Never Trust Your Demons

37

Maybe a half hour later, we're back at the pub... and I think Bill might've been wrong. He's sleeping soundly-but not snoring, thank goodness-slumped over our table in the corner. Somehow, the pub and streets are empty. I thought Tortuga was busy 24/7.
I walk through the streets for some fresh air, a cool ocean breeze replacing the stench of beer with a salty water taste. I breathe it in deeply, feeling the dim lighting envelop me. Now this is my idea of fun.
I start back to the pub to check on Bill. As I pass a side street leading to the docks, two pairs of hands grab me, pulling me into the dark alley.
"Let me go!" I struggle to pull my arms free. Bill, I could kind of use some help right now!! No response. Of course not, he's still sleeping off all that beer he drank, not to mention the lack of powers. My eyes widen as I remember my hands won't even spark. I mean, I'm definitely scared now, I'm being kidnapped by pirates. Not desirable.
"Bring 'er to the ship!" One tells the other.
"You're going to regret this!" Ah, empty threats. They do nothing but show how desperate you are.
"She's strugglin' too much!" The other says. I feel something hard hit the back of my head sharply. My world fades to black.

"Ugh..." I groan, slowly opening my eyes, my vision's a bit blurry... must be my contacts acting up.
"Waaaakey wakey!" I hear a voice, and glancing around my dark surroundings, I see a small splash of yellow. Bill, I sigh in relief, rubbing my eyes and sitting up. Everything is rocking back and forth, including me, and I wince as my head pounds. "You will not believe what happened last-" My vision clears and I stop.
Pirates. Pirates everywhere. I stand up quickly and look around, wide-eyed, reaching for my sword. It's not there.
"Okay yeah... kidnapped by pirates, trapped in an alternate dimension with no weapon or demon boyfriend/chaperone in sight...." I mutter to myself. "Yeesh, I've got to get a normal life."
"Oh, good, you're awake," I look to the direction of the voice.
"...Gideon...?" I mumble. He's so much taller in this dimension than the last. His hair is still the same pale blonde, but it's way longer.
"Tell the captain we found the girl."
"Oh don't worry."
I gasp, turning as I hear yet another familiar voice, coming out of the cabin under the helm.
"The Captain already knows."
It's Bill, though his pirate attire is a bit different. The coat is black and his shirt is yellow. There's only one feather in his black hat, and his hair is longer.
"Bill?! What the heck is this for?! How'd you get a crew so fast?!" I storm towards him, but the same two pirates from last night grab me holding me back. Bill moves towards me, an almost hidden look of slight confusion playing across his face.
There's a moment of silence as he looks at me.
"Have I threatened you before?" He says finally.
"What?!" Now it's my turn to be confused.
"It's just that you seem to know me, not just know who I am, and-"
"-And you have no idea who I am," I finish for him. This must be the Bill from this dimension. Whoops.
"Oh I wouldn't say that, poppet," His voice is pretty similar to the Bill I'm used to, with a bit of a British accent. "I'd say I know exactly who you are." He grabs my cheeks in one hand, pulling me a bit closer, his slit pupil, yellow eye seeming to stare into my soul.
I yank my head away from his piercing gaze, glaring back at him.
"Ooh, a firey lass, eh?" He chuckles. Almost as if by instinct, my knee flies up, hitting his chin and knocking him backwards.
"And why would it be that you know who I am?" I growl in response.
Bill turns back around to face me, livid. I can practically feel the entire crew shaking in fear.
Whoops again.
"I don't think it's quite your privilege to be asking questions now," His voice is eerily quiet as he throws me a glare that sends a chill down my spine. "Lock her on the brig!" He tells the crew. "Welcome to the Mindscape, miss," He growls, directing his his words once again to me. "If I were you, I wouldn't pull a stunt like that again," He turns away, his coat snapping dramatically behind him as stalks back into his cabin. "You're in Captain Cipher's world now..." The doors slam behind him.

It's incredibly dark down here. And damp. And nowhere I want to be. Even with the lantern, I can barely see what's in front of me. I'm shoved into a cell, my sword unceremoniously tossed aside. The door slams closed and Gideon locks it.
"Seriously, I don't know what's going on. Could someone please tell me why I'm of importance to this Captain Cipher?!" My voice increases as they walk away, ignoring me. I sigh. "Figures..." I reach for my bag, hoping my sketchbook, journal, and flashlight are still in there. My eyes widen. It's gone?! My entire bag is missing! I reach up to tug on the brim of my hat, but my hand only touches thin air. My hat's gone too?! I pace nervously around the cell. I left them at the inn, didn't I? No, for the risk of Bill waking up and flipping through. I don't exactly like people looking through my art, so I took my bag. And of course I didn't leave without my hat. Then... they must be on the docks still, where I was attacked.
I angrily punch the wall, wishing it was flaming, or that Bill was in my mind, telling me how to get out of here.
Looks like that won't happen soon. I fold up my coat,laying back and using it as a pillow.
I'm never going to get to sleep. I've been kidnapped by pirates and I'm trapped in a cell on a boat for the first time.
Oh, yeah, I'll sleep like a baby.