The following story is part of the 2022 Halloween Event—Be the Monster, which I will elaborate more at the end of the story.

Trigger Warnings: mentions of sexual assault and rape (no explicit scenes), brutal deaths related to natural disasters, self-mutilation


The nightly breeze from the sea flowed through Davy Jones' hair and beard as he took a nightly walk on his ship. Most of his crew was already asleep at this hour and even the lookout in the crow's nest was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. Though, he preferred it that way. He usually had a hard time sleeping on peaceful nights like these. He may be a pirate, but he was still vulnerable to attacks by more powerful pirates on the high seas looking for blood and treasure. Davy Jones had no fear to his name other than a death sentence to anyone that joined his crew. It was believed that anyone who was foolish enough to be part of his crew were sure to die from failed plunderings of cargo ships. The small number that were part of his crew had to work twice as hard to maintain the ship, but they had no better place to go. Most of them were criminals or runaways that were seeking a better life and adventure away from a life of imprisonment that awaited their return. His crew was loyal to him, even as many of their fellow crewmates died in battle.

Though he may have a loyal crew, that didn't stop the feelings of loneliness that entered Davy's heart once in a while. A pirate's true love is the sea, but the sea can still be a cold mistress that rarely returns their love. Of course there are places for a pirate to release certain urges, such as the loose women of Tortuga or the unfortunate victims of plundering (which he never partook in due to his high morals), but that was merely physical. It was rare for a pirate to find a partner that not only pleased the physical, but also the emotional and spiritual needs that a man had, hence why a pirate's true love was the sea.

Though, that didn't stop Davy from staring off into the black sea, hoping one day to find someone to spend the rest of his life with. He didn't plan on being a pirate forever; when he was young, he sought adventure and fortune and was willing to die to achieve that dream. However, the cruelty of life on the sea was slowly changing his ambitions and even after inheriting the ship from the previous captain after he died in battle, he now sought a way out that wouldn't betray his crew. Sure, he could transfer command of the Dutchman to his first mate, but there was no such thing as a peaceful transition as long as the previous captain was alive. No matter how low of a station a pirate may be, he will always argue that he deserves to be captain and first mates, who usually are given the power, might cut down any opponents that wished to take it away. Though he never could imagine his crew doing such a thing, he couldn't be too sure.

As he was lost in his thoughts, he found himself coming back to reality as he heard a feminine voice amongst the roaring waves below. He thought he was hearing things and didn't think too much of it, but the voice seemed to be getting louder, almost as if the voice was somehow close to his ear or on board his ship. He looked around to find the source of the voice, but there was no sign of a woman, or a person for that matter, anywhere. Still, the voice did not diminish and now, he could hear what it was saying clearly:

Cruel and cold, like winds on the sea

Will you ever return to me?

Hear my voice, sing with the tide

My love will never die

As he continued to look for the source of the voice, he looked out into the sea and noticed among the waves was what appeared to be a woman riding along them. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, thinking he must be dreaming of this sight, but with each wave, the woman would reappear and sing her little song. As beautiful as the women appeared in the distance, he was afraid that she was something like a mermaid or a siren trying to lure him into his watery grave with her song and quickly covered his ears and shut his eyes to break whatever spell she was casting. Although he did not feel like jumping into the freezing waters to be with her, he could never be too sure that he wasn't already under her spell.

When he believed that the voice had gone away, he looked toward the waves once more and saw that the mysterious woman of the sea was no longer there. He sighed in relief, but that was soon cut short when he heard a voice from behind him say, "Did you not like my singing?"

Davy screamed as he turned to find the woman looking at him. Her skin was the color of sand that had been washed over by the waves of the shore. Her hair was as dark and thick as the night sea that surrounded him. Her dress was of someone who lived during the time of the Ancient Greeks. Her feet were bare, but she was adorned by jewelry that was made from various shells and materials from a reef.

In fear, he fell onto his back and started crawling away from her, only for her to follow. "P-P-Please forgive me! I intended no harm and did not mean to offend you."

"But did you like my singing?" she asked again curiously.

"Y-Your singing was beautiful," he said. Though his words were genuine, his tone was more of one trying to please an assaulter to prevent further abuse.

"Then you have nothing to fear, human," she said as she extended her hand to him. He was reluctant to touch her, but figured not doing so would result in him offending her. He grabbed her cold hands and she helped him up to his feet. "I'm sorry for startling you. I tend to keep myself from the prying eyes of mortals, but I couldn't help myself when I saw your ship."

"Mortals? What are you? Some sort of sea witch?" he asked.

She chuckled at his question. "I am much more than that," she said before raising a hand and clenching her fist, making the winds stop and the sea below them still. He was astonished; it was rare for the sea to be silent, even when the water was smooth sailing. In fact, it was unnerving to hear complete silence and not feel the ship move without the anchor being lowered. "I am called by many names, but you can call me Calypso."

"You . . . you can control the ocean and winds," he finally pieced together.

She nodded. "I rule the Seven Seas and all the creatures within it. They are bound by my command."

"Then why . . . why are you here . . . with me?" he asked.

"Because I am bored of being a distant deity to those I rule," she said as he put a hand on his cheek. He was startled by her sudden contact, which didn't surprise her. "I want to know what it is like to be one of you; one who loves the seas as much as I do. I want to know what goes through the minds of those who devote their lives to the sea and will even die for it. Your kind has always been fascinating to me and I have chosen you to represent your kind."

"Represent my kind?! But I am merely one man; I cannot speak for every person that crosses your waters!"

"True, but you were around," she said with a teasing smile.

"D-Do you intend to stay aboard my ship. My crew will say I'm bringing back luck if they find a woman onboard."

She chuckled. "Don't fret. I don't intend to stay in this form for long. I chose to show you this form to not frighten you, but clearly, that failed. I intend to watch over you, my dear captain, and only appear to you when you are alone. When we interact, you will answer all my questions about mankind."

"Th That's all you ask of me?" Davy asked in disbelief. He was talking to a goddess and yet all she wanted was him to answer questions? He half-expected for her to ask him on a perilous quest to make a name for himself.

