Chapter 1 Cass

It was late at night when it happened, the occasional sound of the cannon firing in the distance from ships. I got a bang on the door which I was hoping wasn't Lieutenant Springer again as he has been giving me complaints of how I have been sleeping in since coming back from the Jersey Lighthouse.

“Cass Underwood! Get out of your barracks!” His yell ran down my spine like wildfire and it seemed like it was controlling me because I wanted to go back to sleep, but my body was making me get dressed, fold my bed, get my knives, everything that I was hoping not to do today or any day. I opened the door and saw Lieutenant Springer behind a barricade shooting at foxes with his hand pistol every few seconds, I rushed over to him trying to yell over the sound of the sparks being shot.

“How did they get inside the base?” I said curiously, yelling over the sounds of cannons and sparks flying between us, “They came up out of the sewer!” Said Lieutenant Springer. I wanted to get into that sewer and stop whoever was planning this, no matter who it is. Without rethinking my plan I said, “I'm going in!” and jumped over the barricade somehow dodging all the sparks from the guns.

“Are you crazy?" Said Lieutenant Springer, “You are going to die!” I knew I was crazy already so I might as well die to try and stop this uprising. So I tightened the grip of my knives as I was getting closer, counting down in my head from five. At zero, I jumped towards two foxes and twirled in the air right between them cutting their clothing and digging into their skin. After I landed on my feet, I did a back flip and jammed my knives into both their backs making them land on the drop dead. Next, I rushed forward and sliced at the gut of the last fox. His body dropped down on the floor with his blood soaking the already blood orange fur.

When the area was clear, Lieutenant Springer walked over with his mad I’m going to be Mr.  Adopted Father and ground you in your barracks look on. “Do you have any idea what you have done?” He said angrily, “Those were part of Guy Fox’s gang!” My face must’ve turned gray as the named was mentioned. The dread fear that set into me as I had a mark over my head from killing foxes part of Guy Fox's gang. I felt like the world was spinning all around me, getting dark every second. I heard my name over and over again changing slightly each time from Lieutenant Springer to the voice of my brother, Ryan.

Ryan and I were adopted by Lieutenant Springer from an orphanage in Port Regal. Ryan worked the night shift at the Admiral Benbow Tavern where he gave pirates, dogs of the Royal Navy, and other regular inhabitants on the famous Isle. For the most of Marleybone, the Isle of Dogs was just where more factories were erected. But really there are only two factories on the whole isle and the real purpose of the isle is living quarters for ship workers of the Royal Navy who work at the shipyard on one side of the isle, the maximum security prison of Marleybone which also has barracks for any soldiers of the Royal Navy stationed there, and headquarters of the Navy. The island used to connect to the head Marleybone City but the bridge has since been blown up and nobody knows why.

“Cass, Lieutenant Springer wants you at the house,” said Ryan. The tone of the sentence made it seem as though he was bored from not much business tonight, he has been trying to get money to buy a house for him and his soon to be wife Abby, “I don’t know why he wanted you on your break but I would go because it could be something.” I grabbed enough coin out of my pocket to pay for the yum. I probably had more yum but I didn’t have time to go counting every bottle. I got up out of my chair and stumbled towards the door. I am so drunk that I almost fell down onto my chin when I didn’t notice the steps outside of the tavern. From then on, I stumbled drunkenly towards the house.