Dead Men Tell No Tales...

A Pirate Adventure with Evan and Ivanka...

Dear Readers,
Evan and Ivanka sat on the porch, staring at the old wooden chest that I had brought home from an antique shop. It was heavy, covered in barnacles, and had a rusty lock that looked like it hadn’t been opened in centuries.

“Where did you find this, Dada?” Evan asked, his fingers tracing the carvings on the lid.

I grinned. “An old sailor was selling it by the docks. He said it once belonged to Captain Grimjaw, the most feared pirate of the Seven Seas.”

Ivanka’s eyes widened. “A real pirate? Do you think there’s treasure inside?”

“Well,” I said, leaning in, “there’s only one way to find out.”

The Chest of Secrets

With a loud creak, I pried the chest open. Instead of gold and jewels, they found something even more mysterious: a weathered, yellowed map, a small compass, and an old pirate’s journal with a skull on the cover.

Evan picked up the journal and flipped through the pages. “It’s written in old pirate writing!”

Ivanka pointed at the map. “Look! It leads to an island shaped like a skull!”

My eyes twinkled. “Then we have a quest! Get your pirate hats, mates. We’re setting sail for adventure.”

The Ghost Ship

That night, as they drifted off to sleep, something strange happened. The room filled with the scent of salt and the distant sound of waves. When they opened their eyes, they were no longer in their beds; they were on a ship, sailing across a moonlit ocean.

“Dada… where are we?” Evan whispered.

I looked around. “I think we’re in the story.”

Before they could figure out what was happening, a thick fog rolled in, and out of it came a massive, creaking ship. Its sails were tattered, and its wooden hull was covered in seaweed. A ghostly crew stood on the deck, their hollow eyes glowing in the moonlight.

A tall figure stepped forward. He had a hook for a hand, a long black coat, and a beard tangled with seaweed. His voice was deep and echoed like thunder.

“Ye dare trespass in Grimjaw’s waters? Dead men tell no tales, but ye be alive, so perhaps I’ll let ye speak.”

Ivanka clutched my arm. “Dada… is that Captain Grimjaw?”

I nodded. “It sure looks like it.”

Evan gulped. “We have your map! We want to find the treasure!”

The captain stroked his scraggly beard. “Aye, the treasure… Many have searched for it, but none have returned. Do ye have the courage to face the trials of Skull Island?”

I put a hand on Evan and Ivanka’s shoulders. “We’re ready.”

Grimjaw grinned. “Then, follow me.”

The Trials of Skull Island

The ghostly crew led them to the island. The moment they stepped ashore, the ground rumbled, and a massive stone skull-shaped door blocked their path.

Evan read the inscription on the stone: “Only those who know the sea can enter.”

“I know the sea!” Evan said. “Quick, name three types of fish that live in the ocean!”

“Uh… Arowana, pufferfish, and… PIRANHAS!” Ivanka shouted.

The ground shook, and the stone skull’s mouth opened into a dark tunnel.

Inside, they faced the second trial: a room full of skeleton pirates holding swords. The moment they stepped in, the skeletons turned their heads toward them.

I read the next clue: “A true pirate must know how to talk like one.”

Evan grinned. “I know this! Ahoy, mateys! We come in search of treasure, so let us pass, or ye be walking the plank!”

The skeletons nodded in approval and stepped aside.

The Treasure and the Truth

Finally, they reached the last chamber. At the center was a golden chest, shimmering under the torchlight.

Ivanka ran forward and opened it. Instead of gold and jewels, inside was… another book.

Evan frowned. “A book? Where’s the treasure?”

I picked it up and read the cover. “The Real Treasure of Captain Grimjaw.” He flipped it open and smiled. “It’s his journal. His life story.”

Captain Grimjaw’s ghost appeared beside them. “The greatest treasure ain’t gold, my friends. It’s the stories we leave behind. Now ye know dead men tell no tales, but their stories live forever.”

As he spoke, the room began to fade, and suddenly, Evan and Ivanka were back in their beds, the pirate book still in my hands.

“Dada…” Ivanka whispered. “Was it real?”

I smiled and tucked them in. “Maybe it was just a dream… or maybe we were part of a legend.”

As they drifted off to sleep, the wind outside whispered like the ocean, carrying the echoes of pirate voices, telling their tales through time.

Goodnight my Children

Dada loves you a lot.

Jacob M