by Alison Fish
Chapter 11
No rain fell, no thunder crashed as it had on the previous evening when Ruthie and Amy rose from their coffins. The stillness of the evening caused the girls some apprehension as they wondered what had happened during the day while they lay dormant, hidden in their lair while the day's activities commenced and were now either finished until tomorrow or would soon be.
"Do you think she's all right?" Amy asked Ruthie as soon as they had risen.
"I don't know, but we better get ourselves up there quick," Ruthie dressed hurriedly, "we still got to get her some food to bring with us."
"We had better go carefully, Ruthie," Amy warned, "we don't know what events may have taken place today."
"I know how we can find out, but you probably won't like it," Ruthie offered, "We can slip upstairs and listen to the conversation in the house."
Amy immediately became sullen at the suggestion, which is exactly what Ruthie predicted; however, she was certain it would be the easiest and quickest way to obtain the much desired information, so she added, "I'll go by myself if you don't want to. I respect that you don't want to go. You can wait here and I'll go alone."
Inwardly, Amy fought Ruthie's suggestion while outwardly she agreed that it would be the quickest and easiest way to know the day's happenings in town, but she did not want to see her parents whom she deeply missed or hear their casual evening conversations. Even hearing the conversation repeated by Ruthie if she went alone might be too painful to bear. Strangely, being in their house made Amy feel sadly secure and close to them, but the idea of actually being in the same room with them observing their evening activities without being able to join them or even make herself known to them was too painful to endure. If only Robert would return and once again give her life purpose and meaning she wouldn't have to make decisions and solve her own problems anymore. Life was so much easier and secure when she had Robert's arms around her and could completely trust his wisdom and judgment.
"You will have to go alone, Ruthie," Amy quietly relented, "only search out the servants in the kitchen first. You may receive the news from their conversation and won't need to eavesdrop on my parents at all."
"I will," Ruthie promised and left the room leaving Amy to sit at the little table and wait. Before ascending the stairs to the main floor of the house, Ruthie transformed herself into a mist, which wouldn't be noticed as she slipped under the door and under furniture as she traveled through the house. She already knew her way around by passing through to the nursery upstairs to find books with Amy as the household slept peacefully. This was the first time Ruthie would enter the living area while the household was awake and enjoying their evening rituals.
Amy waited nervously for Ruthie's return wondering what news she would bring and who she would get the news from. The candle she had lit upon rising slowly burned, dripping fat down its side into the plate, which held it and protected the tabletop from damage. Amy returned to her first longing thought of Robert of the evening as she sat alone in the shadow of the candle. Not an evening went by that she didn't think about her dear Robert and where he might be, what he might be doing, why he wasn't with her and when he would ever return. She stared at the flame as it flickered slightly and sadly strained to hear any voices from above that might carry. She would never be able to hear what was being said, but she might be able to discern whether the voice was male or female, angry or glad. Until Ruthie ventured into the upstairs alone while the house was alive with activity, Amy had never consciously tried to hear any of the sounds related to human living and routine. It seemed as though Ruthie had been gone a long time to Amy, when she returned twenty minutes later.
"Amy," Ruthie materialized from her vaporous state smiling with relief, "I have good news. They haven't found her."
Amy stood at Ruthie's approach her sullen expression replaced by one of growing interest, "They haven't!" she repeated.
"No," Ruthie continued, "and they spent all day searching the waterfront and the anchored ships expecting her to be stowing away on one."
"Whom did you hear this from?" Amy asked, "Was it my father?"
"No," Ruthie answered, "I didn't have to go any farther than the kitchen. The servants were fixing dinner and gossiping up a storm."
"Oh," Amy felt slightly disappointed that Ruthie hadn't seen her parents and was unable to report on their conditions. At the same time she felt relieved that she didn't need to endure Ruthie's description of her parents' condition. She pushed the feelings aside and said, "Then we should be safe in our trip to the cemetery and should remain unseen in helping her escape town."
"Yes," Ruthie retrieved the bundle of men's clothes they had originally dressed the pirate in before they thought of the dress as a disguise, "I suppose we should feed before performing our night's work."
