Red Dead Jane, the Early Years

By D.P. Pankratz

Jane O’Malley, a ten-year-old red-haired girl, one seeking adventure on the high seas. Her father would prefer she stay on solid ground. From being bullied for her red-hair, to earning the respect of others. Jane sets out on the high seas, before long, she becomes a messenger for the kings of Spain, and England, and soon discovers she was stabbed in the back by one of them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Perry Pankratz
• Release date: Mar 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781777156442

Book preview

Red Dead Jane, the Early Years

Red Dead Jane, The early years

By

D.P. Pankratz

Copyright

Red Dead Jane, The Early Years is a work of fiction. Some of the places are real, others used to exist. All people and events are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is coincidental.

Copyright © 2020 D.P. Pankratz

Published in the United States by Lulu.com

LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGING-                  IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Pankratz, Perry (Perry P.)

Red Dead Jane, The Early Years/D.P. Pankratz

ISBN 978-1-7771564-4-2

Printed in the United States of America

Lulu.com

First Edition

Dedications

To my wife Teresa, for being here with me, through thick and thin. We’ve weathered a lot of storms together, and we’ll weather a thousand more.

Billy-Jean MacKenzie, thank you for aspiring a second Red Dead Jane. I hope you enjoy this one as much as the first.

Amanda Williams, thank you for editing this story, without you, I would not be here.

Magen Baxman McMinimy, Thank you for doing my covers, I love them all.

I would also like to thank those who’ve stood by me, helped me, and been the greatest support when I’ve been down. Thank you. And to those who’ve helped me grow as a writer, I owe you all a big thank you!

To you, the reader, I hope you enjoy the story and thank you as well.

The township of Elizabeth T

Laying in a pile of leaves on a mid-October evening, met with the sun’s disappearing warmth, and the bitter cold of nightfall coming. Watching the darkness slowly overtaking the light, and wonder to myself, perhaps when I’m older, papa will let me go on a ship, and sail across the many seas? No… I can hear papa’s voice ringing out loudly in my ears, But Jane, you’re all but nine, you’d never make it sailing these treacherous waters, look at your hands, soft and gentle. No, my Jane, you best stay here on land where it’s safer. Mom shouts out from the house,

Jane… Supper’s ready!

Sighing as I take another hard look at the darkening sky, sitting up, and wiping the leaves from my red and white dress. Getting to my feet, and quickly run towards the candles glow while mama swings it gently side to side, as I respond loudly, Coming! Mom finally spots me and starts waving happily. Slowly making my way up the couple of stairs to the porch, mom rubs the top of my head, as she responds kindly,

Oh, my girl, you have the reddest hair of any girl I’ve ever seen. Come, let’s get inside before this chill gets us both sick.

Smiling as I straighten my hair up as best I can while walking inside. Seeing dad sitting at the table impatiently waiting to eat. He looks over at me with a slight grimacing gaze on his tired face while grumbling,

Where were you hiding yourself this time Red?

Stopping near his chair while watching his eyes to see how angry he is, but he’s not angry. His hand comes towards my neck, as he gently picks a leaf from my shoulder, as he rolls and inspects this reddish-orange leaf in front of my face, as he answers calmly,

I see by this leaf here; you were hiding by the pond again.

Giving dad a weird glance, as I shockingly wonder, how did he know? He begins chuckling while placing his hand on my shoulder, and answers confidently holding his hand in front of him, palm up,

Oh, my dear Jane, life gives us all the answers we’ll ever need, and that look on your face tells me, you are slightly confused as to how I know where you were hiding near the pond. Have a seat next to me.

Dad pulls another chair out, as I hurriedly sit down watching the smile on his face grow while mine is blank. He rolls the reddish-orange leaf back and forth between his index finger and thumb. Leaning closer to me, he whispers,

If you watch everything closely, your surroundings, even people, they will tell you everything you need to know about them. This leaf is from that oak tree by the pond. Therefore, you must have been close to the pond.

Nodding as he passes me the leaf back, and I try rolling it in my fingers, as I stare at the colors swirling around. Looking up into my father’s eyes, as I respond inquisitively, But father, what if I had carried it from elsewhere and didn’t realize it? Dad smiles while taking his finger lightly across my nose, and states,

Jane… I know you didn’t. You love that pond too much to take anything away from there. I believe that’s where you were hiding.

Smiling while I nod agreeing. Mom comes walking over with some vegetable soup and replies sternly,

Enough chit-chat you to… eat!

Yes, mom, I answer quickly, as dad sits up straight in his chair, placing his finger over his mouth once mom turns away from us. He blows, and sucks in his cheeks repeatedly, as I burst out laughing while mom turns around to look at me sternly, and states,

And what’s so funny Jane?

