"The Adventures to Come"
Chapter 25
Jack and Dani were left to themselves as a team. No one seemed to want to go with them. Perhaps they were afraid of what might happen between the captain and his wife. Or maybe Jack was acting too strangely, but whatever the reason, they were walking by themselves into their part of the jungle.
Jack actually preferred to be alone with his wife. He had an ulterior motive for scaring everyone off: Jack fancied a roll in the proverbial hay with Dani. He figured she didn't object to going off alone because she wanted the same thing.
But Jack was sadly disappointed as Dani was quickly slashing through the dense vegetation ahead of her.
Jack had no idea how to approach the subject of a "quickie" with his wife so he slowed down and though about it.
When he looked up, after only taking five minutes, Dani was completely out of sight.
"Bugger!"
He started off in her direction, or what he hoped was her direction, but something kicked him hard in the ass.
"What the bloody hell?" Jack shouted.
He spun around and was greeted by a kick to the shins by a wild-eyed Dani.
She unsheathed her sword and began to uncharacteristically swing and slash in Jack's direction.
Dumbfounded, Jack also pulled out his sword and began to defend himself against his wife.
It was easy to see; something made Danielle very mad and made her forget how to wield a sword. It only took seconds for Jack to knock the sword out of her hands.
Just as quickly has Dani had appeared, the woman was gone; leaving Jack completely astonished and confused.
So Jack continued on his path, trying to figure out what had gotten into Danielle.
Dani had continued walking, thinking that Jack would catch up eventually. Right on time, he showed, but had his pistol aimed right at Danielle's forehead.
"Jack?" she asked. "What's going on?"
She had just drawn her pistol when another Jack appeared.
Dani felt faint. What the hell was going on?
"Couldn't resist attacking me again?" Jack, whom had just strolled up, asked.
"What?" Dani asked.
Suddenly, with a 'pop' noise, the other Jack was gone.
"What just happened?" Jack asked.
"I haven't the faintest idea," Dani answered.
"Should we just keep going?" Jack asked, slightly off-put by the former situation.
"I suppose," Dani answered and grabbed Jack's hand. They weren't going to discuss the situation, but she sure as hell wasn't going to leave him alone again.
On the second path to the center of the island, a similar situation was occurring.
"Elizabeth!" Will shouted as he attempted to defend himself against his 'wife'. But a second later, another Elizabeth appeared.
"What, Will?" she asked before seeing the other woman. "I must be seeing things."
Suddenly the other Elizabeth turned to the real one, and 'popped' into a Will.
"Not another cursed island," Elizabeth screamed as the Will swung his cutlass wildly. "Bloody stupid fake Will," she shouted again.
With another 'pop' as both became very exhausted, it disappeared.
"No more mention of this, all right?" Will asked.
Elizabeth only nodded. She wasn't sure what to make of the situation, but knew it couldn't be good.
The couple both continued off in their original direction, hoping to not run into the strange apparitions ever again.
On the third path, James Norrington was the most confused. His wife, Arabella, who had stayed upon the HMS Edwards, was now swinging an ax at him. Norrington was sure she'd never lifted one in her life and now she had nearly taken his head off.
"Arabella! What do you think you're doing? You were supposed to stay aboard the ship!" James shouted.
No response other than the woman throwing a dagger in Pintel's direction.
"I vote that we run!" Ragetti shouted.
"No, no. We have to wait for Norrington," Gibbs said.
"What do we do?" Pintel asked.
"I don't know," Gibbs replied.
"Should we help?" Marty suggested.
They turned to look at the man who was now trying to wrestle the large ax from Bella, who had just narrowly missed losing various appendages.
And suddenly, which is the best way of describing the situation, it disappeared again.
"Let's make a break for it before it comes back," Ragetti yelled.
"That 'it' is my wife," Norrington replied.
"And it was trying to kill you. I suggest we run," Gibbs shouted in James face.
The whole group of them looked around and decided to make a break for it. Besides, they were losing daylight quicker and quicker.
It must have been sunset when all three groups converged on the clearing. And all three groups wore stunned expressions on their faces.
Jack moved forward to address the group.
"Any casualties?" Jack said, attempting to count, but not actually caring.
"Nearly," Will answered.
The whole group looked out at the clearing. It was a large sand pit, with a large cement pillar in the center. On the pillar sat a large wooden chest, which was presumably the treasure.
"It appears that there is only sand separating me from my treasure," Jack announced.
"Your treasure?" someone asked.
"Yes, my map, my treasure. Besides, I'm the captain. I get first pick."
