That Female Pirate with the Axe…

 

I thrive upon the open water. With freedom and fury, the violence inside me unleashed. Sword and pistol held steady. Stealing treasures of gold and those of blood. I fight with lethal force, kill without mercy.

Yet I ask mercy for the parasite in my belly. Fools give it. And I live. The child won’t.

After birth, I return to sea without regret.

A different name. They still know me. Breasts I will not hide, hair like flame. They respect me. Fear me. Know they will wake with an axe in their drunken skull should they cross me.

 

 

I decided to re-post my pirate flash this week for the Carrot Ranch challenge of the importance of a name.

After her capture, Anne Bonny returned to piracy (although there are accounts of her settling down, marrying, and having children). Either way, she is said to have changed her name. Between first and last names, this woman had a trunk full of identities. Changed for numerous reasons (hiding gender, nicknames, hiding heritage, marriages, hiding from the law…), the famous pirate (Andy McCormac, Anne McCormac, Anne Cormac, Anney, Anne Boone, Bonney, Anabel, Anabelle…but mostly recognized as Anne Bonny) was well-known during her lifetime and remains notorious regardless of what she was called.

Sometimes power is in the name. Sometimes power is in the person without one.

 

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

 

December 15, 2016 prompt: Names In 99 words (no more, no less) explore the importance of a name within a story. It can be naming an experience, introducing an extraordinary name, or clarifying a name.

 

 

Hawkeye

 

My name is Red.

As in the crimson ribbons that will flow from your flesh when my razor-sharp weapon lashes out.

I watch the woman unleash a storm of violence with her sword and a smile.

I will fight alongside her.

She moves like a sharp-shinned hawk, majestic and agile. Like me.

She is deadly beauty.

I wait for her to notice me. To appreciate my brutality in battle. To take me under her wing.

She turns, red hair flying free in the salty air. My heart soars.

A laugh escapes her lips as she says, “Polly wanna cracker?”

 

 

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

 * This fun, little flash was prompted in two ways by Charli this week. One. I am using her prompt from Carrot Ranch. Two. She suggested I use a female pirate character I’ve written about previously and include a parrot (who thinks he is a raptor). 🙂

 

October 19, 2016 prompt: Raptor – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that includes a raptor. Let your imagination take wing, or dive into natural science. Tell a story about flight, talons or tail-feathers. Create a myth or share a BOTS (based on a true story). Set the raptor in a spectacular place or focus on bird itself. And for clarification, raptors are eagles, hawks, falcons and owls.

 

 

Bonny Lass

 

I thrive upon the open water. With freedom and fury, the violence inside me unleashed. Sword and pistol held steady. Stealing treasures of gold and those of blood. I fight with lethal force, kill without mercy.

Yet I ask mercy for the parasite in my belly. Fools give it. And I live. The child won’t.

After birth, I return to sea without regret.

A different name. They still know me. Breasts I will not hide, hair like flame. They respect me. Fear me. Know they will wake with an axe in their drunken skull should they cross me.

 

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

December 2, 2015 prompt: Pirate – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a pirate story. It can be about pirates or piracy; modern or of yore. Swashbuckling, parrots and rum can be involved or maybe you’ll invent details beyond standard pirates.

 

 * No, Anne Bonny was not Scottish. She was Irish (American) but I took liberty with the title. Because it’s my blog. And it was fun.