“I’ve never been on a boat before.” Alfred confessed.

Captain Blackpool stared at the younger man before him, stunned. Anger and betrayal pierced his ears, Alfred’s words like needles, his face bursting into a scorching bonfire of red hot rage. 

“You mean to tell me you’re inexperienced, boy?” He grabbed Alfred by the collar, spit flying across his face. His breath reeked of booze.

“W-well, not exactly...” Alfred stammered, turning his head away from the captain’s. “I’ve just never been to sea before. This is my very first time.” 

“Look me in the eye when you speak, boy.” The captain ordered, giving Alfred a rough kick to the shin. “Do you understand me? I can’t have an inexperienced sailor aboard my ship!” 

Alfred winced in pain, instinctually drawing his body back. The deep, dark ocean surrounding them lapped violently at the SS Simon, tossing it this way and that as droplets scattered onto the deck. The sky began to darken. 

A storm had been approaching.

“C-captain,” Alfred said quietly, “I-i think a storm may be coming.” 

The captain ignored his crewmate, his blind fit of rage making him oblivious. He continued his blathering, making Alfred grow more and more nervous by the minute.

A meek, tow-headed man - the cook - peered his head around the corner, holding his hands and ringing them out over and over again as he spoke. “Captain, I think a storm may be coming.. We should hurry to safety.” 

“Do you think I bloody care, fool!?” Captain Blackpool shouted, tossing his hands in the air and waving them about frantically. “Get back to the kitchen where you belong - go on, shoo!”

“Y-yes, Captain,” He uttered, bowing his head in shame as he scuttled back to the kitchen.

“And you,” Captain Blackpool hissed, “You’re going to walk the plank. We don’t have room for useless, pathetic boys like you.”

Alfred’s eyes bulged. His head was pounding like an alarm. “Come again?” He asked, unable to believe his ears.

“I said, you’re going to walk the plank, boy. I’ve had enough of your nonsense. Hell, you don’t even know how to swab the deck!” 

Alfred whipped his head around like a rabid dog, staring at the wild sea angrily tearing at the ship. 

“Surely there must be another way!” He protested.

The Captain ignored him further.

“Matthias, Cornelia - seize him!” He ordered, raising his hand into the air as a flash of lightning struck the sea. 

The two nodded sailors, grabbing a hold of Alfred’s legs. 

“Put me down, you blundering idiots!” Alfred screamed as he felt himself being lifted off of the ground. “You’ll never get away with this.” 

They snickered, revealing horrid green teeth. 

They hoisted him over the edge of the boat. 

“It is always important to know when something has reached its end, fool - and now it is yours.”

Before Alfred could reply, the two sailors mercilessly fed Alfred to the sea, watching his head bob up and down before it was no more.