Chapter 10: Sarah. Her Name is Sarah.

Jim had to give her credit. It was a flawless escape. And the girl was faster than she looked.

"GET BACK HERE!"

Jim thundered after the girl. Branches scratched his cheeks as he blew over roots and under trees. The chased closed quickly as Jim gained distance. Pumping his arms and flying the last steps, Jim grabbed the girl's dress—

"What the – ?"

An animal darted across Jim's path. Jim skid but the animal blurred between his legs. Tripping, he whacked into a trunk.

"Damn it!" Jim kicked as the animal attacked. Fleetingly he saw golden eyes and a shaggy, grey snout before they smashed into his boot.

The animal yapped. Scrambling on all fours, Jim tore after the girl. The brush cracked behind him as animal sprinted for his heels –

Jim yelled. Heart in his ears he lunged at the girl as the animal pounced on his back. " Holy – "

The forest broke. Jim slammed into the girl as an enormous carriage crashed through the trees, nearly running her over. As the carriage screeched to a halt, Jim climbed over the girl as she tried to roll away.

"Stay still!" The animal had vanished but the girl had extracted her claws and was scratching Jim to pieces. Furiously she fought, still trying to escape.

Jim sat on the girl's chest.

"I said!" Jim ripped the bow from her hair. Nearly tipping with the strain he wound the ribbon around her wrists. "STAY STILL!"

"Jim? Jim? Jim Hawkins?"

Passengers were exiting the carriage. Some appeared more to be escaping the carriage, what with their green faces and upset stomachs, except for a young man with dark features, brilliant white teeth, and also with a girl slung over his shoulder.

The young man waved.

"Hey! Jim! Jim Hawkins!"

Jim peered. He tightened his knees, keeping the girl in place. "Aladdin?"

"Jim!" Aladdin hopped from the carriage. Girl balanced on his shoulder he wove through the passengers for Jim.

Jim finished tying the knots.

"Nice try." he told the girl. "But your ass is so pressed. Don't ever run away like that again or I'll sell you to Mr. Sun God instead of Captain Hook. Hear me?"

She answered with a lethal glare. As Jim hoisted her over his shoulder he heard a little growl.

"So long as you don't bite..." he muttered as Aladdin extended a hand. "And once again, keep your mouth shut. Aladdin! Thought you were in the cult. What'r you doing down here?"

Aladdin and Jim shook. Politely they angled so their female captives wouldn't bump legs.

"Good to see you too." Aladdin said. "And surprised. Kayley said something about you two conning Gaston at the Ugly Duckling."

Inwardly Jim grimaced. He'd forgotten about their plot to drug Gaston and win the arm wrestling match.

"Oops."

"Oops is right." said Aladdin. "Kayley lost all her money. But so did the rest of the Cult, so she's no worse off right?"

Jim adjusted the girl. "What?"

"Oh yeah." Aladdin mimicked his motion. The girl on his shoulder fidgeted. "Oh yeah I forgot you weren't there. Oh man Jim it was bad. See – apparently The Horned King cursed all of our gold into dust."

"Ah." Jim remembered the dust in his pocket. "Well that would've been really helpful information five minutes ago."

"What you'd get stuck with a check?"

"Yeah. Diner down that way. Mudka's Meat Hut. Chef's a real psycho."

"You're always so noble." Aladdin jibed. "When are you going to learn that sinners of Greed don't have to pay? We're greedy! People expect that! Just tear up the check and go! C'mon Jim! You're a devil incarnate for god's sake!"

"Abiding by the rules to avoid death." Jim shrugged. "Always been my biggest flaw."

"I'll say."

"So what's the Horned King's problem? Why'd he curse our gold?"

Aladdin blew like a horse. "Tuh. I dunno. McDuck tried to explain it, but there was a lot of yelling. Jist of it though, is that a sinner of greed stole a girl from the Horned King, and the Horned King wants her back."

The girl stopped moving. Jim gripped her nightgown.

"...really?"

"Yup!" said Aladdin, "That's why I'm here! Since our gold is cursed, everybody's been scavenging for non-gold items. After all, the Feast of Avarice is in a few days – "

"-oh damn it." said Jim. "The Feast of Avarice. I forgot."

"—so we've got to get our hands on non-gold stuff to sell! You know silver, diamonds, slaves, frankincense, myrrh, and..."

Aladdin patted his victim's rump. "...Bengal tigers."

Jim almost laughed. "Bengal tigers? You're kidding."

"Nope!" Aladdin said. "Bengal tigers baby! You see, Princess Jasmine here – oh excuse me. Jasmine, this is Jim. Jim you remember Jasmine?"

Jim nodded. Sinners of the Greed commonly held prisoners for extended periods of time until a ransom was collected. Jasmine was a princess from the Cult of Pride. Her homeland, Agraba, was a desert island one-hundred fathoms south of Neverland. And though her family was extremely wealthy, they were also sinners of Pride and refused to pay ransom to a riff-raff street-rat like Aladdin. It would be sinful to stoop so low.

As a result, Princess Jasmine had been held Aladdin's captive for three years. She'd lived in the Cult of Greed for so long, she had become a native resident. Jasmine was basically best friends with Kayley, and she knew most sinners of Greed by first name.

"Yeah, I remember." Jim raised a hand. "Hey Jasmine."

"Hi Jim." Jasmine sighed. "Aladdin. Can we go, please? I am so uncomfortable and you sweat like a pig. And get your filthy hand off my – "

"Where you going?" Jim asked as Aladdin snapped back his hand. "You're not bringing her to Agraba?"

Proudly Aladdin nodded. "Yup! You see, I had a thought. If Jaz's folks are too snubby to pay her ransom, then I'll just do what your brother Dimitri did! I'll ask for her hand in marriage and get the dowry instead!"

