Okies, here we are again. Yes, your right that they're going to make a run
for it, but I guess that is kind of obvious. Not that I'm insulting your
intelligence.
Usual disclaimer.
***********************************************************
Chapter Six – Getting Out
It was raining. Big, thick heavy rain drops. Jack could hardly see out of window. Neither could Ana. Nor could the Navy officers on patrol see further than an arm's length in front of them.
The first bang was almost deafening. It broke the steady splashes of rain with a thundering boom. It reverberated inside your ears. Shook the buildings. Even the Moineau manor trembled violently. The houses close to port all but collapsed.
The second boom shocked the rain-blinded guards into frantic activity. The un-thinkable had happened. They raced down to the harbour, large black balls of metal, pummelling the un-defended homes and shops of Port Jashal. Balls with searing chains ripped through a civilised community in seconds, turning anything close to the sea into rubble. One heavily armed Navy ship caught light, and erupted into a flickering inferno, tumbling into the waters.
Ana raced into her brother's room, and together they witnessed the destruction of the town. They noticed people, simply collapsing into lifeless heaps on the cobbled streets. Then they saw the raggedly clothed men, their greedy eyes glinting, their blood soaked swords staining the ground. Their fierce yells piercing even the stonewalls of the Moineau home.
Suddenly, the stone manor didn't seem so safe and in-penetrable. Ana began to back out of the room.
"We have to get out of here, Jack!"
Ana's voice was shrill with fear. When her father was cross she only felt anger, but now, this was different. Something terrible could realistically happen to her and Jack. They had to go.
"Come on! We need to escape!"
'Escape'. The word sparked an idea in the cunning mind of Jackarius Moineau. Escape, indeed.
"Yes. You're right."
Ana grabbed his hand. He looked dazed.
"Wait!"
He reached into a drawer in the desk. It was a book. Ana recognised it. Her mother's pirate journal. She'd given it to Jack before their father realised who she was. She'd told her delighted children it was a storybook. Ana remembered also the gold necklace her mother had given her. She ran a hand over the gold chain round her neck. It was there, safe.
"Quick!"
They darted out of the room, and ran toward the back entrance. It was where the servants left and entered the house. Through the kitchen. They found no one there. The whole house had seemed deserted. Everyone had gone.
It stung. No one had come for them. The loneliness rushed back. Ana felt sick with worry. She didn't like either of her parents, but she'd also never had to live without them. Jack clutched her hand. Neither had he. It was just them.
Stepping out onto the streets, Ana had imagined they would run for the hills, and try and find their family. Jack however, began to pull her away from the hills, down toward the loud banging noises in the harbour.
"Jack! Are you mad? There are pirates down there!"
Jack didn't answer. Already his excited mind was drawing pictures of wide expanses of sea, open clear blue skies. Himself at the helm of a beautiful ship, in command. An entire ship. A pirate ship. Captain Jack Moineau.
Like one in a trance, he began to march toward the harbour. Ana had no choice. She followed her brother, who was already winding his way through the streets.
After much dodging and hiding, they came upon the bay. The ship was anchored a little way out. Ana hoped the sight of the fearsome ship would snap Jack out of his daydream, but no. It made him worse.
His eyes widened, taking it all in. Without breaking his gaze, he untied the rope of a nearby rowing boat, and leapt in. To Ana's knowledge, he had never been in a boat, and yet here he was, starting to row like he'd been born to it. Which, she remembered, in a way he had.
"Jack, wait!"
She began to scamper across to the small craft, and clumsily hopped in. She had expected to wobble, and collapse over the bench with the motion of the sea, but she didn't. Her feet were steady, her body automatically balancing her.
Carefully, she sat down opposite Jack, who kept stealing glances at the large pirate vessel.
Eventually, they reached the side of the ship. Jack stretched up to grab some rope hanging over the side. He began hauling himself upwards. Ana followed suit, struggling with her many skirts. As she gained the railings, Jack caught her wrists, and pulled her onto the deck. They both ducked behind a canon, at the sound of gruff voices.
"Get the crew back in. Then take 'er out. On to a bit of plunderin' me mates!"
