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dwgmYet another 500 words of the story from young Anamaria's pov, theme: "You've made a big mistake". Many thanks, to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and suggestions.
Previous bits...
1. Tortuga
2. Happiness
3. Festive
4. Last Minute
5. Calm
6. Truth
7. Bargain
8. Spook
9. Down
10. Wounds
11. Moon
12. Monsters
13. Beauty
14. Name
15. History
16. Service
17. Advice
18. Captain
19. Awe
20. Cross
And here's today's...
21. "You've made a big mistake"
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Ana could move quietly at need, and this was one of those times. But she hurried, too, and made her way back to the beach in short order. Then she dug in, and the sand flew as she sped across to where Jack lay, sound asleep.
She slid to a halt on her knees beside him, grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him, hard. “Wake up! Jack, wake up!”
He fairly exploded into consciousness, flailing, and it was only sheer luck and quick reflexes that saved her a blow. Then he saw who it was and said, “What the devil?” and immediately after that noticed Nell was gone.
“Two men took her!” Ana told him. “She went to the privy and I followed, like you said. They’re headed to town on the inland track.”
“Damnation!” Jack exclaimed, struggling from the blanket. “Ana, go get your father, see if he and some of the others can help me.”
Ana knew how to follow orders -- Jack’s orders, anyway. She ignored her father’s, and maybe would pay for it later, but she had to see. She escaped her sleep-mussed and frightened sisters’ vigilance easily and snuck off after the rescue party, her father and two others armed with knives and machetes, and a very determined Jack Sparrow.
Nell’s captors were moving fast but didn’t know the land. The rescuers, even Jack, did know it and were able to spread out and surround their quarry. Ana followed Jack, staying far enough behind so he wouldn’t notice, and presently he stepped out onto the path. She hid in the brush, but got a good view as the villains came around the bend not a minute later and found their way barred by a well-armed pirate.
“You two’ve made a big mistake,” Jack said, lifting his sword as he walked toward them.
The one carrying Nell slung over his shoulder, an ill-favored brute, swiftly got her down, pulled her against him and put a knife to her throat. “Stay where you are,” he said to Jack. The knife glinted, sharp and new in the bright moonlight, and Jack stopped.
Nell was blinking, and appeared to be trying to gather her wits, and then, to Ana’s surprised admiration, began to wretch and choke violently, as though she were going to be sick! It worked like a charm, startling her captors, and they let down their guard for one vital moment. Jack pulled his pistol from his sash, barely seemed to take time to aim, and fired. The man holding Nell was knocked backwards, screaming, and dropped the knife, and Ana’s papa and his two friends stepped out of the brush, their blades at the ready. The second man searched frantically for an opening, thought he saw one and ran straight for Ana! She didn’t even think, just leapt up and grabbed at him, oversetting them both. They fell hard, the man twisting to land atop her, and Ana felt and heard her left arm break.
TBC…
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and suggestions.Previous bits...
1. Tortuga
2. Happiness
3. Festive
4. Last Minute
5. Calm
6. Truth
7. Bargain
8. Spook
9. Down
10. Wounds
11. Moon
12. Monsters
13. Beauty
14. Name
15. History
16. Service
17. Advice
18. Captain
19. Awe
20. Cross
And here's today's...
21. "You've made a big mistake"
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Ana could move quietly at need, and this was one of those times. But she hurried, too, and made her way back to the beach in short order. Then she dug in, and the sand flew as she sped across to where Jack lay, sound asleep.
She slid to a halt on her knees beside him, grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him, hard. “Wake up! Jack, wake up!”
He fairly exploded into consciousness, flailing, and it was only sheer luck and quick reflexes that saved her a blow. Then he saw who it was and said, “What the devil?” and immediately after that noticed Nell was gone.
“Two men took her!” Ana told him. “She went to the privy and I followed, like you said. They’re headed to town on the inland track.”
“Damnation!” Jack exclaimed, struggling from the blanket. “Ana, go get your father, see if he and some of the others can help me.”
Ana knew how to follow orders -- Jack’s orders, anyway. She ignored her father’s, and maybe would pay for it later, but she had to see. She escaped her sleep-mussed and frightened sisters’ vigilance easily and snuck off after the rescue party, her father and two others armed with knives and machetes, and a very determined Jack Sparrow.
Nell’s captors were moving fast but didn’t know the land. The rescuers, even Jack, did know it and were able to spread out and surround their quarry. Ana followed Jack, staying far enough behind so he wouldn’t notice, and presently he stepped out onto the path. She hid in the brush, but got a good view as the villains came around the bend not a minute later and found their way barred by a well-armed pirate.
“You two’ve made a big mistake,” Jack said, lifting his sword as he walked toward them.
The one carrying Nell slung over his shoulder, an ill-favored brute, swiftly got her down, pulled her against him and put a knife to her throat. “Stay where you are,” he said to Jack. The knife glinted, sharp and new in the bright moonlight, and Jack stopped.
Nell was blinking, and appeared to be trying to gather her wits, and then, to Ana’s surprised admiration, began to wretch and choke violently, as though she were going to be sick! It worked like a charm, startling her captors, and they let down their guard for one vital moment. Jack pulled his pistol from his sash, barely seemed to take time to aim, and fired. The man holding Nell was knocked backwards, screaming, and dropped the knife, and Ana’s papa and his two friends stepped out of the brush, their blades at the ready. The second man searched frantically for an opening, thought he saw one and ran straight for Ana! She didn’t even think, just leapt up and grabbed at him, oversetting them both. They fell hard, the man twisting to land atop her, and Ana felt and heard her left arm break.
TBC…