"That's a wonderful idea," Amy smothered the flame with a cup kept for that purpose and followed Ruthie through the basement and out into the night air which was dry and clear in contrast to the previous night.
"What a lovely evening," Amy remarked as they left the shadows of the rear of the house, keeping their eyes open for anyone who may have seen them leave their lair. Ruthie always hoped they had left the rear of the house unseen, while Amy hoped they would catch someone watching so she would have a reason to kill the unlucky passerby to protect their secret. Ruthie feared for her own and Amy's safety, but did not want to have to kill a person to protect themselves. Her deepest fear was to be seen by someone who remained unnoticed by them.
"Yes, it's a nice evening for a walk on the docks," Ruthie replied, "but we need to hurry. Our new friend is awake by now and wanting to know where she is."
"We need to find her some food and drink," Amy remembered, "She must be half starved by now."
"I hope she isn't suffocated," Ruthie added.
"As I," Amy agreed as they walked through back yards making a beeline for the waterfront. The train station appeared in the distance and the river beyond it. So many boats were anchored in the river it didn't seem as though there was room for even one more. A slight breeze blew off the water rustling the girls' dresses and gently moving their hair.
"Maybe my dockworker man will be out tonight," Ruthie said, "I missed him last night."
"I'm sure we wouldn't have found him last night. He must have found a room or took shelter below deck," Amy was silent a moment and then said with hope, "those sailors who brought the pirate in must either be good and drunk by now or sleeping off their drunk. They might be easy targets for us."
Ruthie wasn't enthusiastic, "I think I'll find a river rat or two, Amy," we need to feed quick and you know I hate to hurt people."
"Yes, I know," Amy answered disappointedly, "but look at all the ships out there. There must be hundreds of available men in town spending their money on rum, making at least some of them violent and dangerous to others and, therefore, meeting the conditions of what you allow as an acceptable victim."
"It looks like there's a lot of men still out and about too," Ruthie observed reluctantly, "You may be right."
Just as the oppressive humidity was lifted, so were the spirits of the citizens, which had been depressed and exhausted by the invasive weather. Men were out in the streets and visiting the taverns in celebration of their mental liberation. Breathing was now easier, bodies felt lighter and muscles seemed to move more freely in the lighter atmosphere. Men who had in recent days been drinking in an attempt to refresh themselves in the heat were now drinking in celebration of the return of pleasant temperatures. The men rambled from tavern to inn in search of compatible companions and a good time.
This is the environment Ruthie and Amy observed as, through an alley, they entered the westerly side of Bank Street. Seeing the unusually heavy volume of foot traffic, the girls stealthily slipped back into the alley and hid in the shadows amongst the trash barrels and rubbish that lined the sides. The rear of the alley opened to the kitchen of a popular hotel where traveling salesmen and seamen am
ong others frequented.
"We can find food and drink inside," Ruthie suggested, " but I don't know how we can get it without being caught."
"Fine, I'll find a way," Amy agreed, "but we need to feed ourselves before feeding her," she was becoming agitated with hunger.
"Where there's food, there's rats," Ruthie stated as she swiftly swooped her hand behind a pile of trash and raised a fat water rat to her mouth, quickly drained its blood and dropped the lifeless carcass back to the place she had found it.
"That is not what I had in mind," Amy held her nose up in conceit.
"You're too choosy," Ruthie accused, "you'd rather go hungry than feed on what's available."
"You know I hate all that fur in my mouth," Amy argued, "besides I have to feed on several rats to satisfy the hunger I can quench with one man."
"Well, I won't argue with you," Ruthie replied, "It only wastes time. Let's see if we can find you someone quick-like so we can get on with our business-only no killing, just feeding."
Amy brightened up a bit when Ruthie gave in to her desire and didn't insist on a dinner solely of animal blood for them both, "Let's try a few more alleys and then move closer to the docks. Someone is surely to be trying to stagger to their ship of employment by now."
"Let's hope we don't have to walk that far," Ruthie was anxious to free their prisoner and release her from the torment she must be suffering not knowing where she is or who put her there or how she'll escape.
