Finally got to watch the fourth movie On Stranger Tides with my sister! We both really liked it! Much better than Dead Men Tell No Tales! Jack was still himself a lot in the fourth movie. So, in this chapter, yes, Guest, mermaids will be mentioned. Do I plan to actually include them in another chapter? Maybe.
Kate's POV
I felt bad for asking Captain Sparrow to repeat himself, and more than once, but I wanted to remember every single name involved and anything else that I felt would help us find my father, or at least what happened to him. I wrote down in my diary as follows the facts I knew so far:
-Must find the deputy who saved my mother and me. I must thank him, and question him for anything he can tell me about that fateful night. Did he see what happened to my father?
-Ralph Briggs, Sir Louis' number one lackey, murdered a young boy, an escaped slave. He threatened my father and his key witness, and most likely is the one responsible for his sudden vanishing. I hope he's rotting away in prison for his inhumane crimes! He must be punished.
-Who was the key witness, this 'certain someone' Jack always calls him by? Does Jack know what his name was? Can he lead us to him? Is the witness still alive?
-The prison records. Will we be permitted to look at them? Surely they can reveal if my father 'resigned' or not. After all, he was the captain of the guard! He was employed there.
-Be on the lookout for The Cartwheel ship. It's been said that it could still exist. If we come across it, Will has said that Jack plans to take over it, free any slaves, and send the traders on board to the British authorities.
Many on the Pearl say that there could be fearsome creatures out on the waters we we're sailing, particularly sea serpents! I've heard legends, myths, and terrifying tales of such, butI don't really believe in such things, but then, who am I to argue the point? I mean, Elizabeth was kidnapped by cursed, living dead pirates! I didn't think that was possible, but she indeed lived it! So, as much as I hope that not believing in something frightfully supernatural will prevent it from existing, I'm still afraid it could be true, especially as we are not on solid ground.
Well, I was about to find out for myself…
The crew on the Black Pearl were on edge. To their dismay, the sky had been red that morning when the sun rose. Elizabeth explained to Kate what that meant,
"Red sky at night, sailor's delight;
Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning!"
That meant that they were in store for bad weather.
Not only bad weather, but it had been legend that a monstrous sea serpant-sailors, the survivors called it the Dragon of the Deep-lurked in the tides they were heading. The creature had been said to swirl around ships-after they'd just made a narrow escape from ruthless sea storms-, and create a massive hole in the middle of a ship with it's giant, scaly tail. Then the sailors would drown, if they weren't suctioned down into the whirlpool first, or if the creature didn't split the ship into kindling by bashing its head in. The creature was rumored to be longer than four ships together, and with the head of dragon, and was larger than a castle wall. To signal its arrival, sailors would hear what sounded like the roar of a lion as large as the sky, and then the water leagues ahead would churn in a strange path of its own. That meant the monster was swimming toward them! The crew prayed, well, those who did that thing, that of all things they wouldn't run into the Dragon of the Deep!
"Jack, which direction we be sailin'?" Gibbs asked at lunchtime.
"We keep towards East, full speed ahead. That should at least keep us just off the edge of the Dragon of the Deep's map." Jack said.
"I be feelin' in my bones we be in for a rough night, Jack." Gibbs said uncomfortably. Both men saw low, dark clouds far on the horizon. And sure enough, it had remained solidly overcast for the passed two hours.
"Keep East." Jack reminded him. They were potentially heading right into a storm, but Jack was doing his best to steer the ship off the storm's course.
"Jack!" Anamaria hollered almost right behind him. Jack jolted and stumbled back, then landed on his backside. Anamaria stood above him, but didn't care for his current state. "Jack, you turn this ship around safely right now!" She demanded.
"You should know better than to disturb the captain when he's guiding the ship. If I were anyone else, you could suffer severe consequences for speakin' out of turn." Jack teased with a grunt as he got back to his feet.
"Listen to me, you imbecile!" Anamaria hissed. "We be off Whitecap Bay in a few hours if ye don't turn this thing around now!"
"I'm well aware of where we are, luv." Jack assured her. "And I have no intention of going toward Whitecap Bay. But I also can't just run us into that storm." He gestured to the ever darkening horizon.
"I'd rather plow through a h-raising storm than lay me eyes on those infernal creatures who disguise themselves as souls of light!" Anamaria said venomously. Jack smiled at her fiery spirit.
