Better than We've Had (boyxboy)

Chapter Fifteen

I was awoken from my light fitful doze by the clanking of keys. Somebody was coming to let me out of this godforsaken cell. That could only mean one thing: I was going to be walking the plank. I wasn't sure how long I was down here in the underbelly of the Intrepid. Time didn't mean anything when you never saw the light of day. I haven't seen Sebastian since he promised to get me out of here. That was days ago, I think, and here I still sit rotting in the brig.

I glanced tiredly toward the door of my cell just making out the silhouette of a trusted member of Captain Jack's crew. They fumbled with the keys before finally fitting them in the lock. Soon the door swung open and I was greeted with a swift kick to the stomach. So they sent Mark to get me I dimly thought as I curled up on the floor of my cage hoping he'd leave me alone.

"Get up sodomite," the man hissed.

I tried to push myself up off of the floor intent on following his orders quickly, even though he's the reason I was down there in the first place. But apparently I wasn't quick enough for his liking because I soon found myself being hauled to my feet by a tight grip on my upper arm.

"Guess what?" Mark said with an almost cheerful lilt to his voice. "We's had a little vote an' you're gonna walk the plank."

Oh yeah, he was practically giddy with glee.

He roughly forced me against the wall of the ship, smashing my face against it while he wrestled my hands together behind my back. Thick twine was then tied around my wrist tightly. I hissed in pain. I could feel the twine cutting into my wrists drawing blood.

"You're gonna walk it right now," he continued to manhandle me up the rickety steps and onto the deck where the whole crew was waiting to bid me farewell.

As I was led toward the plank I was poked, punched and kicked by members of the crew. They made lewd comments about me and about my relationship with Sebastian.

Oh God, how did they know about that?

"Molly's finally gonna get what's coming to him."

"We'll show them where they really belong."

"Where're we gonna find another ass that tight?"

"Hell will take them!"

The insults continued but I paused in my walking.

There at the beginning of the plank standing right next to the captain was my love. He looked roughened up quite a bit and, like me, his hands were bound behind his back. I found myself hoping they didn't tie his hands up as tight as mine. It was bad enough they were tied up at all.

Why were they tied though? Surely the captain wasn't going to make his own brother walk the plank. I couldn't stand it if Sebastian were to suffer the same fate as me.

Then all at once rage hit me. I charged forward trying to attack the captain. "How could you do this?" I shouted at the man. "How could you do this to your own brother?"

But my shouts went unanswered by the cold hearted man.

I was pushed up onto the piece of wood with Sebastian right next to me. We were facing each other pressed close together so we both could stand on the thin board. If my hands were unbound I would have embraced him. As it were, I gazed into his eyes knowing this would be the last opportunity I would ever get to do so.

Sebastian broke my gaze and looked to his left. I looked to my right to see what had taken his attention away from me. There, far in the distance, was land. We were both avid swimmers and I knew we'd have no problem making it to the distant shore. But with our hands tied, it was another unobtainable dream.

Just like carrying out a life with the man I loved.

Mark sneered at the two of us perched on the plank. "Any last words?" he asked taking on the role of executioner in stride. Bastard.

Sebastian refused to say anything. Instead he spat at the crew. I think it got his point across.

Instead of even glancing towards the crew I fixed my eyes on Sebastian's stormy orbs. "I love you," I spoke with strength I definitely didn't think I possessed.

He just looked at me and nodded. He knew.

I just needed him to hear it one last time. "I'm yours, you know," I all but whispered to him.

"I know," his lips moved but no sound came out.

"And if Hell's really where we're going then I'll love you still in Hell," I promised.

No sooner had the words left my mouth than we were pushed off the plank.

And down we fell.

The wind whipped through my hair bit at my skin. Then there was the sharp slap of our bodies hitting the water. I immediately went under. The waves dragged both of us down towards our watery grave. My lungs were aching from trying to hold my breath and I knew all too soon I'd have to inhale regardless of whether I was above the water or not. There were little spots dancing in my vision. A sign that I would soon pass out. As soon as I pass out I'd be dead. I'd have no control of my body's functions and I would breathe in the water.

I felt myself losing consciousness and let the dark take me. As I closed my eyes for the final time I imagined Sebastian's warm hands in mine one last time.