"You are just full of questions, aren't you," she said with a smirk, making him gulp. "I don't intend to put you in any danger, if that's what you're wondering. What good would it be for my encyclopedia of knowledge to be in constant peril?"

"H-How did you–," he said before cutting off his thought, but she let out a hearty laugh that could awaken his crew if he didn't shush her.

"You can't be so loud or else someone will notice you," he said as he quickly looked around to make sure no one was awake, but when he turned back to her, she had vanished.

"I think you should be more concerned about the scream you let out earlier. Besides, I have my ways of keeping our relationship secret," her voice echoed from behind him. He turned and there she was with the same teasing smile. "Though, I expect you to keep this a secret or else–," she said as she gently placed a hand over his throat in a loose grip. "-you might make me very angry."

She could feel the lump travel down his throat in her hand. "I-I promise."

"That's a good boy. I'll let you rest for tonight, but I expect you to be ready for our chit-chats tomorrow night. Farewell," she said as slowly dissolved into a puddle that quickly evaporated from the wood of the floor. Davy blinked in disbelief. Did he just dream all of that? He even slapped himself in the face to try to wake himself up, but either he was in a deep sleep or it was all real. Though, when he looked at where the puddle was, he noticed a conch shell and quickly picked it up. They hadn't seen shore for a long time, so it would have been impossible for it to magically appear . . . unless it wasn't a dream.


She was true to her word. She came to his quarters every night when they both knew that all the crew was asleep so they could have privacy. She usually gave no warning of her presence and startled him practically every time she opened her mouth, but she delighted in that. Even when he thought he had a good idea when she would arrive, she would always find a way to surprise him, sometimes intentionally.

As she said before, all she wanted was him to answer her questions. They ranged in topic, including his daily routine on the ship, his knowledge of his crewmates, what a pirate's life meant for him, etc. Sometimes they were a bit personal, such as his past, ambitions, and future and sometimes, they would get uncomfortable, like how he used the bathroom or the medical reasoning for a rash on his upper thighs. There was no telling what kind of questions she would ask, but he was bound to answer each and every question.

Tonight, she was focused on his past love life and what he looked for in a woman. He did not hide a thing. "I'm not picky about my lovers. I'll sleep with any woman who is willing to take a chance with a pirate, but it is not as fulfilling as I wished it could be."

"Fulfilling?" Calypso asked with a tilted head.

"You know, more than just the physical release. I can make a safe bet that most of my crew does not feel the same. That's why I tend to not plunder port towns; I'm always afraid of the things they'll do to the women there."

"What would they do?"

Davy looked at her with uneasiness. "How graphic do you want me to be? I assure you that it's not pleasant to the ears."

"I can only observe those who inhabit the sea. For those that live on dry land, my reach is beyond them unless I send a wave to wash over them."

"And that happens often, or so I hear," he joked, but soon regretted it when she glared at him.

"Don't make me capsize this ship," she threatened, though she regained her playful nature and he laughed with her. "But yes, if they do something to anger me, I will release a punishing wave to crush them. It usually gets my message across."

"By killing all those people and ruining their lives?"

"Small sacrifices for the cause," she said nonchalantly. There was no way that Davy could make her understand the sanctity of human life. "But back to my question: what happens to women that are caught by your pirates?"

He sighed in defeat. "Not all my men, but I know some would . . . force themselves on unfortunate women. They wouldn't care about their feelings or that they were in pain; all that mattered to them was that they were getting what they wanted at another's cost. They would . . . rape them, usually leaving them permanetly scarred, both physically and mentally."

She listened closely to his words and seemed to contemplate them. "They were getting what they wanted . . . at another's cost," she repeated.

"It's sickening in my opinion. Even sins like murder could be justified for the right cause, but there is never a good reason to do something as awful as forcing yourself on another without their consent."

"Then why don't you stop them from doing such heinous things?"

"You don't think I haven't tried? If I catch wind that they have done that while plundering, I whip them until they beg for mercy, but has that stopped them? No! That's why we raid cargo ships and only dock on pirate-friendly ports. I can't bear being partly responsible for such pain."

"But what makes you any different than those men?" Calypso asked, almost like a tempting devil.

"I'm nothing like those men!" he defended.

"But you still commit sins. You argue that murder can be justified, but you are still taking a life. True, that person is no longer suffering, but you have not considered the pain of those who lost their son, their brother, their father. You steal from ships knowing that the cargo was meant to help other people on dry land, but now they will not receive it because of your greed. And the worst crime of all: you send your own men to their watery graves during these raids."

"They chose this life. I have no blood on my hands."

"Then why does it hurt when one or more fall? You can reason all you want that you are a moral man simply because you are not a rapist, but a sin is a sin regardless of intent or justification. You are still a pirate, a man of questionable morals," she said with all-knowing eyes. Davy was speechless by her words. He never had anyone question his high morality before. Usually his crew either respected or chided him for his morality, but now he was being told by a goddess that he was no better than a depraved criminal. She chuckled at his introspection. "You humans and your idea of morality are fascinating. I bet if I ask another human their views on morality, they would be completely different than yours."

"Everyone has different experiences that mold their way of thinking. It usually takes a lot of pain to make someone a horrible person."

"I guess that's true, but when the sands of time finally dry up, morality does not matter. There are only two options for every human being in this world: they either are buried on land or sea."

"So . . . there is no afterlife to judge their actions?"

"I never said that. Bodies rot, but the soul must go somewhere. Not many people know this, but part of my duties as a goddess is to guide souls lost at sea to the other side. I don't know where they go beyond that; I just ferry them."

"Wouldn't you know the god of death?"

"Well of course I know of them, but gods don't like to interact with deities outside their realm. It's one of the reasons why I rarely interfere with dry land beings."

"And I guess you wouldn't care much about the beings you rule as much as we would like to think you do."

"What makes you think I don't care?" Calypso said with a tilted head.

"Explain to me the purpose of deadly natural phenomena if they are not intended to destroy or kill?" Davy asked. She was about to answer him, but stopped to contemplate her answer.

"I don't think you would like the answer I have."

"I only want the truth from you, just like you expect from me."

