By: Lisa Anne Hetu
The grand ship named Zeus sailed peacefully between a mountain pass. Though the sun was high at mid-day, the shadows cast by the mountain range made it seem unnaturally dark. Captain Topher stood proudly at the helm, ignoring the parrot that hung off the end of his peg arm. The mint dispenser had been malfunctioning as of late, but this did not stop little Mikey from clawing and pecking with all his might. He was going to get a mint out of that peg arm if it killed him.
The mute thug, Frank, quietly went about his business (as he could go about it no other way). Steve and Mike watched him as they did their work. "Hey Frank, don't talk so much!" Mike joked.
"I got an extra smoke here, who wants it?" Steve asked, looking at Frank.
"I'll take that." Mike said, acting as if he had beat Frank to the punch.
"Poor Frank, if you wanted a smoke you should've said something." Steve smiled mischieviously.
Frank just looked at Mike and Steve and gave them the finger. Topher wasn't very pleased. "I wish you three would get along better." he said.
"Just like a pack of harpies" Mikey observed.
It was just then that the ship sailed under a cliff and a horrible squawking was heard overhead.
"BITCH!" screamed a raspy woman's voice.
"HORE!" screamed another female voice.
Suddenly a winged creature came crashing down onto the ship's deck. Topher and his pirate thugs jumped. The creature was a dirty smelly woman, dressed in rags. Her hair was tangled and matted, and her fingers and toes extended into large sharp talons. Her wings were like a bat's and her eyes were bright yellow in compliment to her sharp fangs so she looked much like a hissing cat.
Within seconds, a second creature came flying down, biting and clawing at the one that had fallen before. Mikey looked shocked. "I didn't mean it on purpose." he said.
"You didn't mean what on purpose?" Topher asked.
"About the harpies ... those are harpies." Mikey said, "There should be one more around someplace."
"One more?! You mean two isn't enough?" Steve complained, trying to stay as far away from the squabble as possible.
Frank looked up to the rocks, trying to spot any other harpies that might happen to fall from the sky. "Blair!" called an unknown voice, "Stop fighting with Anne." Then, the third harpie made her appearance. She floated down off the cliff and landed near her two sisters. "Just hold on there," Topher interjected, "I'm going to have to ask you to take your personal affairs off my ship."
"Cool it, peach fuzz." the third harpie said, "Anne. Blair. Let's go."
"Bite me." Anne said, holding her sister awkwardly by the hair, "Blair tried to steal my dinner."
"You mean this dinner?" Erin said, holding up the torn and mangled carcass of a fish.
"Thief!" Anne screamed, letting go of Blair and attacking Erin.
The two harpies flipped over the side of the ship, and splashed into the ocean, biting and clawing. Blair absently looked over the side of the ship, then sat back and started licking her wounds.
Topher tried to get the parasite off his ship, but she just ignored him and hissed at anyone who tried to get too close. Finally Mikey hopped over to the harpie. "Get off. Squawk!" he said.
Blair looked at the little parrot blankly, then bolted up and charged at him, wings spread out. Mikey flapped his wings and bolted to the side of the ship. Rainbow colored feathers flew everywhere. But Blair wasn't stupid; she wasn't about to dive off the ship after a little funny-looking bird.
But, it was Frank who managed to get Blair off the ship. He grabbed a fresh fish and waved it at the harpie. She cocked her head, watching the fish like a dog begging for food. When she lept at the fish, screaming "I want that", Frank tossed it over the side. Blair dove at the fish and splashed into the water.
"Good one Frank!" Topher said, praising his mute thug, "Now let's get the ship out of here before we get more uninvited company."
And as the sun rolled over the deck, casting away the somber shadows, Captain Topher and his crew knew that the danger had past. It was clear sailing from now on.
The End.
