Jack the Action Figure

Chapter Six – The First

The Girl's room had not been brightly lit, but even so, it took Jack's eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness of the closet. There was an old, sweet smell to the dark place, like ancient scented candle wax, and it was utterly silent until Jack's summoner shifted slightly in the dim above. When he could see, Jack made out the sheer wall of an enormous box before him, and looked up to see more of the same piled up and out of sight.

With an effort, he began to climb, and as he climbed, the dusty, rumbling voice that had called out to him before began to hum. Jack listened to the baritone melody while he climbed and was almost able to place the song. It was a tune from babehood, he knew, a ditty sung by a mother to a small child. To hear it from the certain throat of a closet monster instead of a gentle woman was strange to Jack, to say the least, but he had accepted stranger in the time since he had woken from his dream of smudged eyes and white walls.

The tune ceased when Jack scaled the sixth and final box, a box that had been wedged to fit snugly against the wall. It was darker in the top of the closet, but there was a substantial aisle of light in the sweet-smelling shadows – one that came from the wide crack that the mammoth door was opened. Jack's summoner moved into this light with a low laugh. "I'm pleased you've come to see me."

The speaker was a blind brown bear.

Or, he was at least the shape of a bear. Nearly twice Jack's size, he balanced on two thin legs that became a threadbare furred tummy, which in turn eased into two mottled arms. One was slightly shorter than the other. If not for the bear's pleasant greeting, his face might have terrified the pirate. The once-shiny nose on the end of his snout had been buffed and buffeted beyond gleaming, and one rounded ear seemed to have been torn not completely in half and stitched back together. However, no such repairs had been attempted on the bear's eyes. There were none. In their place were protruding remains of black thread.

A mouth, stitched in black underneath the bear's snout, eased into a smile and separated slightly. "Please, do come and sit with me. I'm sorry if I look … a little worse for wear. I'm very old, you see." Jack approached the bear cautiously.

He reached out a tentative ringed hand. "May I?"

"Of course, if you wish."

He stroked the bear's dusty fur. It was thin, but velvet soft. Jack suddenly understood. "You – you were The Girl's first toy, weren't you?"

The bear croaked another laugh, sounding pleased. "I was, my boy. I certainly was." He eased himself into a sitting position – Jack had failed to notice that his limbs were jointed – and sighed. The pirate noted that it was a sigh of satisfaction and nostalgia … it was far from a sigh of sadness. He joined the bear on top of the box. From where he sat, he could see the majority of The Girl's room – and her bed – out of the closet's opening, but it seemed very far away.

"I was created," began the bear in a voice polished by long storytelling, either heard or practiced, "by a being known as Grandmother. She was very old herself when I was made, so perhaps I was formed imperfectly, but that made no matter. I was formed with love for a new infant, and as you rightly said, I was the first possession of The Girl. I was honored with being the first to have her as my charge." He smiled a stitched smile. "That is an honor I hold to this day. I was the first."

Jack nodded towards The Girl's room. "Then why aren't you there now?"

"Oh, everything has its time and purpose, young man," replied the bear. "I watched her grow. I whispered stories and songs in her ear while she slept. I kept evil dreams away. That was why I was created and why I was so loved. I couldn't be prouder of what she has become. There is no greater privilege for a toy than to have the opportunity to see our child blossom and grow." The bear put a nearly-formed paw on Jack's shoulder. "You've come into her life at a time when she is deciding what it is that inspires her. You are a pirate?"

"I certainly am."

There came another creaking chuckle. "Then it would appear that what she has decided to be inspired by is freedom and courage, yes? Is it not flattering to be the object of such choice?"

"It would. If I were a toy."

"Ah, yes. I heard your … vocal misgivings on the subject."

"Do you have a name?" Jack asked suddenly. The bear was slightly taken aback.

"Me? I can't say that I've thought about that in a long while – but, no. No, I don't believe I was given a name." Jack tucked his pistol into his belt.

"Then it's going to be a stretch for you to understand how I truly feel, friend," said the pirate. "My name is Jack Sparrow, and that's who I am. When I think about that – when I think about me – and everything that I've been and done and seen and won, it's impossible for me to accept that all I am is a toy. I can't be – because I'm Jack Sparrow."

"You certainly are," agreed the bear. "And that proves precisely that you are a toy. You are a Jack Sparrow toy. Listen to me, son. If you did not have the memory and the mind and the charm of Jack Sparrow, you could not be a Jack Sparrow doll." The bear smiled again, but this time his smile was a trifle sad. "Your problem, I think, lies in thinking that there is something wrong, something inferior about your current lot in life. You are not one human person, limited and insignificant. You should find celebration in knowing that there are many more like you, and that they all provide happiness and pleasure. They stand, as many they stand, for freedom and courage, as you do, Jack."

