Chapter Three: Into the Dark

Sal Rankin, prisoner of the Jolly Roger, had foreseen his compatriot's death, yet the sight of his drying blood upon enemy decks stilled the last flutter of hope within his breast.

His palms were slick with blood and sweat, for he had been worrying at the rough hemp bonds that stilled his vengeful hands, and beside him the other prisoners were silent, some slumped in sleep or despair, others from the wounds to which they had finally succumbed. The crew of the enemy ship seemed restless and worried, but as the bo'sun had called out his captain's orders there came a collective groan of despair from all prisoners able. Cooley had not killed the enemy; they were well and truly defeated.

" That's it, lads," Rankin muttered to his former crewmates. " We're in for it now. Cooley the fool couldn't wait until a proper time an' now he's ruined it for all of us."

" He should 'ave given me the dagger," muttered a pirate named Jarvers. " Cooley always did fancy 'imself cap'n material, but he was too daft to do the job proper."

" An' you reckon you could have?" snarled another pirate called Smith, and instantly there was an uproar of arguing amid them.

" Shut yer scurvy mouths, yew scum!" came a bellow from amidships; it was the Alsatian Foggerty shouting, for he had taken watch over them for half the night, and was in high bad temper over his election. At once, with many a mutinous scowl, the prisoners ceased their fretting. Amid the ensuing silence they heard a strange sharp singing sound coming from the galley, high and rhythmic, and knew at once that it was the sound of blades being sharpened. And at once they knew that those blades were meant for them.

The prisoners did not speak again that night.

* * *

Mason and Starkey were the only crewmen Smee trusted in knowing of his intention to leave the ship on errand, and thus they were the only two present and aware at the lowering of the lifeboat containing the bo'sun into the calm, dark sea. But even to them he did not reveal the true nature of his errand; his excuse was that he was to gather herbs from the mainland. Shrewdly he maintained that he was the only one who knew of such herbs and where to find them, and thus could not send out other crewmen. However, upon their conversation Noodler had blundered, and immediately demanded to know why Smee would not take another pirate with him, for in truth he was dying to get away from the ship for a while. No answer Smee could think of would sate Noodler's inquiries, and finally he gave up.

Perhaps he will be useful after all, thought Smee at length, and bid Noodler to come aboard with him. Starkey and Mason exchanged glances with raised eyebrows, and Smee nodded briefly at them, confirming their suspicions. Understanding, they nodded back, and Noodler looked upon them bewildered, but held his tongue and hopped gladly into the little boat.

" Don't worry then, Smee," said Mason gruffly, and there was honesty in his voice. " We'll look after the ship while you're gone."

" Aye, my fine fellow; no more prisoners will be cast of their bonds on our watch," followed Starkey, who tipped his hat politely in farewell1. " Do hurry back, however; Cookson is preparing a fine supper from the Shark's rations."

" Aye aye," replied Smee, and paddled the boat out into the dark water, headed toward the invisible shore.

" Supper?" said Noodler after a while of silent sailing. " We ain't had a proper supper in…gaw, I can't remember 'ow long. We'll be back to the ship soon, won't we, Mr. Smee?"

" Of course, cully," replied Smee. " I'm just as hungry as you are. A good supper sounds like just the thing to gets us in proper form again. Here, there's the shore; help me drag the boat up there, will you?"

Noodler did so without reply, for he was dreaming of his supper to come, which unbeknownst to him was actually never to come, and he only stopped dragging the poor boat across the sand when Smee grabbed his sleeve and towed him into the forest with a finger to his lips.

" Where are we going?" asked Noodler in his quietest whisper, but Smee merely shook his head, finger still to his lips, and continued dragging the pirate deeper into the darkness where he had never been before. Noodler thought to mention this, but as one of his wiser decisions he did not, for also unbeknownst to him he was being watched intently by a myriad of hungry eyes.

Presently they came to the base of a great rock set into the land; the moon shone brightly upon it and lit it up well, and Noodler could see that a jagged hole was made in the base of it, taller than a man and much wider, making a cave.

" The, er, herbs grow here, in this cave," said Smee, and his voice was trembling. At once he seemed to catch this, and quickly said, "My, it is cold in this clearing, ain't it, matey? I'm all of a-tremble."

" As am I," said Noodler slowly, " but 'tis fear from which I shake, me hearty. Something here don't want us here, methinks." He put his hand upon his cutlass and in the moonlight his knuckles were white.

" Nonsense," said Smee rather sharply. " I've been here before an' nothing's happened. 'Tis the cold an' nothing more; we've only rags to keep it from us, after all."

Noodler did not answer this, but forced himself to follow Smee into the mouth of the cave. Presently, however, he could stand it no more, and stopped, catching Smee by the arm.

" Listen, Mr. Smee," he said in a hushed and frightened tone, " I can't go any further; I'm too affrighted an' I'll admit it. Let's go now." And he began tugging Smee toward the door.

The bo'sun wrenched his arm away and hissed, " The Cap'n needs these herbs, cully; if you leave here it's mutiny, and I'll tell." Johnny Corkscrew made his appearance then, held to Noodler's belly.

