Pirates6

"WAKE UP!"


I'm shocked when I see Bello pour ice cold water on my bed.  My heart drops as I'm awaken out of my sleep.  I snuck out of the twins' bed to sleep in the bunk closer to the guys on the ship I have been closer with.  


"What the f---" I start.

 

I catch myself because I realize most of the other boys have already woken up.   I hadn't been able to sleep.  The twins won't leave me alone.  Fear has basically kept me awake at night pressed up against the wall of the nearest bunk.  Track had stared at me for the first few hours.  He didn't say anything but I can tell he was unsatisfied I wasn't sleeping in the bed with him.  When he goes to sleep Trip takes over.  

 

I know as soon as I let down my guard they'd come for me.

 

Maybe they'd come for me whether I had my guard up or not.

 

Regardless when I finally did get some sleep it seemed like I was being woken right back up.  I didn't know how long I could survive this.  I had to do something about the twins.

 

Bello could care less if I needed rest, "It's a long day.  The captain had charted a new course.  It's going to be dangerous and he wants to make sure the ship is ready."


"A course where?" O'Malley asks.

 

I can only imagine.  Holystone was following the map.  He was trying to find the entrance to hell.  He was trying to break the curse.  And I was going to be that sacrifice in order for him to do it.  

 

I swallow my spit.  The fear is building up in me.

 

"None of your business..." he tells O'Malley, "New boy.  It's bathing time...you fucking stink..."

 

The embarrassment of being drenched in front of the boys and humiliated like that gets under my skin.  O'Malley and Black Jack shake their head clearly embarrassed for me.  This definitely isn't starting out on the right foot.

 

The Sea Wolf doesn't apologize when he does it.

 

"You'll get used to it," O'Malley tells me.

 

"That's the boy you are obsessed with," Black Jack whispers, "You could have someone like me.  I'd never treat you like that."

 

It's the first time Black Jack really openly flirts at me but I've seen the stares he gives me.  He isn't alone.  He looks at me and I look at Bello.  Just like the other boys.  He knows my secret and that is dangerous to say the least.  I don't care though.  It's true.  The more the Sea Wolf mistreats me the more I seem to want him.

 

I follow the two boys out to the bathing area.  Immediately I see nothing but naked boys in this area.  They bathe out of buckets and have no shame in being nude.  They are all handsome boys, just how Holystone likes them.  I'm standing there looking at the group and all I can think about is just how impressive these specimens are.

 

There is Billy Big Balls, who Black Jack swears has the most sex with other boys on the boat in order to drain his large sack.  He seems like the man whore on the ship to say the least.  Even now I can see him eyeing a couple of the other boys as he washes in the middle of the room attempting to get some attention that no one's giving him.

 

Then I notice Ignis.  He stares at me a lot and according to Black Jack wants to challenge one of the twins for my attention.  Truthfully he's an attractive specimen.  His face is covered with scars making him one of the more burly and scary guys on the ship.  His muscles are probably the biggest on the ship and his mere size makes him kind of intimidating to say the least.  He's really awkward though.  He just stares at me and never says a thing.

 

Then I see the other boys.  

 

A few boys walk over to me clearly trying to get a glimpse of me naked and immediately one of them says, "What you bathe with clothes on?"


Eyes turn on me immediately.

 

People literally stop what they are doing.  The room gets quiet when I undress.  No one moves.  I've never felt so exposed.  It's...weird.

 

Why did they keep staring at me like this?

 

One of them clearly sticks out more than the rest. Ashton.  I haven't seen him since the fight.   He's avoided me.  I can see why.  He has eyepatch on.   From the distance I can see him watching me as I undress like the other boys do though.

 

"That boy's got it bad," Skyrat tells me, coming out of nowhere, "He doesn't know who you are yet huh?"

I give Skyrat a hard look.

 

"I need to be the one to tell him," I tell Skyrat.

 

"When you going to do that?"


I wasn't sure.  Bello had warned me to keep the secret from the other crew members.  Skyrat definitely didn't seem like the type to go running spreading business he wasn't supposed to, but the kid is judging me.  I can see it when he realizes how Ashton looks over at me.

