Disclaimers, disclaimers!
Amazing what a bit of blackmail will do – mwahahahaha!
Hils, I'll point a pistol at ya if you're not careful – a water pistol! :p
SparrowPhoenix, sorry, but I *love* cliffhangers :D
Caffeine Fairy, hello, I wondered where you'd got to. Good job I didn't post this chapter up before your break then!
Sakhara, oh but I *can* do that, keeps you on your toes.
Bethany, who loses an eye??
Linnie, Kelly is a total slimeball, no wonder he and Nate Keating were thinking of being in league together.
**********
Chapter 32
The sound of the shot seemed to reverberate around in Jack's head, the pain not registering at first. Then it hit him. The sheer force of the pain sucked the breath from Jack's body and he sank to his knees, releasing his grip on the sword, still embedded in the other man. Jack's eyes tried to focus on something, anything, but the world was fuzzy and black around the edges. He tried desperately to fight against the darkness, but it was a losing battle.
**********
Maddy paced the deck, her eyes frantically straining against the black sea, trying to see any sign of a boat in the water. 'Where the hell are they?' She wondered aloud, the unease growing by the minute. Maddy looked questioningly at Mr. Cotton, who simply shrugged his shoulders, looking just as worried as Maddy was. 'Sod this! I'm going ashore, any volunteers?' Hands shot up all across the deck, but Maddy chose only Moyles, Mr. Cotton and Sam, wanting the rest to stay aboard. 'Any trouble, of any description and you make sail Tom, savvy?' Tom nodded his assent, then watched as the quartet climbed overboard and into the boat. Sam and Moyles rowed quickly around the headland and into the main bay, eager to find their crewmates and captain. Maddy fought to keep her breathing calm, telling herself she'd kill Jack if she found them all drunk in a tavern. Her heart sank at the sight of the harbourmaster patrolling the quay, feeling her pocket to make sure a pouch of money was there. The harbourmaster stopped when he spotted them rowing in, and watched their progress with folded arms, until they reached the quayside.
'Bit late ter be out travelling ain't it?' He grabbed the mooring rope and secured them to the dock, then held a hand out to Maddy as she climbed out of the boat.
'Yes it is late, we were wondering where some of our crew had got to. Probably drunk, knowing them.' Maddy forced a laugh, whilst moving slowly towards the town. 'We'll just have a look in the taverns, then be on our way. You're not going to charge us for mooring are you? We'll only be here a short while.' She tried her most winsome smile on the man, which seemed to work.
'Aye, go on, I'll let yer off this once. But if ya haven't got yer men in an hour, then I'll come looking for ya, ya hear?' He watched thoughtfully, as the rather strange looking group made their way into town, walking at a fast pace.
They tried a couple of taverns, but Jack and the others weren't to be found in any. Maddy wrung her hands together to stop them from shaking, and tried to hide the fear in her eyes. She knew that this was pointless as the men kept patting her shoulder and giving her sympathetic looks. Sam suggested trying Mrs. Davies' house, so they started to make their way up the street, all the while drawing curious and baleful glances from eyes hidden away in alleys and doorways. Mr. Cotton grabbed Maddy's arm suddenly and pointed excitedly to a lane that led away from the town. They all ran towards Eb's staggering figure, blood pouring out of a gash on his head.
'Eb! What happened, where's Jack?' Maddy looked frantically up the lane, trying to spot her husband. 'Eb!' She shook his arm, urgently. Eb Tucker swayed violently, then pitched forward. The only thing that saved his fall was Sam and Moyles, who grabbed him before he hit the ground. They sat him gently down while Mr. Cotton examined his wound, shaking his head. Maddy knelt before Eb, white faced with fear. 'Eb,' she said gently, taking his huge hands in hers and looking deep into his eyes. 'What happened?'
