The storm finally subsides. The Sea Venture, now not sea worthy, sets firmly on the coral reef. Firm land is not far. Bring the pimnaces along side Sir George, orders.

  “I need six men, well armed. Take the long boat to the land. You are to determine if it is safe. Scout a place for shelter. We will be here for some time.” The Admiral instructed.

  Nathan and five others, each armed, go ashore. Gentle waves lick at the sides of the boat as they row. They hear the sand scraping the bottom as they beach on a long shore of white sand. Before them lies a jungle. Nathan, ties the boat to a tree, near the beach. With caution, they first explore the beach.

  “Here is fresh water.” One sailor shouts.

  Hurrying to the sight, Nathan bends down to taste the water in the stream. It is fresh. “Let us follow this stream further inland. We have water, let us find a place to build shelter.” Nathan said.

  Swords ready, they follow the stream. Using the swords to cut a path through the dense foliage. The jungle opens up before them. Amazed, they discover a large pond of clear fresh water. The welcome sound of trees filled with birds tickles their ears. “Look, game trails are abundant.“ A sailor shouts.

  “This will do.” Nathan suggests. “You four men begin clearing for shelters.” Nathan directs. “The rest of us will return to the ship.”

  “What have you found?” Sir George asked.

  “A paradise sir. We have fresh water, fruit and there are signs of game.” Nathan answers.

  “The ship is in little peril. We will carry the people to safety first, then the  supplies.” Sir George instructs.

  Several trips are made carrying the one hundred and fifty people and one dog to land. Once this is accomplished, they begin bringing supplies. “Bring all of the ships canvas,” Sir George, orders.

  “I would advice you all to use this canvas for a shelter until we can build better. Our one hope is that one of our lost sister ships comes this way. The chances are, we will be here for some time.” Sir George told them.

  “We are in luck, as the flag ship, the Sea Venture, carries three full riggings of canvas. Enough for temporary shelter for all. We also have the supplies meant for James town. These include tools to build with.” Nathan tells the people

  With most of the supplies safely on shore, Sir George takes Nathan aside. “Put sail on one of the longboats. Choose you four men. Take what supplies you need, and go on to James Town. If any of the other ships are there then send one back for us. Tell the people of James Town, we will then bring their supplies.

  “Aye sir.” Nathan says, then sets about making ready for the trip.

  “You be careful.” John warns Nathan.

  “I’ll see you in James Town.” Nathan says as he waves to all. Nathan and the other four men are never seen again.

  A month passes with no word. Sir George calls in the ships carpenter.

  “Sir?”

  “Paul? With the tools we have available, can we build us a ship? It needs to carry us all and what supplies that are left.”

  “Aye sir. It won’t be as pretty as the Sea Venture was, but it will get us where we want to go.” Paul said.

  “I am afraid that is the only way we will finish this journey. Use what men and supplies you need. Let’s build a ship.”

  “Aye sir.”

  The wind howls outside and the rain slamming the deck is so loud that they have to shout to hear each other.

  “Water! There’s water coming in.” A woman shouts.

  “That is why I was sent down here.” The sailor, Nathan Lown, shouted to John. “This ship was pressed into service before her caulking could cure. The storm is to much for her.”

Water began seeping from the walls of the ship. Nathan, raised his arms to gain everyone’s attention. “Everyone! Grab your chamber pots,” He shouted. “We must bail the water out.”

  Everyone rushed to get their pots, some already full. “Form a line to the stairs.” Nathan urged. He then went to John, “Follow me.” Rushing to the stern of the ship, to a large wooden box,  He opened the box and brings out hammers, which he handed to John. Reaching in again to bring out what looked to John like  wide headed chisels, and rope.

  “This is hemp.” Nathan hurried to one of the many places where the ship leaked. Unraveling the rope, and with a chisel and hammer, began pounding the rope into the crack. John followed suit. Soon there are several men, pounding the hemp into the leaking cracks.

