The Lost Treasure of Captain Blood - Secret of the Mariner's Star

By Keenan Murray

Four kids from suburbia on the hunt for lost pirate treasure discover a mystical amulet, The Star of the Mariner, that sends them back in time 300 years. Searching for the way home, they stumble across a group of treacherous kidnappers who give chase, swords drawn intent on insuring their silence. Captain Blood intervenes saving them, but they lose the amulet to the kidnappers in the ensuing melee. The kidnappers regroup and sail for the infamous pirate port of San Marie, located on a lush tropical island in the Bahamas. Once the kids enlighten Captain Blood on the kidnapper's plan to implicate him in the crime, they set sail for San Marie to clear his name and retrieve the amulet.

In San Marie, they split up, with the kids tracking down the amulet in the dusky taverns while Captain Blood rescues the kidnapped victim. When Captain Blood ventures into the village searching for the kids, the kidnappers, acting as false representatives of Her Royal Majesty, arrest him and schedule his hanging. The kids quickly conjure up a rescue plan, but have to wing-it when things go awry. With a little luck and some help from Mother Nature, they rescue Captain Blood only to lose the Star of the Mariner to a rogue pirate. With the island breaking up around them, Captain Blood rushes off to find the amulet while the kids take refuge in a nearby cave following the lead of a friendly, four-footed island native. After an avalanche barricades the entrance, they are forced to navigate the dark maze only to emerge through a secret time portal back into the future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Keenan Murray
• Release date: Mar 25, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370614059

Keenan Murray

Keenan is a professional geologist living in Phoenix, Arizona, who enjoys writing and filmmaking in his free time. When he's not working on a short story/screenplay or film, he enjoys picking guitar or rock climbing with his friends.

Book preview

The Lost Treasure of Captain Blood

Secret of the Mariner’s Star

By

Keenan Murray

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2017 by Keenan Murray

All Rights Reserved.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

The Lost Treasure of Captain Blood

The Lost Treasure of Captain Blood

It was a typical night in the Slaughtered Goat pub. A group of rough-looking pirates played cards in the corner of the dimly lit room. Smoke from pipes and cigars filled the air making it hard to see from one side of the room to the other.

A fight broke out by the bar, while a chorus of song broke out by a decrepit upright piano against the far wall played by a pirate with a hook for one hand. It was a jolly bouncy tune, making fun of the Queen of England.

At the card table, the dealer handed out the last card to the gamblers. Captain Blood secretively bent up his cards to get a peek. He had a pair of sevens and tens, and a jack. Two pairs was a decent hand, he thought, I should be able to bluff this one to a win. His icy blue eyes glanced around the table at the other players. He fingered the pile of gold stacked in front of him, his jeweled rings flickered in the light.

Across from him, Captain Reno, a squat, but powerful man with froggy jowls, grunted in appreciation as he peeked at his cards, four kings and a deuce. What'll it be, Blood?

A smile crossed Captain Blood's face. He pushed a large stack of coins into the pot. A pirate with a long nose and longer nose hair cussed and threw down his cards in disgust.

Damn you, Blood!

A thin, black pirate with big-hoop earrings smiled and gave a little laugh. Too rich for me, he said as he tossed his cards in.

Captain Reno looked down at his small stack of gold coins in anger. I don’t have that much left.

Captain Blood reached forward to scoop us his winnings, Well then, I guess I win. Reno’s hand darted out and grabbed his arm.

Not so fast, Blood. Reaching inside his jacket pocket he pulled out The Star of the Mariner, a gold amulet encrusted with rubies the size of a man’s eye. The amulet glowed and pulsed, almost as if it were alive. The long-nosed pirate whistled, the exhaled air fluttering through his nose hairs. Laying it in the center of the table, Reno said, I see your bet and raise it.

Captain Blood’s eyes bulged with surprise. Quickly he regained his composure and gave a little nod. All in, he said as he pushed the remainder of his gold into the pot. The pub grew eerily silent.

What do you got, Reno? asked Captain Blood. A big smile broke across his face as Reno laid down his four kings and a deuce. He slapped down each one on the table for emphasis. He reached for the pot. The surrounding crowd let out a chorus of ahs.

Not so fast, interrupted Captain Blood. Reno paused in confusion, his hands still wrapped around the pot of gold coins and the amulet. Laying down his cards, Blood smiled broadly. Looking up at them were four aces and a seven. Sorry, Reno. Looks like you lose. Again.

Captain Reno sank slowly back into his chair, the events of the last few seconds reeled through his little brain. Captain Blood laughed as he scooped the piles of gold toward him, one hand on the Star of the Mariner. Other pirates patted him on the back in congratulations. However, Captain Reno wasn’t so courteous. Fuming with anger, Reno slammed a dagger into the table near Captain Blood’s arm and stood up. He grabbed Blood by the arm and with a flick of his dagger, sliced through Captain Blood’s sleeve. A pile of cards fell out.

Well, look at that, said Blood. Not sure where those came from. He tried to pull his arm away, but Reno held him tight.

