Chapter 2

"Oh thank you." Eve replied taking the man's hand. She gasped and nearly fell onto her rump again. Eve was astonished by the appearance of the man who stood before her. A hardened face, long dread locks and a braided beard with mustache, a long overcoat, large hat, kohl lined eyes; knee high boots, a pistol and sword at his side, and a greasy smile dawned upon his face. "Pirate" Eve whispered under her breath, afraid that the mere mention of the word would provoke their anger. She backed away quickly, scurrying off to Tom's side, to cling to his arm.

"The name is Jack Sparrow, Captain Jack Sparrow." He said giving a mock bow.

"Now, to our business with the pistols-" Tom began very business-like. Eve tried to nudge the boy to attention but was shooed away like a fly.

"Tom, these are pirates you're dealing with!" Eve blurted out with urgency.

"Eve I know what I'm doing." Tom said quickly, trying to hush her.

"You can't trust pirates Tom. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into." She said with growing worry. Another of the stinky thugs came in, dropping a large crate at their feet. Tom pried the container open eagerly, revealing many different pistols. "Tom you'll shoot your foot off with one of these!" She said not believing what was happening. Tom's shaky hand pulled a large sack of gold out from under her clothing but Eve snatched it from him before Jack's hungry hands could claim it.

"What are you doing?" Tom howled, quickly grabbing up one of the pistols from the crate and aiming it at Eve's head. "You give that back or I'll splatter your brains across the wall." Tom said threateningly. Shock and fear overtook young Eve. This foolish boy she so dearly treasured in her need for adventure had gone mad with power lust by a simple pistol. She heard a click and turned her head to see Jack raise his pistol to aim at the boy.

"I don't think ye be want'in to hurt the little lass boy. Just put the pistol down and I'm sure the girl will give me the money." Jack said trying to sooth the boy.

"Shut up! Just shut up! I'm making the orders around here." Tom screamed and pulled the trigger out of his fear. A click sound was made and Eve cringed, awaiting the coming pain. Something hit the floor causing Eve to open her eyes. Tom had dropped the pistol to the floor, shocked that it hadn't been loaded. He snatched the gold sack up that Eve had unknowingly dropped when she'd thought her life was over and sprinted out the door.

Jack cursed under his breath for a moment before striding over to help Eve to a chair. Eve sat there dazed for many moments before tears dotted her cheeks.

"I'll get ye some water dear." Jack tried to say comfortingly. He got up, ordering his men to clean up and get back to the ship. After drinking her water and several long moments later, Eve calmed down. Jack gave her a pat on the head. "You going to be alright then?" Jack asked hopefully. Women are unpredictable. They could burst into tears at just about anything. Eve gave a solemn nod. "Then we can start talking about my payment."

"What payment?" Eve demanded.

"Well, you're the one that muddled with my business exchange. I'll be needing some kind of payment." Jack explained to her.

"You're despicable Jack Sparrow." Eve spat, receiving only a smile that looked as though he felt accomplished. "And besides I don't have any money."

"Hmm, then you'll just have to get a job, here at the tavern. All drinks served to me of coarse will be from you and free. Of coarse that'll be taken out of your pay but you'll manage with all of the payment for the other people you serve." Jack said rubbing his hands together at the thought of free booze.

Eve open her mouth as though to protest, then closed it again to contemplate this. She sighed, defeated. "Alright, you win. But what if the barmaid doesn't want me here?"

"Oh I'll have a talk with her tonight about it," Jack's smile growing even wider. "What did you say yer name was again?"

"Eve Kidd." She replied flatly.

"Alright, well I'll see you there tomorrow then." Jack said getting up to leave before she could argue otherwise.

Eve ran home from the tavern, still shocked by the events that had just unraveled. She hiked up her tattered skirts, trying to avoid large puddles of water along the mud path. The sky still thick with clouds poured its tears down on the small town, running off of the neighboring roof to meet with Eve's head. Passing the docks a cluster of shops and a few small houses, she soon arrived at her own tan, creaking house. Eve stopped on the first step, turning around to wring some water out of her skirts and unlace her muddy boots. As she stepped into the door her sister was standing there, hands on her hips, ready to interrogate her.

"Shan I've got a debt to pay now, sadly." Eve began with a sigh, knowing she'd be yelled at.

"Well whatever it is that you've done I'm not going to pay it off for ye." She said hoping that what her sister had done wasn't too drastic. "And who do ye expect to watch ya brother, the delinquent." She added with disgust.

"He should be learning to take care of himself by now. He's the man of the family and should be old enough to at least get a job as some apprentice. If he can wander the streets doing as he pleases then I think it's time he learned a little responsibility, no matter how much our mother wishes to protect him." Eve said in a huff after her long rant. As if on cue the sisters heard the back door creak open as Jesse walked in, cursing at his misfortune of coming home to be caught by his sister's.

"An where have ye been these past few hours?" Shannon said scolding the young boy fiercely, while turning him over and retrieving a woman's purse from his pocket.

"Eh that's me silk purse. I stole it fair an square. It ain't my fault you can't watch me properly." Jesse protested with an accusing finger. "An she's been off with that street boy again." Shannon glared at the both of them retrieving a few coins from the purse and handing them to her sister. She threw the purse back at her brother and went to the kitchen to start dinner, leaving her two siblings to squabble amongst themselves.