  The storm raged. The winds beat the ship. There is the cry for help, as the ship rolls to one side. The fear of all is that it is about to turn over completely. People and all of their belongings slide across the wooden bow crashing together in a great heap. Babies crying, and the sweet foul smell of vomit, permeated the ship.

  “Look out.” someone shouts, but it’s to late. Crates which lined one wall break their tethering to  bury two men working on the cracks, crushing them beneath. Others rushed to free the men only  to find one man is dead, the other will be of no use now since his arm is obviously broken. Supplies, they carry to save others are now a danger to them.

  Quickly the ship shifts to the other side, just as far. Everything slides that way, only to stop with a crash.

  As they seal one crack, another begins to leak. The water rose.

  “We’re sinking!” One man shouts.

  “I must tell the captain.” Nathan shouts to John., and rushes for the upper deck. Once on the deck, he finds, Captain Christopher Newport, is no longer stirring the ship. Sir Somers, has taken the helm.

  Waves crashed over the hull, nearly washing him over board, but he reaches the Admiral. “Sir we take on water.”

  “How bad is it?” Sir Somers asked.

  “To the ankle, but still rising, Sir.”

  “Keep me informed sailor.”

  “Ay sir.” He said, and headed back.

  The storm rages for three days. On the third day Nathan rushing down to the hull,  to find those there trying to get out. The water is now over even the tallest of their heads.

  “Land Ho,” a sailor shouts from the dangerous crow nest.

  “All is lost sir, she will sink.” Nathan shots to Sir Somers

  Looking toward the new found land. Sir Somers knows it’s to far, they will sink. His eye catches a coral reef. Storm raging, he turns the ship toward that reef.

  “Sir? What are you doing? We will crash on the reef.” Captain Newport, warns.

  “Yes. We will crash, but we will not sink.” He continues toward the reef.

  Upon hearing this, Nathan rushes to warn the others. Once on the deck “prepare yourselves for a crash. Grab hold of something solid, hold on to your children.” He urges.

  Everyone scrambles for something to hold. Parents, put their children between them.

  John and Mary are thrown violently forward as are everyone. A tremendous crashing sound assaults their ears.  In spite of holding something they felt solid, many are thrown forward, violently. The crashing did not end there. The momentum of the ship, drags it far onto the reef, before it comes to rest. The ship will not sink.

  April 1609, one hundred and twenty years after Columbus, discovered the Americas. The Virginia Company of London, is preparing to send the third round of supplies to their colony, in James Town.

  Christopher Newport prepares for this new voyage. “They’ve been there three years now. Will they never be able to feed themselves?”

  “Sir, they are wholly dependent on your supplies.” Jack Dole, his supply officer says.

  “Is the soil so poor there that they can not grow their own food?” Christopher asks.

  “They grow no crops. They wait for your ships.”

  “Did we not send seeds for them?” Christopher demands.

  “Sir, they refuse to farm.” Dole tells him.

  “What? What’s going on there?”

  “Sir, we built them shelter, and supply them food, and they search for gold. They refuse to do anything for themselves. I am told, ‘we did not come here to be farmers. We will find our fortune.”

  “The fools. Let us hope this next group is more industrious.”

                                                                                                                                       ****

  “John, I have the seeds you asked me to get. You must tell no one where you got them. The highwayman I bought them from said that all of our necks would be in a noose if it got out.” William Spokes warned. He handed John Rolfe, a small leather bag.

  John, quickly hid the bag inside of his shirt. “No one will know.” He quickly returned to his waiting family.

  “John, are you sure? You not only endanger yourself, but you must consider your wife and infant daughter.” Dorothea, John’s mother pleaded.

  “Mother, America is a chance for us to rise above our station. It is a new world, we will have a new life.” John told her.

  “I have heard bad things about those who have gone before you, and the voyage is froth with peril.” Dorothea warned.

  “Mother, we sail on the flag ship, the Sea Venture, with no less then Sir George Somers, Admiral of the whole company. All will be well, you will see.”

                                                                                                                    ****

May 1609

  John, Mary his wife, holding their daughter, wave goodbye to their families, from the deck of the Sea Venture.

