The Sailing of the Wave Runner

'''So this is my first attempt at writing any story ever. If you have any criticism or thoughts or things I could do better, please share. :)'''

Chapter 1
It was a mild July day on Tortuga; the sun was blazing, the air thick and pungent with the scent of the sea. Lawrence Ironhawk, a young man in his early 20's wearing rags stained with rum, was seated on a crate that had just been dropped off on the rotted docks. Lawrence was suffering in the hot sun, his bare, splintered feet were heavily irritated and his face was growing redder than a ripe beet. He had taken a break from rummaging the crates for any goods he could find that could be turned over for gold. He stood up with a sigh, realizing that he hadn't collected anything of worth yet: just a few bottles of rum, Navy provisions, and a stray piece of gold.

"Let's just get this over with," said Lawrence, about to collapse from the heat.

He grabbed his rusty cutlass and opened the adjacent crate, spending much of his valuable strength on the leverage necessary.

A pair of boots.

"At least that's one problem solved... One of many," said Lawrence, scoffing at the decaying leather.

He slipped them on.

Lawrence frowned as his foot hit something smooth inside the boot.

"What's this?"

He reached into the shoe and pulled out a yellowing piece of paper.

"Ah, a treasure map," exclaimed Lawrence, his spirits lifted.

He began to eratically unfold the paper. Finally he would catch a break. He would make a fortune with the treasure the map would lead to. He would be able to afford a good ship. He could hire a crew. He could sail the seas as long as he lived!

Finally, Lawrence looked down at the unfolded paper finding... faded words, not a map. The writing was far too faded to make out the entirety of the message.

''My dearest Julie... sloop captured ... Navy ... repurposed ... been captured... Thieves' Den ... am sorry ... Your Love, John''

"Interesting," said Lawrence, "It appears this fellow attempted to smuggle a letter out of Tortuga by placing it in a pair of old boots that was packaged into a crate meant to be exported to a British colony.

Lawrence thought for a moment, "I guess I have found a treasure map."

He smiled, reassuring himself, and he set off into the jungles of Tortuga, in the direction of the EITC outpost known as Thieves' Den.

'''That's it for chapter one. I'll definitely be adding more to the story and hopefully it'll be soon.'''