Cursed and Sealed (ONC 2020)

Chapter 6 - Hasty Decisions

"Henri!" My voice rang out on the deck searching for him among the crew and the girls. The sun was beginning to set and the people out were dwindling fast. 

"I need Henri, have you seen him?" I asked one of the crew who was a younger guy. His blonde hair looked like it needed a good wash, but underneath the dirt he was handsome. 

"No mam, I imagine he is probably in his cabin. What's wrong?" He asked me putting down the bronze telescope he was holding. 

"Irene, she passed out. She's in the cargo hold area." I said quickly as the adrenaline pumped through me. 

"I can you help you, take me to her." He said and we both jetted down back to the cargo area where Irene laid still. He leaned next to her putting his finger on her neck to check her pulse.

"She is breathing, do you know what caused her to pass out?" He asked and I shrugged not wanting to tell him the truth. If I told him I was cursed and had the mark of a witch on my chest I would surely be burned at the stake. That I was surrounded by demons haunting me all the time then I would be marked as insane. 

"I'm not sure, I was going to look inside to get some of my belongings and then she just passed out. That's when I ran up to get help." I said and he leaned down to scoop Irene up in his arms which were awfully strong from working the sails of the ship and doing hard labor. His face was young, but seemed to be more mature than most older men I knew.

"Thank you, can we bring her back to the bunk room? I can take care of her after that. I never got your name by the way?" I asked him as we made our way up the noisy stairwell and to the dim bunk room. He had to bend down from being too tall and the ceiling being so low.

"My name is Jean." He said and his French accent was thick, even more so than Henri's. If there was anytime to ask about him it would be now. He laid Irene down on her perfectly made bunk and she laid there with her chest rising and falling. I looked up at Jean who was at least a foot taller than me. He reminded me of my brother back in Sussex. He was tall like him with the same sandy brown hair. My heart ached for a second until my eyes landed back on Irene who was even paler than I remember.

Jean stepped back taking a look at Irene and then looked at me. His eyes held suspicion and tension as he looked from me to Irene and part of me wanted to run in this moment. It was like he could see right through me with his crystal blue eyes. 

"Are you sure that you will be alright here with her?" he asked confirming my fear. He knew something wasn't right about me. I knew there was something clearly wrong with me and I shook from the fear of having that revealed. I clutched the apron of my dress and took a deep breath in before looking him in the eye. If I was going to survive this, then I need to remain calm. 

"Thank you Jean. I'll make sure she is alright. I'm sure Marie or Claire will be here soon anyways." I spoke clearly with my head held high even though I wanted to curl into a ball and disappear. If there was one thing I learned from my mother, it was that in times where your social status was being questioned, you never back down.

Jean nodded and then stepped out of the room leaving me with Irene who was at least peaceful. Would she wake up and remember what happened? Would she accuse me of being a witch or the devil itself? Fear rushed through me and I wanted to escape, but then a voice brought me back to the real world once again.

"Is she okay?" I heard Claire's voice as she came rushing towards us. "What happened?" Claire's eyes were as big as sauciers as she looked from me to Irene and I wasn't sure if I could tell her or anyone the truth. I wanted someone to know that I was cursed and my very being wanted to vent, cry, and scream about it. I held back though, I needed to stay alive.