A pirate's story

Chapter 1

The market places in 1721, Port Royal, Jamaica were filled with no good scoundrels and rough sailors as May Williams had discovered when she was a child and still visited frequently. Being as it may Port Royal was located in the Caribbean, the sea with the most pirate history ever. Pirates and plunderers were always searching for treasure and goods. The laws were enforced heavily and all pirates that were captured were hanged. Commodore Charles was worried about war and battle between pirates and the good men of Port Royal. But no shots had been fired or serious threats had been made and they were at peace for the moment.

The beautiful sights and laughter of children brought May back to reality and out of her thoughts. May and her friend, Elizabeth, were both unemployed, not betrothed nor married. This meant the two women were practically bound by this bond and friendship. Today, both were watching Elizabeth's younger siblings: Clarice the youngest, Nathaniel the middle-child, and Tiffany the second oldest.

The midsummer sun overlooked the tents and stands everywhere. Standing in the middle of the path separating different stands, the older girls surveyed their surroundings peacefully. That was until they saw Tiffany sprinting toward them, skirts billowing behind her.

"I–– I can't find Nathaniel… He was right behind me and then was gone," She said breathing hard. Luckily, May was a step ahead, because she knew what Nathaniel was like; a lot like her. She wandered off into the dark alley that led to the docks. They were only for small shipments and little known merchants.

Nathaniel always insisted on peeking down the alley and claimed he had seen glimpses of pirates. Old storytellers poisoned his mind with fantastic events that even a fool would laugh in his face miserably. But somehow these legends, swordplay and the swashbuckling funnies Nathaniel told over and over again attracted her.

As May rounded the corner she smelt the stench of rotting wood and garbage that corrupted the inlet of water. The few boats that were there bobbed slowly up and down with the swaying of the current. She was about to turn back when she caught a glimpse of something in the water. She noticed it was a young man about her age hanging on to a piece of driftwood who appeared to be unconscious. The man 's light hair was stuck to his scalp and forehead, almost shading his eyes. . His face was covered in mud and grime, but for some reason she was drawn to him but not with pity but curiosity.

Suddenly, the man was aware of her presence but didn't act surprised or startled in the least. He looked entranced by her appearance. May's wavy blonde hair blew in the breeze off of the sea, and her stormy sea blue eyes sparkled with wonder. They both stared at each other for a moment or two and then the trance broke. The man seemed to have momentarily gained strength and let go of the driftwood and swimming to the dock easily. As he hoisted himself onto the dock and stood, she could see he was off balance and swayed as he took a step. At first May thought he was drunk, but when he came closer, the young man did not smell of liquor nor did his eyes seem hazy or out of focus. His clothes dripped rhythmically on the wood and his boots made a squishing sound on contact. Despite being waterlogged and ragged, this man seemed fairly decent compared to the usual pirates and scallywag merchants that stepped onto the dock they now occupied.

He walked up to her and bent down close to her ear smelling the sweet aroma of her hair. He whispered clearly, "Jacob Gibbs" and she returned her name. Then he took off running and she followed him at a fast pace, but when she reached the corner he was gone. May knew only his name and slightly Jacob's appearance–– he would probably be scrubbing his face clean wherever he was now. She knew not where he lived, why he was here, or of Jacob's life at all.

May was a little dazed after meeting the strange man and was almost in a dream until she reached the sunlit market. She met Elizabeth in a refreshed mood.

"Where have you been? We found Nathaniel sitting in a storyteller's booth, I half expected you to be hiding there too, if you were gone any longer." Her best friend commented relieved to have her back.

"Sorry Elizabeth! I just went looking for him right away and I lost track of time but all I did was check around the docks­­­­––"

May was about to tell her about the man but Nathaniel was tugging on her dress.

"Nat, Nat! Did you see any pirates when you were looking for me?"

"No, Nathaniel, I didn't."

"Awww! That's okay. Tomorrow will you come to the storyteller with me? He told me about the pirate Dreadnel, he sails these very waters, he said so! Plus he said that there will be a guest there!"

"Aye, Aye, Captain Nate! We'll set a course tomorrow morn! Right now we need to steer our ship back to catch a nap before supper!"

Nathaniel giggled and they walked back to their cottages. With every step May could feel the burden of the curiosity she held with young man burying deeper inside her. She remembered his face: calm but afraid and his voice: so gentle but rough with tension. She couldn't help but wonder, 'what was Jacob doing floating in the port presumably from the Caribbean Sea?' 'Was there a shipwreck? Was he lost at sea? Or was he thrown overboard?' So many solutions and only one way to see if any one is true; find him. May couldn't wait 'til first light to search for him and maybe hear his voice again.

