A Curse Eternal: The Tragic Account of the Flying Dutchman

By David R. Stookey

Of all of the old sea stories and folklore, one of the most elusive and varied tales is the story of the Flying Dutchman. Most versions agree that the fateful event took place at the Cape of Good Hope, but just how exactly did Captain Van der Decken earn his curse to sail the seven seas for eternity? Did his devotion to his beautiful wife affect his judgment? And what actually becomes of those who encounter the Flying Dutchman on the high seas?
Now, in the present day, the captain believes he has finally found his true love again. Does this modern day woman realize who she really is? Is finding her again after all these years enough to end his curse? A family sailing trip to Bermuda becomes a desperate race and struggle for survival in this nautical thriller.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David R. Stookey
• Release date: Dec 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370299218

David R. Stookey

For my day job, I'm an engineer at a digital printer manufacturing company in western New York. I'm also a husband, the father of two fantastic girls and a neurotic little dachshund named "Misty." As an undergraduate, my focus was primarily mathematics and physics. I guess I ultimately needed the "nerdy stuff" for my career, but the class I enjoyed the most was an "Introduction to Writing Fiction." Not only did I learn the basics for my own writing; I got to hear a wide variety of perspectives and techniques from other students. I still have a great deal to learn, and e-publishing seems like the perfect way to get started. When I'm not writing, I enjoy flying, skiing and backpacking with my girls. Thanks for taking the time to visit my page, and I hope you enjoy the stories.

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A Curse Eternal

The Tragic Account of the Flying Dutchman

By David R. Stookey

Copyright 2016 David R. Stookey

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase another copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for your support.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - North Atlantic - 1936

Chapter 2 - Amsterdam 1640

Chapter 3 - East of the Cape of Good Hope - 1641

Chapter 4 - West of Bermuda - Present Day

Chapter 5 - The Royal Dockyards Marina, Bermuda - Present Day

Chapter 6 - Hamilton Harbor, Bermuda - Present Day

Chapter 7 - The Royal Dockyards Marina, Bermuda - Present Day

Chapter 8 - The Royal Dockyards Marina, Bermuda - Present Day

Chapter 9 - The Royal Dockyards Marina, Bermuda - Present Day

Chapter 10 - The Royal Dockyards Marina, Bermuda - Present Day

Chapter 11 - Aboard the Stoutmoedig - Present Day

Chapter 12 - Aboard the Stoutmoedig - Present Day

Chapter 13 - Aboard the Stoutmoedig - Present Day

Chapter 14 - West of Bermuda - Present Day

Chapter 15 - The Cape of Good Hope - 1641

Chapter 16 - Aboard the Stoutmoedig - Present Day

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Chapter 1

North Atlantic – 1936

Captain Greylock unscrewed the cap of his thermos and opened the spigot below the massive vat of coffee on the galley countertop. He welcomed the strong smell, though it didn’t hold a candle to his wife’s coffee. Like anyone accustomed to the long hours of night watch at sea, he simply appreciated its warmth and bitterly strong taste. Greylock stood alone in the ship’s galley. Only a critical few crewmen had duty now, so the normally crowded dining area seemed strangely quiet. Since most of the lights had long been turned off, he could see the fierce storm outside through the porthole in the main hatch.

The ship rolled hard in the changing wind, and he had to make a grab for the cap as it slid away from him. Greylock tucked the thermos into his worn slicker pocket, clamped his hood tightly over his head and opened the hatch to the storm-blasted deck.

As he groped his way to the pilothouse, sea spray pounded the deck in front of him. Greylock knew that in calm waters, the top rail of his freighter stood a full fourteen feet above the waterline. The sea regularly cleared the rail now, telling him the size of the massive swells. He also knew that his pilot could probably use some reassurance, and maybe a gallon or two of coffee. Not too many years had passed since he had endured similar long nights at the helm.

Dense blackness surrounded him on all sides, rendering the deck lighting woefully inadequate. He reminded himself to move slowly and cautiously. One careless misstep could quickly place him truly alone in an unforgiving sea. They'd had a relatively uneventful journey so far, and the captain had no intention of allowing that to change on his account. He timed his moves with the roll of the deck, looking ahead for the best handholds as he staggered forward.

