Disclaimer: I only own this story line and the OC characters. Everything else belongs to Josanna McGibbon and Sara Parriott.
Chapter 5
Ben leaned against the wall with his head on his knees. His head was hurting and he was frustrated with everything.
For the last two hours, Avery and Gabriel had been fighting with each other over cards. It was a constant argument between the two.
Avery slammed her hands down on the table. "You are a rotten cheat."
Gabriel scoffed. "Your just mad to have lost. You're a sore loser."
Avery stood in anger. "What did you call me?"
Gabriel smirked and leaned forward. "A rotten sore loser who can't handle losing."
Avery ripped her sword out and kicked her chair away in anger.
Gabriel stood with a smile pulling his sword out. "Bring it little girl. I can beat you with my eyes closed."
Ben stared in shock that these two were about to go to a physical fight over a card game. The isle was so different from Auradon. He didn't realize how different when he brought Mal and the others over. He felt like he fully understood why Mal and the others had such issues adjusting to the school.
Just as their swords clashed in the first strike, footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Both pirates jerked their swords away and faced the stairs.
Ben stood up praying it was Mal or one of the others to rescue him.
What none expected was a small girl to come down carrying a tray of what might have been food and a glass with her.
Ben stared confused as a look passed between the two pirates. Avery and Gabriel put their swords away. Their fight could wait till the girl was not around. Anyone who hurt that kid would be severely punished by Harry.
"What you doing here, Maddie?" Gabriel asked.
Maddie smiled at the two. "Uma sent me."
"Uma?" Avery asked confused.
Maddie rolled her eyes. "Uma said for you to give King Ben the food and head to the chip shop. She wants to go over some plans she has."
The two pirates stared at each other in confusion.
"Who's supposed to watch the joke king here?" Gabriel asked confused.
Maddie huffed and held the food out to Avery. The girl took it with a frown.
"I'm supposed to watch him." The 9-year-old huffed before flopping on some sack cloth bags across from the table.
Avery leaned over to Gabriel and said, "You think Harry is trying to set us up by using his kid sister?"
Gabriel frowned and slowly shook his head. "Don't think so but it is Harry Hook."
Maddie raised her eyes in annoyance to look at the two. "Are you going to give him the food or not? Uma's not gonna be happy if you two aren't there soon."
Avery gave Gabriela a questionable look before the boy stomped over and grabbed the keys from the hook.
"Let's get this over with and hope the girl is speaking the truth." He said.
Ben backed up as Gabriel moved toward the cell. The boy unlocked the cage and pulled out his sword motioning to the furthest corner of the cell.
"Over there and don't try any funny business." He ordered.
Avery walked in and placed the tray of food on the ground with the drink by it. The girl stepped back and Gabriel locked the door.
He placed the key on the hook and gave the two one last look before moving up the stairs. Avery frowned and followed him up the stairs praying they were not going to get in trouble for following the girl's orders.
Ben waited until the sound of the two were gone before moving to the tray. One look and he wished he hadn't looked at it. There were several pieces of shrimp that looked discolored, the eggs looked a light green and a roll that had mold spots on it.
Ben picked up the drink and looked inside it to see water with a few specks in it. Ben's throat was really dry and he needed something to drink but he was not sure if it was safe to do so. He took a breath before taking a small sip. He wished he had not. The water tasted foul and had a weird salty taste to it.
The day could not get any worse. Ben sat down with his back on the wall looking down. Today could not get any worse.
"You should really eat that." A voice said.
Ben glanced up and over at the child laying on the sacks across the room.
The girl stood and moved to sit across from Ben on the other side of the jail cell door. The girl smiled at him and motioned to the food. "You are gonna need your strength for tomorrow."
Ben moved closer to the jail door. "I don't have much of an appetite right now. I'm Ben. Your Maddie, right?"
Maddie smiled, "Yep. That's me. I'm Captain Hook's surprise child. Everyone knows who you are. Everyone has been talking about you."
Ben frowned. "Yeah. I'm sure they are. What do you mean by surprise child?"
Maddie smiled sadly. "Well my mom got with Captain Hook and 9 months later here I am. Mama didn't want a kid but by the time she found out about me it was too late to do anything. She handed me over to Captain Hook when I was born and Captain Hook gave me to my big brother to raise me."
Ben turned to the girl in shock. "How old was your brother when your father…. gave you to him?"
Maddie smiled. "He was 7. My brother is amazing. Are you going to eat those?"
Ben looked down to see Maddie pointing at the eggs. He frowned looking at the girl who had slipped her hand inside the cell waiting for the eggs.
"No, but you realize the eggs are bad right?" Ben asked concerned for the girl.
Maddie dropped the eggs into a handkerchief from her pocket and opened one up. She sniffed it before smiling. "It's ok to eat. If it smells really bad like something died, then it's not safe to eat. This smells like stinky socks. It's still good."
Ben watched in horror as the girl ate all three eggs. "Do you all eat stuff like this all the time?"
Maddie shrugged her shoulders. "Garbage comes from over there every three months. Most of the food is either moldy, slimy or smelly. You learn what the bad stuff is and the slightly ok stuff."
The two sat quietly as Ben contemplated what he has learned from the girl. He had never considered what food went to the isle. Are the kids here even getting enough to grow on? Kids are supposed to get a good dose of the food groups but according to Maddie that was not happening.
