Chapter 3

While waiting for Captains Hook´s return, I ran through my alternatives in my mind. They where depressingly few. I could break a window and jump into the sea. Then I would surely drown, because the ship was sailing and not anchored close to a shore. I could give in, letting the Captain carry out his plan for me. I could try to fight back.

I decided on the last option. I knew my chances on being succesful was next to none, but I felt I had to try. I owned that to myself and to Peter, who never would have given in without a fight. Deep in the pocket of my tea- gown I found a pair of embroidery scissors. The scissors were small, but very sharp and pointy. I figured that if I could stick it into his neck I could do some damage. What was to happen if I succeded I didn´t have time to think of, as the Captain entered again. I had hid the hand that held the scissors in the fold of my gown, placing myself in the middle of the cabin.

The Captain went for me without a word, putting his hand around my neck and kissing me hard. I had been kissed before, of course I had, but never like that. His mouth took possesion of mine, ravaging it, seeking pleasure only for him. I let him do it and when he lowered his face and kissed me on my neck I raised my arm and stabbed at him.

And missed. A red gash showed up on his skin, but it was not deep, just a few drops of blood. He swore and hit me over the face with such force that I stumbled and dropped the scissors. He then hit me again. And again.

I don´t know for how long he hit me, you don´t really pay attention to time when someone is beating you. The pain is everywhere and all your concentration focus on protecting yourself as well as possible. When it ended I had curled myself up into a ball on the floor, hoping nothing vital was broken. I would like to say that I took it all in ladylike silence, but the truth is I didn´t. I begged and I cried for him to stop, over and over again. He lifted me and carried me to the bed. Then he picked up the scissors and left, without a word.

For a long time I lay awake, not daring to move, but eventually I dropped of to sleep. It was a disturbed slumber, I don´t know how many times I awoke, sometimes from the pain, sometimes from a bad dream. Sometimes I thought I heard screams. Yes, it was a bad night and I dreaded the morning that would follow.

I woke up in the morning when the young man, who had come with my dinner and bag, entered the room. He was carrying a teapot and a cup. He disposed of it on the table and came to my bed, watching me with something that looked like concern.

I was hurting all over and I thought I must have been very badly hurt. But after studying me for a while the man looked relieved and spoke for the first time, in an accent I thought must be French;

"You are lucky that the Captain knows how to hit people." "Lucky", I said, "I don´t feel very lucky!" "Let´s see. Does it hurt to breath? Does your stomach hurt? Or your back? Have you lost any of your teeths? Are you dizzy?!

I considered his questions and found that I could answer them all with a no. Yes, I hurt all over, but all over was located on my arms and legs, when I thought about it. Big bruises was forming over them and my face hurt, but nothing else.

"See," the man continued "a man who don´t know how to beat someone properly may overdoe it. He may break a bone, a rib, a kidney, something worse and voila, you end up dead. But with the Captain you can be sure you end up exactly as he intends you to. In a day or two you will be fine again. Come on, get up and drink your tea, the Captain wants you outside."

With his help I was able to sit down at the table. I was very stiff and it hurt to move, but I felt he was right when he said it was only temporay.

"My name is Wendy." I told him. "What is yours?" "They call me Frog here." I must have looked a bit surprised, he didn´t look very froglike to me, so he added; "For being French."

While I was drinking my tea he was standing in front of me and I had a feeling he wanted to tell me something. Eventually he said;

"I don´t like rape." "Excuse me?" "I don´t like it, it is wrong. You woe a woman with words, music, and when you succed it is much sweeter than just taking against her will. My old captain, Captain Red, he once tell me to rape this woman. She was very beautiful and I was very much in love with her. But I said no, I don´t want to. Captain Red was very angry, but then I came up with a very clever plan and there was no rape at all." "What happened to her?" I asked. Frog shrugged; "She got married. To a prat. It was a long time ago." "Why do you sail with Captain Hook now. You seem much too nice to me." "This used to be Captain Red´s ship. After Hook killed him I stayed on." Frog paused for a while and the continued, a sudden spark of anger in his voice; "Sometimes one do what one has to do, to survive."

I had finished my tea and actually felt a little hungry. I asked Frog if he could bring any breakfast, but he declined, looking a bit uncomfortable; "Ah, no, Miss. I think it would be better with breakfast later. We have to get out now. I hope it wont take long." "What would not take long," I wondered. When we came out on deck the answer was all too clear. A wave of nausea swept over me.

The whole crew was standing on deck, all facing an open space just outside the cabin door. The Captain was there, bowing deeply when he saw me. He was in his shirtsleeves, which surprised me, as I had always seen him dressed in waistcoat and coat before. Two pirates was holding another man between them and when I saw him I gulped for air. My experience from the night before was nothing on what this man must have endured. I don´t think he would have been able to stand of his own. His shirt had been removed and his upper body was covered in bruises and long bleeding slashes. He had bled from his mouth and nose, which must have been broken. I don´t think he was able to see anything, as the flesh around his eyes were so swollen. And horros of horros, both his ears was missing. The man was pleading, slurring on the words;

"Please, please. I didn´t mean to. I never thought. Please don´t. Please." "This man", the Capatain said, "is the man who so carelessly overlooked certain items in you luggage, my sweet Wendy"

I couldn´t speak. It was so horrible. I remembered the scrams I had heard, it must have been this poor man. The man moved a little when he heard the Captains voice;

"Captain. Sir. Please forgive me." "My dear man." The Captains voice purred as he approached him. "Of course I forgive you. Your mistake was a just trifle thing that happened to endanger my life."

I could feel Frog tense behind me. It happened very fast. The Captains claw flashed out over the man´s throat, blood spurted and the man spasmed and then hung limp. The men who had been holding him let him go and he fell heavily on the deck. That was when I screamed. The Captain turned to me, holding out his claw. Blood was dripping from it and blood had spattered his white shirt.

You see, my beauty, you did manage to get a man killed. Not the one you had in mind perhaps. And with so much unnessecary pain, both for you and him."

I thought he was going to touch me with the claw. I turned from him, bile rising in my throat and bumped blindly into Frog. He took a firm grip of my arms and led me to the side of the ship, were I throw up, helplessly shaking. Frog helped me back to the cabin. He gave me what was left of the tea to rinse the taste of vomit out of my mouth. I was shaking so badly that he had to hold the cup for me. I understood now, why he hadn´t brought me food this morning.

"Oh Frog", I cried, "You have to help me." "I will Miss. But I can´t do anything until we reach land. Tomorrow we should be in Neverland. I will try to get us out then."

He took one of my hands in one of his, the grip firm and somehow reasuring. I felt a little better knowing I had at one friend on the ship. Then he quickly let go as the Captain entered the cabin again.

End of Chapter 3