‘Twas a fearsome dash
Fear striking deep into the crew’s hearts
Chill terror
A fine match for the chill weather!
Choppy seas flow beneath us
We continue our flight from the tentacled menace
The icy winds of winter
Hurl us farther into the open seas.
Yet while the monster lurks distantly astern
More evil lurks still in the hull.
The treasure chest has been rent open
And the crew’s valuables have been removed!
‘All hands on deck!’ The captain’s furious visage
Greeting shipmates and passengers alike,
‘Mutiny and treason be treated theft alike!’
Deathly silence quiets even the wind.
In twos and threes the crew steps out,
Knowing who was with whom,
And passengers find evidence
Alibis discharging guilt.
Alone are left three:
A shaman in white;
A grizzled hierophant; and,
A dark attendant.
The depth of this vile mystery
And the mystery of the surrounding deep…
‘Search stem to stern!’
The cautious passengers mill about my deck.