The days passed slowly as the half-destroyed ship plowed through the red waters of the River of Blood. The hull creaked with every wave, as if it might split in two at any moment, but still the ship continued on its course, carrying with it the echoes of the recent slaughter.
Under Audrey's instructions, all the bodies of the deceased were thrown into the river. Some tried to resist; their protests were brief, as their fate ended up being the same as that of the pirates. The corpses disappeared beneath the red waters. After that show of authority, no one else dared to complain. Fear was stronger than any order.
With discipline restored, Audrey assigned various tasks. Some were to calculate provisions, weighing every grain of food and every drop of water. Others were ordered to clean the deck, which was still stained with blood. No matter how hard they tried, the metallic smell lingered, and the wood remained stained, as if the ship itself refused to forget.
