So sorry it's been so long! But I've actually been to Mallorca (that's right!) for a week, and I didn't write anything while I was there, obviously... ;) But there was a lot of fine Caribbean-like beaches there, with its palm trees and everything, so it was quite a nice inspiration for writing another chapter once I got home...
Anyways, read and review, here we go:
***
GEORGE'S GLADE
It was about when sun broke, that we found ourselves leaving the Black Pearl and stepping down on the remains of the docks of Dustman island. They were really no more than a few barely standing pieces of wood, and there's no shame in admitting I felt rather unsafe crossing them.
However, they weren't exactly big, and so we reached the town's "street" in no time.
It was just Jack and me.
He said he'd given the crew a "deserving day off", as he'd called it. After all, he'd said, they'd had a bad time and a lot of risks going about with all the Tinys on the last island we'd visited, and they had nearly lost a Captain. Jack said it was partly because of this, and partly because he couldn't see how any of his crew could find a man that only I knew what looked like, that it was just the two of us walking ashore.
"All right," Jack said with a slight grin as we stood on the somewhat gritted street - if it so could be called. "How am I gonna convince ya to go get yer father to me, Sal?" he smiled.
I hesitated. What would be the more convincing thing to reply? Deny with anger, then realize I had to do as he asked, or give in right away? I had to convince him everything was normal, or he would know I was up to something. "I really wish you wouldn't do this to me, Jack," I said, faking vulnerable. "But... Well, if it can stop you messin' up my life, then maybe I SHOULD tell you where daddy is."
"Indeed," Jack said, this time without even smiling. "Lead the way, love."
I sighed, then started walking down the single street of Dustman island. All the huts of this island were on one single street, and it looked no different from the last time I'd seen it - unless you count it's obvious weariness.
As we went passing through the streets, Jack seemed to be noticing something from beside me. His drunkenlike movements made him constantly turn around, looking about the street and at the houses with a curious and possibly slightly disturbed look. I waited for the question that had to come.
"Where is everybody?" he finally asked.
"I don't know," I replied. "There's hardly ever anyone out on the street here. They're all working, constantly. Or sleeping. Or eating. Or crying for their miserable position in life, I don't know."
"I see," Jack said, glancing suspect towards the silent houses as we reached about the end of the street. Another question was expected, and it quickly came: "You just led me through the street, darlin'," he said, "without ever stoppin' to see if yer old man was in any of those buildings."
"Aren't you the clever one," I said. "D'you really think daddy would be staying in one of those huts? If the Tinys ever thought of searching every island - something I actually fear they have - they would have checked the houses on Dustman, and that would probably be it. But if that was the case, they'd find my father. So of course he's hiding in the woods," I smiled, hinting towards the forest not far away from us.
"Ah." Jack finally smiled, turning to face the forest.
***
He was going crazy.
He felt helpless. Incapable, even, something which was rare for him on any occasion.
He did what he could to focus: Make Sally find old Goldee, so he could get his treasure. Jack knew this was all he had to do. Nothing more. Yet he found it so unbelievably difficult to focus on the case. All he could focus on at the moment, was Sally, and she was blinding him from anything else. Not neccessarily because she was particularly beautiful, or fun or charming, but simply because she was the lunatic Sally Goldee, the stuffy barmaid he'd met back in Tortuga, and she'd forgiven him, shown him care and given him a thank you - and a hug. Body contact, Jack called it. A hint, perhaps, for something more?
Either way, it seemed to have become an obsession of his, and now he couldn't find out what Sally's little secret was. She was all different now - willing, in fact, to take him to old Goldee. Why had she suddenly changed her mind? WHY? Jack tried to focus, tried to figure out why she'd changed her mind, but could only think of the reason being that she felt the same attraction to him as he felt to her.
This he thought because he loved the idea of what the two of them might be doing after he'd gotten his hands on George Goldee's treasure. And because he was so interested in this little idea, he couldn't seem to figure out what potensial other reason there was for Sally to behave like she did.
And in this case, it could be vital to find out, or she'd have him twisted around her little finger before he could even blink. She would make a fool out of him, and he wouldn't have it.
He was still the boss, as he'd always been. And although Sally now felt more attractive and, well, NEEDED, than before, he would not let that stop him. No. He just had to focus! Sooner or later, the truth would be revealed to him, one way or another. Yes, definitely. A clue of some sort would come, to indicate what she was planning. And then he'd be fine.
Yes. That's the way it had to be, Jack decided. No worries, ey?
