Relive The Past

[Jacksblackpearl]

Strolling the streets Giselle tried not to cry to loud. It happened once again. For as long as she could remember strange men came into their home. HER home. She thought it was just a fase, her mother wouldn't seriously go out with all these men and forget about her daughter right ?
Now she knew that her hopes had bursted, there was no hope anymore. Not after the way mother yelled at her. it was for us she had yelled to keep us off the streets .
Ironically enough her mothers lifestyle, being a prostitute is what they called it she thinks. Her mothers way of life drove her onto the streets. Out of the safe home that wasn't safe anymore. Away from her family that never had been a real family...

[Jacky]

Only two blocks from there, a li'll boy pushed through the crowd on the street hastedly, darting his way through the mass of legs, skirts and market stands. Behind him somebody shouted and he sped up, knowing they were following. He had stolen again. Just a twig of grapes this time. He was hungry, his stomach grumbling, so what choice did he have? He was smart enough to know there was no sense in explaining that to the standowner though, so he just kept running as fast as his legs could carry him.

His size gave him an advantage in the chase, and he easily disappeared among the people as he still heard the angry shouting behind him.

Jack Sparrow, only a boy now and still little for his age, knew his way around the streets of Tortuga flawlessly. He had spend most of his life on it. As much as he could remember at least. He lived with his father in a small cottage on the side of the town, but his father, John Sparrow, spend most of his hours in the shabby taverns of the town. Drinking and wh0ring. Jack had no choice but to find a way to take care of himself. So he stole, cheated and lied whenever it was appropriate to him. The people who knew him called him a streetrat, and that was exactly what he was. Because why would he go home more, only to find the place empty? And if his father was there, why would he risk the drunk beatings and tirades that he had grown so tired of? No, he had learned at young age that his place was outside that house that had never been a 'home' to him.

When he was two blocks from the market he sneaked into an alley and sat down on the corner near the street. Dashing his messy hair from his face he then put the grapes on his lap to see what his breakfast would be today.

[Jacksblackpearl]

It didn't take long before the hunger had taken place for the sadness. Giselle had calculated that it took her mother and that man at least another hour before he would leave again. And perhaps another man would be next already ? The business of her mother was never something very depending. Once there were five men on one day, and sometimes she could only find two customers. The best customers were sailors. Mother always went to the docks just to check out if there was a new group of sailors who needed her.
Giselle thought that her father might have been one of those. A sailor. She heard her mother talk about him a couple of times, cursing at him for leaving her behind with me. I guess she never liked me that much, but we managed, the two of us.

Giselle knew she couldn't go without food for much longer anymore, so she made her way over to the market. In the morning it was extremely crowded she noticed. Perhaps this was the time to steal something ? How hard could it be ? Would anyone notice a small nine year old's hand reaching out for a loaf of bread ? or some grapes?

Unfortunatly the commotion on the market startled her and made her scared. Two men ran over the market, yelling something about a boy who stole something. Appearantly it IS hard to steal something.
Out of curiousity Giselle started following the men, but soon enough they were gone and so was the boy she had seen passing her on the market. Near an alley she rested against the wall and heard her stomach growl again. She thought that if she could find the boy who stole something that maybe he wanted to share ? or could learn her how to steal ? It was always worth a shot...

[Jacky]

I was sitting near the entrance of the alley, just hidden behind a barrel that stood against the wall as well. When I heard something shuffling nearby I stop munching the grapes for a moment, sitting frozen. Again there was that sound of shuffling feet, and I made myself as small as possible because I thought it could be the men that were following me. Seconds passed though, and it didn't seem like anybody would enter the alley to find the boy who stole from the stand anymore. Curiosity taking over from the rational urge to stay hidden, I put the twig of grapes down on the ground and sat up to a crouching position. I peeked over the edge of the barrel and saw a girl. Blonde locks fell down to her shoulders, and she was leaning against the wall uncomfortably, as if she didn't know what to do now. I kept sitting there for a while, not sure whether I found a friend or foe.

