Bootstrap Bill sat glumly on the cannon to which he was attached.
Once again bemoaning his fate, Bill htought of the vents which had led him
here.
**Flash back **
Splash! Jack Sparrow, former captain of the Black Pearl had been forced to walk the plank. Everyone cheered. Everyone but Bill. He and Jack had been good friends ever since Jack's first voyage, when Bill had taken him under his wing.
Stepping forward, Bill raised his voice so everyone could hear him. "T'weren't right."
Barbossa froze, mid-bite of his favorite food-apples. "What did you say, you mangy cur," Barbossa growled.
"T'weren't right. Jack was our Captain. He shared wif us, and what'd we do t'repay him? Spit in his eye!"
Barbossa motioned to two pirates to take Bill down to the brig. "Hopefully a few days will cool you off, Bootstrap."
The next day, they had discovered the Aztec gold. Barbossa had been in such good spirits that, after bringing the heavy chest onboard, he had allowed Bootstrap to take a piece of the treasure.
"Until yesterday, you'd been a good sailor, so I'll give you a piece o' the treasure."
"If I keep me mouf shut?"
Barbossa grinned. "You always was the smart one, Bootstrap."
"Send it to me kid. I don't want it. Send it to him, so's he'll 'member his ole man."
"You've a son?" Barbossa was clearly stunned.
"I don't rightly know," Bill admitted. "Me wife threw me out right afore t'was born. She won't answer any letters I send,but I want me kid to remember me."
Barbossa smiled, touched by Bootstrap's tale. "Course you know what this means. I can't have you spreadin' your feelings to the rest o' the crew."
Bill nodded, resigned to his fate.
It wasn't until he'd been underwater for a few minutes that he'd realized he wasn't dying.
**End Flashback**
Bill sighed. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that the gold had something to do with it. He'd realized the full extent of the curse when a shaft of moonlight descended to his position, turning his hand into a decaying skeleton.
Bootstrap sighed once again and stretched his legs. Suddenly he felt the leather of his boostraps give way. Bill triumphed. He was free, and he knew who he had to blame for this curse. Jack Sparrow.
**************************************************************************** **********
Bootstrap sat on a piece of coral, disgusted with himself. He'd once been one of the most able-bodied pirates on the seven seas, but put him on a cannon for ten years, and he couldn't even walk for three days. Of course, he was dying of hunger. . . Bill shook his head. "Mind over matter mate," he muttered to himself.
Rising from his perch, Bill took a deep breath, steadying himself for another long hike. Bill's eyes widened. He'd inhaled sea water! Bill pushed off the bottom, scrambling for fresh air.
As he rose, his oxygen supply began to run out. His lungs were on fire, he began seeing spots in front of his eyes. And then, finally, just in time, Bill reached the surface. He was in the middle of a very vast ocean
Bill swam for two days, until his strength finally gave out, and then began floating. Once in a while, he managed to catch a fish, and would eat it raw, just thankful that he had that much. Bootstrap began hallucinating, and his tongue began to swell. He floated in and out of darkness. Nearly a week had passed when a ship happened past.
The cry rang out. "Man overboard!!" Bill stirred out of his delirium long enough to tie the lowered rope around his waist. He reached the deck, took a sip of the offered water---then---darkness.
**Flash back **
Splash! Jack Sparrow, former captain of the Black Pearl had been forced to walk the plank. Everyone cheered. Everyone but Bill. He and Jack had been good friends ever since Jack's first voyage, when Bill had taken him under his wing.
Stepping forward, Bill raised his voice so everyone could hear him. "T'weren't right."
Barbossa froze, mid-bite of his favorite food-apples. "What did you say, you mangy cur," Barbossa growled.
"T'weren't right. Jack was our Captain. He shared wif us, and what'd we do t'repay him? Spit in his eye!"
Barbossa motioned to two pirates to take Bill down to the brig. "Hopefully a few days will cool you off, Bootstrap."
The next day, they had discovered the Aztec gold. Barbossa had been in such good spirits that, after bringing the heavy chest onboard, he had allowed Bootstrap to take a piece of the treasure.
"Until yesterday, you'd been a good sailor, so I'll give you a piece o' the treasure."
"If I keep me mouf shut?"
Barbossa grinned. "You always was the smart one, Bootstrap."
"Send it to me kid. I don't want it. Send it to him, so's he'll 'member his ole man."
"You've a son?" Barbossa was clearly stunned.
"I don't rightly know," Bill admitted. "Me wife threw me out right afore t'was born. She won't answer any letters I send,but I want me kid to remember me."
Barbossa smiled, touched by Bootstrap's tale. "Course you know what this means. I can't have you spreadin' your feelings to the rest o' the crew."
Bill nodded, resigned to his fate.
It wasn't until he'd been underwater for a few minutes that he'd realized he wasn't dying.
**End Flashback**
Bill sighed. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that the gold had something to do with it. He'd realized the full extent of the curse when a shaft of moonlight descended to his position, turning his hand into a decaying skeleton.
Bootstrap sighed once again and stretched his legs. Suddenly he felt the leather of his boostraps give way. Bill triumphed. He was free, and he knew who he had to blame for this curse. Jack Sparrow.
**************************************************************************** **********
Bootstrap sat on a piece of coral, disgusted with himself. He'd once been one of the most able-bodied pirates on the seven seas, but put him on a cannon for ten years, and he couldn't even walk for three days. Of course, he was dying of hunger. . . Bill shook his head. "Mind over matter mate," he muttered to himself.
Rising from his perch, Bill took a deep breath, steadying himself for another long hike. Bill's eyes widened. He'd inhaled sea water! Bill pushed off the bottom, scrambling for fresh air.
As he rose, his oxygen supply began to run out. His lungs were on fire, he began seeing spots in front of his eyes. And then, finally, just in time, Bill reached the surface. He was in the middle of a very vast ocean
Bill swam for two days, until his strength finally gave out, and then began floating. Once in a while, he managed to catch a fish, and would eat it raw, just thankful that he had that much. Bootstrap began hallucinating, and his tongue began to swell. He floated in and out of darkness. Nearly a week had passed when a ship happened past.
The cry rang out. "Man overboard!!" Bill stirred out of his delirium long enough to tie the lowered rope around his waist. He reached the deck, took a sip of the offered water---then---darkness.