It's been a few days since I started reading minds. It's kinda cool...I can control it now. I just WILL it to go away and it does. And I can read a particular person's mind by collecting my consiousness and probe it into theirs. So...when I want it to, my realm of consiousness expands like a radar. And when I want it to be, it's small and compact taking in more details of a single person like a camera. As you might assume, I've done a lot of practicing. It's still a bit weird but...how many bizarre things can happen on one trip before you get used to it?
    But, Darwin is not liking this at all. Maybe that's because he's the only one other than me who knows. The others just think I'm remarkably intuitive. Nevertheless, he's been looking at me warily all the time. As if he expects me to shove my whole consiousness into his mind and take over his body! Can I do that? Would I be able to come back? What would happen to my body if my mind left? Too many questions still...I'm not willing to chance it.
    Anyway, I've been having fun with Darwin by staring at him intently and occasionally raising my eyebrows. It's fun. He kinda freaks out, turns red and sometimes mutters to himself or leaves the room. I'd actually read his mind, but usually it's more fun watching him from the outside. Maybe later, though. The freako X twins have been able to get away with less insanity lately...at least with things that affect me. And Darwin's been pretty cool about helping me to hone my ability...and to keep it a secret even though it's making his nervous as a pig in a sausage factory. Well it's time to switch perspectives!

PLEASE REMAIN SEATED WHILE THE PERSPECTIVE IS IN MOTION...

    Random strolled up onto the poop deck feeling unusually refreshed. The salty breeze played with her hair as she breathed it in. "Aaaaah...morning all!" she chirped cheerfully. Some greeted her with grunts or grumbles and some turned to their comrades whispering earnestly:
    "Is that the girl that calls herself R.H. Taylor?!"
    "I've heard things about her..."
    "Like what"
    "I heard she tried to push Darwin off the lookout tower."
    "I 'eard the lass was usin' 'im as a slave fer unholy rituals!"
    "Well, I heard she was listening to everything you're saying!" a familiar cheerful voice was heard.
    The group turned their heads so slowly they could hear their necks creak. And standing right in back of them was Random herself with the most terrifying grin on her face.
    "Now! Let's stop gossiping like chatty housewives and get to breakfast shall we?" Then she leaned in and continued the rest in a dangerous whisper "Or else, Darwin may be getting some new test animals for his 'Listerine' experiments...in between 'unholy rituals' and all...I'm sure you've all heard what happened to his last test subjects?"
    They all gulped. They knew.
    Suddenly, there was shouting from the lookout in the tower. "Shipwreck!" he quickly climbed down to give his report to the captain; they talked in hushed tones for a few minutes and the captain looked concerned and a little nervous.
    Random quickly grew bored of watching them and went to see for herself. It was no ordinary shipwreck. It was completely beached and well beyond the tideline. The ship was so beaten up, you'd have wondered how on earth it got to be that way, if the cause haden't been so very apparent. It had a giant squid carcass on it (starting to rot) that looked for all the world as if it was attemping to wrestle with the ship. Both of them locked in the ferocious duel forever...