After a moment of silence, she confessed, "It is merely boredom." His eyes widened by her honesty; yes, he asked for honesty, but he wasn't expecting this answer. "Yes the sea is vast and many people brave it, but it isn't as often as you think that someone dies in the sea and the deaths themselves can be boring. Dying of natural causes isn't as fun as a massive storm taking the lives of many men, both good and evil. I would like to cause more amazing storms, but that would only mean more souls to ferry to the afterlife."

"So we are merely toys for you to play with?"

"It's hard to explain, Davy. Sometimes we forget that our actions have consequences and I would like to apologize for any pain I have inflicted to you by my actions."

"And what of the others you have harmed or killed?"

"I can't be sympathetic to every single creature on and in the sea. Would you wish me to be so concerned about the fish that are fed to predators? Would you wish me to cry for every coral reef that is scraped by ships?"

"I-I suppose not," he said before growing quiet. "My, we deviated from our starting topic, haven't we?"

She laughed and so did he. "You're right. Here I am, wondering about the love lives of men and we end the conversation with my supposed lack of sympathy for humanity. You are a fascinating man, Davy Jones."

"Only because I am able to converse with a goddess that is equally fascinating," he said as he offered her a glass of rum for her to drink. She was hesitant at first, but accepted the drink. With a clink of their glasses, they drank, but she was quick to show her disgust and coughed up the drink. "I-Is it not to your liking, Calypso?"

"This is dreadful," she said as she poured the rest of her drink onto the floor.

"Hey! You can't be wasteful with the rum! That is our only source of drink before we return to port."

"You call this piss-water rum?!"

"It may have been stored incorrectly," he confessed.

"No. I will show you what true rum tastes like. Give me some time for me to obtain it," she said as she quickly dissolved into water like before.


It only took Calypso less than an hour to get a barrel full of rum. Where did she get it? Davy didn't feel like asking. All he knew was that he was able to drink this so-called "real" rum . . . and she was right. It tasted far better than he ever expected; it was as if he was drinking the nectar of the gods and it was all to them. There was no way he would allow his crew to partake in this; they would surely drink all of it before Davy would be able to get a second glass. As far as he was concerned, this was more valuable than any treasure they could plunder.

And after several glasses of the liquid gold, he was plain-faced drunk with his reddening cheeks and slurred speech. Calypso didn't seem to be affected despite the many glasses she had with him. Must be some magical power that only gods possess. "Don't you think you've had enough?" she said with a bit of concern as she watched him stumble around his quarters, not caring about the various items that he was knocking over and breaking.

"I'd say that I haven't had enough! Another glass, my dear lady," he said with slurred words as he presented his empty glass to her, but she took it from his hand and set it down.

"Perhaps you should rest. We can continue our conversation tomorrow when you are of better mind," she said as she guided him to his king sized bed.

"You know for a goddess, you can be quite the killjoy," he said unabashedly.

"I was the one who provided you the rum," she said, but the ship hit a sudden wave and rocked them harder than expected, forcing her to land on top of him on the bed.

"Well this is a different turn of events," he said with a drunken smile. "You know, you asked me about my love life, but you never said anything about yours."

"There isn't much to say," she said as she tried to get off of him, but he wrapped his arms around her so she couldn't escape. Of course, if she truly wanted to escape, she could dissolve like before.

"Wait . . . are you . . . pure?" he asked.

"Pure?" she said with a tilted head.

"I mean that you're . . . you've never made love before."

"Well, I wouldn't say that. The carnal desire between gods is hard to describe and the results could make and destroy islands " He blinked in amazement. "Though, it's rare for us to seek mortals for such an action. I was always told that they were lackluster lovers, especially the males."

"Lackluster?" he asked with offense. "That seems rather unfair, don't you think?"

"Well, I wouldn't know," she teased, but was surprised when she was flipped over so that he was on top of her.

"Then let's change that," he said before planting a soft kiss on her lips. He was half-expecting her to push him away from her, offending her with his mortal urges, but to his surprise, she embraced the kiss and when their lips parted, she went back for more. Soon, their tongues started to collide and he was quick to feel all over her body.

Though, before they could proceed any further, she stopped him. "I must warn you: mere mortals are forever changed when they are gifted with the chance to be loved by a god. Are you sure that you want to continue?"

"I don't care if it kills me or anything horrible like that. I want to be with you, Calypso," he said. Although he was still drunk, his words were genuine; the rum had diminished his inhibitors. Ever since he first saw her, he was smitten by her beauty, though fear of being smited was masking it. As they began to talk more and more, Davy was delighted in the feeling that he could find a girl that he could talk to about many things and not get bored. He felt fulfilled with her, so much so that he realized that he was starting to fall for the goddess, but he feared that she would never even consider the idea of returning those feelings. After all, he was a human and in most folklore and mythology, relationships between gods and humans tend to end horribly. Still, none of that mattered now; he had his chance to show his love for her and he wasn't going to let that pass."Tell me, do YOU wish me to continue."

She looked into his eyes as she said with a grin, "Prove to the gods that they are wrong."


Since that night, the newly-formed couple would start their nights talking, but it would end in intense love-making. Some nights, they went straight into the sex, excited to experiment with each other's bodies. Calypso was quite the experimentalist that had plenty of pleasure points that she wanted played with, to which Davy obliged. He was surprised by his own pleasure points, but let her do whatever she pleased since everything she tried was pleasurable for him. They've used rope, food, wax; nothing was off-limits. They fornicated like teenage lovers that were able to explore their sexuality with no restraints. Nothing seemed to stop their physical love.

Until one night, when Calypso didn't come to Davy Jones's quarters. He recently restocked his ship with supplies and food that they would need for another long voyage, but he decided to purchase a couple of things for himself. One of those things was a music box that would play Calypso's melody that she sang the first time they met and he fashioned twine around it to make it a necklace that she could keep close to her heart. The commission had a hefty price, but to him, it was worth it. He was sure she would love it, but stormy winds cut their stay in Tortuga short. The crew had to leave immediately or be in the eye of the storm and no matter how sturdy a ship could be, it would still take a lot of damage if caught in a storm.

