Chapter 8 - cheaters never win
(Oliver's point of view)
"Men, Blackbeard was forced into this exchange!" The first mate, Tug, yelled in his scruffy rough voice.
The crew was out on the main deck of the Queen Anne's Revenge, some sitting at a table and some standing up close by. There were lanterns that were dimly lit and squeakily swayed in the night time breeze; their light making Tug's face glow as he paced in front of the men. I had positioned myself further away from the group, as I carelessly leaned against main mast for support as the ship bumped and swayed on the ocean waves below.
"This demon has taken his precious daughter and we will not just sit her and stand for it!!" He pounded his fist on the table startling some men, but still gaining some strong yeses and firm nods. "We men, we are the crew of Blackbeard! We are the most feared crew on the seven seas!! Will we just sit here and let this happen?!"
The men began to grow more excited, shifting in their seats as some shouted "no!"
We will not sit here! We will avenge Blackbeard and he will know of assurity that we are not to be trifled with! We are to be feared!!"
Cheers rose from the men in agreement while Tug smiled as if congratulating himself for the "epic" pep-talk he just gave.
"I say we go chase after the bastard and get his daughter back!" Jimmy, A larger man with a scraggly red beard shouted. The other men looked around at one another nervously, their cheering now had gone silent. I couldn't blame them. I felt it to, fear. We didn't even know who this man was, let alone where he is.
"Ain't no one know where he is, Jimmy!" A young lanky cabin boy with shaggy blond hair spoke up.
"Lads got a point Jimmy." Tug mockingly shrugged at him. You could tell he thought his idea was ridiculous, but what could I say Jimmy was the best and coming up with the worst ideas.
"So let's go out and find where he is!" Stumpy, a short bald man with a peg stump of a leg called out.
"How's you suppose we gonna do that?" Finn asked in a snarky tone, poking fun and trying to tease Stumpy.
"Well hows am I suppose to know Finn! Can't come up with all the ideas here! Why don't you try!" Stumpy growled back to him.
"Well I'm sure I could come up with a better idea then just throwing ourselves at the man!," Finn jabbed back.
Tug rolled his eyes, "Does anyone else have any brilliant ideas they want to throw out there? Or can we actually start-"
The group began to break out, everyone talking over one another, trying to give their own opinions on what we should do about the situation. Voices rose higher and higher getting louder. I glanced around nervously for fear Blackbeard may be disturbed from all the commotion. This situation needs to be defused and doesn't look like Tug will be doing it since he is began to become one of the loudest in the group. I decided to finally be part of the conversation as I strode up closer to the men,
"Men! Men! Now let's use our heads!" The group started to grow quiet beginning to listen to me, "What if we wait for him to come to us, right? I mean we have Hook's daughter. The man that wants her will come for her, so hows about we just set a trap for him on the ship?" The men glanced around to one another, wondering what each other's responses were going to be. Slowly small yesses whispered out and nods showed themselves, but a few still glanced around nervously.
"I don't know, Oliver! ...shouldn't we fear him? The man I mean? Wouldn't it be best for him to not come here at all? I mean to be honest..." his voice grew quiet just above a whisper, "it's his daughter, why do we have to do all the dirty wo-"
BOOM!
A gunshot had gone off, the bullet making its way through the back of the man who was just speaking out making him fall to the ground silent. I looked up from my crew member that was alive only seconds ago to see Blackbeard.
"Does anyone else fear this demon, or do you fear me because if it is the first then speak now so I can rid the world of your cowardice presence!," Blackbeard spat as he thumped his dirty scuffed boots down the stairs that led up to his captain's cabin, his revolver still smoking in his hand.
Silence fell amongst the deck. No one daring to say anything more or even look Blackbeard in the eye. He paused for a good length of time until he saw some men shift around uncomfortable in our seats then continued,
"...Oliver is right, we will set a trap. We will capture him, we will get him to tell us where my daughter is, and we WILL kill him!"
Cheers rose once again from the men. Blackbeard just kept the same cold stoic look on his face and continued,
"He may come tonight, it wouldn't surprise me. We have to be ready. You men, he pointed to a small group of 4, go get a net ready and bring it into an area that can't be seen from the main deck. When he comes we spring on the scallywag!!"