***
Jack took my hand, and with a smile and the oh so familiar lust for adventure in his eyes led me off into the forest. For the first time, I didn't pull my hand away. This wasn't a very nice forest, but Jack was in fact slightly an acceptable man, at least compared to people like the duke and Hermann Hearst, both men I would love to see the death of...
I led Jack through the forest, and pretended to be anticipating a wonderous reunion with my father in just a few minutes. It seemed to sound reasonable enough for Jack, he nodded and agreed to whatever I said - probably just waiting patiently for the moment when he could finally face George Goldee and ask for his infamous treasure.
Oh, if only Jack knew...
"It will be nice to see him again," I said with a smile as we went through the woods. "I haven't seen him in seven months! It's been so long, and I dearly love him."
"Seven months?" Jack asked. "I thought the last time ya met him was when he came to visit ya on The Cursed Villain."
"No, it wasn't," I said truthfully. "At that time, he came to tell me where he was hiding, he'd just found a nice hiding place right here in this forest on Dustman island, and decided to stay here. He came there to tell me where I could find him. Then I visited some months later."
"Right."
Just as Jack, with an annoyed grumble, stepped in what seemed to be a dropping from some dog-sized forest animal, I regonized the knoll which behind it there was a small glade, perfect for a refuge like my father to stay hidden. "That's where he is!" I cried to Jack, happily having all the memories of daddy and his belongings lying about on the grass on the glade, making my joy sound as believable as possible to Jack. "Daddy! It's me, Sal!" I started running over the knoll, actually excited to see whatever may be on the other side. I heard Jack forgetting about the droppings and coming running after me.
As we came over the knoll and entered the glade, I quickly stopped running. The sight, though I'd once imagined it in my mind, was still striking.
All about lay the signs of that a man did in fact spend his days here: There seemed to be a small matress in one and, and a small table and a chair somewhat in the middle of the glade. Clothing and other equipment was laying about the place, and it did in fact look as though someone had lived there up until only a few days ago, then gone away in a hurry.
Although this wasn't the case at all, my father being the typical type of man who can run away and leave everything behind, making it look like it's been left just recently...
"Oh... dear me," I said, trying my best to look shocked.
Jack was more shocked than me. "Was... was this it, then?" he said, strawling about on the glade, then turning to face me. "Was this where he'd been hidin'?"
I nodded. "I... I thought he'd still be here! I really did..."
I've never been a good liar, but this was the best I'd done in my life so far. All that was necessary, was to make Jack believe I really thought my father was to be here, and that I now knew nothing of where he is. That's all that was needed, I hoped...
I stepped over to his abandoned matress, and - faking a state of shock and sorrow - sat down on it, as if paralysed. "How could he not tell me?" I whispered, acting sad as never before.
Jack stepped closer and looked down at me. "D'you think the Tinys came here?" he asked.
"I never thought they would," I sighed. "Maybe they did, though. Maybe he got away, and then again maybe he didn't... One thing's for sure, this happened recently. He must have left in a hurry."
"Yes, I noticed that," Jack said, speaking in a way that indicated I was stupid for mentioning something so obvious. Was he getting suspicious? No, he couldn't be... How could be suspect anything? It all sounded so plausible.
Jack hesitated for a moment, then took a seat next to me on the matress, carefully putting a caring arm around my shoulder. "Where could he have gone?" he asked.
I must say I was a bit shocked. Sure, I was lying to Jack all the way, but did he really have to sound so obsessed with daddy's treasure? It was like nothing else mattered. Either Jack must have realized my sorrow was fake, or he just didn't care if a person had "lost" their father. I couldn't figure out which one was more probable. "I don't know, you idiot," I replied. "I don't know why he went, or where."
"George had stayed here, on this glade, the last time you came to Dustman?"
I thought about that for a moment. Had he? No, he hadn't. "Yes, he had. He'd always tell me if he went away, always! Something must have happened... Maybe Dustman's natives killed him," I sighed.
Jack looked at me. "Why, that's an unusual thing to say about yer father with no fear for it bein' true, Sally," he laughed. "Ya're a weird lass, no question."
I caught eye contact with him, and it actually felt nice. There's always been something about Jack's eyes, and now... He was so close. Holding an arm around me, sitting next to me in this secluded spot, just staring... It actually felt more tempting than anything ever had before, and it even seemed like it did to Jack too. And maybe he could forget all about daddy?
No, that was hoping too much. He was after the treasure.