Eb shook his head, wincing as sharp stabs of pain shot through it. He withdrew his hands from Maddy's and held his head in an attempt to stop the pain. 'We were ambushed Maddy,' he whispered hoarsely, his averted to the ground. 'Gang of about five or six of 'em came at us. I took a blow an' don't remember much else, I'm sorry.' He peered at Maddy in the torchlight, his eyes filled with pain. Maddy stood, grabbed a torch off Sam and made her way around her fellow crewmen.
'Maddy, no!' Sam tried to stop her, but she yanked her arm away and ran down the lane calling Jack's name. Maddy saw a movement ahead as the dark shape of a man came down the lane and felt relief sweep over her. 'Jack?' The figure approached and Maddy bit back a cry of disappointment as she saw Freddie's face through the gloom. 'Where's Jack, Freddie?' Freddie looked blankly at her, mumbling unintelligibly.
Maddy pushed past him roughly and screamed Jack's name over and over as she ran further up the lane. She almost fell as she stumbled over something soft, lying just off the track and she held the torch down to see the dead face of George Kelly staring up at her, a trail of dried blood coming from his mouth. Moyles and Sam caught up with Maddy and starting calling for Jack, hurrying along the track. Sam cried out and dropped to his haunches, the light from his torch casting an eerie glow over Jack's body. Maddy threw herself to the ground as she reached them, laying her head on Jack, sobbing hysterically. Moyles gently lifted her off as Mr. Cotton reached them and held her tightly as Mr. Cotton checked Jack. The mute glancing up in surprise, then tore at Jack's shirt, revealing a shot wound in Jack abdomen. He frantically searched his pockets before producing a small, very sharp knife and bent over Jack, inserting the knife into the wound and probing around carefully with it. Maddy looked on in horror, wondering what the hell Cotton was doing, then realised that Jack was still alive.
Mr Cotton indicated that he wanted some liquid, probably alcohol, and Sam turned tail and ran for the town as fast as he could go in the dark. Maddy held Sam's torch closer, so that Cotton could see better. He withdrew his knife and inserted a finger into the gaping hole, twisting it this way and that, grimacing as he searched desperately for the shot. Finally locating the shot lodged deep within Jack, he worked it up to the surface where it came out with a plop. Maddy gasped as Jack's body jerked involuntarily, then stripped off her shirt, not caring for decorum, and tore it up to use as a pad against Jack's wound. Moyles quickly slipped off his coat and put it around Maddy's shoulders, then turned to see Sam hurrying back to them carrying a pitcher in his hands. Cotton took the pitcher and poured some of its contents over the hole in Jack's body, then re-applied the pad. Moyles and Sam carefully lifted their captain up and carried him as gently, but as quickly as they could down the dark lane. Mr. Cotton dragged Freddie to his feet as they passed him and guided the lad down the path, glancing back to Jack every now and then. Eb was waiting for them where they left him and he looked on, wide-eyed in horror at the scene before him.
'Cap'n? Oh God, no.' Eb went to help his crewmates carry Jack, but Cotton batted his hand away, preferring the big man to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.
It seemed an age before they reached the edge of town and Maddy went first, to act as lookout, cocking a pistol. She glanced around quickly, indicating it was safe and watching with her heart in her mouth as the posse crossed the main street. Maddy led the way to the dock, keeping to the shadows where she could and glancing back all the time at her stricken husband, willing him to hang on.
'What're you doing Miss?' Maddy spun to see the harbourmaster, staring at her with a puzzled frown. 'Oh, it's you again, where're your companions?' The harbourmaster looked around as the bedraggled group appeared in view and went to grab Maddy, but she was too quick and smashed the butt of the pistol in his face, then brought her knee up and connected with his chin as he sank to his knees. Maddy hissed at the others to hurry as she stepped over the prostrate form of the man and climbed into the boat, steadying it as the others approached. Cotton, Eb and Freddie climbed aboard, and Maddy reached out for Jack and pulled him into the boat, holding him in her arms. She glanced down fearfully at his deathly pale pallor, before Sam climbed in and relieved her. She knelt in the boat, with Jack's head on her lap, stroking his hair and whispering to him as the men drew hidden strength from somewhere and rowed with lightning speed back to The Black Pearl.
