25) Grover Hunter

As I reached the beach, the three navy privates turned towards me, warily, but upon seeing nothing but a lady, they went back to their conversation. I picked my away across the beach, sand crunching underneath my boots, making me walk somewhat lopsidedly. Now where was that cave? I closed my eyes, envisioning it. Over the rocks. Down a slope. Around a corner. And then... there it had been, gaping before me, I'd been surprised at how I could have never seen it before.

I clambered over the rocks, and I heard one of the men on the beach call out, asking where I was going, but I ignored him, sliding down the rocks and into the cave, looking around myself for a moment, before stepping forwards. The damp smell coursed into my brain; bringing back memories of the confused, messed-up night, so long ago now, and how I'd died. I wandered deeper in, my eyes picking out bits of rock and suchlike, and with a pang I realized; there, at the end. That slab of rock I'd been sitting on.

Rushing up to it, I put my hands on it, feeling the coolness beneath my hands. I stood still for a moment. I sat on it. Lay on it. Walked around it. Disappointment and frustration suddenly filled me up. What had I been expecting? To arrive here, and suddenly, pop – I'm back where I should have been? I sighed... it had been a stupid notion. One I'd been clinging to. There was no hope; this was my place now.

I should have just stayed on the Dutchman.

"Hello? Excuse me, miss?" I spun around at the voice, and found a man there, watching me. One of the navy guys. I walked towards the mouth of the cave, faking a smile, though I wanted to cry.

"Good evening," I said, trying to keep my voice from wobbling.

"Can I help you?" He asked, looking around the cave, "This place isn't... I mean, it's not a good place." His eyes fixed on me, blue and unblinking.

"What do you mean?" I asked, intrigued.

"There're rumours of black magic, here..." He shrugged, "A while ago, a man called Grover Hunter, a friend of one of the officers out there. He was stuck down here, in a terrible storm, too. He vanished. He was never seen again..."

"Fourteen years ago, right?" I asked, softly. I could see it now.

"Ye-es..." He sounded uncertain, "Was he a friend of yours?" I shook my head. "Anyway... I think you should stay away from here." I looked up at him, smiling.

"What's your name? I'm... Bibsy. Real name Sadie Ward." I decided I should try to make myself sound more normal.

"I'm Randolph Goodman," He said, distractedly, "I work for the royal navy. Come on, now..." He gestured towards the exit of the cave. I cast one last weary look into the cave, before following him out into the sunshine outside. The sun was beginning to set. I fixed my eyes on it firmly as we made our way out across the rocks, the waves gently rolling.

The sea was very calm today... almost flat and undisturbed, the waves as tiny and exquisite as a newborn baby's fingers; curling gently, before falling with the lightest of sounds, the small amount of foam vanishing quickly. Further up, there was a shoal of fish – I could tell by how the water was darker, and occasionally a mackerel would break the surface. One man was fishing, a black silhouette. As we walked, I looked out at the sea that was shining like velvet, and realized how much I missed it.

"Where does someone go to join the navy?" I asked Randolph as we walked.

"You just go sign up at the port," He replied, his eyes sliding towards me, "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," I said. It was a lie. But I'm good at lying.

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Soon after that, the navy men had gone, giving me polite nods as they went. I'd smiled at them, turning to watch them vanish up the stairs, the sun setting behind me. I cocked my head, and made sure they were gone, before turning around. I reached into my pocket, picking out a heart. It was cold, lifeless, and every time I looked at it I wanted to cringe, but it wasn't rotting, which was a good thing. I looked down at the sand, where a single white crab wandered lazily towards me.

"Davy would have wanted you to have it," I whispered. The crab stopped by my foot. Then, like a flower curling open, it seemed to fold over, and the open up again, and when it opened, it grew and changed and transformed and then in front of me was... Calypso. She was a beautiful lady in human form, with glowing dark skin, intense eyes and a cascade of dreadlocks, her dress one tattered, and around her neck hung many lockets; one of which I could easily distinguish...

"I see you 'ave somet'ing of mine, or so you say," Her accent was a strong Jamaican one, and her dark eyes bored into mine. I nodded at her, cocking my head. I held out the heart. She looked down at it, a soft smile coming to her lips, though directed not at me – more at what was in my hands. She picked it up, out of my hands, examining it closely. I bowed my head in respect, something that I usually loathed to do.

"Davy would have wanted you to have it," I repeated. She nodded, her eyes finally leaving the heart, and looking at me; it felt more like through me.

"Your story, Sadie Ella Ward, is truly one most unique," She said, softly. I smiled, because she understood. She turned, and waded away into the water of the ocean, Davy's heart safe in her cupped hands – the waves lapped up, and she walked and walked until the water was above her head and she was gone; and all that was left was some ripples, and the darkening sky.

And everything was right, because Davy had fallen into the heart of the ocean, and now the ocean had his heart. It felt right.

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"Have any experience at sea, private?" Barked the captain of our ship, Howard Horne, to me.

"Yes sir," I replied. I was very different-looking, now. I'd cropped my hair, so it hung down, barely coming to my jaw. It was ginger, and straight-ish, though curling at the bottom. I wore a muffin hat most of the time, covering as much of my face as I could in the shadow of it's brim. I was in official navy clothing; a little tight on the bust but, annoyingly, not that tight. I had a sword (Cody) and a rifle that I carried on my back. My uniform was shining and new.

"And are you prepared to fight and die for our country?" He roared, inches from my face.

"Yes sir!" I roared back. Hey, better then being the usual nervous, young newbie in the navy, right? I wasn't scared of him. I smiled to myself, thinking of my old captain. Hah, once you've served under Davy Jones, nobody could intimidate you. He gave me a half-smile.

"I think you will be a valuable addition to the team, Grover." He said to me.

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Yes, I nicked the name of the guy who went missing in the Weymouth cave. He was probably in my place now, in the future. Sometimes I wondered how he was doing... but ahh, that's a different story, is it not? I altered my last name a little, though; Grover Hood, as opposed to Grover Hunter. Didn't want any mix-ups. And I joined the navy and sailed. And sometimes it was hard work. And sometimes it sucked. And occasionally I was punished for being the livewire that I was.

But I was happy, because I was at sea. On land, I'd felt... tied down. It was like having wings all of your life, and suddenly having them taken away, you know? Once you begin working at sea, you never can leave it, sort of thing. I think some of the salt-water may have worked it's way into my bloodstream or something, but ah well. I was happy.

And I climbed the ranks.

Though it took about, say, ten years...

NB: Oooh. Can you see where this is going? One chapter to go now... eeek.