2: There's Hope For Us All

I was startled awake by the bright light gaping in my room by the open door.

"Come on lass, time to get up!" yelled my master. His harsh voice gave me an instant headache.

"I- I- can't" I stuttered, my body was too weak.

"What do you mean you can't?" he yelled once again. He walked over to me and roughly pulled me to me feet. I looked away, not wanting to look at his strict, unforgiving face. Grabbing my chin with his hand, he looked at my face. "Such beauty, if only you accepted it. You should appreciate something so fine, instead of wasting it with tears"

"I wouldn't have to waste it with these tears if you weren't for dirty men like you" I fired back at him.

"Why you no good whore, get a move on I got money to make from you" he said shoving me forward into the light.

My wrist ached with pain from his tight grip in which he held me. My master pulled me along the streets of Port Royal where people bustled about, going on with their lives. I was nothing to them, just piece of dirt that they tried to avoid getting muddy by. Men were eyeing me, looking me up and down and smirking. I knew what they were thinking and I dreaded their thoughts. Their view of me was nothing but sex. I glared at them, at every single one. It wouldn't make any difference what I did. I could be as nice as possible to them and they'd still be cruel back.

My master had stopped walking and started chatting to a large elderly man from behind a stall who was selling fruit. Oh, I would love to dig my teeth into one of those juicy green apples, I thought. A lady around my age, dressed in a beautiful white gown, bought at least two-dozen apples. But when she turned and walked away from her purchase, she noticed one of her apples had a slight bruise. "Argh, bruised" she said throwing an apple to the ground. I could have eaten that. I was like a battered apple, we were bought, and when bruised we were thrown away. A tear rolled down my cheek. I regained my thoughts and turned back and faced the streets, where a man looked at me, practically drooling. I rolled my eyes in disgust and gave him the finger. He looked quite shocked at what I'd done and walked off. I heard a small chuckle, and looked to see a man laughing at what I'd just done. He would have been slightly taller than me, with tanned brown skin. His hair was dark with dreadlocks and beads twinned through and a red bandana wrapped around his head. His eyes appeared dark and smudged with kohl, the same my father and I used while out at sea. He gave me the thumbs up and smiled. I tried to smile back, but I had forgotten how to a long time ago.

"Move along" yelled my owner as I was yanked further down the street and away from the mysterious man. I turned back to look at the stranger, but he'd disappeared among the crowd. We continued walking for a further thirty minutes. During that time many men had offered money for me, but not high enough for my masters likings. Maybe I was worth more than I thought. Once again we stopped at a stall, where my owner purchased some meat. He had to let go of me to pay, and I decided to take the chance and run. I gathered all my energy together and sprinted up the hill.

"Oi!" I heard him yell after me. "Get back here"

I tried to block out his cruel voice and focus on running. I had no clue of where to go, anywhere. Anywhere but here, I thought. I kept running, but I grew tired quickly. I heard running behind me and it was getting closer. I put all I could into escaping, and looked around to see if he was still following me. That's when I crashed into the back of someone. I fell back onto the ground with a thud, the same familiar ground I knew as home. The hope in my eyes disappeared as quickly as it came.

"You should watch where you are going there, love" said the man I ran into. I looked up; it was the same man who had given me the thumbs up.

My master had reached me so obviously my escape plan had failed.

"Your in a lot of trouble, you no good piece of scum" he yelled at me.

"There's no need for that, savvy?" said the stranger. He extended his arm and helped me up. Grabbing his hand he helped pull me up. I stumbled and bumped into him, he smirked. "Such a pretty lass, shouldn't be called scum"

"Listen here, I own her so I will call her whatever the bloody hell I want" my master yelled angrily.

I stood there looking back and forth from the two. I grew dizzy and knew I wouldn't be able to keep on standing for too much longer. I craved food. I needed the energy.

"Well by the looks of things it appeared you were trying to sell her" he added. He must have noticed I was getting dizzy, because he positioned his arm outwards for me to lean on. I took the gesture; I had already fallen over once today and wasn't keen on doing it again.

"What? Are you interested in this?" asked my owner. "I highly doubt you could afford her," he added looking the man up and down.

I couldn't help but interrupt. "I'm sure he could, after all you did call me… what was the word? Scum. That's the word. Apparently I'm scum."

The man laughed. My owner glared angrily.

"So how much exactly is she?" asked the stranger.

"100 shillings, no less" my master answered.

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a leather satchel. I began to sway.

"There's 200 shillings in there" he offered, jingling the satchel.

"She isn't worth that much" my owner exclaimed.

"Maybe not to you" he replied. I gave a slight smile.

"Crazy daft fool, what be your name?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow" he answered proudly. "So do we have a deal?"

My owner looked at me, then looked at the leather satchel. "Deal" he answered taking the pouch. He grinned and walked off merrily down the street.

I tried to speak. "Thank you for - " I began.

"Sorry love, what was that?" Jack asked leaning closer and supporting me.

"I said thank you, for everything" I whispered a bit louder.

The last thing I remember was stumbling into Jack's arms and slipping into darkness to the sweet smell of salt and rum that were on his clothes.

Sorry that the chapters are short, they will get longer, I promise and the short ones are like that for a reason!! remember to review!!!! THANKS