Drabble Series: 'An Execrable Business' (22/?)

[dwgm]

Ack!! 600 words this time, and a WARNING for Ow! Somewhat graphic h/c. *winces*. Again, from young Anamaria's pov, theme: "Heroism". Many thanks, to my dear hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent 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
21. "You've made a big mistake"

And here's today's...
22. Heroism



~ An Execrable Business, continued...


Ana couldn’t help the shriek that escaped her.

“Ana!” she heard her father shout fearfully.

The man she’d brought down was cursing foully, struggling to rise, and she cried out again as her arm was heedlessly jolted. But then her victim was abruptly removed and subdued with brutal efficiency as her father knelt beside her, his stricken look twisting her heart.

“My little one, what have you done?”

“He did it,” she rasped, beginning to cry, for the shock and pain were terrible, and she knew it would be far worse before it was better. She’d seen bones set before.

Her father scolded gently, worriedly, as he helped her to sit up, “So he did, but this is a high price to pay for your bravery and disobedience. You are too reckless, my heart.”

“Is she hurt?” It was Nell, looking disheveled but more or less recovered, though there was a bruise on the side of her forehead that Ana winced to see.

And then Jack was there, crouching down, concern on his face, in his eyes. “Ana, love, what’ve you done? Saved the day, b’gad, but your arm!”

Ana wanted to tell him it was nothing, just a scratch, for that’s what she’d seen him do when he’d come to them hurt two years back, a dozen stitches in his thigh and never a peep out of him (though the rum had probably helped some). But to her shame, she burst into racking sobs, and couldn’t stop even when Jack sat down, drew her onto his lap and held her, letting her weep into his coat while her father arranged and bound her arm for the journey home.

*

It was both the best and worst night of Ana’s life.

More people came to haul the trussed villains, for they were both alive and relatively unhurt – Jack insisted he’d meant to merely put a furrow in the first man’s scalp with that bullet, and Ana at least believed him, she’d watched him at firearms practice and knew he was a crack shot – but Jack himself carried Ana back to the village, and she savored every second of that in spite of her arm. There was also a litany of admiration and sympathy directed toward her, all the way home and after they arrived, her sisters proclaiming they would never have had the courage to do such a thing and she was the best of them, beyond doubt.

When Jack laid her on the bed and her family began to prop her up with pillows and fuss over her, she thought sure the pirate would take his leave, but he did not, nor did Nell. They stayed with her father and sisters while the doctor was summoned. Her father gave her a nasty dose – Jack laughed at the face she made – but it helped the pain and made her drowsy so that she just sat there, blinking. The doctor arrived and she steeled herself, but he only dosed her a second time and took his time treating Nell, letting the physick do its work.

Ana was very muzzy when it was her turn, but she was aware that Nell and her sisters left the room, that Jack and her father stayed, and that the next few minutes would have been unbearable except for their presence, their kind hands and encouraging words. As it was, even dulled by the drug, the brief, excruciating agony was something she would never forget.

But neither would she forget the relief that followed, and the velvet blackness that rose up to claim her every sense.


TBC…

Comments

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

It was the bone-breaking that drew me out of lurkdom. *G*

I was a year younger than Ana when I somehow got between two high school boys roughhousing and got my collarbone smashed/cracked - the driver said he could hear the SNAP! all the way at the front of the bus. When I got home I spent almost two hours pretending nothing was wrong because I knew I would get in trouble for riding the back of the bus, but eventually Dad figured out something was up, and I had to go sit in the ER the rest of the night being told stories about how bad it hurt to lock a bone back into position. (And then having it DONE.)

Anyway, I was going to wait until the end since I'm bad with WIP commenting, but it's a good story so far, and I'm glad to see Anamaria get some time out there.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Oh, good heavens, ow ow ow!! I don't have quite as much experience with broken bones (*knocks on wood*), only had a fractured wrist, the result of a fall during a game of Frizbee when I was in high school. (And I'd damaged my mother's car that morning, bumping into the heavy metal trash can as I backed out of the garage, and my mother got a ticket when she was driving me back from the hospital, her first one in years and years. Not a good day.) I hope this doesn't ring false -- I tried not to put in too much detail because of my lack of knowledge, as well as the squick factor.