Greylock braced against one final icy blast of spray and opened the hatch to the pilot house. The young pilot gratefully accepted the thermos. He knew the captain was a man of few words, but company of any kind meant a welcome break from his lonely vigil.

Thank ye sir. Rough night, eh?

Greylock nodded and pulled back his hood. Aye. Don't look to be lettin' up none, either.

The pilot sensed the weariness in the captain's voice. Foul weather and rough seas had followed them for nearly the entire trip from Halifax, Nova Scotia. With over five hundred nautical miles still ahead of them, a dismal forecast seemed almost unbearably discouraging.

The pilot filled his mug from the thermos and squinted through the windscreen at a distant spot of light. That a ship off the forward port quarter, sir?

The captain grabbed a pair of binoculars and trained them on the bright glow in the distance. To his surprise, the glowing light allowed him to see the other ship quite clearly despite the darkness and rough conditions. Looks to be. No runnin' lights, but lit up bright as day. Almost looks like...an ol' square-rigged schooner. Under full sail!

A schooner? Who'd be fool enough to be at full sail in a gale like this? Are ye certain, sir?

Greylock handed the binoculars to the pilot. See fer yerself. She must be at least two hundert' years old!

The pilot peered through the glasses and indeed saw a tall three-masted schooner. Unimpeded by the foul weather, the old sailing ship sliced through the sea on a direct course for the freighter. Instead of the standard configuration of navigation lights, an eerie glow surrounded the ship. Something troubled him deeply about the ship; something more than just its appearance, so strangely out of time and in such treacherous weather.

It don't make sense, but you're right, sir. She's got a full head o' sail, but she's headed dead upwind. Bearin' right for us!

The pilot had hoped to control the alarm in his voice, trying to not appear nervous in front of the captain. In truth, he felt greatly relieved that Greylock had joined him in the pilothouse. Ship to ship encounters of any sort in these conditions could prove stressful, and this one promised to be anything but typical.

The captain struggled to see through the blowing rain. Is she signalin' at all? In distress?

Nothin’ I can see, sir. Shall I steer off t' starboard?

Aye. Greylock took the binoculars back from the pilot.

As the captain continued to watch the strange ship, the pilot changed course. Almost immediately, the captain shook his head.

She's already turned for us. Head due north.

The pilot turned again. That's due north, sir.

Damn. She's closin' on us. And upwind, at that! Hold this course. By Christ, she must see us! Greylock also did not want to appear upset in front of his crewman, yet he could not deny a growing sense of dread as the ship drew near. Every sailor who had put to sea knew the tale of this ghost ship and the terrible fate of those unlucky few that sighted her. He had never really believed the stories, but simply accepted them as part of the colorful tradition of a seafaring career.

Sensing the concern in the captain’s voice, the young pilot began to lose his nerve. Sir, that ship. It looks like - do you think it could be...?

What...the Flyin' Dutchman? You got more sense 'n that, son. That ghost ship scuttlebutt's fer cabin boys and ol' ladies. Even if she were the Dutchman, what would she be doin’ in these waters? We're a long damn way from the Cape.

But sir! She's closin' on us under sail, headed directly into the wind. We're makin' fifteen knots! I've never seen that done.

Well, she appears to be comin' abeam. We'll get a good look at her soon enough.

Greylock turned to face the large windscreen that looked port and aft. In less than a minute, the strange glow that surrounded the schooner overwhelmed the darkness around the freighter. The outline of the ancient vessel stood out in sharp relief, but he could not identify the precise source of the light. It seemed to emanate from the ship itself, just as unnaturally as the sails filled from the leeward side. The captain watched in awe as the schooner dropped speed to match their own and started to close the gap between the two vessels. As before, the rough seas did not seem to hinder her progress in the slightest.

Thanks to the mysterious illumination, Greylock now had a clear view of the freighter deck. He could see one of his own night watch crewmen looking first at the strange ship, then back at the pilothouse, awaiting some direction. For the first time that he could remember, Greylock had absolutely no idea what to do. Less than twenty feet of violent sea now separated the two ships, and he realized he had little time left. He leaned over the console to press the ship's intercom switch, still unsure of what to say.

