Life is Stranger

Last Day on Earth

"Sir?"

"You decide. Which one of these pathetic vermin should I slaughter?"

"Too easy, sir. Her."

"No. Not her. You don't kill the likes of that. Pick again."

"But sir, she is dangerous, and she..."

"Enough! Do not question me! What I say goes. My word is law. And my word is final. Understood?"

"Yes sir. Him. This one here."

"Alright. You can breathe. You can blink. You can cry. You will all be crying soon."

The young girl didn't move a muscle as warm blood, bone and brain showered down over her kneeling form. Her face displayed no reaction to the strangled gurgling of the dying boy next to her. The captain swung the bludgeon one last time and then returned to the young girl. He pointed the bloodied stick at her face.

"Look at this. That poor boy just paid the price for your actions today. The least that you can do is take a look at his remains. You owe him that, surely?"

She did not look at the weapon. Her steel-grey eyes met the gaze of her tormentor instead.

"I am going to kill you."

"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that."

"It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. I don't care how long it takes. But one day your time will come, and I will be there when it does. You murdered my parents. You slew my friends – harmless, gentle, peaceful people who never wanted to hurt anyone. You feasted upon their flesh. You destroyed my home. I am going to end you."

"I think not, young miss."

The bludgeon struck the crown of her head and her world faded to black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When she awoke she found herself lying upon a floor of rough wooden boards. The rocking motion beneath her told her that they were already at sea. She could feel the soreness where the club had struck her skull. Painfully opening her eyes she saw bars, and beyond them the figure of a man bent over a table studying something. He turned suddenly.

"If you weren't behind those bars I would have killed you already. Think yourself lucky, little girl."

"You are the lucky one."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. If these bars were not between us I would have killed you already."

Sam spat at her through the cage. "I am going to take great pleasure in watching you suffer, bitch."

He left the cabin and it was mere moments before the captain entered.

"How are you feeling? I hope your head isn't too painful. I tried to strike you only as hard as was strictly necessary."

"I am fit enough to fight."

"I don't doubt it. You truly are a remarkable young lady. I've never met anyone quite like you in all my time on earth."

"Your time on earth is running out."

"I don't think you fully understand the gravity of the predicament that you are now in. We are at sea, far from any land. Even if you were to somehow escape that cage and make your way undetected through a ship full of incredibly aggrieved men intent on having their sordid way with you before ripping you apart and feasting upon your cadaver, there is nowhere for you to swim to. You would drown."

"Death would be better than being in this cage."

"You don't have to be in there, you know? I didn't put you in there solely for my own protection. You are in there for your own protection, also."

"You expect my gratitude?"

"You did kill their friends and family."

"You murdered mine. The scales are balanced."

"Indeed they are. So where do we go from here, you and I?"

"I have already told you. You and I go nowhere. I am going to kill you."

The ageing pirate sighed then slid a tray of food under the bars. "You should eat. You must be hungry. You've been out for quite some time."

"What is it?"

"It's deer."

"With some human on the side? My parents?"

"No. No, I promise it's just deer meat. One of the fine beasts from your old home, actually. They really are most delicious."

"I would rather starve to death than eat anything that you give to me. I will never believe a single word that spills from your lips."

"I have been quite honest with you. I may be a vicious pirate, but I am a man of my word. Do you really want this to be your last day on earth? It doesn't have to be this way. I can give you the finest of foods, the most gorgeous of garments, take you to places of such beauty. The whole world could be your oyster. You see that bed over there? You could sleep in that instead of on the floor. All you have to do is let go of the past and look to the future. I think that's the only way I'm going to be able to convince the others."

"Convince them of what?"

"That you can come around. You're strong. You have heart. You're loyal. And you're...special."

He took the young girl's hand that was clasped around one of the bars and caressed it lovingly. "Very, very special. Please, tell me your name."

There was a sudden, harsh crack and the captain recoiled back towards the table, his arm folded into his midriff.

"You stupid little bitch! You are making it increasingly difficult to keep you alive. What am I supposed to tell the others now?"

"Selene."

"What?"

"You can tell them that Selene is the name of the little girl that broke your filthy fingers."