"The first mate, that's me, gets an equal share," Will said.
"I promise I'll share," Jack lied.
Elizabeth and Danielle were standing apart from the idiotic man argument that had begun and were watching it with disdain.
"When we were on our way here," Dani started to whisper, "there was another Jack and he was trying to kill me."
"There was another me and another Will. And they both tried to kill us, too. Then they just disappeared," Elizabeth whispered back.
But their conversation was cut short by a scream. Jack was attempting to walk out on the sand and was sinking.
"Just a few more…" he said as he sunk another few inches in an attempt to move closer to the center.
It seemed easy enough. The treasure chest was just sitting there.
Will ran in to help him and also began to sink.
"Help!" Jack and Will both shouted.
None of the other men moved.
"Bloody pirates!" Elizabeth shouted.
"No heroes among thieves, aye?" Dani screamed.
She and Elizabeth gingerly stepped out onto the sand. Nothing happened. Dani jumped a little and was no deeper than her original step. It appeared as though she and Lizzie were too light to trigger the quick sand.
While Dani and Elizabeth continued to test the sand, Will and Jack sunk deeper so the only thing left were their heads.
"Danielle! If you do not…" Jack sputtered through the sand.
"Sorry, Jack," she said as she kneeled down to pull him out.
Elizabeth followed suit and soon the two men were freed.
"How are we going to get the treasure then?" Pintel asked.
"We'll get it,' Dani smiled.
"What?" Jack said. "No, no."
"Why the hell not?" Elizabeth asked.
"Because women do not get the treasure, men do," Jack answered.
"I think I should have left you to sink, you…you…I'm so mad I don't even have a name to call you!" Dani shouted.
"Going to try to kill me again?" Jack asked.
"That wasn't me!" Dani said. "We're going to get it."
Elizabeth and Danielle linked arms and stepped back onto the sand, still not sinking.
Jack made a feeble attempt to grab them, but to no avail.
"Blackbeard tried to kill me!" Jack realized. "Never thought I'd sail with someone female, so I'd never get the treasure."
"I knew he couldn't be trusted," Ragetti said.
"Well, I've always said you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest," Jack sighed.
He started to pace. It became more and more nerve-wracking as the women got closer to the chest.
"I would love some rum," Jack said as he continued to pace. A bottle of rum dropped down and smacked him on the top of the head.
"Bugger," he said as he rubbed the sore spot. Jack moved to the bottle and it zipped away. He decided to ignore it and turned back to Dani and Elizabeth who had now edged up to the chest.
It was much more ornate than it appeared from twenty feet away. Intricate carvings of sea creatures and ships. Curling waves wrapped around the corners, to the top of the chest. It was beautiful, to say the least.
As Elizabeth and Danielle eyed it, Jack paced faster. Elizabeth moved to open it when Jack shouted.
"Don't open it! Just bring it here!"
"Should we really listen to him?" Elizabeth asked.
"Probably not," Dani replied. But then she looked to her husband who was pacing and whimpering.
"He looks pathetic," Elizabeth said.
"He wasn't this nervous when I was giving birth, to either of our children," Dani said.
"Let's just take it to him and put him out of his misery," Elizabeth answered.
"All right," Dani smiled.
So the two women carefully removed the chest and began to walk back.
"Oh, please be careful. Is it heavy? Does it rattle? Don't drop it!" Jack said.
"If you don't shut up, we'll drop it in the quick sand," Elizabeth announced.
Moments later, the group of them was settling down around the chest.
"I would really love some rum, now," Jack said.
The bottle that he started to ignore earlier, started to smack him once again.
"Oi!" Jack shouted and tried to bat it away.
Then, whatever it was, switched to a Jack. Then, as if it were confused, it changed into a Dani, then Will, then an Elizabeth.
"Um, what do these evil us-es have in common?" Dani shouted as it changed back into Jack and it started swinging at her.
"I don't know…" Elizabeth said after moving out of the way of an evil William.
"They're the thing we love the most," Will said, nursing a wound on his upper arm.
"Quick, Jack, talk about rum again!" Dani screamed as an evil Jack rounded on her again.
"I would absolutely love some damn rum!" Jack shouted and another bottle of rum appeared and began smacking him in the forehead.
"Drink it!" everyone shouted.
Jack grabbed the bottle as quick as he could and chugged it, never tipping the bottle back down.
When empty, he smashed the bottle for good measure. And suddenly, the chest popped open.
A/N: What's in the chest? Oh, what's in the chest? You'll just have to wait!
Love,
Manda