They traveled behind the buildings whose front doors opened out to the sidewalk until they entered the next closest alley. Once again there were only rats to feed on in that alley as well. However, as they silently approached the next alley, they heard a commotion consisting of men shouting and knives clashing. A single gunshot rang out echoing off the surrounding brick walls of the alley and several people exited the rear of the alley and scattered into the night. Slowly peering into the alley and finding the area quiet and deserted, Amy and Ruthie slipped into the space that had been recently the scene of a fight. A lone man lay sprawled on his back unconscious on the ground with a gunshot wound to the stomach. Amy dropped to her knees and tearing off his bloodied white shirt, began to feed from his fresh wound. His dying heart beat weakly as it pumped blood from the wound into Amy's waiting mouth until the beating ceased and Amy drew the blood from him until she was satisfied.
"Hurry," Ruthie warned just as Amy was drawing her final mouthful, "someone is coming. They must have heard the gunshot."
Amy jumped to her feet and followed Ruthie back out of the alley as people rushed into the alley from the opposite end. "Lucky for us, the taverns are loud with music and entertainment tonight. Someone passing by the alley at the time of the shooting must have run for help. The bar patrons must not have heard the gun fire over the music and conversation."
"I wish you had time to put his shirt back the way you found it," Ruthie reflected, "them finding him with his shirt ripped open is going to look strange."
"Nonsense," Amy replied as they retraced their steps to the hotel kitchen, "it will appear that someone tried to uncover the wound to dress it or to try to stop the bleeding."
"I hope so," Ruthie said.
Amy slipped into the rear of the hotel kitchen and found some food and a bottle of beer to feed the pirate while Ruthie remained in the alley to feed off more rats. She had her fill of rat blood by the time Amy returned with her stolen parcel. The kitchen help was busy serving in the dining room, leaving Amy's task much easier than she had anticipated. Having no need for food or drink herself, Amy had never pilfered food before. Neither was she choosy about what food she needed to take. A loaf of bread lay on the counter and the bottle of beer nearby, probably for the consumption of the cook. Amy simply took the nearest things she found and made her escape. They were soon on the road to the cemetery, leaving the noise and life and death of the city center behind them.
The dryness of the air and the road made the trip much easier than the previous night. The further they passed away from the city, the quieter and darker their surroundings became. The moon shone clearly helping the girls keep their footing on the stony road and making the shadows of the trees along the road long and dark. Occasionally an owl's hoot disturbed the quiet and a gentle breeze softly rustled the needles on the cedars and the leaves of the maples and oaks in strong contrast to the weather of the previous evening.
"It's peaceful and beautiful here," Ruthie remarked as they neared the cemetery entrance, "we should consider a lair in this area when we feel the need to move on."
"You would prefer to live so far from the waterfront and our source of blood, Ruthie?" Amy asked with interest.
"It's not a very long walk," Ruthie answered, "only a mile or so."
"Where would our lair be?" Amy asked, "I don't see any buildings to hide our coffins in."
"There must be someplace," Ruthie answered as they entered the cemetery and quickened their pace toward the pirate's hiding place.
"I don't see the need to consider moving yet," Amy said, "Robert would never find me out here."
"It was only a thought," Ruthie said, "We don't need to move nowhere."
The mausoleum loomed ahead as the moonlight showed in patches through the branches of the old trees of the graveyard. Setting the parcels of food and clothing on the grass, the vampires slowly pushed open the granite door of the tomb to reveal nothing but darkness and silence. As Amy entered, a cloak was thrown over her head and she was swiftly put into a headlock. Ruthie gasped in surprise, but before she could jump to Amy's rescue, Amy had freed herself and angrily grabbed the pirate by the throat and almost bared her teeth ready to attack when Ruthie sternly called her name in warning. Slightly relaxing her grip Amy still held the pirate by the throat but instead of pulling the imprisoned throat toward her, pushed her away out of the tomb. The pirate losing her balance, stepped back in an attempt to catch herself, tripped over the hem of the glamorous gown and fell into a sitting position in the grass.
