"Fall of the Estrela," Featured in Midnight Times

Two weeks out from the Gold Coast, the Portuguese slaver Estrela was making good time. The Estrela had started out with two hundred thirty slaves. One hundred thirty survived.

Her captain, Joan Odivelas, didn't like to think about what the Estrela carried in her hold; it was bad enough that he could smell the results. Odivelas sat in his cabin, hunched over his log. A book of poetry balanced on his knee.

A boatswain's mate flung the door open and tumbled inside, breathless. Odivelas sprang to his feet. "What's the matter with you, boy?"

"A ship," the boy said. "Half a league away, and gaining fast, off the starboard bow." He paused to catch his breath. "Red flag."

Odivelas cursed and shoved the boy out of the way. Running up on deck, he shouted orders at his panicked sailors. The pirates would arrive soon.

Off in the distance, Odivelas spotted her. Larger than the Estrela, and faster. English.

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Thus begins "Fall of the Estrela," an original story by me, Erin O'Riordan.  It's featured this month in the online literary magazine Midnight Times.  "Fall" is more than just a pirate story.  It has action, yes, but it also has a bit of romance, and a weird little twist. (I won't give it away; you'll have to see for yourself.)  Please stop by

http://towerweb.net/mt/midnight_times.shtml and check it out, along with the other stories.  It's free; you just need Acrobat Reader, because the stories open as PDFs. 

My Midnight Times Biography:

"Staying up late on Fridays nights, eating junk food and watching films such as Satan's Cheerleaders influenced Erin O'Riordan. She reads obsessively and writes compulsively. Her short stories and articles have appeared in periodicals as diverse as The Saturday Evening Post, the literary magazines Wild Violet and Down in the Dirt, and the webzine Clean Sheets."

If you like "Fall," please visit www.aeess.com to read some of my other works.  And remember, my first novel, Beltane, will be released soon by Eternal Press, so check back soon for updates!