XII
Something simply didn't feel right. He was asleep, yet he knew he was being watched from afar. His body was warning him to wake up now. His heart was racing. Finally his eyes did open. He was laying on his right side like always. Unfortunately, the window was to his left side and he was told to keep pressure off of his left side. Ever since the Treasure Planet incidents and Scroop's habit of sneaking up behind him, he didn't like not having the ability to see entrances. It wasn't the door he should have been worried about, but the window.
He knew there were enough people in the house to keep him safe from harm. His room was at the end of the hall. Should anyone want to get to him and hurt him they would have to get past his mother and Silver. Although the bedrooms were on the third floor it wouldn't be difficult to kidnap him if they wanted.
Creeeeeck!
Pretending to be sleeping, Jim curled the blanket tighter around his body and curled tightly. His heart was pounding through his body. Someone or something opened his window. He had that feeling someone was behind him and that feeling was terrifying. Every time he had that feeling before he knew he was right. His breathing quickened as something, like the sound of feet walking across his floor slowly became more and more loud with every thump.
He wanted to turn his head to see what it was. Perhaps it was just his mind playing tricks on him like it had been lately. He was afraid of the dark after all because he couldn't see anything. The feeling grew more and more. He wanted to turn his head and see what it was but he was too afraid to look. If there was something behind him he knew he was helpless to resist. If there was nothing then he could relax and go back to bed.
Checking to see before he turned his head, he scanned his moonlit wall before him. Crecsentia's light always lit through the windows. Usually he shut the curtains so he was able to sleep, but lately he slept with his curtains open. Nothing on the wall. Nothing on the door. Nothing on the—
Jim held his breath and felt tears stinging his eyes. He saw a shadow on the shelf to the left of the door. The shadow had a large, tall body and thin long arms. The body wasn't large in the sense of weight; it was large in the sense of tall and thick. Altogether, the body reminded him of an arachnid he once came in contact with.
Morph. Of course! It was Morph again. Morph once did turn into a miniature of Scroop. The light made him seem bigger than he was, so it was Morph again. The shadow against the moved, large claws raised like they were going to grab something.
Finally, Jim whipped around and was face to face with huge yellow eyes and a smile that haunted his dreams.
"Hello, Cabin Boy."
Before Jim had time to scream for Silver, Scroop wrapped his claw around the teenager's neck and squeezed the air out of him. Like always, Jim struggled, but the struggle was not worthwhile. Not even his stronger left arm was able to pull the arachnid's claw from his throat. Altogether, while screaming Silver's name in his head, the lack of air to his mind caused his body to slump and vision blur with the image of two huge yellow eyes narrowing in pleasure.
Morph awoke from his sleep. Immediately, he began nudging Jim's shoulder.
The teenager was shifting uncomfortably in his sleep. He was moving about, tucking himself in tightly then stretching out. He shifted from side to side. His closed eyes moved about wildly.
"Silver help!" he called painfully.
Morph nudged his cheek. Whining, he shook harder. Desperate, he pulled at the teenager's hair.
"Silver! No!" Jim screamed.
Finally, the notorious pirate John Silver was caught and he was helpless but to watch. That was why Scroop captured him. The arachnid turned in Silver for the prize money. From afar, Jim was shackled to the cell Scroop held him in. His forearms altogether were bound by chains and locks above his head to the bars. Chain wound around his waist, enveloping his belly wholly.
Before him, Scroop had cut out a window. The ship he was held captive in wasn't the only ship surrounding the gallows. It was the largest hanging of the century. There wasn't one man who wasn't going to miss it and by ship was the best location to be. Captains of ship distributed tickets for an outrageous price so people could watch the hanging from a better location than on the ground where government officials kept the public back by fifty feet.
Knowing it was no good but worth another try for the sake of trying, Jim struggled against the chains with everything he had in him. His everything wasn't enough though. He hadn't eaten in over a week and Scroop delighted in torturing him like always. Water was barely available. His dried lips parted as he saw the prisoner being led to the gallows.
"Don't kill him! He's innocent! He's a good man! Silver, I'm here! I'm coming."
"He can't hear you Cabin Boy. At leassst not over the cheersss honoring hisss death."
"Let me go," Jim pleaded again. "Please!"
"And why would I be ssso kind to do that?"
"Please, I just want to say goodbye. I don't care if they hang me too. Please!"
"After hisss neck hasss been twisssted," said Scroop.
Jim struggled and screamed. His pleads were of no use over the crowd; he was but another person calling or cheering or cursing.
Morph, in a great fluster, shifted into every possible means of distress. He saw Jim's right palm bleeding.
"SILVER!" Jim screamed.
