"Will you bring me back something, papa? I'd like to have a necklace."
Jonathan was shivering like a leaf in the wind. He kept staring into nothing and could not utter a word. His breathing was hurried and he felt out of breath. He had always considered himself braver than average but the night's horror had made him weak. The stench, the horrible power, the destruction... The Kraken.
Jonathan hardly dared to move. He was clutching the broken mast and would not let go. Never. Faintly he heard the voices of the few crewmen who had survived. Someone was crying, someone was letting out quiet screams. Someone was walking around the wreck constantly talking and calling but Jonathan cared not. Corpses lay on what was left of the deck and floated in the surrounding water. He sat still and thought that it might return if he moved. The dawn was still far away and in the darkness anything was possible.
"Darling, when I come back we'll go to see the horses like I promised."
Suddenly something broke the still surface. Jonathan cried in despair; it had returned! But when he looked again he saw a great ship emerge from the depths. This gave him no comfort and all the stories he had heard of Davy Jones returned to him in an instant. He tried to shrink so that he wouldn't be found.
Soon terrible creatures appeared out of thin air all around the crew. They looked human but they had turned to look so much like fish that all their features were mutated. Jonathan was mum of fear as the fish men tore him from the mast threatening him with weapons. Someone was trying to resist but they got him. They forced all the survivors on their knees in a row.
Jonathan couldn't look at the creatures. He stared blankly at the deck and shook very hard. He held a crucifix in his clasped hands and prayed for mercy of his Lord. For the sake of his family... The fish men were standing behind the crew, in front of them and by their side.
Then they heard the ominous sound of heavy footsteps. Every other step pounded in their ears like a musket; a wooden leg they thought it was. He came.
If the survivors had not been afraid before they certainly were now. Those who dared to look up turned their eyes hastily away and wished that they had not looked at all. It was not his tentacles that drove them into despair; it was not his left-hand replacing pincer; it was his eyes. No one among them had ever seen eyes more cruel and menacing. Pale blue they were, piercing and terrifying. He walked to the end of the row. He passed Jonathan.
"I love you, papa!"
Davy Jones knelt in front of one man whom Jonathan recognized to be his dear friend Henry. Calmly and with perfect indifference Jones lit his pipe. Henry did not look at him but his terror increased by the second.
"Do you fear death?" Jones asked him quietly and softly. Henry raised his eyes on his face and trembled. He said nothing.
"Do you fear that dark abyss?" he continued softly. "All your deeds laid bare..." Henry lowered his eyes as despair seized him. All the things he had done...
"All your sins punished..." Jones said and Henry closed his eyes when he thought of his life and his mistakes.
"I can offer you an escape", said Jones. Henry raised his eyes to him again. He was ready to do anything, to agree to everything to avoid the terrors of hell.
Jonathan had been listening. He did not believe that Davy Jones could offer anything better for Henry; he did not see any hope in his words. He prayed for strength for he knew something had to be done. Henry must be warned.
"Don't listen to him!" Jonathan cried hurriedly. Davy Jones stood up and paced to him. He looked at the kneeling man with contempt and curiosity. He looked at the cross he was holding. Jonathan regretted his bravery. Fear took him. Why hadn't he remained silent? What had driven him to be so bold? If he would not return home what was to become of his family? His innocent daughter? The crucifix trembled in his hands.
"Do you not fear death?" he asked and bowed a little lower.
Jonathan looked him right into his eyes. He trembled with fear. Every cell in his body yelled "Yes! Yes I do! I do not want to die!" but he could not say it. He couldn't admit his weakness, could not give him the pleasure of yielding to his will. He knew that by saying "yes, I do" he might be spared; but he dared not utter the words. To accept help from that man was to him worse than death. Davy Jones was the devil himself and by defending his friend against him he hoped to be able to enter Heaven.
With all the courage Jonathan had left he faced Davy Jones.
"I take my chances", he answered with quivering voice which still had some headstrong strength in it. Davy Jones straightened himself and looked at Jonathan with despise.
"To the depths!" he commanded.
Jonathan panicked when some of the fish men approached him. With fearful eyes and a numbing fear he faced his doom. His daughter's face came into his mind. The blade was cold against his neck but he felt it only for a second before everything faded away.
"Where are you, papa? I miss you!"
The crucifix fell from his hands and sank slowly and quietly into the bottom of the ocean, coloured red by his blood.
"Please come home."