The Pendant

Chapter 2

"You need to get out of here!" She whispered while her jaw was still clenched, only revealing her top front row of teeth. Still keeping a firm grip around my ankle, she dug her nails deeper into me. Her stern, pale blue eyes, never broke away from mine and with a vicious growl she replied, "I mean it. Leave before they find you."

"Hard for a man to do when you've got daggers for fingers," I hissed back. I haven't seen an actual human being in over two months, especially a charming character like hers. I was dumbfounded at the fact that a beautiful women of her petite size was able to manhandle all six feet and three inches of me with one swift tug. Her long, white blonde hair, rested gracefully along her back and her worn down, brown velvet vest, stood out against her flared, beige button up. Two pendants dangled from around her neck, they were quite ravishing. One of them stood out the most, resembling what looked to be a star, perhaps a compass. There were four small sculpted sculls on either side of the ring, which encased this star, and at the very top where the pendant met the necklace, carved an X. Before I could gather the right questions to ask she released her grip and motioned her head forward for me to run out. I hesitated at first, unaware of what I was getting myself into.

I took off, glancing behind me as I ran forward, I feared them, whomever them was. The women had casually disappeared from view as I bustled deeper into the woods. After awhile, I slowed my pace. Resting, I leaned up against the side of a palm trunk. This quarter of the island was unknown to me. The wind whistled an unfamiliar melody and the scampering of animals made the bushes rattle an alien babble. I wasn't safe here, venturing this deep into the jungle seemed just as dangerous as being captured by them. I needed to find security and my only known solution meant heading back. My plan was simple, I just needed to maneuver my way down around the trail until I reached the path leading towards my shelter. Taking one last deep breath, I slowly began to creep back. Scanning the environment around me with each step, my anxiety began to spread rapidly. The hairs on my neck mounted themselves upright and chills slowly flushed over my body. This was starting to feel like a terrible idea.

The echo's of the jungle ceased and the wood's rustle became mute. You could hear the twigs underneath my feet snap and crinkle, croaking each time I stepped forward. Something wasn't right, the uneasiness slithered its way around me, constricting me even tighter than before. Carefully, I crouched down and positioned myself onto all four limbs. It wasn't the fastest way to get around but it sure did seem like the safest. The last thing I needed was to be spotted again. It seemed as though my rustling crawl was off tempo with the motions I was making, I was oblivious to the foot steps that followed behind, until it was too late. In an instant, my mind went blank and the last thing I heard was a ghostly chuckle under a heavy, hot breath.

"Lookie what I found," a deep voice grumbled. I felt his saliva sprinkle onto me, my vision was still blurry. "Thought you could sneak around us huh?" He knocked me in my gut a few times, powerfully, until I signaled my consciousness. My vision began aligning itself and I was finally able to see clearly. The room I was in was nearly empty and entirely encased in wood. This chamber fumed disgustingly of dead fish and the bloody insides of the sea creatures appeared to be in barrels alongside the walls. There was a staircase in the far right corner of the room, I assumed they lead to towards the deck of the boat; Assuming i was on a boat. Chains dangled from the ceiling, clamping around my freshly bruised wrists as my feet scraped onto the floor. My hands felt numb. All the blood from my arms drained pitifully towards my feet, making them swell eagerly. As my feet appeared motionless, the thorns from the floor boards burrowed into my heels and had dissected into the skin underneath my toenails. The sun beamed through the cracks of the wooden panels above ,shifting as the crew members hustled aloft, providing me with enough help to make out more of my surroundings.

He was a well-fed man, the size of a fictional ogre. His belly toppled over his pants, his open button up was stained yellow from his sweat, and his leather vest reeked of dead animal. He carried a thick belt around his waist, packing two pistols on either side. Around the heavy coat he wore over his clothes hugged another thick strap, this one held a sword. The sword was immaculate. It shined vigorously, given the tiny amount of sunlight emanating through the room. I noticed a mark on him, the same symbol the young women wore around her neck was branded onto his forearm.

Exhaustion wriggled through my bones and an unpleasant ache began thumping around in my head. My eyes trailed along the bottom of his long raggedy beard, up past his profound rosy cheeks, to meet with his crusty green eyes. A wicked smirk developed along his face. He rustled over toward the stairwell and yelped,

"Anchor the ship boys, I've got a better plan." He paced towards me, "You see boy, I've been sailing these seas my entire life in search of the riches. You seem to know your way around these parts, so you'll be the one to lead us towards the treasure. "

"Treasure?" I questioned.

He reached down to his side and uncovered the gun, holding it up underneath my chin he exclaimed in a low bellow, "Don't play dumb with me boy, I didn't hesitate with my father, I sure as hell won't hesitate on you."

Once more his saliva trickled upon my face, layering my cheeks with a thick putrid smell. I was completely unaware of any "treasure" hiding out on the island. I tried to swallow the knot in my throat that was pressed up against the guns barrel . Sweat began to flow down my face and my eyes began to bug out. These weren't any ordinary people, these were pirates. I tried not to make a move and slowly muffled a squeamish, "Mhmm." He lowered the gun from under my jaw and proceeded towards the staircase. I exhaled deeply, the butterflies in my stomach flew frantically with relief. With one swift motion he turned at me unexpectedly, with the gun still in hand, he fired the pistol.

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xoxo Neens18