Captain Starscreen Blackeye

By Neev Aradhana Suresh

The clock strikes twelve o’clock. Midnight. Manor Grave, the city twenty miles off the river Styx, lies asleep, at least… nearly. Nobody visibly roams the streets and everything has an eerie look to it. All is silent but suddenly… a cloaked figure darts across the street and slinks quietly into a ramshackle building. At first look, the building looks empty but a closer glance reveals dim lights therein. 

Once inside, the person or should we say the creature removes its cloak and hangs it on the peg. Animals are all over the place. Some deer line the counter and provide service while other creatures such as dogs, coyotes, goats, and cats gulp down gallons upon gallons of Vodka and Beer. Welcome to The Gallows, the most savage tavern in all of the West Coast of Mourningbury. The creature grins maliciously and approaches the counter. 

“A glass of the strongest Vodka,” it breaths. The deer pours a glass overflowing with the drink and hands it over. The creature gradually makes its way to a table at the far end of the tavern. It takes a seat with a coyote. The coyote glances up and eyes the creature suspiciously. The sheep, for that was what the creature was, has a large scar over one eye. It wears a loose robe and one of its cheeks has a wound still oozing blood. 

“What ya’n looking at?” the sheep hisses. 

The coyote shivers, “Nothin’ sire. Who may you be?’’ 

The sheep flashes his eyes over the coyote. “Me? Eve’ heard of Captain Starscreen Blackeye. Wel’ that is me.” 

The coyote looks taken aback, “No, sir. I ne’er had heard thi’ name.’’ 

The sheep pounds the table. “How couldn’ ye? Blackeye roaming the seas, fearless.” 

The coyote stares blankly up at the sheep. 

“Wel’,” the sheep sighs deeply, “I reckon I ha’ to start at the beginnin’... 

“My name is Captain Starscreen Blackeye. The mo’ fiercest pirate o’ all. The rightful ruler o’ Mourningbury. My fame began to spread that autumn when I killed Morron Knox, himself. The greatest, most holy king in all ages. Every single villain in Mourningbury longed for this privilege. Bu’ it was me who go’ it an’ that makes me the rightful ruler of Mourningbury. 

“It happened tha’ one day me an’ my crew of pirates were sailin’ along in our Magnificent when what do we see bu’ land. 

“‘Land!’ my lookout calls. We turn Magnificent in and anchor her. We look around but see nothin’ but a deserted piece o’ land, all bare except for miles of green grass. That evenin’ we don’t pack up and sail away instead we make camp and stay for the night. That night when midnight decides to turn up, I wake up with a start. The very first thing that catches my eyes is a lantern. Who the person or creature was that was holding it wasn’ evident. I get up and slowly creep ov’r to it. The creature, a lion, sees me and tries to run. Pulling out my two muskets, I chased the lion. The muskets blast and the lion falls ne'er to rise. 

“In the mornin’ when we pull the lion in we see that he is Morron Knox himself, the holy just king, who killed pirates and banished me. From then on, Captain Starscreen Blackeye is known from shore to shore.” 

The sheep breathes deeply and flashes the coyote a smirk. 

“Now,” he leans forward and rasps, “Not evil enough, you see. I’m not likin’ this tavern plus a little blast is always fun now and then.”

The coyote’s eyes widen. 

‘‘I’m gonna blow this place up. You come wi’ me quiet,” Captain Starscreen grins naughtily. 

The coyote’s mind races. “Sir, give me a secon’ to keep my glass and yours and then we can be off.”

“Sure thing,” Captain Starscreen murmurs softly, but the poor coyote doesn’t notice the little knife that sticks out of the sheep’s pocket or the wicked glimmer in his eyes. 

The coyote innocently picks up the pirate’s glasses and his and walks over to the counter. He leans forward and whispers to one of the deer, “The sheep ove’r there is

 Captain Starscreen Blackeye, himself. He is the one who murdered His Royal Highness Morron Knox, and he wants to blow this place up.” 

The deer eases closer, “I will inform the head deer please try to distract him and make him stay.” 

The coyote nods. He turns around. 

“Not so fast, traitor,” a voice whispers in his ear. No sooner can the coyote take in the face of the voice, then he falls to the ground. Like Morron Knox, ne’er to rise…    

By Neev Aradhana Suresh