May, Elizabeth and her siblings met at the gates of town the next morning. May was eager to look for Jacob Gibbs but she almost forgot her bargain with Nathaniel. She was partially reluctant but her hunger for stories was overpowering so she went. Nathaniel led her to the same stand he had been to yesterday. A man a little taller than her stood with his back facing them. His dark hair was wavy, greasy and had a bandana, which he reveled after facing them and putting his hat over his heart bowing.

"Milady. Boy!" he said his hair falling over his eyes reveling various strange tattoos along his neck. His clothes were torn and stained by grime; his boots were weather worn, along with his young looking face. His teeth were yellow and some were made of gold and silver. He was armed with a pistol and sword. Both weapons looked expensive for this ragged man. Just like their owner these arms were worn and had been used countless times. For what, May didn't want to imagine. May took a step back holding Nathaniel by the shoulders. The strange man bent down and put out a hand for Nathaniel to shake, but also uncovering more tattoos.

"You're no storyteller! You're, you're a­­––" She couldn't believe what she was going to say but Nathaniel interrupted.

"––You're Captain Dreadnel!" May was stunned. 'How did he know? Maybe this is what the storyteller meant by guest. But where was the storyteller and why is Captain Dreadnel here?'

"Excuse me, Mr. Dreadnel, but we did not come here to be amused by your foolishness."

"Call me Dreadnel… Then what did you come here for?" he looked at her with a silly look on his face; his eyes were wide and his right brow cocked and his smile dazed.

"Not for you of course," she said dryly and hint of arrogance in her voice. "But for a story."

"Then if you're searching for a story of a pirate, presumably, you're searching for a pirate of a story, eh? Now come me laddy and lass, I'll let you meet the crew!"

"The crew?" May said with fear.

"Aye, fair lady!" Dreadnel said with a wink and grabbed her hand. When they walked further into the tent they saw half a dozen men lined up to receive inspection from the captain. The first man in line stepped out and spoke to the entering party.

"Aye, Captain that is a fine gal ye got ye! How much did you pay her to be seen wi' the likes of ye?"

"Ah, Mister Christian, I didn't pay her naught at all. You see, she sought a story of a pirate an' why not a bunch of pirates to tell her one, eh?" He gave a strange look at his crew.

"Aye, Aye, Captain!" The crew said heartily.

" Mister Christian! See to it that we have a hearty meal, me cook." The Captain refrained from holding May's hand to inspect the rest of the crew. He walked his slow and dazed pirate walk looking each man in the eye. With each step he cried out a name and gave the man a task. When there wasn't a man left he gave a cry:

"Arrrrgh! Where is that confounded boy?" He threw his head up towards the sky and thought a bit. Then he turned and looked at May.

"Ah… Miss––?"

"Williams."

"Yes, Miss Williams," He said thoughtfully. "By any chance," He stopped and braced for pain. "Are you about 17 year––." He didn't finish his sentence because May slapped him across the cheek. There was a bit of laughter from the men working the sails.

"How dare you ask a woman her age!" She said as Dreadnel recovered.

" 'Guess that's a yes. But that's not why I brought you here. I need your help with a burden of mine, a certain boy about your age.

"Why would I help you?"

"Because," he said taking out a gun, "No one can save you from your horrible tragic accidental," He put a big emphasis on the word accidental, "fate…" The Captain laughed and held the gun to her throat.

" I would rather die than help a stupid, merciless, bloody pirate!" She glared at him.

"Pirate or not your life is in my hands, but you might find him appealing since I know you've been searching for him… if you catch my drift." May blushed and then regained some confidence after being morally defeated. 'How did he know what she was doing here?'

"What is it you want me to do?" She said, Captain Dreadnel whispered and she listened intently even though his breath stank of rotting fish.

Jacob's cabin was on the ship; May had never been on a big ship before especially not a pirate ship. The Blackened Soul was a square-rigged ship with 40 guns, a common ship in the Caribbean. The things that were different about it were: the wood was dark and the sails were red. May felt a dark veil cover her heart and soul when she boarded. She found Jacob's cabin and went right in, as soon as she closed the door there was a rapier–about two inches into the door– bobbing where her head had been a moment ago.

Jacob Gibbs had his back to her and must have thrown it with his eyes closed or he would have killed her. Then he called angrily, back still facing her:

"Dreadnel! I told you many a time; if you don't leave me alone you'll be rotting in Davy Jones' locker with a knife through your heart!"

"Calm down Jacob," She said with a wavering voice. "It's me, May Williams."

