A Pirate in Time (Completed)

23

He didn't believe me. I could see it in his eyes. He turned his gaze to the floor and drew his lips into a thin line as he thought it over.

"I know it sounds crazy," I said softly, "but it explains a lot. The clothes you found me in, my odd behavior, the accent you can't place. Think about it Jay."

He lifted his eyes to meet mine and seemed to be searching for something. I held his gaze with a straight face, too desperate for him to believe me to look away.

After what seemed like hours but was probably only minutes, he blinked and looked away. His hand ran down his face as he tried to process it all.

"AC/DC," he broke the lingering silence after a while, "what is it?"

The edge of my lips tugged up in a ghost of a smile as I recalled the T-shirt I'd been wearing the day I'd arrived.

"In the context you've seen, it refers to a musical group. They were world famous for their iconic rock and roll music. There name comes from something else, however. Something that has not yet been discovered."

"And what would that be?" He seemed reluctantly curious.

"Electricity," I said, completely sure of myself. "It's not due to be discovered for another hundred years or so, but it completely revolutionized the world. It's like... harnessing lightning into small contraptions that can sustain its light. It had replaced fire as the primary light source in all homes and vehicles by my time."

"Sounds like a dream," Jay mumbled.

"Someday it will be. And then that dream will become a reality."

Jay stood from his barrel with a heavy sigh and took a few steps towards my cell.

"Say I believe you," he says, "and you really are from the... future. What about the siren?"

"I don't eat humans," I raised my hands in surrender, "I'm perfectly satisfied by pickles, dry meat, and hard tack."

Jay fought a smile as he procured a key. Just before he unlocked my cell his gaze locked with mine, "This stays between us, and if you even think about betraying me or my crew, we won't hesitate to kill you. Do you understand?"

"Aye, Cap'n."

-----+------+-----

I wasn't stupid. I could feel the seething hatred spat at me by the crew. Any distrust from my being a woman was magnified by being part siren. I guess it was only luck that Jay was on my side.

I tended not to linger out of the captain's quarters for any longer than I needed to, but these past few days have been rough.

I felt like I was suffocating.

I'd returned to babysitting immediately after Jay released me, and the children were happy to have me back. The rest of the crew, however, followed me with heavy stares and harsh whispers.

I needed air, something other than these four walls.

Instead of enduring the weight of the entire crew watching me, I decided to head up during the night, when most were asleep below decks. I crept up the stairwell and tried to make myself as unnoticed as possible.

The stars were out tonight, and not a single cloud lingered in the sky. I stared up at the bright Milky Way cluster forming a long, infinite stripe above my head. It was beautiful, and so much brighter away from the light pollution of Boston. I took it in like a large breath of air, my eyes greedy to inhale it all at once.

I made my way over to the edge of the ship. Resting my arms on the banister, I closed my eyes and let the soft ocean breeze caress me. As I inhaled, memories flooded into my mind.

If I concentrated hard enough, it almost felt as if I was on the sailboat again, minding my own business and ignoring my drunken friends. Opening my eyes proved me wrong of course. The weathered wood beneath my palms was enough to remind me of my current situation. 

With a small sigh I turned around to make my way back to the captain's quarters. I was stopped short, however, by a few of the crew men standing behind me. Their arms were crossed over their chests and their stances were wide.

"Evening gentlemen," I tried to give a polite smile and slide around them, but they stepped in my path. I slowly looked up to their faces. "Is there a problem here?"

"Yes actually. We been sent here to exterminate it."

"Oh," I tried not to think about what they were implying, "then I'll leave you to it."

One of them grabbed my upper arm and flung me back into the railing. He was shaking his head, feigning disappointment in me, "You ain't goin' anywhere, Sweetheart."

"Anderson," one of the men grinned, "What are fish girls most afraid of?"

Anderson's lips curved into a wicked smile, "Sharks."

A flash of silver came at me before I could react, and I was rewarded by a large stinging stripe across my arm and stomach. I cried out, my hands flying to cover the wound. It wasn't deep, but it was bleeding like crazy. Red liquid oozed through my fingers, warm and slick. I slowly looked back up at the men and found the one with a blood tipped sword.

"Have fun sleeping with the fishes," he smirked as he slammed the hilt of his sword down on my head. His smug look was the last thing I saw before I blacked out.