The two stowaways looked on as the great, black sails unfurled. One with a wide-eyed excitement. The other with wide-eyed anxiety.
Usual disclaimer.
***********************************************************
Chapter Six – Getting Out
It was raining. Big, thick heavy rain drops. Jack could hardly see out of window. Neither could Ana. Nor could the Navy officers on patrol see further than an arm's length in front of them.
The first bang was almost deafening. It broke the steady splashes of rain with a thundering boom. It reverberated inside your ears. Shook the buildings. Even the Moineau manor trembled violently. The houses close to port all but collapsed.
The second boom shocked the rain-blinded guards into frantic activity. The un-thinkable had happened. They raced down to the harbour, large black balls of metal, pummelling the un-defended homes and shops of Port Jashal. Balls with searing chains ripped through a civilised community in seconds, turning anything close to the sea into rubble. One heavily armed Navy ship caught light, and erupted into a flickering inferno, tumbling into the waters.
Ana raced into her brother's room, and together they witnessed the destruction of the town. They noticed people, simply collapsing into lifeless heaps on the cobbled streets. Then they saw the raggedly clothed men, their greedy eyes glinting, their blood soaked swords staining the ground. Their fierce yells piercing even the stonewalls of the Moineau home.
Suddenly, the stone manor didn't seem so safe and in-penetrable. Ana began to back out of the room.
"We have to get out of here, Jack!"
Ana's voice was shrill with fear. When her father was cross she only felt anger, but now, this was different. Something terrible could realistically happen to her and Jack. They had to go.
"Come on! We need to escape!"
'Escape'. The word sparked an idea in the cunning mind of Jackarius Moineau. Escape, indeed.
"Yes. You're right."
Ana grabbed his hand. He looked dazed.
"Wait!"
He reached into a drawer in the desk. It was a book. Ana recognised it. Her mother's pirate journal. She'd given it to Jack before their father realised who she was. She'd told her delighted children it was a storybook. Ana remembered also the gold necklace her mother had given her. She ran a hand over the gold chain round her neck. It was there, safe.
"Quick!"
They darted out of the room, and ran toward the back entrance. It was where the servants left and entered the house. Through the kitchen. They found no one there. The whole house had seemed deserted. Everyone had gone.
It stung. No one had come for them. The loneliness rushed back. Ana felt sick with worry. She didn't like either of her parents, but she'd also never had to live without them. Jack clutched her hand. Neither had he. It was just them.
Stepping out onto the streets, Ana had imagined they would run for the hills, and try and find their family. Jack however, began to pull her away from the hills, down toward the loud banging noises in the harbour.
"Jack! Are you mad? There are pirates down there!"
Jack didn't answer. Already his excited mind was drawing pictures of wide expanses of sea, open clear blue skies. Himself at the helm of a beautiful ship, in command. An entire ship. A pirate ship. Captain Jack Moineau.
Like one in a trance, he began to march toward the harbour. Ana had no choice. She followed her brother, who was already winding his way through the streets.
After much dodging and hiding, they came upon the bay. The ship was anchored a little way out. Ana hoped the sight of the fearsome ship would snap Jack out of his daydream, but no. It made him worse.
His eyes widened, taking it all in. Without breaking his gaze, he untied the rope of a nearby rowing boat, and leapt in. To Ana's knowledge, he had never been in a boat, and yet here he was, starting to row like he'd been born to it. Which, she remembered, in a way he had.
"Jack, wait!"
She began to scamper across to the small craft, and clumsily hopped in. She had expected to wobble, and collapse over the bench with the motion of the sea, but she didn't. Her feet were steady, her body automatically balancing her.
Carefully, she sat down opposite Jack, who kept stealing glances at the large pirate vessel.
Eventually, they reached the side of the ship. Jack stretched up to grab some rope hanging over the side. He began hauling himself upwards. Ana followed suit, struggling with her many skirts. As she gained the railings, Jack caught her wrists, and pulled her onto the deck. They both ducked behind a canon, at the sound of gruff voices.
"Get the crew back in. Then take 'er out. On to a bit of plunderin' me mates!"
The two stowaways looked on as the great, black sails unfurled. One with a wide-eyed excitement. The other with wide-eyed anxiety.