"Hermingo"

Please edit this story so that I can get the best mark as posible!!! Thank-you!!! (Like the name?)

The sea was coming into the boat as if it had a mind of its own. Big, puffy, cumulus clouds were hanging low, almost touching the mighty waves of the ocean. Huge cold rain drops fell from the cloud covered sky. Another enormous rouge wave slapped the side of the ship and washed over its deck bringing men to their watery deaths.
“Lower the anchor,” shouted Captain Lawrence.
Sir Lawrence Halfway had been captain of the “Hermingo” as long as anyone could remember. He smelled like salt and cigars and never trimmed his beard except when he went to weddings. Lawrence loved the sea and felt at home out there with no land in sight.
“Let’s go men, hustle up!”
“Sir, you want us to get the Negroes from the bottom?”
“No, let them rot in their grave! We can always get more!”
Samuel ran to the ladder to get down to the hull of the boat. I have to save these Negroes; it’s not their fault that we have them.
Sam was not a man to go against authority very often, but this time he felt that he had to disobey the orders. With that, he lowered himself onto the rungs of the damp ladder.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” sneered Joey, a fellow crewmember.
“Nothing, j-j-just going to go and bail some water from the bottom,” he managed to stammer out.
“Ya, wrong ladder buddy. Remember we don’t care if them Negroes drown,”
“Oh, I guess I forgot in all of this confusion,” Sam uttered as he tried to sound convincing.
“Ya, whatever….”
“Men, lower the life boats,” shouted the captain. “Abandon ship!”
Everyone raced towards the life boats except for Sam. I have to help out the Negroes, I can’t just let them die. How inhumane! God, help me!
Sam stepped onto the first rung of the ladder, then the next.
CRACK!
The boat was shattering, he had to go faster! He took another step but it wasn’t there. He felt around, but still nothing. The hatch door slammed shut causing debris to fall on his head. Another wave washed over the boat and fell through the cracked holes of the deck, soaking Sam with cold, salty water. Sam felt around again for the next rung, but he still couldn’t find it. Again he tried and took a daring step towards the last possible place where it could be.
SPLASH!
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“It’s okay son,” reassured a mysterious man. He was cradling Sam in his arms holding his head above the ever-rising sea water.
“I have to get these people out of here…it’s all my fault…I just have to help the Negroes.” Sam insisted as he struggled to stand. Pain shot through his leg, his head was pounding and his face was bruised. He grabbed a board that was sticking through the hull of the ship to steady himself.
“Where did you come from? Who are you? What are….”
“Slow down Sam…”
“Wait how did you know my name…I’ve never seen you before in my life?”
“I just do, now let’s get these Negroes to safety,” he replied sternly.
Sam found the key and with the help of the mysterious man whom Sam was still wondering about, working to free the slaves from their chains. Sam moved his way through the lines of people but as time ticked by, the sea water continued to rise and the boat was beginning to tilt. He was shivering, but knew that he had to save these people from drowning. Each time that he would unlock the chains, the Negros would praise the Lord and thank Sam in words that he didn’t understand. By now the water was up to his waist. The slaves who could barely stand were being helped out by the stronger ones. Another wave crashed into the side of the boat. The wooden hull of the ship was making large cracking and groaning noises. At last he reached the last Negro. She was limp holding her crying baby in her hands.
“Me baby, care,” she stammered in a weak voice.
“I will,” Sam said as he took the baby from her arms.
“Sam! The boat’s going to go down.
Sam looked back towards the woman she wasn’t there! She was gone! He looked down at the baby in his shaking, wet arms. He struggled towards the ladder tripping over the chains.
“Sir!” Sam called as he reached the ladder, “Here’s the baby. Sir?”
The mysterious man wasn’t listening. Sam continued to call out to him but still no answer. Another wave swept over the ship soaking Sam and the baby in another shower of salt water. He climbed up the wet ladder. Each step was murderous to his leg, shooting pains through his whole body. The pain felt like razor blades cutting through every part of his body. Finally, he managed to get to the upper deck. I have to protect this baby…I promised the mother that I would. All of the Negroes followed him as if he were their leader, their hero!
Sam made his way across the slippery deck of the boat making sure to watch out for waves. He motioned for the Negroes to stop and hold onto a sturdy object to keep them from washing over the side of the boat. Sam handed the baby over to one of the women telling her in his language to care for him. The woman did not understand, but she figured that she might as well hold the baby and cuddle it to keep him warm. Sam continued over to where the lifeboats were stored. All the lifeboats were gone, either washed over the side of the boat or taken by the crew of the ship. Another huge wave washed over the ship taking the mast and sails with it. It sent screams among the people and even some into the sea. I have to do this soon. These people need my help. He looked around for anything that could bring them to safety. There was nothing, no hope. The mysterious man had disappeared. He must have washed over the side of the boat. The minutes felt like hours as the group sat together crying softly to themselves or talking in hushed voices to the people beside them.
“God, help us, please help us!” Sam prayed earnestly. “I know I haven’t been very good lately, but please help these people! They have done nothing wrong, I was the one who captured them and took them away from the comforts of their home and families.”
Suddenly there was a great uproar among the people. A huge rouge wave, the biggest that they had ever seen was coming towards the boat. People were crying out to God, screaming for their lives.
“Lord please stop this wave…please do what your will is,” Sam prayed frantically.
The wave got closer, it wasn’t going to stop.
Sam felt warm, dry, and at peace. The mysterious man was with him looking down at Sam’s face.
“Sam, you’re coming home!”