Smile More (Hamilton Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

When you woke up, a wall-mounted oil lamp was burning, illuminating the room and Alexander's empty hammock. He never seemed to be in the room when you woke up.

"Alexander?" You climbed out of the hammock and noticed that the door was open. The ship beyond was dark and you couldn't see a thing. You lit a candle but it did absolutely nothing to penetrate the darkness, you could see the flame but it gave off no light. "Alexander? Are you there?"

You had always been scared of the dark, or more accurately anything that could hide in the shadows. It was less a fear than something that triggered caution. With nowhere else to go, you wandered through the gloom. Whispers pierced the silence and you followed the sound, feeling the walls to navigate your way, and found the trapdoor that lead onto the deck. Rays of moonlight lit the steps. You climbed them and emerged into a starry night. 

Faceless shadows jittered about the place. They seemed to be manning the ship, for one twitched as it stood at the helm, turning the wheel, and another climbed up the riggings, a most disturbing sight indeed. They were all whispering as they went about their business. "Y/n," They murmured.

Your stomach began to churn. "Alexander?" The shadows turned to you in unison. Their whispers became louder as they closed in on you. You were frozen to the spot. They were screaming now, their screeches tearing away at your soul. "Help!"

The shadow that had been climbing the riggings flung itself from them and continued to fall until it landed at your feet. It has splattered on the ground but the dark stain that it had left behind, began to squirm and grow until your Alexander stood there, a worried expression on his face as he looked around at the people. 

"Y/n?" At the sound of his panicked voice, the shadows imploded and scattered.

They regrouped behind Alexander, growing, growing, growing into a tall figure. The fear and terror that came with the memories of that familiar shadow descended upon you. Its arms wrapped around Alexander and absorbed him.

"No!" You cried sinking to your knees. "You monster."

"After all this time? You still call me a monster." The shadow said crouching in front of you, tilting your chin upwards and forcing you to look at it. "One day you will run to me because I will be all you have left, the only one who will accept you."

"I will never run to you, never reveal myself. I will grow old, I don't care. You will never get your hands on me!" You vowed. It was the vow you had made that night. It was the vow you had made every night. 

"What a naïve little fool," It drawled. He drawled. "I will get you, I have eternity to find you. Now... WAKE UP!"

Alexander was above you, shaking you awake. "Y/n?" He hissed. "Wake up!" You were on the floor of the ship and your shoulder hurt. You gagged and almost choked on vomit. "Shit," Alexander said as he scooped you up into his arms. You held down the bile as he hurried to the deck and placed you down near the railing. You staggered the rest of the way and barely managed to stay on your feet as you, once again, vomited overboard. You were barely aware that Alexander had been holding your hair back. 

When you were finished, you turned around and sank against the railing. It was dawn and the breeze was chilling but you didn't mind.

"Are you okay?" Alexander asked. You nodded weakly and he rubbed your bicep as he knelt in front of you. You must have looked pale, you felt pale, because worry flashed across Alexander's face. "Please don't faint."

You chuckled weakly. "Don't worry," You mumbled before you sagged against the railing.