AN (2/22) - Congratulations, Johnny, on that marvelous Screen Actor's Guild Award you received! Good luck on the Academy Awards on leap day.
AN (2/24) - Man, I had a surprise field trip sprung on me! Too bad I decided not to go, eh?
AN (2/26) - Maybe I should be sleep deprived more often...this new chapter is much better. You should have seen what I had before English, today...
AN (2/26) - Ah ha! I have only had, um, like five hours of sleep. I swear the green light flashing in my peripheral vision is red. I am starting to hallucinate! Go sleep derivation! Whoo hoo!
Chapter 13- London
The slightly fiery taste of rum assaulted Jack's taste buds as he quickly downed another alcoholic beverage. He sat alone in a quaint English pub, trying to drown the intense sense of solitude that crept towards his psyche. The English pub was full of various miscreants and exhausted workers, driven inside by the oppressive fog blanketing London. Jack felt rather out of place around the hordes of workers drinking beer that had no money to afford anything else. Everything was a bit blurry as Jack stood and ordered another round of rum, carefully avoiding the grizzly workers with their somber faces. This was quite difficult for the inebriated Jack to manage, for his weaving walk was more pronounced due to the alcohol he had consumed waiting for Bootstrap.
Jack seemed to be doing a lot of waiting, lately. The Pearl docked in England about a month ago, after a rather easy journey across the often relentless Atlantic Ocean. Jack had promised he would stay with Bootstrap the entire time. This agreement had been made in the anticipation that they would be together, terrorizing their parents' homeland. This worked out for roughly a week, until unforeseeable circumstances made the agreement void.
Jack snapped out of his despondent reverie as he ordered another round of rum. The barkeep smiled, showing off teeth that British seem to always have. Jack reached into his effects and withdrew a small bag, stuffed with a various assortment of coins. He withdrew slightly over the proper price and gave it to the fairly clean barkeep. The barkeep's eyes light up and he handed Jack a full flagon of rum to drink. Jack watched in faint amusement as the barkeep then did a series of hand movements that were vaguely like his, but soon forgot that odd fact and swaggered back to the only unoccupied seat in the stone pub below the streets of London. He took a large swill of his favorite depressant and sat down on the ugly, yet sturdy, chair once again.
Jack's mind began mulling over the events during the past week. He looked up in anticipation each time the door opened, hoping against hope that the chiseled face of Bootstrap would be there. He was disappointed each time. Jack was not even sure why he was waiting for Bootstrap any longer. The two had met less and less frequently, although they were sharing a cheap room in a different tavern. Jack did not even want to stay in the dank place, but Bootstrap had convinced him it would be better to save his swag for other ventures. Jack had reluctantly agreed after a fairly heated debate, anxious to spend the money burning a hole in his pocket before Calico Jack announced their departure from what appeared to be the most exciting place Jack had ever visited. London was a bustling city that never slept, having just started the slow trend of a concentrated population in one city.
Jack sighed and drank some more rum, mentally kicking himself for not telling Calico Jack where he would be going. He had wrongly assumed they would run into each other. Jack had not ever been to a city as large as London before. The minute chance of seeing Calico Jack before the departure date in two weeks was shot to heck if Jack kept waiting for Bootstrap to return. Jack cursed his sense of commitment and loyalty. He did not want to leave the packed pub he was in, for he would miss Bootstrap. Jack had given his word he would not do anything without the jovial man. Bootstrap had not promised the same in return, wrongfully assuming the duo would have a splendid time spending all of their money. The first few days in London had been exactly what Jack had expected. He and Bootstrap had gone on a frivolous shopping spree, buying everything from new, custom-tailored clothes to various trinkets to place in their dreary quarters aboard the Black Pearl.
Jack frowned as he remembered it was his idea to enter that fateful trinket shop. If only he had been satisfied with what he would picked! He cursed aloud, not really caring who had heard his profanity. Women had not ever been such a problem before. Although Bootstrap refrained from visiting strumpets, he certainly did not mind if Jack entertained himself with one. However, that was not what caused the problem. As Jack was paying for the small, sparkling trinkets he planned to attach to the coin in his hair, clumsy old Bootstrap had accidentally tripped a rather attractive dishwater blonde carrying a rather heavy, and expensive vase. Bootstrap had turned a lovely shade of red and immediately paid for the broken vase. The girl had appeared very grateful and refused Bootstrap's offer to buy her a new one. She did, however, accept his proposition for a date after the embarrassed Bootstrap managed to ask. Jack had been surveying the scene with a studied nonchalance. He tried to motion that this was a horrid idea, but Bootstrap ignored his flurried movement. Jack could tell the young lady was from the middle class, due to her beautiful, but not extravagant, powder blue dress that accented her petite, yet pleasing, figure. The young lady hadn't even seen Jack, a situation that pleased him. He did not want to be associated with someone so respectable, even though he had grown up amongst even more "respectable" society.