Amazing what a bit of blackmail will do – mwahahahaha!
Hils, I'll point a pistol at ya if you're not careful – a water pistol! :p
SparrowPhoenix, sorry, but I *love* cliffhangers :D
Caffeine Fairy, hello, I wondered where you'd got to. Good job I didn't post this chapter up before your break then!
Sakhara, oh but I *can* do that, keeps you on your toes.
Bethany, who loses an eye??
Linnie, Kelly is a total slimeball, no wonder he and Nate Keating were thinking of being in league together.
**********
Chapter 32
The sound of the shot seemed to reverberate around in Jack's head, the pain not registering at first. Then it hit him. The sheer force of the pain sucked the breath from Jack's body and he sank to his knees, releasing his grip on the sword, still embedded in the other man. Jack's eyes tried to focus on something, anything, but the world was fuzzy and black around the edges. He tried desperately to fight against the darkness, but it was a losing battle.
**********
Maddy paced the deck, her eyes frantically straining against the black sea, trying to see any sign of a boat in the water. 'Where the hell are they?' She wondered aloud, the unease growing by the minute. Maddy looked questioningly at Mr. Cotton, who simply shrugged his shoulders, looking just as worried as Maddy was. 'Sod this! I'm going ashore, any volunteers?' Hands shot up all across the deck, but Maddy chose only Moyles, Mr. Cotton and Sam, wanting the rest to stay aboard. 'Any trouble, of any description and you make sail Tom, savvy?' Tom nodded his assent, then watched as the quartet climbed overboard and into the boat. Sam and Moyles rowed quickly around the headland and into the main bay, eager to find their crewmates and captain. Maddy fought to keep her breathing calm, telling herself she'd kill Jack if she found them all drunk in a tavern. Her heart sank at the sight of the harbourmaster patrolling the quay, feeling her pocket to make sure a pouch of money was there. The harbourmaster stopped when he spotted them rowing in, and watched their progress with folded arms, until they reached the quayside.
'Bit late ter be out travelling ain't it?' He grabbed the mooring rope and secured them to the dock, then held a hand out to Maddy as she climbed out of the boat.
'Yes it is late, we were wondering where some of our crew had got to. Probably drunk, knowing them.' Maddy forced a laugh, whilst moving slowly towards the town. 'We'll just have a look in the taverns, then be on our way. You're not going to charge us for mooring are you? We'll only be here a short while.' She tried her most winsome smile on the man, which seemed to work.
'Aye, go on, I'll let yer off this once. But if ya haven't got yer men in an hour, then I'll come looking for ya, ya hear?' He watched thoughtfully, as the rather strange looking group made their way into town, walking at a fast pace.
They tried a couple of taverns, but Jack and the others weren't to be found in any. Maddy wrung her hands together to stop them from shaking, and tried to hide the fear in her eyes. She knew that this was pointless as the men kept patting her shoulder and giving her sympathetic looks. Sam suggested trying Mrs. Davies' house, so they started to make their way up the street, all the while drawing curious and baleful glances from eyes hidden away in alleys and doorways. Mr. Cotton grabbed Maddy's arm suddenly and pointed excitedly to a lane that led away from the town. They all ran towards Eb's staggering figure, blood pouring out of a gash on his head.
'Eb! What happened, where's Jack?' Maddy looked frantically up the lane, trying to spot her husband. 'Eb!' She shook his arm, urgently. Eb Tucker swayed violently, then pitched forward. The only thing that saved his fall was Sam and Moyles, who grabbed him before he hit the ground. They sat him gently down while Mr. Cotton examined his wound, shaking his head. Maddy knelt before Eb, white faced with fear. 'Eb,' she said gently, taking his huge hands in hers and looking deep into his eyes. 'What happened?'
Eb shook his head, wincing as sharp stabs of pain shot through it. He withdrew his hands from Maddy's and held his head in an attempt to stop the pain. 'We were ambushed Maddy,' he whispered hoarsely, his averted to the ground. 'Gang of about five or six of 'em came at us. I took a blow an' don't remember much else, I'm sorry.' He peered at Maddy in the torchlight, his eyes filled with pain. Maddy stood, grabbed a torch off Sam and made her way around her fellow crewmen.
