Saving The Pirate (Book Two)

5. A Game Of Truth Or Lie

When I was fourteen, my mother sent me into town to run errands. And I distinctly remember from that particular trip was overhearing two boys only a little older than me from across the street.

"Go on, do it, " encouraged the shaggy-haired boy.

The other boy, the freckled one, frowned and said, "why don't you do it? You're the one that brought it up."

They were daring each other to steal Rusty's bone. Rusty was a dirty old mutt that belonged to the man that worked one of the vendors in the market place. No one knew much about him, but they didn't need to, his dog took care of that.

I've seen Rusty act before. If anyone so much as came within three feet of him, he'd snap at you. That's why just about every boy in town was fascinated by him.

Call it a passage to manhood where I grew up, but that dog made history happen. I once saw Rusty nip off a finger off of a boy that dropped a coin to close to him.

That day, I stopped and watched in fascination as the two boys attempted the deadly dare.

Freckles sighed, giving up and tiptoed slowly near the sleeping dog.

Shaggy Hair observed from a distance but kept a close eye on his friend. Who knew, it could be the last we see of Freckles before he got attacked.

You could see that Freckles was trying his hardest not to look fearful, although you could see that the boy was shaking.

Once close (closer than I've ever seen anyone get), Freckles grabbed the bone lying next to the sleeping pooch.

Shaggy Hair's eyes practically were as big an apple seeing this, but he didn't dare make a sound.

To busy smiling, Freckles didn't see the mad dog pouncing upon him the next minute.

That's what I was thinking of as I crept down the stairs below deck to grab firewood.

Skip can't get to me, as Rusty could. Rusty was never tied up. That's how loyal he was to that man behind the vender, but he knew how to bite, just like Skip, who wasn't so faithful.

And just like those boys, I was all alone in the task. There was no vender man there for them that day, and there wasn't Christopher for me.

Of course, I could always ask Christopher, but how weak would that be? What would Christopher think?

I couldn't let that little thing ruin my pride.

So down I went until I hit the bottom of the steps. I then gazed out across the room and spotted some wood scattered across the floor from the storm.

All I needed were two small logs, and I would have Christopher or Fish (the only two that could be trusted to go down there) clean the mess up.

I wasn't even sure if I was allowed to go down there. I probably wasn't, which made for a perfect reason to do it in the first place.

Sucking in a breath, I walked down there with my head held high.

I reached for a log, trying not to look at Skip, although I already knew he was looking at me.

I swallowed and ignored him, going for another log.

"How's life with Pretty Boy, Lass?" Skip called out.

I gritted my teeth as I tried to balance the logs in my hands.

After not getting an answer, Skip tried again. "Heard ye ran off with another man."

I don't know why I did it; I shouldn't have, but I turned my head to look at him.

Skip smiled, seeing this. "Ahh, it's true then. Is that why that sea dog went after ye? Is that why yer down here?"