I quickly point towards dad, he looks shocked, and shakes his head no and points at me smiling. Mom gives us both that annoyed look, and we put our heads down towards the table ashamed. Mom comes back a short time later with a fresh-baked loaf of bread, the smell wafts towards my nose, making me even hungrier than I am already. Dad hurriedly rips me off a piece and puts it by my bowl. We sit here eating and I listen to mom and dad talk about getting ready for winter. Before long, my mind wanders to the sea again, but knowing dad will say no, he always does.

After dinner, Dad sits by the fireplace in his favorite chair, smoking his pipe while reading a hand-sized poster. Hearing him clicking his pipe against his teeth agitated, I know whatever he’s reading, has to be bad. Walking over to him quietly while hearing him muttering bad words under his breath. Stopping a few feet from his chair when he abruptly turns and tries to smile while he asks curiously,

You have done all your chores, Jane?

Nodding yes, as I watch him trying to continue smiling my way, glancing down at the poster, seeing the words, homage, and taxes. Looking back up at dad’s face, as he responds slightly worried,

Oh, you heard what I said under my tongue? (Giving a quick nod yes.) Sorry, you should not have heard those kinds of words from me. You’ll understand why I’m angry with what I’m about to say one day, Kings are maddening to the calmest soul. See here… (Pointing at the larger print on the paper) They want to increase our yearly payments to the king. (Shaking his head annoyed.) Jane, we live in a world run by Kings and gods. You and I are what Kings would refer to as peasants. Our usefulness ends at our satchels of coins. God’s refer to us as followers, but where one ends, the other begins. Vicious circle this is my dear Jane, praying to one while the other steals from our pockets.

Seeing the stress in my father’s face, I look down at the paper slowly being crunched within his hands and soon is in the fire with a quick flick of his wrist. Puffing on his pipe, watching dad begin relaxing again. He eyes me, as he reluctantly asks,

I see that look in your eyes, what’s on your mind, my dear?

Placing my hands behind my back while giving dad my innocent gaze. Taking the pipe out of his mouth, as he’s about to say something while I answer cautiously,

Father, when can I go on one of those ships in port?

Shaking his head uneasily, as he seemingly ponders my question for a moment. Taking one last puff before leaning forward and banging the ashes out on a handmade wooden ashtray. Placing his pipe upside down on his pipe holder, then turning towards me seriously, as he replies carefully,

Jane. (Picking me up, and placing me on his lap.) I know you believe the sea is where you want to be, but look at what you endure here. Thomas Bijou, and those other children calling you a red devil, and throwing rocks at you. On a ship, you’d have nowhere to go, nowhere to get away from their taunting, except the water. You’ve seen what the whalers sometimes bring back in on their boats. No, Jane, a boats not a place you want to be trapped on.

Looking at dad, knowing he’s just trying to protect me, but at the same time feeling a ship with the wind in my face heading to unknown lands has ahold of my soul. Sighing while I answer disappointed, Yes, father. Slipping off his lap, as he pats my shoulder softly. Walking to my room with a fire burning in my heart and tears in my eyes.

Lying in bed, closing my eyes while images of me standing on a deck of my ship, wind coursing across my face while I smile. Soon dad’s words start eating away at my dreams, and before long, every other member of the crew gathers around me yells enraged,

We have the devil amongst us. Perhaps we should send this devil back to the depths?

Hands reach towards me from everywhere, grabbing, and tying me up with heavy deck ropes. I punch and kick at them furiously trying to free myself. They mockingly laugh louder the more I struggle to getaway. A large boy, Thomas Bijou, the reverends own son, and my biggest tormentor walks up to me, as they finish tying the last knot behind my back. A menacing evil grin on his face while he balls up his fist. Trying to break free of my constraints, as he looks towards the choppy waters and exclaims loudly,

Where are you going to go now, Jane…? Or should I say, devils, spawn. Look at your red hair, father has told me of how the devil favors red hair. Perhaps, we should cut that hair off your head. (Pulling a dagger out of his waistband.) Then you will be a normal woman unless of course, your red hair comes back.

Struggling to free myself while being held down by everyone. Thomas comes closer, his eyes flaming with hate while flaunting the blade before my eyes, violently grabbing a tuff of my hair, as he starts sawing/ripping my hair off while I try to move my head away from him. Everyone cheers while he throws my hair in the air. Glaring up at him with burning hate, as he responds smugly,

Much better Jane… now, shall we send her back to the devil's lands beneath the water?

Cheers echo