'Maddy, no!' Sam tried to stop her, but she yanked her arm away and ran down the lane calling Jack's name. Maddy saw a movement ahead as the dark shape of a man came down the lane and felt relief sweep over her. 'Jack?' The figure approached and Maddy bit back a cry of disappointment as she saw Freddie's face through the gloom. 'Where's Jack, Freddie?' Freddie looked blankly at her, mumbling unintelligibly.
Maddy pushed past him roughly and screamed Jack's name over and over as she ran further up the lane. She almost fell as she stumbled over something soft, lying just off the track and she held the torch down to see the dead face of George Kelly staring up at her, a trail of dried blood coming from his mouth. Moyles and Sam caught up with Maddy and starting calling for Jack, hurrying along the track. Sam cried out and dropped to his haunches, the light from his torch casting an eerie glow over Jack's body. Maddy threw herself to the ground as she reached them, laying her head on Jack, sobbing hysterically. Moyles gently lifted her off as Mr. Cotton reached them and held her tightly as Mr. Cotton checked Jack. The mute glancing up in surprise, then tore at Jack's shirt, revealing a shot wound in Jack abdomen. He frantically searched his pockets before producing a small, very sharp knife and bent over Jack, inserting the knife into the wound and probing around carefully with it. Maddy looked on in horror, wondering what the hell Cotton was doing, then realised that Jack was still alive.
Mr Cotton indicated that he wanted some liquid, probably alcohol, and Sam turned tail and ran for the town as fast as he could go in the dark. Maddy held Sam's torch closer, so that Cotton could see better. He withdrew his knife and inserted a finger into the gaping hole, twisting it this way and that, grimacing as he searched desperately for the shot. Finally locating the shot lodged deep within Jack, he worked it up to the surface where it came out with a plop. Maddy gasped as Jack's body jerked involuntarily, then stripped off her shirt, not caring for decorum, and tore it up to use as a pad against Jack's wound. Moyles quickly slipped off his coat and put it around Maddy's shoulders, then turned to see Sam hurrying back to them carrying a pitcher in his hands. Cotton took the pitcher and poured some of its contents over the hole in Jack's body, then re-applied the pad. Moyles and Sam carefully lifted their captain up and carried him as gently, but as quickly as they could down the dark lane. Mr. Cotton dragged Freddie to his feet as they passed him and guided the lad down the path, glancing back to Jack every now and then. Eb was waiting for them where they left him and he looked on, wide-eyed in horror at the scene before him.
'Cap'n? Oh God, no.' Eb went to help his crewmates carry Jack, but Cotton batted his hand away, preferring the big man to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.
It seemed an age before they reached the edge of town and Maddy went first, to act as lookout, cocking a pistol. She glanced around quickly, indicating it was safe and watching with her heart in her mouth as the posse crossed the main street. Maddy led the way to the dock, keeping to the shadows where she could and glancing back all the time at her stricken husband, willing him to hang on.
'What're you doing Miss?' Maddy spun to see the harbourmaster, staring at her with a puzzled frown. 'Oh, it's you again, where're your companions?' The harbourmaster looked around as the bedraggled group appeared in view and went to grab Maddy, but she was too quick and smashed the butt of the pistol in his face, then brought her knee up and connected with his chin as he sank to his knees. Maddy hissed at the others to hurry as she stepped over the prostrate form of the man and climbed into the boat, steadying it as the others approached. Cotton, Eb and Freddie climbed aboard, and Maddy reached out for Jack and pulled him into the boat, holding him in her arms. She glanced down fearfully at his deathly pale pallor, before Sam climbed in and relieved her. She knelt in the boat, with Jack's head on her lap, stroking his hair and whispering to him as the men drew hidden strength from somewhere and rowed with lightning speed back to The Black Pearl.