Pirates at Heart

Chapter 14: Stolen

An interrogating light blared in the man's eyes as he rocked his head back and forth in a hazed sort of way. Smacking his lips, his head lolled unconsciously like a yo-yo on a string and his dark curls hid his face away.

"He isn't waking up. Try smacking him." Karla yelled with confidence. Scorpia gave a quick nod and readied herself before bringing her hand close to his already reddened cheek and slapping it so hard that he jolted awake with a grunt.

"OUCH, You fuckin BITCH." In an attempt to bring up his hand to soothe his stinging cheek, he wriggled beneath the ropes that tied his limbs to a wooden beam in a room I had never been in before this. It was as cool as the deep sea with close to no light apart from the small candle that was clutched in Bonnie's quivering hands.

"Enough. What's your name?" Scorpia was basically the same size as this man with her heeled boots on but towered over him in a demonic and threatening way.

"I've already told you. It's Vex."

"Not your chosen name. Your REAL name." She stared at him, her golden eyes never failing to maintain dominance.

"Why should I tell you?" He looked as if he wanted to say more but he knew that would result in another hit to his already injured body.

"Is that a serious question? Just look at yourself." He peered down at his feet that were wrung together with a thick piece of rope, he attempted to wriggle his arms free but his arms were tied against the wooden pillar down in the basement of bumblebee.

"Come on! You think I can't escape this? You're just as stupid as you look." His brow furrowed but his eyes darted as if they were plotting away at something. I couldn't help but feel curious but I sat in silence beside Bonnie.

"Oh I know you're just bluffing. Your arm is clearly broken." Her plump lip curled as she seized his mangled arm. The man yelped like an injured dog, I pretended to be happy because he was getting the karma he deserved but my pride soon wore out so I decided to speak up.

"Hey, that's enough. Leave the torturing for tomorrow. He's clearly not in the mood. He's more likely to tell us on an empty stomach, right?" The girls muttered a chorus of yeses and a few even nodded their heads.

"Speaking of food." Scorpia rubbed her hands together and signalled everyone to leave. I stared straight ahead towards the door but a fiery urge to see his face washed over me like flames as I turned my head and watched his bruised, miserable face fade from view.

"You can't do this! You can't-" His cries were abruptly muffled by the slam of the heavy splintered door. Silence. My ears wrung with the absence of his voice and were quickly replaced by my own

"And she fell almost 20 feet! Thankfully there was a haybale she landed on. If it weren't for that she probably would've fallen and died." Scorpia guffawed drunkenly. The girls had gorged the remaining fish and a whole chicken along with it. I myself, had eaten some of the greasy skin of the plump chicken. It's grease covered my silent lips. I wasn't drunk. I had been drinking a little but my mind was too focused on that last chicken wing plated at the communal table.

"Wow. You're ever so brave. I would've screamed for my life." Karla said, her bangles and earrings swinging as she complimented me. I smiled tightly but I could tell Scorpia sensed my dismay.

"She is brave. Ever so brave. She's the whole reason we caught that fiend in the basement." Her smile outshone mine. I felt as though I couldn't smile any more. My mind was too focused on that man deep in the basement.

"Hear that? You'll be accepted in the gang in no time." Bonnie lightly tapped my shoulder and whispered over the sounds of drunken cheering and laughter.

"May I be excused?" I asked, not looking for an answer, but before I could go, I felt Scorpia grip onto my arm.

"The party isn't over yet! Here, have a beer. Or two." Before I could protest, Scorpia shoved two beer bottles in my hand. This gave me an idea.

"Oh thank you." I pretended to drink for several minutes and in no time I had managed to round them all up and get them into their rooms. I was feeling a little grubby from rolling around in the hay so I quickly changed into my striped pyjamas. Next thing I knew, I stood outside Scorpia's door and gently coaxed her inside.

"You're so pretty. Ykno' that?" Her back was arched and her golden eyes blinked out of sync.

"Thank you but its time for bed." I took hold of her shoulders and started to push her inside until she murmed something.

"Why do you have to be such a tease?" Her words were slurred but I knew exactly what she said.

"Scorpia, what do you mean?" I was so taken aback I almost fell over. I was slightly tipsy in all honesty but not enough for me to be falling over.

"Well I just think you are." Her words were almost clear and she looked at me for a short while, her caramel eyes seemed so edible I could've eaten them right there and then. But she soon broke eye contact and almost stumbled over her own feet.

"That's enough of that. I knew you had too much alcohol." I sat her down on the bed inside the room. It was close to pitch black as I slipped off her boots and placed her hat on the bedside table. I eased her limp body into bed and stared down at her for a while.

"Can't you stay?" She whispered, barely audible.

"I cant. I've got to check on Bonnie. You know how she gets with alcohol." With a lie with gaps like a sponge, I left the room. I had another mission in mind.