Well guys here's another chapter! Someone asked when this takes place in accordance to the movie. This story is set about a year after the movie. Jack's had a whole year to have some wicked adventures and build up a reputable name for himself along with a regular crew.
It's funny, when I included the Greek/Roman mythology references I didn't mean anything by it, I was just in Latin class at the time and had things running about in my head….but now…it's an interesting idea…and who knows….I like the cliché line "Etu Brute?"
Well I hope ya'll enjoy and thanks for helping me keep motivated to continue my stories.
Blind Fate
Chapter 5
Alone in the Dark
By: Carina
Oh how Anne raged after Captain Sparrow left. She called him every vile name and curse she could think of. And when she ran out of English words she cursed him in French, then Portuguese, a bit of German, and finally Latin. And when her voice became hoarse she chucked her empty dinner bowl at the bars.
Anne was annoyed she hadn't been able to bend Jack Sparrow to her will. He hadn't been intimidated by her game and that is what irked Anne the most.
In the past few years Anne had learned how to get things she wanted. She would simply turn her head in the direction of the voice and stand there silently with her demonic looking eyes. It usually got her what she wanted because many thought she was cursed or a demon who might cast a spell on them.
But no! Jack Sparrow couldn't be one of those superstitious nit wits! She thought sarcastically.
After a bit of thinking she decided perhaps it was time to be civil to the captain. He seemed to be a cut above the usual ruffian education, so mayhap he didn't want to talk to her when she raged.
Very well then, she thought coming to a decision. She would wait patiently for Jack Sparrow to come and speak with her tomorrow, and if he didn't come she would politely ask the person who brought her food to summon him.
Yes, very good plan Anne, she praised herself before settling down on the bench once more for a nap.
When Anne awoke (whether it was the next day or night she did not know) she patiently began her wait.
She waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
After listening for any sound of human movement she carefully used the privy and then went back to her waiting.
She waited while pacing.
She waited while humming.
She waited while pacing and humming.
She waited while braiding small strands of her hair and then unbraiding them.
She waited while taking various cat naps.
Then after a long period of sleep she awoke and used the privy again.
Anne began to think something funny was going on. Surely it had been at least a day, or at least time for someone to come check on her, even if it wasn't for a meal.
Her stomach growled and suddenly she wished she hadn't thrown her soup at the person who'd brought it to her the other day, or at least she assumed it was the other day.
Well two can play the silent treatment game, she thought.
And so she waited for what she assumed was another two days.
On the third day she awoke to find a bucket of fresh water with a ladle in one corner. She was so furious that she'd missed the person who'd brought it that she almost dumped it over in frustration and outrage, but she stopped herself at the last second.
What if this is the only water I get?
What if they keep me down here forever?
What if no one comes to talk to me ever again?
Am I deaf?!
Anne, in a panic, stamped her foot to reassure herself that she could still hear. But then she had an awful thought that perhaps she was just making the noise up in her head. She quickly rushed over to the bench and laid her ear against the wall of the ship.
No she wasn't deaf. She could still hear the creaking of the ship and vaguely the sound of waves.
Suddenly Anne couldn't stand the waiting anymore. She just wanted to hear another human voice. She didn't care if it were that scallywag of a pirate captain. She couldn't take the lack of audible stimulation.
Hysterical and angry she started her shouting again.
"Let me out of here!"
"You come talk to me you coward of a sea captain!"
"You're horrid! All of you!"
"Your black Pearl has a leak! You're raft is a sorry excuse for a ship!"
She beat her fists on the bars and when her fists were sore she took her empty bowl and raked it across the bars.
For days on end she did this, only stopping when she fell, exhausted, on her bench and slept.
Finally after days and days of this behavior she broke. She leaned against the bars, two stray tears making tracks down each of her cheeks as she spoke softly.
"Please someone come talk to me. Please."
But no one came. So Anne sagged against the corner where wall met bars and sobbed. She cried out all the misery and hurt she'd felt these past five years and she cried for herself for the position she was currently in. She cried until she had no tears left and made soft sniffling sounds until she fell into fitful sleep.
She cried for a few days, she assumed later, but this time instead of fresh water appearing and disappearing, meals started to appear whilst she was sleeping. She sobbed as she stuffed the bread into her mouth. She sobbed in relief. Finally! Human contact.