Sadly for Davy, his navigator made poor choices and instead of guiding them away, he accidentally led him to it. Davy cursed himself for hiring such an incompetnet man who probably lied about his skill, but he may soon not be his problem anymore. Heavy rainfall was blinding the crew so they wouldn't even see a few feet in front of them and the heavy wind was blowing a couple of men close to the edge overboard, never to be seen again. Davy tried to guide his terrified crew to safety, but the howling winds were drowning his voice and no one would be able to hear him.

Eventually, the storm grew to its peak that the Dutchmen could not withstand as various planks of wood were being stripped from various parts of the ship. The sails were blown off the masts they were once securely tied on and those too would fall, crushing anything in its path. With all this damage, it was no surprise that seawater was filling the lower decks and drowning any unfortunate souls trapped below.

Davy watched in horror as he saw his loyal crew die in such gruesome matters, knowing he was soon to follow. He didn't want to die, especially like this. A pirate wishes to die in a glorious battle, but nothing is glorious about dying in a storm that could have been avoided. It's almost laughable and this poor decision would be the last he would leave in his pathetic legacy, if one could even call it that. Still, one person was to blame for this: the one who controlled all that was on her seas. Right before any seawater could touch his leather boots, he cried out in pain, "Calypso, why have you done this?" With those words, his body was consumed by the cruel water that swallowed him, his ship, and his entire crew mercilessly. He felt the freezing water fill his lungs and as much as he tried to fight, he had no strength to hold his breath or swim to the surface. He had no choice, but to embrace the relief of death that awaited him.

Only it didn't. He opened his eyes and found himself on the deck of his ship, though he was astonished to find that it was still submerged in murky water. He saw the debris from his ship falling slowly, as if time had magically slowed down. "I'm so happy you're still here," her voice said.

Davy looked behind him and he saw his goddess floating in the sea in front of him. He tried walking up to her, but the resistance of the ocean was pushing him back. "Why didn't you protect me?" he asked, surprised to hear his words fluidly.

"I didn't know you were in the way of the storm," she said with crossed arms. "I was bored and wanted to make a storm. It's a fun little show watching everyone scramble out of the way to safety."

"This is fun?!" he shouted, watching the bubbles from his mouth leave with intensity. "Killing people is fun to you?"

"Well what do you do for fun?" she asked casually.

"Talk to you, for starters. Make love to you. Spend time with you," he said as he watched her face slowly show guilt. "How is taking innocent lives fun for you?"

She groaned in frustration and rolled her eyes. "No matter how I explain it, you mortals will never understand."

"Then explain it to me," he pleaded.

She smirked as she floated to him, putting a hand on his cheek. "I have a better idea. You, my love, should be dead. In fact, you were dead for a couple of minutes. Using my abilities, I have–,"

"You brought me back to life?!"he interrupted, making her angry and she pinched his cheek harshly.

"You know it is rude to interrupt someone when they are talking, especially when that person is a goddess," she threatened.

"I-I'm sorry " he said as she released her grip.

"You are neither alive nor dead. You are somewhere in between. It was the most I could do," she explained.

"So . . . that means I'm immortal? Like you?"

She chuckled. "Immortal, yes. Like me, not even close. I have given you an amazing gift; you will now be the sea's ferryman. In exchange for your human life, your duty will be to direct souls taken by the sea to the afterlife."

"And this is a gift because . . . ," he asked, but he soon regretted asking when he felt her strong hand grip his neck.

"Would you rather be dead, apart from me?" she asked.

"Of course not," he gasped out.

"Then be grateful for what I have done for you. Your distrusting nature is really putting me off," she said before letting him go. Never in their time together other than the first night they met did Davy ever feel this much fear for the woman he loved. "Though you must prove to me that this is something you can handle. I assign you to ten years of ferrying the dead. As my lover, you are never to step foot on dry land."

"Wh-What would happen if I did?" he asked, but her glare was enough to know that no answer she could give would be good.

"If you are so concerned about your beloved dry land, then I will grant you one day every ten years to step foot on it,'' she said in a bratty manner. "From sunrise to sunset, you will be able to feel the scorching heat of the sun, but try to hide from me and wait until the sun sets, there will be dire consequences."

"Believe me, there is no one on dry land that comes even close to you to compete for my love. You are all I ever wanted, but as your ferryman, can I still see you in between my duties?"

Calypso shook her head. "I'm afraid that will be impossible. The sea is a vast place and there is only you to ferry them. Before, it was just me and the only reason I had any time to visit you was because I have god-like powers. You are only one man."

"So . . . I won't ever be able to see you," he asked with disappointment.

"Not realistically," she said, though it didn't seem to pain her to say those words.

Though, they did pierce his heart like a sword. He even fell to one knee with a broken heart. "No, I refuse to believe that! Now we have all eternity to see each other and you're telling me that we cannot ever see each other again! I won't let that happen," he said as he got up to his feet and clasped her hands in his. "Vow this to me, my love. Vow to me that in ten years, when I am able to traverse dry land that you will see me. Vow to me that no matter what conflicts arise for either of us that we will see each other."

"Davy," she said with pained love in her tone.

"Vow to me."

With a deep breath, she said, "I vow to you, Davy Jones, that I will see you in ten years, no matter what."

"Thank you," he said before kissing her. She put her arms around his neck and he held on to her tight since this would be the last time he would see her in a long time.

"Now go. Your first souls to ferry are those of your own crew. Though, a ship is hard to maintain for even an immortal captain, so you might want to keep some of them." With those parting words, she floated away from him and turned into sea foam. He smiled before he could feel immense pressure below him pulling the ship up above the waters. As it reached the surface, he noticed that the ship appeared as if nothing had been damaged earlier. He heard coughing from various men in his crew as they all couldn't believe they were alive. Davy knew it was time to break the news to them.