I know where they came from, Reno countered, from a no-good, cheating, queen-loving sack of garbage. Murmurs ran through the crowd.

I take offense to that, replied Captain Blood.

Then you’ll really take offense to this. Captain Reno whipped out a pistol bringing the barrel up toward his face. Blood batted the pistol away and it went off with a thunderous roar, catching the long-nosed pirate right between the eyes. He flipped backwards out of his seat, dead before he hit the ground.

Yanking his hand free, Captain Blood swung the Star of the Mariner at Reno, catching him across the cheek. A thin line of blood emerged from the wound. He dabbed the blood dripping down his cheek with his finger and licked it off. Damn you, Blood. You drew my blood. Now I’ll draw your blood, Blood...blood? Everyone stared at him.

I think you added one too many bloods in there.

Well then, let me subtract one, offered Reno drawing his sword. Captain Blood flipped the table full of gold coins toward Reno as he drew his own sword. He deftly pocketed the Star of the Mariner with his free hand. Men scrambled for the loose gold rolling across the floor.

I’ll have that amulet or I’ll have your life, yelled Captain Reno as he swung his sword at Blood, you lying, cheating, flea-ridden bottom feeder, each word punctuated by the clash of steel. Sparks flew from their swords.

You had me going until, ‘flea-ridden bottom feeder.’ Is that even physically possible? You know, with the fleas being under water and all.

Captain Reno screamed in fury as he charged him with renewed rage. Blood dodged a couple wild blows as he stepped over to a rope attached to a cast-iron chandelier hanging over the center of the room. Grabbing the rope, he sliced through the knot holding it to the wooden beam. Up he went to the ceiling rafters, the sword of Captain Reno just missing him.

Letting go a moment too late, Captain Blood bonked his head on the upper rafters. Ouch. Do you have any idea how painful that is? He said rubbing his head.

It’s nothing compared to the pain you’ll feel when I bury my sword in your heart, replied Captain Reno.

Now, now, sweet talk will get you nowhere, Reno.

Will someone please shoot that swine.

No one moved. A few men shuffled their feet giving it thought. Captain Blood looked around incredulous, You seemed to have overestimated the loyalty of your men.

Okay, one hundred pieces of gold to whoever shoots that swine. A roar ran through the crowd of pirates as they pull their pistols out. Gold teeth gleamed in their smiles.

Uh-oh, me thinks I need to make a hasty exit. A musket ball slammed into the upright wooden beam near his head. With no time to waste, Captain Blood sprinted along the ceiling rafter beam. Musket balls whizzed by him exploding into the wooden beams and showering him with splinters.

Diving off the rafters, Captain Blood did a perfect somersault and landed lightly on the bar. The bartender whipped out a pistol and he kicked him in the face dropping him like an anchor into the deep sea.

Three pirates near the bar aimed their pistols at Captain Blood. He raised his arms in mock surrender. Look, a naked lady, he said pointing toward the door. The three pirates looked. Captain Blood ran away, galloping down the bar and picking up a bottle of rum along the way. The three duped pirates turned and fired at him. The bottle of rum shattered in his hand.

Was that really necessary? he lamented holding up the broken bottle. More shots exploded around him. A shot severed a rope tying some barrels of rum together at the end of the bar. The barrels rolled toward Captain Blood. With the grace of a cat, he hopped on top of a barrel and worked it like a professional logger, rolling it across the floor, his feet a blur of motion.

Captain Reno sensing an advantage, charged toward Captain Blood, sword swinging savagely. I’ll have that amulet, Blood! Their swords clashed again, sparks flying.

I’d love to stay and chat with you, Reno, but I have a list of things to do that must be at least a fathom long.

In the shadows across from Blood and Reno, lurked Sanders, a sinewy snake of a man with a gold front tooth and crazy eyes. He was Captain Reno’s main thug, second in command. He was also in charge of carrying out all the dirty tasks Captain Reno wanted done. And there were a lot of those.

Taking careful aim, he slowly squeezed the trigger on his pistol. The musket ball exploded out of the muzzle at Blood. Captain Blood flew backward through the foggy tavern window, glass shattering in a million pieces.

I got ‘em, Captain Reno. I got 'em, hollered Sanders. Running to the window, Sanders stuck his head out and looked down at the inky blackness of the sea below. Ripples marked the spot Captain Blood entered the water. Bubbles rose and popped on the surface. See there, Captain Reno, he’s just another body for Davy Jones.

Reno peered into the sea. I’ll believe that when I see his rotting corpse. Captain Blood suddenly popped to the surface, water sputtering out of his mouth. He waved at Reno and Sanders. Captain Reno stomped in anger. Mark my words, Blood, revenge will be mine, he hollered. Reaching up, he touched his cheek, still wet with blood.

Captain Blood bobbed gently on the surface of the dark sea. He reached down and touched his vest, his finger finding a bullet hole, Sander’s bullet hole. He pulled the Star of the Mariner out of his vest and kissed the slight divot on the amulet that saved his life. From out of nowhere, two big black hands the size of dinner plates grabbed Blood and pulled him out of the water into a small row