But no one ever appeared to talk to her. Only to deliver food and water; and that only came when she was asleep. She tried to stay awake and wait for them but it was no use. They could out wait her. So she continued to cry each day. She was so afraid of being alone. Especially alone in the dark. She had never admitted this to anyone, not even Dan, but she hated the darkness. She preferred harsh light to no light at all. And now that she couldn't escape the darkness which surrounded her and ruled her life, she felt helpless and hated to be alone. Which was why she had enjoyed Rosemary's company, even when Rosemary aggravated her. With Rosemary, Anne never had to be alone.
Now she was alone and left in the dark.
After another couple days of this treatment she stopped eating and stopped her crying.
Anne sat in her corner and just stared, well not stared really, but she didn't move. For all appearances she was catatonic. She'd given up. What reason was there for her to eat and keep up her strength? So she could sit around all alone?
Anne's thoughts drifted aimlessly through the memories of her life. She constantly hovered between the world of the sleeping and the awake until she couldn't tell which state of being was real or a dream.
She felt as if her world were shaking.
No, wait a minute, she was shaking.
Anne frowned trying to make sense of her shaking world.
"Anne," a voice called from the haze of her dream like world.
She frowned. She must be imagining things.
"Anne," the voice came again guiding her out of her darkness.
She felt her eyes flutter open out of habit.
"Hello?" she asked weakly, her throat parched.
"Ah, splendid. You're awake.-"
Before the voice continued she interrupted it,
"Captain Sparrow?"
"That's my name Lass, don't wear it out," he quipped.
"What are you doing here?" she asked trying to get her bearings.
"I've come to offer you a proposition," he told her.
"A proposition? For what…I mean, why?" she questioned.
"Well Lass you're taking up our resources. You see, the men of my crew work for their food. You, Miss Anne, have been getting rations for free…and wasting them as I can see," he told her, allowing her to draw her own conclusions.
"But…but…I'm your prisoner! How do you expect me to work when you keep me locked up like a dog?!" she asked shrilly.
"Please Lass, there's no need to resort to hysterics," he said soothingly, "As I see it you have two options. Well three really but I don't believe you'll be wanting the third one."
He paused for such a long period of time that Anne felt compelled to speak.
"Well…what are they?" she snapped anxiously.
"The first choice, and possibly the best choice, is that I'm giving you an opportunity to join my crew. And when your debt is paid, or I get tired of you, you will be free to go. The second is that you may stay down in this little cage, my canary, and perhaps receive visitations from the crew. After all…I can't control their urges or keep a sharp eye on them all the time," he paused again before telling her the third choice.
"And the third is that I'll use you for fish bait. What with the choppy sea these days it seems Davy Jones is getting a bit lonely."
Anne opened her mouth, then closed it again, before opening it once more. She started to speak but nothing came out so she snapped her mouth shut again. In the back of her mind it occurred to her that she must look like a fish out of water. At the forefront of her mind was a battle of emotions. She wanted to be outraged at him, but she could not find the energy to summon her rage. She wanted to cry at her misfortunes and beg him to take her to shore, but she had no tears left to cry and quickly she rationalized that her chances of making it on shore were as unpredictable as they were on this ship. At least on this ship she knew slightly who she was dealing with and who was onboard. Anne also had the absurd notion to laugh.
She found it humorous that before this trip she had tried everything in her power to reject Stanley's proposal. None of her plans had worked, even her attempt to leave town had been thwarted. But now, she had gotten exactly what she'd hoped for. She wasn't on her way to marry Stanley, and if she played her cards right she wouldn't have to. Even if Captain Sparrow ended up realizing who her fiancé was and tried to ransom her for money, and even if Stanley actually paid it, she knew he wouldn't marry her. He wanted a virgin, she was certain, and a lady who had been amongst pirates couldn't possibly be virginal.
Anne's mind began to form a plan as she pushed her confusing emotions aside. Mayhap if she worked for the crew and even started getting a part of the plunder she could take her money and run. Then she'd be free of Stanley, of her wretched stepmother, and most importantly this horrid Captain Sparrow.
Though her plan had as many holes as Swiss cheese she gave a theatrical sigh,
"Well, since you have given me three generous options, I shall have to take the lesser of the three evils and join your rotten crew."
She expected a rebuke but instead she got a hearty chuckle,
"Well then Anne Bonnie, welcome aboard the crew of the infamous Black Pearl," he said as he grabbed under her arm and pulled her to her feet.