As she sat on the grass coughing and holding her bruised throat Amy stood over her, "This is the thanks we get for saving your life? You attack us as we try to free you, bringing you food and clothing. Speaking of which, you have now fairly ruined that lovely gown. You are not much of a lady at all."
Ruthie wasn't angry over the attack because she understood the defensive actions of the confused pirate, but she was a little amused at Amy's reaction. Amy acted as though she believed that a female was born with so-called ladylike abilities rather than having been trained and taught throughout her life how to behave like a lady, "She's a pirate, Amy," Ruthie chuckled, "why would you expect a pirate to be a lady. Putting a fancy dress on her won't convert her from pirate to lady just like it didn't change me any."
"I was just shocked by the attack I suppose," Amy defended herself, "I certainly didn't expect to be welcomed with such violence."
"I told you how upset she would be not knowing where she was and all."
They helped the pirate to her feet and she said, "Who the hell are you and what the hell did you do to me?"
"Such profane language is not necessary and highly insulting," Amy replied haughtily, "please remember that you're in the society of ladies when you speak."
"Is that what you are?" the pirate looked down at her dress, "I think not. How did I get here wherever here is? How did I get in this dress?"
"Let us find a place to sit," Ruthie retrieved the two cloaks from the mausoleum and spread them on the grass under a tree. She picked up the parcels and set them on the cloaks and led the pirate to the moonlight picnic area, "Here, have some bread and beer. We brought you a more masculine change of clothes as well."
Hunger overcame the pirate's mistrust and she reluctantly followed Ruthie's lead with Amy behind. They all sat on the cloaks while the pirate ate and drank heartily. Afterwards, she exclaimed, "I just ate and drank which proves I'm still alive."
"Of course you're alive," Amy said, "you can thank Ruthie for that.
I almost killed you when you attacked me."
"What else would you expect?" the pirate argued, "I thought I was hung dead and the silent darkness was hell. I was sitting in there all day waiting for the bottom to fall out and drop me into the flaming pit of hell."
"Oh," Ruthie said, "we're so sorry. I was so afraid something like that would happen, but we had to hide you where no one would ever find you."
"Why?" the pirate asked the girls as she changed out of the dress and into the new men's clothes.
"Because hanging is not a proper death for a woman," Amy answered, "even a woman who masquerades as a man."
"I was ready to pay for my crime," the pirate said defiantly, "I've been living as a man, I can certainly die like one."
Amy and Ruthie viewed the pirate's fearlessness in surprise and confusion, "But I suppose I do owe you thanks for my escape. How did you manage it? I don't recall last evening at all. I remember lying on the mat in my cell and the two of you appearing. I assumed the jailer allowed you in. The next thing I know, I was in what I see now is a tomb," she looked at Amy questioningly and said, "what strength you have for such a fine lady. Who are you really?"
"Why don't you tell us your name first," Amy suggested, "then we'll tell you the entire story of how you escaped from prison on the eve of your execution."
The pirate gave a sigh of concession, keeping in mind Amy's super human strength and thought it smarter to go along with her captors and escape when she had the chance. Escape was foremost in her mind as she didn't trust her self-named rescuers. She guessed that they abducted her from her jail cell for personal gain of some kind and was waiting to learn what that gain was and what it would cost her.
"My name is John," the pirate answered.
Laughing Amy and Ruthie looked at each other, "No," Amy laughed, "what is your real name."
"That is my real name," John answered indignantly, "I told you last night during our strange visit that my parents raised me as a boy. They were poor farmers and needed a son to work for them, not a girl to be a burden to them."
"I'm sorry for laughing," said Ruthie, "but we never met anyone like you before. I never would have imagined when we went to see what a real pirate was like we would have found a woman posing as a man and broke her out of jail. I just wanted to see a pirate for myself. I never planned to break you out of jail."
"I might not be what you were expecting," John said, "But I am a real pirate. Now where am I and how did I get here?"
"We're in the cemetery about a mile or more west of the waterfront," Amy answered, "they searched the entire waterfront all day for you expecting you to be stowing away on one of the ships."