With surprising speed, Jacob covered the distance between them before she could move. He grabbed her forcefully by the shoulders and brought her closer to him. Jacob stared into her stormy blue eyes and his fury was forgotten. Jacob lessened his grip and they bent into kiss but his knees buckled. Jacob backed up digging his fingers into his head in extreme anguish and torment, his eyes were shut tight and his jaw clenched in fear of letting out a shriek. The veins in his head bulged, his hair and clothes in disarray from the fit. He retreated to the bed laying on it to recover.

"What happened?" May asked sitting down next to him, panicking.

"The curse."

"Curse? What curse? You're cursed?" May said worried. As he spoke she could tell there was real pain in his voice

"Aye, you see this ship wasn't always a pirate ship nor The Blackened Soul it was just a sailing ship from England looking for new land for another colony. We stumbled upon a big island at the edge of the Caribbean. My dad was the Captain and the rest of the crew was some family and friends.

"Little did we know in the middle of the island, Dreadnel and his crew, a bunch of marooned pirates were waiting for us. They seized their opportunity, vigorously. My father was the only man that stood in his way. With no hesitation, Dreadnel pulled out a pistol and shot him through the heart. The rest of my family and friends were marooned on the island except me. Dreadnel said he had a special job for me and handed me a shovel. The reason being that I was the youngest on board– 15 at the time. He told me that Blackbeard's treasure lay in the heart of the island. It was buried where he died; no one knew what it was only that it was of great value."When I found his grave I discovered something sparkling on the ground. So I pulled it up and found it was a ring. It had a gold band with six small diamonds on either side of a bigger diamond. The only unique quality was there was an inscription on the inner rim of the ring. I couldn't read it though because any way I turned it, it was up side down. I knew it was definitely valuable because of the gold and diamonds. I figured there had to be more so I dug up the grave and all I got was old Blackbeard's bones. So I buried the body again.

"I started to head back to the ship when I felt a hole in my pocket. The ring had fell, but luckily near by. I picked it up and put it on my ring finger. Then the curse started to happen. As soon as it was secure on my finger, I felt a burning sensation and it was sheer pain. Then I saw and felt my blood being drained out of my finger into the thirteen diamonds that inhabited the ring, my finger was almost ghostly white by then.

"I tore the ring off and started running back the ship. Where the ring had drawn blood and burned there was the inscription welded on my hand. When I reached the ship the pirates had already emptied my family and friends from the ship. My anger was fuming and building up inside me. Dreadnel spoke first, when I entered his room.

'Where be me treasure, boy?'

"I said nothing and slammed the ring on his table. Suddenly the ring had an aura about it and the oak timbers turned a charcoal hue and the sails turned blood red. We still haven't found a cure, as the crew and captain are very superstitious and wouldn't dare read the curse aloud. If you'll read the curse maybe we can find a solution to this madness."

Chapter 2

Though she wasn't exactly sure whom to trust, she went along with it, curiosity taking her away. May nodded and took his hand; it was rough from being a pirate––or a pirate prisoner––as it seemed, but very relaxed. She studied his ring finger careful not to miss any tiny inscriptions. A normal person would have easily mistaken it for a tattoo. It was purple as blue as if bruised. Finally she got the whole curse down in her head.

"Here's what it says:

Thirteen loves, thirteen sins

The pain will feed upon the heart and soul

Unless pain itself is done in."

She noticed that she didn't need to memorize the curse; it was as if she knew it by heart. The riddle was hard to comprehend but maybe a real pirate would know.

"Maybe Dreadnel knows something he hasn't been so truthful about?" Jacob's eyes flashed with revenge, vengeance and told of pain as she spoke. He strode to the door and plucked out the rapier with ease. Storming out onto the ship's deck, he called for the Captain.

"Dreadnel!" he said angrily, spitting on the deck as if the word was poison. May had followed him out also looking for the dreaded pirate.

"Pssst! Miss Williams!" a voice said behind her under the stairs. Just as she turned a gnarled hand gripped her jaw and over her mouth, he force dragged her into the captain's room. The only realistic person responsible had to be the captain of course.

The room was dark and unkept from as much as May saw.

"Did you get the story and the curse?" Dreadnel asked anxiously. He hadn't asked for the curse but maybe he figured she would get it.

"Yes, but I'm not giving it to you, unless you help us."

" Us? When did you become a part of an us?"

"Since I am helping Jacob and not pitying him like someone I know, like…you? Or was it fear that led you away, fear that he too, would curse you?" The Captain made a screwed up face and stared at her innocently.

