A Siren at the Helm

Chapter XV: A Dance with Jack Ketch

Dance with Jack Ketch: To be hanged

*

The people in the square went silent. So silent in fact, that Amina could hear the hangman's gloved hand curl around the lever. The world lost its colour and it was as though Amina and the crowd simultaneously held their breaths. Waiting for what was to come.

For a second the world slowed down. Amina could hear the beat of her heart, as though a herd of horses were galloping inside her chest. She could feel the midmorning sun shining fiercely down on her. The mixture of dust sweat and grime that coated her after a night in prison sat uncomfortably thick on her skin. There was the mechanical sound of the lever being pulled. And then the wood beneath her feat disappeared. Her eyes snapped closed just as her mind went blank. She fell. Down, down, down.

Something snapped.

For a moment she was weightless. Free once more. There was complete peace in the darkness beneath her eyelids. There was a thud. Then her legs buckled under the weight that was suddenly thrust upon them.

She landed awkwardly on top of her arm on her side. Her body refusing pain because of the overdose of adrenaline. After a minute she wearily opened one eye. Was she dead? Above the wooden platform loomed over her, it's shade an odd relief. She was lying on the sandy stone beneath the it. Dazedly she sat up. She was still gagged and tied up, Amina realized.

Without warning it was as though a wave had washed over her, her head whipping back at its undeniable force. Everything around her assaulted her senses as the world returned to normal. Colours stung at her eyes. The sun burned brighter than before and Amina suddenly became aware of the fact that people were screaming. Confused she watched as they ran around like headless chickens, bumping into one another as they tried to vacate the town square. A loud boom reverberated through the air. Was that a gunshot?

She spotted a figure in crimson stomping towards her. The navyman's face was dark as he closed the distance between them. Just as he unsheathed his sword, there was another loud bang. He froze. His face went blank as he tipped forward and landed on his face. Motionless.

There was a thump as someone landed beside her. Amina turned herself so that she could eye the person that materialized in front of her. The hangman stared down at Amina, and all she could take in at that moment were those menacing green eyes that examined her every move. His mouth opened and closed in soundless words that Amina could not hear.

At once she came to her senses. Amina aimed a powerful kick at his thigh that he managed to dodge with surprise. She then swiped his feet out from under him and he landed on his back. Amina hissed at the man from under her gagg. She did not know what in heaven's name was going on, but she had been given a second chance at life and she was not about to be dragged back to the noose.

He made to get up, but a well placed kick to his nether regions had him squirming back on the ground.
"Bloody hell, will ye stop that! Fer goodness sake I ain't goin' te do nothin' to ye."
His voice sounded familiar. Why did his voice sound familiar?

The hangman struggled to his feet and this time Amina let him. She did however send him a murderous glare, one that he returned with full force. The hangman proceeded to pull the black mask from his face. The ice in his eyes turned to mirth at the shock that was probably plastered all over her face. No wonder his voice had been familiar.

Bloom's laughing face stared down at her as she tried to make sense of everything around her.
"C'mon lassie. Let's get ye out of those ropes." He began cutting her hands loose with a dagger he had produced from his belt. As soon as her hands were free Amina removed the gagg. She moved her mouth a few times, just to make sure it was still there after having lost feeling in it hours ago.