able to get the revenge he seeks? And will he find true love during his quest for justice?

Death On The Waters:( Ruining a Business) "The fishing vessel reached the port of Nassau in six days after having a bit of harsh weather hinder their return trip. After a day of resupply and gathering the rest of the crew, the Victor headed out to open waters again on an urgent mission to find the British Colonial ship closest to their position before the full moon's rays illuminated the night..." John was beginning to feel the aggression build within him as the time crept closer and closer. Two days before the accursed night, Iso shouted from the crow's nest and pointed at the horizon as a ship was seen far off in the distance. The flag couldn't be discerned, but they would have to give chase regardless since time was no longer a choice. Kimbala gave the order, and Brager turned the wheel in pursuit, preparing to use his exceptional sailing skills again. As the time ticked down and they sailed closer and closer, Kimbala could see through the spyglass that the British Colonial flag blew in the breeze, giving a slight sense of relief. Kimbala lowered the glass and flashed John a reassuring grin, "Mr. Bloodworth, you're in luck. It's the Heracles, I think. We know this ship from its size and color of the sails. It's loaded down. See how low she rides the waves? It will be a good haul if we can get the upper hand. Now, to catch her and let the beast have his way, huh?" John smiled a devilish grin while Kimbala began to laugh in excitement. Mr. Gunn flashed a short wink at John as a gold-seeking grin crossed her lips. A day of chasing the large, well-protected ship yielded an ever-closer prize of rich spoils and a plan in John's mind to get aboard her. While looking out onto the horizon and following the movements of the Heracles, John heard a sweet, innocent voice. Alice, who had refused to stay in Nassau and wanted to sail with Iso, would be a good distraction and possibly give him the time he required to make the change. John turned to Mr. Gunn as she stood beside him and flashed a confident grin that she answered with a smile of curiosity and an inquisitive look crossing her face. On the day of the full moon, the Victor trailed the great trade ship but inched ever closer. The Heracles noticed the Victor following and began to turn as it got close enough to pose a threat. As the late afternoon came and the ships were heading towards each other, John prepared to go for a swim again as he had the last time. Since he didn't want to destroy his clothes, John prepared to strip down and go naked into the cold water. He started to remove his breeches when Mr. Gunn walked to him with flirty delight in her eyes and a bundle of cloth in her arms. "You can wear this...for modesty...if you want." She shook her head, looked John up and down, and smiled in a way that told John she truly hoped he would refuse as she held out a wee kilt of Gunn tartan. As John raised a questioning eyebrow, Mr. Gunn smiled, "It's a wee kilt. It's a simple pleated fabric that you wrap around you and pin. When you grow, you'll break a pin, and it'll fall, but it'll cover your arse until you do." She reached down to John's waist, pulled down his breeches, and wrapped the kilt around him, fastening it with a small, brooch-style pin. As she stood up to face John, she gave him a passionate kiss, looked at him with a dark, humorous smile, and asked, "Are you going for a swim or a dog paddle, Land Captain?" John rolled his eyes at her before slightly snickering and responding, "Alright...that was pretty good." The sun was going down when Brager ordered the slowing of the Victor, allowing the Heracles to close in quickly, bringing the prey to the predator. As the Heracles came upon the starboard side of the Victor, the gunports opened with cannons at the ready. John climbed into the water quickly & quietly and began to swim to the ill-fated ship as a commanding voice from the Heracles yelled, "No sudden moves, or we'll blow you out of the water. Why are you following us?" With a scream of murder, Alice yelled out, "Don't hurt me. My husband and I were kidnapped by these pirates. They intend to rob and harm us. Please help us." An unconvinced look crossed the face of the apparent captain, who snobbishly turned his nose up and responded, "Shut up, Girl. I don't believe you." Alice wept and pleaded desperately, her tears flowing freely. "You have to believe me! I don't want to die. Please, Sir..." Iso grabbed Alice in mid-sentence, laughing maniacally, as he pulled her below deck in a staged and rehearsed routine to get her out of harm's way should the shooting start. With a stern voice and confidence in his power, the Heracles captain exclaimed, "We'll get to the bottom of this. Prepare to be boarded." John's voice came from behind the captain, startling him and the men on deck, "It's true, Sir. These pirates abducted me and my poor young wife and are planning to do, God knows what to her. To us. You have to help us." As John stood before them, soaking wet, out of breath, and wearing nothing but a wee kilt, the captain's expression turned to stunned curiosity as he asked, "How did you get on my ship?" The Heracles Captain walked to John, slowly and cautiously, while five of the ten guards on deck had numerous guns pointed at him. Putting on his best ruse, John acted scared and nervous, "I managed to escape my guards and jump overboard. When your ship turned to face them, they panicked, and I saw my chance. I