The Circular Pirates

By Rafael Estrada

On the same day of his seventh birthday, the boy called to be the Napias is kidnapped and is captivated by the figure of Captain Garsen. Impressed but without fear, he lets himself be driven by him until he enters the only pirate school in the world. There he will be educated along with other children to become a pirate of legend. Classes will include from the History of Piracy to combat techniques, survival, notions of cunning, Arithmetic and many interesting knowledge that they will have to put into practice when the true adventures on the high seas begin.
A school of pirates. Adventures, survival, friendship and overcoming. A galleon, an island, a mystery and a collusion. When Lewis, Chivotuerto and their fearsome minions board the galleon stranded in the forest, everyone wonders who Captain Garsen really is and why he has fled. Some think that he is a traitor and a coward, others, waiting patiently somewhere to carry out his coveted revenge. However, nothing is as it seems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Jan 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781071517505

Book preview

The Circular Pirates

Rafael Estrada

I

Captain Garsen

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If I ever talk to you about Portobel, I can tell you that it is a town located between Cabo Punzón and Peñón Tiñoso, on the shores of the Mediterranean; You can talk about its beauty and the privileged situation of the port, its warm winters and its quiet people.

They will be able to tell you that and little else, because they will never tell you anything about Galleon, the only pirate school in the world, where Captain Garsen imparts his teachings to those who meet conditions and have enough temper to withstand them.

They say that Garsen himself was in charge of going house to house, explaining to everyone what would happen to them if it occurred to someone to go out of their tongue. Therefore, one can not come out there and tell the captain: - Hey, sir, I've heard of your school and I want to be a pirate... - Because he just chooses his crew and makes the mo ment that It seems appropriate.

I cannot say that he remembers the night he pointed at me, since he did it a few hours after I came to the world, but I do remember how my mother's tone of voice changed when she remembered that terrible moment:

-You were born on a cold November night,- he told me days before his seventh birthday; the sea mist rose above the houses of the town. There was a strange silence, occasionally broken by the barking of a dog. It was as if the world had stopped, or so it seemed to your father and me, that we were watching you curled up in the cradle, with your face still swollen from the effort of being born. You were a strong and big boy.

At that point, Mom smiled, squeezed my hand and I could see her eyes sparkle, before continuing.

-Then we heard that sound approaching: tap-tap..., tap-tap..., tap-tap... , and we knew that Garsen had pointed you out, for that was his custom.- Your father opened the door with the knife in his hand, without waiting for him to knock, but the captain disarmed him with a laugh:

-Hahaha...! -He said, standing in front of him, with his arms crossed.- Bad time is this for the blood to run; It would not be right to leave the orphan child ahead of time.

-Garsen put a hand on the hilt of the sword and lifted her chin, defiant.

-On the other hand, only I come to congratulate and com car were passing I decided to admit the child in my school: I teach the old trade and will become - after pirate, he smirked and said. You will not want it to be a pelagatos without a future.

» He said no more. The captain turned and walked away, losing himself in the fog.

- Your father stood at the petrified door, swallowing his humiliation and anger, while the night took the pirate. I could have easily knocked him down, for you already know his skill with the knife, but something intangible protected that evil one; I left you paralyzed with his presence alone and it wasn't possible to move a single finger if he didn't want to.

I remember that at that point I interrupted my mother and tried to reassure her.

- Don't be afraid, Mom, well, I'm not going to that pirate school, - I said, becoming the brave one. I want to be a hunter like dad.

But when the captain appeared, the same night I turned seven, I didn't even resist. So he did not have to take me by the ear as he had done with others, for example with Carasucia, the strongest and most applied of the school.

Six years have passed since that night... Memories of sugarcane and licorice sticks, honey stolen from bees and hot buns cooked by mom still come to mind. I also remember that firm hand that taught me to handle the knife and hunt, with some stimulating cheeks when I was distracted or scared away the prey.

But all that was before that mysterious pirate arrived, embossed in his black cape edged with gold, and away from me forever.

II

The Galleon

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The impression of walking next to Garsen, it was that nothing could happen to me. Maybe that meant that it had already happened to me, because could there be anything worse than being in their hands?

While we were walking in the direction of the school and despite the terror I felt at that time, it occurred to me that I was not wearing anything, except for the clothes on and the knife my father had given me.

I told the captain, excited about the idea of ​​returning home again, to prepare a bag of spare clothes and some other things that I might need.

-A pirate doesn't need anything,- he exclaimed with my fire burning. Because a pirate has it all: water, air, his sword and the fear of all men.

After listening to him, in that tone of controlled and deep voice, I could not think of anything other than his words. So we continue the rest of the way in silence, accompanied by the sound of our own steps.

I was really tired when we set aside the gravel road and continued along a rammed red earth path; It ended abruptly before a barrier of pine trees that reached the edge of a cliff.

We stopped on some rocky ledges and watched the sea, listening to the waves and letting ourselves be caressed by the breeze. Afterwards, we resumed the march through the trees, always going down, following a seemingly arbitrary route, which led us to a marjal.

It is true that we had all heard of the school, although nobody came to see it. The parents of all the children of Portobel terrified their children with exaggerated stories about what might happen to them if they dared to investigate there.

They talked about black dogs that roamed the area and devoured intruders; also of souls in sorrow and devilish horses that could chase you without rest even after falling asleep, during sleep.

However, none of that was true, except that they were fantasies stimulated by the power emanating from the captain and the fear that his presence caused in the people.

But what we had never imagined was that Galleon, the feared pirate school, was a true galleon in the middle of the forest.

It was a first-class ship, a powerful warship of those used by Spain and England for their campaigns, which were built by the Portuguese. It was forty-five meters long; It had five decks, two of them with forty guns, and three powerful masts, which crossed the bridges and leaned on the bottom of the ship.

All the sails were deployed, echoing in the wind; and in the highest part of the main mast, the pirate flag flew majestically.

Until I got a little closer to the palisade of logs that surrounded that impressive vision, I could not see that this ship would never be thrown into the sea. It was a granite galleon, an extravagant show of ingenuity and power of that enigmatic character. How I would have taken him there was something I couldn't imagine.

I looked at the captain, who was standing beside me evaluating my impressions. I wanted to tell him something, but no words came out, so I let myself drive inside the palisade, passing under the school sign, which swung on its iron hinges.

We climb to the upper deck by the bow, using a wind scale similar to the shrouds that support the masts; we crossed the combés and got into a hatch that went straight down to the bow winch. There we stand; the captain lit a lantern that illuminated part of the room.

-Get where you can and tomorrow we'll see,- he said, before turning and starting to climb to the main deck.

Again I felt the need to speak to him. I thought I perceived a warm signal in that man and I had the urge to share my feelings. Something, however, made me shut up, although I couldn't help saying:

-Good evening, Captain,- and I felt a little stupid, ashamed of the barely contained laughter of that ruthless pirate.

For a few moments I was unable to think, while listening to the knock... knock... knock ... of his wooden leg, moving away from the deck .

Putting away barrels and bales, I looked for somewhere to throw myself and stumbled upon a drawer full of sawdust; I found a sack lying between some ends and I placed it on the sawdust