Knowing he couldn't wake him, Morph rushed out of the room. Days ago Jim had put him in charge of waking him if a nightmare happened upon him. He didn't need anyone worrying over him any more than they already were. He was always able to wake Jim before. This time was different. The nightmare completely consumed Jim. It was as though there was a greater force compelling the teenager to stay asleep and forcing him to suffer through the nightmare.
Morph wasn't able to float halfway down the hall before, John Silver himself was rushing from the opposite direction toward him. He whined and made a great fuss and fluster pointing towards Jim's bedroom.
The hanging was over and the pirate was dead. Like his promise, Jim was freed. The teenager collapsed at the unmarked grave. Only a fresh pile of dirt indicated it was the location where the pirate's body was buried. He wasn't even worth the price of a coffin and he most likely had to dig his own grave. Digging the grave was the work, but throwing the dirt over the body was simple.
Jim leaned forward over the fresh dirt. He grabbed two handfuls worth then rested his head on those two hands.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered, moistening the dirt with his tears.
The shadow came over him again.
"All right, you've sssaid your goodbyesss."
"Just let me be. Kill me. Please. Just kill me," pleaded Jim.
"Now, that'sss to nisss," said Scroop.
The great arachnid heaved him by his left arm and dragged him along.
"No, you won't take me again. I won't let you have that satisfaction," said Jim.
He reached for the pistol on Scroop's person then kicked out of his arms. What Scroop was expecting was the opposite of what the teenager did. Rather than taking the pistol onto the arachnid, the teenager took the pistol to his belly and pulled the trigger.
Not even a scream escaped Jim as he fell to the ground. He gasped as he pressed his right hand against his pouring belly and dragged himself to Silver's grave. By the second, he felt himself weakening more and more.
"JIM NOO!"
The teenager felt himself being pulled into another's arms. He recognized the arms more than his own mother's. Like always, the left arm supported his back and the mechanical left grabbed the back of his head.
John Silver shook his head and pressed his left hand onto Jim's right hand, pressing into the wound.
"You're dead," Jim struggled to say.
"No, I escaped lad. They hanged a different Cyborg. Wasn't me. I've been tracking ye lad," said Silver, his eyes moistening with tears.
Jim coughed and choked blood and bile from his stomach. He groaned as it poured out the side of his mouth and onto Silver's tunic.
"Why?" was all Silver managed to say.
"Need you," replied Jim.
"Don't die lad. Please don't die," pleaded Silver, pulling the teenager against his person. "I need ya more lad. I thought we went through this before. You're not sapposed ta kill yerself fer me. Ye promised lad."
Jim opened his eyes and took in a struggled breath. He made to speak, but that breath slowly escaped him as his blue eyes shut.
"No! NO!" Silver screamed. "Wake up lad. Jimbo, wake up!"
"Hey, wake up lad. Yer havin' a nightmare. Jim wake up. Come on lad, open yer eyes. JIM!"
Gasping and screaming, Jim opened his eyes and bolted upright. His eyes scanned the bright room. Wholly, his body trembled and shook. His breaths were unable to keep up with his overactive heart and he took in air by means of heavy gasps.
Feeling sick to his stomach and lightheaded, he leaned back expecting to fall into his pillows. Instead, he fell further into the arms of one John Silver. Recognizing the feeling, he curled himself into the Cyborg's belly, burying his face like he always did.
And like he always did, Silver held him close and hushed him. The simple comfort of being held provided the teenager with more feelings of comfort than any words could provide him.
Morph whined as he wrapped himself around Jim's right hand, burrowing between the palm and fingers.
The teenager inhaled through his teeth then looked down.
"We gotta get tha' cleaned up lad," noted Silver.
With Jim's own apothecary in his room, the Cyborg didn't have to travel far. The medicines for his healing body as well as bandages were all on the table across from his bed. Carefully and ignoring it, he took medical alcohol, bandages, and a needle and thread back to the teenager. Providing a better light, he turned up the oil on the lamp at the teenager's bedside. The sight was less than pleasing for two o'clock in the morning.
The nightmare of Jim's was one heck of a nightmare. His bloody hand grabbed several different areas of his blankets and pillows and clothes. Spots of moist blood were stained all over.
Silver wrinkled his nose and swallowed. He sat on the bed facing Jim and took the teenager's palm to gently set it on his left knee. Fingernails. He knew those markings anywhere. No words were spoken to the teenager; he wasn't going to bother telling Jim it was going to hurt because the teenager knew that already. He saw the pain flash into Jim's eyes as he pressed the alcohol soaked rag into the palm and wrapped the younger man's fingers around the rag. Meanwhile, he took a deep breath and held the needle out in front of him to thread. Because of his mechanical eye, he had the advantage of seeing the eye of the needle and therefore threading it the first try.
