A/N First fic - ever - so please R&R to tell me what I need to improve, otherwise try to enjoy ;).
Will could focus on nothing but what the dishevelled man standing before him, raw emotions displayed on his face and barnacle as well as other sea creatures stuck to his face.
The man bent over and picked up a whip, twisted and cruel, with small bits of wire, steels and broken shells intertwined into the long split ends. Laughs and jeers split the palpable tension, as the surrounding pirates took pleasure from the men's pain.
Will steeled himself for the upcoming pain, his shirt torn off his back and his muscles quivering in the dim light and fog. Gathering his emotions Bootstrap reared the whip, curving it evilly in the air, and with a whistle brought it down onto Will's back. Some of the strands of the whip curled around Wills sides to attack the tender skin of his stomach and chest. Will fought to keep his cry of pain from escaping his defences as blood dripped down his back, completing the morbid picture.
The whip came down again. Will was engulfed in a second firing pain, shooting around his torso and making him weak at the knees, more blood joined the streams running down his back. As the pain worsened Will felt like somebody was pushing red hot swords through his back again and again.
Luckily for Will, the next three lashes rushed by in a blur of physical and emotional pain, jeering and beatings. The pirates kicked and hit and path of skin that was available using anything that would elicit pain.
Well after the lashings were finished and his hands untied Will was harassed, however eventually the last of the pirates gave up their game and returned to work. Laying in a bruised, bloody ball on the deck he was forced to his feet and taken to the brig.
Fighting consciousness Will examined his dim, dull surroundings. Metal bars, dimly lit corridors and dusty damp floors greeted him. Spying someone in the shadows he weakly called out for them to come out. A shadow fell over him.
His father sighed and kneeled on the ground to try and do his best for Will, wiping off most of the blood and treating the worst of his wounds. He then broke the silence.
"I'm sorry"
Those two little words conveyed so much. Sorry for leaving him at such a young age, sorry for the time he had growing up being the 'bastard boy' without a papa, sorry for the doubts in Wills mind, sorry for the beating. Silence overtook them. Breaking the monotony Bootstrap tried to explain himself.
"Bo-son, he is a master at causing pain with the whip, digging it in to the bone and lashing the stomach and chest powerfully, I was trying to help you…" he trailed off.
Will weakly nodded his head, "Thank-you then father" he replied with the politeness of agreeing about the weather. "Will please…"
For a while Will thought. "I do understand."
Bootstrap smiled and took his sons hand, "Thank-you."
Just then pirates came down the stairs, drunk and singing noisily. Bootstrap disappeared ambiguously back into the shadows and watched. The pirates continued down the corridor and Bootstrap snuck back out. "Goodbye son, I've gotta get back to work."
Weakly Will nodded.
Then the pain and darkness overtook him.
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