Chapter 7 – waking moments
Elizabeth paced up and down the captains cabin counting each second that had passed since her husband, Mr Gibbs and Annamaria had left for the phoenix. Would they find Jack? She hoped so but couldn't help the rising dread that firstly something may happen to Will and secondly what state they would find Jack in?
She felt The Pearl move off and be brought about and knew that the next few second tell her what had happened. The cabin door swung open and she spun around a gasp escaping at the sight. Her husband was fine but the body he carried was anything but. Had they simply brought Jack's corpse back for a proper burial or was he actually alive? The chance seemed slim, she could already see blood staining Will's shirt but as she looked closer she could see the ever so slight rise and fall of Jack's chest told her he was indeed alive even if he was clinging onto life. Will lay jack down on the cot and merely gazed at him for a few moments, the look of compassion in his eyes told Elizabeth how he valued their friend.
Moments later Joel entered the cabin breaking the moment. Joel acted as ships doctor as well as his normal pirate duties although he had admitted that Jack had never allowed Joel to treat him before. He had brought with him medical supplies and soon Elizabeth was helping. Jack only worse his breeches which were ripped at the knee, his exposed torso was a pattern of black and purple bruising with angry red cuts leaking blood down his back and chest. His breath was coming in short gasps as each wound was cleaned with alcohol and then his whole chest bound. Some of the wounds would need stitches but that could wait. He had three broken ribs for which they could do nothing but it was Jack's wrists which startled Elizabeth most. The skin had been rubbed off leaving the muscle exposed and blood stained where they had been resting. Jack was going to have to be careful not to loose any more blood to soon. his left wrist was also fractured luckily it wasn't his right else holding a sword or pistol would have been nearly impossible for a number of months. While Elizabeth had little doubt that Jack could fight switch even the best swordsmen have some difficulty fighting in there unnatural hand.
Joel bathed each wrist in alcohol earning the first sign on life from Jack when he pulled away so sharply he almost hit the cabin wall. Jack's ankles were only slightly better than his wrists and his legs were scared regularly every inch until his breeches. This was the main indicator that whoever had beaten Jack in such a way had planned his methods, he had not beaten the captain as a punishment he had tortured him. By the time joel had finished barley any of his tanned skin could be seen and if it had not been for the sorry state of the captain they surely would have laughed.
It was silent on board The Black Pearl that night, not the intense silence of the past few nights but a sorrowful stillness as each man waited for news. The Pearl was the soul of their captain and he was the soul of The Pearl, without him it just wouldn't be the same. Annamaria sat by the jacks bed, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest just to reassure herself that he was still alive. They had been taking it in turns keeping watch over him watching him thrash around as he was tormented in his sleep, fever made him delirious and all they cold do was keep him cool and hope it broke soon. She had hardly slept since they had been chasing The Phoenix but now she new he was at least safe tiredness overcame her and she fell asleep where she sat beside him.
Later Jack felt himself becoming aware of the world around him, he ached all over but it was easier to breathe and he felt better than he had in a long time. He held someone's hand in his own, looking up he saw Annamaria sitting on the floor beside his bed, she looked so peaceful asleep he thought, far from the spirited pirate woman he knew but beautiful none the less. With this thought he let himself fall back into the darkness that was surrounding him.
'Jack, my friend, ready for another little chat?' Mathew Hudson asked Jack who was lying in a heap on the floor where he had been left earlier that morning.
'Sorry mate, I'd love to go over old times but its just about time for me afternoon nap so if ye don't mind id rather wait' he may be the one on the floor but he wasn't going to let Mathew walk all over him.
'Unfortunately for you mate on this ship I am the captain and when I say we talk we talk!' Mathew was easily infuriated by the younger mans consistent witty remarks. 'String him up' he told a big brute of a man who stood behind him.
With no flicker of emotion on his face the man pulled Jack to his feet by his chained wrists before punching him hard in the stomach winding Jack and giving the man a chance to hook the chain over a beam on the ceiling. Jack's entire weight now rested on his shoulders, rusty irons digging into his already damages wrists and Jack felt the hot copper liquid running down his arms.
'Where is she Jack' Hudson asked the same as he did every time he decided it was time for a chat.
'Problem is my Spanish is terrible and I just can't remember the name of that port' Jack lied seemingly undaunted by the fact that he was hung from the ceiling completely at Mathew Hudson's mercy.
His face turning red Hudson nodded to the man and Jack felt the pain run up his back as a red hot poker was pressed to his skin and removed before he could black out.
'Wouldn't be so clever if it was one of ye crew up there would ye? What about the darling Miss Swann?'
'So the stories have even reached your giant ears have they Mathew?' Jack ignored the question but only earned himself another dose of pain.
He bit hard on his chapped lips to stop himself screaming. He wouldn't give Mathew the satisfaction of knowing how much he hurt nor how much he feared for those that he dared care for.
On and on Hudson went each time Jack's answer wasn't the right one and each time he was taken to within an inch of unconsciousness before being brought back. Eventually Hudson got bored and turned to leave; Jack still hung from the ceiling, and he let his guard down a moment to soon as a dagger struck him in the back. Mathew's cruel laugh rang from the doorway as he screamed.
Jack let out a bloodcurdling scream, sat up, eyes wide open in fear. He breathed deeply; clamping his eyes closed, waiting for the pain and dizziness to subside. It took a moment for him to make sense of where he was, he no longer felt the clumsy bob of The Phoenix beneath him, rather the comforting smoothness of The Pearl. A gentle hand guided him back to the pillows but he didn't want to sleep again. Wasn't living though it one enough, or did these demons have to invade his sleep as well. When he looked over this time in was Elizabeth who sat next to his bed.
'Lizabeth, what ye doin ere?' The sound was barley more than a croaked whisper words cut short as the effort drained his energy.
'How are you feeling Jack?' she asked ignoring his question.
'bloody awful' he told her. And Elizabeth knew he was defiantly in a lot of pain to be admitting it.
'Would you like some water?' she asked not waiting for a response as she filled the glass 'don't gulp it down you'll make yourself sick' she told him. But as usual he either didn't take note of the warning or acted against advice and as soon as she had lifted the glass to his lips he downed it in two huge gulps. Sighing Elizabeth held the bucket out just in time to avoid an unwanted mess as Jack threw up, though as his stomach held so little it was soon painfully dry heaves which racked through his weakened body. Eventually, after what seemed like hours Jack lay back against the pillows and groaned before falling into a deep sleep.