Since there was a needle in his hands and he was one to have a phobia of needles, his hand was trembling. He shook his hand and softly cursed at it and himself for his phobia. Looking at the teenager's face and seeing silent tears falling down them, he pushed his own cares aside. Far from perfectly, he stitched the palm of the child sitting in front of him. Jim's fingernails did more damage than they should have. It was as though he was both clenching his palm and pulling at it. There was going to be a scar with or without Livesey's jar of scar cream, but the cream would help lessen the amount.
Shuddering, Silver set the needle on the table next to the lantern and under the bloody rag. He gingerly wrapped a bandage around Jim's entire palm and partly onto his wrist. From knuckle to beginning of wrist was bandaged with a small hole for his thumb.
"Come on, let's get somt'ing warm ta drink," he said softly, lighting a candle.
Jim nodded and sniffled. He wiped his eyes with his left hand.
Silver was completely aware the teenager wasn't aware that he used his left hand. He set his own left hand on the teenager's back protectively and led him down to the kitchen. Along the way, he caught Sarah peeking through her door to check to see if Jim was all right. He nodded at her and gave her a look that meant for her to go back to sleep; he had it all under control.
The two reached the kitchen. All of the lanterns were light, giving the appearance of daylight. Before sitting, Jim looked out every window. He was taken gently by the shoulders and sat on the table as before. Silver's dressing robe was removed and cocooned around the small body.
"Tea or cocoa?" wondered Silver.
Jim shrugged.
"I'll make ye some relaxing chai tea then cuz I know ye hate real tea," said Silver.
While waiting for the tea kettle to whistle, Silver stood by the stove tapping his fingers on the counter patiently waiting.
"Aren't you going to ask me what it was?" wondered Jim.
"If ye wanted me ta know wha' it was ye saw then ye would have told me already," Silver replied.
Jim looked away. He hated it when Silver was being a good man because he knew he was right. If he told Silver what it was about he would get all overprotective over him and not let him do anything. It was bad enough that they knew his nightmares were at bay and worsening.
"Tell me one thing though lad. How long have these little dreams of yers been goin' on?" Silver asked.
Sighing, Jim slumped and lowered his head. The answer was all in his actions.
Silver nodded his head. He had a feeling Morph had something to do with it. Since Jim was screaming as horribly as he was in his sleep the dreams had been plaguing him for quite a while. The question was when did they start? On Crescentia? Just when he arrived back in Montressor? Silver remembered his days with the nightmares as a child. Consciously, he could never recall what happened that day he lost his father and his life changed. Asleep and between awake and asleep he saw it all. There were times at his old age the nightmare of that day happened upon him.
Twenty six years later and he was still having the same nightmare. He knew Jim's mind would eventually combine every nightmare into one that would stay with his thoughts and mind for as long as his mind was his own. Perhaps it was time to tell the teenager the story. Looking at Jim and watching him slightly rock back and forth, he noted the same lost expression on his face that was becoming more and more common to him. The teenager's head was tucked in that small space between his knees and both arms were hugging his knees to his chest, protecting his body from the evils of the world.
Chirping little Morph rubbed against Jim's cheek in the attempt to cheer him up again. Morph knew his touch was a comfort to his favored companion. Remembering something he once heard about Metamorphic Shapeshifters, he fluttered in front of Jim and shifted into an image of the cake that was still sitting in Jim's room. Sharp squeaks sounded out of him until Jim looked at him. Like before Morph shifted into an image of Jim with mechanics and all and then back to the cake.
Small laughs emerged from Jim. "Yes Morph, you can have a piece of my cake. I did say if you get your own mechanical arm you could have a piece."
Happy again, Morph shifted into his pink self and fluttered in a circle then hugged Jim's arm.
"It was, um, Scroop coming back and capturing me. You were, uh, tried again and convicted a pirate. Scroop chained me to the brig and made me watch your hanging. And then it shifts into me at your grave and Scroop coming back to take me away. I shoot myself thinking you're dead and so Scroop can't take me again. I guess you weren't hanged after all and I die in your arms," Jim told him softly with a broken voice. His eyes were on his bandaged hand, pulling at a loose thread in the bandaging until it pulled away with a snap. "It's the same dream over and over. It's always Scroop coming at night and taking me. It always ends with you or me dying."
With the tea kettle screaming out steam, Jim let out his own small scream and jumped. He gasped and lost his balance. As he was curled, jumping from fright caused him to toppled onto the floor below him. And, of course with his current fortune, he fell hard on his left arm.
"Ow," he whispered as he sat himself flat on his bottom and rubbed his skin and silver line on his shoulder.
"Little jumpy there lad?" wondered Silver with a chuckle as he gently picked the boy from the dirty floor.
"Just paranoid," admitted Jim as he was sat on the table.
Both robe and sleeping shirt were pulled down a bit on his silvery arm. No blood meant a very good sign. A massive hand gently massaged the shoulder resulting in a few small whimpers and uncomfortable shifting from Jim.