 

Ashton lost his eye because of me.  He lost his eye trying to get something that he was never going to get.

 

I find myself leaving the group and going over to him.

 

"You don't have to isolate yourself," I tell Ashton.

 

He's naked.  The water is dripping down his body and I would be impressed but honestly I just keep thinking about the fact that he is my older brother.  Because of this I try my hardest not to look at his chiseled chest or his long dick swinging next to the barrel he is bathing over.  

 

"I don't want you to see me like this," Ashton states, "I'm hideous now."


"You could never be hideous," I tell him.

I laugh at the thought.  Eyepatch or not Ashton was one of the finest guys on the ship. I keep thinking how mesmerized I was with him when I first met him.  It's the same way I'm mesmerized by Bello now.  If Ashton wasn't my brother...

 

"You still find me attractive?" he asks.

 

There is an awkward pause.  Ashton scales my body with his eye.  It's the look of a pirate and I'm certain he wants to rob me of my jewels right here and now.  I've never seen someone so honestly interested in another human being.  The way he stares at me has this longing that I can't put my finger on even if I wanted to.   What was so special about me?  He was on a boat full of attractive boys who'd probably be happy to have him.

 

"Ashton..." I start.

 

I think about how to turn him down in the best way.  

 

I don't get the chance, he immediately acts as though he knows why I am hesitating, "I failed you.  I lost the fight.  But I'll challenge them again..."

"Don't."


"I want you..." he starts.

 

He leans over and puts his hand on my waist.  He pulls me close to him in the most masculine way that I could ever imagine.  If it was anyone else I would have been so turned on by how Ashton was claiming me, but before I get to that point I remember his identity.

 

We are interrupted at that moment and I know it's trouble immediately.  The twins.

 

"You must have a death wish..." Trip threatens Ashton.

 

One of the twins pulls a pistol out on Ashton.  The room gets a little scarce with the naked boys immediately hauling to one side.  It's clear at this moment that these twins are fucking crazy.  There was nothing they wouldn't do to have what they believed was there's.

 

"Don't..." I state, "Please..."


"Step aside Lafayette.  I wouldn't want to get blood on that beautiful body."


Ashton holds up a defiant stare.  He doesn't want me to think he's afraid of dying.  I don't know why he would even try to stand up to these lunatics.  

 

"What's going on here?" a voice states.

We turn around and see Bello had walked in the bathing area.  He looks down at us and immediately the twins put away their weapons, tucking it behind their naked bodies.

 

"Nothing sir."


"Hurry up here then."


Just at that moment Track leans into me and whispers his threat, "I want what's mine and I'm going to take it one way or another."


It's not entertaining at this moment.  It's clear that he's talking about raping me.  My heart starts pounding at that moment.  The fear of it all causes the sweat to roll down my face.  I'm horrified.  I know it's a stupid thought but I don't want to just give my virginity to anyone.  I don't want Track to feel like he owns me.  My mother was a slave.  My body was the only thing I had.  The idea of being free to do with it what I wanted meant more than anything.

 

I knew at that moment that I'd rather die than let the twins take that something from me.  I would rather dive into the fucking ocean.

 

~

Later that day I'm looking down at the ocean.  I consider it.  I consider jumping.  I'd die anyway. At least I could die with some sort of pride in myself.  What if I just jumped into the ocean?  What if I just sacrificed myself to the waves.

 

"What are you doing?"  a voice states.

I turn.

 

Bello approaches me.  I'm shaking.

 

For a second he looks at my body but only for a second. You would think time slowed down when he walks towards me.  I've been on the Screaming Dagger for some time and tonight was the full moon.  That would mean I would be cursed to forever roam the Screaming Dagger.  I would be a ghost on this ship with the rest of these boys, unable to leave the ship for too long.  I should be upset.  I should be scared.  For some reason though I feel an excitement.  


And as Bello approaches me I swear I smile.

 

"What the hell are you smiling about?" Bello asks me.

 

"It's a beautiful day," I state.