"Well, dear, if that menacing sky keeps movin' the way it is, it's very possible you will get your wish." He said flirtatiously. Anamaria nodded. "All the same, best be prepared for the worst."
"Aye." She agreed solemnly.
"Jack, what is she talking about?" Elizabeth asked curiously as she came up the stairs. "Who-"
"What infernal creatures that disguise themselves as souls of light?" Will added. Kate was there too and listened intently.
"She be speakin' of mermaids, mate." Jack replied grimly.
"Mermaids?"
"Aye. We nearin' their waters, but we be not close enough for an attack. No, we're too far away for that. Nothin' to worry about."
"So, you're saying that mermaids attack sailors?" Elizabeth asked.
"Aye, they more dangerous than any sharks you likely to come in contact with!" Gibbs spoke up defiantly.
"They bloody...in every sense of the word." Anamaria crossed her arms.
"I always heard that mermaids were like looking at a piece of heaven." Kate said.
"And you'd be right, lass. Smooth as honey, and beautiful as angels," Gibbs continued, "but they a conniving, evil force! Just waiting for a chance to pounce!"
"I done seen a mermaid once." Ragetti said wistfully.
"You did not!" Pintel groaned.
"Did so. As gorgeous as a crown jewel. Made me feel funny things." Ragetti smiled. "I thought we were gonna-well, you know. But right before my eyes, she turn into a devil creature and bit me eye out."
"And when did this happen?" Marty asked skeptically.
"Dreamed it once, I did." Ragetti said. Marty and Pintel rolled their eyes.
"Aye, they always on the lookout for sea-faring men, who have an eye and sick knack for beautiful women." Anamaria bared her teeth. "Easy prey they be, the poor idiots. Mermaids 'll kill ye as soon as look at ye!"
Will bit his lip, trying to figure this out. Kate shuddered. Elizabeth clamped her hand on her sword. "They're drawn to man-made light, and singing sailors." Gibbs said. "Look as innocent as a rose. But when they ready to strike, they grow fangs like a vampire, their eyes become like a demon's, and they drag a man to the depths and feast on him before the poor devil can defend himself." Gibbs spoke deviously, making the crew shiver with chills. Even though many of them had heard these theories before, it never ceased to shake them up, especially when Gibbs told it.
"How do we avoid them?" Elizabeth calmly asked Jack.
"Stay out of their way's our best bet." Jack said. "They plenty scared of open flames though. Should we happen upon the said fishy-tailed darlings, we dowse the lanterns and remain as quiet a ghoul on the hunt. Savvy?" Everyone nodded without arguing. "Back to work, ye lazy pups." Jack ordered. Gibbs and Will decided to check the supply of cannon balls and gun powder should they need it.
"Jack, you don't really think that'll happen, do you?" Elizabeth asked flatly.
"Not at all, love." Jack smirked. "The dear ladies know better than to tangle with Captain Jack Sparrow!" Elizabeth shook her head and walked away. Jack noticed Kate sitting there. "If you be a prayin' kind of lassie, you'll be wanting to say one for us tonight!" He told her.
"I am, every minute." Kate gulped. She felt fear creeping through her, just like everybody else.
Kate assisted Anamaria with chores around the ship-old habits are hard to break-. All too soon, it was nearing sunset, but the clouds had obscured the evening view. Jack ordered the men to mind the sails as they prepared for the angry thunderstorm just ahead of them. At first, it only began with gusty winds and rough waves. Everyone braced themselves, trying to mentally prepare for the torrent they were inevitably heading into. "Steady as she goes!" Jack yelled. "Stand your ground! Man the sails! Steady yourselves!" The Black Pearl began to bounce up and down on the troubled sea and it was so gray out with the descending clouds that they could hardly see what was in front of them!
The winds began to pick up more ominously. Kate stayed close to Elizabeth. She felt inside her blouse to insure that her beloved diary was till there. She sighed with relief to feel it's lovingly familiar leather-bound solid back resting safely in place. "Easy does it! We might get a bit wet!" Jack warned everyone. As if the storm was playing a game with him, heavy rain immediately began pouring down on them, blurring their vision, and making it difficult to grip anything solid.