"Yer healing," said Silver.
"Slowly," muttered Jim.
"Took me longer," reminded Silver.
"Yeah, I guess," said Jim.
"Well, how do ye take yer tea?" wondered Silver as he resumed his position to attending the tea kettle.
"I don't like tea," said Jim. "Any tea."
"I know tha' lad an' tha's why I got this here cocoa powder in yer mug," said Silver with a sly grin.
"You know me better than I know myself I think," said Jim with a smile.
"Not quite," said Silver. "Now, where do ye propose we drink our drinks?"
"Where we always go," replied Jim.
The Cyborg and the teenager sat themselves in the astronomy tower. A fire was lit from the warmly glowing coals. All windows were opened to allow the night sky and protective stars to keep a bright watch out for any enemy that may approach.
Jim curled himself onto the armchair while Silver sat in the chair opposite him. The teenager swirled his mug of hot cocoa, watching the differing colors shift and circle like the nebulas and solar winds did in the Etherium on similar cold nights. The bit of cream Silver threw inside the mug began shifting and swirling like a black hole. Recalling events of the recent past, he turned his attention from the swirling to the fire. Fire. Even the fire crackling and burning before him brought memories. He wasn't safe to look anywhere but at the thoughtful Cyborg in front of him.
"I was twelve," said Silver.
"What?" wondered Jim.
"I was merely twelve when I got these mechanics," explained Silver.
"You don't have to tell me," Jim told him.
"No, I really t'ink I do lad," said Silver. "'Sides, ye were askin' me how it happened. Can't quite start there though. Ye need ta understand wha' happened ta make me be in th' place I was. I know personally wha' it's like ta be abandoned by a parent. Mother left me th' very second I didn't need her ta feed me. Me Pap raised me from jus' a little bundle of six months old. Jus' understand tha' he did raise me ta be a good man. Money was an issue for th' two of us. Cuz he was one person raising his son, he found his spacing work hard ta come by. Not one captain wanted me ta tag along, which I can understand these days. Th' universe is no place ta raise a boy in his single digits. Pirating became our way of life lad. Me father taught me all th' little tricks ta piracy while growin' up as well as being a good man."
"Sounds a little contradictory to me," noted Jim.
Silver nodded his head with a sip of his tea. "It was, but even criminals are good men. It's th' choices they make tha' turn them bad. Remember how I told ye the treasure was owed ta me?"
"By t'under," added Jim with a smirk.
"Aye, well, it jus' so happens th' treasure is owed ta me. 'Pparrently me great-grandfather was part of Captain Flint's crew on all his adventures. First mate he was 'pparently."
"Yeah right."
"How else did me Pap an' I come across th' map ta Treasure Planet when I was twelve?"
"You found it."
"Aye, we found it. We found it in th' hands of me grandfather 'fore he passed on. We needed th' money ta live lad an' me grandfather had a certain soft spot fer me. Out of all th' siblings me father had, he was th' lucky one ta get th' map."
Jim waved his hands in front of his face. "Wait a minute. Hold on. You're telling me the map to Treasure Planet belongs to your family? How did your family get the map then?"
"Why, Jimbo lad, t'ink about it. Th' map ta Treasure Planet was not wit' Captain Flint when he buried himself wit' his treasure."
"So, Captain Flint gave your great-grandfather the map to Treasure Planet just like that?"
"I guess so yeah."
"Why didn't your great-grandfather take all the treasure for himself and kill Flint? That's what I would have done."
"Tha's cuz he had a good sum of treasure fer his own keeping in return fer hiding the map. The little golden sphere was an 'heirloom' ta the O'Rinn family. O'Rinn is me real surname lad an' I'm of Irish descent from Earth actually. Tha's wot's is wit' th' accent fer th' record if yer keeping one."
"I wasn't keeping one and I never pictured you of Earth descent."
"Th' family was once human lad. They all intermixed wit' other races an' such. Ta be honest, I don' even know wot species I am," Silver said with a chuckle and glowing eyes.
Jim smiled. "It's bad when you don't even know what you are. I know I'm human."
"An' Spacer. Yes lad, Spacer can be a species an' is a species. Some are jus' born wit' natural spacer talent. Ye happen ta be one of 'em an' so am I."
"Well, at least we know there is something similar between us until we can get the papers through before you're dead of old age," said Jim.
"Wot papers?" wondered Silver.
Jim nearly spilled the hot cocoa on himself as he whipped his head to Silver. His eyes narrowed in sorrow and disbelief as his jaw dropped a bit. Pain was written entire on his ghastly face. Warm tears were filling his eyes.
