A baby's cry rang out in the prison walls. There was also sobbing, Mary gripped her baby and Anne was screaming. The guards came and went just as fast as to take the crying child and leave. Mary was too weak to fight back and had no choice but to let them take her.
One of the commanding officers stayed behind and looked at Mary.
"Any last words to your child Read?" He stood with his hands behind his back and locked the cage again.
"Amelia," Mary sobbed and was gasping for breath. "Her name is Amelia."
"Very well. You shall wait here until your hanging." He looked around the cell and grimaced. There was blood everywhere and the floor was littered with rat droppings and other bodily fluids. Mary looked weak and her body racked with sobs. Anne was still screaming but the baby's was long gone.
"Please…" She said with some of the last strength she had and she pulled herself to sit up against the wall. He knelt closer to the floor to hear her better. "Take care of her. Don't tell her about what a pirate her mother was." She coughed and was gasping again. She must have been in terrible pain, but a small smile appeared on her face. "Tell her…." Mary slumped over, no strength left.
"MARY!" Anne kept screaming. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
The officer just turned and left the two women behind. The bars rattled as he walked past Anne's. He remained calm in front of his men and asked to see the child in his quarters. The soldiers saluted him and went to go retrieve the child.
When he opened his quarters and closed the door behind him. He bumped his head against the closed door and sighed. In all his years as an officer he had NEVER seen something as gruesome as this.
"I only have a few more months on this damn island." He propped himself up again and straighten his uniform when there was a knock at the door. He opened it and in walked a soldier with a bundle of blanket.
"One of the nurses cleaned her up and checked her out sir." He handed the bundle to the officer. The officer just looked at the tiny bundle and she whimpered in his arms. He took her to the window that was on the opposite side of the room.
"Sir?" the soldier said while looking anxious.
"Leave us." The soldier saluted and left.
"Well Amelia, looks like it's just us now." He pulled the blanket out of her face and she squirmed to get settled and fell asleep in his arms.