Jack said nothing. The old bear let him sit in silence. He assumed – wrongfully – that Jack was merely mulling this new revelation over and trying to come to grips with the fact that he was not, as he so desperately wanted to believe, a wronged man of flesh and blood, but that he was a toy. He was one of hundreds just like him. But Jack wasn't thinking of ways to come to grips with it. He was thinking of ways to grip it. And ways to wield it.

While they were sitting, The Girl entered the room again. Through the gap left by the open door, Jack could see her cast about briefly for him, shake her head, and then open a book and lay on her bed. She read for a few minutes and then fell asleep with the book perched open on her chest.

The pirate spoke after a time. "I don't understand something."

"And what is that?"

"You were The Girl's first toy. Everything – everyone else in this room holds you in the utmost respect, and respect is what you certainly deserve. So why are you in here? Why aren't you out there with them and with her?"

The bear thought for a moment, then laughed gently and patted Jack on the shoulder. "Don't you worry about me, son. As I said before, my time is past."

Jack was indignant. "If she is as wonderful as everyone seems to think, she would welcome you. I'll bet she even misses you, mate." The old bear smiled again. He was blind, and had not seen her enter the room.

"I'll admit to you that it would certainly be something to be held again, young pirate. That it would be. But I'm from another time. I'm so proud of her, but all I would do is distract her and remind her of times long past. She's grown now."

"Exactly!" Jack agreed.

"Exactly what, son?"

"You'd distract her!" Jack cried, and in one smooth motion he clasped the paw that the bear had placed onhim, leapt to his feet, and in a supreme effort of balance and positioning, hurled the thin old bear over his shoulder and through the gap in the closet. The ancient brown bear flew through the air, light and dust covered, to land softly on The Girl's sleeping chest.

Jack did not see him land. After he threw, he stepped to the edge of the box mountain (only a toy, he reminded himself wildly, clay and paint – and clay and paint can't be killed) and leapt off. He landed, after a bounce, at the bottom of the closet, and it was then that he heard the renewed – but brief – uproar of the room inhabitants. He sprang out of the dark closet, eyes on The Girl, who had begun to stir when the bear landed on her chest. There was sudden silence as she blinked and yawned – and saw him.

She squealed with delight. "Where did you come from?" she cried, and clapped him to her chest. "I haven't seen you in ages!" Her book, forgotten, fell to the floor in a heap of pages. And that was not all that was forgotten in joyous reunion of best childhood friends.

Jack Sparrow – action figure, $18.99 – bolted through the unwatched doorway and out of The Girl's room.


Author's Additional Scribblings –

Many thankies – not hankies, those are different – to the people who take the time to review. Carine and Sweetlilbee should be especially thanked for hurrying me along with proverbial cattle prods, because it's summer and I should be writing! And have no worry ladies – a certain other story about a certain pirate and a certain quatripirate tournament is in the works to be updated.

Hobbit Lass, your keen observation about Sam has made me check the ears of my own LotR action figures and I completely agree with you! No pointed ears! But maybe, just maybe – and this is only my ridiculous amount of watching the movie with the actors' commentary on that makes me able to jump to this conclusion – that the makers of the toy took Sean Astin's complaints about the ears so seriously that they 'left them out' on his doll? It could be. I'll ask Mr. Astin next time I see him – I mean, I've got his autograph so that practically makes us roommates.

I'm so proud that there are other Jack-Figure-owners out there, CaptainTish! The amount of detail on him is completely awesome (I love especially his little rum bottle) and the fact that there are multiple Jack owners out there may just come into play in this story in the future – so I would listen for sudden shouts. Thanks for the compliments WCSPegasus, and I hope you'll return for more, because this little yarn is far from over.

LinLin, it is beyond flattering that my stories are being read to such sweet little ears as Anaya's – thank you so much! Thank you to Aaidenkae for warm wishes and luck for Jack, because he might just need it. I'm also happy that your action figure collection is growing! I hope that you liked the closet monster, Redberry, though he doesn't really have any teeth. And lastly, muchas gracias ZePuKa! I'm glad you've discovered this quirky little tale.

More to come gang, and sooner rather than later! Don't forget to review – reviews are the marshmallows in the Lucky Charms of my day (but not the green hat ones, because I always thought that they were a little iffy). And smiles also for the people who wander into my story and wander out without saying a word or two - don't be shy! Besides, I have a hit counter now and I know you were here! ;)