Jack woke up to a string of curses from the call opposite him. Clearly Ruby had woken up as well.
"Jack?" Ruby called uncertainly, as she say her uncle stir.
"Hi," Jack murmured. "You ok?" He pushed himself into sitting position, leaning against the bars of the door, facing Ruby.
"Yeah.You're gonna get us out of here, aren't yeh?" She asked confidently.
Jack shook his head.
"I can't, Ruby." He said, wearily. His shoulder was throbbing painfully, and, as he was feeling faint, he had lost a lot of blood.
"Yeh can't?" Ruby repeated, shocked. "But…but yeh have to!"
"Ruby, I can't!" Jack said, resting his head against the cool steel of the cell door.
"But you're Captain Jack Sparrow!" Ruby said, which reminded Jack very much of how Elizabeth had said those very words when they had been marooned on that goddamned island.
"Ruby…" Jack paused, taking a deep shuddering breath. "I'm not a Captain." It hurt him to admit it, but it was true.
Ruby looked horrified. She had never seen her uncle so… defeated. She sank back into her cell, next to Johnny, who was sleeping. She poked him hard.
"Wake up!" She hissed into his ear. Johnny sat up sharply.
"Don't do that!" He snapped. He looked around.
"Jack, is my father ok?" Johnny asked. Jack turned and looked at the still unconscious Will.
"I dunno, what did they do t' him?" Jack asked.
"Well, they bought us in, and…they locked me in here and started beating him…kicking him and stuff. Is he ok?" Johnny said, looking at his father anxiously.
"I dunno, mate. I'm sure he will be." Jack said, not looking around.
Right on cue, Will woke up.
"Father!" Johnny cried. Jack shuffled round to see Will struggling to sit up.
"How yeh doin', mate?" Jack asked.
"I'm fine. Jack, um…" Will suddenly looked at Jack and looked scared.
"What?" Jack demanded.
"Yeh lookin' very pale," Will said. "What happened?"
"I got shot." Jack said simply.
Just then they heard voices coming towards them. Captain Scarr and three other pirates, including the one Ruby chopped the fingers off, entered.
"Well, nice t' see yeh're all awake." Scarr said, with a cold grin. "Now, I do believe some punishment is in order-"
"What for?" demanded Ruby suddenly. Scarr turned towards her slowly. She did not shrink away, as he had expected, but she held his gaze, with a fierce glow in her eyes.
"What for?" He repeated quietly. "Well, I do believe, young missy, that you cut the fingers off one o' my men." He indicated to the pirate standing next to him. "Which of course cannot go unpunished. Will Tuner over there threatened one of my pirates, and also assisted in the death of my dear brother, so he must also be punished. And finally, Captain Jack Sparrow. He did kill my dear brother, so he must be punished…" He paused. "And I just don't like him, so he'll get extra for that."
"But that's not fair!" Ruby burst out.
"Ruby…" Jack said. He didn't like to think what Scarr would do to her, and would probably find any excuse to hurt her more.
"Ah yes, Jack. You've already felt the power of my sword, have yeh not?" Scarr turned back to Jack, his eyes glittering coldly. Jack did not answer. "Well, I have recently discovered a way to cause the same amount of pain on people, without the fear of killing them." Scarr grinned, showing his yellow teeth.
"Torture basically." Johnny said, before he could stop himself.
"Indeed, Master Turner." Scarr said. "Now, I haven't actually tried it out yet, so I don't know if it works or not. You, Jack, can be my guinea pig." Scarr smiled a cold, evil smile at Jack. "Now, as I'm sure yeh would've already guessed, my sword cannot harm me. However, it has come to my attention recently that I may be able to take some of its powers out of it, and use to my advantage."
Jack gave him a blank look.
"Well," He continued. "For example…" One of the pirates unlocked Jack's cell door. "If I…" Another pirates pulled Jack to his feet and pushed back his sleeve on his left arm. "touched the blade with my own hand…" Scarr did so. "and placed my hand on my victim…" Scarr grabbed Jack's arm.
For a second, Jack felt nothing, then a searing agony burned on the place Scarr was holding. He screamed. He couldn't help it. The pain was almost too much to bear, yet it wouldn't knock him out.
Scarr laughed.
"Oh, good. It does work." He released Jack, who fell to the floor, clutching his arm.
"What did yeh do to my Father?" Ruby asked suddenly.
"Your father? Oh nothing… yet." Scarr grinned at her, and she scowled.