Oh, but if only he knew...
***
Not too bad, was it? Lets hope the next one will be out a bit quicker than this one...! Review, please!
Anyways, read and review, here we go:
***
GEORGE'S GLADE
It was about when sun broke, that we found ourselves leaving the Black Pearl and stepping down on the remains of the docks of Dustman island. They were really no more than a few barely standing pieces of wood, and there's no shame in admitting I felt rather unsafe crossing them.
However, they weren't exactly big, and so we reached the town's "street" in no time.
It was just Jack and me.
He said he'd given the crew a "deserving day off", as he'd called it. After all, he'd said, they'd had a bad time and a lot of risks going about with all the Tinys on the last island we'd visited, and they had nearly lost a Captain. Jack said it was partly because of this, and partly because he couldn't see how any of his crew could find a man that only I knew what looked like, that it was just the two of us walking ashore.
"All right," Jack said with a slight grin as we stood on the somewhat gritted street - if it so could be called. "How am I gonna convince ya to go get yer father to me, Sal?" he smiled.
I hesitated. What would be the more convincing thing to reply? Deny with anger, then realize I had to do as he asked, or give in right away? I had to convince him everything was normal, or he would know I was up to something. "I really wish you wouldn't do this to me, Jack," I said, faking vulnerable. "But... Well, if it can stop you messin' up my life, then maybe I SHOULD tell you where daddy is."
"Indeed," Jack said, this time without even smiling. "Lead the way, love."
I sighed, then started walking down the single street of Dustman island. All the huts of this island were on one single street, and it looked no different from the last time I'd seen it - unless you count it's obvious weariness.
As we went passing through the streets, Jack seemed to be noticing something from beside me. His drunkenlike movements made him constantly turn around, looking about the street and at the houses with a curious and possibly slightly disturbed look. I waited for the question that had to come.
"Where is everybody?" he finally asked.
"I don't know," I replied. "There's hardly ever anyone out on the street here. They're all working, constantly. Or sleeping. Or eating. Or crying for their miserable position in life, I don't know."
"I see," Jack said, glancing suspect towards the silent houses as we reached about the end of the street. Another question was expected, and it quickly came: "You just led me through the street, darlin'," he said, "without ever stoppin' to see if yer old man was in any of those buildings."
"Aren't you the clever one," I said. "D'you really think daddy would be staying in one of those huts? If the Tinys ever thought of searching every island - something I actually fear they have - they would have checked the houses on Dustman, and that would probably be it. But if that was the case, they'd find my father. So of course he's hiding in the woods," I smiled, hinting towards the forest not far away from us.
"Ah." Jack finally smiled, turning to face the forest.
***
He was going crazy.
He felt helpless. Incapable, even, something which was rare for him on any occasion.
He did what he could to focus: Make Sally find old Goldee, so he could get his treasure. Jack knew this was all he had to do. Nothing more. Yet he found it so unbelievably difficult to focus on the case. All he could focus on at the moment, was Sally, and she was blinding him from anything else. Not neccessarily because she was particularly beautiful, or fun or charming, but simply because she was the lunatic Sally Goldee, the stuffy barmaid he'd met back in Tortuga, and she'd forgiven him, shown him care and given him a thank you - and a hug. Body contact, Jack called it. A hint, perhaps, for something more?
Either way, it seemed to have become an obsession of his, and now he couldn't find out what Sally's little secret was. She was all different now - willing, in fact, to take him to old Goldee. Why had she suddenly changed her mind? WHY? Jack tried to focus, tried to figure out why she'd changed her mind, but could only think of the reason being that she felt the same attraction to him as he felt to her.
This he thought because he loved the idea of what the two of them might be doing after he'd gotten his hands on George Goldee's treasure. And because he was so interested in this little idea, he couldn't seem to figure out what potensial other reason there was for Sally to behave like she did.
And in this case, it could be vital to find out, or she'd have him twisted around her little finger before he could even blink. She would make a fool out of him, and he wouldn't have it.
He was still the boss, as he'd always been. And although Sally now felt more attractive and, well, NEEDED, than before, he would not let that stop him. No. He just had to focus! Sooner or later, the truth would be revealed to him, one way or another. Yes, definitely. A clue of some sort would come, to indicate what she was planning. And then he'd be fine.
Yes. That's the way it had to be, Jack decided. No worries, ey?
