Chapter Text
He stopped, taking his feet off the pedals, setting them on the ground on either side of his bicycle. He was breathless. His calf muscles ached from being pushed past their limits. The sun beat down on him, sweat trickled from his temples and along the groove between his shoulder blades. A lone drop snaked its way down his spine to add to the expanding wet circle on the back of his smalls creating an uncomfortably warm patch of moisture against his skin. He was invigorated.
Since purchasing his push bike with the money from the sale of his coin collection (Thanks Uncle Ted!) he had been exploring his surroundings in North Richmond. His bike gave him an unrestricted freedom that he'd heretofore never experienced. It was exhilarating! He'd explored the banks of the Yarra River south by way of Barkley Gardens, the Royal Botanic Gardens (a new favorite) to the south west, Burnley Park to the south east, and Fitzroy to the north west. Recently his wanderings had led him to investigate the Carlton Gardens across from the Royal Exhibition Building. Lately his interests had been leaning towards botany and bicycling. Every day he cycled, his lungs and legs strengthened. If he disciplined himself to dedicated training, maybe someday he could compete in the ultimate cycling challenge – the Tour de France.
Today's exploration had him heading up Nicholson Street towards the eastern bend in the Yarra in Abbotsford. His intended goal – the Darling Gardens in Clifton Hall. He turned left onto Gipps Street heading into the 'wilds' of Collingwood. Somewhere between Nicholson and Wellington, he stopped for a breather, which was where he was now; standing and surveying the road ahead. He took out his handkerchief and swiped his sweating forehead and tucked it back into his pocket. He shrugged off his small rucksack from his shoulders and brought it around to set it on his handlebars. He dug in and pulled out his water bottle and took a long draught of the once cold water. He stilled for a moment, enjoying the slight breeze that helped him cool down a bit.
Reinvigorated, he carefully tucked the bottle next to the lunch bag his mother had packed for him (Ham, cheese and mustard pickle! My favorite! Thanks Mum!) and settled his pack between his shoulders.
He secured one foot on the pedal, intending to continue onto Darling Gardens, but something caused him to stop and pause. Despite the heat, he shuddered and felt goose flesh erupt along his arms. He shook it off and started back along the street. As he approached Rupert Street, he felt a strong pull toward the right, and followed it. One of his most recent pieces of sage advice his father had passed along to him was, "Trust your gut, son and it won't steer you wrong." His mother had chimed in that while some scoffed at it, "women's intuition" was the self same thing. Somehow society didn't feel it was proper for a woman to have a 'gut' that spoke to her.
Well... he thought, let's see where this takes me, eh?
He passed houses and alleys full of washing lines, storage boxes and rubbish bins. A short distance down the way, he chanced upon two young girls near his age under a washing line strewn with clothing drying in the hot Melbourne sun. They were seated in a bathtub; the older girl holding a broom handle with a white shirt tied to it, a sail fluttering in the breeze. The younger girl clasped a ragged slat of wood in her hands, drawing it back and forth - paddling through the imaginary water outside their makeshift ship.
They were a picture of opposites united only by their pale complexions. The older girl had dark hair with blunt cut fringe just touching her brows and framing her face, giving off the impression she was peeking under a curtain of slightly frayed fine silk threads.
The younger girl had dishwater blonde hair escaping from once neat and orderly plaits tied with long loopy bows of azure velvet ribbons.
He had been observing them unnoticed for a short time, watching them playing on the high seas. He smiled. It was always nice to discover others who shared your interests. He was lost in thought when the younger girl turned to face the other, and she startled, noticing him watching them.
"A-ha!" She exclaimed, causing him to jump in surprise. She brandished the wood slat like a sword and aimed it towards him.
His hands shot up in front of his chest and blurted, "I surrender! I surrender!" A chuckle escaped his lips as they curled up into a crooked smile.
As the older girl turned to face him, his heart raced and calmed in an instant. A feeling as if he had been holding his breath for some unknown reason, then suddenly been permitted to breathe again slid into the back of his mind. Simultaneously, he felt a jolt and a momentary return of the goose flesh. This time it traveled up his arms, across his shoulders, down his back and into his legs, dissipating into the dirt.
