Edward Teach Died on a Beach (OFMD)

Chapter 4

(one day before ch1)

Jimenez was being led by Ivan. Their hands were tied behind their back. They struggled with the bindings, scowling. They felt a hand shove them from behind.

"Stop squirming," Izzy said quietly, smirking.

Jim turned and spat at him. Izzy stopped in his tracks, wiping his face as Ivan continued leading Jim. Jim frowned slightly as they stopped in front of the captain's quarters. Izzy strode past them, pushing open the door. He held his hand out, gesturing for Ivan to bring them inside.

As Jim stepped through the doorway, they felt a blow hit the back of their head. Jim stumbled, instinctively going to draw a dagger that was no longer there.

"That was for spitting on me," Izzy snapped.

Jim's eyes flicked around the dark living quarters. It smelled fucking awful. Their eyes locked onto a figure sitting by the window. Edward was sitting on the bed by the window with his legs pulled up to the chest. Izzy rolled his eyes.

"Jesus," Jim snapped, pretending to gag.

Izzy shoved them hard, chuckling as they landed against the desk that stood in the middle of the mostly empty room.

"Captain, Blackbeard, I brought Jim up," Izzy said, like he was trying to give a treat to a dog.

Edward flinched, turning his head to look at them. He'd reapplied the black smears around his eyes and where his beard would've been. Jim scrunched up their nose, coughing slightly.

"Jesus. Who died in here?" Jim asked. "I'm serious. Is there a body in here?"

Izzy shoved them once more. "Shut up."

Jim turned to look at Edward. Rage boiled in their stomach.

"So, Jim, have you changed your mind at all? Do you fancy being a part of the crew and not a prisoner?" Izzy asked.

Edward stared at Izzy. He still wasn't sure why they were bothering to talk to Jim. Jim was loyal to a fault.

Jim glared at Izzy and cocked their head to the side. "Get out. I'm only talking to him."

Edward seemed intrigued. He frowned slightly and then waved at Izzy. Izzy's smile fell.

"Sir," Izzy said. "No. I won't-"

"Go," Edward said quickly.

"But-"

"Get out!" Edward bellowed.

Izzy sank backwards. "Yes, Captain."

Edward watched Izzy stomp out of the room like a child. Ivan followed closely behind.

"Dickhead," Izzy hissed as he slammed the door.

The silence settled heavily between them. Edward ran his finger around the top of his bottle absently. He paused, looking at his finger as a drop of blood ran down it. Right. The glass was broken. He picked at at shard of glass. Maybe he'd drank a little glass. Would it be so bad? Jim stared at him impatiently.

"What did you want?" Jim snapped.

Edward shrugged. "Izzy wanted to see if you'd cooperate."

Jim narrowed their eyes. "I won't. Not after what you did to Oluwande and the others."

Edward stared at his bottle as if he was quietly contemplating the meaning of life.

"You smell like shit, by the way," Jim said.

Edward's eyes flicked up to them. As soon as they did, Jim rushed forward. The ropes that had once bound their hands were on the floor. Jim held a butter knife in their hand.