a

Catch of the Day

by Virgo 79
August 2, 2005

Jack's head throbbed where he'd struck it on something when the red-bearded sailor had shoved him back into the narrow galley, after he'd been discovered as a stowaway.

After the cry had gone up above decks, and the man hadn't seemed very interested in Jack anymore. "Mermaid!" someone had shouted, and Jack had never known a single word could hold so much terror. "Mermaid in the net!"

The cut he'd suffered behind his ear had bled down his neck, itchy and sticky beneath his collar. His legs and back ached from the time he'd spent curled without relief in the same position. A twinge in his right calf had become a full-blown, knifelike cramp some time ago. He made no move to reach for it, to try to massage it out. He had forgotten, for a while, that it hurt at all.

Jesus Christ, where are the goddamned guns? Kill her! Kill the bitch, kill her, killherohjesusshesoutshesoutshes--

His hands ached, knuckles rigid and locked, his nails drawing oozing crescents from his palms. He'd attempted a few Hail Mary's, but all the screaming distracted him, and he kept forgetting the words. Some part of him perversely longed for the screams when they had stopped, because they had cloaked the other, quieter, wetter sounds that made their way to him in the absence of all other noise. They went on and on, muffled and indistinct, and somehow more horrible for it.

When he tasted blood, Jack's first thought was that he'd bitten through his tongue in his efforts to keep silent, but then he drew a breath, and realized he wasn't tasting. He was smelling.

Later, as his stomach ached, empty some four or five days, Jack wondered if she really hadn't know he'd been there, or if she'd simply been too full to bother with him.

~.~

Want more of Young!Jack and the Mermaid? Go on to the six-part Salvage.

All our authors thrive on feedback. Email the Webmaster to have comments forwarded to the author.

Back to One-Shots Menu