Day 4 - Log by Navigator Bernard.
MEIN GOTT. The Captain - walking - dead - missing an eye, moaning, trying to attack me, on fire......... What cursed place is this?
But I better start at the beginning. After checking the stocks, it was obvious that we were in need of the basic supplies to start with. We had some coal, but very little wood. Thankfully there was a forest nearby, and so I spent the a good part of the day cutting down trees and hauling them inside. The crew sure is looking up to me to do lead, but I never new being on top was so much hard work! Still, it got done, and I expanded our storage case by another trunk.
With wood taken care of, I was able to create some additional torches. Though it was late in the day, I thought exploring one of the cave systems just a bit might be useful. Sure its scary, but the men are now looking at me as the leader, and I cannot show fear. I was concerned about a mutiny.... Now I fear so much more.....
With a crude sword fashioned from stone and plenty of torches, I left the crew and went exploring. I ventured into the cave with the opening right near the water outside our current shelter. It was late, but I was too driven to sleep. Not long after entering I was attacked by one of the strange, green exploding creatures. It hissed but I hit it a few times with my sword and it never exploded. Amazingly, the body disappeared, but there were 2 small piles of black powder left behind. I scooped them up. I came to a fork and explored first one, then the other - keeping the way lit brightly. Both ended up as dead ends, but there was much coal to be found, and a reddish, rust colored rock that I think may be Iron. In my excitement, I got kind of turned around, lost track of time and spent much of the night mining more coal. I decided to check on the other ore later, after realizing my comrades must be worried. As I worked my way out of the cave, I noticed it was dark outside, but that the sun seemed to be rising. As I neared the surface, more moaning sounds. They were so creepy, but I couldn't find the source.
As I climbed out of the cave, I noticed there was a man standing on a hill, just near our shelter. It was on a little peninsula, and he appeared to be looking out to sea. It was just begining to turn dawn, so I couldn't tell who it was. I yelled to him, but he never turned. That is when I made a seemingly harmless decision that shall haunt me for the rest of my days....
Instead of heading back to our camp, I wondered if my crewmate may be looking for a ship to rescue us. Of course! A lookout! I thought I shall have to reward my crew for this initiative. I went over to speak with him, but at the bottom of the hill, again I heard those ungodly moans. I looked around in the still, dark air and saw nothing but the shadow of the man above..... I climbed the hill, but as I got close to the top, another of those green monsters appeared - I was barely able to escape its blast. When I looked up, my comrade was no longer on the hill. Fearing he had been injured in the blast, I ran to the top, when the most horrible of sights met my eyes...
The Captain - the crew said he have been killed by a giant spider. Oh Gott were it true. But no, he stood just a little ways below me, ragged and bloodied. I started to climb down, when he looked up at me and let out the most terrifying moan. His left eye was gone, but in his right there was no recognition. His body and clothes were shredded beyond what any mortal man could bear and still live. He leered at me through his one souless eye, and began to approach me.
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http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/...in/Captain.jpg[/img]
I screamed in terror and tried to back away, this was not our Kapitan, this was some evil curse that had turned him into the walking dead! As I scrambled back, I fell suddenly and the sun came over my shoulder. The Captain was caught in a beam from the sun. He made an odd noise, then suddenly BURST into FLAME before my very eyes. Without so much as a scream of pain, he retreated to the bottom of the hill, then fell or jumped into a hole that I had not seen before.
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http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/...min/OnFire.jpg[/img]
Our Skipper, a zombie. Me, terrified out of my wits. I couldn't help but go see where the skipper had gone. I was to fearful to enter, but I did see one of those skeletons near the entrance. I retreated to our camp.
The men are shaken, they don't want to believe me, but I think my terror is proof enough. I don't know that I can leave this shelter now....
*While I have pictures of the Kapitan from before and after catching on fire - I have no ability to attach or post them. ARG!