You’ve probably been on a ship before, the light breeze and the soft clouds decorating the clear blue sky. Remember how it feels to have the gorgeous sun beaming on your back, to see the lush hills and exotic islands in the distance.

I bet you’ve loved sailing across the ocean, wind in your hair, pushing you to your limits. The beautiful warm waters twinkling at the sun’s glance. The fun times, relaxing on soft sand banks in the sea.

But maybe you should try it when thunder slices through the night. The beautiful waves when they are not so beautiful, crashing down and lurching the ship from side to side. When the winds of winter scraping at the ship like  fingernails scratching against a blackboard. When the sun is almost too flaming and it feels like it has absorbed you and you might melt into a puddle.

Some even say they’ve seen the Queen of May, the most evil in the land, enjoying the peace of the lush hills. Some also say they’ve seen the Earl of October, thundering through Autumn.

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Abby huddled into a tight ball, hiding from the wicked storm surrounding her. The ship, skull cannon, rocked from side to side, boxes pouring off the ship like a waterfall. Screams escaped her throat as the waves slivered on deck. Rain trickled powerfully onto the rotting wood, through screams of horror. “ABANDON SHIP!” screeched Captain O’ha. Abby was frozen to the spot. Feet glued to deck, she cried and wiped her tears away with her sleeve.

“ABBY!” Her Dad cried, while being dragged away by the collar with the Captain.

Everyone was gone. Except Abby. She wriggled around, her feet finally free. The storm had finally settled and the sea was calm like a sleeping puppy. It wasn’t the end though. Through an ocean of mist, Abby could see a shadow of some sort. Her face went pale. As Abby’s emotions faded away like the colour of her face, something swooped above her. The Earl of October. He was riding a bundle of leaves, full of colours like an autumn rainbow.

Suddenly, something stomped on deck. It was the Earl. Abby’s knuckles whitened. Her thoughts were quiet. Her mouth zipped shut. The Earl slowly moved towards her. She shivered. He beamed. As he reached out his hand to the sky, lightning cackled. Another storm. But this one worse. Abby let cries escape her mouth and the Earl disappeared. Had her ear-cracking scream scared him?  The Earl was gone. That was all the mattered and Skull cannon was still alive.