فصل 33

CHAPTER 33

THE ALLIANCE

FIGHTING PRAWN, on bleeding knees, once again raised the heavy stone over his head and once again slammed it down. He grimaced as the stone struck the hard lava, blasting a cloud of stinging rock chips into his face. He wiped the sweat and dust from his eyes, glancing around to see how his men were doing, keeping an eye out for the Scorpion guards.

He and his warriors were toiling deep under the mountain inside a twisting tunnel left by escaping lava. It was as if a giant worm had dug its way to the surface a thousand years before. The tunnel air was stale and smoky from the sputtering torches, their flickering light causing the workers’ shadows to dance on the dark walls.

The men were forced to work without food or water. If a man stopped pounding rock, Scorpion guards would kick and whip him. Hour after hour, the workers pounded their stones against the jagged lava rock, breaking off chunks, which were hauled out in baskets by the Mollusk children—for what purpose, Fighting Prawn did not know.

There were pirates down there, too, forced to work alongside their former Mollusk enemies. Fighting Prawn had managed to speak to one briefly, before the guards stopped him.

“They didn’t get all of us,” the pirate had whispered. “There’s some that got away. Maybe there’s hope for us.”

Fighting Prawn only shook his head. What could a handful of pirates do against the Scorpions? He thought about trying to lead an uprising, but his men had no weapons other than the stones, which would be of little use against the spears and knives of the guards. Besides, his men were hungry and exhausted; many were bleeding from cuts inflicted by the sharp rocks or the Scorpions’ blows. Fighting Prawn knew they could not hold out much longer.

He worried, too, about the children, forced to drag the heavy baskets, shoved and kicked by the snarling guards. He had caught one heartbreaking glimpse of his youngest daughter, Little Scallop, but had not yet seen Shining Pearl. He knew Shining Pearl could be headstrong. He hoped she hadn’t gotten into trouble with the Scorpions.

Shining Pearl crept toward the murmur of men’s voices. She was hungry and soaking wet. A steady rain fell; water dripped from every leaf, turning the ground into slippery black muck. Everything smelled of rot and decay. Shining Pearl wished she were home in the village, surrounded by her family, with a warm fire burning and the smell of cooking fish on the wind.

Close to the voices now, she gently drew an enormous leaf out of the way and saw a group of seven men—pirates—crouched in a clearing. She hesitated, then took a breath and stepped bravely forward.

“Hello,” she said, using the English she had learned from her father.

Six of the seven men leapt to their feet, drawing knives. The seventh pirate, a little round man, fell over backward.

“It’s a girl!” said one of the men.

“It’s one of them local savages,” said another, stepping forward. He grabbed Shining Pearl by the arm and leaned his face in close to hers. His grip was painful; his breath was awful. “What’re you doing on this side of the island, missy?” he said.

“I…I…” Shining Pearl stammered.

“You what?” said the pirate, shaking her arm.

“Here, now,” said the round little man, struggling to his feet. “She’s just a girl. She ain’t done nothing. Let her go.”

To Shining Pearl’s surprise, the man holding her arm said, “Aye, Cap’n Smee,” and released her. Evidently this little man, Smee, was in charge.

“Here now, little girl,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m hungry,” she said. She thought, And I’m lonely, but didn’t say it.

“We’re all hungry,” muttered one of the men.

“Quiet!” snapped Smee. Shining Pearl could tell by the look on the faces of the other pirates that they were taken aback by his tone. He turned back to Shining Pearl and said, “Where’s your family, little girl?”

“They…they…” Shining Pearl put her face into her hands, sobbing. She was furious at herself for breaking down, but she couldn’t help it.

Smee put his hand on her shoulder.

“Go ahead,” he said. “It’s all right.”

“They took my family,” she sobbed. “The Scorpions took them all. I ran away, but there’s nowhere to go. I can’t go back to the village. Those horrible men…” She sobbed some more, her shoulders quaking.

“There, there,” said Smee. “You can come with us, to the fort.”

This brought grumbles from the other pirates.

“We’ve got enough troubles already,” said the biggest of the men. “We don’t need no girl slowing us down.”

Smee faced the men. “I’m acting cap’n,” he said. “And I say she comes with us to the fort.”

The men glared back; Shining Pearl could tell they were on the verge of rebellion. She cleared her throat.

“You can’t go to your fort,” she said.

All eyes turned to her. “Why not?” said Smee.

“The Scorpions are there, too,” she said.

“How do you know that?” said the big man.

“I’ve just come from there,” said Shining Pearl. “The Scorpions found your fort and they captured the rest of your…pirate friends.”

“How come they didn’t capture you?” said the big man.

“They did, when they came to our village. But I escaped into the jungle and headed to your fort, thinking…”

“Yes?” said Smee. “Thinking what?”

“Thinking maybe we could help each other.”

The pirates snickered—all but Smee.

“But if you was already over at the fort,” he said, “how did you get here so quick?”

“I know this island,” said Shining Pearl. “I know all the paths and the hiding places. I know it a lot better than the Scorpions do.” One by one, she looked each pirate in the eye. “And better than any of you do.”

The men scowled and exchanged glances.

“All right, then,” said Smee. “Seems to me it’s a good thing that…What’s your name, little girl?”

“Shining Pearl.”

“Seems to me,” continued Smee, “it’s a good thing Shining Pearl found us. Seems to me maybe we can help each other out.” He looked around. “Any of you men want to argue?”

None of the men spoke.

“All right, then,” said Smee. “Shining Pearl, welcome to the crew.”