Thank you for letting me know you've been reading and enjoying it so far. Anamaria's part is almost over, but I'm glad the Muse gave me a nudge in that direction, Little!Ana is great fun to write.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I admit there were some heavy drugs involved, and it was almost 30 years ago. But I remember ENOUGH. It's pretty accurate; lacking more pain, if anything. LOL

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

0.0 Thanks for letting me know. *owowowowowow*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I expect she'll get something equivalent to gumdrops when she wakes up. And being carried home by Jack... mmm, better than gumdrops any day.

Collarbone and thumb! Ow!!!

Thank you for letting me know you liked this! More being edited as we speak. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought you meant. Ow. (Past tense.)

[djarum99.livejournal.com]

Gumdrops and Jack - would almost make it worth it, and given some time I imagine she'd think so. I really like your young Ana, and her loving family :-)

I'm so glad they saved Nell, and can't wait for more! ♥

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So happy you're enjoying Ana, she is fun to write at any age, really (and numerous plotbunnies are being spawned by this sequence of the story, as you may well imagine.

More tomorrow. You do have the prettiest icons! *g* Thank you for commenting!

[(Anonymous)]

Ah! How heartwarming to see caring, coddling Jack with Anamaria. Very sweet!

I can sympathise with poor Anamaria, though I've not had anything as drastic as a broken arm. I suffered a broken nose a few months back (tore a hamstring running for my evening commuter train, and as a special bonus injury -- 'cause a torn muscle just never is enough, innit? -- I did a lovely, thoroughly graceless face-plant on the concrete train platform, smack on my nose!). IMO, the actual breaking didn't hurt as much as the resetting (ah, endorphins are a wonderful thing, aren't they?). I was actually sorer after the reset than when I incurred the actual injury. :-(

Of course, the embarrassment factor was even worse for me than the pain of injury. Nothing like making a great, bloody git of yourself in front of a crowd of people!

But a GREAT chapter! Simply beautiful!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you for letting me know you've been enjoying the story! I'm sorry to hear you were so badly injured. I hope you are thoroughly recovered now!

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

Wowie! You were right--broke my arm about 9, both the lowers and I can remember perfectly how it was set. Beautiful Anamarie--such a darlin' baby girl, in love with himself. And Jack, turning his attention on the ones that help him, his family. That girl's going to wear her daddy out. Good god read!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear, you can really relate to this, can't you? I'm glad you thought it a good read -- that must mean I'm not too far off with the details. (owowowow!)

Thank you so much for reading and commenting once again -- I always appreciate it!

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

You are hanging out with some folks with very checkered pasts--can't believe so many people said yeah, I broke this...so you definitely got it right about Anamarie never forgetting. Good story, again.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

The drama! But oh so well written! :-D

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Poor Ana. I need to write something sequelish, where the sweet outweighs the bitter for her.

[aravah.livejournal.com]

Jack insisted he’d meant to merely put a furrow in the first man’s scalp with that bullet...

LOL! Of course he did! ;) Perfect Jack.

I love this young Ana. I think you've got the 'crush' thing down perfectly. It takes me back...


Great stuff! :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

LOL! Of course he did! ;)

I don't think anyone else believed him either, but it was the truth -- he's a crack shot because he likes to keep his distance from his foes.

Glad you thought I got the crush right. I too remember, and it's been much longer for me! ;)

Thank you so much for reading and commenting.

[mary684.livejournal.com]

The broken arm bits are wonderfully done, as your other commentors have said. I had a smalll fracture (foot) in my youth -- nothing as drastic as Ana -- and could relate perfectly to how horrible it must feel and that wee part about her having pre-exisiting knowledge of the "setting part", oh, poor hun.

However, the thing I really LOVED about this chapter was the crush factor. Oh dear Lord, but you have nailed that! I can see her, I can see how she is interpreting every tiny thing he does to mean something a bit more than even he is conscious of, just going about his business as it were, and she is creating a world unto herself. Achingly poignant, beautiful and true. We have all been there, I remember it well, and to have it be Jack Sparrow would surely color every love affair in her future.