The winds blew fiercely and the rain continued its showers for a near half an hour. It grew darker, and the ship reared up and down and back and forth. The crew had to fight to stay on the ship as waves bombarded them and tried to drag them overboard! All through this, Jack kept his place at the wheel, trying to guide his old girl through the taunting downpour. A deafening clash of thunder boomed overhead, threatening to break the vessel in two. Lightning flashed around. The crew were so afraid for their lives. A few of them began to slip over the edge, but Gibbs and or Will threw them a rope and pulled them back up.
If Jack was as scared silly as the rest of them, he did not let it show! As best as he could through the blinding rain, he kept his gaze forward, trying to break for any source of light or a split in the sky. To Kate and Elizabeth, he looked so fearless up there at the rudder, taking charge of the situation and fighting his way through. It gave them a spark of courage to hold on, though they kept praying every minute that this would not be the end of their journey!
Their prayers must have worked, as in another ten minutes, the rain finally started to let up, and the lightning became less violent. It would seem that they'd been through the worst, and were finally heading out to more peaceful waters! Another ten minutes passed by, and the sky was less menacing, with only a light rain and calmer waves. The ship was soaked, the crew drenched to the skin and chilled to the bone, but they were alive! "Seems the worst is behind us, lads." Jack told them.
"That was a close one, Jack." Gibbs told him, wide-eyed.
"We've been through worse, mate." Jack smiled.
"Aye, but every time, it's not to wonder if it may be the last time!"
"True enough. What do you say to a bottle of rum after that God-fearin' mother storm?"
"I could use a bit of a nip!" Gibbs' eyes lit up. And he wasted no time in heading to the rum cellar.
"How do you keep such steady nerves during a tribulation like that?" Kate asked Jack in amazement when he joined the crew down on the deck.
"Wasn't my first time, luv. Been at this a long time, you might say." Jack boasted.
"At least we're all here." Will stated. He gripped Elizabeth's hand. "To be honest, I'm surprised neither one of you fainted!" He told her and Kate.
"Perhaps we were too scared." Kate shrugged.
"We have bad thunderstorms on land too, you know." Elizabeth gave him a pointed look. "And a storm isn't the most frightening encounter I've ever had!" Will smiled sheepishly. True, that his Elizabeth was tougher and braver than one would expect for a lady known as the governor's daughter.
The peaceful scene on ship was devilishly interrupted by an unearthly roar! Everyone stumbled from the ringing in their ears. "What the h- was that?!" The men cried. Jack, Gibbs, and Will ran to the side railing. Jack pulled out his looking glass and peeked out ahead of them. The waters were churning oddly, almost forming a type of 'path' on the ocean! "Good g-!" Gibbs' heart caught in his throat. "Jack, it's the..."
"Dragon of the Deep." Jack finished for him. "So it would seem."
"Jack, we've got to reroute the ship!" Will urged him.
"Too late for that, mate." Jack said unhappily. "The terrible beastie already senses we're here. Ready the guns. Do not fire till I say." He told them firmly.
"Right, Jack!" Gibbs nodded. He and Will ran to the cannons.
"Will, what is it?" Elizabeth asked.
"The Dragon of the Deep. We have to kill it!" Will told her.
"Oh my g-!" Kate gasped, petrified.
"Ready the guns! Load the cannons!" Jack bellowed out, keeping his eye out for the monster. To their dismay, the gun powder was wet! It wouldn't do them any good!
"We still have the balls!" Pintel pointed out.
"Fill them up! Hurry!" Will yelled. They grabbed what cannon balls they could and shoved them inside the cannons' mouths with as fast as their arms would allow.
"Kate, Anamaria, come with me!" Elizabeth told them. They followed her to the rum cellar. She began snatching up as many bottles as she could fit into her arms. "Grab some! There's no time to lose!" Kate, bewildered, obeyed her mistress, her hands shaking.
"Are you stupid?" Anamaria scolded Elizabeth.
"Alcohol is great fuel to fire." Elizabeth snapped at her, shoving two bottles into her hands. "You got a better idea?" Anamaria shook her head and they rushed to help the men.
"Hurry it up down there!" Jack hollered. "He's a-comin'!"
"Ready, Jack!" Will hollered back.
"On your command, Sir!" Gibbs shouted.
Jack waited patiently. The ship picked up speed as the waves from the monster's arrival churned up. He could see the large, scaly tail wave menacingly in the air. "Get ready to fire!" Jack ordered. Then the creature's massive head arched up out of the water.
