A/N: Thank you all very much for the comments, favorites, and alerts. Please tell me what you think about this chapter too :D
Hours later, after a dinner on our back porch accompanied by a long walk around the block, my mind as clear of nightmares. I was wrapped in the cozy arms of summer. It locked me away from the rest of the world, if only for its few fleeting moments. I don't think it was possible to feel more content there, in its familiar embrace, but it couldn't keep me locked away for long. As ten p.m. rolled around and I found myself once again blinded by the nakedness of my room, I realized this summer would not last much longer.
I collapsed into my bead, then into the pitch-black unconsciousness of sleep.
My eyes opened with a blink. I had stepped strait into a sixteenth century tavern. Men shouted hobbling about the room as women laughed and hung onto their arms. The overbearing sent of alcohol, and several other foul orders, rushed to my nose. I felt the top of my head to realize I was wearing a large, wide brimmed, hat. Looking down I saw I was dressed in ratty, sixteenth centaury clothes. I could feel the stiff corset pushing in my chest and striating my back. Just as I was about to look down to see my shoes, a man was at my side.
Before I even got a good look at him, he took me by my arm and ushered me to a seat at a lone table. I noted that he smelled heavily of alcohol which could have been because he was just sitting in the tavern for too long, or that he was a crazy, alcoholic, stranger.
"Keep your voice low," he instructed before he took the seat across from me at the wooden table.
I sat down and stared to him as he glanced all around. His whole being on the alert as if a fox in the middle of the hunt. It made me rather uncomfortable. Just when I was beginning to think of walking away, he looked at me.
Even though I knew nothing about this boy, he wasn't some one I knew at school, or an actor (the men usually the focus of my dreams), I immediately felt him. I sensed his stern glare through his emerald eyes, the tension in his brow, and the worry he had spread across his features (those amazingly handsome features). He had a scruffy face that was framed by dark blonde hair that fell from a weathered tricorne. I noticed how young he appeared, maybe in his early twenties or late teens.
I looked back to his light, gleaming eyes. He was good looking, but then again, why would I imagine an ugly boy to talk to me in a dream? It happens enough in reality…
"Neve, don't let the gold lure you here, don't let the game bribe you!" he stated in a voice that shook with intensity. It was then I noticed how he did not speak like the men from my previous dream, he spoke like me, like an American.
"What are you talking about? Who are you?"
He shook his head, "That doesn't matter, girl. They are trying to get you to find the game, they will not stop."
I laughed under my breath, "Who is tying to bribe me? And what about a game?"
He took my wrist roughly, "You shouldn't laugh at this. You could die, Anna could die."
I questioned to myself how he knew my sister's name, but the thought left my head as his grip tightened on my hand.
"They are pirates Neve. Cold blooded murderers who will stop at absolutely nothing to get the medallion that you hold."
"I don't have a medallion," I scoffed, "why are you telling me all of this?"
He released my wrist and reached for my neck. His rough fingertips brushed against my collarbone, following the line of my dress until I felt him tugging at a necklace chain around my neck. He pulled a coin shaped object out from under my corset presenting it before my face.
I looked to him slightly surprised to a see a small smirk tugging at his mouth.
I snatched the medallion from his hand to get a better look at it. The menacing grin of a skull glared back to me. I knew it was not a normal piece of gold, just holding it in my palm struck fear into my heart. I thought of what the men had said in my previous nightmare; how they asked me for the gold, how the man who laughed wickedly said it called to him.
"How did this get on my neck?" I asked to the boy meekly, fear gripping at my soft voice.
"The voices put it there, just as there putting these thoughts in you head."
With that he lunged across the table placing his lips square onto mine. I tried to pull back but he placed a hand at the back of my head.
I was in disbelief, he was kissing me… why was he kissing me?
I closed my eyes as tightly as I screamed against his lips.
I screamed because it was real, I couldn't push him back, I could taste the rum on his tongue, I could feel the pressure of his palm on my hair.
My eyes then shot open and I was met with darkness. I was sitting up in my bed, no longer a tavern wench in the mid 1700s.
As my eyes adjusted to my dimly lit room, I remembered back on the dream, my hand flew to my neck. I felt for the cold necklace that was there only a moment ago.
There was no necklace and no medallion, but still, I gasped loudly to myself. I could still taste his lips.
I thought I had gone crazy. It was only a dream. I must just be tasting the kool-aid from earlier, or the soda I had only hours ago. Although neither one of those contain any amount of alcohol.
This couldn't have been the first time a cute boy kissed me in a dream I had. Why had this been so different? Why can't I stop picturing those eyes of his, or that smooth voice? It was as if I just had spoke to him, in real life.
I reached without looking to my wall to flip on the light. As the ceiling light succeeded in momentarily blinding me, I caught glimpse of a figure standing at my door.
In an instinctual act, I fell of my bed and continued to scream covering my head. The mysterious figure began to laugh at this and quiet girlishly, might I ad.
