Shipwreck or The chances a Commodore and a Pirate can survive a deserted spit of land and each other
Chapter 2
When Jack had finally decided he had enough coconut blossoms and James could quit worrying that Jack was going to fall out of one of the trees and break his bloody neck, something he would never in a million years admit he had been doing, he decided he would go gather some more fire wood.
"Are you quite finished with your rash behavior Captain, at least long enough for me to gather some more wood for the fire?" James asked as if he were scolding a misbehaving child.
"Aye Commodore, gather away. I'm plannin for me feet ta be solidly grounded to solid ground," Jack smiled at James as he said this, and not receiving even a hint of a smile in return shrugged his shoulders, mumbled something about stuffy Commodores with not a single bit of humor about them, and went back to fiddling with the coconut blossoms.
James walked off in search of firewood and Jack began looking around the campsite for items he would need to produce the coconut blossom liquor he was determined to make. "Hmm." He murmured as he tapped his chin idly and eyed the lean-to the Commodore had put together. "Aye, that should work just dandy." He said as he headed for the shelter. When he had finished gathering the items and piling them together a short distance from the fire he set to work putting his plan into action.
When James returned about an hour later he came to a dead stop as he stared at what Jack had done in his absence. He eyed the thing sitting in front of where Jack was standing and then looked towards the lean-to. He closed his eyes, shook his head, and did his best not to go immediately over and throttle the pirate.
"Ah Commodore," Jack said with a glittering smile and a flourish of hands at his handy work as he noticed the man, "See what I've done?"
"I do indeed clearly see what you have done." James said through teeth gritted together so hard they could crack nuts, the line of his jaw showing the strain.
"I've fixed us up a distillery of sorts. Should work just fine to make the coconut blossom alcohol." Jack said proudly. After the first quick glance he hadn't bothered to look the Commodore's way and was so intent on laying the coconut blossoms he was slitting open up side down on the grid of sticks he had put together and placed over the large bowl like receptacle he'd fashioned from the sail he had cut from the lean-to he didn't note the warning tone in the Commodore's voice.
"What you have done Sparrow, in your quest for that vile and dissolute drink, is ruin what was not in any manner what so ever yours to ruin." James spat out as he glared at Jack.
Jack's attention was finally drawn to James as the intent of the tone sunk in.
As he noticed the expression on the face and the intensity of those eyes that seemed to have gone dark and stormy he flopped his hands about and asked innocently, "Have I done something to annoy you Commodore?"
"Something?" James shot back, "Not something Sparrow, a myriad of somethings from the first day I was unfortunate enough to lay eyes on you. You are certainly a piece of work Sparrow; you go about doing what ever you want regardless of how it affects others. You have no regard for others at all. Tell me something Sparrow, do you ever lay in your bed, some strumpet's bed, or where ever it is you manage to make it to before falling down taken over by your excessive intake of rum, and think about how your actions impact others? Do you ever do that Captain?"
"So it seems I have done something to annoy you Commodore, is that what you are telling me?" Jack said as he looked at James with that innocent expression still on his face.
"Other than make my life a living Hell…and…..and…and ruining my shelter, not anything of import Sparrow, nothing to concern yourself over I'm sure." James said as he stood there clenching his fists to keep them from finding purchase around Jack's throat. He finally stalked off towards the lean-to that now, thanks to that pirate, had a rather sizable hole cut out of the roof.
"Won't be long now Commodore and I'll share some o me drink with ya." Jack called to James' back.
James didn't bother to slow his stride, just threw his arms up in disgust and kept moving, afraid any hesitancy on his part in gaining the shelter and getting away from Sparrow would result in the throttling he so badly wanted to enact on the vexatious man.
Jack began humming to himself, a smirk on his face as he went back to work on the coconut blossoms that were even now dripping down into the sailcloth bowl the sap that in a few hours would be a very potent drink.
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Several hours later James was rudely awakened by a very drunk and evidently very clumsy pirate falling over him. As James jerked awake and tried to sit up he was greeted with a slurring, "Sorry mate, didn't see ya there." from the now prone Sparrow lying face down just to his left.
James huffed and said, "What is it you are doing now Sparrow?"
"'pears I'm lying down in yer precious shelter Commodore." Jack answered in the same slurring tone.
"And why are you doing that if I may be so bold as to ask?"
"Don't have any special reason I'm thinking, or not thinkin dependin on yer point of view, of which mine, view that is, at present is of….dirt. Why is that Commodore? Why am I viewing dirt?"
"Because you came in here uninvited, tripped over me in your excessive drunken state, fell, and are now lying face down in dirt Captain." James answered in a most irritated way.
"The dirt then, is underneath me?"
"Yes Sparrow, the dirt is underneath you." James said exasperatedly.
"Oh good, much better to be looking down at dirt than up at it, don't you agree Commodore?" Jack said in a drunkenly relieved tone.
James rolled over facing away from Jack and said, "Just go to sleep Captain, you may be able to sort it all out in the morning."
A few minutes later Jack said, "Commodore?"
"What is it Sparrow?" James replied.
"I'm sorry I ruined yer fine shelter for ya." Jack said in a drunken but sincere tone.
James took a few moments to respond, "Don't worry about it Sparrow, just go to sleep."
A few minutes later Jack said, "Commodore?"
"What is it now Sparrow?" James huffed out as he repositioned himself with a bit of agitation.
"Ya don't hate me now do ya cause I ruined yer fine shelter?" Jack said in a forlorn tone.
"No more than before Sparrow, now go to sleep."
A few minutes later Jack said, "Commodore?"
"What Sparrow?" James snapped agitatedly.
"Did you really hate me before?" Jack said still sounding forlorn.
"No Captain, I didn't really hate you before." James said honestly. "Now please go to sleep."
A few minutes later Jack said, "Commodore?"
"I have rope Sparrow and I will use it!"
"I'll just be off to sleep now Commodore."
"A very wise decision on your part Captain."
To Be Continued
Reviews are welcome
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