Pirates Ye Be Warned

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A six year old girl runs through the forest, panting. Her head whipping around, looking. Then she hunkered behind a tree, trying to catch her breath. After a moment of silence, the little girl cautiously peeked around the tree.

"I'm going to find you, Belle!" A voice shouted.

The girl pulled her head behind the tree with a small gasp. She willed her heart and breathing to slow, so she wouldn't be found. She heard footsteps coming closer and placed her hand over her mouth.

Another moment passed, there was no sound. The girl removed her hand and peeked around the tree. Her eyes roamed over every tree and bush, searching for her pursuer. Seeing nothing, she stepped out from behind the tree, straining her ears.

"Found you."

The girl was grabbed and lifted into the air. She squealed when the hands drew her close, and she began to giggle as she was tickled.

"Jack!" She squealed out, trying to fight off his fingers.

After a moment, the tickling ceased but the girl continued to smile.

"How did you find me?"

"Easy," her brother replied, putting her on the ground. "You're terrible at hiding."

"I am not!"

He only chuckled.

"Come on, dinner should be done."

He took her hand and they began their short walk home. It took ten minutes to reach the town. As they walked through the town, women smiled and said good evening. Three minutes later, they saw their home and the girl took off, dragging her brother along.

Their dinner was set out on the kitchen table, their mother waiting there. After dinner, the girl played with the little toys she had, while Jack helped his mother clean up. He joined his sister once he was done.

Three years pass and Jack was employed on a merchant ship. All the while he was gone, the girl would play with her mother or the neighborhood children. Her mother would teach her to read, write, cook, and other things she would need to know.

Then on the day the merchant ship was to return, it didn't. The girl would stare at the horizon, waiting for the ship that would bring her brother home, every day, but it never appeared.

One day, while her mother was teaching her to read, she began a terrible coughing fit. But she didn't let that stop her from teaching her daughter.

Days pass and the mother had released several horrible coughs, with drops of blood staining her lips. The doctor visited regularly, sometimes the young girl would have to fetch him after her mother fainted. The doctor did his best to help, but he'd never encountered such an illness.

After a week the mother died, causing the girl to stay with her neighbors. They were verbally abusive people, torturing the young girl day and night.

After ten months of trying to tolerate their cruel words, the young girl had enough.

One night as the couple slept, the young girl snuck into the kitchen. She knew where the couple kept their money, and though she didn't want to steal what wasn't hers, she had no other choice.

Quietly taking the money from the fake flour pot, she snuck back to her room. There, she dressed as a boy, and spread a little mud and dirt on her clothes, her hands and face. She looked perfect, but there was only one thing missing...

Her hair.

She picked up the handheld mirror that once belonged to her mother, and stared at her reflection. She began to reach for the small knife to cut her hair...

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