Despite not knowing where the "afterlife" was, he had a feeling in his gut to direct the ship toward the sun just before it set. To most dry-land dwellers that didn't know any better, this would be considered the "world's end" since from the naked eye at one location, that is where this flat world ended. Of course pirates knew better, but something was telling him to reach the horizon. Sure enough, a flash of green light shone as the sun set and it seemed that they had reached a white-sand island when no island was seen before. He told his crew this is their final resting place and they were free to go if they wished. He didn't want to guilt his crew into staying since he felt he didn't have the right after steering the ship into a storm and killing them. All but one left the ship and the one that stayed was the poorly-skilled navigator.

"It's my fault we are here and I want to make it up to you somehow. Let me continue being part of your crew. I have much more time to learn the skills I need to become the navigator I initially promised you. If you don't want me to stay, I will go."

He chuckled. "If you wish to stay, you will have to do a lot of heavy-lifting until I can find more crew. Are you prepared for that?"

"Aye, Captain."

Davy smiled. "Then get the ship ready for departure."

"Aye, aye, Captain," he responded as he quickly went for the anchor and Davy walked to the ship wheel. Ten years; that's how long he had to wait and he would count down every day.


For ten years, pirates from all seven seas spread stories of the immortal pirate, Davy Jones. His ship was even renamed the Flying Dutchman by pirates who witnessed it rising from the sea and it is believed to be a bad omen to any pirate that saw it for their time had come. Some tried to make his story scarier by saying that those captured by Davy Jones would be forced to be part of his crew for one hundred years if he does not try to extend their sentence. The ship was full of monsters that resembled creatures found in the ocean rather than actual people. They were ruthless creatures that sought souls to take and add to the crew. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Davy Jones was a fair captain who was far from ruthless. He knew the stories spread about him and his crew, but that was expected since humans liked to make up stories to explain phenomena they couldn't explain. The souls that did come aboard his ship were calmed from their initial hysteria and he waited until they came to terms with their deaths before giving them a choice to move on to the afterlife or join his crew. Most chose to move on, but the ones that stayed were beyond grateful for the opportunity to stay on the seas for longer than they dreamed.

Some even showed off their amazing talents that would have gone unrecognized. Notably, one man, who was a musical instrument maker, wanted to make the most ornate organ, but never had the time or money to do so. Davy Jones commissioned him, saying he had all the time in the world to make his dream instrument as long as the man gathered his own equipment and materials. Despite the Flying Dutchman being constantly submerged in water, it did not affect the integrity of any material that was on it, meaning that his organ would suffer no water damage. It took him nine years, but the man was able to create an organ that impressed even the captain. Although he offered to send it to a museum or a concert hall, the craftsman said the one person who deserved to have it was him and he was finally ready to move on. Not too long after that, Davy was lucky enough to find a musician who could teach him how to play the magnificent organ.

His crew grew steadily and while some moved on after some time on sea, a lot of them were there since they were first offered. At this point, there was no need to keep recruiting men to his crew, but he did not want to rob them of the choice if they did not want to move on. Because of this, his crew was never more loyal and he could send them to dry land to perform any task he wished of them. For some reason, despite being immortal too, there were no consequences for them being on dry land. Maybe because they were servants of Davy Jones rather than Calypso, they were not under the harsh scrutiny of the goddess and for that, he was grateful.

When he learned this loophole, he sent his crew that he could afford to send out to dry land to find some way for him and his goddess to be together. He may be a patient man, but he was a lonely one and all he ever craved was to be with her again. He never disclosed the reason for their excursions, but they always thought it had something to do with "taming the sea".

For ten years, he collected souls and ferried them to the afterlife. For ten years, he had acquired a crew to run the ship with him. For ten years, he was barred from ever leaving the sea. For ten years, he missed his darling Calypso, even keeping the small musical box around his neck so he could give it to her when they reunited. He longed for her smile and her warm embrace. Even if they did nothing more than talk and kiss, that would be enough for him to last for the next ten years.


As the sun rose on the fateful day, he ordered his crew to find the nearest island and be merry wherever they landed. Of course his crew was more than eager to find land. It didn't take them long and the crew watched in amazement as he stepped on dry land for the first time. He even removed his boots so he could feel the sand between his toes. It was surreal to him just how long it's been since he felt this sensation. He then gave his crew the permission to leave his side so he may be by himself until sundown. They respected his wish and found whatever pleasures they sought. Davy was all giddy thinking about what the two of them would do when they were able to see each other. He craved her touch and didn't know if he had it in him to hold his urges back, even if they weren't shielded from the prying eyes of bystanders. But more importantly, he just missed talking to her; ten years without a simple hello made him feel lonelier than he ever did before he met Calypso. Even if they couldn't do anything physical, just being able to speak to each other would be enough.

The sun reached high noon, but Davy Jones stayed on the beach, wondering where his goddess was. Surely she couldn't have forgotten their promise.

Late afternoon soon arrived, Still no sign of his goddess. What could possibly take her so long? She has to know where he is even if the sea is so vast. She was able to find him on his ship no matter how far they traveled that day. He even put his feet in the water, hoping somehow that would signal to her where he was.

Sunset was only an hour away and Davy was growing weary. Some of his crew boarded the ship and noticed him still waiting. They were given orders to not disrupt him, even when they noticed tears falling from his eyes. Although he was not a heartless man, it still took a lot for him to shed any tears.

Mere minutes till sunset and Davy debated testing her warning. He always feared what would happen if he touched dry land prior to today, but he never had a good reason to test Calypso's threatening words. Today was an exception; if angering her was the only way to get her attention, then so be it. He was going to see her, regardless if it was before or after sundown.

Though, a few of his men grabbed him by the shoulders and arms. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm sorry, Captain, but we have no control of our bodies," one of them said as they dragged the heartbroken captain back on his ship, even as he dragged his feet and tried wiggling out of their grips.

"No, leave me be! That is an order from your captain," he screamed as he watched the sun touch the horizon.

"Believe us, we would let you stay, but something is forcing us to bring you back."

Davy even tried to grab his sword, but forced hands prevented him and they managed to get his feet to touch the soaked planks of his ship just before the sun disappeared below the horizon.

