Lovesick [Jelsa] [Paused]

Chapter Two

The smell of the docks was overwhelming a bit to Jackson for it seemed increased by being near these men. "Let me go!" The boy shouted lividly as he kicked and squirmed. With one simple movement, he was thrown to the ground with such force that he went unconscious. The men smirked at one another before picking up his limp body.

When he awakened, he realized that the ground was swaying and questioned whether he was still on land or not. His eyes opened slowly and it hit him. He had been sold. Jackson startled when one of the men spoke to him; the shorter one that wasn't in as dreadful shape as the taller man.

"How are ya?" He asked with a devious grin, showing off his rotting yellow teeth like old pages in a book. No answer from the boy. "Well, you were jabbering only a while ago, kid, why not now?" Still no answer. His grin faded and his eyes glinted dangerously. "Answer me!" He shouted before the older man slapped him.

"Quinn! Just give the boy his job!" The smaller man, Quinn, scowled. "I was about to, Ramian!" He replied bitterly. Jackson wanted to run from these people. He didn't think that they even deserved to be called by human names. In fact, he thought that they would be better off without names at all.

Quinn turned to the boy, leaning closer to his face, propping his arms on his knees. The boy nearly gagged by how awful the stench was. "Watch the seas! Got that, lad? Jolly!" He then returned to his own job, leaving Jackson to do his. A soft sigh left his lips as he stared out over the rippling waves. On a normal day, it would've been beautiful, but now it was just a prison.

He could jump, apart from the fact that he knew not how to swim, only ice skate. But he was fortunate. He knew quite a lot about sailing and the sea. Possibly even more than the two men who he had been sold to, Ramian and Quinn. As he watched, he took notice of a few fish swimming below the surface. He was jealous. They were free unlike himself. Free in the place where he was trapped.

After a whole day of sailing, night fell and cool winds nipped at their now rosy faces. "Oi! Lad! Could you bring those blankets over to us?" Jackson nodded, going to get them. Realization hit him as he only saw two blankets. Not three, two. Slowly, he took them over to the men. "Now go over there and watch!" They commanded.

Jackson sat on the other side of the boat, longing for something to shield himself from the weather. Although the blankets were rough and filthy, it would've at least sheltered him. Yet here he was, staring off into the darkness to watch for any trouble that may befall them. Throughout the night, salty water splashed into his eyes, causing them to sting endlessly.

It was a challenge to stay awake from feeling so awful and being treated in such a way. But he knew he couldn't sleep. He was in too much discomfort to sleep on the wooden bottom of the boat. Then, he began to cough violently. His guess was that he may be ill from all these hours in such weather. Ill from being absent from his warm, welcoming bed. The one that he was always there for every night. However, he knew that he may never see that bed, nor his family ever again.