Contributor: Binary Agent

The man was like thousands of other pirates Helia has timidly served for years. He was dirty, unshaven, and wore ragged clothes. He was tall, with tough, stringy muscles and a scar cutting across his left bicep. His dark hair has pulled back, partly hidden underneath a frayed hat. He swaggered over to Helia and the slave. The boy backed away.


“What have we here?” He growled.


“A new slave, Jim.” He squeaked. Jim stared her up and down. Helia didn't back down, by now she was good and mad. They stared at each other for a moment, neither one even blinked. Finally the buccaneer broke into a wide grin and half turned away from Helia.


“Adam was wrong about you.” He started. “You've got plenty of spunk.” Jim laughed out loud. “But, I'm afraid we can't afford to let him take you. Not if you really worked in a tavern.” Helia looked at him incredulously. She thought back to meeting the pirates in the alley, how he had looked at her -- grabbed her dress. Helia's skin crawled. She shuddered. Jim laughed again.


“Now, I suppose that even if you hadn't worked there – you'd insist that you had!” He chuckled.


“What difference does it make anyway?” Helia demanded. “So what? Yes, I worked as a cook and server!” The pirate smiled again.


“We can loot, shoot, burn, rob, raze, drink, sail, rape, pillage, kill, destroy, and keelhaul.” Jim stated. “But a pirate can only live on beer and stale biscuits for so long. If you can cook – you'll be stuck in the galley!”