"Great Caesar's Ghost!" Gibbs gasped. Kate screamed in terror. It did indeed look like a dragon! She couldn't believe what was taking place before her eyes. The crew was holding its breath with ice running through their veins. The sea monster laid its large, yellow eyes on the ship, with his long red tongue slithering in and out of its mouth.
"Fire!" Jack commanded. But right then, he didn't see the tail coming at them. It swiped the side of the ship hard, making the Black Pearl tilt, and causing the men to fire too late. The cannon fire missed its mark, which only seemed to anger the sea serpent. It dove underwater and disappeared.
"Where is it?" Elizabeth asked.
"You don't suppose he's gone?" Kate asked hopefully.
"No." Marty shook his head.
"Again!" They heard Jack's voice. They prepared the cannons, ready to light them as soon as he spoke. The serpent's head rose into the night, looking larger, deadlier, and scarier so up close! "Now! Fire! FIRE!" Jack commanded hoarsely. They lit the cannons, which blasted white hot balls of fire straight at the creature. Several blasts hit him in the neck. "One more time should do it!" Jack yelled. "FIRE!" This time, they aimed for the head, and the cannons blew the scaly, hideous thing to smithereens! Everyone cheered once Jack gave them the okay signal. The fearsome serpent was gone!
The next day, the crew spent most of their time cleaning up the mess the storm had caused. They cleaned out and dried their weapons, wrung out and hung their clothes to dry, and tried to salvage what food they could. "Captain, most the food worth eatin' s'been washed over." Anamaria told Jack.
"We can hold out, Anamaria." Jack said cheerfully. "We'll be in Tortuga by nightfall tomorrow!"
That night, the ocean was quiet and peaceful which greatly relieved the shaken crew from their tumultuous events of the night before. Kate was looking over the railing, just staring when she thought she saw something shiny, swimming underneath along the ship's undercarriage. "What could that be?" Kate curiously asked Gibbs as he appeared.
"What?" He asked back.
"Down there." Kate pointed. Other shiny figures appeared, swimming gracefully.
"I can't quite make out." Gibbs said, baffled.
"Make out what?" Jack asked, surprising the both of them.
"Jack, what might that be in the water?"
"Dolphins perhaps?" Kate suggested. Jack squinted closely from what he could see from the lanterns aboard the moon shining on the water.
"Those are no dolphins, dear." He said emphatically. "Mermaids."
"Mermaids?" Gibbs and Kate looked at him petrified.
"Mermaids. Dowse the lights. And tell the crew to remain silent as possible, till we be out of these waters!" Jack quietly urged them.
"Aye, Jack!"
"But, what drew them here?" Kate asked worriedly. "I thought you said we were too far away for them to attack!"
"Must have been the storm last night." Jack said calmly. "Not to fret, luv. We'll be all right. Just follow orders, and keep a sure hand on any weapons you have."
"Yes, Sir." Kate nodded fearfully. By now, Gibbs had informed the crew on what was going on. They all climbed up to deck. They began to peek into the water. More mermaids had come and were circling the ship.
"Don't look down!" Jack bellowed. "Don't give them a chance to see ye. Anyone of you so much as even starts to sing from their deadly trance, I'll throw overboard!" He growled. That shut them up, even Pintel and Ragetti! Jack made his way to the wheel and remained silent. Everyone spoke in whispers if they spoke at all. The lanterns, candles, and torches had all been put out so that no light was aboard. The crew kept their voices low as the ship crept along the ocean stealthily, like a ghost phantom preying on unknowing victims. Gibbs' heart jumped, as did the others', when they heard a flop out of the water. They all braced themselves with weapons and huddled together.
"Take it easy, lads." Jack told them in a low voice. At least this time the rain wasn't in his face, even if he had to guide the ship in the dark.
The crew waited with baited breath for a good nearly twenty minutes, till Jack gave them the all clear. He clambered down from the wheel. He sighed in relief and took a swig of rum. "That was close!" Will gulped heavily.
"It was like waiting for a bomb to go off." Elizabeth said.
"Well, you enjoying the trip with me so far?" Jack teased Kate. She leaned back hard against the wall.
"I don't think I'll ever sleep again!" She groaned, clutching her diary.
I plan for the next chapter to be more entertaining, and less perilous.