Black Sea

Four

The door from the stairs above opened once more, a thin framed figure silhouetted from the light behind them as they descended the stairs. Andrie sighed as they reached the bottom, confirming that it was yet another pirate stranger come to keep watch.

"Twenty-five," she mumbled to herself, hugging her knees even tighter to her chest than before. She had no idea how long she'd been on their ship, traveling to who knew where.

All she knew was that her water drenched clothes remained damp and sticky to her skin because of the humid lower level she was trapped in. and for as long as her eyes remained open, she never saw any guard twice.

The young, new pirate threw a quick glance her way as he approached the older heap who'd fallen asleep against the wall. With the lamp light illuminating his face, Andrie was surprised by how much younger he was than everyone else she'd seen so far. He couldn't have been more than a teenager, his face keeping hold of a childlike softness while sporting sharp angled cheekbones of manhood. His build was slight; all long arms and long legs.

He looked gentle enough that the right moment and shove would be all she needed to break free. Andrie bit down hard on her lower lip, fighting to keep her face unreadable as she continued on watching.

The boy had turned his back to her, staring down contemplatively at his shipmate, wondering the best way to awaken him. Short on time, he steeled himself before kicking the man's booted foot.

The pirate jumped awake to a sitting position, a gun drawn and aimed at the boy quicker than Andrie would've expected. His eyes were wide and wild, likely expecting her rather than the boy before him. "What the blazes, boy, I'd have shot you!" he bellowed, lowering the gun down beside him slowly, as if still contemplating the action. "What are ye doing down here, mate?"

"Captain's orders," the boy replied, a visible sigh of relief raking through his body as the gun finally found the floor. "He needs ya up top, told me to switch out with you."

"Why you?" the man asked skeptically.

"Only one not of use," he answered bashfully. He looked down at his feet, clearly embarrassed to admit it. "He called for all hands to help scavenge supplies. Thax went out to find market and Deacon needs an extra hand clearing the ship damage. Captain told me to swap with ya; more effective that way."

"Aye," the man agreed, stretching his body with several loud pops of his joints. He rose to his feet, sleep weary eyes finding Andrie in her folded, cowering position. "Don't be fooled by 'er, lad. No matter how scared and sad she looks, the lass is a sea demon who'd drag yer soul to the ocean depths if ye let 'er. Ne'er look in 'er eyes or take heed of 'er voice. She needn't sing to destroy ye will."

With those words, the pirate walked around the boy and disappeared up the stairs he'd come.

Andrie watched her new, young guard try everything possible to avoid her gaze. He stood in place for a moment before turning and pacing the long space nervously. His eyes stayed to the ground, his hands opening and closing into fists.

It only took a few minutes for his repetitive movements to push Andrie further towards madness. "Do you mind staying in one spot? All your pacing is driving me insane," she told him. He stopped for a moment, his back turned to her, and she felt a pang of hope that he would treat her more humanely than her other captors.

That hope cracked when he returned to his pacing.

"Would you believe me if I said your pacing was going to wear a hole in the ship?" she added sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"No," he responded, wincing immediately at the verbal reflex.

Andrie looked up at him, surprised he answered. Even if unintentional, it was the most conversation she had in hours.

"You spoke to me," she ventured, leaning forward slightly. "And you didn't die. Doesn't that sort of disprove what your ship buddies have been telling you?" His pacing grew quicker and her anxiety pulsed harder within her, spurring her on desperately. "I'm not going to hurt you or anyone else on this ship. I can't. I'm not the monster you all think I am. I'm just a girl who jumped in the Unforgiving Sea thinking it was going to end her miserable life."

A sob bubbled up in her throat, making her choke slightly and drawing his attention once more.

He paused in his movements, looking over his shoulder at her, teeth clamped down on her bottom lip as if to keep himself quiet. After a few more seconds of hearing Andrie cough on her cries, he sighed to himself in defeat. "You alright?" he asked softly, as though wishing it were low enough for her not to hear.

Andrie let out another hard, painful cough that left her throat sore. She swallowed what spit she could muster, hoping to dampen the airway once more. "That is a trick question, really, because depending on who you ask, the answer might be that I never was."

"But I'm asking you," he replied stubbornly.

Andrie fought to hold back the smirk attempting to quirk at her lips. "And my answer is, that I never really was." His brows drew down at the words but she could see the curiosity in his face. "Something tells me though that choking on my own tears would be a much pleasanter death than what you all have in store for me."

"We're not going to kill you," he said pointedly, an undertone of guilt showing through.

"Whether it's you, or someone else, I'm going to die," Andrie replied back bitterly. "All because you idiots think I'm something I'm not. Something, might I add, that does not exist."

There was a loud thump and crash followed by husky laughter from above and Andrie folded in on herself more. A moment of coincidence, the actions still felt like a direct response to her words. As if to say, no matter how much she wished and insisted otherwise, she was the fool. A tear rolled down her cheek and she swiped at it gruffly, refusing to look weaker.Andrie had dove into the Black Sea with the intent of death, and though it wasn't how she imagined it, it was still clearly meant to happen.

The boy spoke into her silence, as if knowing the exact thought going through her mind in that moment. "If you were really in the water because you were trying to kill yourself, what does it matter to you how ya die?"

"If I'm really just some monster, what does it matter to you my impending death?" Andrie stared him down as he fidgeted nervously, unsure of how to respond back to her. She scoffed amused by the small yet pointless victory. "That's right, because I'm human. Just like you."