 

I look up at the sky.  I look over at Bello.  It was a beautiful day and he was a beautiful man.  He was finally talking to me.  He had been avoiding me for some time acting as though I didn't exist.

 

"I've been looking for you."


"Why?"


"Everyone on the ship has a job.  For instance, I'm the Quartermaster," Bello tells me, "I deal with punishments and discipline.  I also represent the crew so if you have any issues you let me know and I'll bring it to the attention of Holystone.  You never talk to Holystone directly unless he asks you.  You hear me?"


"You really care for him huh?" I ask.

 

Bello doesn't answer my question...

 

"I told the Captain to put you to work immediately but he wanted you to get used to the ship.  You've been assigned to cabin boy," Bello tells me.

"Great."

 

 

Anything to take my mind off of the twins.

"Great?"  he asks, "Emptying chamber pots, carrying messages and being a walking errand boy sound that fun to you?"


"Actually it does."


I smile.  This seems to unsettle Bello.  You would think me smiling was the absolute worst thing that someone could do to him.  He responds to my smile with a wincing glare as though I'm sneaky or up to something.  His thicker upper lip tightens and he moves his silver hair out of his face to stare at me with those light pretty eyes of his.  Regardless of how mean and menacing he wants to look I find myself only want to smile harder.

 

"You do realize the curse is tonight?" he asks me, "Shouldn't you be crying somewhere...soaking in your misery?"


I think about it.  I've thought about it for a while.  

 

"No..."

 

"I guess it isn't the worst job," he tells me, "Your brother Ashton has been reassigned.  He's one of the Swabbies now.  They mop the decks on a daily basis.  Swabs are the lowest ranking job on the ship.  After he lost his eye he isn't much use to anyone.  Now that we have you to sacrifice I'm trying to convince the captain just to throw him overboard."

 

I give the Sea Wolf a long stare.

 

"You would do that?"

 

 

The long hard grimace he gives me answers everything I need to know about the Sea Wolf.  I just sit there and wonder what happened to this boy to make him so evil.  Most of the people on this ship were tough.  The twins were a little crazy.  That wasn't the case with Sea Wolf.  He was very sane.  He had a bitterness to him.

 

It's a mystery that I want to solve more than anything.

"What use is a one-eyed boy on the ship?" he asks me, "Yeah I would do that.  Rumor has it he lost a fight against one of the twins.  I have no competence for useless individuals.  This ship is a well-oiled machine. If it's up to me I'd do worse."


"It wasn't his fault."

 

"So it's true.  Ashton was fighting to protect your honor.  What kind of man are you?"


"Excuse me?"


"You're a coward.  You have another man fighting for you.  That's not the pirate way.  No matter they treat you like property."


I'm embarrassed.  I don't know why the Sea Wolf's words hit me like a ton of bricks.  

 

"I'm not a pirate."


"Then you'll die a coward."


He starts walking away.  In the distance I can see the twins.  He sees them as well.  They have been following me everywhere.  It was stalker behavior.  If the Sea Wolf were anyone else I knew that these twins would probably threaten the person or do worse.  I can still remember what they did to Ashton.  They took out his eye.  Track is pacing back and forth like some wild animal.  His brother looks on.  I know what they are going to do to me.  

 

I know what they have planned for me.

 

I run after him and grab him by his shoulder, "Don't turn away from me.  If I don't know how to fight, then why don't you teach me?"


"Why would I do that?" Bello asks me, "I don't care about you.  I don't owe you shit. Remember I told you that?  I don't owe you shit."


I don't know what gets into me.  I fall to my knees.  I'm begging him.

 

"Please.  Track is going to rape me.  He said so.  At the end of the day all that I have is my pride.  All that I have is my dignity.  You might not understand but it means the world to me.  Teach me how to fight.  Teach me how to defend myself."


I've never begged anyone in my life.  The fact that I'm doing that right now means so much to me.   I'll never forget how the Sea Wolf looked down at me.  He kicks me off of him, piling his boot right into my forehead and pushing off.  I hit the deck.  I look up. 


The Sea Wolf has the most annoyed look on his face.  It's a look that tells me that I don't mean a damn thing to him.