"Lad, I've signed more papers our current little dilemmas tha' in me entire life. There be too many papers fer this old cybord to recall th' certain papers yer referring to," Silver explained quickly and honestly. "Wot papers if I may ask?"
Young Jim spoke softly and only the consonants were audible, yet not enough for Silver to understand him but he understood one word clearly. "Adoption."
Silver waved his hand carelessly before him. "Nah, don' be worrying 'bout them papers Jimbo. It's bes' if ye jus' let them go an' forget they ever came ta be."
The cocoa slipped out of Jim's hands as a painful gasp came from his mouth. His entire body trembled as he struggled to speak the emotion building in his body. "WHAT! You don't—But you wanted—Just going to abandon me—how can you—why—no…"
"No, no, no!" cried Silver waving his hands in front of him. He virtually leapt from chair to chair without touching the ground in front of him. His words were mistaken by Jim and he gently set his palms on both of the teenager's shoulders. "Tha's not wot I meant lad. Papers don' make a family. We don' need th' papers jus' ta say we be a family. A father an' son are a father an' son righ' here." He pressed his mechanical palm across Jim's heart. "I s'ill want ye ta be me son lad. Th' papers aren't gonna go through. Yer mother an' I have already discussed it. We gotta feeling these officials aren't gonna let 'em pass. As long as a son wan's man ta be his father an' a man wan's tha' son ta be his son then th' two are a father an' son. Understand?"
Jim nodded with quivering breath. He shut his eyes, inhaling deeply. A large gentle palm pressed on the center of his back, moving him forward until his front came in contact with further warmth and gentility. He felt a rapidly beating heart through his head that was not his own. Frightened and once again lost to the person he was, his daily breakdown from life had taken a shift into night.
He turned his head into Silver's belly and softly sobbed. Both legs curled tightly and both arms hid his face.
"Yer all righ' lad. I'm not gonna leave ye," reminded Silver.
"Every time you say that something happens and you always leave me," said Jim.
"Wot more can happen ta me ta be taken away from ye?" wondered Silver. He felt Jim shrug. "Ya see? Nothing more is gonna happen an' I thought we were done wit' all th' tears an' emotion Jim. Ye were doin' jus' fine."
"I'm a broken mess trying to find the pieces of who I was and who I will be. I don't know who I am. I don't know what will happen to me. I was just released from the place I had spent a month after losing a quarter of my body. I don't know," said Jim.
"If ye don' know then why are ye getting all emotional?" wondered Silver simply. "Seems ta me there be no reason ta go an' start sobbing jus' cuz ye don' know."
"I'm afraid, cold, tired. I'm always in pain. I'm so sick of taking a bazillion medicines every day and night. I don't know how everyone can look at me. I'm so sick of all of you watching me behind my back. I can't do anything or go anywhere without being watched. Every time I move my left arm or do something naturally all remind me I moved my arm. I know I moved my arm. Please stop reminding me. When you remind me I moved my arm I remind myself that it is metal made to look like an arm and attached to me like my arm was and when I think about it, I'm reminded what happened and I break down and feel lost again," explained Jim from Silver's belly so that the former pirate truly only heard some words from the muffled whining. Clearly wanting him to hear him, Jim moved his face from the flesh, yet kept his cheek pressed against the warmth. "I'm relearning how to live."
"I did tha' too lad," Silver said, beginning his tale again. "After me father got th' map, we shipped out. He never showed me how ta open th' map. Always promised me he would. Never got th' chance."
"You don't have to tell me," reminded Jim.
"It seems ta me ye don't want ta know," noted Silver.
"Losing a quarter of your body is bad and painful enough. I couldn't imagine half my body at once," said Jim.
"Ta be a good man an' honest, I don' remember exactly wha' happened. I remember being at th' helm with me father. We were jus' being father an' son really. Nothin' special. I was twelve an' learning how ta captain a ship. I may have recalled tha' we were attacked by pirates who were after th' map themselves. I don' remember wha' happened, but I remember feeling it. Every t'ing happened too fast fer me ta remember. Gunfire an' hollering an' pain. I do remember thinkin' I was going ta die. Jus' being twelve an' naïve, thinking I couldn't die cuz I was a child, I did th' dumbest action a person can do. I went out on deck away from me father an' fought. Now, it may shock ye ta hear tha, an' I'm not bragging, I was pretty fair with an old fashioned sword in me hand an' had a fair shot at my young age. Anyways, one minute I'm standing up fighting away th' enemy an' th' next I'm hearing me father hollering me name while I'm lying practically dead on the deck. Me leg was crushed flat by th' mast."
"That explains a few things," said Jim quietly. He tucked his limbs closer into his body and he felt his left arm suddenly hurting more than it did a moment ago. "I thought having my arm snapped in two places hurt."
