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Chapter 2—Beyond the Sunset
Raven pushed through her doorway, shutting it quickly as she slipped inside. She leaned against the door and slid to the ground, rubbing her temples. She dragged the back of her hand across her mouth, trying to get rid of the sour taste. She sighed heavily. She realized she should have simply let him have his way with her… at least he wouldn't bother her for a few weeks after. She stayed still for a while longer before pushing herself up to her feet. The small house was dimly lit, although even with light it would be nothing spectacular. The kitchen she was standing in served as the entry way, dining room, living room, Raven's bedroom, and of course, the kitchen. A small cot was pushed off into the corner, serving as the girl's ever so extravagant bedroom. A door stood across from that, separating the larger room from her mothers closet sized bedroom.
She walked over lazily and pushed the warped wood back, peering into the room, which was possibly darker than the bleak kitchen. A small beam of light cut into the room from an old candle sitting on the table. Sitting on the edge of her bed was her mother. Life had taken its toll on the woman, and the effects were accentuated in the dim light. She turned her head to Raven, fixing her drooping eyes on her daughter. Deep auburn curls spilled down her back. The locks were disheveled and snarled. She wore a billowing red and black dress that was streaked with dried mud.
Raven frowned. "You look dashing today, mum."
Her mother—Francesca—turned back as she lifted a bottle to her mouth in a quavering hand. Raven frowned, advancing on her mother.
"Don't you think you've had enough for today?"
Francesca shook her head briskly, and then groaned as she became apparently dizzy. "Raven, darling," she said, her words slurred, "Come here, I want to tell you something."
Raven grimaced, and then dragged a small wooden stool over and sat down across from her mother.
Francesca cocked her head at Raven. "How old are you now, dear, twelve?"
"Seventeen," Raven answered bluntly.
Her mother nodded, taking a swig of ale. "Now, there is something I have been wanting to tell you for a very long time." She paused for almost a full minute as if the world had suddenly stopped. And just like that, she began again. "You might have noticed that you don't have a father. Well, quite obviously you do… but he isn't here, now is he?"
Raven sighed and shook her head.
Francesca swayed a bit as she nodded. "I don't want to hold it back any longer… you deserve to know. You've heard of the pirate… Jack Sparrow?" She hiccupped, and then giggled. "Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Yes, the one that sails the fabled Black Pearle, or last you heard," Raven said softly.
"He is," her mother continued, not hearing her daughter, "a pirate who sails the ship called the Black Pearle, last I heard…" She trailed off and took a few more drinks. "Jack Sparrow is your father, Raven." She looked the girl square in the eye, or as square as she could, considering that she kept tilting from side to side. "When I first met Jack… he was bewitching. I couldn't take my eyes off him… and he treated my like a princess." She laughed giddily.
"Let me guess," Raven interrupted. "He came to port one day, strode into the bar—which you happened to be a waitress in at the time—and from the first time you two met each other's gaze, you knew it would be love…"
"Love indeed," Francesca said, lifting her glass in a toast. "But his love for the sea and the Pearl was greater… and he left me for the waves… and a ship that sails beyond the sunset." She dramatically waved her arms, staring off into space. "Now… when I learned that I was…" she hiccupped, and an odd look came over her face. Her eyes trailed lazily around the room, as if wondering where she was. Her gaze crossed Raven's and she smiled.
"Raven… there you are," she said with a stupid smile on her face. "Now what was I saying?"
"You were just about to go to sleep," Raven replied, standing up and taking the bottle from her mother. "And I was going to see if I could get some more of this for you, eh?"
Francesca nodded slowly and then flopped backwards onto the bed, falling asleep nearly instantly. Raven inched out of the room and shut the door. She rolled her eyes.
"When I learned I was pregnant," she began saying, mocking her mother's drunken tone, "I was at first overjoyed, and then oh so terribly devastated that Jack had left. What was I to do? I was only eighteen, my parents were gone, and I had no one to help me care for this child. But I decided that Jack Sparrow was a fool, and forgot about him. I've heard he's been here a number of times since, but haven't bothered seeing him. The only thing he was good for was you, darling."
Raven had the speech memorized. She had heard it nearly every day since she had turned ten. Some days she was spared when her mother was out or already passed out from drinking.
Sighing, she walked over to a small window and tossed the bottle and its contents out. Her mother would be able to scrounge for something more the next day, anyhow. Kicking off her shoes, Raven trudged towards her cot and lay down, staring up at the blank ceiling. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, she heard a soft tune drifting from her mother's room.
"Yo, ho, yo, ho… a pirate's life for me…"
Ai carumba… short chappie. Oh well… that's the way it goes I guess. This would have been the last part of my other chapter, but I decided to put it her. Read and Review please! Thanks a ton!