Teen Ink

Prologue

A young girl leaned over the railing of a ship, her reddish-brown hair falling in front of her eyes. Water misted across her face, making her shiver, but she wasn’t afraid of the deep water.
“Robin!” a man called. “Get away from the edge of the ship.”
“Yes Father,” Robin sighed, she leaned away from the side of the ship.
“Thank you,” Robin’s father said.
“Sir Garrett,” Ray said. “We’ve spotted a ship!”
“Can you see it clearly?” Garrett asked.
“No Sir,” Ray replied staring over the side of the ship with a telescope in his hands. “We are close,” Ray said. “She’s got jade green sails, and she’s rather big.”
“Jade green sails you say?” Garrett said blinking his eyes. “That’d be Anna Marie, a pirate ship. Turn Jasmine around! And hurry bout it!”
Ray nodded and turned the wheel as far right as possible. “She’ll out run us, Garrett!” Ray called. “You know how fast Anna is!”
“We’ve got to try!” Garrett called back. “All men on deck! Robin get below!”
A wave splashed up on the other side and rocked the ship, sending Robin over the edge of the ship. She screamed.
“Help!” she screamed.
“Robin!” Garrett called his voice high and shrill. “Throw her something out there to get onto!”
Ray nodded, “Take the wheel, I’ll go get something!”
Garrett grasped the wheel tightly while Ray went in search for something to throw over board for Robin to hang onto.
Ray came back up from the hold with a small raft like piece of wood. He threw it over the side of the ship, “Get on that!” he yelled as loud as he possibly could.
Robin swam the best she could over to the raft. She dragged herself on it. It was going the wrong way, toward Anna Marie.
“Um, Sir Garrett! She’s going toward Anna.”
“What?” Garrett said. “Can you take a boat down there and get her?”
“Of course,” Ray said nodding. “John! Prepare a boat for me!” The man by the boats nodded, and then started to lower the boat he was closest to.
“Good luck, Ray,” Garrett said, “You’ll be needing it.”
“Of course,” Ray murmured. “I’ll get her to safety, even if it means risking my safety.”
“Thank you,” Garrett said. “I think your boat’s ready.” Ray looked to where John was and sure enough the boat was ready. Ray hurried over to the boat and pushed away from the ship.
Slowly and steadily he caught up with Robin, unfortunately Anna Marie was by their side.
“What you doing down there?” a man called.
Ray ignored them.
“Oh, you one of them guys,” the man said. “Well, you best get going before someone else on this crew finds you here. They are so ready to let you go.”
Ray sighed and rowed the boat back to Jasmine.
Robin was hauled up by her father, and Ray was helped up by John and Garrett.
“Thank you,” Garrett said his voice a little more relaxed. “John, could you take Robin down and get her something warm to eat and to wear?”
“Yes, Captain,” John said.
“Here,” Garrett said wrapping a towel around his daughter’s shoulders.
“Thank you, Father,” Robin murmured as John led her down into the hold.