"Where is he?" She demanded.
"Well, yeh see, as he nearly chopped the arm of one o' my best men, he had to repair it. I do believe he was once a good doctor." Scarr explained, the smile growing on his lips. "But he will be punished, soon enough."
He left, followed by the other pirates.
Will, who suddenly realised he was standing, crouched down next to Jack.
"Jack, are you ok?" He asked. Jack pushed himself into a sitting position and nodded.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." He said quietly.
Another pirate came in, roughly leady Jimbo. He locked him in a cell next to Will and Jack and left without a word.
"Father!" Ruby said. "Are you ok?" Jimbo smiled shakily.
"Yeah, I'm fine. They didn't hurt me, 'coz they needed me, but I expect later they'll 'punish' me." He said. "I heard someone scream, what happened?" He added, looking at Will and Jack.
"Well, remember what I told yeh about the sword and how it touched me?" Jack said, looking through the bars at his brother.
"Yeah." Jimbo said slowly.
"Well, he's found a way of causing the same pain, without killin' yeh" Jack said. "Which he just demonstrated on me."
"Oh." Jimbo said. "Right well…." He trailed off, clearly wishing he'd never asked.
Scarr came in again.
"Well, I think we're ready for my first prisoner." He said. His eyes fell on Jack. "Bring 'im." He ordered to the members of his crew who had accompanied him.
"No," Jack whispered, backing away from the door of the cell. "No…" He was shivering. A pirate grabbed him and tied his hands. Another pirate gagged him, and he was led roughly away.
"I would invite yeh t' come and watch, but I'm sure yeh'll 'ear his screams from here." Scarr said to the others.
Jack was kicked to the floor of the deck and stamped on. The pirates around him laughed. He tried to protect his head as best he could, but it was impossible. 'Well, Scarr, if yeh not planning on killin' me, I'll kill you' Jack thought venomously.
"Get up!" Scarr was standing over Jack, glaring down on him. Jack struggled to his feet. Scarr put his hand on his sword and advanced towards Jack.
Jack stayed where he was, desperate to re-gain some of his honour. He would not scream. He would not scream… he would-
Suddenly Scarr grabbed his arm and the agony shot through him again. But he did not scream. The pain grew more intense. Clearly Scarr was beginning to realise he could control it.
"Having fun?" Scarr hissed in Jack's ear. A small moan escaped his lips in reply. "Maybe it's not bad enough." Scarr hissed.
Suddenly the pain got twice as bad and Jack screamed. He just wanted it to end. He didn't care about his honour, or about getting revenge, he just wanted the pain to stop.
Then, suddenly, it did. He backed away, but remained standing. He realised there were tears on his cheeks.
"Well, well, well. Jack Sparrow crying. Not a sight yeh see every day, is it, boys?" Scarr said. His crew laughed. "Lock 'im in the brig. Alone." Scarr ordered.
Three pirates grabbed Jack and pushed him down the stairs towards the brig. They kicked him into a cell, on the other side of Jimbo's and locked the door.The pirates then unlocked Jimbo's cell and took him out. A few minutes later he heard his screams. He rested his head on the bars of his cell and closed his eyes.
Suddenly, Ruby screamed. Jack sat up sharply.
Four pirates were trying to drag her out of her cell. She was holding onto the door and screaming. Jack jumped up and ran to his cell door.
"Stop! Don't hurt her!" He cried. Scarr turned around slowly.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Please… don't hurt her… I'll…I'll…" Jack trailed off.
"Yeh'll what?" Scarr said. "Yeh'll take her place? Would yeh do that, Jack?" Jack hesitated. "Well?" Scarr asked, looking into Jack's face.
Jack looked away. He couldn't let them hurt Ruby… but he'd have to take her place…
"No?" Scarr said, "Take her away!" The pirates grabbed Ruby and began to pull her away.
"No!" Jack said, suddenly. "No, don't hurt her…" There were tears in his eyes.
"Yeh'll take her place?" Scarr asked. Slowly, Jack nodded. Tears were spilling onto his cheeks, as he led himself be tied and dragged away. Behind him, he heard Scarr saying; "Don't hurt her." And the door of Ruby's cell was locked.
Ruby stared at Jack's retreating back. He had looked so scared when he had been taken away, and even worse when he came back, but now he was taking her place.
"I'm sorry Uncle Jack." She whispered.
Well, tell me what yeh think!