Jim raised his voice. "And how does Jasmine feel about that?"

Jasmine waved apathetically. "C'est la vie. Anything to get this street rat out of my hair."

"Hey!" said Aladdin. "That's not nice! Remember wifey, we're getting married!"

"Okay." Jasmine scoffed. "Sure."

"She likes me!" Aladdin winked. "And boy I can't wait to get my hands on that dowry! Jim, I'm talking silks, I'm talking spices, I'm talking ivory, I'm talking jade, I'm talking tigers. Big ones."

Aladdin spread his arms. "Like I'm talking huge Bengal tigers. Do you have any idea how much Bengal tiger fur will sell?"

Jim hiked the girl against his neck. "How you getting to Agraba? Boat?"

"Yeah." said Aladdin. ."Some geezer Silver recommended. Old ship mate apparently. I think his name is Billy Baritones – "

"—Bones." corrected Jasmine

"—Bones." Aladdin said. "Billy Bones. Thanks Jaz. See, we're finishing each other's sentences already! Match made in Heaven –"

" – move your slimy hand."

"Oops. Sorry my little lotus flower."

"Oh don't make me throw up."

"I just met Bones." said Jim. "Cool guy. Gave us directions."

"Us? Oh yeah. I noticed you had...uh..." Aladdin motioned at the girl. "...luggage. What is it? Usual? Kidnapping? Ransom?"

Jim nodded. "Yeah. Gonna sell her back to the original thief."

"Ooo double dipping, I like it."

"You know how I roll."

"Sure do. Complicated and intricate as all Hell." Aladdin stooped. He inspected the girl. "Oh yeah. Very choice. Well done Hawkins, she's cute. From this angle. She gotta name?"

"Uh." Jim froze. He'd never considered giving the girl a name. Hey You and Quit Punching Me had worked just as effectively as a fake name.

"Uh her name..." Jim searched for a name, but his brain kept buzzing back to Kayley. Jim almost said it, but caught himself. Kayley was too obvious, even Aladdin would become suspicious. Frantic, Jim blurted the only other girl's name immediately on his mind.

"S-sarah. Sarah." Jim squeezed the girl to keep from shaking. "Sarah, her name is Sarah."

"Really? Sarah? Jim, wasn't that your mo – "

"—yeah." Jim interrupted. He could feel the girl's gaze on the back of his skull. "Yeah. Whatever. Small freakin world. Her name is Sarah."

"Oh. Well it's too bad, really." said Aladdin, accepting Jim's cue to change the subject. "Because The Horned King is looking for a girl named We– "

"All aboard!" A driver called from the carriage. Turning, he motioned at Jim. "All aboard! Last call if it be your pleasure. Last call to the River Vein."

Jim studied the driver. The man was large but not beefy, more fluffy like a pillow. He had white hair, red coat, jolly pink cheeks, and waved from the driver's seat like a demented version of Santa Clause.

"Is that The Coachman?"

"Yup." Aladdin said. "That's The Coachman. Never rode his coach before but man let me tell you...scary."

"How do you mean?" asked Jim.

"I dunno, just scary." Aladdin writhed. "Like in a weird, circus, bizarre way. You're not thinking about riding to the River Vein with him are you?"

"Yeah." Jim nodded. "Why not? You did."

"True. But I rode halfway with Radcliff. We kinda stuck together, I never had to spend the night alone in the carriage. And don't forget." Aladdin pinched Jasmine's thigh. "I've got Jaz. She's feisty. You and Sarah are going to be alone in there with..."

Aladdin shuddered. "...the Sisters."

"Come on then!" The Coachman cracked a whip. "All aboard!"

"The Sisters? The Sister of Envy?" Jim spoke quickly. "Aladdin are you sure?"

Aladdin nodded. "They almost got Jaz."

"What about The Mortician? And The Huntsman? Are they – "

"Last chance!" The Coachman bellowed. The wheels wobbled as the donkeys towing the coach spurred. "You there, Boy! On or off?"

Jim was caught. His decision wrestled between the Coachman, the animal chasing them, Billy Bone's advice, and the passengers inside the coach.

"On!" he finally decided, securing his hold on girl. "On! We're coming on. Aladdin – Aladdin good luck."

"Hey, you too Jim! Next time I see ya, I'll be a married man!"

They shook. Crouching, Aladdin grinned at the girl.

"Nice meeting you, Sarah. Try not to give Jimbo a hard time, huh? He bites."

The girl glared. Sweetly, Aladdin pinched her cheek.

"That's right, be a good little victim. Jaz: say goodbye to Sarah."

"They're scum." Jasmine told the girl. They exchanged doleful looks. "Give him Hell."

"Oh which reminds me!" Aladdin called as Jim stepped foot in the carriage. He cupped a hand to his mouth. "Be careful Jim! It's not just the Sisters of Envy ya gotta worry about! There have been saints all over the place! 'Speically the River Vein! Byyyyyyye!"

The Coachman and carriage disappeared. Merrily, Aladdin trundled Princess Jasmine down the forest trail to Mudka's Meat Hut in search of Billy Bones. But they never rendezvoused with the pirate. After all, Billy Bones was dead.

However, Aladdin and his princess did meet a wonderfully helpful fellow who referred them to another pirate named Captain Jack Sparrow. It was a lifesaving tip, and Aladdin told him so. But the helpful fellow refused all compensatory offerings and denied all manner of gifts.

However, he did ask for a small token of information.

"That carriage with the Coachman that just passed. A boy and girl didn't happen to board, did they?"

"Sure did!" Aladdin pointed in the general direction of the coach. "Jim Hawkins and his kidnapee, Sarah. Went thatta way Phoebus! Or...do you prefer Mr. Sun God?"

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "There is no way I'm marrying this creep."