Roses and Hooks /// Harry Hook

Chapter 10: Hooks and Hunting

Walking down the alley, I look at all the broken buildings and litter lining the streets. How could we do this to them? I didn't realize just how bad my parents had screwed the Villains over. I get being angry at them for what they did, but this is inhumane! This is wrong on so many levels, and it makes me sick to my stomach to know I'm their daughter. How could they call themselves the good guys when they're just as bad?

"Hello pretty girl." A man comes out of the shadows. I stop and look at him, unimpressed. Seriously? How cliche could this get? The man is dirty with ragged clothes on. I can smell him from the six feet between us. "What are you doing here all alone?"

"Bold of you to assume I'm alone." I say to him and put a piece of gum in my mouth. First rule: never assume a person is alone. Just because you can't see anyone else, doesn't mean there isn't any. Which is why I'm keeping alert and my eyes on the man and the shadows around me.

"I don't see anyone else." He says taking a step closer. Second rule: don't show weakness. I plant my feet where they are and force myself to stay uncaring. If I show the guy he's unnerving me, then he's already won this battle.

"Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean my friends aren't around." He stops for a second, looking at the shadows around me. He's alone then and knows he wouldn't be able to take on a group by himself. The thought almost makes me smirk as I've already won.

"How do I know you aren't lying?" The man says to me, his eyes flicking from me to the shadows.

"You don't." I tell him, my eyes never leaving his. We stare each other down for a minute before the man shakes his head, backing away. "Boo." The man flinches and takes off back into the shadows and out of sight. I laugh, probably scaring the poor guy even more. I never knew making people fear me would actually be this fun.

"Well, that was a nice show." A voice causes my head to snap to the right. A boy, a very attractive one at that, leans against the wall to another alley. He has a red pirate coat that's shredded at the bottom and a sword hanging from his waist. His dirty white shirt is littered with rips and in his right hand is a hook, the light of the early morning sun gleaming off of it. This makes me assume he's the son of Captain Hook. I look at his face and see how he only looks to be a year or two older than me.

"Glad I could I entertain you, Hook." I bow at him and match his grin with one of my own. I can feel a sense of madness about the boy, and I can't decide if I like it or not. What I can tell is that this boy can be a dangerous one if pushed, and I don't want to tangle with that hook. I'm a good fighter, but I'm no match for a pirate. At least, not a mad one.

"Clever, like always, aren't you Beasty?" Due to Dizzy's words, I assumed that I'd be figured out sooner rather than later like I had hoped. Turns out my assumption had been correct. I shrug my shoulder at him, not giving anything away. "Oh, lassie. You don't want to play this game with me."

He slowly comes closer, and it takes all my will power to stay where I am. He towers over me, being at least a whole foot taller than me, and I can see something in his eyes. Forcing myself not to shiver, either in fear or something else, I grin at him.

"And what if I do?" He pins me to the wall behind me, knocking the breath from my lungs. I'm playing with him, and it's probably a really stupid idea. Curse my love for causing chaos everywhere I go.

"You're going to get hurt, Beasty." He says to me, his grin gone, but his eyes dance with something. He brushes the hook across my cheek with just enough pressure to not cut me. "I could hurt you." He whispers to me, and I feel my face heat up. I haven't even been here for a full twenty-four hours, and I've managed to tour the Isle, make a perverted man run away, and toy with a pirate who's madder than I am. Great going, Rose.