[Jacksblackpearl]

I gave the search up and look around. Now what ? The urge to eat stayed but the fear overcame the hunger and I didn't dare to go back to the market.
As I stood against the wall lost in my thoughts I didn't notice a cariage that came my way. Just when the coachman shouting that I had to get out of the way I realized that the cariage nearly drove over me. My quick reaction made me jump back, into the alley.
The cariage stood still in front of the alley, blocking the early-morning-sunlight. I took a few more steps back, not sure why the carriage stopped.
when the carriage moved on again I suddenly noticed a kid in the corner of my eye. A boy. I turned my head and look at him, deep brown eyes, a dirty face and messy hair.

[Jacky]

In return I eyed the girl curiously. She seemed to be about my age, though I guessed she was a little shorter than I was. She seemed scared when she had jumped into the alley, and she still seemed to be scared now. Which made me feel good, because that would mean she wouldn't tell on me if she knew the people who chased me earlier. Even if I didn't know *why* she would be scared.

I picked up the grapes again, thinking she might take them away from me if I didn't hold on to 'em. I picked one of the twig and brushed it clean, though because my hands were dirty it didn't work well. Then I popped it into my mouth and sucked the juice from it as I looked back to the girl again.

She was still there, and still looking at me. That confused me slightly, because other kids of my age usually avoided me. They called me a streetrat, or a liar and thief. I know their mothers warned 'em not to talk to me, and so I had little friends. And as anybody else would have, I expected this girl to walk away from me as well.

But she didn't. I didn't know why though. But I didn't mind either.

[Jacksblackpearl]

I watched him. That must have been the boy they were looking for right ? It all made sence when he picked up a twig of grapes and started eating them. As I watched a grape disappear into his mouth I could feel my stomach making sommersaults. He was eating, and I am hungry, he has food and I want it ..

"Are you the one they chased after?" I ask him, breaking the silence between us. My voice was soft and far from tough and strong, but I knew that saying something was better then to stay silent. For all I knew he could be gone again in a matter of seconds, which would mean the grapes were gone too.
If I tried to be his friend then maybe he would let me have a grape too right ?

[Jacky]

I stopped chewing for a moment and I looked at her doubtfully. How could she know that? And would she tell them I was here after all? The thought of that scared me. I had been caught stealing before and it was never pleasant. One time I had gotten home black and bruised after I stole money from a sailor by the docks. My father had told me that I was stupid got getting myself into trouble and had send me to my bed without dinner. Not that we often had dinner - but that night I had cried from hunger and pain until dawn. I knew that trouble wasn't good, and this girl could get me into trouble if I didn't watch my words.

I swallowed the last grape I ate and then shook my head. "No." I lied. as a lock of my hair fell in front of my face. I held the grapes tight and I eyed her warily. She didn't move though. She didn't appear to want to tell anyone I was lying.

I looked back down to the grapes, then back to her. Maybe if I was nice to her she wouldn't tell anyone at all? "Want some?" I held up the grapes.

[Jacksblackpearl]

As if he's offering me a whole diner I nod as hard as I can. I couldn't take the risk of him taking his words back "Yes! .. I'm very hungry" I admitted and I came a little closer to him, so noone could see us, sharing stolen grapes. "I tried to get some, but I got scared" I mumbled. I didn't know why I told him, perhaps I wanted him to know how very hungry I was and that his offer and perhaps help is what I need. I wanted him to know that I wouldn't tell on him. That wasn't a wise thing to do cause then I'd still be foodless.

[Jacky]

I sat down on my knees behind the barrel again so she followed my example of sitting down as well. This way nobody could see us from the street, and for anybody to find us they'd have to take at least a few steps into the alley which would give us the time to run.

Her words made me doubt whether she was a thief too.. the fact that she was talking to me alone betrayed that she wasn't from a wealthy family. Then she would've ignored me surely. Her clothing didn't betray much either - the dress she was wearing was plain and simple so she wasn't *very* wealthy. But the fabric was clean and it made me believe she was from at least a higher class than me. To any outsider her appearance would've looked shabby, but I wasn't used to much and anything that looked clean or neat seemed wealthy to me. And this track of thoughts was also the reason that, as I started to share the grapes, I gave her one in her hands and put my own on the ground. I didn't think she'd eat dirty grapes, for some reason.

When all the grapes were divided between us I sat down against the wall again and collected my own number of grapes from the ground.