Masked ✔

Chapter eight

            
chapter eight
             

I began to wonder how Aunt Lori was doing. Well, of course, I knew she probably thought I was dead or worried sick. I would have cared, but I didn't have the heart to. Perhaps I could write her a message if we reached a port or something, but I was too lazy. Yeah, I know. I'm heartless.

"Ion! Do you have the booze from Tipsia?" Captain Gareth called out to a man as I stood beside him. We were on the deck, he making sure everything was ready and I assisting him.

...Ion? Where have I heard that name...?

Suddenly a flashback of me being carried in a barrel flowed into my head.

It's him! He's the one who got me on this ship!

"I got it, Captain!" A loud and deep voice responded, the person waving their arm in the air in the captain's direction.

It is him! I should - should I thank him? Or hug him? Or kick him? There are too many pros and cons of being here. It was him that brought me into this ship!

"Ion!" Before his name had even escaped my mouth, I was dashing towards him.

"Hello - " His "hello" was quite cheery but once he laid his eyes on me he froze up. Then, he just shook his head and smiled.

Once I reached him, I realized I had miscalculated my stopping point. I was barely four inches away from hitting his chest, face first. Funny this is, this guy didn't even flinch, not even blink.

"Hey, you were the one who - who brought me into this ship." I said between gasps of air. I gave a slight relaxed laugh so he would understand it wasn't like I was saying, "hey, you! Yeah, you! It's your fault I'm stuck here!".

"Really?" A slight smirk began to form, slowly pulling up on one specific side of his lips. I examined him while I was so close. He had short, messy, black hair and - his eyes. They were emerald green, almost an apple green. He smelled like coconuts. Six feet tall? Indeed. Maybe the Masked Mysterioso had some full collection of scents? Who knows.

"Yeah... you brought me... here..." My words trailed off as I continued to examine him. Those teeth? Perhaps. Ears? I suppose so. Body build? Check.

...one problem.

I spotted a scar on his chin, a small discolored zigzag. I would have noticed that on the Masked Mysterioso's face.

"Is everything alright?" His eyebrows raised along with the concern in his low voice.

"Yes, yes... all is well..." No, no, nothing was well! I was confused! Was it Jackson? Jackson matched all the appearance requirements to be him! How about Rubin? Rubin was possible. It couldn't be Ethan or Captain Gareth. Noah doesn't match his personality at all! Kristopher had blue eyes, not green! Damn, who was he!?

I felt so overwhelmed I wanted to throw myself overboard.

You know what? I'll just pull his mask off tonight!

"Oh shit! Big wave coming!" Suddenly someone yelled up from the crows nest of the ship, the place to stand at the top of the sails.

But just before my mind could process the words, a huge force knocked the ship and threw my balance off. No one else was falling, and I believed that they were used to being tossed around in the ship. I fell to my knees and began to slide to the ship's side. I screamed and shut my eyes, trying to prepare for my death.

"Miss!" Ion's hand reached out almost instantly and grabbed my arm. Almost effortlessly, he pulled me up to my feet and to him. I knew he was just holding me so I wouldn't fall off the ship, but I couldn't believe but turn a bit red since he was basically hugging me. Ah, coconuts.