Chapter II
"Now this'll be yer cabin.", said Jack, "Yeh'll be startin' work at sunup. Just find a man named Gibbs. He'll be scowlin' at yeh, he thinks havin' women on board's bad luck. But don't mind him luv, he'll tell yeh what to do." He exited the room.
I looked around the room. It was small, with a worn down bed and dresser in the left corner and a small table with two chairs in the right. There was also a small, smudged mirror on the wall. The only window was a tiny portal, through which I could see only black. I collapsed on the bed, hoping that I would remember all the things my Uncle told me.
~~~*~~~
I awoke very suddenly. It was still dark, but I had always had a knack for waking up when I wanted to. I walked up to the deck, where a glimmer of sun was shining in the east. A few of the crew were up here. "They must have been night sentries.", I thought. I started walking around the ship, familiarizing myself with the Pearl. "I have to hand it to Jack," I thought, "he chose a nice ship."
I was fingering the helm when a man came up beside me. "Yeh don't want te be doin' that.", he said. I looked up at him. He had grey hair and very long sideburns. He was glaring very hotly at me. "Must be Gibbs.", I thought. "Jack doesn't take kindly to anyone touching the helm of his ship."
"Sorry, I didn't think-", I began.
"Save your breath and follow me." He walked over to the middle of the boat and began showing me what I was to do. "I remember this!", I thought excitedly to myself. Everything was coming back, it felt like I'd been on a boat my whole life. I worked until noon. I was famished, I had forgotten to have breakfast because I was so excited about the upcoming day. To my relief, we were all called in to eat.
I entered the dining room. The smells were wonderful, I was afraid I was drooling. I searched for an empty seat. "Over 'ere luv! Ameil!", came the voice of Jack. I looked around and saw him at the head of the table, patting an empty bench.
I walked over to him. "Uh. . . thanks.", I said. I started piling up my plate.
Jack raised an eyebrow, "Hungry are yeh?"
"Mmpgh," I said with my mouth full. I swallowed. "Sorry. Yes, I am. It slipped my mind to have breakfast."
"Ah. . ." He stopped talking to me and turned to another man who has asked him something. I was happy for it, actually, because I'd wanted to get a good look at him. He was actually very handsome. He had a mysterious, roguish quality about him that made him very attractive. I kept staring. "Something wrong?", he asked.
"No! No, nothing.", I cleared my throat and felt my cheeks burn. I turned my attention to my plate, furious with myself for getting myself caught staring at him. Lunch ended, and I headed back out to complete the day's work.
~~~*~~~
It was dark, I had just been dismissed. I went up to where the Jack was steering the Pearl. I stood by him and cleared my throat, which made him jump. "Jack? I was um- wondering it you had decided if you were going to-uh. . ."
"Take ye aboard?" I nodded. "Well I was watching you, and I have to admit, yer jus' as good as any o' my boys."
"So I can stay?"
"You most certainly can, luv."
"Yes! Thank you Jack! Ha ha!" I started dancing in happiness.
Jack laughed, "I didn't know bein' 'ere would mean that much to yeh."
I continued to dance, "Oh yes. I've always dreamed of going on a'ventures and such. It's wonderful!"
~~~*~~~
I couldn't sleep, I was too excited. I walked back up to the top of the Pearl. I was probably around midnight and the moon was very full, so I could see fine. I looked around and no one was there. I smiled to myself and started to sing my favorite pub song.
"Ho, ho, ho, to the bottle I go,
to 'eal my 'eart and drown my woe.
Rain may fall and wind may blow,
but there be many miles to go.
Under a tall tree I lie,
and let the clouds go sailin' by."
I always sang that song when I was happy, although when I listened to it carefully, it didn't seem to be a very happy song. I walked up to the mast and climbed to the crow's nest. I loved being up there, the wind in my hair, my clothes billowing around me. "It's beautiful.", I said. The full moon's light was reflecting off the water, the water seemed to be made of silver.
"Yes, it is.", said a voice behind me.
