Sally Island 20
John Bull purposely sent him on heavy errands constantly, so he would come home before Mudshark and spend days in his house before Mudshark comes back home. This had been going on for a while now, and rumours have been slipping through his ears, but he did not like to pay attention to gossip, especially when it concerns people he cared about. John Bull was a saviour to him after he ran away from slavery, although he didn't open up to John Bull about his past. His mom had warned him to never trust an Oyibo, he listens to his mother despite the hate, he knew she meant well and always listened. So he never trusted John Bull, good thing he didn't. That night he wanted to spend time with his wife Catherine, he had been celibate for months on the ship disciplining himself not to mingle with the slave girls on the ship who even considered him more appealing to John Bull, but he stayed celibate. Not necessarily being faithful to his wife, but Mudshark built discipline in everything. While walking home that cold night half drunk, he paid no attention to the whores in the alleys and their catcalls. He wanted to meet with his wife instead, they usually made mad love whenever he comes back but for the last few trips when he came back he noticed that his wife now has a lukewarm attitude towards sex. He assumed she was getting tired of it, but now he has seen the real reason why she had lost her enthusiasm and Libido for Sex. As Mudshark walked away, his wife ran after him.
He was very furious, but also tired of everything already, it appeared that Catherine preferred Captain Blood to him, she should go ahead and have him. He was hurt, if he could let tears down, he would but instead, his heart bled as he walked away through the alley crowded with sex peddlers. Catherine was the only family he had, he met her as he just started working for John Bull, she worked at the docks with the fishermen, she kept the cold rooms and oversaw the regulation of shipments too under the supervision of John Bull. Mudshark thought she was beautiful and wasn't so confident to tell her. But after they worked together on Captain Blood's first slave shipment, they became friends it was then Mudshark finally had the confidence to express his feelings. Within two years of dating, they got married and it was all happy times until the rumours started. Mudshark had paid no attention to the rumours until now he saw with his eyes. It was a really ugly sight for Mudshark.
Weighed down with thoughts and consumed with anger, his inner discipline started wearing off. Mudshark was not much of a drinker, at least not as intense as going to the bar for a drink. But with the turn of events that evening, he found himself sitting by the bar ordering bottles of rum. Captain Blood on the other hand had been thrown out of the house by Catherine, after a long argument and laying of blames. Regret didn't take time to hit Catherine, Mudshark was the best man she had ever come across all her life,but she had fallen into temptation due to the deceptive tongue of her husband's boss, she had broken her home and betrayed her husbands love for her. John Bull was not happy with being thrown out by his worker's wife,he felt Mudshark was the reason he was disrespected. Walking out of the house, he walked straight to were his on ground crew was waiting for him. Walking with a storm of anger muttering down the dark path of the evening that led to his destination, he was beginning to catch cold, he had left his jacket with Catherine. The cold angered him even more. Walking through the door looking raggedy, the crew was inquisitive about what happened to their captain. Pretending he was beaten up by Mudshark, he gave an order he should be found and dealt with. The loyalty within the crew for their captain raged and a speech wasn't needed to motivate their search for Mudshark. Seated at the bar dead drunk, Mudshark was oblivious to what lies await for him outside the doors. The settlement wasn't a big one, so finding him wasn't so hard.
With each staggering step Mudshark took in his sorrowful drunkenness, he was followed. He knew the breeze that blew on his skin that night wasn't holding a good fortune for him. He stood rooted at the middle of the alley, just behind the bar he walked out from, he's mind already prepared for the worst that could happen, he almost screamed "Get it over with" like he knew he was about being killed but it was like his voice was taken away from him like the oppression of an evil spirit in dreams. He was making audio-less speeches and motionless struggle, he's body was numb to his emotional reaction. They weren't able to comprehend, alcohol had totally weakened his body system. So even when Johnbull's allies pounced on him, he felt little or no pains as they all took a stab at him like they were murdering Caesar. Mudshark's gallantry was so extreme that the little effort he made in his alcoholic state prevented him from taking a slit on his throat or a stab to his heart. The intention was to make sure he stopped breathing that night. Taking several flesh stabs from his assassins who were already afraid of him before they came to attack him, it was very easy for them to take off as they heard people approaching. It would be easy for someone who haven't heard about Mudshark to kill him than someone who had heard his tales on the high seas.
His tales threaten the ears that hears about him, even being on a ship he wasn't the captain, he had successfully fought wars on sea and won. The approach of a horse pulled cart scared off his assailants. Left in a pool of his own blood, he tried to stand up, but fell back to the ground. The cart pulled up and a damsel alighted, laid back on the ground looking up to the full moon which lighted up the night, Mudshark was gazed upon by this damsel. Victoria dragged her long gown down the wet street running to help Mudshark up. With his suit torn and blood stains with visible stab wounds, she knew he was freshly attacked. That was exactly how she lost her elder brother to the politics of the town, he was also attacked on a lonely road but there was nobody to help him, and he was killed. Victoria felt it's her obligation keep Mudshark from such fate, she called on her mother who was also on the cart to come help. Gently and slowly, he was aided to the cart and took home, it was a long ride home Victoria kept asking "what happened to you?" But got no replies as Mudshark faded into unconsciousness as he had lost a lot of blood, her mother advised he should be left to sleep off the pains. At home, Victoria removed all he had on, and gave him a warm bath, cleaned his wounds and as soon as she started stitching the wounds , he woke up.
