The Waiting Room
~ Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty Six
“Wait
lad!” Jack cried out, falling into step behind Sam. Sam paused on
the staircase, turning towards the pirate.
“Do ye think it
be a safe place down there? I mean, me not having a key and all. How
could I get down to fetch back me effects?”
“Just like I
did, Captain. You open the door and come down.” Sam turned back to
descend the stairs.
“But how can ye be doing this without
Blake’s key?” Sparrow was confused.
“It was never
locked, Captain. They just think it’s locked. As long as they think
it is locked, the door is locked to them. This is his Room, Captain.
But sometimes we can still control things here. So one day I decided
the door wouldn’t be locked.” Sam shrugged as landed at the
bottom.
Sparrow made his way down to Sam. Reaching above his
head, Sam pulled a light chain, bringing a bare bulb to life. Its
white-yellow glow filled the room. Boxes upon boxes cast shadows.
Sam weaved through the small path between the boxes. There were boxes
of all sizes, all colors, neatly stacked one onto of another. Each
one was either dated or displayed a name.
“What is all
this?” Jack asked.
“His memories. Neatly packed and
stored away where no one can see. There are all his. All his privates
memories, private thoughts. No, Captain!” Sam yelled out as Jack
began to lift a lid.
“No, please. They are down here for
safe keeping. Can’t disturb them. The last person down here was
Jung. He opened a box back in 2000, I think it was. Some bad childhood
memories escaped right about the time Lily-Rose was being born. It
made him afraid. Afraid he would be a bad father. So he didn’t work
for two years. Stayed home with her. That is when he had Angee send
in the skeleton key to Blake. So to make them think the door was
locked.”
“Ye know a lot about this place, lad.” Sparrow
admired Sam’s knowledge, but was curious as to how he came to know
such things. Sam continued, relieved he had someone to share with.
“I get some of the information from the Commander. Emily
sends it to him, you know, through the radio.”
The damn
Commander, thought Jack. The pirate’s thoughts began to churn,
recalling Armacost was responsible for losing the monkey and the
coin. That space money knows more than me pretends. He wondered if it
would be rewarding to have a little talk with the Commander. Maybe
bring him down a rung or two. The radio, Jack thought, that would be
his Achilles heel.
Jack shook the thought from his head as
Sam stopped and opened a box.
“Here Captain, you can put
your letters in here.” On the side was simply marked LETTERS.
“That’s a little obvious isn’t it lad? It’s like
writing the word COINS outside of ye coin purse.”
“Oh,
yes, I guess you’re right.”
“Never mind, young Sam. I
think mayhap that just being down here is enough for now. Me thinks I
will sit and read the letters down here. Would that be permitted?”
Sam gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I guess. Just promise
not to open any of the boxes. It would be a Pandora’s box if you
did Captain.”
Jack made an X across his chest. “I
promise ye lad, I not be putting me nose in any of these here boxes.”
Sam nodded, believing the Captain’s swear and promise.
“Then I’ll leave you, Captain. I will have to close the
door and push the cabinet back so no one else gets suspicious. But just
knock when you want to come out, okay?”
Sparrow gave Sam a
two-finger salute off his hat. He watched as the young boy climbed
the stairs. He listened as the door slammed shut and heard the slide
of the cabinet.
Once he was satisfied he was alone, Jack sat
down on the floor, among the stacks of boxes and opened the first
letter.
“My Dear Jacques” it began.