"When yer body is crushed like tha' lad, ye tend ta not feel it really," said Silver. "There was a bit of pain, but no as much as ye would think. I's cold an' tired. Me father was a wreck worse than ye lad an' he managed to lift me leg free of th' mast. I felt tha'. Pardon me emotion if I gets all emotional."
"No pardon needed. You lost half your body and your father," said Jim.
Silver shook his head sadly. He rubbed his palm on the teenager's back. "Ye have no idea lad. Cuz th' pain in my leg, I was beginning ta lose me mind. There was one single shot tha' haunts me dreams still. Me father was shot. I was a boy of twelve an' me father died in me arms tha' day. 'It's yers; find th' treasure an' finally live'. Tha's wha' he told me as he gave me th' map. He died soon after an', of course, th' other took th' map from me, but not without a fight. I still had me arm ta hold a pistol in. Me fight ended when th' ship exploded. I lost me mind fer a moment an' regained it when I's floating in the Etherium. Th' upper half of me torso was burned black by th' explosion."
He drew a deep breath and shut his eyes in a moment of composure at the memories before him.
Jim said nothing. He scooted out of Silver's lap a little while ago and was sitting mostly on the arm of the chair with one leg curled beneath him and the other hanging off the side. All his attention was on the Cyborg, still not understanding how he could tell his story.
"I don' know how long I was floating in th' Etherium. I don' know who plucked me from the immortal space. Alls I remember is thinking I was going ta die, painful images, an' needles. I remember needles an' sharp objects. I've hated needles since I's twelve. Me fear of needles grew while I's in a hospital goin' in an out of consciousness daily. They injected nasty things inta me body and stitched up other parts. Me mechanics began similar ta yers lad, jus' th' basics. One day I finally did wake completely. I had one of those things shoved down me throat too if yer wonderin' an' it's not something I wish ta feel again. Keep in mind, this be twenty six years ago an' I didn't have as splendid of a physician an' medicines as ye did. I hardly had any medicines ta keep the pain away an' th' only way ta get inta me was through a needle. Needles took th' pain away an' gave pain. I never knew wha' was wha'. Mos' th' time I'd lay alone in pain an' wish. I couldn't move either. I didn' sleep; I blacked out.
"It was mont's before I was released from being brought there. I had no one but those who came with needles. I's on my own laying there. I dread waking from the dark an' embraced th' darkness of th' unconscious mind. But, after I was let loose, I was still gettin' used ta it. I was quite th' clumsy one an' cautious little lad. Years, well into me teenage years, I went looking fer me father. As I grew I went from surgeon ta surgeon adding and changing th' mechanics 'til I this all came ta be. I was told me father died an' was dead, but being th' determined person I was, I refused ta believe it. I got me proof one day though."
Proof needing to be in the eye of the beholder, Silver led Jim to his bedroom at the Doppler residence. Upon entering the dark room, he felt Jim leaning into his palm. He knew the teenager was now terrified of the dark. Spiders and the dark. Jim was turning out to be a regular five year old child. He chuckled softly to himself at that, but quickly resumed his normal emotionless expression when Jim set a cool glare upon his eyes.
The Cyborg rummaged through his old coat pocket and protruded a small pouch. A single candle was lit at the bedside where Jim was seated and soon Silver joined him. That little pouch was just a black velvet; it was inside that mattered. Silver began lifting a silver chain from the pouch, each little perfect circle twined together with two other little circles. The length of the chain increased until an orb the size of two large marbles joined as one emerged from the velvet. Wire wrapping secured the orb to the chain.
"It be called Astrumsistere. 'Star to stand still' in old Latin translation. Me father kept it on his person at all times," explained Silver. "I happened upon a man wit' this around his neck. I inquired an' he told me he found it on a wrecked ship floating in th' Etherium. He happened upon this little trinket on th' neck of a pile of bones picked clean beside wha' was left of th' mast. I bargained fer this wit' me old compass. Lied through me teeth I did saying th' compass was worth more than some little marble."
"But that's just what it is," noted Jim.
Silver pointed a mechanical finger at him firmly. His golden eye narrowed while the eyebrow above his real eye arched. "Tha's wha' I want th' world ta believe. I've been trying ta track down wha' makes this gizmo tick an' I have been left floating in th' Etherium meself. Here, take it lad. Take a good look."
Humoring him, Jim did accept the marble before him. The chain did have a good strength to it, feeling indestructible really. There was a slight shimmer to each circle. That marble object was smooth beneath the wire. Holding up the marble to the candle light for a better look, Jim's eyes narrowed as his head leaned closer until he was eye to eye with the marble. Small shimmering particles bounced about inside and occasionally bounced against each other and when they came in contact with each other, he could have bet all the treasure on Treasure Planet that small sparks of light were given off.
