The Lady Vanessa

Surviving This Long Is Luck

I crawled through the narrow sewer drain. My old backpack scraped against the roof only inches above my head. Good thing I was skinny I guess. Mind you, I was only skinny because I was half starved. I saw a yellow glow up ahead and took a deep breath through the nose. The sweet smells of cooking meat, roast vegetables and freshly baked bread met my eager nose. I started to drool and scolded myself, I was wasting time. I continued crawling towards the ships third kitchen. This ship is the 'Lady Vanessa'. It's so big that it requires three kitchens, one for every two levels. I reached the grate to find it locked. Crap. This would take time to open, time I did not have. I pulled the lock picks from my hair, scraping my elbows on the ceiling as I did. I placed the pick in the lock and used the wrench to lift the inner pins. I heard a click and slowly pushed the grate open. The kitchen was lit by a single candle and there was no one around. I smiled to myself. There's nothing better than an empty kitchen on a ship of starving people. I rushed to the biggest cabinet and yanked it open. Rows upon rows of canned food. I grabbed six cans and stuffed them in my pack. Loaves of bread lined the tabletop and I grabbed two of those. A leg of pork hung in the fridge. I grabbed it and also put it in my pack. I grabbed a few knives just for good measure. I ducked back into the sewer tunnel and re-locked the grate behind me. I breathed a sigh of relief that I hadn't been caught. A rare occasion for the kitchen to be empty but I wasn't complaining. After all, surviving this long was just luck. I started my slow journey back to the main hanger of the ship.
The roof scraped my head and I had to crouch low to avoid injury. My black hair was pulled back with the lock picks but a few tendrils brushed my eyes. I waved them away. The tunnel was dim but I could still see. The exit gate was up ahead. I approached with caution and peeked out through the bars. There were presently no patrols. I opened the door and slipped out of the sewers. The hanger was full of noise but no one noticed me as I raced home. My home was really nothing more then a metal hole in the wall with a curtain for a door. It was important that I found that food because I had a family to feed. My sister Jade was waiting along with my four adopted children. People didn't survive long on this ship so there were a lot of orphans. Why? The 'Lady Vanessa' was a plague ship. Everyone was sick except the crew. The crew had been given vaccinations against the plague, but it was too late for those of us who were already infected. The crew were cruel, merciless and soulless bastards. I would know better than most, my scars were proof of there cruelty. I soon reached home and heard screaming. Andrew came running out of the curtain. He jumped into my waiting arms, his long brown hair flying everywhere. He was screaming high pitched sounds of laughter and joy, a rare sight. Andrew was my youngest adopted child. Only five years old, he had more wisdom than most children his age. I hugged him close and gave him my biggest smile.
"Hello mommy Teressa!" He squealed with delight. Milly came out of the curtain looking exhausted.
"He just doesn't stop. Do kids have off buttons?" Milly asked. I shook my head and she slumped her shoulders in mock despair.
"Guess what I found?" I asked the two of them. Andrew scrunched up his nose, seemingly deep in thought.
"Apples?" Milly sounded hopeful.
"Nope. Two whole loaves of bread," I said happily. Milly's jaw dropped. Andrew squealed again. I put him down and walked inside. They both followed me. There was a chest in the corner that my adopted son Jason had built with scrap metal from the ships engines. Jason was a clever boy but he was also a smart ass to the crew. I opened the chest and hid the pack inside. Jade appeared beside me and I fell backwards in surprise. Jade had long ginger hair like our mum. Her green eyes glowed with curiosity. At nineteen years she was a smart girl. Stubborn like me but strong willed. She looked hungry but dinner wasn't for another two hours. We had to save what little food we had somehow. Scheduled meals helped with this problem. I gently rubbed the urn inside the chest. It held the ashes of my birth son, Jackson. I had injured a crew member who was trying to molester Jade and as punishment, I'd been raped and beaten. The crew had later killed my son. My now deceased friend Molly had also been raped. Her son was Andrew. I had vowed to care for him before the plague had taken Molly. I looked up at the sound of footsteps. Jason walked in and I sighed, he looked far too smug with himself today.
