The Right Side of Wrong

It's Going Down

I turned on my heel and stepped into the tunnel. I could hear Lonnie gag behind me when she got inside. The smell was a bit overwhelming, but this wasn't the first time the rest of us had been to the docks. We'd just never been when Uma had any power.

As I jumped down and caught sight of Uma across the ship, I could hear Gil shout from his lookout. "Hey, guys! They're here!"

We all made our way to our respective places, Carlos standing close behind me. Harry and his pirate cronies used to torment him mercilessly before he joined my gang. This was probably a nerve wracking situation for him without the impending showdown.

"Welcome!" Harry's voice rose above the shouts. I caught his eye and found him pushing a dirty, restrained Ben across the ship and towards the plank.

"Finally!" Uma shouted.

She stepped up to the edge of her ship and I stopped at the edge of the dock, leaving only the wooden bridge between us.

"Let's get this party started, shall we?" Her crew members rushed up behind her to watch the scene go down. "I'm not here to negotiate with you, Mal. So ask yourself how long I'll remain patient before throwing him overboard. No doubt your boy can swim, but do you think he'll make it with his arms and legs tied together?"

Harry had placed Ben towards the end of the plank, standing beside him to mess with him. He'd wrap his arms around the boy and startle him, making him think that one of these times, Harry would just push him straight down.

"Let's all just be smart. Although, for you, that must be hard," I jabbed. "I'll give you the wand and no one gets hurt."

"Your time is running out," she sang, nodding once more at Ben.

I turned to look at my friends. They all kept their eyes on the enemies.

"Okay. Look, this is not a conversation. It's a do-or-die situation. If you don't give me back Ben, I will happily rip you to shreds right here, in front of your entire 'pirate crew'."

"So that's your big speech?" she laughed. "An empty ultimatum?"

Harry has stepped away from Ben to slide past Uma and approach me.

"You know, Mal, all it takes is one swing and he goes down," he taunted, stepping off the deck. I stood my ground, glaring at him. "Look at him up there. Poor helpless boy. I could debilitate him with a swipe of my sword."

I tried to keep myself under control while he pestered me, but out of nowhere, he grabbed my chin, forcing me to turn and look at Ben. My eyes lit up like light bulbs.

Harry laughed violently. "Is little Mal mad? All it takes is one wrong look and I'll-"

"Harry!" Uma called, noticing my anger escalating.

The boy dropped his hold on my face and turned to his captain. As soon as he let go, Jay grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the group before I could lunge at him.

Jay didn't say anything, he just looked me dead in the eyes until the light flickered out and my breathing got softer.

"We want the wand!" People on Uma's ship chanted.

I glanced at Carlos. "Now or never, huh?"

He hesitated slightly, then reached into his jacket and handed the replica to me.

The whole ship erupted into cheers as I turned and started towards the ship.

"Stop!" Ben yelled.

I froze, staring at the king. He was unsteady on his tied ankles, Harry looming over him once more. He didn't know it was a fake, yet, so he was probably panicking. But he knew he could trust me, right?