jumped in the water and swam here to safety." With aggravation in his voice and an irritated look in his eyes, the captain said, "I don't believe you either." Swinging his arm forward, the captain hit John across the face with the basket hilt of his sword, knocking him to his knees. The blood began to flow from John's mouth, trickling down his chin, when the blackout came over him, and he flopped onto the Heracles' deck. Unfortunately for the captain, the full moon's rays illuminated the ship, and what rose from the ground was the aggression of Hell. It grew as it stood fully upright, showing the seven foot-tall, hairy beast to everyone on board both ships. Its flat nose and flared nostrils roofed the six-inch wide, sharp-toothed maw, resembling a barbaric subhuman mixed with a vicious, blood-lusting, carnivorous brute. Its legs were like moss-layered trees ending in fur-covered feet with long, curling toes bearing sharp two-inch claws and a flexing spur on the heel. Before the captain could speak, the beast lunged forward, grabbed his sword arm, and ripped it from the shoulder with a quick jerk. It began to chew on the arm while the captain screamed in pain, and guards fired their weapons directly at the beast to no avail. To those on board the Heracles, this creature was the spawn of the Devil himself, come for vengeance. Seeing the beast up close and fearing for the Victor's crew, Kimbala yelled loudly in the night, "Fire, Mr. Gunn!" Mr. Gunn turned to the gunners with excitement, "Fire!" All the starboard guns lit up the night as the cannonballs slammed the side of the Heracles, knocking most men backward and killing many instantly. In a hurried and commanding voice, Kimbala shouted to the helm, "Get us out of here, Mr. Brager." Brager steered to port, away from the Heracles, when the carnage on board the death ship began, and the beast from Hell was unleashed in full force. One poor guard tried to shoot the beast in the head, only to have his stomach ripped open and his body dragged around so that his intestines were strewn all over the deck of the ship. One young crewman was slammed into the side of the forecastle so hard that he became nothing but a mass of blood and flesh. Another came up from the lower deck, running to the beast with a pistol, only to have the demon fiend slash upward, driving its claws under the chin and through the neck. With a quick pull, the beast tore the man's head off and threw it at his shipmates. Two guards slashed at the creature only to have the swords bounce off, leaving no visible marks. It stepped forward, grabbing both men by the necks and slamming their heads together with such force that they shattered and sprayed blood all over the deck and railing. The cannoneers of the Heracles lower deck tried to regain control of their undamaged guns and aim at the Victor, only to have buckets of blood and chunks of meat fall upon their cannons while listening to the screams from the deck above. They ran to the steps to help their friends and mates but found a massive hairy creature, ripping and tearing what used to be people, barring their way. With a sudden thud, it dropped to all fours and crept down the steps, sending panic through the men below. ### "Legend says that one poor bastard was slammed into a door with such force that he became part of the wood. But you know how legends are", Nan says with a slight grin. Amelia looks at Nan with shock and amazement while uttering, "Fuck. Oh, I'm sorry for my language." Amelia looks embarrassed as she covers her mouth, trying to smile with her eyes. With a warm grin, Nan responds, "Oh, it's quite alright, dear. Sometimes, no other word will do." Nan returns to the story as Amelia lies back, relaxing in bed. Meanwhile, on the Victor, all they heard was gunfire followed by screams that were so intense that everyone on board cringed at the thought of the hell spawn released on those men. Three of the crew began to pray, and another four held their ears, hoping to block out the sounds of the suffering that echoed off the water. Hiding behind some barrels, Alice and Iso were so shocked, having never experienced this before, that Iso held poor Alice while she could only hold her ears and whimper. The men around them, including Danes and Leverett, squeezed them while they shook, almost violently, in terror. And then, just as before, the noise suddenly stopped, and the air became eerily quiet except for the ominous howl that resonated the night. Alice slowly uncovered her ears, her eyes wide with shock and fear, as she began to look around, listening to the wind for any sound of the beast in the night. Iso released Alice from his tight grip. He eyed the Heracles with tension before turning his focus back to Alice. She looked at Iso while shaking, almost hyperventilating, with tears flowing down her face as she whispered, "Iso...what is that...thing?" Stunned and confused, Iso looked at Alice and replied, "I don't know. I think...I think that it is Mr. John. Somehow, through some dark magic, that is Mr. John." Kimbala slowly stood, walked softly across the deck, and, in a snapping whisper to the pair, said, "Quiet. No one speaks on the deck till morning." He gave a look to Iso and Alice that suggested the seriousness of his words before quietly walking away. Mr. Gunn stood and walked toward them, leaned down, and in the lightest whisper, uttered, "Welcome to hell, my friends." Her face was intense and focused as she left Alice in Iso's embrace and walked away into the dark in silence.