***
Jack took my hand, and with a smile and the oh so familiar lust for adventure in his eyes led me off into the forest. For the first time, I didn't pull my hand away. This wasn't a very nice forest, but Jack was in fact slightly an acceptable man, at least compared to people like the duke and Hermann Hearst, both men I would love to see the death of...
I led Jack through the forest, and pretended to be anticipating a wonderous reunion with my father in just a few minutes. It seemed to sound reasonable enough for Jack, he nodded and agreed to whatever I said - probably just waiting patiently for the moment when he could finally face George Goldee and ask for his infamous treasure.
Oh, if only Jack knew...
"It will be nice to see him again," I said with a smile as we went through the woods. "I haven't seen him in seven months! It's been so long, and I dearly love him."
"Seven months?" Jack asked. "I thought the last time ya met him was when he came to visit ya on The Cursed Villain."
"No, it wasn't," I said truthfully. "At that time, he came to tell me where he was hiding, he'd just found a nice hiding place right here in this forest on Dustman island, and decided to stay here. He came there to tell me where I could find him. Then I visited some months later."
"Right."
Just as Jack, with an annoyed grumble, stepped in what seemed to be a dropping from some dog-sized forest animal, I regonized the knoll which behind it there was a small glade, perfect for a refuge like my father to stay hidden. "That's where he is!" I cried to Jack, happily having all the memories of daddy and his belongings lying about on the grass on the glade, making my joy sound as believable as possible to Jack. "Daddy! It's me, Sal!" I started running over the knoll, actually excited to see whatever may be on the other side. I heard Jack forgetting about the droppings and coming running after me.
As we came over the knoll and entered the glade, I quickly stopped running. The sight, though I'd once imagined it in my mind, was still striking.
All about lay the signs of that a man did in fact spend his days here: There seemed to be a small matress in one and, and a small table and a chair somewhat in the middle of the glade. Clothing and other equipment was laying about the place, and it did in fact look as though someone had lived there up until only a few days ago, then gone away in a hurry.
Although this wasn't the case at all, my father being the typical type of man who can run away and leave everything behind, making it look like it's been left just recently...
"Oh... dear me," I said, trying my best to look shocked.
Jack was more shocked than me. "Was... was this it, then?" he said, strawling about on the glade, then turning to face me. "Was this where he'd been hidin'?"
I nodded. "I... I thought he'd still be here! I really did..."
I've never been a good liar, but this was the best I'd done in my life so far. All that was necessary, was to make Jack believe I really thought my father was to be here, and that I now knew nothing of where he is. That's all that was needed, I hoped...
I stepped over to his abandoned matress, and - faking a state of shock and sorrow - sat down on it, as if paralysed. "How could he not tell me?" I whispered, acting sad as never before.
Jack stepped closer and looked down at me. "D'you think the Tinys came here?" he asked.
"I never thought they would," I sighed. "Maybe they did, though. Maybe he got away, and then again maybe he didn't... One thing's for sure, this happened recently. He must have left in a hurry."
"Yes, I noticed that," Jack said, speaking in a way that indicated I was stupid for mentioning something so obvious. Was he getting suspicious? No, he couldn't be... How could be suspect anything? It all sounded so plausible.
Jack hesitated for a moment, then took a seat next to me on the matress, carefully putting a caring arm around my shoulder. "Where could he have gone?" he asked.
I must say I was a bit shocked. Sure, I was lying to Jack all the way, but did he really have to sound so obsessed with daddy's treasure? It was like nothing else mattered. Either Jack must have realized my sorrow was fake, or he just didn't care if a person had "lost" their father. I couldn't figure out which one was more probable. "I don't know, you idiot," I replied. "I don't know why he went, or where."
"George had stayed here, on this glade, the last time you came to Dustman?"
I thought about that for a moment. Had he? No, he hadn't. "Yes, he had. He'd always tell me if he went away, always! Something must have happened... Maybe Dustman's natives killed him," I sighed.
Jack looked at me. "Why, that's an unusual thing to say about yer father with no fear for it bein' true, Sally," he laughed. "Ya're a weird lass, no question."
I caught eye contact with him, and it actually felt nice. There's always been something about Jack's eyes, and now... He was so close. Holding an arm around me, sitting next to me in this secluded spot, just staring... It actually felt more tempting than anything ever had before, and it even seemed like it did to Jack too. And maybe he could forget all about daddy?
No, that was hoping too much. He was after the treasure.
Oh, but if only he knew...
***
Not too bad, was it? Lets hope the next one will be out a bit quicker than this one...! Review, please!