Perseus Sterling

25 August 1758


I have been pressured by my wife and children to write a memoir of my adventure from years ago. I must now therefore travel to a simpler time, when I was a captain of a small transport ship.


I remember us sailing through a terrible storm. We must have lost about 3 men while going through that disaster! We were trying to escape, and there was no escape: Our ship was launched towards an island, and was crushed into a rock. Nobody except me survived. I passed out.


When I woke up, I was tied to a tree. I was sure I would die of starvation, but then I saw them appearing one by one behind a large rock: Four men, all dressed with terrible, ripped clothes. Could they be…? But no. I thought there was no way they were… I can’t even say the word. However when they approached me and started talking, I was certain: These men… they were…



PIRATES!


They approached me and untied me. They then escorted me, at the point of the sword, to their leader. I shall never call him captain, for these scum should never assume such a title reserved only for worthy sailors.


After walking for an hour, with only tiny breaks to catch a breath and drink water, I saw a small town. We walked for half an hour and we were there. When we arrived, they escorted me towards a large building. It looked like a ship that had been heavily broken down and reconstructed to become a building.


One of them knocked on the door, and they escorted me inside. It was dark.


-Hello? I shouted.


Nobody responded, but they made me walk forward a bit and then sit down in a chair. At first I didn’t see the chair and stumbled on it, hitting my leg. I then sat down. I could barely see it, but I was sure someone was standing on the other side of the room and looking me in the eyes.


I then heard him get up, and I heard him talk towards a candle. He snapped his fingers and one of the men who had forcibly brought me here gave him a small matchbox. He took out a match and set it on fire by rubbing it quickly on the box.


He lit the candle, revealing his look:


He was an average-height man, with grey hair -although he did not look that old otherwise- and a mustache. He was tanned, and looked Greek. He was fat, and his eyes were a fiery orange. He was dressed in a red coat and underneath the coat was a black shirt.


His pants were bright blue. His belt black, like his shirt. He also wore a golden chain with a Constantinato pendant, also gold.


In the room there was also a budgerigar on a wooden perch. Probably his pet.


-Who are you? I asked him.


He said, in a heavy Greek accent:


-The name be Sterling. Perseus Sterling.


-What do you seek from me?


-Nothing but ye peaceful cooperation.


-Peaceful cooperation?! You tied me to a tree and forced me here!


-Be that as it may, I need ye.


-What could you possibly need me for?


-You be not the only survivor on that ship, savvy?


I was shocked.


-There are other survivors?


-Yes, there be other survivors. And I be needin your help so they do not resist when I be robbing them of the cargo they are transporting!


-Look, there’s no way me and my crew are letting you steal the cargo.


-Do ye prefer they be killed by me and my crew?


-No. But we won’t let you take cargo that rightfully belongs to the monarch of the United Kingdom!


-I be not one to care about your stupid institutions and your kings and queens! I be one to only fear Jesus who can punish me soul, and not those that can destroy me flesh! Besides which, I be holding all the cards. You are not free to leave. Choose: Either you be responsible for the deaths of about a dozen sailors, or you cooperate and we let you go afterwards! The choice be yours!

I had to cooperate. Therefore, I led them to where the ship had crashed.


When we arrived, we found the sailors armed with whatever weapons had survived: Some swords and only about two to three flintlocks. Now, when they saw us approaching, they prepared to fight us but when they saw me, they stopped.


-My dear crew, these men come in peace, they mean no harm. We should let them take our cargo peacefully, and in exchange they will let us go!


The crew agreed. Sterling and his crew began taking the cargo: Chickens in cages, crates with gold, silver, and more.


However, one of my crewmates took out his sword and tried to sneak behind Sterling and stab him. Before he was about to stab him, one of Sterling’s birds -a beautiful canary he had in a very small cage that he always carried with him- started chirping, and Sterling turned around and saw the sailor.


He wasted no time: He took out his sword and decapitated him. His head fell to the ground, and Sterling kicked it towards me.


-Now, since you didn’t teach discipline to your sailors, I shall kill you all one by one!


His crew laughed. It was then that the scariest part of my adventure began: The battle.


They charged at us and my crew resisted. A huge fight broke out.


I saw them dying in front of my eyes: They were decapitated, stabbed, and had their necks broken. Now, I was the only one left.


I ran and ran until I reached an abandoned row boat. I got inside and started rowing away. When I was miles away, I heard his laugh. It was so loud, my ears started bleeding.


But I was alive at last. I had survived. And thankfully, I was able to return to my wife and children, and write this from the safety of my couch!