Yours, now and forever.

Chapter 26

Bella's POV

It had been a long treck through the woods. I looked up at the sky, it was around 11:00 I only had an hour to be at skull rock. Noah's feet were scuffing along the floor. I knew he was exhausted, but we had to keep going. "Bella, please can we stop?" He said sleepily, tugging my arm. I sighed and knelt down in front of him.

"Here, get on." I said kindly to him. He smiled weakly and clambered on my back. I adjusted the satchel at my side and made sure he was hanging on tight, then I continued to walk.

I had been to skull rock a fair few times so I knew the way well, but now, in the dark of the forest, it felt like the woods had scrambled itself just to make sure I didn't get home. I soon heard Noah's tiny snores down my ear. Poor kid, I'll leave him to sleep, when he wakes up we'll be home at least. I thought to myself.

Soon enough we stumbled out of the forest and onto the shores in front of skull rock. Every time I had come here, it had looked so cool, adventurous even beautiful depending on the light. But not now. Not tonight. It looked sinister and deadly. The cold glow of the full moon cast a shadow hiding half of its face, and dark clouds had gathered themselves around the skulls sunken eyes. Something in the air was...different. It seemed dangerous, something in my mind was telling me to turn back, but the other parts were telling me. You're so close, just a little step further.

It was only now that I clocked in to the fact there was a huge boat, rocking and creaking against the tide. It was ginormous compared to me and Noah; it's sails towered over us and flapped around in the wind. I walked a little closer to it to have a closer look. It was a grand ship. Strong and sturdy, prepared for any storm that would hit it. I peered through the darkness, reading the letters written on the side of the boat in thick black paint.

'The Jolly Rodger.'

Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit. We gotta get out of here. I began to back away as quietly as I could, to make sure I didn't wake any sleeping rats that lived on that ship. I shifted Noah around onto my hip so that he was secure in my arms and carried on tip toeing back.

Thump. My back hit something. Shit. I was frozen still with fear, waiting to hear any slight movement so I could make sure to defend myself and Noah. A shiver went down my spine as I felt hot breath on my neck, getting closer to my ear. "Hello deary." A deep voice growled into my ear.

Hook.

In a second Noah was snatched from my arms. He woke suddenly and began to kick and scream as a large, big bellied pirate held him tightly around his shoulders. I pulled my dagger out of my boot and slipped it up my sleeve. As I did I was grasped off of the ground by my shoulders. I screamed and thrashed about as more and more pirates surrounded us.

Noah was screaming at the top of his lungs. "BELLA! LEAVE HER ALONE! BELLA!" I could hardly listen. I was trying to search for a way, any way for us to escape. In a frantic determination, I forced my foot backwards into the pirates knee, pushing it backwards and inverted. A crack in his bone sent the pirates silent and me to the ground as he released his grip and held his leg in agony.

I rolled once on my shoulder as I hit the floor, springing to my knees in front of the rat that had Noah and pulled out the blade from my sleeve. With no hesitation I slashed into his flesh, letting the sharp knife rip clean through his leg. Blood squirted and poured out from his veins. He screamed out in pain as the rest stood and watched in a state of shock. Noah was dropped to the ground, still kicking and screaming. "Noah. Go. Run. Back to the camp you know the way." I said breathlessly as I grasped his shoulders firmly and looking sternly into his weeping eyes. He knew it was serious, he knew he had to leave.