With a smack as his lips parted, Silver continued. "Th' chain an' th' wrapping are solid diamond lad. Rather than polishing it up as we are all familiar seeing taday, this here diamond was left in natural state. As fer th' orb, I don' know wha' is inside of it. Stories an' legends I've come across say there be particles tha' come from stars inside an' when those little particles get all excited an' start running about an' inta each other they form a tiny star right there in th' palm of yer hand."
"Have you ever tried it?" wondered Jim.
"Le's see it shall we Jimbo?" said Silver, taking the orb into his own fleshy palm. "I woulda let ye warm it up but seeing as yer hand is all cut tha' won't do."
"And if you're keeping a record, my palm wasn't just cut from tonight either," admitted Jim softly.
A certain orange glow came upon the golden eye of John Silver as his lips pursed. All attention was on Jim with a displeased scowl.
"I had Morph wake me if I was having a nightmare," added Jim.
"Ye gotta tell me these things lad. I'm still having me nightmares about losing half me body an' watching me father die before me," a distressed Silver said. "Oh, an' I changed me name from O'Rinn ta Silver. O'Rinn was a bit of a wanted pirate. I invented Silver when I saw tha' half of me was silver. I was twelve. Stop laughing."
"Sorry," said Jim with a few continued laughs.
Softly grumbling, Silver leaned his head over to extinguish the candle flame with a puff of air. As the smoke from the dead flame filled the air around them, the darkness adjusted to their eyes. Silver waited until his eyes adjusted to see the darkest shadow of Jim sitting before him. He raised his palm and let his fingers loose so that the orb fell between them yet the chain remained hooked around his middle finger.
Bright blue eyes widened to the size of the glowing orb, lips parted to form an 'O', and all breath stopped inside Jim Hawkins.
Between two from the Spacer species, the Astrumsistere was glowing as a perfectly white star did outside the windows. The whole room was lit with the white light. There was no other light like it anywhere in the universe but that of the stars. Pure white light cascade from the Astrumsistere.
Slowly, Jim saw his black hand against the light reaching for the orb. He was astonished to find it was simply warm against the palm of his hand, as he learned from his schooling that stars were the hottest objects in the universe. The orb was placed in the palm of his hand and his eyes continued to gaze upon the light. There was a comfort to him with the small star in his hand. No light was brighter and he saw the room lit as well as if it was daylight already. The small measure of warmth through his bandaged hand sent small shivers of warmth through his body.
After several eternal minutes, the Astrumsistere began dulling slowly and cooling. Jim breathed hot air on the object and a burst of bright light cascade from the orb.
The pull of another force removed the orb from the teenager's palm. Emphasizing his words, Silver set the orb in a glass half full of water. Mere seconds passed before the bright starlight was no more and the only light in the room was a small glow from the very center where the core was still losing it's warmth.
A candle was once again given life, replacing the starlight.
"This little trinket kept me going fer many, many years. I let meself grow cold an' without emotion. I did wha' I want fer th' reasons I needed. I was on th' search for my map. Th' treasure does rightfully belong ta me. I always believed if I found Treasure Planet like me father an' I were trying ta do, things in me life would be alright again. A boy wit' th' name Jim Hawkins came along an' me heart was set on a new treasure, one worth more than gold an' jewels although I'm not denying I do fancy those chests of treasure. They do say 'money can't buy a man's happiness', but I find that contradictory. Money buys that which makes a man pleased, like titanium an' osmium an' expensive medicines."
Understanding his referencing, Jim smiled softly to himself. He raised his left hand and curled his fingers with the sound of soft gears turning. "Yeah."
"Here lad," Silver told him as he removed the Astrumsistere from the cold water. Both teenage hands were cupped together over the orb. "It belongs ta ye now. Ye need a little light in yer life. Ye don't know an' all I hear ye keep saying an' whining is tha' ye don' know. Not knowing is th' same as walking around in th' dark; ye don' know wha' be in front of ye. Th' brighter th' light be, th' more ye see an' therefore th' more ye know on th' path tha' lies before ye."
Unexpectedly, Jim leaned forward and wrapped both arms around Silver's torso. His right palm continued to clutch the Astrumsistere.
A single arm curled around the teenager's back. Silver knew Jim needed light in his life again. Whenever his dreams or fears darkened his life, he merely needed to clutch the orb around his neck and send warming life into the particles of the universe. Stars were a reminder how crowded the universe truly was. He knew stars comforted Jim and gave him the feeling he was not alone. Should they be parted for any reason, be it temporarily or until reunion after life, the Astrumsistere could be Jim's constant source of light for all the darkness surrounding him.
"All righ' lad," said Silver, gently pushing the teenager from him. "Ye need ta get some shut eye. Tamorrow is Saturday an' our people will be here nagging us an' trying ta mold our brains inta their ways."
