Life was unfair. It favored one person over the other. You could be born into a rich household and never suffer financially, but mentally would be another issue without loving parents. You could be born into a poor family, wondering what you would eat the next day, but at least you had parents who loved you. Then the next day you all die in an accident. Life was unfair and cruel. You never knew what was coming.

Death was fair. It took everyone great or small, rich or poor, healthy or not, young or old. It took people out of their misery, from having to suffer everyday. Death was that warm abyss that held you after you passed on. Death was fair and kind.

How did I know all of this? The Dutchman told me so. Whatever the Dutchman wanted, the Dutchman would get. The Dutchman must always have a captain, but it must always have a crew to serve. Part of the ship, part of the crew. The crew must serve the Dutchman and its captain. The ship where the dead can keep on living, where sinners could repent of their wrongdoing. Life was unfair.

Soon after we adjusted our course, we quickly left the storm behind us. The skys became clear and the sun shone down on us. I gasped when another sharp pang of pain went up my right arm.

"I-I'll be in my quarters. Let me know when we arrive." I ignored Norrington's concerned face and scurried back to my room. I closed the door behind me, threw off my red coat and white puffy shirt. I gritted my teeth as I moved my arm.

I got a good look at my right arm. My right shoulder was covered in some type of shell, and it felt hard. Pain sprung up with every movement.

"Arrrgh-" Pain started up on the left side of my face and I screamed. Pain coursed through my body as I felt myself collapse onto the floor. My body was changing, slowly and painfully. After a few minutes, it went away with only a dull ache in my right arm. The silent room was disrupted by my breathing as I leaned against my bed, sitting on the floor.

I slowly touched the left side of my face. It...felt hard yet smooth to the touch. I closed my eyes, but a few tears managed to escape. The Dutchman groaned again, the driftwood seemed like it was shivering. All dying must serve.

All...dying...must...serve...this is the way. Death was fair, it always was. It took Mom away so she wouldn't have to suffer in her day to day life. I nodded my head slowly. Once...I returned the fishermen to their village, I'll find more dying to have them serve. Taking a moment to compose myself, I got dressed in my white shirt and red coat again. Not even a minute later, I heard a frantic pounding on my door. Opening it, Norrington's face told me everything I needed to know.

"You need to see this."

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Life was unfair and cruel. Life and death both went hand in hand with fate. Fate demanded that the four fisherman should have died at sea, and either join my crew, or pass onto the other side. Fate could not be denied, and it always found a way.

The fishing village was burning before my eyes. Flames shot up from every hut, with bloodied bodies covering the coast. It seemed they tried running to their boats to try and escape. They were rewarded with a bullet to the head or back. I took an unsteady breath. This was all of my fault. I should never have given the fisherman that second option. I killed this village.

The four fishermen started wailing as soon as they caught sight of their beloved village. They scoured the shore as they started looking for survivors. I decided to help. This was all of my fault. I stepped over dead bodies filled with bullet holes, and others with burns. I had no control over those who died at land, I couldn't sense if there was anyone dying here. Fate always found a way. Death always found a way. There was no escaping this.

Ekon ran towards a hut near the shore.

"MAMA! PAPA! ABEBI! ADAEGO! ADAEZE!" He screamed. A stout older woman laid dead at the front door. Ekon cradled her body in his arms and I looked away. I killed their families.

"Look for survivors." I murmured. Norrington touched my left shoulder as I started to walk off. I paused for a second, but didn't turn to look at him.

"You're wrong. This….this is all my fault." I wandered off to look for any survivors. I had always heard that Africa was filled with warlords, but I never imagined something like this. What type of monsters would murder a whole village! I balled my left hand into a fist, my right still hurts. I vomited by the side of a lone hut. Wiping my mouth, I found myself back at the shoreline, the Dutchman in plain view.

"Why haven't you done anything?" I heard someone angrily say. I turned my head to see an angry Ekon march up to me, a young girl lying in his arms. "Why DIDN'T YOU SAVE THEM?!" He screamed in my face.

I stared back blankly. "I don't decide who lives and who dies. The sea is my domain."

Ekon gently lowered the girl to the sand and cried even more. "She….she died in my arms." He looked back up at me angrily. "Didn't you say that you guided those who died into the other side! Give them the same offer you gave me!" The other three fishermen arrived and collapsed to their knees on the shoreline.

I shook my head slightly. "They died on land. The sea is my domain." Norrington touched my shoulder, but I brushed him off.

Ade crawled up to us, his tears turning the sand moist. "Adroa did this…"

Ekon's head turned violently. "What?!" His voice was a mixture of anger and sadness. He grabbed Ade by the collar. "How do you know?!"

Ade whimpered and buried his head in Ekon's neck. "M-My wife...they...they VIOLATED HER. I held her hand as she passed. She whispered his name into my ear." Ade's voice grew with rage.

Suddenly, I felt their gaze turn to me. They seemed confused as they stared at my face. I still haven't seen my reflection.

"Take us with you." What? It would have been more merciful for them to die and rejoin their loved ones.

Ekon stood up and marched up to me. "I shall serve you and keep your riches. Give me...give me Adroa and I shall serve you for all eternity." Hmm, he would eventually come to regret that. I shook my head side to side.

"I don't make bargains with the living, only the dying." I snapped my finger and my fishmen started walking back into the water. Norrington stayed beside me.

Ekon's eyes widened and turned to the other fishermen. They all shared a knowing look, and started running past me to throw themselves into the sea. I sighed sadly. I was the one who caused them to believe that suicide by drowning will give them revenge.

"Are you ok Taylor." Norrington asked. I gave him a fake smile and nodded. I walked back to the Dutchman in silence after giving the village one last look. I had four souls that needed to be bound.

Death was fair.