"What have you done now?" I demanded. He placed a hand on his chest and feigned innocence. I knew that look. I heard soldiers from the crew a distance away and scowled at Jason. Milly and Andrew hid in the back of our cave. I got to my feet, closed the chest and shoved Jason behind me. Four crew men ripped their way through the curtain and glared daggers at Jason, who was peeking over my shoulder. I was in deep shit now.
"Lady 42887. Your son has been insulting the crew again. This will not be tolerated," the first man bellowed. Jason cowered behind me but I stood my ground.
"What did he do this time?" I asked.
"He insulted the coal master and stole four lumps of coal," replied the second man. Jason was now shaking behind me. He knew the punishment for being caught for theft. I held his hand tightly.
"How many lashes?" I sighed.
"Four," the first man spoke this time.
"I will take his place"
"Whatever." I let go of Jason's hand and stepped forward, my legs shaking. The men led me out of the cave, my home. Jason stayed behind with Milly and Andrew. He knew that I would never forgive him if they saw the punishments. I walked between the crew men towards the centre stage. It was really just a giant slab of metal. There were six stages set up in the main hanger. I was forced up onto stage three, the one closest to my home.
"On your knees," a crew men demanded. I knelt in the centre of the stage.
"Lower your shirt." I did as he asked. My shirt buttoned up at the back. I undid the buttons and held the shirt up over my breasts. I bowed my head forward slightly. I heard a crew man crack a whip behind me. I tensed my shoulders and took deep breaths to calm my racing heart. The whip slashed down my back. I clenched my teeth and stayed quiet. I knew the pain well, screaming would not help. Screaming would only distress the kids at home, who would be able to hear. I held my breath as another slash raked down my back. Another slash came and then another. The whippings stopped and I whimpered in pain. I would not cry or scream, I would not cry or scream dammit! A crowd of people had gathered to watch. I looked at them, seeing eyes filled with horror, pain and fear. The crew men ordered me to get up and go home. I re-buttoned my shirt and slowly made my way off the stage. I flinched with every step that I took. I stumbled on the last step and fell. Four young women caught me. Some men also caught me but there hands didn't remain still. I brushed the men away and let the women lead me home. Even after watching me receiver torture, the men were still only interested in sex. What the shit? I knew two of the women helping me, Janice and her twin Janet. The only difference between the two was their eyes; Janice had blue eyes and Janet had green. The other two women helping me looked familiar but I didn't know their names. Jason was waiting at the entrance to the cave. My third adopted son Angelo was waiting with him. Angelo looked pale and worried. I gave him a broken smile. My back ached, I needed to sit down. Janice and Janet led me into my home and sat me down on an old ruined blanket. The two other girls sat beside me. Angelo lightly touched my shoulder and I flinched. He drew back away from me. Janet held a hand to my forehead, checking my temperature. I gently pushed her hand away. All the girls got up to leave.
"Wait!" I called. They froze in mid-step.
"What is it?" Janice asked.
"I want to give you my thanks," I replied. "Angelo? Fetch a loaf from the chest." Angelo did as asked. He returned with one of the loaves I'd stolen from the kitchen. All the women peered closer, as though they were inspecting an animal. I broke the bread into four large pieces. I gave each girl one piece, enough to last a week if they ate it sparingly. Janice tentatively took her piece and ate a little bite. She chewed carefully and slowly. When she finally swallowed, she paused and then burst into tears. I rubbed her hair as she cried. I understood her sudden emotional outburst, proper food was scarce. The crew feed us their leftovers. Janet took her sister Janice and led her from the tent. She called back to me that should I ever need help again, to simply ask and I would receive it. The two other girls also left with promises of assistance should I ever need it. Once everyone was gone, Milly and Andrew came out and hugged me. I winced as they hugged me too tightly. Angelo joined the hug, as did Jade. Jason stood by the curtain. He looked uncertain of whether he should join us or not. I opened my arms wider around the kids and he dashed into my arms. For a moment I forgot the pain and just held my children.