The Blac Seas

Aruba, 1696

Father!Jonathan stirred. "Father is that ye?"

His eyes opened a little and his world was a little blurry. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to see his son standing at the end of the alley. He tried to collect his thoughts as the boy ran up to him.

"It is ye father!" the boy exclaimed. "Are ye alright?"

He looked over his father, his eyes settling over Jonathan's stomach area. Fright crossed the boys face and his father reached up grabbing the boy's shoulder. "It's alright Jack."

"But yer dying father," he said not believing the words he himself just spoke.

"Everyone at some point must do so son. I myself was happy to have my first time. That was until I met yer mother."

The fright on young Jack's face was now replaced with confusion. "What do ye mean?"

"There are things in this world that many people don't fully understand," he began. "My time is short so I'll explain it the best I can."

"Father yer not going to die," Jack protested trying to contradict his earlier words.

"Just listen son," his father said as he lifted his hand to put a stop to Jack's protest. "Blackbeard is not man but one of the vilest demons this world has seen."

"Demon?" Jack said in almost a whisper.

"Yes. They are around us all and their goal is to enslave mankind. The blood of demons run through me veins and yers."

Jack stepped back in revulsion. How could is father say something like this, he thought. "I don't believe it."

"Whether you do or not, it's true and one day ye will have to face it," his father said sternly. "My mother was a demon which past into me. I died once but Blackbeard brought me back and now he seeks me."

"Why?"

"Because I betrayed him," he answered solemnly. "Listen Jack, you must go and protect yer mother and sister. Do not let Blackbeard find them or they will pay fer me treachery."

"I will not leave ye father."

"Ye must and ye will." He looked at his son with a look that said Jack was going to listen without argument. Jack knew that look and wanted to protest but he knew his father wasn't going to have it. Instead he turned around, heading back the way he came.

"Son," Jonathan called after his son. Jack turned around to regard his father. "I love ye. Yer sister and mother too. Never forget that."

"I won't."

Then Jack was gone. Jonathan set his head back and closed his eyes. The memory of seeing his wife for the first time flooded in before death's grasp took him from the world.

——

Once

the cannon bombardment ended, Blackbeard's pirate crew landed onshore and began their pillaging of the town. While the men attempted to fight off the pirates, the women and children attempted to flee. Anyone that didn't manage to flee was cut down viciously.

Jack stuck to the shadows. His mind burned with fury. He wanted to pick up a sword or pistol and fight the pirates off. The only thing stopping him was his father's command to get back to his mother and sister. He hoped once he got them to safety, the pirates would still be here for him to fight.

Soon he was out of the town. His house was on a hill overlooking the town and port, just outside the town. He took the road that lead straight to his house and just as he crested the top of the hill he saw flames.

"Nooo!" he screamed once he got a full glimpse of his home burning.

He looked around for any signs of his mother or sister and only found a group of pirates starring back at him. At the lead of the group stood a tall and massively built man with a long black beard. Jack picked up a large branch lying to the side of the road and charged. One of the pirates stepped forward impeding his charge. Jack brought the branch around, aiming for the pirate's head. The pirate threw his arm up blocking the branch; it shattered on impact.

The pirate laughed at Jack, but it was just the distraction he hoped for. He reached in and grabbed the pirate's sword, then slammed it home straight into his heart. The pirate gripped his chest before falling to the ground. Jack looked at the pirate with the black beard and smiled.

He pulled the sword free and charged. Another of the pirate's began to step in front of the charging boy, but their leader waved him aside leaving the path clear for Jack. Jack was all too happy for that. He'd kill the leader then slay each and every pirate. The leader just stood there not even going for his sword. All the better, Jack thought.

He stepped in and thrust at the leader. With lightning speed the leader sidestepped; Jack completely missed him. Then with the force of a hammer, the leader slammed the back of his hand across Jack's face. Jack spun and lost grip of the sword before hitting face first into the ground. He lay still for a moment before pushing himself up. The leader put his foot on Jack's back and pushed him back to the ground. The pirates all around gave a heartily laugh at the spectacle.

Jack lifted his head and turned it to look at the pirate leader through tears. Blood poured freely from his broken nose leaving a pool of blood under him. "Ye bastard," he managed to say when the pirate looked down at him.

I like him.

Blackbeard said.

He has spirit, like his father.

Blackbeard removed his foot from Jack's back, and then kicked him in the face, flattening the boy to the ground.

Maybe when he's older I'll recruit him.

He said walking off.

——

The

pillaging didn't last long after the burning of young Jack's house. Just as fast as the pirates came they were gone. Shops and homes were damaged from cannons or still on fire, set by the pirates in the pillage.

It was early morning before Jack finally woke. His nose had stopped bleeding. Blood and dirt was caked to the side of his face. He stood, grabbed the sides of his nose and reset it. He held back the cry of pain and stood steadying himself from the dizziness that accompanied the pain. When it went away he took one final look at what was once his home and turned to head into town. A sudden noise stopped him. He spun around looking toward the burnt house from where the noise came from.

Nothing.

He was about to dismiss the noise when it came again. Was that his name called? He thought. Then it came again. He ran over searching for an answer. He was scanning the wreckage when out of the corner of his eye he saw movement. Turning to his right he ran over to see a limp human form struggling to get up.

Me sister

!

He couldn't believe his eyes. His sister was there in the flesh and alive. He had no idea how, but he was thankful to see her there. "Anne!" he yelled.

He rushed to her side and helped her to her feet. He looked her over and could find one sign that she was burned or anything. The only odd thing was she was naked and upon inspection of the immediate area around her there wasn't any sign of her clothing.

"How did ye survive?" he asked her.

Anne looked at him curiously as if she was struggling to find a memory of something but couldn't find it. Eventually she said, "I don't know."

"Well we will figure it out," he said. "Wait here a second."

Jack ran over to a small shed his father had built and retrieved a blanket and returned to his sister. "Here," he said. "Put this on."

Jack helped to cover his sister and with his arm around her shoulders, guided her away from the burnt ruins of their old home.