"I swear Anna, that wasn't funny," I groaned.
My younger sister was too busy splitting her side to care about my well being as I heaved myself back to my bed.
"Kinda was actually," she retorted.
"Not after the nightmare I just had! Why the hell are you here anyway?" I glanced to my alarm clock at the side of my bed, "It's five in the morning. The sun is barley up yet."
She stopped laughing then, "You had another nightmare?"
"Yeah," I said pulling the covers over my shoulders, "it sucked."
"I heard the yell again," she said earnestly with not a hint of laughter, even after my hilarious (or painful) fall.
I was silent for a moment, the only noise to be heard was the jovial chirping of birds from my open window.
"I don't care," I lied.
"Well you should!"
"Why?" I cried.
"Because it's weird. It's really, really weird! The noise is coming from this room and it sounds like," she took a long pause seeming to choose her next words carefully, "a scene straight from a movie. One with a corny title like Adventures on the High Seas."
"You mean, it sounds like… pirates?" I asked quietly almost scared to even question her.
"Yes! Like pirates, like a canon firing, and the sea, and-"
Before she could finish her sentence, a noise began. It began quietly, with just a single yell, but soon it escalated. The noise made Anna jump closer to me and scream a shriek putting my own to shame.
I shot out of bed, attempting to run for my door, but failing miserably and colliding with Anna.
The noise was as if someone had just turned on a radio. It was loud and clear, ringing of several yelling voices and continuing to grow. The voices were randomly shouting, impossible to understand what they were saying separately. Anna was also right about the other noises. I could hear the ocean, and canon fire, along with the sound of metal hitting together, like a sword fight. It was the scene from my dream I had the last night. It had to be.
"Where is it coming from?" she yelled above the noise.
I looked around my room before paying closer attention to the wooden floor. The old wood was in poor shape, being it was over ninety years old. It was beginning to turn up in places and looked as if it served for the floor of a troupe of tap dancers.
"I think it's coming from the floor," I said parting from her side and walking toward the corner of the room, letting the noise lead me.
Just then, the wind picked up, just as randomly as it had the other day. It ripped through my room, slamming the door shut.
Anna once again screamed turning to leave.
"Wait!" I exclaimed as I looked to the floor now having to yell over the wind and this unexplained noise. "Come over here and look at this!"
"No, I'm getting mom!"
I dropped to my knees and examined the floor. As I reached closer to this particular plank of wood, the voices rose to a deafening volume. The wood I felt was loose, I noticed I could easily pry it back, as if it was meant to lift open.
So I did.
"Oh my god!" Anna cried. I was surprised she was still standing near the door. "You can't do that!" she continued, "Why are you doing that?"
I tossed the short plank of wood to the side, and all at once, the voices ended.
My eyes fell upon a dusty, dirty, box that couldn't have been more than a foot's width and length.
Anna clutched the doorknob in silence as I pulled the wooden box from its hidden spot and placed it on the floor next to me.
Anna stepped closer to me then, her eyes cautiously examining the box as if it could come alive at any second.
I brushed off the layer of dust that had collected over its surface, and as I did so, words appeared.
Blowing the rest of the dirt away, I was able to read the print that was spread across the box like a banner, "A Pirate's Life for Me!" I stated in awe.
Anna kneeled across from me, the both of us breathing as if we had just run a marathon.
I continued to read the print on the box aloud, "A game only meant for the bravest to try it. Good luck to you sailor, for you may be a… a pirate."
Anna looked up to me wordlessly proclaiming her uncomfortable she was about the whole situation.
I looked back over the box's cover. It had the most remarkable illustrations, I noticed one straight away to be the man from my first dream. The other man was shorter, he was depicted raising a bottle upwards as he smiled warmly.
"We can at least open it," said Anna.
I agreed by carefully opened the box, taking my time.
"Hell Neve, it isn't made of glass or something!" she shouted making me jump.
"I'm sorry," I began without really meaning it, "I've never handled a magic game before!"
She grabbed mindlessly for words, "What makes you think its magic?"
"What makes you think it isn't?"
We looked to the game sharing no more fast words.
"Okay, we'll… look at it," began Anna, "we should burn it after or something."
"Uh, no!" I cried, "That could be like burning a Ouija board!"
"What happens if you burn that?"
"I don't know, shouldn't you know these types of things?"
Once again, we were silent. The open covered game starred to us while the happy faces of the sailors and pirates mocked us.
I bit my lip pondering if I should share my next words, if I should tell Anna what that boy just told me in my dream. I decided not to, it was only a dream. She'd think I was crazy.
Anna took the cover in her hand carefully, she looked over the words printed on the back.
"What's it say?" I asked.
She squinted as she read aloud, "Guidelines, the rules of the game. Any man that falls behind is left behind. Those who follow their captain, follow him to Hell if need be. Any man who cheats will be marooned for eternity."
