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Chapter Sixteen

If I close my eyes I can still see the destruction, the frightened, scurrying townsfolk, I can still hear the painful, pitiable screams, and the burning acrid smell of fire, and ruin. Sometimes I think I'm better off behind these wrought iron bars, then out there in the real world. In a matter of hours, maybe not in the plural sense, I may not even have an hour left to me on this earth. But when I am finally led outside, I shall be greeted by a blood lust crowd, cheering to see my neck stretched. But why I ask you?

When the navy subdue their spirits, beat them into submission. They are always complaining about it, I have heard other prisoners muttering curses under their breath about the fierce red coats. And yet these are the very people who cheer when one of their own is killed, by the very people they fight against. No, I shall never understand human nature. I'm just glad I got to see freedom, if only for a little while.

*

Jack dragged me along, pushing his way through the screaming crowds. It seemed the whole town was ablaze with fear and panic. I had never seen so many scared faces. And yet the scene distinctly reminded me of an earlier episode in my life. Surely this was the same grubby, fearful faces I had seen on the night of the fire?

I paused for a second to catch my breath, and took a look at the harbour. The Black Pearl was no where to be seen, and three navy ships dominated the bay. Why were the navy attacking in such a brutish, savage way? They were not the people they professed to be.

At one point a building close to us collapsed under cannon fire. Jack threw me to the ground, as the rubble of the blacksmith tumbled over us. I heard the screams of inner occupants. Dying screams.

My knee hit the cobbles with an immense force, and I cried out in pain. But it was not just any pain, it seemed to hit my nerve and sent an agonising ache up my leg, twinging at my muscles. My head hurt with the impact, and I shrieked as Jack touched me.

Jack pulled me up, but I couldn't walk. My knee wouldn't support me, and I had a dreadful fear that it was broken. At first I thought this is it, Jack's just going to leave me here.

"I can't move it, Jack." I panted.

"S'ok." He said, in his gentle slurring fashion as he tenderly lifted me to my feet.

He put his arm around me, and I balanced on him. We carried on, much slower then before.

We followed the general direction of the crowd, though many people did not know where to turn. They were use to pirate attacks, it was a fairly popular coastal town, and a great haunt for the corsairs. But there was, of course, one major difference, which I had not noticed before. Pirates, they attacked for gold, they had a purpose, they were after something. But the navy, they attacked to kill. The navy attacked to purge 'their lands' of second grade humans.

I was hobbling along with Jack's aid, when a woman pulled him to a stop.

"Jack!" She said, with a sigh of relief at recognising someone in the chaos of the night. "What's going on?" She pleaded.

He stared at her for a moment. "Lissa, you should get outta 'ere."

"Jack, the navy haven't attacked like dis before. Day are after someone." She said, in her strong accent. "Ye know de reputation dis town has."

He nodded, and was about to talk, when suddenly the shooting had stopped. There was no more buildings crashing down into rubble and nothingness. The only sounds were of trapped individuals burning in the fires, or squashed under piles of heavy bricks. The deep bellowing cries of babies filled the air, and most of the people had stopped running.

"Day are comin' ashore!" She said, softly.

Jack turned and tried to drag me on, but I couldn't move. The pain in my knee was so intense that it took all my inner strength to stand up. I couldn't move my leg at all, and the pain was spreading further.

I collapsed on the floor. Lissa took one look at me, before running off. I expected Jack to follow her, but he didn't

Instead he tried to pull me to my feet.

I howled. "My knee." I said, through gritted teeth.

He knelt down beside me, and placed his hands on my leg. I took a deep breath and screwed my eyes shut, trying to focus on anything but the throbbing pain in my knee. As Jack touched it, his hands carefully feeling my leg as though trying to determine what was wrong, I bit my lip until it bled, to stop myself yelling out. He was so tender and gentle.

A gun shot announced the imminent arrival of the navy. Less people were flocking this way now, a lot had stood to fight, some men across from us were even trying to put out a fire that was consuming the local brothel.

"You've broken it." He grunted.

"It's when you threw me down." I said, through gritted teeth.

"Well, it was either that or get blown to pieces by the cannon." He snarled. "Look, you're just gonna have to try an' walk." He said, unsympathetically. He pushed himself up, gripped my hand and lifted me to my feet. His manner had changed. At first it was mild, but knowing that such a tone would not save our lives, he had changed back to his resilient self, not accepting the blow the fates had dealt him.

I took a few steps but shrank back down again. "No, no, I can't do it!" I said, choking.

The navy were getting closer all the while I wasted on the ground. And although it had been my original plan to turn Jack in, and get taken back home, that was now the last thing I wanted. I knew what the navy would do if they caught him. He would be strung up, and his beautiful ship destroyed.

"Go without me!" I said, suddenly.

He looked at me in surprise.

I shook my head to hush his objections. "I'm Theodora Harping!" I yelled at him. "I'm your captive. I'm safe Jack!" I told him, quickly.

He bent down beside me. "I'll carry yer."

"I'll slow you down, we'd ne'er get away. Please, Jack." I begged.

He gripped my hand. "I can't leave yer."

I laughed, softly. "You're not going to die 'cause of me, Jack."

He stood up as the shouts got nearer. "We'll meet again." He said, gently dropping my hand by my side. He leant forward and his face brushed against mine.

"Goodbye Jack." I said, firmly.

He looked at me reluctantly, and hurt. "Bye Dora Sanchez."

And he took off down the path. I'd like to say he looked back, saw me lying helplessly on the cobbled ground beside what was once the stables, and that he came back for me. But I'd be lying. He didn't come back, nor did his head turn once. And just as he disappeared the navy arrived. I felt a pair of powerful arms pick me up, but remembered no more. I passed out from the pain.