The Haunts & Horrors MEGAPACK®: 31 Modern & Classic Stories by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: stephen king, fantasy, horror, suspence, short stories
ISBN: 9781434443090
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2013-09-18T16:00:00+00:00

VENGEANCE IN HER BONES, by Malcolm Jamieson

The messenger from the Navy recruiting office found old Captain Tolliver in his backyard. The crabby, sour-visaged housekeeper took him as far as the hedge back of the house and pointed the retired mariner out to him. Captain Tolliver was reclining in a ragged canvas deckchair taking the sun. He had on faded dungarees, soft and pliant as linen from hundreds of scrubbings, and the stump of his handless left arm rested carelessly on his lap. The peg-leg that matched it lay in alignment with the one good leg. The captain had his eyes closed, comfortably drinking in the sun’s good heat, when he heard the crunch of the messenger’s step on the gravel walk that separated the vegetable from the flower beds. The old skipper’s hearing was still alert, though, and at the sound he raised his lids and looked inquiringly at the newcomer.

“Commander Jason’s compliments, sir,” said the bluejacket, “and would you please step down to the office. He has a ship for you.”

Captain Tolliver smiled feebly, then he closed his eyes against the glare. His eyes were not overstrong these days—the doctors had said something about incipient cataracts.

“Commander Jason is confusing me with my son. He already has a ship, working out of West Coast ports. My sea-going days are over. Forever.” To emphasize his point he waved the stump of his left arm, and lifted the pegleg slightly.

“No, sir. It’s you he wants. He was very clear about that. He has a ship that only you can command. She’s a rogue. They say she a will obey no other skipper. He says they have waived your physical defects and will give you all the help you need. But they’ve got to have you.”

The captain shook his head.

“He’s wrong, I say. There is no such a ship. There was one once, but she rotted her life away in the back channel. They sold her finally to a wrecking company and broke her up for scrap. All I have to say to that is whoever bought that scrap had better have a care as to how they use it. For she was a vindictive wench. The Sadie Saxon bore grudges and would have her way no matter what you did.…

“Yes, sir,” said the messenger, eagerly, “that’s the ship—the Sadie Saxon—a cargo type vessel! They’ve put her back in commission but she won’t leave port. They need ships now that America is at war. Every ship. That’s why they need you. The commander says please come. If you want, he’ll send an ambulance.”

“The Sadie Saxon,” whispered the old captain, suddenly rapt with nostalgia for World War days when he and she were in their prime.

Then aloud, “He needn’t bother about the ambulance. I can get there under my own power, son. Give me a hand so I can get up and go dress. The old uniform still fits, thank God.”

Captain Tolliver’s senility seemed to drop from him as a cloak the moment the well-worn blue garments were back on his lean frame.

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