"Charmed, I'm sure," she told him sarcastically as she tried to pull away.
He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow before walking forward.
"Where are we going?! What do you think you're doing?!" she cried trying to drag her heels to make him stop.
"Well, Lass, the crew doesn't sleep down in the hold and neither shall you. In fact I took the opportunity to set up a dinner in my cabin. I'm certain you're quite hungry. And then we'll get you into bed, your own bed, so you can sleep and be all bright for a hard days work," he told her.
"And I don't fancy setting you loose to find your way to my cabins on your own so I figure I'd save you the trouble and help you along," he added as an after thought.
Anne felt her cheeks coloring as she tripped up some steps he'd started up, "You knew I would take your first option!" she accused thinking about his dinner comment.
"How very astute of you, Anne Bonnie. One would almost think that you're intelligent," he said with a wry tone as he pulled her around a corner.
She grumbled a curse at him under her breath and then fell silent as she tried to count the steps she was taking. After running into a few walls and tripping over her own two feet countless number of times, she gave up. She'd just have to make time to get a feel for the layout of the ship.
Just as Anne was about to complain about how long it was taking to reach his cabins Jack came to a halt. She stumbled a bit as she heard him turn a key into a lock and open a door. He ushered her in and Anne soon found herself seated in a comfortable dining table chair.
As Jack moved about humming a merry tune and doing God knows what Anne took a moment to gather information from her senses. The room smelled of cedar, incense, and the dust like an old library with hidden secrets would collect. She also guessed that Jack must be lighting lamps because the smell of burning lantern oil was becoming stronger.
Directly in front of her, she noted with her fingers, was a table that she gathered held a meal of some sort. She thought she might smell rolls and chicken but she wasn't sure. Her stomach didn't care what was on the table as it growled with impatience.
"Well," Jack broke into her thoughts as she heard him take a seat across from her, "Aren't you going to dine?"
"Well if you are as smart as you think you are, you'd tell me where the food is located," she told him haughtily, "After all we wouldn't want me to accidentally stab you with my fork now, would we?"
"Of course, of course. How very rude of me. Directly in front of you is a plate and to the sides are the usual cutlery and a cloth napkin. Above the dish you'll find a basket of rolls with butter located to the right. To the left of the basket there is a plate of chicken and to the right of your plate is your wine glass. Have I covered it all, Miss Anne? Or should you like to know the grain of the wood as well?"
She could imagine a smirk on what she assumed was a twisted face and so she lifted her chin a notch and spoke boredly, "That will do Captain Sparrow."
Anne paused with her hand over her napkin trying to decide which food to go after first.
Jack broke into her thoughts with a badgering comment,
"I suggest you eat all you can, Lass. From now on you'll be dining with the crew, and feeding time tends to become rowdy. Besides, Cooksie whipped up this special meal just for you and I'd hate for him to feel insulted by your lack of appetite."
Anne felt herself sneer at him before digging into the meal heartily. She had a few problems buttering her roll, and at one point she dropped some butter in her lap and spilled her wine glass. Anne felt herself color at the cheeks as these mistakes happened but she refused to ask for help, and Jack didn't bother to offer any aid.
Finally the meal was finished. Anne struggled to cover a yawn but Jack caught it anyways.
"Right-o. It's time for bed. Come along," he said pulling her out of her chair.
He led her a short distance and she heard him open a door. After a moment he pulled her through the doorway.
She was very curious and somewhat wary as to where she was, but almost as if reading her thoughts he explained.
"This is to be your quarters. Tis a little room connected to mine with a door that also leads to the deck outside. You're bed is against the corner on the left with a trunk at the end of it and to the right a bucket for washing as I'm certain you'll want to take that grime off your face. You are to knock if you wish to enter my cabin and you are to wait for me or one of my crewmates to retrieve you in the morning as the door to the outside will be locked. I suggest you get some sleep, Anne, fore tomorrow is going to be a hard day indeed."
And having said that Anne heard a few footsteps and then the door closing behind her.
Anne spent some time feeling around the room to know where everything was. Jack was right. There was hardly anything in the room, which was to be expected, after all it was a pirate ship she was on.
It took her a moment to get comfortable on the straw mattress, but after having slept on hard wood for the past few weeks Anne welcomed the change and immediately feel under Sleep's magical spell only taking a quick moment to spare a thought to what tomorrow might bring. Then she was out like a light.