"How did you break me out of jail?" John asked.
Amy and Ruthie glanced at each other fearing to tell the truth until Amy reluctantly explained in a way not to give away their secret: "We needed you to lose consciousness in order to carry you outside."
Ruthie gave Amy a look of fear, thinking Amy was actually going to tell the entire truth, but relaxed as Amy continued.
"We paid the jailer a large sum to allow us to silently carry you out. The jailer has many children to feed and he also likes to gamble and drink. The sum of money was too much for him to refuse."
"Why was I wearing that wretched dress?" John asked, "I've never worn a dress in my life."
"We hoped to disguise you in the event that we were caught transporting you to the cemetery. The authorities would have been looking for a female dressed like a man, not dressed like a lady."
"That was good thinking, I have to admit," John looked toward the discarded dress in contempt.
"We were already close by," Ruthie added, "when we realized we had no candle or lamp to leave you. It was too risky to go back to town so we had to leave you in the dark."
"How did you cause me to lose consciousness?" John demanded to know.
Amy and Ruthie shared a look again and Ruthie spoke this time, "Amy hit you in the head with her great strength and you became unconscious."
John felt her head with her hands, "I feel no lumps, I have no headache. I only feel fatigue and maybe thirst."
"You heal remarkably well," Amy countered, "Of course, as a pirate, you have grown used to being the victim of violent acts."
John guessed that the girls were lying. It didn't make sense that they needed her to be unconscious to help her escape. Being conscious would have been more helpful as she could have carried herself out of the jail and walked to the cemetery. They had a secret that was very dear to them and needed John to be unconscious so she wouldn't discover it. That she was certain of but didn't inquire further. The two mysterious ladies may change their minds about aiding her escape if she guessed their secret. She needed to concentrate on her escape without concern for her rescuers' affairs.
"Yes," John said in agreement, "I have experienced several head injuries in my career, so I suppose I have built up a strong tolerance to pain."
"Have you been in a lot of skirmishes?" Ruthie asked excitedly.
"Of course," John answered defensively, "that's the way we overcome a ship's crew and take control of the ship and its cargo."
"I thought there were no more pirates on the sea," Amy commented.
"There are still pirates," John answered, "I'm proof enough of that. There ain't as many as they used to be because the navies have increased and strengthened, but there are still pirates at sea."
"Where is the rest of your crew?" Amy asked.
"I don't know," John's manner became subdued with resentment, "they abandoned me on a small island where I was unfortunately rescued by the ship that brought me here."
"I see," Amy exclaimed, "they discovered your sex and abandoned you. If you had learned your place as a woman and stayed there, you wouldn't be in this horrid situation."
"No," John replied in annoyance to Amy's ignorance, "for a lady who seems to only be out at night and a visitor of rough men in jail, you know nothing about the world."
Amy was insulted, "If that isn't the reason, why were you banished from your ship of thievery and murder?"
"The crew was greedy and wanted my gold," John said with her jaw clenched in anger, "my crewmates would spend their gold on women and drink and other entertainment when we were in port. Being a woman, I needed to stay sober so as not to let my mates find out my secret. I spent five years on that ship and a few others, but with mostly the same crew, in the end, they pushed me aside for my gold. They had no loyalty for a man who fought with them side by side and worked with them side by side. We hadn't been able to take over another ship for a while, they had spent all their gold and they let greed take control of their senses."
"Isn't that why men become pirates, because of greed?" Amy asked.
"I became a pirate because I always longed to be at sea and pirates stand a better chance of making a decent living than a legal seaman. I needed to send money home to my parents whose meager crops were becoming more meager with each year."
"You need to get away from here before you're caught so you can get back to helping your family," Ruthie said.
"And where exactly would that be?" Amy asked suspiciously.
"I'd rather not say," John answered defiantly, "in fact, I'm very grateful for the risks you've taken to save my life, but I think it's to all of our advantage if I proceed alone from here."
"Just as I thought," Amy smugly replied, "You have no family to support. You're a pirate by choice and by greed."
"Amy!" Ruthie turned toward her friend in surprise, "Why would she lie about that?"