"Dammit!" Davy yelled as slammed his fist onto the railing hard enough to splinter, though his hand didn't bleed despite the pieces of wood stuck in his fist. He looked at his crew, who all had terrified expressions on their faces. Never in their time with him have they ever seen him this mad. "What are you scurvy dogs looking at?! All hands on deck and weigh anchor. We are leaving this cursed place," he ordered, sending his men in a frenzy. He was about to walk to the ship wheel, but he heard the faint sound of the music box he kept close to his heart, but right now, it was a painful reminder of unrequited love. He took it in his hands and pulled it off his neck with as much force as his hatred could muster. He gave it one more loving look before chucking it overboard so it could sink to the bottom of the sea, never to be heard again. He had never felt this much hatred for a person before, much less a god, and he vowed that since she had abandoned him with this curse of ferrying the dead, he would do whatever it took to make her feel his pain.


For decades, Davy Jones searched every corner of the world to find a way to exact her revenge on the sea goddess. He sent his men to listen to every pirate-run tavern to find any lore or gossip that could somehow affect the gods. After all, who could be more superstitious than pirates that told tall tales and spread fantastical legends? Most came back with nothing of note, but the few times a pirate would spread word of a magical item like Posidon's Trident or the Fountain of Youth, he would follow that lead and seek the treasure. Sadly, no matter how fantastical the object claimed to be, it would never live up to the power he was seeking.

The once kind-hearted captain slowly turned cold as he continued to ferry the dead. Though, he was more selective about who could cross to the other side and who was forced to stay on his ship. Those that proved useless to him, he would let them move on, but those that knew of a magical item would stay with him until they found it, even if the pirate only heard of it in passing. Many men found themselves stuck on the Flying Dutchman for years and those that led him to a less-than-desirable lead would be thrown overboard and be forced to be lost at sea. The crew noticed his shift in personality, but they were afraid to speak up about it or else they would share in the unfortunate fate. Some even ran away with the other souls that crossed over in fear of being trapped in the cursed crew with a captain that was only fueled with hate.

Though, despite his hatred, every ten years, he would wait by a beach on his allotted day and wait for the goddess to come to him. He thought he might be able to kill her if he ever saw her again, but he had no weapon on him that could do any harm to gods. Maybe the other gods would be on his side and grant him the ability to smite the goddess that cursed him with ferrying the dead for eternity. He was starting to believe that she had tricked him into this fate so that she would no longer have to perform this duty that she must have loathed. Now that she was free to do whatever she wished, it seemed that more storms and whirlpools have consumed more lives than ever before.

One day, one of his scouts brought back word of a witch doctor in Cuba that had a journal that contained the secrets of the goddess of the sea. This seemed too good to be true, but he had to do whatever it took to get that journal. He sailed to Cuba to find this supposed witch doctor, but she lived in a swamp area that was far too narrow for his ship to pass. In the past, he has tested his limits about how far he could travel away from the ship until it was deemed "too close to dry land". He can walk on connecting rivers and bayous, but the farther inland he went, the more he felt resistance, as if he was trying to trudge through mud. It has always exhausted him, but this time, he had to fight through it and speak to the woman himself.

With his crew keeping a lookout, he managed to find the shack that housed her and noticed that she was standing on the balcony, watching him. She had thick dreadlocks that reached her lower back. Her skin was the color of coffee with various moles around her face. Her dress looked as if she gathered many torn fabrics and sewed them all together. "I have been expecting you, Davy Jones," she said in a foreign accent.

"You know my name?" he asked, not taking another step so he could catch his breath.

"Tia Dalma knows the name of Davy Jones. Everyone knows it, whether feared or welcomed. Stories spread to all corners of this world, but yours is the most appealing. A once-human captain bound to reap the souls of the dead," she said as she walked down to him, but not taking a step in the water. "One must wonder how one ended up with that fate."

"Trickery, plain and simple," he spat out.

She tilted her head. "You never wished to be immortal? To be more powerful than any other man in the living world? To be more famous than the most legendary pirates or the notorious monsters of the sea?"

"I never asked for this power. It was forced upon me by that wretched goddess of the sea."

"Bold words for one who is bound to her domain with no escape. Word says that she listens to anyone who traverses her waters. She might smite you for saying such harsh words."

"Let her hear. I have been waiting for her to show her face, but she is a coward."

Tia Dalma smirked, revealing her browning teeth. "Brave face, servant of the goddess. You wouldn't come out here if you did not seek some sort of item. Tell me, what is it that you want from me?"

"I want. . . I want to make that wicked Calypso suffer in a way no goddess has ever suffered before. I want her to know what it is like to be trapped in a curse that she is helpless to escape from."

"Then I have what you need," she said as she went back into her shack. In no time, she returned with a cloth that was wrapped around a rectangular object. She handed it to him, but before he could touch it, she pulled it back to tease him. "But what will you give me in return? Everything has a price."

"What do you wish for?" he asked, willing to pay any price, hoping for once, it would lead to something helpful in his revenge.

"I want to be like you, an immortal being. According to legend, this journal was written by a former servant of the sea, though his story did not end well. I'll let you read of his fate when you give me what I want. There are many ways to gain favor with the gods, but there are also rituals to make them do your bidding. With the right words and rituals, you may even be able to bind a god to a human form."

His ears perked at those words. "You better not be lying to me."

"And why would I lie to one that can steal my soul if he wished. Plus, this journal is written in a language even I can't understand. That's why I need you, Davy Jones. As a servant of the sea, you can read it. Until I become immortal, I will partner with you."

"And if my revenge is after your desired goal?" he asked with suspicion in his voice. The last thing he needed was to be tricked by another woman.

"I believe it would be feasible if you and I had all the time in the world to exact the perfect revenge. What do you say?" she said with an extended hand. "Do we have a deal?"

This felt like making a deal with the Devil, but he was willing to do anything. "Deal."


Tia Dalma asked to board his ship until their goals were met, which made things difficult for the crew. Undead pirate or not, it was perceived to be bad luck to have a woman on board. She had to stay in a brig cell during the night to make sure that no harm would befall her, with only Davy Jones having the key to get her out. She knew this was necessary for her safety, but she still didn't like the feeling of being locked away.

