Captain Brownie The old sailor, gray with experience and tough with wear, pointed out into the moor at a fine sail boat. The lantern in his hand dimly lighting the surrounding area caused the dark water to sparkle. The foggy night air filled his nose as he inhaled, preparing to speak. "That's the boat that will lead us to riches beyond our wildest dreams, boy." he said with a crazy shine to his eyes. The old fisherman had convinced himself that an irregular would give him luck in finding treasure if he took one on his boat. "So, all I have to do is sail with you and you'll take me right back here to get paid, right sir?" "That's right. All you have to do is be my luck charm and if everything goes as planned, you'll get a hefty bonus in pay." As a young man, the sailor was mentored by an experienced, old fisherman and adventurer by the name of Brownie. He took in the young man off of the street because he saw potential and youth in him. James just had poor luck and was living as an irregular and the sailor was getting on in his years and hadn't had any children or a legacy of any kind. Knowing he would just be forgotten along with his beloved boat, he taught the young man everything he knew about the ocean and instilled values and morals in the boy. The young man looked up to Brownie as a father and fully intended to keep adventuring and enjoying #life after he was gone. The fateful day came, however, when Brownie slipped on his boat in the middle of the ocean and hit his head, causing the now frail old sailor to bleed profusely. They both knew he wouldn't make it back to land in time, so James knelt over him, trying to comfort him. Brownie smiled, letting his 'son' know that it was his time and said with much labor, "I'm not a wealthy man, my boy, but sharing my boat with you has made my #life rich." That being said, Brownie drew his last breath, leaving James to take over as captain. As James became an old man, his mind began to slip away from him. He started to think he was back with Brownie, sailing and adventuring without a care. The boat became Brownie to him, and he talked to it and occasionally it was talk back to the delusional old sailor, until one day all the boat would repeat was the last thing Brownie said to him: "I'm not a wealthy man, my boy, but sharing my boat with you has made my #life rich." These words replayed in his mind over and over as the deteriorating mind interpreted its once clear meaning. This started the ritual of taking young irregulars off of the street and paying them to sail with him in the hopes that he would find riches. Pulling out of the weathered dock, James smiled wearily at the boy standing next to him on the boat. "Have you ever sailed, my boy?", asked the captain. "No sir", replied the rather dirty child. "I've never even left the area you found me, sir." "I understand, son. I used to be just like you. Just bad luck, I suppose. Luckily, I was saved by Brownie, here. He's been good to me, he has." said James, patting the large wheel lovingly." Confused, the boy asked "whatever do you mean, sir?" "Captain Brownie, of course, boy. He's here with me all the time. It's funny, he has this idea that a young man like yourself will help me find treasure. You wouldn't happen to know where any treasure is, do you?" Said James with slight frustration mixed with excitement in his voice. "No, sir. Actually, that's my problem. I can't seem to get my hands on any money, which is why I took this job. If you need me to help on board, I can, sir." said the boy, peering around the boat for a possible job. "No! I mean... You really have no idea about any treasure in these parts?" shouted James, trying desperately to calm himself. "Please, sir. I told you that's why I came with you. I need money." pleaded the nervous boy. Brownie took a deep breath and held it for a moment, staring at a cove they were quickly approaching before releasing it. "Of course you don't know what I'm talking about. I bet you think I've gone mad!" shouted James with a wavering laugh. At this, the boy smiled uneasily, realizing the boat had stopped in the cove. "May I ask why we're here, sir?" he asked curiously. "I'll tell you why we're here, my boy" said the sailor with a crazed visage, grabbing the boy by the hair with his bony fingers. "Because somebody won't tell me here the riches are! Now tell me, boy!" demanded James, less than an inch from the now hysterical boy's face. "I swear I don't know, sir. I swear it. Please let me go. Please, just-" the sobbing boy sputtered before the insane sailor roughly slammed the child's head against the floor of the boat. Then again, with brute force. With a look of anger and pure anguish, James continued to slam the child's head against the floor until it was unrecognizable. He picked up what remained of the boy and carried him into the peaceful looking cove and looked down into a crack in the rock. His eyed scanned over what had to be over fifteen small bodies- or what remained of them as he gently placed his newest guest next to the last. He watched them for quite a while as they gently swayed back and forth as the waves lapped over the rocks into their watery tomb. Turning back to step into the boat, James looked frustratedly at Brownie and asked "How many more, captain? How many will be enough to make my #life rich?"