Cheers and shouts again came from the men.
"Oliver, you take watch tonight. Keep ye eyes pealed. He is a sly one full of tricks," Blackbeard hissed.
"Of course sir," I responded quickly.
"Also make sure the girl finishes all her chores."
"Yes sir, will do."
He paused looking me up. I almost felt uneasy under his stare but I'd never show it.
"Good lad." He finally nodded and then began to head back to his captain's cabin once more.
The rest of the crew got up from their positions they had taken and started to make their way to the sleeping quarters. All except the small group of men who went off to do their chore of grabbing a net and making it all ready to go so right when the man came, we'd be ready.
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Most everyone had gone to bed now except for the few who were prepared to spring at any moment and catch the man if he came. It has been a long day on the Queen Ann's Revenge and I was sitting on the railing of the boat with one leg cocked up so I could rest my arm on it while the other swang over the starboard side. I was taking a knife to a small piece of wood; whittling away at it as I looked up to the stars.
We didn't know the exact time of arrival from this man but he has troubled Blackbeard enough that he wants him dead.
My thoughts gravitated towards our new prisoner. I wonder why the girl we have stowed away in the brig is so important to the man.
That girl Serina can be a spirited and stubborn one, but I didn't mind a little fight. In fact I almost rather enjoyed it. She has definitely given the ship a bit more life. As I looked up at the stars two of them shined brighter than any of the other stars in the night sky. My eyes focused on the one to the right. It flickered it's light, winking almost as if it was taunting me. I rolled my eyes, Who would ever even care to go to a place as psychotic as Never-
"You thinking about jumping?"
My thoughts were interrupted. I glanced behind my shoulder to see Serina standing there. I couldn't help but notice her blue eyes in the night looked just like the moonlit ocean waves that crashed beneath our ship. I swung my legs around so they were fully back on the floorboards of the deck.
"- Because it would honestly save me a lot of trouble not being ordered around by you anymore." She gave a weak laugh. Her misery made a smile flash across my face. I'm starting to think maybe Finn had a point...Maybe it was about time we had some fun on this ship.
"Ha- you wish princess. Did you finally finish cleaning out the cannons?...Bout time." I scoffed.
"They are massive things and I don't even think they've ever been cleaned before in their lives! What kind of a chore is cleaning cannons anyway?!" Her face covered in black smudges showed frustration. Her ocean eyes standing out from the layer of dirt on her.
"A chore good enough for the pirate highness herself no doubt" I smirked as she glared at me, "but I'm glad you had yourself some fun. Tomorrow I'm sure will be even better.
"Uuuggghh. Forget tomorrow, and I'm not a pirate highness, I'm Hook's daughter. Big deal. can I please just go to sleep now. I don't even care if it's back in the brigg. I'm about to fall over just standing here."
"Hmm I don't know..." I shrugged with a mocking smile. "William one of the other boys on the ship didn't quite get around to scrubbing the deck today..." I glanced down at her watching her face scrunch up in disgust.
"Are you being serious? Aren't you at all tired?! Oh that's right you've been sitting on your lazy ars all day while I've been carrying out ever dirty grimy exhausting chore!"
This girl really does think she can talk back to me, doesn't she. Little does she know who I am. I effortlessly got down from the railing and came up to her so our bodies were close, almost touching. I gave a wicked smile as I I saw her cheeks flush.
"All day working and it still hasn't shut you up, has it?
"I um... well I..." she stammered and glanced around as I brought my face closer to hers.
This was all just too much fun.
"What's wrong? Finally run out of words to say?"
I saw her swallow ever so slightly as she composed herself; her face becoming more stoic trying not to express any certain emotion.
"I just...I'd like to go to bed is all." She said cooly her face unmoving accept maybe to show a bit of annoyance.
Maybe...just a bit more fun; how could I not?
I reached up and wiped a dirt streak off her cheek with my thumb. Making her slightly rosy cheeks return. But still no emotion changed on her face. " I guess maybe I can let that last chore slide until morning, if your nice..."
"Um, I assure you I don't know what you mean..." she glanced around uncomfortably.
I flashed a wicked smile as I leaned into her even closer so the my lips were just grazing her ear.
