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The little goblin girl
ate with her eyes staring at her plate. She didn’t dare lift her glance toward
the troll sitting across from her. She reached for a piece of bread at the
center of the table and almost choked when the troll’s blue hand reached to grab
her little green hand.
“I be very sloppy,
Pina.” The goblin slowly lifted her eyes and saw the troll gazing out the hut’s
window.
“W-what do y-you mean,
T-Tia?”
The troll threw her
head back over the chair’s backrest and released the goblin’s hand. “I don ‘ave
dat pirate’s ‘eart. We know ‘ee not be dead and we know ‘ee ‘ave a new woman.
Ziggly be getting’ a new ship. We be lookin’ fo dem elsewhere.”
Pina slumped back
against her chair and sighed. “I’m sorry to ask, Tia, but why do you want that
one guy exactly? I mean you can have any heart.” Her little body stiffened when
the troll slowly turned her head to look at her. Pina feared Tia’s gray eyes.
She felt as if they looked right through her every time. “I was just asking,”
Pina squeaked.
The troll’s slow grin
spread across her face, her tiny tusks pulling back her lips. “Da pirate be
owing me. I give ‘im life back, ‘ee be giving me life.” The goblin grimaced,
unsure of what to make of that. “But we need ta get sum one else fo now.” She
slowly rose from her seat and walked to the window. “Joo lucky ta be alive
still.”
“Th-thank you…” Pina
slipped a little in her chair and clenched her hands.
“Joo ‘elpful. Dat be
gud.” Tia heard the goblin sigh and she smirked. “Joo be dyin’ one day, but no
jet.” The goblin gulped rather loudly. “Go get us a friend, Pina. Joo choose.
Go to Booty Bay and choose ‘oo dies tonight.”
Pina slipped out of
her chair and nodded. She reached for her cloak hanging on the wall and wrapped
it around her shoulders. She looked up at the troll once more. “Doesn’t matter
who?”
Tia was mesmerized
with staring at the night stars. “No. Dey be dying anyway.” Pina opened the
door and as she was about to walk out, she heard Tia speak. “Oh, and if joo be
‘earing anyting about a pirate, joo be lettin’ me know.”
“Yes, Tia.”
Pina walked toward the
small rowboat at the edge of the island and for a moment, she wondered if it
would be possible to leave Tia’s grasp. She could be free instead of being her
slave, working until the day her death arrives. She felt a strong pain and she
clutched her chest instantly. “No, no, I will be back. I…I promise.” The pain
eased and she took a deep breath. Her little green fingers reached for the
small shark tooth that had been anchored on her ear by Tia herself. Any thoughts
of escape were useless.
So Pina rowed away toward
Booty Bay.
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