Jack shuddered, and took a drink of more rum. He drank slowly, still waiting for the ever-later Bootstrap to show up. Jack was certain that Bootstrap was just wasting his time away with Miss Lauren Porter. Jack made a face, remembering the first time Bootstrap had murmured that name, how utterly disgustingly infatuated his voice had been.
Jack waited, growing angrier by the minute, until he could no longer stand it. He stood, his chair scraping on the harsh stone. The now nearly emptied bar's patrons looked at the source of the cacophony. Jack grinned, shrugging his shoulders in a slight apology. Jack's demeanor instantly changed as he stepped into the thick fog outside. The combination of fog and night made Jack chilly and he slightly shivered. His mood was as foul as a barnyard, having been sitting still for the past several hours waiting for Bootstrap.
Jack rubbed his eyes and started stumbling towards the cheap tavern he was staying at a block away. Now that he was out of the jubilant atmosphere that often accompanies a pub, he could feel his anger reaching a high point. Jack stopped walking, deciding that it was not proper for him to get so angry. He might end up missing important details. Jack suppressed half of his anger, forcing it out by diving into his sanctuary. A much calmer Jack now surveyed his position. His scanning dark eyes faintly saw slight movement to his right. Jack tensed, his adrenaline pumping rapidly to every muscle in his body. He withdrew the pistol he had with his effects and cocked it, silently cursing as he realized he did not have a single shot loaded. Movement in the dense fog right in front of him made him jump a bit. Evil laughing soon reverberated across the cramped street he was walking on.
"'Ello, chum." A figure stepped out of obscurity directly in front of Jack.
Jack's dark brown eyes widened in surprise. He could see the barkeeper's horrid teeth as the figure smiled. "Barkeep! Ye wan' to make sure I reach me place safely? 'Fraid I 'ad too much to drink." Jack smiled and walked up right next to the man, keeping his pistol to his side.
The barkeeper smiled. "No' exactly." He pushed Jack backwards and unsheathed his sword. He then imitated the distinctive sound of the pigeons that roamed any populated area. Several other shifty figures stepped out of the denser fog and pointed their swords at the now alarmed Jack. "We'll be takin' tha' money ye 'ave, boy."
Jack grinned, his eyes full of apprehension and relief. "Me money? I only 'ave this small bag o' coins." He withdrew his small change bag, smiling at the small tinkling noise the coins made as they rubbed together.
The barkeeper smirked. "Aye, tha' money. I 'appened to spy a few doubloons in there while ye were payin'. Now you'd bloody well better give it 'ere, boy."
Jack widened his eyes in mock surprise. "Bu' tha's all the money I have! Where's your sense of duty?" Jack scanned around him, trying to determine if he'd be able to scare them all away with his empty pistol. Jack cursed himself for leaving his trusty cutlass at a smithy to have all of the minor problems repaired.
"I 'ave no sense of duty, boy. I'm a bloody bar tender. Now if you'd just hand us the coins, we'll disappear in'o the fog and never bother you again. If not, we might be forced t' use a persuasive method t' make you agree. An' don't think we don't know you 'ave a pistol. I heard it cock and can tell it's bloody empty."
Jack swore and watched the figures grow more and more distinct as they stepped closer in the thick fog. Jack's sense of greed made the thought of turning over the large amount of money very impalpable, leaving an acrid taste on his tongue. Jack sighed, seeing the only way he'd get out alive was to acquiesce to their demands. He opened his mouth and was about to pass the coins over with some glib comment when one of the ruffians, apparently sick of waiting, hit him forcefully over the head with his sword's handle. Jack's eyes widened in surprise and he fell to the ground, momentarily stunned. He faintly felt someone grab his coins and soon lost consciousness after receiving a resounding boot to the head.
Jack's eyes opened themselves when a large blast of cold water hit him in the face. Jack's mouth moved without thought and forcefully yelled several obscenities at the offending water dribbling down his face. He heard someone laugh through the immense headache that made his brain throb from alcohol and those nasty blows.
"Jack, did ye 'ave a bit too much to drink?" Bootstrap proffered his hand out to Jack, to help the crumpled form rise. It was still dark and foggy. "Took me quite a while to find ye." Bootstrap's mood seemed particularly jovial, making Jack's stomach churn.
Jack grabbed Bootstrap's hand and snapped, "If ye must know, I was robbed." He pulled much harder than necessary on Bootstrap's hand and was soon standing.
Bootstrap clucked sympathetically. "Should've waited for me, Jack. I was on me way over."
Jack laughed sarcastically. "Like I believe tha', William. I waited in tha' pub for over six hours, mate. Ye promised to meet me there ages ago." Jack held his head, attempting to get the throbbing to stop. It didn't help that he saw two of Bootstrap in the dense fog, either. The look of joy on the older man's face was more than he could handle.
Bootstrap looked at Jack, a disgusting look of sincerity on his face. "Sorry, took me longer than anticipated. I proposed to Lauren an' she accepted." Bootstrap seemed immensely pleased with himself.