Her deep blue green eyes widened then narrowed and locked with his as he noticed she momentarily shuddered, which she tried to shrug off with feigned nonchalance. "Hallo," she said.
"Hello," he returned. "That your pirate ship?" He asked, his head inclining towards the bathtub they were stepping out of.
"Yeah," replied the blonde. "How'd you know? Lucky guess?"
"Nah," he returned. "With a sail like that, it could only be a pirate ship." He was pleased with his observational skills.
"Guess so, eh?" Responded the dark haired one. "So..." She began, "what brings you into our waters?"
"Your waters, huh?" He chuckled, humor lighting a spark in his eyes. "I was just biking about. Exploring."
Her eyes explored him from stem to stern. He's kinda cute... for a boy, she thought.
The blonde girl had sidled up to the older girl as they were talking. She pushed her thumb into her chest. "I'm Jane."
The other girl cleared her throat. Jane frowned, gave her a sideways glance and continued. "I'm the pirate Mary Read, and this here's Anne Bonny," she finished, pointing to the other girl. She leaned in towards him, putting her hand up to her mouth. In a conspiratorial aside, she whispered, "she's really my sister." In a louder tone, she asked, "What's your name?"
He smiled. "I'm Johnny. Nice to meet you," he answered, finally disembarking from his bike. He leaned it against the corrugated metal wall behind the bathtub.
'Anne' looked him over again, a devilish gleam in her eyes. His heart began to race again.
"That's perfect!" She exclaimed. "Your name is John. We've needed one so our Pirate Sloop 'Revenge' can steal the 'William.'" She started motioning him towards their ship.
He shrugged off his rucksack and hung it on his handlebars then turned back to 'Anne.' She tucked her arm through his and led him to the 'Revenge.' Looking up into his deep blue eyes, she added, "You can be my partner, John Rackham. Better known as "Calico Jack." She smiled, feeling awfully pleased with herself.
"Sure. Aww-right," he agreed. This oughta be fun, he mused.
They boarded and took over the 'William,' then captured and plundered many other ships along the way. They had a number of grand adventures by the time the sun's rays drew long shadows onto the landscape. In a lull in the action, Johnny's stomach rumbled loudly.
"Arrr, would that be enemy canon fire, Cap'n?" Joked Jane.
Johnny flushed, then laughed and said, "No, sir! Methinks it be time to visit the galley. I'll be checkin' on Cook's stores." He ambled over to his bicycle and rummaged through his rucksack pulling out his bag lunch and water bottle. "I've got enough for all of us, if you want some," he offered.
The girls exchanged furtive looks, followed by a look of unbelieving hope. "You sure?" Jane asked timidly.
"Ya, no worries," Johnny remarked, thinking nothing of it. "Me mum always packs a lot. She knows how hungry I can get." His stomach chimed in for emphasis. By the time he had returned to their enclave with the bounty, 'Anne' had upended the metal wash basin to serve as a table for the piratical trio.
After setting down the water bottle, Johnny carefully pulled out each item from the brown bag. The contents: ham, cheese and mustard pickle sandwiches (2), apples (2), carrots (3), biscuits (3), and a handful of macadamia nuts wrapped in an old handkerchief. He spread the feast on top of the bag on their makeshift table, and as he did, he saw a deep longing and hunger in their eyes, making him realize his companions were, most likely, not as fortunate as he. It was then he decided to downplay his hunger (stomach growling willing), in order to give the lion's share to the girls. He took a third of one of the sandwiches and a few nuts, and passed the sandwich remainders toward them. He noticed that 'Anne' immediately reached for the smaller sandwich and pushed the whole sandwich into her sister's hands. Jane looked as if she would protest, but was silenced with a pointed but stern glare from her sister which brooked no argument.
Johnny had a feeling that this was a regular exchange between the girls. An admiration for 'Anne' settled in his chest.
"Mum always makes my favorite sandwich for me when I go on my biking jaunts. Says it's her 'insurance policy.'" He paused mid munch and chuckled at the family joke.
" 'surance policy?" Jane queried, her mouth full of sandwich, a baffled look on her face.