"T'wasn't pity nor fear, milady, that drove me away, t'was the acceptance of fate…destiny. The poor bloke doesn't even know the whole story; his hist'ry, I assume that he told you his heartfelt story." He cocked an eyebrow and yet again stared at her with innocent and distant eyes. May thought about this claim and wondered who to believe, the innocent cursed captive and nice man or the lying cheating pirate captain that robbed Jacob of his would-have-been normal life. She soon found out whom to believe right after the door was swung open so hard that it flew off the hinges. It hurdled across the room right into the Captain full on. Jacob stood in the doorway; eyes blazing like hot coals.

"Jacob!" May said, but not with admiration and glee as Jacob had thought she would. She cried alarmed with a bit of anger, and frustration. Rushing toward the captain, May glared at him with disgust.

"Dreadnel! Dreadnel!" she tapped his cheek rapidly trying to wake him. No response. May gave a sigh of frustration. She stood up and walked angrily to Jacob yelling loudly.

"How could you? How could you kill a man you haven't even heard out? Is there no justice in piracy? Is it because you men can't control your anger long enough to consider the possibilities and consequences? Or consult the issue?" May patiently waited a response. Jacob glared at her, fighting his anger to a more reasonable decision.

"I'm sorry." He said lowering his eyes. She walked up to him, her heart pounding furiously from the feelings she had just spoken so freely. May lifted his chin and slapped him across the face. Expecting him to retaliate, she looked at him fiercely. Jacob didn't move a muscle.

"You killed a man," she spoke softly only able to look at his chest, his head still staring straight into space, "that knows your history, that knows why you were cursed and has been trying to help you, all this time."

"How do you know?" Jacob shot back in disbelief, avoiding her eyes.

"Because I know why you were in that harbor when I first met you. You were afraid of your own feelings and trying to get away from something that can't be fixed. It was time for you to know your true destiny and why you were cursed, but it's too late." Tears filled her eyes, sorrow and fear swept over her thoughts. Sorrow and fear that her time for helping Jacob was over. May clung to Jacob's shirt sobbing softly. He stroked her hair, tears falling one by one.

"Awe, you two fought just because you thought me dead? Well shiver me timbers and count me blessings!" A voice said behind them. May and Jacob spun around happily to see the Captain getting to his feet, his head scratched and bruised.

"Now I guess I can tell ye, boy, your hist'ry. Now make yerselves comfortable," He gestured to the unmade bed, "I assume you know who yer father was right?"

"Yes, Captain Fletcher Gibbs."

"Wrong! Not that bloke who was all generous and noble. Yer father was a scallywag, liar and most known pirate in the Caribbean! Blackbeard, Edward Teach be his given name, and your mother was Marie Canil of France." Jacob said nothing and stared at the pirate lost in his own world.

"Blackbeard an' her were married in France and she traveled with him n' the rest of the crew around the world. I was among the crew but only about seven years old. My father was his first mate and only friend he had. Months after we left France, we were in the center of the Caribbean and Marie announced that she would give birth. Everyone on board was a little crazy and not one would look at her. She wasn't sure what was wrong but dismissed any foolish thoughts and figure since she was the only woman on the ship, everyone was a little nervous. Soon after she gave birth to you and named you Jacob after the bloke in the bible. She said it brought peace to the ship and what not. We hit an island there on after and wanted to settle there to get provisions for more travel. Finally she managed to get word out of the cook about why everyone was actin' so strange around her. He told her that Blackbeard had married twelve other ladies and all of them died mysteriously while aboard the ship. She was furious and wouldn't listen to any more of the cook's story. Then she put a curse on her wedding ring and prepared to get revenge on Blackbeard. While he was out and about on the island, Marie tracked him down made him put the ring on, him thinking it was a present. The ring murdered him in the middle or heart of the island never to be seen again. Shortly after the murder, Marie heard the rest of the cook's story; it was that Blackbeard loved her out of all his other wives to bless them both with a beautiful baby. But then again her mistake led her to her own grave just like the other wives, insanity and suicide. Then you were about three and we knew we had to take you back to Europe and find you another home. Givin' you to the Gibbses was hard because you were the little brother that I never had. The lucky thing was that we ran into you on the same island, which the Spanish imprisoned us on." Dreadnel finally ended and Jacob spoke for the first time."I just never would have thought my parents were such cruel, infamous people. Fletcher and Loise were always so kind and loving, they treated me like their own son and that's how I felt. I just thought they were my birth parents and now I understand that it was probably was for the best, so I could be raised well and meet May so I would have common sense instead of risky con business. The only thing that disturbs me about this whole scam is the curse, what exactly is it? I mean, I don't feel that much different except for the tattoo/scar from the ring and my anger is doubled from what I feel…" Jacob thought a bit and Dreadnel murmured aloud.

"The only person who would know the answer is Marie herself…" He trailed off as her caught May and Jacob's dirty looks that told him that his interjection was obvious.