"Let her go, leave her alone!" the Captain gasped.
You awoke with a start and jolted up. The Captain was thrashing in his sleep.
"Stop, stop it-"
"Captain?" you whispered.
"Leave them alone!"
"Captain?" you said a bit louder.
"Let me go, don't you touch me!"
"Captain! Hey, Captain!"
He was sweating, whipping around, struggling as if in a seizure.
You shook him. "Captain, wake up! It's just a dream!"
He awoke with a gasp and jolted up to a sit. You jumped back, but then sat next to him and said calmly, "Captain, you were dreaming, are you alright?"
He blinked, panting, and looked at you desperately.
And then he hugged you.
Surprised, you tensed up and froze. After a moment, you finally hugged him back to make him feel better.
Was that...a flashback? What kind of history might the Captain have?
Suddenly, he was back to his senses, and pushed himself away from you, and you quickly dropped your arms from the awkward hug.
And right then, he flipped the switch from extroverted, openly expressive teen to introverted, secretive adult pirate captain.
"Yes yes, Anika. I'm fine. So sorry to wake you." He looked away from you.
"But...are you alright? That sounded like a really bad dream.... Did something happen?"
"It was a long time ago, it doesn't matter." He swallowed. "Well, one doesn't simply decide to become a pirate. You become one somehow." He took a deep breath. "And don't worry, I get that dream rather often. I'm quite alright."
"But...are you sure? And what do you mean by 'often'?"
"Occasionally. Now go back to sleep."
"Captain, you were sweating and thrashing and yelling about-"
"You are not obligated to be my maid or doctor, Anika."
"And so I'm asking you as a friend," you insisted. "Now are you alright?"
"I told you, I'm fine." He turned back towards you.
"No you're not, and I'm not leaving you until you tell me the truth." He looked at you and narrowed his eyes.
Then he looked away from you. "As I ever will be. I get that dream...every night. That's why I'm often so tired. I can't sleep well. That's why I can't sleep in the barracks. Don't want to wake the crew. Now go back to sleep, Anika. That's an order."
You bit your lip and took your hand off his shoulder. He had an incredible amount of scars across his torso, now that you realized it. Lines over his shoulders, red marks and stabs on his chest and back.
You nearly gasped.
"Just nudge me if I start talking again." He said drowsily, his voice flippant, his eyes glistening with the ghosts of his past. He rolled over away from you. "I wouldn't want to hold up your sleep."
You didn't reply.
You just went back to your blankets. He didn't wake you up the rest of the night.
But those scars that had been across him...
It was like somehow...he'd been...tortured.
Someone's really done a thorough job of turning him into the pirate he is now.