The Expedition by Ben Lilley

The year is 1466 and the tired world has just staggered out of the industrial age. Columbus is making his way over the North Atlantic Ocean, in his galleon the Mary Rose. The crew was enflamed because they were promised millions of seductive riches by Christmas 1465. Part of the crew were the keen Hamish and the high-hearted Cameron, and of course, me, quite a calm fellow (when we’re under attack that all changes as I become the ferocious gunner).

Down in the dark wounded gun shaft, as cold as the Antarctic wind, I looked at the miserable agitated water and I thought to myself “Will we ever get to these riches of unimaginable dreams?”

Day 2065 of the Provoked Expedition

The captain says we will soon be in uncharted dominant waters. The three of us were very surprised to see ruins of an abandoned island. We observed the island then sent a reconnaissance group over ……. SUDDENLY random rallies of fire lit up the sky “It’s those cheerless Spaniards with their provoked captain Richard Rut. “Those cannons are about to fire”. BOOM the sky lit up like a Sunday sunset. Cameron was offended as our flag pole fell from the damaged galleon (it was so important for our moral). “NOOOO” yelled Cam. “Hoist to starboard,” said Capt Columbus but as speedily as the Spanish came they were gone ………

Day 3042 of our woeful voyage

“Land ahoy. We have made it” Columbus was so happy. All three of us started celebrating with wine and ale. We arrive on the tropical beach. The sand was unusually black and the trees were delightfully fruitful and there are exotic plants everywhere. “We shall name this New England,” said Columbus so that is what it was called. We were all willing to search this new land so Columbus picked four captivated sailors which happened to be us.

Day 3043 of our successful expedition

We have set up a small hospital and tent on the beach. Suddenly, LALALALALA. “What! Natives?” They charge into our ranks with small light weapons that penetrate our armour like paper. The sound of death is in the air. Our muskets are worthless as they take too long to load. We are getting ripped apart. We run across the fiery sand but it doesn’t hurt as much as before because of the adrenalin. This all changes as you see your friends being sliced apart and drowned by these native New Englanders. We swim to the row boats, out to the damaged galleon. Thin row boats with natives aboard are attacking the Mary Rose (they call them canoes). Cam and I row relentlessly towards the Mary Rose. Reaching the tortured ship we climb the slimy raggard ladder and try to repel the enemy attack. It was vicious on the destroyed ship deck. My friend Hamish fell over an abused dead body and over the side of the Mary Rose. That was the last time I saw him, one of the saddest moments of my life. Suddenly on the contemptuous horizon we see the Spaniards and their dominant Captain Rut. They sail towards with with the help of the northwest winds, yet do not fire upon us. Behind them the whole Spanish Armada appeared. BOOM the beach behind us lit up like a fireworks display. The Spanish fired their huge mortars and crushed the native settlement, leaving no sign of life. It seems to be that the Spanish King and English Queen Elizabeth have made an alliance.

The battle continues as the Spanish push through the jungle. I spent the rest of the day looking for my companion Hamish. I had a gut feeling he was somewhere alive.

Day 3045 of our doomed voyage

In a few moments we will wade ashore with five men. The rest will provide cover. The supplies we take ashore will give us atwo week survival expectancy. Our job is to find the City of Gold and get out. A few moments later SPLASH I land in the freakishly cold water and I wade ashore onto the beach where so many of my fellow sailors have died. Tragically their bodies had been ravaged by wild animals. We trudge onwards coming to the edge of the jungle. We see all sorts of things like striped lions with no mane, colourful birds and horse with stripes. Before I knew it we were in the dense dark jungle. FZZZZT an arrow flies past our heads and into the midst of our landing party. ARGGGGGH Cameron was hit in his breast plate, and blasted to the ground. He staggered back up just to find dynamite attached to the arrow. They must have stolen it from a dead body. BOOM. Just as the smoke cloud cleared we saw why. Cam had run into the bushes where there was a wall and he destroyed the dynamite by sacrificing his life for his country. What he had seen was a tunnel, now full of dead natives from the explosion. We realised what the tunnel was leading to …. The City of Gold. Cautiously we approached the tunnel. Suddenly a man came out of the bushes, it was HAMISH! Thank God I said ``I thought you were dead ‘’ I said with a sigh of relief he said ``where’s Cameron he said happily ``he was killed in a battle just behind that bush’ I said ``oh’’ he sobbed sadly ``where is his body?’’

TO BE CONTINUED