BedTime Story

I took a deep breath. I lived for the smell of the salty water, for the soft breeze through my hair and the sound of the waves crashing against my ship.
My name is Morgan also known as "The Red Lady". I'm 23 years old, I'm red-haired, my eyes are dark green and I'm pretty tall for a woman.
I've been a pirate for 8 years now and I wouldn't give it up anything in the world, not even a man. I look down at my hands, remembering the adventures and ships that me and me crew had raided, robbed and destroyed. My crew are all men and even though I'm a woman they respect me and treat me like one of them. That is a very hard thing to find, don't you think? Yes, I'm quite lucky.
A woman in this century can be expected to do everything: respect their husband, read, go to balls, play the piano, help preparing dinner; all the things that don't include adventure and getting their hands dirty. I would rather kill myself than live such a life. Where's the excitement in that? I'm so deeply in trance that I almost didn't heard the yell from one of my crew members. I looked up and saw a black spot on the horizon. I pulled out my monocle and looked though it. It was a ship, a royal ship, a French royal ship. I smiled, knowing from the silence that my comrades were standing behind me, eyes blazing with a new light, waiting for me orders. It had been two weeks since our last raid and now we were ready and hungry for more.
I turned to face them, still smiling.
- We're lucky boys! - I yelled, failing miserably to hide my excitement. - It's a Royal Ship, probably full of rich things for us to steal. Plunder ready! All they have is ours!
- Ya! - Yelled the crew in response.
- Go and ready the ship, bring the arms and prepare yourselves, it's a big one!
- Aye Aye captain! - And they all started running around following their orders.
I looked around and my heart filled with pride. My ship's name is "The Black Rose" and it's all worked by hand with rose drawings above the doors and the windows. The wood is dark, almost black, contrasting with the creamy coloured sails. On the main mast a flag with a skull and two crossed bones moved in the wind.
I walked to the helm on the main deck. "The Black Rose" is a large ship but very easy to manoeuvre. I looked though my monocle again and saw the ship approaching it's target. I turned to the deck and yelled at my men below.
- Here we go boys! Ready for another one?
- Always captain! - They yelled.
- Get the ropes ready!
- Aye Aye captain!
I walked down the steps and grabbed one of the ropes, pulling my sword with my left hand. A smile appeared on my face. Another adventure had begun.

By Andreia Salvado