This was a wonderful chapter, too many things going on behind the scenes and somehow all made that much clearer by viewing them through the little one's eyes. Lovely.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

You do give the nicest feedback. I have the hardest time expressing myself when I give feedback, isolating what I like about something, etc. It was really fun writing these bits from Ana's pov, with her view of Jack and Nell, as well as being an interesting character herself. I owe her something sequelish, with a happier outcome, as I'm afraid she's soon going to be left standing on the beach with a broken arm, watching Jack and Nell sail off to England. That would put anyone in a bad mood!

Thank you so much for reading and commenting at such length. I really appreciate the feedback.

[mary684.livejournal.com]

But, all of that, the crush, the standing on the beach saying farewell -- ooo, I already am crying for her -- all of it colors the Ana we see shoving her pointed finger into Jack's face, ire up to the point where she can't even speak and then that (more than obvious, now!) well-deserved smack! You go, Ana!

She needs a backstory exactly like this one, the crush a brilliant addition, so painfully wonderful to imagine the lifelong ache in her heart. I just wanna squish her. (afraid I'll hurt her arm, though)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

all of it colors the Ana we see shoving her pointed finger into Jack's face, ire up to the point where she can't even speak and then that (more than obvious, now!) well-deserved smack!

Yes, it's often speculated that there's more history behind that than just the theft of the boat -- Jack himself admits he deserves it. It's no wonder she's on edge throughout CotBP, and that she relents and comes back for him in the end.

[mindyracal.livejournal.com]

I was in a bad car accident when I was 16. I was pinned in the vehicle and my right forearm and right femur were broken. I also have a sprain to fracture on my left foot, which means that if I step on it wrong, it will hurt like it was broken for a few minutes to an hour. That was 11 years ago and I still can remember the pain. And my queasy stomach looking at the scars...*shivers*

But....being carried away by Jack, like Ana did, could numb any pain I may be having at the moment ;)

Nicely written!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Oh, heavens, what an awful thing. I hope you made a full recovery. Sorry to have written something so squicky for you, but yes, Jack seems to be the antidote for many ills. I'm glad you liked that part, at least. Thank you for reading and commenting!

[mindyracal.livejournal.com]

Mostly yes, I have healed. I limp every now and then depending on the weather. Or if I sit on my leg wrong!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

One is never quite the same after a serious injury or operation, but hopefully things will improve with the years, as they tend to do.

*sends you healing vibes and nice warm weather (like we have outside today) and Jack*

[mindyracal.livejournal.com]

*sends you healing vibes and nice warm weather (like we have outside today) and Jack*


Why thank you! I need a little warm weather...I am sick of the cold. Now we are getting some more snow, I guess....grrr...
I'm a summer girl. I like to run barefoot and be out in the sun.

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

Owww Poor Ana! :[ I've never had anything broken, but even imagining it is terrible:/

I love every single scene of this story! Each scene is so wonderfully written and your portrayals of all the characters are simply AWESOME!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It makes me so happy that you're enjoying this. It's a lot of fun to write, too. :)

[compassrose7577.livejournal.com]

Men trying to care for the injured is often a bit of a contradiction in terms; they have the best of intentions, but...

Fortunately, Jack has good instincts. Gotta say, it would be worth breaking an arm for, if that's the kind of attention one can look forward to.

Jack does seem bigger than life, but then this is through a young girl's adulating eyes.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

this is through a young girl's adulating eyes.

Precisely. Neither she, nor Nell, sees the whole man, which is why she was angry enough to almost let him hang, eventually.

[compassrose7577.livejournal.com]

Whoa! Big spoiler, but I'm in for the long haul!!

We all tend to onlys see what we want to see, especially in our heroes, a malady that seems stronger with youth.

Just glad she had second-thoughts, whenever said close-call arrives.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Well, no, it's Ana that almost let him hang (at the end of CotBP), not Nell, so no spoilers here.