  “Will we never see them again?” Mary asked, tears running down her cheeks.

  “Of course we will. Our world grows smaller.” John assures her.

  The Sea Venture leads the way. Six other ships, each pulling two smaller pinnaces follow. Each ship is laden with supplies and fellow voyagers. One hundred and fifty, passengers and  crew all together, plus one dog.

  “How long before we arrive?” Mary asked John.

  “I have been told, two months, if we have good weather.”

  They quickly find the ships are much smaller than they look, with all the supplies they carry. There are no private quarters. They all sleep in the hull of the ship. Mary finds the sailors, and many of the passengers, bathe not  at all. The ships hull smells of urine and unwashed bottoms. They spend as much time on the open deck as possible. Even sleeping there, when possible.

  “Everyone, inside!” A sailor demands.

  John and Mary are sleeping on the deck, when the demand comes. “Why? What is wrong?” John asked.

  The sailor points to the north. “A squall is coming. Ye don’t want to wash overboard, with your pretty wife and child.”

  The rain began before they could get under cover. It is like waves of rain washed over the ship. John managed to get his small family into the hull. They could hear the lightning, and the ferocious winds, beating against the ship.

  “Wow! One man yelled as he is flung to the opposite side of the ship. The ship rose and fell, and tossed from side to side, from the violent storm. One Sailor managed to enter the hull.

  “Is all right?” John asked.

  “All I know, is we have lost sight of the other ships.”

 

  Willey, stood at the top of the stairs, still sobbing. Jack and Bob, rushed out of the basement to meet him.

 

  “How’d you do that?” Bob asked.

 

  “They done got me mad.” He answered.

 

  “Well. You just stay mad and we just might get us out of here.” Jack said.

 

  “How we gonna do that?” Willey asked.

 

  “I see’d a door under the stairs, let’s go see what be in there.” Jack said, and headed for the living room.

 

  “Papa. They’ll find the money.”

 

  “It won’t do them any good, mama.”

 

  They entered the living room and Jack went to the door under the stairs. “It’s locked.”

 

  Bob looked at the lock. “That’s just an inside door lock. Ain’t no problem.” He reached into his pocket and brought out his pocket knife. “All you got’s to do is slid back the latch.” He slid the blade of his knife into the space between the door and the jam. Then he pushed the latch back, pulling on the door. The door opened.

 

  Jack stuck his head in the small room. “They’s some sacks in here.” He entered and brought one of the bags out to the light.

 

  “What’s in it?” Bob asked.

 

  Sitting it down on the floor, Jack untied the ribbon that tied the top of the bag. He looked in, “YIPPEE!” He began yelling.

 

  “What is it?” Willey asked.

 

  Jack reached in and brought out a stack on money. “They be hundred dollar bills, and they’s more.”

 

  The other two rushed into the room, each coming out, carrying several more bags. “We’s rich!” Bob exclaimed.

 

  “But, don’t that money belong to the ghost?” Willey asked.

 

  “Ghost don’t need no money, they’s dead.” Jack said.

 

  “Papa. They found our money.”

 

  “A lot of good it will do them, they still can’t get out, mama.”

 

  Jack came close to Willey, and whispered into his ear.

 

  “What’s he saying?” Papa.

 

  “I can’t hear, mama.”

 

  Willey nodded his head. Jack whispered to Bob.

 

  “You think he can do it?” Bob asked.

 

   “SHHHH!” Jack warned.

 

  They picked up as many bags of money as the could hold. Then turned toward the big window. “Willey. Remember how you done it. NOW!” Jack yelled.

 

  Willey ran as hard as he could, and hit the window with the same desire to get out as he had in the basement. CRRRRASH! The window gave. Willey landed on the ground, outside of the house. The other two, rushed through the whole he made.

 

  “They’re getting away, papa.”

 

  “I just can’t believe it, mama.”

 

  With bags of money in their hands, Willey, Jack, and Bob, left ghost hunting behind.

 

THE END

A new story will begin, The Nation that should not have been.

Coming soon