"To gain our womanly sympathies. She tricked us into feeling sorry for her so we would rescue her."
"Amy," Ruthie was confused and a little hurt on behalf of their new friend, "why would you think such a thing when it was your idea to free her."
"Why would I believe that two parlor posies like yourselves would be able to free me from prison and save me from my fate?" John asked, "Maybe two factory girls would be capable but certainly not
the two of you. There must be secrets about yourselves that you're keeping from me and I'm not calling you liars as Amy is accusing me of being."
After a moment's thought Amy replied, "I wanted to rescue you because you were being treated unfairly as a woman. I suppose I was a little dismayed when I found that you don't behave at all like a true woman."
"And let me guess what your definition of a true woman may be," John offered sarcastically, "a vision of virginal purity and delicacy. Constrained in those fancy gowns and rigid under things that keep you from moving and breathing in any other manner that doesn't become the weak, helpless, agreeable, servants, breeders and adornments to your husbands that you are taught to be," John stood up and looked down at Ruthie and Amy with her hands on her hips and spat, "I'd rather be dead!"
Insulted and angered, Amy replied, "You're a disgrace to your sex!"
"What do you think?" John directed the challenge to Ruthie, "you are very quiet on the subject."
"I've never been a lady," Ruthie replied honestly and without resentment or envy, "I've been a servant to ladies and they treated me bad. Why would I want to be one of them. I only dress this way because I can. Amy showed me how and it makes me feel pretty. I don't dress this way to please no man."
"Vanity then, is it?" John softened her tone a bit at Ruthie's confession, "I've never known vanity myself."
"Well, to be honest," Amy pointed out, "you have no feminine qualities to be vain about."
John chuckled at Amy's attempt at insult, "I'll thank you for the compliment, although there are many men who suffer from their vain weaknesses as well as ladies."
Ruthie and Amy rose and picked their cloaks up from the pine needle covered ground and brushed them off the best they could in the dark, "You are an unnatural woman, John," Amy stated, "have you never longed for a home of your own and to have children at your breast and at your knee, a comfort in your old age?"
"As you know," John chuckled again," There isn't much chance that I'll live to see old age. I've been so concerned about keeping my parents warm with full stomachs in their home, I never considered a home of my own. A house and home only gives a person more work and responsibilities in my opinion. As to having children, I've known all my life that I would never have children of my own. I could never risk telling anyone about my true sex in order to find a mate. Besides children would only give me more mouths to feed."
"You must live a very lonely life," Amy observed with contempt.
"That may be so," John agreed, "but thanks to you I have a life and as long as I'm not recaptured, my life is my own. I'll find another ship and make new friends."
"You had better be on your way," Amy suggested, "it will be safer if you travel by moonlight."
"Yes," Ruthie agreed, "it's getting late and there is only a few hours left before sunrise."
"You mentioned finding another ship and it would be certain death if you tried to board a local ship," Amy advised, "some sixty miles or so east is the largest whaling port in the country, New Bedford, Massachusetts. I think your chances of finding a ship to board safely will be better there."
"Sixty miles, eh?" John was rather dismayed at the distance.
"You may be able to steal a ride on a train to Providence if you're lucky," Amy suggested.
"I will take whatever opportunity that comes my way," John said, "even on foot, at least I'm free and alive."
The three women walked together as they left the cemetery, "Be very careful," Ruthie said to John as they separated outside the gate.
"Remember to stay to the east and stay hidden," Amy reiterated.
"I hope you get to your family soon and safe," Ruthie said.
"Thank you again and goodbye," John disappeared into the woods on the far side of the road and the two vampires retraced their steps toward the city.
"That was the strangest woman I've ever met," Amy said, "I don't understand her thinking at all. How can a woman exist without a man in her life, or at least hope of finding one? I would gladly surrender my life for the man I love."
"And you did," Ruth reminded her friend.
"Yes, I did," Amy smiled at Ruthie's wise and rational moonlit face and said, "we still have time to visit your admirer before sunrise if you'd like."
A slight smile grew on Ruthie as she said, "That would be just fine."