Davy read the journal extensively, making sure not to miss any detail. Like she said, it was written in a language he had never seen before, but after a bit of focus, the symbols started to form into his native language. He got to learn more about the previous author; he was granted favor by Calypso when he killed a legendary beast and was given the ability to control all monsters that lurked below the fathoms of the sea. However, his carelessness was destroying almost all the monsters, some even becoming extinct. This made Calypso mad and she cursed him by transforming him into the very beast he destroyed. In between that time, he learned the secrets of the goddess, including her powers, weaknesses, and rituals that would affect her. There were plenty of summoning spells, but Davy was only focused on one: the binding spell.

After reading almost all of the journal, he found it. The ritual was vague: when all the seas are in agreement, they can obtain the power to bind the sea herself. Items of sentimental value are needed to capture the wishy-washy goddess who cares for nothing. Only the passionate words of a lover can bind her soul into an empty vessel.

When all the seas are in agreement? He had to think hard about what this could mean. There was no way he could make every person who sailed the ocean agree that Calypso needed to be put away for good. His goal wasn't something that could be easily accepted like the Pirate Code. . . . the Pirate Code! While it was not set in stone, there were still guidelines that every pirate agreed to so that pirating, as chaotic as it was, could have some form of civility. And who created the Pirate Code? The Pirate Lords! If he could get them all to agree to reclaim the sea, then maybe he would be one step closer to his revenge.


It was difficult to gather all the Pirate Lords in one place. Each of them had to be located individually and since he did not have Calypso's inconsistent ability to track someone down, he had to go by word of mouth and luck. It took years, but eventually, he managed to get all nine of them to meet on one island on a specific day: the day he was able to walk on land. Everything had to go right: even if one person was missing, all of this was for nought.

For once in his life, everything went accordingly. All nine Pirate Lords of the Seas arrived on the small deserted island he chose. Even though they were all suspicious of the ferryman's intent, they did not dare to anger him. After all, seeing the Flying Dutchman was heart-stopping to all the pirates that witnessed it, only to be relieved that it was not their souls it was after. When everyone had gathered around a bonfire, Davy Jones and his crew emerged from the sea, initially scaring all present. Tia Dalma stayed on the ship, mainly due to pirates' aversion to the occult and their followers, but she used a telescope to watch the meeting from afar.

"Good morn, gentlemen," Davy said as he reached the bonfire. "I apologize if my entrance was too unnerving, but I have no need for rowboats."

"Let us cut to the chase: why have you brought us all here?" one Pirate Lord asked, trying to capture any authority he hoped to possess.

Davy cocked a grin. "Right. I find myself in need of your services. I am sure you are all aware of the rise of natural phenomena that are wrecking ships all over the world?"

"Are you trying to say that you caused those?" another Lord accused.

"No, far from it. I am a mere ferryman, one bound to collect the souls that are lost at sea at the hands of a heartless goddess. I'm sure that many of you have lost many good men and fleets to this wench that rules the seas. Are we so unlucky that we must be at the mercy of a deity that has little compassion for the people she rules over? She is nothing more than a tyrant that sees human life as nothing more than chess pieces. What if I told you that we can take that abusive power away from her and give it to people who deserve it; the ones who tread the seas."

The Pirate Lords mumbled amongst themselves before one asked, "And how do you plan to perform such a feat?"

"Simple," he said as he raised the journal in his hand. "In my hand are the secrets of Calypso, the goddess we once feared. In it, it speaks of a ritual to bind her to a human form, but I must get the entire sea to join my cause. A revolution of her people is much more powerful compared to a single ruler. If you all agree to be rid of the goddess, I'll make sure she experiences the helplessness she has forced on us by making her the very thing she manipulates."

"That's all that's needed? An alliance?"

"Well, that and an item of sentimental value from each one of you. The stronger the sentiment, the more power it possesses. Even if it is a simple trinket, it can prove to be powerful."

"This seems like a generous offer considering that you are considered a servant of the sea. How can we know for certain that you will not turn on us and become the new god of the sea?"

"You can never truly trust a pirate. Betrayal is common among our kind, but revenge is much more potent. That goddess trapped me in this fate that I cannot escape from. Even this journal, as knowledgeable as it is, does not know how to reverse my curse. The least I can do is make her know that exact pain."

"She really hurt you, didn't she?" one observant Pirate Lord mentioned. Davy didn't say another word. "All those in favor of Davy's proposal, say 'Aye'."

One by one, they all stated their answer and it was unanimous: Aye. Davy was pleased with their cooperation and each went aboard their ship to find items they were willing to use for the ritual. Each of them shared the stories behind their chosen items, including love letters, teeth of fallen enemies, chipped pieces of prized weapons, etc. Davy could sense the power having all of these items together brought and had a strong feeling that this would work. There was just one more thing he needed and Tia Dalma was more than happy to help.


That night, when the sun had set, he prepared his quarters like he did once before when he expected Calypso's company. He prepared some food and drink, even though he hadn't felt the need to eat or drink for decades, and put a bowl of the cherished items at the middle of the table. He invited Tia Dalma into his quarters and had her partake in the meal. She was surprised by his offer, but figured he wanted to celebrate early when the ritual worked. She was too distracted by the food to notice that Davy had pulled a pistol and aimed it for her head.

"You still want to become a god?"

"Of course," she said before she noticed the sound of the gun cocking. She could run, but where would she go?

"If that is your wish, then you will be her vessel, however . . . ," he said before pulling the trigger, sending a bullet into her skull and making her collapse on the table, blood spilling into the bowl. ". . . an EMPTY vessel is required. We can't have two souls fight for control of a body."

"You're not supposed to take lives, Davy," a familiar feminine voice said. His body tensed with so many emotions that overcame him: anger, sadness, hatred, brokenness. He turned around slowly and saw his once beloved goddess standing before him, though her face showed terror. "You can't deviate from your duties. Reap her soul and the sea won't punish you," she pleaded.

"Deviate from my duties? The ones you trapped me with? You are in no position to lecture me about deviating from duties when you broke your vow. After my first decade during your clean-up work, you vowed to me that we would see each other again. I did as you asked with no complaint. I pushed past my loneliness because I knew that I would be able to see you someday. Tell me, Calypso, where were you? Where were you when I waited on that beach for you?!"

