Yodelo. I turned seventeen today, and I'm delighted! My mother acctually remembered! Better than last year. To those of you who read this later, today is... Maundy Thursday. 8th of April, to be exact. I really wanted to get this chapter finished today. Well, I wanted to get chapter 4 finished today, but I kinda... froze. Some stories just fell into my head and took all the place. I am so sorry. Tell me if I should correct anything.
Kill Mary Sue, I agree that people can be anoying when they are like that. I do not, however, think the would world do the world a favor if they killed themselves. People just get depressed by hearing things like that. No offense, please don't get mad at me. Just trying to say that they may actually do that. And if not, the comment will linger. Trust me, I know.
Rammstein, I have tried to fix the formatting problem. Mabye you'll read this.
Vaudevillian, I know perfectly well about the dialogue-thing. Known since seventh grade. And if you wanted to get a reply on the first one, write something I can reply on. For the record, I did say thanks, that counted you in. By the way, I would never try to give out books in other than norwegian. The translators can handle the rest. That's how REAL editors do it. If my mistakes bugs you, you can point them out for me. That goes for all who reads this. Can't wait to hear from you again, Vaudie.
Crystal, so the word is hydrophobia! Thanks, I couldn't find that in the dictonary. I have tried to fix up the story, 'cause I hate it when they are confusing. Trying to fix the verbs and stuff, one of my friends reads the stories when she's got the time.
Graymoon74, she always smile like that... almost always... she freaks me out... I don't find her evil, but she is after all her fathers daughter. We'll see, in time... hehe
Disclaimer: no, I don't own the LXG. I don't even own a copy... my father does... I own Jacqueline, however.
I have not made dialects, etc. Make them in your head.
All elements in this story is fictional. Any resembelance (is that the word?) to the reality is not intended.
And on with the story, people:
The woman laid on her back, her eyes staring towards a sky she could not see. The street was covered with blood, the womans blood. Jacqueline stared at the woman, not feeling the knife in her hand, the knife that had sliced her throat. She was about to scream when someone grabbed her shoulder...
"Jacqueline?" The girl turned around, with a slight hint of panick in her eyes. When she realized where she was, she relaxed. Mina looked at her, and the girl knew what she wanted to ask about.
"It was nothing, miss Harker. Only a memory. One I do not like to think of." Her voice left no doubt in Mina about what kind of memory that was, and she didn't ask. There was some memories she wanted to keep away, herself. Like Dorian's death.
"Dinner is served, miss Gray."
"If you call me Mina." The girl nodded, and followed Mina to the diningroom.
Jacqueline didn't eat much. She sat in thoughts, again captured by her own memories, memories she didn't want to think of. She never ate much, anyway. Didn't need to. She was truly her fathers daughter. Skinner's voice brought her back from the depts of her mind.
"What are you thinking of? All the water?" Jacqueline's eyes widened a bit when she remembered, before she took control over her feelings again.
"I'm trying not to think about it, Skinner. It would certainly help if you didn't remind me." She looked at the thief as he fell silent, then she smiled.
"If I could see you, Skinner, I'm sure your face would be red." As the Leauge laughed, she rose from her chair, and walked out of the room.
Jacqueline walked fast, not looking at the crew, knowing they didn't look at her. Her head pounded, her senses were failing, and she felt like she could not breathe. A bad headache, nothing more, but somehow, this headache made her feel sick. Mabye it was the reminder of the water. She sat down in her room, her head in her hands. The time that passed could have been a few minutes or a few hours, she didn't know and didn't care. She just heard a voice from the door.
"Miss Gray, we're surfacing now. Would you like some air?" Jekyll stood by the door, with a worried look on his face.
"I would love to, Jekyll. It would help."
"Headache?"
"Yes, doctor. A rather bad one. Skinners comment did not help."
"He often speak before he think, but I doubt he meant to remind you. It was simply his way of joking."
"I did not find it entertaining."
"I guessed as much. Shall we go?"
"Lead way, doctor."
The sun was setting, and for the first time in her life, Jack could see how beautiful the water could be. She felt no fear at the moment, it was like looking at the Thames from her bedroom window. Thinking of that made her sad. The house she had spent countless years in was gone, as was all her belongings, and the belongings of her father. Dorian...
Was he dead? Her heart said no, but her head said yes. Those two voices mixed together, and she no longer knew. She didn't trust her own feelings, not like this. What daughter would belive that her father would never come back? Jacqueline knew that if he lived, he would eventually look for her. It could take days, or years. She didn't really care. They wouldn't age after all. Time didn't matter.
"What do you think? It's nice, huh?" Sawyer leaned to the rail next to her.
"The sunset is quite breathtaking."
"And what do you think of the boat?"
"She is absolutley amazing. So is the people she carries. All of them." The admiration in her voice surprised Tom, but he still smiled.
"Is the cold Jacqueline Gray finally melting?"
"It'll take days befor I melt, as you put it. Mabye weeks. I haven't met a lot of people. I rareley left the house until you came. Not that I wanted to. I'm no good around people."
"Did your father leave the house?"
"Yes. The first time he left me alone, I was five... I think. He was visiting Eton, for the first time, he said."
"What did you say?" Mina stepped closer, and stared at the girl. It could be possible, but still...
"I remember it well. I could tell he was excited. Not much, though. Only a bit. I remember, because I asked him what I should do while he was away. He gave me 'Hamlet', and told me to read it. I did."
"That's... rare."
"I learnt to read when I was two. I found nothing strange about it. Then."
"And you did later?"
"My father never tried to hide the fact that my chilhood was unusual. It has become a part of who I am, I know no different way. It seems just as natural to me as breathing."
"Yeah... right."
"I don't regret growing up like this, nor would I change it. Belive it if you can, Sawyer."
"You can't have grown up all alone. Not without problems."
"I said earlier that I'm no good with people. Truth is, I can't stand being touched." Sawyer hadn't noticed until she said it, but she had plenty of room around her. He was sure that he had stopped right next to her. She had moved while they were talking.
"It's not something I can help. It's just this feeling... I don't like it. When people get too close, I move if I have the chance. If I'm taken by surprise, I either fight... or freeze."
"You get cold?" Jacqueline looked ay Sawyer, then laughed. Soon, the three of them were laughing together. Jacqueline managed to stop when she realized that the rest of the group was staring at them. Mina and Sawyer stopped just after. Skinner was certainly smiling. She knew he had to smile at this.
"We all heard that conversation, people. I think I have to teach Sawyer how to make a joke. That one was really bad. A bit funny, but really bad. And you," he said poinitng at Jacqueline, "don't you ever smile? I haven't seen you smile on time since we got on this ship. Not even while you laughed." Jacqueline smiled at that. The same cold smile as she had smiled when she got aboard the Nautilus. It was a shadow of a smile, something done out of habit, nothing else. Skinner took a step backwards.
"That's really scary, you know."
"I know," was the girls reply, "that's why I don't smile much."
"That makes perfect sense, Gray."
"Mabye Skinner..." Jacqueline stopped for a moment, thinking, before she turned to Nemo.
"Where are we going?" Nemo didn't smile as he opened the door, and waited for them to go down.
"We are going to Kenya, miss Gray. We have a grave to visit." And cut. I hope this chapter isn't as boring to read as it was to write. Waiting to hear from you all.