The Fight

-Alice-

Alice froze at the sight of the young boy asleep in the hammock. He was snoring quietly and didn't show any indication of having been disturbed by the door. Alice heard the click of the doors down the hall and shut hers quickly. She didn't dare release her grip on the handle, fearing the sound of the lock would give her away. Still as a tree in the wood she listened to the sounds of the boys soft snores and the footsteps recede down the hall. In the silence, she eased the doorknob back, locked it and turned to observe the room. It was small like the one she had entered from but better furnished. The porthole had drapes and there was a small wooden dresser against one wall with a small collection of baubles, stolen no doubt, and a few books. She was drawn to the sight. They were such a rarity on the isle she could never help herself when a book with pages of knowledge she had yet to learn was sitting right in front of her.

Alice approached the books and traced a finger over their spines. She wanted to take one with her but she had no bag and climbing with one hand was a difficulty she couldn't afford today. Alice froze at the sound of heavy footsteps descending another set of stairs further down the hall. She looked to the boy, afraid the loud noise would wake him but he did not stir. Living this life made them some heavy sleepers she imagined. The footsteps settled not far from her door. Must be that guard. She had been distracted by the books she had missed her opportunity to escape the small room. She was now stuck here. The door opened outwards into the hall, there was no way the guard wouldn't notice it. Alice went to check if the porthole opened like the one she had entered from when she noticed a small door in the wall beside the dresser. Alice's heart leapt. This must be Hook's cabin boy. That door must lead to that large room that the men were discussing. Now did she hear one set of footsteps leave or two? She couldn't remember. She should have focused more, she was getting sloppy and sloppy could get her killed. Alice pressed her ear to the small door and listened. There was no sound coming from the room but a soft light filtered under the door. If they had both left, they left a lantern or candle burning. Alice moved to the window and gently lifted the small handle. The latch clicked open and the widow swung outward slightly. The thick rubber seal on the outside of the glass was preventing any wind from entering the room but the hinges were now free of movement. Alice had her escape route.

She returned to the door and eased the small door open. Alice peered into the room, it was smaller than she expected but that was probably because of the barrels and chests scattered around the room. Large bookcases lines the wall filled with all manner of peculiarities and treasures and few actual books. A large desk and thickly padded chair occupied the centre of the room by the windows. Maps, scrolls, compasses pens and ink scattered its surface. A small glass oil lamp flickered low on the desk. It was the only source of light in the room. There was a large table in the centre of the room and on it was a large shape covered in a white sheet. There was no sign of anyone else in the room. She entered and closed the door gently behind her. Walking the perimeter of the room, she took in the wonders before her in the dim lamp light. Careful to keep her steps light and finger to herself. When she finished her circuit of the room she moved to the table and lifted the sheet. It slid from the smooth metal beneath it and fell to the floor in a whisper.

Alice stared at the strange contraption before her. It was shaped like a long s with a wide opening on the upwards end with a lid and small handles and knobs protruding from the side. The lower end taped to a long wide opening that tilted low to the floor. The whole contraption was standing on wire supports on the table that kept it in the upright position. Alice lifted the small hinged cover at the top of the wide opening and looked down into it. She pulled and pushed each lever and twisted each knob. She didn't have the best knowledge of mechanics or technology but she was very good at taking apart and understanding how the things that she stole from town worked. This was far from a toaster oven, in her opinion. Still clueless as to the strange machine's function, she turned to the table and searched for any paper or plans of the machine. There was nothing of use on the table so she searched the desk. There were plenty of papers stacked in various piles in between a collection of baubles and curiosities. Alice flipped through each and scanned for anything useful. There were charts and reports and even a stained menu for Ursula's fish and chip shop but nothing about the race or any machine. When Alice moved from one pile of papers to another her arm brushed a small dark velvet bag that was cinched with a gold cord. The bag sagged to the side with the contact and the opening gaped slightly. Pure soft light shone from the small gap in the fabric. Stunned and fascinated by the glow, Alice grasped the opening and pulled it open. Inside was something she had never seen before. It was as if someone had ground up the stars themselves and placed them in this small bag. Thousands of small particles glittered in a sea of gold and silver light. Alice had never seen something so inexplicable and in-arguably, magical.