"Means his mum knows his belly'll always bring him home. Ain't that right, Cap'n Jack?" 'Anne's' eyebrows waggled knowingly. Her understanding evident in her soul deep eyes.
"S'ppose so, eh?" Johnny said thoughtfully as he reached for a biscuit. His thoughts of home made him realize just how much time had passed in the company of these "Pirate Girls of Collingwood" as he now began to think of them. Yes, THE Pirate Girls of Collingwood. As if there could be any others.
"Speaking of home, I need to get back, or my mum will tan my hide," he said scrambling to gather his things. "If I'm not home by dark, she worries. Thanks for lettin' me play pirate with you. It's been brilliant. Maybe we can do this again? Next weekend maybe?" He looked hopefully at his newfound friends.
"Oh yes!" Exclaimed Jane, excitement bubbling in her eyes.
'Anne' wrapped up the remaining food – apples, carrots and nuts (there was not a biscuit to be found) back in the brown bag and offered it back to Johnny. "Here. Don't forget your lunch."
"You keep it, Cap'n Bonny. Mum might get suspicious if I come back with half my lunch. Wouldn't want to unduly worry her." He winked at her as he headed towards his bike.
The girls exchanged a subdued look of glee between them as 'Anne' passed the bag to her sister to hold onto.
" 'sides..." Johnny continued, not witnessing their exchange, "I have a feeling that she'll have dinner on the table by the time I get back. If I don't get grounded for being late." He rolled his eyes and smirked. "I'm sure I can squeak in and make wash up in time. I'm pretty speedy when needs be."
"It was nice having you be my partner in pirating, Jack," 'Anne' said shrugging one shoulder.
"Me, too," he agreed, giving her a lopsided smile.
"Me, three," added Jane, not wanting to be left out. "We hardly ever get to have a 'Calico Jack'." Her delight showed in her face as she shifted from one foot to the other.
"Well..." Johnny started as he climbed on his push bike, "I'd better get going if I don't want a tanned hide by tomorrow. Nice to meet you, Jane and... I don't even know your real name, 'Anne'…" the realization suddenly dawning on him.
"It's..." Jane's revelation was cut short by an elbow jab to her side from her sister.
"Consider it a source of mystery. A girl can't tell all her secrets at once," the enigmatic 'Anne' said with a cheeky grin on her smiling face. A smile that lit up her entire being. "Nice to meet you too, Jack."
"It's Johnny," he replied abruptly, then grimaced sheepishly, not intending to hurt her feelings.
"I know," 'Anne' volleyed back, unfazed and grinning even more, "but I like Jack better. You look more like a Jack. And besides... what's better'n bein' a Pirate Cap'n, Jack, eh?" A look of unbridled mischief flitted across her eyes and engulfed her smile as he began to pedal away.
He waved to them as he headed down the street to find his way home. He was glad he'd listened to his 'gut' today. He was looking forward to coming back and playing pirate with the girls.
There was something about 'Anne' that intrigued him, that drew him to her, a familiarity about her. Something... he couldn't put his finger on. As if he was completely unaware, that up until this day in his life, he'd either been holding his breath or couldn't fully breathe. And now... now, suddenly, he could finally draw a deep, cleansing breath. He drew in another full, lung expanding breath through his nose and slowly let it out through pursed lips. A calm washed over him as a thought softly settled in his mind and wound its way into his heart. Ahh... THERE you are.
He redoubled his pedaling, anxious to get home to share news of his new adventure with his family. From Collingwood back through to the (un)charted wilds of North Richmond.
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Epilogue:
In the following weeks and months, he searched for the girls to no avail. The Pirate Girls of Collingwood who ruled the waves. He asked around, but heard only snippets of rumors or conjecture. Some said Jane had disappeared or been kidnapped, others said the family left the country leaving no forwarding address, yet another theory suggested that the father had been thrown in gaol and the mother left with the girls. He never did find them.
Eventually his sadness regarding their disappearance lessened and became a faint memory of his childhood. A puzzle left unfinished. Occasionally, during times of great stress, Johnny Robinson noticed he couldn't fully catch his breath.