 

"All you are is a sacrifice," he tells me, "I can't bother to give a fuck what happens to you.  You're a curse.  You're going to die either way..."

 

He walks away at that moment.  I don't mean anything to him.  I never will.  I turn at that moment and I see the twins.  They are heading my way.  I feel like they are going to take me right here on the main deck.  

The only thing that stops them is when Black Jack, Skyrat, Ashton and O'Malley show up.   Tears are running down my eyes when they find me.  The rain is starting.

 

The Screaming Dagger was finally breaking me.  Bello wanted me to be miserable and he finally got his wish.

 

Black Jack looks down at me and just shakes his head.

 

"I don't know what you expecting from the Sea Wolf.  He doesn't give a fuck about anyone or anything but Holystone."


The realization was becoming clear to me now.  I didn't know the others were close enough to hear my conversation.  It was embarrassing enough that I had begged the Sea Wolf for help and he basically just spit in my face in reply.  Ashton and his friends look at me as though they are sympathetic for me.  I'm the saddest thing in the world.

 

Skyrat's voice is shaking, "Track told me to spread the word that it's happening tonight and anyone who tries to interrupt him will be killed.  They said that what they did to Ashton was just a warning.  They said the next person to interfere with them and their `prize' will face a fate worse than death."


It's sick.  The rain is beating down harder.  It's pouring on the deck.  

 

"We can fight them off," O'Malley states, "If we all take them together.  Hard and fast."


I barely knew O'Malley.  Hell...I had barely known Ashton when he lost an eye for me.

 

"This isn't our fight," I state.

 

Black Jack puts his hand on his chin, "There's something about you.  I can't put my finger on it.  Some sort of pull.  The same sort of pull the moon has on the rising and falling of the ocean tides.  O'Malley isn't the only one feeling it Lafayette.  I'd die for one night with you and I've never wanted any man as much as you.  I don't understand why..."


Skyrat nods in agreement, "I feel the same."


"No man can deny him.  It's almost like...like some sort of..." O'Malley starts.

 

"Don't say curse," Black Jack stops him, "I've had enough of that word.  Let's say it's a gift.  But it's driving a lot of the boys here crazy just to be around you.  The only reason you haven't seen it more is because everyone is so afraid of the twins."


A gift.

 

A gift of attraction.

 

That is a weird idea.  I shake off the thought, "You guys are just trying to make me feel better.  I'm not special."


"They are telling the truth," Ashton interrupts, "Ever since I first met you I can't get you out of my head.  It's not...normal..."

 

 

I shake my head at that moment.

 

"Well if that was the case Bello wouldn't hate me."


Bello broke the rule.  Nothing weird could be going on because Bello wasn't affected by it.

 

Black Jack looks at the group, "Yet we are willing to kill for you.  Die for you.  Just for you to look our way one last time.  But if you want us not to get involved we won't."


I didn't want anyone else getting hurt because of me.  I couldn't bare another Ashton.

 

This seems to piss O'Malley off though, "So you just going to let them rape you?"

 

"Do you want to lose your eye too O'Malley?"


He says it right in front of Ashton.  I think Ashton is going to defend himself but I can tell he's lost a lot of his confidence after losing his eye.  He looks so...distraught at that moment.  He just turned away and stays quiet not putting himself in the conversation.  I think he's giving up and honestly a part of me knows he is.

 

"It's OK," I state, "I'll deal with this.  I'm a man.  I don't need help.  I don't blame anyone..."


I say this to the group but I'm really saying it to Ashton.  The depressed look he carries lets me know he blames himself for not being able to win me away from them.  I knew if Ashton didn't stand a chance that O'Malley would be next if he kept going.

 

Skyrat looks up at the sky.  He shivers.  The sky is darkening.

 

"We should get below deck...there's a storm coming."



~

 

The storm rocks the ship back and forth.  It seems as though hell has opened up in this ocean and is tearing the entire ship in two.  I'm sitting at the foot of my bunk.  Regardless of what I said O'Malley stands over me.  He has a dagger in his hand.  Black Jack is throwing up in a bucket not too far from us.  He's getting sick and it's understandable because of how violently the ship rocks due to the storm.  The waves bash up against the sides making the crew cabins feel like we are going to be drowned in here.  