"Does it say how to play?"
"It only has this long paragraph… directions maybe?"
"Well, read them," I said understanding I may regret my words.
"Though, warned all pirates be." she began, "Until the curse is lifted. Until the blood runs free," her head snapped up to look at me. "Holy shit," she cursed under her breathe, "that's what you said that voice said!"
"Keep reading!" I retorted harshly, she looked nervously back to the box cover.
"The gold was stolen, it must be returned. Travel to Isla de Mueta, where your fate is learned. Out wit the villains and beat the knaves. But also be warned, this game could mark your grave. If this is keeping you from debating; if you lose, death is permanent, and the only way of escaping. Once the curse is lifted, and blood has run free. Shoot the evil Captain and declare "a pirates life for me!"
She placed the box cover down and I got up.
She watched as began to walk towards my door, "Put that back, I'm not playing it."
"But, why?"
I looked back to her, how could she ask me that? Did she actually want to play?
"I mean," she continued, "It's just a game… what's the harm in playing a board game?"
"Did you even hear what you just read?"
"It sounds awesome, Neve."
I put a hand to my hip, "Death is permanent, that's real awesome there Anna," I said with as much sarcasm as I could fit in the short sentence.
"Fine. But you said we could look at it. It's got to be over a hundred years old, as old as this house probably! It's like we're archeologists!"
"I'll tell you what Indiana, you can die by death of Scrabble while I go have some coffee."
"But it could be our last adventure before you leave!" she cried desperate to get me to stay, "Come on, this could be fun!"
Her words made me realize how childish I was being. It was just a board game. The worst that could happen is she'll win and gloat about it for the rest of the day. I walked back to where I had gotten up from.
"All right," I said sourly.
She pulled out a black board that unfolded to present an oval of square shaped places for the gaming tokens to go. She also pulled out a container of playing cards, a pair of dice, and two small metal ships.
"Oh look," she said pointing to the board, "there's a bit of writing here. It says, to begin, each sailor must role the dice and draw a card for character in game. Ooh. Role playing," she commented with a grin, "Once characters are decided, continue to roll dice and choose card."
I snatched the dice, "I can't believe I'm doing this. This thing looks like the most boring game ever designed."
"Come on Neve, don't you want to be a pirate?" she asked in mock excitement.
I flashed a fake smile and let the dice fall from my hands, "So now I just pick a card, makes the dice slightly pointless, don't you think?"
She shrugged as I reached for a card, "This better not take all morning I have things to-"
My stomach leaped as I saw my name on the card.
"What?" questioned Anna.
"It says… Neve Porter, Pirate Captain."
Anna snatched the card from my hand, her eyes instantly growing in size.
"Still want to play?" I asked.
She reached for the deck of cards, presumably to read the backs.
"Cheating," I gasped grabbing her hand, "It said no cheating."
She pulled her hand back, "It's just a game Neve," she said, I wondered if she truly believed that.
She handed the card back to me and I glanced over what I hadn't read.
"Wise, creative minded, and pure of heart. Skilled in sword fighting, always carrying an adorned sword stolen from a dead Navy Officer. Aztec Gold necklace constantly at her neck. It was given to her by her deceased pirate father, she treasures it."
Anna quickly rolled the dice and chose the next card.
She stared frozen at the card, "Anna Porter, first mate."
"Well," I said getting up for the second time, "very interesting game, I've had more than enough!"
"You can't leave now. It's begun," said Anna without an ounce of humor.
I fell back down, "It's all your fault!" I exclaimed in frustration for not listening to my own heart, or to at least that blonde boy. "If I die, I am going to haunt you and I won't leave even if you get the Ghost Busters themselves-"
"Relax!" she said putting her hands up defensively.
I shook my head, "No, I'm not going to relax. The game knows our names!"
"The game doesn't know anything, it's a game."
"Then how can you explain this?" I cried waving my card in her face.
"I can't explain it, but sometimes things don't need to be explained." She then handed the dice to me, "Do it for the adventure, for the pirate in you."
"There is no pirate in me," I scoffed taking the dice.
I threw them to the wooden floor as Anna placed our ship shaped tokens on the first block.
I held my breath before grabbing the next card, then reading it.
I looked on amazed as the card began to write itself. Black ink began to appear letter by letter as if being written with a quill.
"L-lady luck has left you side," I read as my hand shook, "as you enter a storm as restless as the tide."
As soon as the words were spoken, the room rocked as if we were on a ship. A new sound erupted as the wind, once again, picked up from outside my window.
"Neve!" cried my sister as she clumsily collected the pieces of the game, throwing them into the box.
I looked up and saw a swirl of black clouds eating away at my ceiling, consuming the walls, consuming everything that was left of my room. Water began to pour from the blackness as I shielded my eyes.
"I told you Anna!" I yelled as now we were on the open sea on a grand ship full of crew mates running about. "I told you!"
