Captain Jack Sparrow walked down the dusty street in the small port off the north coast of Madagascar. Dirty buildings were crammed together on either side, businesses indistinguishable from homes save for the weather-beaten signs above their doorways.
As he walked, the pirate noted that the crowds were much more sparse than usual. They did, however, seem to be growing slowly as he neared the centre of the town. Turning a corner, he saw immediately the cause. In an open square, surrounded by a crowd as thick as honey, stood a large platform about five feet from the ground.
And upon this platform were the slaves. A group of maybe fifty or sixty people was assembled within a ring of a dozen guards, while a caller yelled out numbers and encouraged people to bid on whoever was unlucky enough to be chosen first. Most of the slaves were women and children, scantily dressed in rags dirtier than those of many onlookers. They were dirtier, and many wore chains on their wrists, ankles, or necks, but what really set them apart were the expressions on their faces. The townsfolk were leering or grinning, all excited about the auction. On the platform, however, was a range of expressions from angry to terrified to depressed and defeated; every one more miserable than the last.
There was also another, much smaller group with only two men standing guard. It consisted of an old woman, two very young boys, a one-legged man, and a young woman. Jack's eyes mingled in this untidy group as he drew nearer, and he frowned slightly to himself. His rum addled senses were a bit fuzzy, to be sure, but he could have sworn he recognized that one blond girl. He squinted up, peering through hazy eyes. She turned away from the crowd, looking away into the ocean, and his eyes widened in shock. Cursing under his breath, he turned and set off immediately for the docks, continually muttering oaths as he shoved through the crowds. Elbowing a jeering woman out of the way, he broke into a run, returning as quickly as possible to his ship, the Black Pearl.
* * * * *
Upon the platform where the slave auction took place, Celeste gazed out at the sea, where she had spent the past few months in a cramped and disgusting cargo hold, along with many of the other slaves around her. She sighed longingly, wishing that she and the ocean could meet under friendlier circumstances.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a movement bigger than the people just milling about. She turned slightly, and saw a black blur full of brightly coloured bits weaving through the crowd. She narrowed her eyes to look, and saw the blur separate from the crowd and become a person. Said person broke into a run toward the docks, and she recognized the odd clothes, the red bandanna, old coat, beads, bone, and hat. She swore and clenched her teeth, then spat onto the wood beside her. She muttered a few colourful adjectives, and then a single word. "Sparrow."
A/N: Like it? Love it? Hate it? Completely, utterly and totally despise it? Just press that oh-so-wonderful little button down there. Come on, you know you wanna! If you don't I will send the vampire sheepies after you!!! Mwahahahaha!!!!!
As he walked, the pirate noted that the crowds were much more sparse than usual. They did, however, seem to be growing slowly as he neared the centre of the town. Turning a corner, he saw immediately the cause. In an open square, surrounded by a crowd as thick as honey, stood a large platform about five feet from the ground.
And upon this platform were the slaves. A group of maybe fifty or sixty people was assembled within a ring of a dozen guards, while a caller yelled out numbers and encouraged people to bid on whoever was unlucky enough to be chosen first. Most of the slaves were women and children, scantily dressed in rags dirtier than those of many onlookers. They were dirtier, and many wore chains on their wrists, ankles, or necks, but what really set them apart were the expressions on their faces. The townsfolk were leering or grinning, all excited about the auction. On the platform, however, was a range of expressions from angry to terrified to depressed and defeated; every one more miserable than the last.
There was also another, much smaller group with only two men standing guard. It consisted of an old woman, two very young boys, a one-legged man, and a young woman. Jack's eyes mingled in this untidy group as he drew nearer, and he frowned slightly to himself. His rum addled senses were a bit fuzzy, to be sure, but he could have sworn he recognized that one blond girl. He squinted up, peering through hazy eyes. She turned away from the crowd, looking away into the ocean, and his eyes widened in shock. Cursing under his breath, he turned and set off immediately for the docks, continually muttering oaths as he shoved through the crowds. Elbowing a jeering woman out of the way, he broke into a run, returning as quickly as possible to his ship, the Black Pearl.
* * * * *
Upon the platform where the slave auction took place, Celeste gazed out at the sea, where she had spent the past few months in a cramped and disgusting cargo hold, along with many of the other slaves around her. She sighed longingly, wishing that she and the ocean could meet under friendlier circumstances.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a movement bigger than the people just milling about. She turned slightly, and saw a black blur full of brightly coloured bits weaving through the crowd. She narrowed her eyes to look, and saw the blur separate from the crowd and become a person. Said person broke into a run toward the docks, and she recognized the odd clothes, the red bandanna, old coat, beads, bone, and hat. She swore and clenched her teeth, then spat onto the wood beside her. She muttered a few colourful adjectives, and then a single word. "Sparrow."
A/N: Like it? Love it? Hate it? Completely, utterly and totally despise it? Just press that oh-so-wonderful little button down there. Come on, you know you wanna! If you don't I will send the vampire sheepies after you!!! Mwahahahaha!!!!!