It was at this tense moment that a voice came from deeper into the cave, permeating every crack and fissure in the rock and in the pirates' souls. It was a terrible voice, hissing and low, ageless and unendingly intelligent. As both of them froze there came a flicker of light from the origin of the voice, and suddenly the area was bathed in light as a blue flame erupted in the centre of the cave, throwing shadows across them.

At the sight of the creature Noodler moaned in terror, and in his daze of horror spittle shone upon his chin. Smee still held Johnny Corkscrew aloft, his gazed fixed on the creature.

" Ah, Smee the bo'sun," it said, not unkindly, and there came the dry rustle of scaly movement. " I remember your captain well, and just as well do I remember your loyalty to him. I admire it, which is why I did not kill you the moment you stepped into the darkness of my home. But I am hungry, Smee, I must admit… who is this lowly creature cowering by your side?"

Smee stood still a moment, as if wrestling with himself, and suddenly he gave a great jab with Johnny Corkscrew into the back of Noodler, who surged foreward with a yell, right into the waiting arms of the creature. The arms were impossibly long and bony and they held him in a terrible grip, and Noodler found himself drowning in the vast black pools of the creatures eyes, set in a face that was oddly human and entrancingly beautiful.

" Hello, child," it whispered at length. " I am Yekin, and you belong to me now."

The creature bent its serpentine neck over Noodler and put its delicate mouth over the pirate's eyes, and drew in a great breath. Noodler stiffened, and then relaxed as his bones appeared to melt within his body, which at length began to shimmer and then finally disappear just as the creature stopped its long breath.

" Ahhhh," hissed Yekin, a smile upon his fangs. " That is much better. I thank you, Smee, for your sacrifice." And then he uncoiled his great white legless body, long and muscled and scaly like a snake, and Smee heard the bones of his long and prominent spine pop as he stretched.

" G…glad you enjoyed it, Yekin, sir," floundered pathetic Smee.

" Rewarding as your company has been," said Yekin, his hairless head bright in the light of the flame, "you have yet to tell me exactly why you are here. I saw your ship this evening, sailing home, but James Hook was not perched like a proud eagle upon its bow, and no singing came forth from the decks. Oddly silent was your journey home, and unsettling to one who is well versed in the subtleties of your lifestyle, Smee." The tail twitched as if in emphasis.

" 'Tis true, 'twas a somber journey, sir," said Smee pitifully, " for out on the great waters we did find victory over another ship, and took many prisoners, but one of them got hold of a dagger an' got loose. The Cap'n was stabbed with it. He struck back and killed the mutinous scug, but the damage was done. He's lyin' in 'is chambers now, sir, an' I don't think he'll be alive to see the sun tomorrow."

" And sunrise, you realise, is in but a few hours," said Yekin, and his voice was more gentle than it could have been.

Smee's face fell in defeat.

Slowly Yekin moved foreword to the terrified pirate so that he might have a better look at him, and squinting his black eyes he bared his fangs in an understanding smile.

" You have come to ask for my help," he said at last. " I understand now. I hardly thought it was merely for company; I have not had such since your captain sat with me in my cave and nursed me back to health those long years ago. He had his hand then, I remember. I have yet to understand, in all my great years, why he helped me."

" As does he," ventured Smee. " Something came over him that night, he says, and he still don't know what it was that made him stay an' help you."

" He was the first creature that did not fear me," mused Yekin. " Mystified as I was at that, and as well as he helped me, I made it clear to him then that he would not have the favour returned. It was his choice to save me."

" So he said before I left for here," said Smee sadly. " He bid me not come, but I disobeyed him, unforgivable as that is… I thought I would at least try."

" Did you not reckon that I might have killed you for trespassing, and might yet? And perhaps even gone back to your ship and killed every man on board as punishment for your foolhardy thick-headedness?"

" I reckoned," moaned Smee. " The Cap'n said as much."

" Then he did not harbour false hope. He truly is as wise as I imagined. I am impressed by this, bo'sun Smee, as I am by your bravery, pathetic though your devotion is." Yekin slithered foreword a touch.

Smee flinched. " I don't mind if ye kill me now, sir, but please do it quick."

After a long pause Yekin sighed, and it was like a great wind throughout the cave. "No, little pirate," he said at last, " tonight is not your night to die. Nor is it, by my choice, your captain's. Though I did not intend to repay Hook for his kindness, I have not forgotten his deed. I have had many wonderful meals since, ones that I would not have been alive to enjoy had he not come to my aid, inexplicable as it was that he did so. For that I think he is worthy of my help, and you, Smee, for your bravery and loyalty, are worthy of living another day."

Smee stood looking up at the creature, but he could find no words.

" Come, Smee," said Yekin, moving for the door. " You may ride upon my back; your captain will be dead before you can sail that little boat back over the water."

Terrified though he was, Smee did not hesitate to climb upon the undulating spine and cling to the scales for dear life. " Thank you," he managed to sputter, and Yekin again marveled at the courage of the little mortal astride him.

Without a word they set out into the night, and even the greatest beasts of prey fled from their path.

1: Peter Pan, pg. 65:

" …And Gentleman Starkey, once an usher in a public school and still dainty in his ways of killing…"