I chose to be the bait.

I couldn’t send the cabin boy to his doom.

With the captain in position, and the cook having sealed the hatch, I moved deeper into the ship towards where the creature had fled. With the hatch sealed, the only exit, for both me and the monster, was back towards the stairs where the cabin boy waited.

I gripped my torch waiting for the captain to prod the monster through the cannon hole to lure it towards me. I listened for the sounds of it approaching me, and hesitantly moved as far as I could dare into the hold. I knew the cabin boy was ready with the net, but I didn’t know if I could outrun the beast and reach him.

The longer we waited the more nervous I got.

Nothing was happening.

I was startled when I heard scuffling. But it wasn’t in the room with me, it was coming from the outside of the ship. Then it was followed by a bloodcurdling scream and the sound of something falling into the water. I…

[…turned and ran to see what happened.]