"Oh, I just want you to do me..." I paused for a long moment my warm breath falling on her ear and neck. I felt the heat rising on her skin before continuing, "...and everyone else a favor and stop being such a hard-nosed little prat." My words getting louder as I laughed pulling away from her.
She shoved me square in the chest, "you...you pirate!" She spat
"Calm down, I did nothing wrong! Why? Did you think I was going to say something else?"
I glanced to the side of her head as I caught a blur of a shadow. My brows furrowed together in confusion. What in the hell was that?
"You're horried. Of course I didn't think you were going to say something else!" She growled then noticed my attention was on something behind her. She turned her head attempting to see what I was looking at,
"What are you looking at?" She grouchily mumbled.
"Nothing. I just...well I just thought I saw ...something..."
She looked at me beyond annoyed,
"Stop playing games with me, Oliver. I am going to back to that disgusting cell of mine and I'm going to sleep. Feel free to not wake me up in the morning or ya know what? Feel free to just get out of my site so I never have to see you again."
Then I heard it. So soft at first, I could barley hear it. Was that Music?
-and another thing!-"
"Shhh"
"I was saying someth-"
"Shut it" I hissed sharply as the sound of whispering pipes floated through the air growing louder the sweet wave of musical notes began to fill my ears.
Was this the man? Was he here? I quickly knocked on a door close to me where the men should be awaiting with the net.
"Oi...boys, I think he may be here! Fetch the net!"
I glanced around on full alert, but my eyelids began to become heavy. All of a sudden sleep sounded like the best thing in the world. What was happening? I could hardly make up a conscious thought. Someone was playing the pipes. I sleepily looked around to see if I could see anyone then slumped to the ground. Come on, get up! I fought but couldn't make myself do it. None of the men had made it out from their sleeping quarters below and soon enough I felt Serina slump down next to me; her head falling onto my shoulder. She was falling asleep just as I was. Focus Oliver! Focus! Someone is playing the pipes...someone...no..
"Been a long time hasn't it laddie?"
The voice was playful and dark. I was losing conscious but I knew exactly who the voice belonged too. My blurry vision come to focus on a dark figure in front of me...Pan.
I looked up to him, my eyes glazed over.
He peered down at me with a devilish smirk on his face. His eyes followed down to where serina's head was rested against me and his face grew dark his eyes narrowing at me,
"Well don't you two look adorable, hard to tell which one to kill first."
"P...Pan? Why are you h...here?"
He didn't answer, his eyes still focused on Serina.
"You...you're him?! The man that Blackbeard fears is you?"
He finally looked up from Serina, his glare filled with fire.
"Surprised?"
He again fixated his gaze on Serina. I glanced down at her and looked back to him. His eyes bright green filled with hate and greed. He had come for here.
"Y...you can't have here!" I tried to stammer out strongly but I was so tired. He gave a dark laugh,
"Sorry to cut into your budding romance, but I am going to take what is mine. She is indebted to me for giving her such a life as Neverland!"
Serina spoke up for the first time in a mummble, "Pan...no..." she managed To groggily say, but the sleep was taking her over so strongly.
"She belongs to Blackbeard. You'll be sorry if you try to take her." I chocked out
"Is that a threat?" His devilish grin came back tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Looks like it's about time you join the game little Ollie." He gripped my shoulder hard making me wince and leaned in close to my ear,
"She. Belongs. To me. She is no longer a captor of your fake father of a pirate! She is mine and I'm taking her back to Neverland."
"What...about his daughter?" I questioned weakly.
She will remain on Neverland with me. You didn't think I would overhear your crew's silly plan to capture me? Oh Ollie, don't you know, cheaters never win."
With that he moved his hand from my shoulder to Serina. I tried to hold on to her, but he easily scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder. I couldn't do anything, my body was starting to shut down. My eyes fluttered as I sat on the floor. They were so heavy. He was about to leave with her while I meantally cried out for him to give her back. He turned back one last time,
"We both know who I really am. The girl won't stay alive long on the island, so you may want to be quick about it." He gave a playful grin, "The game is about to start."
With that his feet lifted off the ground and he disappeared into the night while I finally gave into the sleep that so badly wanted to overtake me.