"It's already glowing," whispered Jim, his eyes on the orb in his palm.
"Yer fingers are warm," reminded Silver.
"I've not seen something like this before," said Jim.
"It's rare ta come by an' I haven't th' knowledge of any more than wha' I told ye," said Silver. He poked the teenager on the forehead. "Now, go get some shut eye."
"Can't I just stay here?" wondered Jim.
"An' sleep in me bed? Lad, I snore louder than the Protean Armada firing all at once," said Silver.
"You do not and how many times did you lay in bed at night when you were my age wishing you could sleep in your father's arms," said Jim.
"I'm not your father," Silver told him.
Jim set his palm on the center of Silver's chest. "As long as this believes you are my father then you are my father. You feel like my father and you have for a long time. I know I'm fifteen, but I know the only possible way I'm going to close my eyes and not see one of us dying is if I know we're both alright."
Silver looked into his slightly pleading blue eyes. The glow from the Astrumsistere was causing a white glow in his eyes. He did look tired and haunted by his dreams. Figuring as much, Silver knew Jim had to have known their teen hoods were now going to be very similar and he would have given the universe to sleep in his father's arms.
Without a grumble or complaint because it was the truth, all the truth, Silver gently pushed Jim to one side of the bed. He himself took claim to the left side. The warm blanket was pulled over them both. When he turned his head to check if the teenager had adequate room for sleeping, he saw Jim was already asleep.
After ending the life of the candlelight, Silver lay himself on his right side of his body but did not shut his eyes to sleep. His attention was on that of a fifteen year old boy. Jim, still wearing the oversized night robe that made him look lost among cloth, was curled on his left side. Both arms were tucked by his face, the left under the pillow and the right above the pillow. Half his face was nestled comfortably into the fluff. Soft steady breathing mimicked his calm heart. His chest and shoulder moved up and down. The sleeping eyes and face were lit with an angelic glow.
Although the glow was giving Jim a beautiful ethereal glow, Silver was tired and he did want sleep. With that Astrumsistere glowing in front of his eyes all night sleep was not possible. Compromising with the teenager, he set the glowing object into its velvet pouch then let the human fingers curl around the soft fabric.
Much more satisfied, Silver sighed and shut his eyes. He felt a cool protoplasm rest against his neck and his attention was once again awoken. "Morphy, where have ye been?"
Quite a large burp emerged from the pink blob for his size; a belch was better to describe it. In the darkness, Silver saw the frosting around Morph's lips. "Is there any cake left?"
An innocent shrug was the shapeshifter's response before he yawned and settled himself between Jim and Silver on the pillow.
Tired and amused, Silver shut his eyes. He himself yawned long then settled further into the bed. Feeling the blanket beneath them pull from him, he opened an eye. Jim merely curled his body tighter against himself; no fretting was needed. Yet, with all the dreaming Jim was having and recalling memories of the past, Silver left his eyes open. He found he was much less tired than he thought he was. Lying still and comfortably was much pleasure to his body and the sleeping teenager before his eye was a greater comfort. He too feared for Jim's safety, as there were those out in the universe wanting what Jim possessed.
Frightening himself into thoughts and the shadows in the dark adding to those thoughts, both eyes of John Silver gazed across the room searching for what did not belong. Eyes darting at all things moving by shadow and breath stopping with every little sound, he rolled his eyes. It looked as though Jim was going to win after all.
Once again, the Astrumsistere was pulled from it's dark, cold pouch and placed in the palm of a fifteen year old. Only small measures of light cascade from between the fingers. A gentle light was between them like a candle and provided comfort to the knowledge that there was nothing but the three of them.
Comforted with knowing what indeed was around them, Silver gave one last look to the fifteen year old. A single sleepy blue eye was looking back with an equally sleepy half smile. Silver reached out his left forefinger and gently closed the blue eye. He traced the young man's grinning jaw then tucked his own hand under the blanket. Sleep came to him only after he knew Jim was truly asleep.
That night was a good night of sleep for them both. Each one knew the other was safe and there was a small light of knowing between them.
A note from TurtleHeart:
this is the only new chapter i wrote. i went back and cut some of the longer chapters in half and that is the cause for additional chapters than before.
well, that was a lovely break from this story was it not? let's just say i fell into a Pirates of the Caribbean passion/obsession recently after fall in into a rut with this story. astonishing what can happen when one watches Treasure Planet again is it not?
if all of you are still stuck on this story, sorry about that wait and thank your for sticking with me!
so, there's my little take on Silver and the story of his mechanics. it's nothing much. just something practical and simple. and here we have a father/son relationship truly beginning to unfold between Jim and Silver.
next up, we are introduced to certain two social workers and i'm thinking of throwing in more Jim/Silver time about the past.
so, what are you thinking with the new addition? let me know!
Happy Readings!