ONE-SHOTS & DRABBLES
PoTC
AN: Thank you so much for the great reviews on IN ABSENTIA! I'm working onWHICH WAY LIES TRUE, the companion piece, but it's considerably longer with lots of Jack.
PreCotBP Oneshot- Young Jack's strangely undetermined fate gives Beckett sleepless nights.
JUSTICE AWAITS
The sky burned fiery red and the water churned crimson gold. The imposing figure standing in wide-legged defiance on the sinking rail of a burning ship embodied the heated rage surrounding him. At first he appeared as a stubborn youth in a sailor's loose white shirt, dark breeches and tipped tricorn hat. But as the flames grew brighter, the face became harder, older, one of simmering fury; a face with full mustache, braided beard and lengthy dark dreadlocks kept back with a furling red bandana tied low across the forehead. In one hand he held a cutlass high across his left shoulder, the other hand gripped a pistol pointed downward. As he jumped agilely from the rail to the smoky deck, he gained an open blue weskit and red and white striped faded sash, his sea boots no longer black but a soft tan color.
"Ah, so you think to see an end to the man you branded a pirate," he said levelly, raising his silver-trimmed pistol with cold menace in his dark eyes, "but in truth, I'm just getting started, mate."
The cracking pistol shot gave Beckett a start. He awoke with a gasp, both hands flying to his chest as he sat up in bed, unable to catch his breath.
"Sorry, I near dropped your cup, sir!" Matthews, the aged butler said with abject apology. He quickly righted it with trembling hands. "Uh, tea, sir? With a nice slice of lime."
"Did I ask you for tea?"
"Every night, now, sir. Since leaving Kingston, to help you sleep better, sir."
Sleep better. "Yes. Good man, I will take the tea now." Cutler forced himself calm, concentrating on the welcoming warmth of the cup against him palms. Teague's unlamented ghost had had the audacity to shoot him. Again. Perhaps once the wretched youth's body was finally reported found in the Caribbean waters then the nightmare would end.
Cutler had no qualms about branding the young man. He had been insolent and rebellious -- like his merchant father. The EITC was better off well shod of the pair. And he felt quite certain that he could always find another privateer to transport lucrative slaves to the West Indies.
The End.
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