He was very furious, but also tired of everything already, it appeared that Catherine preferred Captain Blood to him, she should go ahead and have him. He was hurt, if he could let tears down, he would but instead, his heart bled as he walked away through the alley crowded with sex peddlers. Catherine was the only family he had, he met her as he just started working for John Bull, she worked at the docks with the fishermen, she kept the cold rooms and oversaw the regulation of shipments too under the supervision of John Bull. Mudshark thought she was beautiful and wasn't so confident to tell her. But after they worked together on Captain Blood's first slave shipment, they became friends it was then Mudshark finally had the confidence to express his feelings. Within two years of dating, they got married and it was all happy times until the rumours started. Mudshark had paid no attention to the rumours until now he saw with his eyes. It was a really ugly sight for Mudshark.
Weighed down with thoughts and consumed with anger, his inner discipline started wearing off. Mudshark was not much of a drinker, at least not as intense as going to the bar for a drink. But with the turn of events that evening, he found himself sitting by the bar ordering bottles of rum. Captain Blood on the other hand had been thrown out of the house by Catherine, after a long argument and laying of blames. Regret didn't take time to hit Catherine, Mudshark was the best man she had ever come across all her life,but she had fallen into temptation due to the deceptive tongue of her husband's boss, she had broken her home and betrayed her husbands love for her. John Bull was not happy with being thrown out by his worker's wife,he felt Mudshark was the reason he was disrespected. Walking out of the house, he walked straight to were his on ground crew was waiting for him. Walking with a storm of anger muttering down the dark path of the evening that led to his destination, he was beginning to catch cold, he had left his jacket with Catherine. The cold angered him even more. Walking through the door looking raggedy, the crew was inquisitive about what happened to their captain. Pretending he was beaten up by Mudshark, he gave an order he should be found and dealt with. The loyalty within the crew for their captain raged and a speech wasn't needed to motivate their search for Mudshark. Seated at the bar dead drunk, Mudshark was oblivious to what lies await for him outside the doors. The settlement wasn't a big one, so finding him wasn't so hard.
With each staggering step Mudshark took in his sorrowful drunkenness, he was followed. He knew the breeze that blew on his skin that night wasn't holding a good fortune for him. He stood rooted at the middle of the alley, just behind the bar he walked out from, he's mind already prepared for the worst that could happen, he almost screamed "Get it over with" like he knew he was about being killed but it was like his voice was taken away from him like the oppression of an evil spirit in dreams. He was making audio-less speeches and motionless struggle, he's body was numb to his emotional reaction. They weren't able to comprehend, alcohol had totally weakened his body system. So even when Johnbull's allies pounced on him, he felt little or no pains as they all took a stab at him like they were murdering Caesar. Mudshark's gallantry was so extreme that the little effort he made in his alcoholic state prevented him from taking a slit on his throat or a stab to his heart. The intention was to make sure he stopped breathing that night. Taking several flesh stabs from his assassins who were already afraid of him before they came to attack him, it was very easy for them to take off as they heard people approaching. It would be easy for someone who haven't heard about Mudshark to kill him than someone who had heard his tales on the high seas.
His tales threaten the ears that hears about him, even being on a ship he wasn't the captain, he had successfully fought wars on sea and won. The approach of a horse pulled cart scared off his assailants. Left in a pool of his own blood, he tried to stand up, but fell back to the ground. The cart pulled up and a damsel alighted, laid back on the ground looking up to the full moon which lighted up the night, Mudshark was gazed upon by this damsel. Victoria dragged her long gown down the wet street running to help Mudshark up. With his suit torn and blood stains with visible stab wounds, she knew he was freshly attacked. That was exactly how she lost her elder brother to the politics of the town, he was also attacked on a lonely road but there was nobody to help him, and he was killed. Victoria felt it's her obligation keep Mudshark from such fate, she called on her mother who was also on the cart to come help. Gently and slowly, he was aided to the cart and took home, it was a long ride home Victoria kept asking "what happened to you?" But got no replies as Mudshark faded into unconsciousness as he had lost a lot of blood, her mother advised he should be left to sleep off the pains. At home, Victoria removed all he had on, and gave him a warm bath, cleaned his wounds and as soon as she started stitching the wounds , he woke up.
Story: Nnagoziem TheVyrus Udensi
Illustrations: Chevilin Pierre
Comments