"So, can I ask a question?" Maddie asked curiously.
Ben turned to look at the girl. "Sure. What's up?"
Maddie licked her lips before speaking in a whisper, "What's Ice Cream like?"
Ben's eyes widened. "You've never had it?"
Maddie shook her head. "No. We never get nice stuff from Auradon. I heard that if you eat too much Ice cream that it can freeze you like a statue with your brain being attacked. Are there lots of people frozen from Ice cream brain attacks?"
Ben didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry. "It's called a brain freeze and it is just a sharp pain that lasts maybe a minute or two if you eat Ice cream way to fast. No frozen statues."
Maddie frowned. "What does it taste like?"
Ben sighed. "I don't think you would understand if you have never tried any sweets. They have many flavors like chocolate, Vanilla, and strawberry. It's really amazing to taste."
Maddie smiled. "It's ok. When we get out of here, Captain Uma said I could have all the ice cream I want. There is so much I can't wait to taste once we leave here. I saw on tv there was this thing called a carnival and the pretty lady on tv was talking about something called cotton candy. It's supposed to be something really sweet and melts in your mouth. It's not the same as the cotton that comes in the pillows. That tastes nasty."
Ben smiled sadly at the girl. "It does melt in your mouth. It's really good. You look up to this Uma person, don't you?"
Maddie nodded her head. "Captain Uma is the greatest. She is so smart and brave. She is going to free us. She puts us and the crew before everyone else. She is the best but my brother is the best in the world. He is smart and brave. He can fight better than anyone besides Uma with the sword. He's teaching me to fight with a sword and how to pit pocket from people. I want to be just like him and Captain Uma when I grow up. Captain Uma promised I could try all different kinds of stuff when we leave here. I watch the tv and there is this show with a man who goes by Ramsey. He talks about food all the time and how to cook it. Captain Uma promises I can try anything I want no matter the price when we leave. It's going to be amazing when I'm able to try all different kinds of food."
The girl yawned as Ben stared at her sadly. He could not imagine getting this excited at trying food. It was always just there to eat. What was it like hearing about certain food but never getting to taste it? Eating rotten food while knowing just across a barrier there is good food waiting.
Maddie reached into a pocket and held out a pocket watch. She turned it to Ben with a frown. "can you read this?"
Ben leaned forward and read off the time. "2:38 AM."
He leaned back and looked at the girl as she placed it in her pocket. "You can't read that?"
Maddie yawned and moved to a feed sack across from his cell. "Not really well. School isn't encouraged here. Some villain parents teach their kids to read but everyone else depends on the school to do it. The school is just for villains like Mother Gothelf and Mad Madam Mimm to talk about themselves rather than teach. Harry insisted I learn how to read though. Can't read a map without learning how. I'm not very good but Uma said I will get there."
The younger girl curled up on the sacks and yawned while speaking. "Can't spend much time on it as there is more important stuff to learn like sword fighting to protect myself when I get older and scavenging the food we get before anyone else gets it."
Ben frowned at the girl. This was not what he expected from Isle of the Lost.
Maddie watched him for a second as he sat there.
"You should get some sleep. Mal will be here tomorrow to get you at noon." The girl whispered quietly as she fell asleep.
"Maddie, what do you mean Mel is coming to get me at noon? What is going to happen tomorrow Maddie? Maddie?" Ben called but the girl did not respond. She was fast asleep.
Ben leaned against the wall with his head resting on a bar looking out of the cell at the girl. She was one of his people but he felt like he couldn't understand her or the life she was forced to live one bit.
Observing her, he saw a poor kid who looked almost starving. It was obvious there was some malnutrition issues. She was so skinny he could see the outline of her ribs through her shirt. Her clothes were old and worn down. She and others like her were becoming like their parents because they were denied the basic human rights of proper food and a safe space. They deserved better than this.
As a king, he failed for not seeing to all the needs of his people even the villains.
"Sweet kid, isn't she?" A voice said.
Ben rose and looked out the cell to see Gil, Harry and a girl standing there. The female walked over and smirked at Ben.
"Hello beasty boy. I'm Captain Uma and this is my ship. You already know Maddie, Gil and Harry. Don't worry you won't be here long. Either Mal will give me fairy godmother's wand." Uma said with a smile as the color in Ben's face disappeared. "Or we are going to see if you can outswim a killer shark. They might like royal meat."
Captain Uma nodded to Maddie. "Harry, get your sister into bed."
Harry nodded his head and walked over kneeling by the child's side. "Maddie, wake up."
Maddie opened her eyes sleepily and held her arms up for her brother to carry her. "Harry?"
Harry smiled. "That a girl. Let's get you to bed."
The older boy picked the girl up and carried her up the stairs. Ben watched as Maddie laid her head down falling asleep on Harry's shoulder.
Uma walked to the door and turned to face Ben. "Sleep well King Ben. It might be the last time you sleep ever again."
The doors slammed shut and the click of the lock made been sigh. He was not getting out unless someone else let him out. It was looking like everything rested on if Mal would give the wand to Uma.
Ben walked over and sat against the wall facing the door away from the mattress. A rat scurried through the cell to the plate left on the ground. It snatched one of the shrimps and disappeared into the dark. Ben would not be getting any sleep for a long time.