"You proposed? Have ye gone daft? You're a bloody pirate, a scallywag! She'll ne'er accept it!" Jack stepped right next to Bootstrap's face, his chest heaving with anger.
Bootstrap smiled. "I'm goin' t' renounce me ways as a pirate. I 'ave more'n enough money t' open me own business."
Jack frowned. "Yer daft, William. Besides, I bet tha' within a year of naggin' an' changing nappies, ye'll be sick of being respectable. Drove me mum nuts." Jack walked towards their room in the tavern, anxious to get the pounding in his head to stop with a bit of sleep. He didn't care if Bootstrap followed or not.
Bootstrap stood stunned at the surly mood Jack was in. He finally realized Jack was leaving and walked next to him, a rebuttal on his tongue. "I love 'er, boy. This is the only way t' get to 'er."
Jack laughed. "Love is somethin' tha' women devise to make men feel guilty. Once ye 'ave your way wi' 'er, you'll wish ye hadn't married 'er. Your true love is the sea." He increased his pace, sensing that he would fall down again, very soon.
Bootstrap thought a bit about this for a moment. "I won't need the sea, once I'm comfortably married."
Jack sighed in relief as he reached the tavern. He rushed up the stairs to the room he and Bootstrap shared, with the dazed Bootstrap trailing behind him. Jack quickly opened the door and slowly processed the information that assaulted his numbed mind. He turned to a shocked Bootstrap and said, "Guess ye can't marry the girl after all. We've been robbed." He watched in disgust as Bootstrap's face crumpled with anguish.
"Jack! I told Lauren tha' I'd pay fer the whole weddin'! There isn' anythin' 'ere bu' ripped up straw mattresses!" Bootstrap's observation was correct for whoever had burglarized them had taken everything and even ripped open the mattresses, making sure no coins were concealed inside.
Jack sighed most heartily and sat down on the straw-strewn floor, unable to stand any longer. Bootstrap did a quick search of the room and found nothing. He wearily came over and sat next to Jack, pulling out his own sack of coins to see if any money remained. Jack opened his mouth, suddenly making a connection in his throbbing head. "Tha' swab! The owner of this 'orrid tavern was one o' the guys who robbed me earlier!" Jack's voice was only laced with spite, for he was unable to muster anything more.
Bootstrap gave a hearty sigh. He had only been carrying a sovereign, leaving the bulk of his money in the tavern during the day. "Wha' am I goin' to do?" He looked over at the pale Jack.
Jack shrugged. "Maybe ye could fake the weddin' an' leave when the Pearl does." Jack struggled to stay sitting up.
Bootstrap's eyes widened. "Tha's a marvelous idea! 'Ave ye e'er seen a weddin' before, Jack?"
"I saw one when I was rather young. Why'd ye ask?" Jack didn't like the look Bootstrap was giving him.
"Ye could fake bein' the minister! Tha' way, I could marry me love an' still no' be shackled to 'er!"
Jack shook his head. "I don' think it'd work. I 'aven't been t' church in ages."
Bootstrap looked intensely at Jack, his light brown eyes pleading. "I'd ne'er been around rich people before, bu' I still helped ye fake your death. Ye owe me a favor, mate."
Jack could not deny the validity of that statement for long. "Very well. I'll dress up like a cleric for the marvelous Church of England an' marry ye to yer bonny lass. Tis a good thing ye ne'er introduced me t' 'er, isn' it?"
Bootstrap grinned in relief. "Aye, tis." He laughed, his sickeningly jovial mood back. "Ye might want t' know tha' the weddin' will be next week."
Jack's eyes widened in surprise, but he said nothing. He put his head on the floor and closed his eyes, starting to formulate a plan as he drifted off to sleep.
starwarsfreakford13- Thanks, mate, for leaving a review! Have the customary cookie.
aaserene- Thanks for another reminder why I keep writing. I'm glad you enjoyed it! Have a cookie of your choice!
pingpong5- Thank you so very much! I hope this chapter answers that question. The next one should be rather smashing! Have another cookie, and a piece of belated birthday cake!
meggumscat- Thanks for the spiffy review, my young padawan! Have 2 cookies, just for the fun of it!
Ms. Baldwin- Ah, yes...what is Calico Jack up to? Tune in next chapter and possibly find out. Have a delicious cookie for leaving yet another review!
Chaos- looks around a bit embarrassed I knew that...just seeing if anyone would notice. Moreover, verb tenses are not my forte...anyways, thanks for showing me what I need to fix. I feel chagrined, but I like being able to fix my work. I make a lot of typos and such while typing on this small screen, and I get rather impatient and just put it online. I shall read that book, for it sounds intriguing. Might have to wait until the summer, but I'll read it. Hmmm, what am I forgetting? Oh, yes...have a cookie, and some parfait, for being such a loyal reviewer and reading all the babbling I just typed.
Sunkist- You crack me up, luv! Notice Lauren's last name? I figured out how to tie in you know who! Anyways, have a cookie, with no raisins.