As he hesitated, he watched grappling hooks and ropes fly from the ship, catching on railings and deck fittings. Even inside the pilothouse, he heard the crewman on the freighter deck shout as shadowy figures from the schooner swung from the rigging to land all around him.

The pilot turned his attention from the forward windscreen to get a closer look at the schooner on their port side. Sir, they're boardin' us!

Captain Greylock overcame his stupor and slammed his fist on the ship's alarm.

All hands, all hands! Just what in the name of God is going on here?

He yanked the pilot house hatch open. A tall, hooded figure stood directly in his path, wielding a bailing hook. Lightning flashed, momentarily revealing his face. The brief flash showed Greylock more than he ever wanted to see. The toothy mouth grinned a lifeless and frozen smile. The face reflected lightning-white pure bone, showing only a black void in place of a living man's nose. But worst of all, from deep within empty sockets, a pair of glowing red eyes pierced the very core of his soul. Mercifully, the captain would not need to endure this sight for long.

Chapter 2

Amsterdam – 1640

Henrik Van der Decken sat beside his young wife as their uncovered carriage wound its way through the bustling city of Amsterdam. He proudly wore the uniform of a Dutch East India Company Captain. Based on the admiring looks he received from ladies of all ages, he supposed that he looked quite dashing. Elise had told him as much, and her opinion meant infinitely more than any other.

Henrik looked at Elise appreciatively. Her long blond hair had been neatly arranged, perfectly framing her beautiful face. She had chosen his favorite dress, which accentuated her shapely form. Even after four years of marriage, he never tired of openly gazing at her. She shyly protested whenever she caught him at it, but her objections did not deter him in the slightest. From the first moment he had seen her, he knew no other woman could ever capture his heart. Henrik loved everything about commanding a ship at sea, but leaving his cherished wife behind always caused him anguish.

Elise did not return his loving gaze. Grief and tears filled her eyes, and she blankly stared at the passing city streets. The captain tenderly held his wife’s hand. He knew reasoning with her about this journey would be difficult. For now, he just held her hand and tried to take in the sights as the carriage approached the harbor.

The port of Amsterdam teemed with activity. The Dutch East India Company had enjoyed years of colonial domination in the spice trade and territorial acquisition, and Amsterdam clearly reflected this success. Merchants and tradesmen of all kinds conducted business along the full length of the street that paralleled the city wharf. The imperious company headquarters sat squarely in the center of the street, presiding over the busy harbor. Dozens of uniformed officers walked between company buildings, earnestly discussing matters of shipping and trade. Henrik nodded as a pair of company officers saluted him as their carriage passed. He stole a quick glance at Elise, to see if she'd noticed. If she had, she gave no indication.

Henrik had worked hard to earn his captaincy, and felt justly proud of both the company and his important part in it. He had weakly hoped that having Elise see his new command firsthand might soften her attitude towards their parting. How could anyone not be impressed by the view of this busy port?

Boasting a fleet of several thousand ships and hundreds of thousands of sailors and laborers, the Dutch East India Company had quickly grown to become one of the most profitable enterprises in history. Agents of the Company had achieved powers that exceeded even those of the military. They could acquire territory, take prisoners, and even wage war with the full backing of the Dutch crown.

A series of cranes busily loaded and unloaded large company sloops, barques and schooners in the harbor, while scores of smaller boats weaved among them. The newest of these great ships, the Stoutmoedig, floated proudly beside the main city wharf. Even alongside the other East Indiamen trade ships she stood out impressively. No other ship in the harbor could match her tall afterdeck and bold array of cannon ports.

Henrik intently took in the view as the carriage approached the Stoutmoedig. He had admired the ship countless times before, but today he officially assumed command. The sight of his new ship emboldened him to finally broach the painful topic at hand.

Elise, you know I wouldn't leave you if it wasn't absolutely necessary. I'm the youngest captain in the history of the Company to be trusted with such a fine vessel. I cannot turn my back on this privilege.

Elise turned to face him, knowing she had little hope of changing his mind.

I know why they chose you, Henni. You stop at nothing to succeed. You take too many chances!

Henrik bristled at this. He hadn’t expected such a critical accusation. The safety of my ship and crew always comes first. I would never allow pride or bravado to jeopardize...

"I know you're a fine captain. But I also know that you believe you're invincible. I