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\_| Octopus Garden |
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| The chair creaked as the old man rocked back in it, groaning |
| to himself. "Nay, Olaf, Nay" said the venerable Captain Pryce, |
| "'Tis a wondrous ale you brew, lad. 'Tis only my mind playing |
| tricks on me again, it happens when ye get to be my age..." |
| |
| The fire popped and sputtered to itself as the old sailor |
| scrubbed at his chin through his scraggly gray beard, his |
| brow furrowing of its own accord as the memories came flooding |
| back to him. |
| |
| "T'was a night of horrendous storms," he began, "I knew I |
| shouldn't have left port, but the Duke was insistent. He had |
| to have his cursed wines!" "Pah!" he exclaims, slamming his |
| fist into the table, "The fool knows nothing of the sea and |
| it's foul moods!" His gaze falls across the scarred leather |
| cup that hides the stump where his left hand should be, "Blast |
| me! I should've heeded the signs, but I braved the sea, the |
| storms...then the beast took us! The BEAST! It took me poor |
| Golden Lady like she was cuddling a child to its breast...and |
| then it ripped us apart! The lads tried to save us, but the |
| beast was too strong. It shrugged off our bolts like annoying |
| gnats. I saw young Langdon dragged off and broke like a |
| child's toy by one of the beast's sinuous arms...big around as |
| oxen they were! And as if the Fates hadn't had enough, those |
| blasted fish-men came scrabbling over my bow while the beast |
| held us fast, and killed any they could catch. Lucky for me, a |
| few of the lads managed to scramble into a dingy before my |
| poor Lady went under...lotta fine mates went with 'er." |
| |
| Sighing reluctantly to himself, the Captain went back to his |
| ale... |
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