The last part of my Journey ends at the Rogue Brewery. Now I know what you're thinking, "what business does Isaac have at a brewery?", and you would be right... Except the Rogue Brewery (the one near the aquarium not the hotel one on the other side of the bridge) is totally kid friendly. In fact, they had coloring books, and cool stuff to play with. Not to mention some yummy food.
A picture of the bridge near the Brewery.
While there, I was begged by the patrons to tell one of my famous sea adventure stories. It took me by complete surprise to be approached like this as the stories aren't all that well known, and if by chance you do know them, I can't imagine how you would figure that I was the creator. The stories are told through the eyes of a rugged old sea captain named "Ripley Stalwart". There were about ten of them that I recorded in my basement on cassette and sold around town. In fact, I had completely forgotten about them until that moment in the Rogue.
I was nervous but I felt compelled to give my fans what they wanted.... here is the story:
"I remember that day at sea like it was yesterday......"
"The sun was just setting on the horizon, as our ship trekked through the dark murky waters. A tiny island off of the starboard side could be seen silhouetted against the dying suns rays."
"As I looked at the passing vegetation, I wondered what type of beasts (if any) called the tiny island home. I made a mental note to come back someday and explore the island more thoroughly for I felt a strange aura surrounding the tiny tropical oasis that beckoned to me. But the creatures, and auras of that Island were not of my main concern. My main concern was the dying sun, and the creatures that lurked in those inky waters below our floating vessel. It was at sundown that the monstrosities tended to be the hungriest."
"I knew the horror stories about traversing these waters at night, I had frequented enough pubs filled with drunken sailors to have heard every version of every story, and each was more fantastic than the previous. I prayed that they were just stories, and if they weren't I prayed that the gods let my ship safely pass."
"That night I found out that those drunk sailors weren't just spouting off at the mouth, and that no ship is free from the food chain when it comes to a monsters hunger."
"My prayers were interrupted by a high pitch squeal off in the distance, it seemed the creatures from the deep were awake and hungry. The sound turned my blood to ice. My crew was scared, and so was I, but I knew I couldn't show a moment of weakness or fear. No better way to create a mutiny and get yourself tossed over the side of your own ship then to show weakness to the cut throats that you hired for a mission that no sane man would do, and I for one had no desire to be a tasty treat for one of those slimy scaly horrors."
"Mutiny however was not in store for me or my crew of delinquents. Something far worse was upon us and it happened quickly and with almost no warning. Off the port side a horrific devilish ear splitting scream issued forth, and then four or five more came in quick answer. The creatures were all around us."
I ordered my crew to arm the cannons, but it was too late, something giant and big slipped a slimy tentacle over the port side of the boat. Followed by another tentacle, and another, and another. The men ran toward it with their axes and muskets and whatever else they could find. One man, went at the tentacle with a bottle of rum. He was the first to be taken, and the rest went in an order in which I did not see, for the events that happened next happened fast.
The man with the bottle ran to club a tentacle, just as I saw more tentacles slipping up and over the sides of the boat. I quickly glanced around... they were coming up from every side. There were shouts. Then the creature that had first latched on pulled itself up out of the water, tipping the boat in the process, and sending the man with the bottle straight into the creatures teeth filled maw.
The boat rolled and suddenly the icy water had its grips on me... I grabbed onto a floating piece of wood, climbed up onto it, and held on for dear life. Making no movements. I could hear screams from the crew, but they slowly died out with the remaining light of day...
I was alone in the dark with the creatures... I hoped they had had their fill.
I awoke in the morning, somehow I had kept my grip onto the piece of wood through the night. I was completely numb. The sun was starting to light the day... the creatures were gone, so was my crew, and the boat... well all except the shreds of the disaster that still floated with me on the tide.
I lifted my head and saw an island off in the distance. A strange aura filled me, and called me closer.