 

"It's the curse.  It's come to claim you..." Skyrat whispers to me.

 

He feeds his parrot at that moment as though this is the most normal thing in the world.  I pay it no attention.  I'm afraid.  I know sooner or later more and more people would start going to sleep.  I turn to the other side of the room.  Most of the boys are finally coming back from their chores.  The night staff is going out.

 

I keep staring at the door.

 

The twins would be coming in any minute.

 

"You mind keeping it down, you're disgusting Lafayette," O'Malley tells Black Jack in regards to his throwing up.

 

"I'm fine," I respond.

 

I didn't need O'Malley hovering.  I wonder if Ashton feels some type of way because he keeps looking over my way.  I don't know for sure but I like to think it is easy to read Ashton.  The mystery he had when I first met him is gone.  I've figured him out.  It's all pride.  I think it's killing him that O'Malley is acting like some sort of sentry while he is a wounded animal who can't focus out of one eye long enough to protect me if he wanted to.

 

I stare at the door.

 

Still nothing.

 

"They should be here by now..." Black Jack grunts between gagging on his own spit, "The twins should be here to claim him."


Nothing.

 

Skyrat sleeps first and then Black Jack.  I can tell O'Malley is getting tired after a while, especially when most of the other boys come in and the twins still haven't entered the large cabin hallway.  He stands up against a post and slowly squats down.  I take a good look at his handsome face.  He's brave, probably one of the tallest boys on the ship but he seems more like a pretty boy than a fighter.  I turn to the door.

 

My eyes start to drift to sleep.  I think maybe I'm I the clear.  Maybe they won't come.

 

Then all hell breaks loose.

 

"YOU!"  a voice says.

 

Everyone wakes up.  Track runs in the room.  No.  Not Track.  It's Trip.  He comes up to me.  He has a gun in his hand.  He holds onto the gun and points it directly at me.

 

O'Malley jerks to attention, "What's going on---"


"STAY OUT OF THIS!"

 

Trip scares O'Malley away with the pistol.  Most of the other boys wake up shocked at what is going on.  

"You had someone beat my brother to a pulp..."

 

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

 

"We had boatswain duty and we got jumped by some hooded guy.  They focused on Track and the last thing the person said was to stay away from you."

 

I am confused. The boatswain was in charge of a ship's anchors, cordage, colors, deck crew and the ship's boats, and would also be in charge of the rigging while the ship was in dock.  They had late duty especially during a storm from my understanding. I hadn't been paying attention to who came and went but the fact that someone hurt Track blew my mind.  Trip was beyond pissed.  The gentleness that he had for me before seemed to be gone.  He was crazed now.  

 

"I don't know..."


"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"


"Don't speak to him like that," Ashton states.

 

"Was it you?  Who was it?  Fuck that...I'm taking him...right now right here.  I'll show you all whose prize he belongs to."


Just at that moment he grabs me.  He throws me to the ground.  Ashton and O'Malley both try to run forward but he points his pistol at them to keep them at bay.  A few of the boys around the crew room watch on as Trip loses his mind.  I can hear him almost talking to himself.  He's literally saying the things Track would if he was in that position.

He's yours.  He's yours.  You deserve this.  He's yours.  Take it.  Take it.

 

Trip rips my pants off.  He pushes me to the ground and puts a gun up against my temple in case anyone got some wise ideas.  A group of boys surround us watching at that moment.  

"I'm going to fuck you till you bleed all over the place..."

His crotch presses against my bare ass when he rips my pants off.  

I hear the Sea Wolf's voice in my head, "All you are is a sacrifice."

I see the Track's knife dangling from his waist.  I grab at it.  I try to cut him.  I try so hard but he overpowers me.  He keeps the knife away from me.  Everyone is watching as I scream.   

And I only have one choice.

 

I'd die before I let him close to me.

If I was a sacrifice, then I'd sacrifice myself...

 

I take the knife and I slit my own throat...

 

 

 

 

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