The pieces clicked together in her mind. This is what the mysterious man was so worried about wasting. It was what Hook planned to use to win the race. It must power the device somehow. Alice pulled the gold cords tight and the soothing light was cut off by the thick fabric of the bag. She slipped it into her front pocket and tied the extra length of cord around a belt loop to be safe. From what she had overheard they didn't have much of this stuff left. Alice grinned. It didn't matter if the machine worked or not if they didn't have any fuel. She moved back to the table with the contraption and knelt to grab the sheet off the ground when she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey Davey, you got the graveyard shift huh?"

Zachariah's voice sounded in the hall.

"Aye, Sir. Made a mistake on the rigging during one of the captain' drills."

A voice from outside the doors answered. Alice threw the sheet over the contraption and straightened it.

"Got some final preparations to handle. I'll just be a moment."

The door handle clicked and Alice looked at the door to the cabin boy's quarters. It was too far to get to. She ducked instead behind the desk and crawled underneath while the door swung open. The man cleared his throat and closed the door. Under the sound of his awful throat clearing Alice heard the high pitched click of a lock. He locked the door? Why on earth would he lock the door? Alice listened to his footsteps with her heart thundering in her chest. He crossed the room and walked to the desk. Did she hear a limp? His footsteps were uneven. He was mumbling to himself and as he got closer to the desk she could start to make it out.

"..for him. Does he not think we haven't been stuck here just as long. The man lost the last of senses when he crossed the barrier. Waste our last hope for what? Pride? Trinkets? We lost the right to those when we lost the sea."

He spat.

"But ol' Zachariah Moises hasn't given up just yet. I won't let that fool ruin us. He can play with his new toy, while he's occupied I'll save us all. He won't notice if a few samples are missing from his collection, will he? No he never notices much does he. Unless it's painted gold… What? Where is the darn thing?"

He was ruffling papers above her head. A small compass tumbled from the desk in his panicked search and landed a few inches from where she hid. Her breath caught and she eyed the offending knickknack with fear. Please go away. Please just leave and go away. She prayed. The man harrumphed.

"Must have taken it with him, the paranoid bastard."

Alice felt a small tingle of hope as he began shuffling paper back into piles on the desk.

"Hmm missing something."

He wondered out loud, his footsteps circled the desk. Alice felt like someone had dropped a boulder on her gut. She pressed herself against the back of the desk and watched in horror as his feet appeared and he bent down to pick up the compass. His head came into view. Shiny head bending low to the floor. He grabbed hold of the compass and as he rose, he turned his head slightly and his eyes met hers. They both froze, stunned at eachother's appearance.

Alice reacted first. She lashed out with a heel aimed for his nose. It collided with his shocked expression and Alice heard a crunch. The man reeled back from the blow and caught himself with his hands. Blood coursed from his nose and down his shirt.

"Wha- What?" He stammered. Alice didn't let him finish.

She ran for the door but a hand clamped over her ankle and she went sprawling on the floor. Her knees and palms burned from the landing but she paid them no mind, she rolled onto her side but Zachariah was already on top of her, pinning her legs down with his.

His gap toothed grin smiling down at her through the blood dripping down his face. Panic spasmed through her and she writhed trying to free herself.

"Now who-"

He started to leer at her.

Her fist connected with his throat and his words turned to choked gurgles. Alice's other fist was already arcing towards him and crashed across his jaw. She brought a hand up just in time to stop his strike from connecting with her head. She wasn't so lucky with the second that connected hard to her ribs. She gasped in pain and didn't see the next blow until her head was ringing. Alice brought her hands up to block his next attack and landed a quick series of blows to his abdomen. How do you like it?

