Chapter 4: An Endless Pain
Cat's POV * * *
I awoke to musty salt air invading my senses. My body screamed out in pain. Every inch of my body hurt. I struggled to sit up, finding with dismay that I was still in the captain's cabin.
I wondered for a minute why I was in so much pain. Suddenly I recalled the previous day. I groaned, half in pain, half in disappointment.
I swung my legs as slowly as I could over the bedside. My legs shook uncontrollably, and a wave of dizziness swept over me. I had to hide myself somewhere, anywhere. I wasn't sure what these people, these pirates, would do to me. Whatever it was, they didn't have good intentions.
Taking my good arm, I raised myself onto my feet, shakily. I walked carefully to the wall that I had noticed the secret door in. I tried to push open the door without noise. Just my luck it creaked loudly. Fear fueling me, I searched my memory for the way to the cargo hold. It wasn't the smartest idea, but it was the only place on the ship that I knew of that I had even a chance of hiding in, and that was void of people.
The door was much heavier than I remembered. It took nearly all of my strength to push it open. Inside, more barrels and crates had been pried open, spilling rum, and food onto the rotting wooden floor. I walked between them, settling down behind a large pile of empty crates and coiled rope.
Now that I wasn't focused on hiding myself, my pain was unbearable. I gritted my teeth, taking short gasps of breath, in attempt to settle down. My arm was especially painful. Dried blood crusted around the cut area, and blood still oozed from it in short streams. My sleeves were also covered in dried blood, as was the front of my under dress. Dried blood had collected on and around my medallion, blocking the sun's gilded rays from view.
Gingerly, I put a hand up to my face. I winced when I felt the bruise. Its vivid black and blue color probably stood out from my pale skin.
Sweat had collected on my forehead despite the fact that I was shivering. I reached my hand up and wiped it away. Tears formed in my eyes. I was afraid I would pass out from the pain. I had to stay conscious. I tried to focus on this as my tears dripped down onto my palm mixing with blood and sweat. Again, I prayed and pleaded that this was all some realistically weird dream. I assured myself again and again, 'you'll wake up in your own bed, in your own world. Everything will be okay. You'll wake up in your own bed, in your own.' Over and over. Over and over in my head; over and over until I finally gave in to the pain.
Jack's POV * * *
I woke to the seagull's cry as usual. Would never get tired of that.
"Ah, a new day, new opportunities, more rum," I said aloud. Some part of an old drinking song I learned once. It was my morning ritual to repeat it.
My mind wandered back to yesterday. That pretty little foolish girl crossed my mind. I only realized last night when I had slammed the door to my cabin that it locked all by its onesies. I had to spend the night on the deck in the cold sea air. The girl would have to do a lot of work to earn her keep today. I would make sure of that.
Finding my hat to be just where I set it last night, I placed it on my head and walked below deck. The rest of the crew hadn't stirred yet. I was never going to let someone be up before me on me ship.
When I got to me cabin I noticed that someone had opened the wall door. Curious, I looked inside. The sheets on the bed had been tugged away, revealing bloodstains, but no lass in the bed. She was really going to have to earn 'er keep now.
After searching the cabin, I knew the only other place she would be. I walked to the cargo hold, anger building inside me. '' 'ho does that lass think she is!" I growled. She had neglected to shut the hold door. I slowly looked into each crate and barrel, expecting to find her drinking some of me precious rum when a whimper echoed around the room. It came from an old pile of rotting barrels and frayed rope.
She was laying on the floor behind them, unconscious, an expression of agony on her face. Her hand clutched her wounded arm, white knuckled. I could see the blood that still oozed from it.
The cut on her chest had stopped bleeding, but the bruise on her face had darkened since yesterday. She was shaking and sweat collected on her forehead. I leaned down and picked her up gently into my arms. She cried out loudly. Clutching her arm harder. I really didn't mean to do that really. really. Her skin was burning with fever, and I felt somewhat triumphant inside. 'I told 'er to listen to me, but she couldn't trust a pirate. She wanted to be foolish. Foolish she was. I looked down at her, almost sympathetic. Under the caked blood and sweat she had beautiful cream-colored skin. She was so delicate, so breakable. 'ho had done this to her? In the cabin, I laid her gently on the bed. She cried out again, louder this time. "Shhhh, luv, shhhh," I tried to comfort her. She needed 'er rest. When she woke, then we would talk. I walked to Anamaria's cabin and rapped loudly on the door. "Aye," she answered, still sleepy. "Come get me when the girl is awake, and DO NOT let 'er go anywhere until I talk to her, savvy?"
"Aye."
I walked above deck just as the sun rose, and took to the wheel.