~~~*~~~
"Now this'll be yer cabin.", said Jack, "Yeh'll be startin' work at sunup. Just find a man named Gibbs. He'll be scowlin' at yeh, he thinks havin' women on board's bad luck. But don't mind him luv, he'll tell yeh what to do." He exited the room.
I looked around the room. It was small, with a worn down bed and dresser in the left corner and a small table with two chairs in the right. There was also a small, smudged mirror on the wall. The only window was a tiny portal, through which I could see only black. I collapsed on the bed, hoping that I would remember all the things my Uncle told me.
~~~*~~~
I awoke very suddenly. It was still dark, but I had always had a knack for waking up when I wanted to. I walked up to the deck, where a glimmer of sun was shining in the east. A few of the crew were up here. "They must have been night sentries.", I thought. I started walking around the ship, familiarizing myself with the Pearl. "I have to hand it to Jack," I thought, "he chose a nice ship."
I was fingering the helm when a man came up beside me. "Yeh don't want te be doin' that.", he said. I looked up at him. He had grey hair and very long sideburns. He was glaring very hotly at me. "Must be Gibbs.", I thought. "Jack doesn't take kindly to anyone touching the helm of his ship."
"Sorry, I didn't think-", I began.
"Save your breath and follow me." He walked over to the middle of the boat and began showing me what I was to do. "I remember this!", I thought excitedly to myself. Everything was coming back, it felt like I'd been on a boat my whole life. I worked until noon. I was famished, I had forgotten to have breakfast because I was so excited about the upcoming day. To my relief, we were all called in to eat.
I entered the dining room. The smells were wonderful, I was afraid I was drooling. I searched for an empty seat. "Over 'ere luv! Ameil!", came the voice of Jack. I looked around and saw him at the head of the table, patting an empty bench.
I walked over to him. "Uh. . . thanks.", I said. I started piling up my plate.
Jack raised an eyebrow, "Hungry are yeh?"
"Mmpgh," I said with my mouth full. I swallowed. "Sorry. Yes, I am. It slipped my mind to have breakfast."
"Ah. . ." He stopped talking to me and turned to another man who has asked him something. I was happy for it, actually, because I'd wanted to get a good look at him. He was actually very handsome. He had a mysterious, roguish quality about him that made him very attractive. I kept staring. "Something wrong?", he asked.
"No! No, nothing.", I cleared my throat and felt my cheeks burn. I turned my attention to my plate, furious with myself for getting myself caught staring at him. Lunch ended, and I headed back out to complete the day's work.
~~~*~~~
It was dark, I had just been dismissed. I went up to where the Jack was steering the Pearl. I stood by him and cleared my throat, which made him jump. "Jack? I was um- wondering it you had decided if you were going to-uh. . ."
"Take ye aboard?" I nodded. "Well I was watching you, and I have to admit, yer jus' as good as any o' my boys."
"So I can stay?"
"You most certainly can, luv."
"Yes! Thank you Jack! Ha ha!" I started dancing in happiness.
Jack laughed, "I didn't know bein' 'ere would mean that much to yeh."
I continued to dance, "Oh yes. I've always dreamed of going on a'ventures and such. It's wonderful!"
~~~*~~~
I couldn't sleep, I was too excited. I walked back up to the top of the Pearl. I was probably around midnight and the moon was very full, so I could see fine. I looked around and no one was there. I smiled to myself and started to sing my favorite pub song.
"Ho, ho, ho, to the bottle I go,
to 'eal my 'eart and drown my woe.
Rain may fall and wind may blow,
but there be many miles to go.
Under a tall tree I lie,
and let the clouds go sailin' by."
I always sang that song when I was happy, although when I listened to it carefully, it didn't seem to be a very happy song. I walked up to the mast and climbed to the crow's nest. I loved being up there, the wind in my hair, my clothes billowing around me. "It's beautiful.", I said. The full moon's light was reflecting off the water, the water seemed to be made of silver.
"Yes, it is.", said a voice behind me.
~~~*~~~
