I chose to wield the net.

I told myself it was because he was faster than I, but I was too afraid. I made that poor cabin boy act as the bait.

With the captain in position, and the cook having sealed the hatch, he moved deeper into the ship towards where the creature had fled. With the hatch sealed, the only exit, for both him and the monster, was back towards the stairs where I waited, net and a harpoon in hand.

The longer we waited the more nervous I got.

Nothing was happening.

I was startled when I heard scuffling. But it wasn’t coming from the hold, 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…

[…ran to see what had happened.]