Marcus D

I woke up to the smell of sea salt filling my nostrils like blood running through your veins, the waves slowly crashing into the wooden side of the boat and my hammock gently rocking side to side. I look to my left side to see my brother fast asleep; I let out a sigh, he always does this. I went up to his hammock and shook him, repeatedly whispering in his ear. “Wake up Ove.”

“5 more minutes.” Ove replied, sleepily.

“The captain will tell you off,” I stated, annoyed. Suddenly, Ove exploded out of his swinging hammock. He quickly jerked on his metals, and grabbed our favorite weapon - the axe, “Ove, we still have 10 more minutes.” I burst out. Ove let out a sigh with relief in his eyes.

We made our way up to the top deck of the boat. Of course, Ove got up there first. When we got up to the top deck we found an unusual sight… the captain had none of his metals on, not even his beloved sword was in his hand. He was perched on the edge of the railing on the boat. I whispered, “Ove, what do you think captain is doing?”

“I don’t know, Bigar.”

I shouted out to the captain, “Captain what are you doing? Do you think we are getting to the edge of the world?”

“No,” replied the captain. “I see land. It’s about a day and a half away! Get the army! Quick!” Ove and I raced downstairs. We shook all the hammocks and screamed ear piercingly loud, “Wake up, land is near!” Every Viking was out on the top deck of the boat with their metals on and their weapon of choice in their hands beside them. A groaning sound came from the gigantic crowd.

“Vikings silence!” The captain screamed at the gigantic group of Viking’s walking side by side. “As you may or may not heard, there has been land seen. We still have another day and a half till we land on the shore. Until that time, we will be training on the lower decks, do that now.” A herd of Viking’s ran down to the lower quarters of the ship. The day went by really slow when you hit a scarecrow with an axe all day, but luckily, I had Ove next to me so we had hilarious conversations.

The next morning, Ove and I woke up extremely early, to get a glimpse of the land, but when we got to the edge of the boat… we found the land 25 metres away. Ove and I sprinted downstairs, we shook hammocks and shouted glass breakingly loud. “Put metals on-weapon-top deck, now!” After every Viking woke up and were on the top deck the captain came up and quickly ran to the side of the boat, mouth wide open.

He turned to the massive group and said firmly. “Vikings this is it. I don’t know if this land is inhabited or not, the invasion could be a walk through a meadow... or a volcano.” Suddenly, the boat stopped and jerked back.

The captain shouted at the top of his lungs, “CHARGE!” He ordered. While everyone was running out of the boat like a school of fish getting attacked by sharks, Ove and I talked while we jogged. “Mate, Ove that's make a promise,” Ove nodded his head. “If you don’t come back, I’ll go find you, and you will do the same. Okay?” Ove nodded his head.

Finally, Ove and I galloped out of the boat onto the soft sand beds. Suddenly, a lot of red skirted woman came charging down; or so it looked like it. As they got closer they became angry, red skirted men. Some of the skirt men rode on a strange looking animal. It had a long face and strange feet that looked like hooves of a camel.

The captain let out a cry when they were within striking point. “CHARGE!” Every Viking sprinted to the enemy with their weapons ready to kill. Out of nowhere, Viking’s started to fall around me, with twigs sticking out of their body with luscious feathers of a bird tail on the top circle, and dark red blobs of blood on their shirt. Screams of deep pain filled my ears. My axe made people scream and bleed intensely like leeches, when I swung. Suddenly, one of the opposing army let out a cry of gibberish and started to retreat. The captain ordered, “Follow them, come on men!”

We raced after them into dense forest. Finally, the captain said, “stop chasing. We will find a meadow to set up camp.” The Viking’s found a large meadow. The grass was soft and a shade of bright green covered the ground. The peaceful, fresh air was a privilege. Suddenly, I remembered… I haven’t seen Ove. My mind instantly went into panicked state. I started screaming, “OVE!” repeatedly, while I was sprinting around camp. I went around the camp three times but I found nothing. Where else can he be? I thought. Then it popped into my mind… the battlefield.

I quickly raced back to the battlefield. The battlefield was no longer a battlefield, it was more like a cemetery. It was deathly silent in a place where it was deafening loud half hour ago. Bright red spots ran through the bright green and cold bodies laid in the many. “Ove!” I screamed, but there was no answer. I stared at the ground walking slowly looking for Ove’s sparkling face. I didn’t see it. I went to see the sea. I sat on the sand bed, and thought. I don’t well hope he’s… no he can’t. My eyes started to form tears, then I remembered… ‘the forest’. I sprinted towards the tall timber and the green bushes.

I screamed at the top of my lungs! “Ove? Ove, where are you? OVE!”

“Bigar? Bigar, is that you? It’s Ove!” Ove replied, calling out.

“Stay there,” I roared over the tall timber. “I will follow your voice.” Ove started to let out cries of high pitched chirps, like a newborn bird. I followed to the high call. There Ove was. Suddenly, questions popped into my mind like shooting stars. “How did you get lost, Ove?”

“You know I run pretty fast,” Ove said smirking, “if I say so myself-yeh.”

“w-w-w?”

“Please Bigar, no more Questions,” Ove said. “Um, Bigar. How are we going to get back? Is it this way?” Ove pointed.

“I don’t know,” I mumbled. I was too happy.

“How can’t you know how to get back? It is not that hard.” Ove shouted, annoyed.

“I’m sorry please, I think it is this way.” I whimpered as I felt sheepish, while pointing to my South.

Ove nodded, but the expression on his face said, Bigar you're a sheepish fool. It took a long time to get through the densely populated town of shrubs and trees, and Ove followed me. It took a very long time until, finally we stopped just outside a paddock with… houses?

Suddenly, a scream of a person that lost his tongue bellowed into our ear drums. Suddenly, men came running at us with swords, axes that probably picked off fallen Viking’s and a bent piece of wood that had a string stood back. “RUN!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. We couldn't get through the town fast enough.

Soon after, Ove and my limbs were in several hard, excruciating painful, tight knots. That night was hard, we got slashed by the whip to the spine. It stung like open wounds pickled. In the morning the pain came in little spurts. Then in the corner my eye I saw… the whip. I shuffled over to the whip on my knees. I turned around and manoeuvre it. Suddenly, my hands came free, dark red marking that stung to touch circled both of my hands. Soon after the freedom of my hands, my legs became free, with the same markings.

I walked over to Ove and shook him to wake. He opened his eyes, but he was paralysed with pain. Ove let a cry of deep pain. The same lost tongue scream came after into my ears. I picked up Ove and cradled him into my arms, as I ran for the forest. I carefully place Ove behind the bush. I turned. Suddenly, I fell to the ground, sharp pains came from my chest. I looked up and I saw a stick coming out of my heart, the bright red bird feathers on the end of arrows match the red coming through my skin. Then I saw a bright light… and I went through.

“Bigar, Bigar my son, come look at this.” Ove said pointing at a stone with a massive amount of names.

“All right dad.” Bigar said, excited

“Here is your uncle.” Ove said with a tear.

“WOW! He's got the same name as mine, and look father,” Bigar said with pride. “He has got the Vikings highest honour, the Thor’s cross. The only one in the Scottish invasion.” Ove nodded, nearly making a waterfall. Ove remembered that night, and Ove regretted how he was angry at him.