Chapter 2

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She pretended to sleep, and when she heard her mother begin to snore, she left, slipping easily out of the window by her hammock. She made her way back to Cayona. Feeling a slight sense of deja-vu, she walked down the dirt road. She saw a couple of drunken British sailors outside of the Hairy Dog saloon, and felt a burst of hope. Perhaps Captain Bridges was in there! She went in the saloon, and was instantly overcome by the sheer chaos of it. She had never seen anything like this before. Scantily clad women draped over loud, brash men, music nearly causing her head to burst, alcohol flowing freely, it was certainly different than life in her mother's shack. A bit lost, she spotted Matteo in the corner. She quickly made her way over to him, relieved. He gave a start when he saw her.

"Jackie! Wot're ye doin here?"

But he was smiling, and she noticed the bottle of rum he was clutching. He was drunk as well.

"Matteo, is there a man named Captain Bridges here? It is most urgent that I find him."

He looked at her, blearily.

"Why're ye lookin fer 'im, Jackie? Up to no good, eh? Ye best hope yer mother doan know yer gone. Aye, he's here. Probly in the back rooms, I dunno. Ye gawn back home, Jackie. Ye shouldn't be here."

But she ignored his advice, and desperately looked around, hoping to spot him. She couldn't find him for the longest time, and she was about to lose hope and go back home, but she finally saw him, sitting at the bar with a tankard of beer. She scampered over to him, but when she finally stood in front of him she was suddenly overtaken by a bout of nerves. She could only manage a shy smile, but joy blossomed in her chest when he grinned back at her drunkenly. She could smell the sweetness of alcohol on his breath and the saltiness of his sweat, she was standing so close.

"Hey. You're a pretty one. Aren't you a little young for this place, though?"

His voice was deep, and sent shivers down her spine.

"No, I'm older than I look," she lied, "And I think you are very handsome."

He smirked, and suddenly pulled her onto his lap.

"Well, then, what do you say on going to the back rooms and having some fun?"

She was sort of aware of what he meant, but not entirely sure. She knew that men and women kissed, though she had never kissed a boy before. Nevertheless, she didn't want to appear as a child, and so she nodded, smiling.

When he fell asleep, she snuck out, running out of the saloon. She was stunned and in pain. Never had she ever imagined love-making to be like that. Why on Earth did people ever do that? It was awful! She felt as though her skin was covered in grime, and her hands shook slightly. She never wanted to do that again.

She made it back home without being caught, but as she laid in her hammock she found that she couldn't fall asleep. For the remainder of the night, she tossed and turned, her skin too tight and her head too muddled.


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