A/N: Hi all. This is the first story I've posted here. Go easy on me! Actually, I'm kind of embarassed to post this one. It's pretty old- I'd give it a couple years since I last laid eyes on it. It's what I thought had happened on the ship where Will was found in the beginning of the first movie, a sort of prologue to CotBP, I think.
Feedback would be nice, no flames please. Thanks!
Plundered By Pirates
A young boy leaned over the side of the ship deck wistfully gazing at the horizon as he deeply inhaled the smell of the salty seawater. As a ship's boy working on the ship in exchange for passage to Port Royal, he hadn't much time to spare. Although halfway grown, about 12 years old, the boy's thoughts drifted with the wind back to England, to his mother. He remembered that day on her deathbed, when she gave him his father's medallion. His hand flew to his neck automatically, to make sure it was still there. And he remembered…
"William Turner," gasped a pale woman, lying on a small bed. "I have something for you… from your father… he wants you to have this-"she gestured weakly to a small box at her bedside table. The boy, eyes red from crying, quickly wiped his nose ashamed of crying, and reached for the box. It felt heavy in his hands. "Open it," his mother said. Opening it gingerly, the boy called Will, lifted up a golden chain out of the box. Attached to the chain was a gold medallion. Intricately carved, the pattern contained an etching of a skull in the middle. Will caught his breath, "For me?" His mother nodded weakly, "From your father. He must meet many different characters as a trader, but I wonder how he acquired it. Here- let me fasten it around your neck." Will handed her the medallion. "Let me help you-" he said, helping her sit up. His mother laughed softly, "William…" Slowly, she managed to fasten the medallion around his neck. "Will, the money I have… is in the jar under the bed. It's only a little, but it is all I have now. Take it." She stroked his hair gently. She coughed, "I'm sorry. I love you." William bent over her anxiously, "I love you too." Smiling delicately, Mrs. Turner said, "Have you uncle take care of my body. Your uncle… he is kind. It would be good for you to stay with him; he will be good to you." She laid her head back on the pillow and sighed, "I will rest now." And she closed her eyes."Will! Where are you?" A sharp voice interrupted Will's thoughts.
"I'll be right there!" He shouted back to the voice.
He took one last look at the horizon. It looked like some fog was approaching. And there was something black on the horizon. Will squinted eagerly. Did it look like a ship? It was too fast for a ship, or at least any ship Will had ever seen, which wasn't too many. It was too fast. Maybe it was a whale or some other sea creature. Dismissing the thought of a ship, Will hurried below deck to assist the one who called him, a Mr. Wallis.
"Will, run to the galley and get me some barley water, will you?" Mr. Wallis said, rocking slightly on his heels.
"Yes, Sir." Will replied, dashing off.
Before he got to the galley, a thud from the ship threw him to the floor. He jumped to his feet, trying to keep his balance as she ship began move to and fro unnaturally. He could hear shouting above. 'What is going on up there?' Will mused. In a rash decision, he ran up to the deck. A ship with black sails! That was the thing he saw on the horizon! The fog- it was here covering the ships. William strained to see the flag on the black-sailed ship and gasped. It was a pirate ship, and the dirty-looking men climbing aboard this ship were pirates!
A sailor rushed past Will, hissing, "Get below or fight, boy!"
He shoved a butcher knife into Will's hands. They boy had barely turned aside when a dirty-bearded, stocky pirate and his tall, lanky comrade seemingly appeared out of nowhere and plunged their swords into the sailor. Will almost swooned. The pirates turned to him, grinning perniciously and brandishing their swords. Will grit his teeth, closed his eyes and threw the knife, aiming for the stocky pirate's chest. He heard howling, and he turned and fled without even looking to see if he was being pursued, down below deck, away from the confusion.
"William Turner!" Mr. Wallis shouted as Will ran past his cabin door, "What on earth are you doing? I want my barley water!"
Will, now with adrenaline rushing through him and a racing heart, breathlessly stopped in the irate man's doorway, "Mr. Wallis! P-Pi-Pirates! They're on deck! They came in and are-"
"Hang those pirates!" grumbled Mr. Wallis, holding up a hand to silence Will, "The navy needs to do something about these sent-from-hell devils! Just close my door, Turner."
Will obliged and ran on his way. He wondered where to go. He couldn't go back up there without a weapon. He ran as fast as he could on the rocking ship to the galley, in search of more knives or somewhere to hide. He heard heavy footsteps clambering down from the top deck. Will dove behind a barrel. Cowering with fear, Will tried to silence his beating heart. Sighing with relief that the pirates were not interested in food at the moment. Will had to get off this ship! He needed to escape; if he didn't, he would never find his father.
"Father," he whispered, touching his medallion, "The next time I see a pirate, I will be ready, and I will kill him!"
Will waited in his hiding place until his legs began to cramp up from staying in the same position for so long. Suddenly, Will sniffed the air. Was that- oil? He wasn't sure. It smelled like smoke too. Smoke! The pirates must have set the cargo in the hold on fire! He darted out from behind the barrel and crept up the stairs, carefully hidden. On deck, he saw pirates tossing more cargo overboard. Where was everyone else? The captain of this ship, the rest of the crew, the passengers- where were they?
"Has ye found any? If not, leave this ship to burn, and we will divagate!" shouted a pirate with a big feather on his giant hat.
The pirates worked quickly, cutting the ropes that held the two ships together temporarily, quickly getting on board the black-sailed ship, hoisting sails, making it ready. Will watched silently, hidden from sight, but able to see the actions of the pirates.
The pirates cast off, slowly sailing away, but the fog remained.
Suddenly, from the hold, the flames flared up, swallowing the oil, flames licking the wood of the old ship. The sudden flare up created a small detonation, knocking Will off his feet, and hitting his head soundly on the wooden stairs. Dizzy, Will stumbled out onto the deck. He leaned over the edge. It was a long drop, making him even dizzier, but he had to get off this ship that was sure to sink soon, or worse. He climbed over the edge, and let himself fall into the water. Cold, thick water enveloped him the moment he entered the water. Struggling against the water that seemed to pull him under with a supernatural strength, Will gasped for air. He could see a little light up there, but he could not surface from the water. Clawing and kicking at the water desperately, he finally succeeded in reaching the surface, and gasping for air, he climbed onto a wooden board that had been dumped overboard by the filthy pirates. Too exhausted to worry about rescue or even his medallion, he collapsed on the board, and passed out into the welcome dark of unconsciousness.
"Mother?" asked Will shaking her, "Are you alright?"
Mrs. Turner was gasping in her sleep, eyes open with terror although not seeing.
She bolted up awake.
"Your father… your father…" she panted, "I saw him in my dream.. something was wrong."
"It's alright, it was just a dream." Will said.
"That's right." She shook her head, "Still I dreamed he was kept somewhere. He was trapped."
She smiled, and reached out to smooth his hair.
Her hand had turned into a crab-like claw and was reaching for him.
Will grabbed her wrist, gasping.
Will woke up, startled to find himself actually grabbing someone. He opened his eyes agitated, to find himself looking into the beautiful face of a startled girl about his age.
"It's alright. My name is Elizabeth Swann." She said gently.
Gasping for breath, Will had barely enough energy to state his name, "Will Turner."
"I'm watching over you, Will." Elizabeth said tenderly.
Will's head fell back, into a deep sleep, where he would not wake up for hours.
A/N again: Actually, I think I was inspired by the DMC trailer, sometime before DMC came out to theaters. So yeah. I was young and, well, stupid. I know the way he got off the ship and stuff was really dumb, but I guess that was all I could think of.
