Chapter 5

Sid Vicious

Locke walked past his sisters room and figured it'd be best not to wake her. He creeped his way through the house making his way down the stairs and across the kitchen. He looked out for the squeaky floorboards, tiptoeing around them. He approached the door and opened it in a swift motion to avoid it's usual creaks. Closing it would not be so easy. He attempted to shut it gently behind him, but unsurprisingly it creaked and wailed anyway as if trying to alert Lenore. He shushed the door over and over as it closed but it did not abide his pleas. Locke thought briefly about their conversation the other day. He knew she wouldn't be thrilled with him going to see the pirates, but he figured what harm would a conversation do. Finally, *click* and the door was shut. He let out a sigh of relief. The final gatekeeper had been passed and he had made it outside. His mind swirled, remembering his excitement at the sight of the ship in the bay, in contrast to the spiral of boredom he found himself in on a daily basis. With vigor he began his trek back down to the Medicus’ hut.

The moon was still high in the sky and the cool night air chilled his skeleton. He propelled himself forward, his feet bounding step by step until he broke out into a running stride. He winded down the hill and cut through the Hollywood’s fields. He and Bellamy had run through them all the time as kids, getting lost in the tall crops and wrestling a top the small ones. He knew they were the shortest way to the Medicus' and he knew his way through them.

Vaulting over the waist high fence he navigated the safe pass down the rocky hill on the other side. His run came to a halt just outside the hut. As he walked up to the door catching his breath, the butterflies finally overwhelmed him. He stalled. He couldn't figure out why. All he was going to do was ask him a couple questions, yet his body wouldn't move. He was a slave to what? Was it fear that belayed him? After a long, deep breath he pushed himself through the door.

The Medicus’ hut was dimly lit. A few flickering lanterns outlined his vision. This was stupid he thought. The pirates were asleep, they weren't going to want to answer questions at this hour.

Locke grabbed a lantern by the door and hoisted it up to his face. He peered past the lamp and into the darkness. Where once was an empty hut was now filled with ailing pirates. Locke tried to keep the light out of their sleeping eyes as he crept forward. They slept in rows along the perimeter of the hut with more beds in a line down the center.

Locke could make out a shadow slowly beginning to move in the darkness beyond the lantern. Then there was a loud crash and a soft “Fuck!” was heard from across the room.

Locke hurried over to help. There was equipment strewn everywhere and in the middle there was a man. He had landed in a heap on the floor. Locke leaned down, grabbed him by the shoulder and hoisted him back onto his bed.

“You alright there mister?” Locke asked.

“Fucking useless arm,” the man mumbled angrily.

“Trying to escape huh?” Locke joked haphazardly.

The man leered at him. Locke froze, even in the man's weakened state somehow his mere presence was still intimidating. His scowl sent shivers down Locke's spine.

A moment passed, then he cracked a smile. “Was trying to make my way to the pisser, blasted arm gave out trying to prop me up. Guess I’m gonna need a bit more rest before I can get up outta this place.”

Locke recognised the man as the leader from the other day. “You could say that. Your arm looked pretty mangled when we got you here. I’m surprised you’re moving around.”

“Ah, so you’re the kid Lana told me about. Guess I owe you for helping us out earlier”

Locke laughed timidly. “I just pointed you guys in the right direction, anyone could’a done that.”

“Yeah and they didn’t... but you did,” the man interjected. “Saw a lot of yellow bellied, sniveling fucks out there on the docks.”

“They’re not so bad, we just don’t get a lot of visitors here is all”

The man didn't seem impressed. “So where is here mate? You know... this place… where are we?” He gestured his hands around, looking left, right, then back at Locke.

“Like the island?”

“Well yeah… ”

“Oh, Port Dover, I grew up here with my sister. I think it was settled by some Imperial defectors a hundred years ago or something and then pardoned at some point, well before I was born. It’s pretty remote, due west of the capital." Nerves drove him to ramble.

The man nodded as he received the information he was after.

Locke continued uninterrupted. "Went there once as a kid but mostly just been locked down here, you know. I don’t know. It's fairly quiet… and boring… if you’re into that kinda thing I guess.”

The man looked at Locke with complete and utter apathy. “Right."

Locke didn't know what to do. He was stuck rambling like an idiot, he couldn't stop himself, and was losing his quarry. "Cause you know you'll probably be here a while while I try to mend your ship. Things pretty mangled though. Only so much a shipwright can do" He said with a nervous chuckle. "What happened to it? Never seen a ship that damaged before in my life. Did you take it through a maelstrom? You probably-"

Something piqued the man's interest and he interrupted. "What’s your name, kid?… And why are you here at this hour?” He asked skeptically.

“Oh! Yeah, I’m Locke. I was just ummmm... checking on the… ummm” Locke fumbled his words. He put one arm out and leaned against the wall. “What’d you say your name was again?”

The man made a short loud exhale through his nose and rolled his eyes. “Forget it, I don’t care.” He looked Locke up and down “People call me Vicious, Sid Vicious.”

“Quite the name,” Locke said intrigued. “Why do they call you that?”

Vicious paused “Cause it’s my name.”

“Oh… sorry, I just thought there’d be some kind of story behind it, is all.” Locke said deflated

“Story huh? Like I ripped my captain's throat out on the deck of his ship, in front of all of his subordinates, and have been living under this identity ever since. That suit your fancy?” Vicious said dramatically.

Locke smirked “Well it would definitely live up to the name.”

Vicious laughed “Are you into stories kid?”

“If you’ve got some good one’s then I’m all ears.” Locke said excitedly.

Vicious smiled.

Several hours passed and the morning light crept up into the room, illuminating the hut with a warm glow. Locke found himself enthralled as Vicious continued to talk. The stories overflowed with danger, adventure, and fortune. Vicious had a particular cadence to telling stories that made them flow effortlessly off his tongue.

“-we wheeled a broadside around, placed in front of the cabin door and blasted the damn thing open!” Vicious exclaimed bombastically.

“Woah,” Locke said, engaged. “So many cool adventures.”

“Adventure’s out there kid. You just gotta be willing to seek it yourself.”

The Medicus burst into the hut looking around for the disturbance. "Who's there?!" He cried out as he turned and squinted at Locke “What are you doing here?”

Locke responded bright eyed. “I was...uh... just leaving” He stood up and moved hastily towards the door.

The Medicus rolled his eyes.

“Hey kid… good meeting you.” Vicious said.

Locke halfway out the door, leaned back “You too!”

Locke stepped out with a big smile on his face, that rapidly receded as he stepped into the morning light and it burned his weary eyes. He took another step forward and the night of sleep he had just missed hit him like a rock.

“Fuck I’m tired,” he yawned to himself and began moseying on home. He peered over his shoulder and spotted some rain clouds forming on the horizon.