“I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky”
“Less than a week until you make your vows Angelica!” One of the only girls in the place I could say was anywhere close to being a friend said to me the next afternoon as we strolled around the Convent gardens. “Are you excited?”
“Of course.” I said, hoping my voice did not lack conviction.
“You do not sound that excited.” She said. Obviously it had lacked conviction, then.
“I am, Samantha, I just cannot believe it is happening.” I said, doing my best to smile. It must have worked, for she smiled back.
“Of course. I cannot wait until I get the chance to make mine!” Samantha had been in the Convent a few years less than I had, and so it would be a while until she was able to make hers. Still, I was not making mine anymore. Not that anyone would know until I had left.
Late that evening, I retrieved the bag I had brought with me when I came to the Convent from underneath my bed and put all my own clothes inside. I then put this in my closet so that it would not be seen when one of the Sisters came to check on me for the night. The day had passed slowly, and now that I was waiting in my room it was passing even slower. I decided to make up stories of sailing on the seas, just as I had so many times in the past. This time, however, I was a pirate and Jack was with me. We were just in the middle of uncovering a large treasure chest when there was a knock at my door.
“Miss Angelica?” Sister Bethan.
I opened the door and smiled. “Good evening, Sister Bethan.” I nodded politely.
“Good evening Miss Angelica. Are you all settled for the evening?”
“I am, thank you.”
She nodded. “Goodnight, Miss Angelica.”
“Goodnight, Sister Bethan.”
As I closed the door behind her, I smiled to myself as I realised that that would be the last time I heard or spoke those words. As I turned around, I half expected to see Jack there as he had been the night before, but Sister Bethan had come earlier than Sister Louise had and it was still dusk. Another hour, maybe a little more, and it would be dark. I sat on my bed and began to think back over my time in the Convent. I realised that I would not miss my life here in the slightest. True, it had not been a bad life; I had food, water, shelter and company. But it lacked the one thing I craved; freedom. And freedom was what I would get now. Obviously I would have food and water, pirates were still people, and there would be company in the form of Jack and most likely a crew. Shelter I was not so sure about, I knew we would be on a ship but I did not know how much shelter a ship provided. But it was enough.
It was dark now, and I waited eagerly by the window. After some time, I noticed someone walk in through the gates and make their way to my window. Jack. He came in through the window as he had done the past two nights.
“You ready?” He asked, and I nodded. “Before you go, you might want to change.” He threw a bundle of clothes at me; a puffy white off-the-shoulder shirt, black corset, black breeches and a patterned waistcoat. Then he passed me some long black boots. “When you stuffed me in your closet there, I noticed your clothes were pretty much all the same apart from a couple of other outfits which wouldn’t really be much good.” He looked pointedly at the attire I was dressed in now; a mint green cardigan with a long black skirt. “Skirts ain’t exactly great as a pirate.” He smirked. I took the hint.
“All right then, just give me a moment.” He nodded, but did not move. “Jack?”
“Oh, sorry, love.” He said, and went out of the window. I changed quickly, looking at my new appearance in the mirror, recalling how I had looked at myself in the same mirror just a couple of days ago and thought how something was not right. Now, looking at myself once more, I smiled. This felt, and looked, right. This was me. I raised my hand to the cross around my neck, but decided to leave it on. Just because I was a pirate now, did not mean I had to abandon my faith.
I made my way over to my closet and started to remove my bag when I realised that I had an outfit now. I left my bag where it was and went back to the window, pausing to collect my hairbrush and a few hair ties and slides from the desk. I turned to take one last look around the room. It was funny to realise that it looked exactly how it did when I lived in it, minus the hairbrush and hair ties and slides which were now in my hand. The room had never really been mine. I turned and slipped out of my window. Jack took my hand and together we left the Convent for the last time.
“I’ll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway”