Cat's POV * * *
I awoke to musty salt air invading my senses. My body screamed out in pain. Every inch of my body hurt. I struggled to sit up, finding with dismay that I was still in the captain's cabin.
I wondered for a minute why I was in so much pain. Suddenly I recalled the previous day. I groaned, half in pain, half in disappointment.
I swung my legs as slowly as I could over the bedside. My legs shook uncontrollably, and a wave of dizziness swept over me. I had to hide myself somewhere, anywhere. I wasn't sure what these people, these pirates, would do to me. Whatever it was, they didn't have good intentions.
Taking my good arm, I raised myself onto my feet, shakily. I walked carefully to the wall that I had noticed the secret door in. I tried to push open the door without noise. Just my luck it creaked loudly. Fear fueling me, I searched my memory for the way to the cargo hold. It wasn't the smartest idea, but it was the only place on the ship that I knew of that I had even a chance of hiding in, and that was void of people.
The door was much heavier than I remembered. It took nearly all of my strength to push it open. Inside, more barrels and crates had been pried open, spilling rum, and food onto the rotting wooden floor. I walked between them, settling down behind a large pile of empty crates and coiled rope.
Now that I wasn't focused on hiding myself, my pain was unbearable. I gritted my teeth, taking short gasps of breath, in attempt to settle down. My arm was especially painful. Dried blood crusted around the cut area, and blood still oozed from it in short streams. My sleeves were also covered in dried blood, as was the front of my under dress. Dried blood had collected on and around my medallion, blocking the sun's gilded rays from view.
Gingerly, I put a hand up to my face. I winced when I felt the bruise. Its vivid black and blue color probably stood out from my pale skin.
Sweat had collected on my forehead despite the fact that I was shivering. I reached my hand up and wiped it away. Tears formed in my eyes. I was afraid I would pass out from the pain. I had to stay conscious. I tried to focus on this as my tears dripped down onto my palm mixing with blood and sweat. Again, I prayed and pleaded that this was all some realistically weird dream. I assured myself again and again, 'you'll wake up in your own bed, in your own world. Everything will be okay. You'll wake up in your own bed, in your own.' Over and over. Over and over in my head; over and over until I finally gave in to the pain.
Jack's POV * * *
I woke to the seagull's cry as usual. Would never get tired of that.
"Ah, a new day, new opportunities, more rum," I said aloud. Some part of an old drinking song I learned once. It was my morning ritual to repeat it.
My mind wandered back to yesterday. That pretty little foolish girl crossed my mind. I only realized last night when I had slammed the door to my cabin that it locked all by its onesies. I had to spend the night on the deck in the cold sea air. The girl would have to do a lot of work to earn her keep today. I would make sure of that.
Finding my hat to be just where I set it last night, I placed it on my head and walked below deck. The rest of the crew hadn't stirred yet. I was never going to let someone be up before me on me ship.
When I got to me cabin I noticed that someone had opened the wall door. Curious, I looked inside. The sheets on the bed had been tugged away, revealing bloodstains, but no lass in the bed. She was really going to have to earn 'er keep now.
After searching the cabin, I knew the only other place she would be. I walked to the cargo hold, anger building inside me. '' 'ho does that lass think she is!" I growled. She had neglected to shut the hold door. I slowly looked into each crate and barrel, expecting to find her drinking some of me precious rum when a whimper echoed around the room. It came from an old pile of rotting barrels and frayed rope.
She was laying on the floor behind them, unconscious, an expression of agony on her face. Her hand clutched her wounded arm, white knuckled. I could see the blood that still oozed from it.
The cut on her chest had stopped bleeding, but the bruise on her face had darkened since yesterday. She was shaking and sweat collected on her forehead. I leaned down and picked her up gently into my arms. She cried out loudly. Clutching her arm harder. I really didn't mean to do that really. really. Her skin was burning with fever, and I felt somewhat triumphant inside. 'I told 'er to listen to me, but she couldn't trust a pirate. She wanted to be foolish. Foolish she was. I looked down at her, almost sympathetic. Under the caked blood and sweat she had beautiful cream-colored skin. She was so delicate, so breakable. 'ho had done this to her? In the cabin, I laid her gently on the bed. She cried out again, louder this time. "Shhhh, luv, shhhh," I tried to comfort her. She needed 'er rest. When she woke, then we would talk. I walked to Anamaria's cabin and rapped loudly on the door. "Aye," she answered, still sleepy. "Come get me when the girl is awake, and DO NOT let 'er go anywhere until I talk to her, savvy?"
"Aye."
I walked above deck just as the sun rose, and took to the wheel.