He lost his balance and Alice bucked him off her and slipped free. They both scrambled to their feet. Nanny had taught her the trick to beating a larger opponent was striking first and fast. Alice lunged, aiming another punch across the face. It had been years since she sparred with Nanny in the woods and she was out of practice. Zachariah saw her move and grabbed her arm out of the air. She threw another punch with her left hand but he caught that too and twisted her arm painfully behind her back.

"Who -"

He started to ask, Alice cut him off by throwing her head back into his. He released her arms and stumbled back. Alice ran but only managed two desperate steps before she was yanked painfully back by her collar.

"Da-"

He started to yell, but Alice made use of her new backwards momentum to throw an elbow back into her pursuers gut. Zachariah gagged and doubled over. Alice spun rotating her hip into the kick like Nanny had taught her. Her foot lashed out. The old pirate was ready, he snatched her foot in a vice grip and swung. Alice was not a large opponent and was practically sent flying. She tumbled to the ground and rolled until her back hit wall and her head crashed back into hard wood. She gasped and blinked her eyes back into focus. Alice braced for his attack, nothing. Zachariah was standing in front of her, red faced neck veins bulging. Alice followed his gaze to the front pocket of her jeans, thick with the stolen bag and a brilliant gold cord trailed up to her belt.

"You!"

Hatred in his eyes, he stepped on her ankle and ground his weight down. Alice screamed as daggers of pain shot through her leg. Someone was knocking on the door and calling through the thick wood but Alice could barely hear it over the adrenaline rushing through her. With a blood stained toothy grin, Zachariah drew a knife from his belt. He lifted the blade with two hands above him and brought it down towards her chest. Alice rolled as hard and fast as she could to the side. Her ankle popped and went numb but tore free from under the pirates sandal. The slip threw the large pirate off balance and his dagger sunk into the wood floor missing her. Alice rolled back and brought her elbow careening along above her. He grunted when she connected with his ribs, she rolled away and got to her feet, careful not to put too much weight on her ankle. The shock would wear off soon and she didn't want to be leaning on it when it did. Zachariah staggered to his feet and levelled his knife in her direction. Alice pulled her knife from her belt. This was life or death now. He wanted to kill her. She could see it in his eyes. A hunter knows that look.

He lunged at her, swinging wide. Sloppy. Alice darted in to the opening her own blade poised to strike, his arm changed direction suddenly and was slashing down, right where she was open. Alice pushed hard on her good foot to spring away, the blade missed her torso but the tip cut along her thigh as she lunged away. She landed against the desk and used it to steady herself. Zachariah moved towards her, she wouldn't fall for the same trick, she wouldn't give him the chance. She had a few of her own. Alice ran towards him, knife high and he raised his blade to meet her, widening his stance in preparation. Perfect. At the last second, Alice dropped and slid underneath the surprised pirate legs. He snapped out of his shock when her little blade cut his thigh on the way through. Alice rolled to her feet on the other side of him. Not deep enough for the artery she cursed, as a thin trickle of blood coursed slowly down his leg.

Zachariah whirled towards her and lunged. Alice blocked his frantic swipes with quick dodges with her own blade, but he was pushing her back steadily into a corner of the room. Fear arced through her like lightning. She wouldn't let him corner her. He swung his blade upwards with such force that her own blade went skittering across the floor. She grabbed his arm as he lunged towards her and jerked it across his body trapping his arm- and the blade, between them. He smirked at her and dropped the blade from his hand, caught it swiftly with the other, and brought it up beneath them into her side. She felt the pressure and the blade slide home with a sickening clarity; she had been stabbed. What the hell?

He wrapped his other hand around her neck and walked her back to the wall. Alice gasped and clung to his arm as the tips of her feet dragged along the ground. She dug her nails into his flesh and scraped angry red lines but he held her in a vice grip. Angry eyes boring into hers. Her back hit the wall and she clawed and slapped at his face desperately. He winced after one slap left a long gouge across his cheek. The ring must have torn through the thin leather and added a little bite. Maybe it was lucky after all. He lifted her higher up the wall. Alice wheezed. Or maybe not. Bug eyed and gasping, dark spots began to flood her vision.