The room of mirrors (Hold)

Chapter 4: The City of Sin

THUD! “Ow,” Emily mumbled as her head hit the floor, “You stupid boat!” She slammed her fists into the wooden floorboards sleepily.

The boat had jerked suddenly and Emily was flung off the bed and onto the floor. Somehow Jack didn’t even budge, but Emily could hear his muffled voice inside his pillow, “ Yeknhoyl hipabot as much as ye lybut it’s just a boat, Silly Women.”

Emily ignored his murmurs and helped herself up from the floor and sitting herself on the bed. Jack stirred a little, before falling into sleep again.

She had spent four entire weeks on the boat, each day exactly the same as the other. Breakfast with Jack who usually didn’t talk but just stuffed his mouth with food. Then he gave company to Damien and sometimes his brothers’, Eli and Drake; who were much more careful to be distracted from their work but Emily still discussed how to be gentlemen while they worked.

Each night she had dreamt of home. Always different things but they felt so real. From every person to the teaspoon she used for her tea- it all felt so real, sometimes she had woken up and forgotten where she was. She wanted to write to home, tell them where she was but she knew that was not a possibility.

BANG, BANG, BANG. Someone was knocking abruptly on the door, “Oh God,” Jack grumbled, “What now?”

Knock, Knock, Knock.

“Come in,” Jack mumbled. They knocked again.

 Jack barked, “For Pete’s sake, COME IN!”

The door opened and in strode the midget- the one that had directed Emily to the captain’s cabin. He had a startled expression on his face as though he was shocked to see Emily there. Emily was a little embarrassed. The only person in the room who wasn’t fazed by the arrangement seemed to be Jack. “What now, Don!” Jack groaned sitting up and yawning.

Don’s expression swiftly changed to uninterested, “Its bout th' new destination, re-rout'n.”

“Well where are we?”

“Branburgh”                                           

Jack raised an eyebrow, “huh?”

“Libertas Pecado… Cap’n, I have t' g't t' th' hull,” he dismissed himself then closed the door behind him.

Emily glared at Jack who seemed to be a thousand miles away.

“What is Branburgh, and the other name he said?” Emily queried.

“Wow, so soon,” he sighed, and went on staring into vast nothingness. His eyes flooding with memories

“Jack, can you please,” Emily started but was cut off by Jacks lack of interest.

“Jack!” Emily snapped.

Jack frowned, “Bilge water down me pants, what’s your problem?”

“Where the heck are we?” She said, to her surprise, with newfound confidence and attitude.

“Now I understand what the bloody hell you’re talking about,” he grinned, “Why tell ye? You can see for yourself.  Hurry up and get dressed, there’s a pile of shirts in there.”

“And what am I supposed to do about pants?” She closed her hands into fists on her hips.

“Well I’m all out so you’ll have to wait till I see Nemo, but I suppose I could always get one of the men to drop their draws and-”

“-Please don’t continue. I think I’ll just wait.”

Jack had left Emily alone in the room to change clothes. She opened up a large trunk with great difficulty. Inside was a huge pile which consisted of shirts and vests. She sunk her hand into the pile and pulled out a large white cotton shirt. She took off her dress and slipped into the shirt. It was large and it fell of her shoulders, but she was content that it came up to her knees. With a half-satisfied sigh she walked out the door. It was barely light and the sun in the distance was peering through the grey blanket of clouds. She looked around as the crew members rushed to and fro carrying barrels from under the dock to the land, with amused looks on their faces. She watched as Jack stood with his on his one leg, rested on a crate, shouting commands to everyone.