She was astonished by his anger and that made him even more furious. "Please, Davy, you have to understand. The gods don't function like you humans do–," she tried to say, but was suddenly grabbed by the throat.

"You always say I will never understand because I was once human. Well, I've become a creature of the sea like others before me and for what? I'm just your new shiny plaything that you throw away when you get bored. What once I thought was love was merely infatuation for you and I was a fool for not realizing it sooner."

"Davy, let me go or else–," she threatened, but he tightened his grip.

"You have no power over me anymore, Calypso. I banish you–," he said, but he noticed something hanging from her neck: an object all too familiar to him. He put his hand around it and heard the little ring of a music box, the same one he threw into the sea so many years ago. "Where did you get this?"

"You threw it into the sea. I figured you meant to give it to me, so I kept it close to me all this time so I would never forget you," she said with a bit of a grin, as if she was able to reason with him.

Though, her words only made him angrier. "You were there. You watched me wait for you. You just stood by," he said as the bowl in the middle of the table suddenly burst into flames he pulled out a knife. "Calypso, I bind you to this human form." With those words, he thrust the knife into her chest, just below the music box they once cherished. She expected to laugh at his attempt to kill her, but when she noticed that blood was escaping her chest, her very being was filled with fear. Her body felt weak and she collapsed onto the floor, where her body had dissolved into water that found its way to Tia Dalma's lifeless feet.

The flames died down, leaving only ashes in its place and Tia Dalma started to stir. She was dazed, but when she noticed that her body wasn't hers anymore, she started to panic. She even screamed, but all Davy did was laugh. "How does it feel to be helpless against a being much more powerful than you. I put this curse on you and now I am the only one who knows how to break it."

"You treacherous villain," she spat, but even her voice wasn't hers and it threw her off. "Hear my warning, Davy Jones. You will rue the day you did this to me. Dire consequences await those who lose my favor."

He chuckled. "My sweet goddess, I already live in a hell that you created for me. There is nothing you can do, especially in that body, that would be worse than what you have already put me through."

"Free me from this puny human form and I promise to release you from your duties. You can finally cross over and be rid of this world."

"I don't think you have any right to make promises that you can't keep," he said as he grabbed her arm forcefully and dragged her out of his quarters. He made a public display as he threw her down the stairs, watching as she writhed in pain that she was unfamiliar to. Some men laughed while others watched in horror. "Men, this is the witch that once ruled the seas. Now look at her: nothing more than a weak woman with no power over anything. Make her walk the plank," he ordered.

The men who laughed were more than eager to watch this new side of their captain. The ones who knew this was wrong were unable to help this woman, but one managed to slip some information to her about Tia Dalma's former residence. They all watched as they drew their swords at her and forced her at the edge of a plank. She pleaded for her life, but they laughed, with Davy being the loudest.

"I wonder how durable this body will be for you," he said before one of the men kicked her hard enough for her to fall into the waters below. One of the guilty men managed to throw in the plank so she would be able to float onto something. However, that angered Davy and he stormed toward him. "Who gave you the order to show that woman mercy?"

"I-I couldn't let her drown," he said with fear in his voice. Although he didn't fear death, he still feared being trapped. It had been many years since any of them saw that afterlife island.

"To her, that would be a kindness," he said before finding a nearby whip and whipping the man multiple times with no breaks, reveling in the blood that poured out of him. "As for your insolence, I will make you serve the Flying Dutchman for 100 years. No matter how desperately you seek relief, I'll make sure none will be in reach and once your sentence is served, I may consider releasing you from servitude."

All his men, even those who embraced his new cruel nature, were taken aback by such a sentence. Little did they know that the punishment that he gave to one man would befall all of them for he never reaped a soul again or saw that white-sand beach ever again. Instead, he let his anger get to the best of him and he started becoming the nefarious legend that was passed around. He started killing for fun, knowing fully well that neither him or his crew would be killed. It was a complete slaughter and for once, he felt power.


He would soon learn of the consequences his actions would bring. One day, Davy Jones was awakened by the sounds of screaming. He rushed to see what the commotion was all about, but what he saw terrified him: all of his men were slowly changing into monsters unlike he had ever seen. Some resembled sea creatures, like a hammerhead shark or a pufferfish, while others looked as if they were consumed by coral reef or algae. However, their hysteria grew quiet when they saw him and that was when Davy Jones realized that his beard was starting to move on its own. In fact, it wasn't a beard at all, but rather tentacles. He tried to feel his face, but only another tentacle attached to his arm touched his slimy skin. His other hand was that of a lobster claw. He screamed at the top of his lungs and his crew returned to their hysteria.

Though, when they all finally came to their senses, they started to realize that this newfound curse might be a blessing. When they still resemble humans, people would fight with all their might to win a losing battle, but now that they were the monsters they feared, they can play with their fears a bit before landing the killing blow. Davy finally understood Calypso's heartless nature: playing with human's fears was entertaining to him and when he felt bored, he would find an unfortunate ship to ransack, leaving their souls lost to the godless sea.

Though, despite him acquiring the reputation of being the most ruthless captain of the sea, he found himself harboring much guilt for what he did. Of course he hated Calypso with all of his heart, but she was still the woman he loved. As much as he reveled in her misery, there was still a piece of him that couldn't bear to see her in pain. All this talk of making her experience the same pain she inflicted to him was merely a mask to hide his longing to have things the way they once were, when he truly believed she loved him. Even if it was all a lie, he still longed for her and that immense guilt haunted him. He truly wanted to be heartless to her . . . and that is exactly what he became. Knowing nothing could harm him, he decided to do the unthinkable: he cut out his own heart. It would be the last bit of pain he would feel for Calypso.

He put his vulnerable heart into a small chest and summoned his crew. "I need you scurvy dogs to hide this somewhere safe where no one can find it. Find some island far away from humanity and bury it. I have something I need to do in private."

They followed his orders and the crew disembarked the ship to the vast sea. He knew this mission shouldn't take them long, but he wanted to explore one part of the sea they hadn't yet. He managed to finish the entire journal and found an interesting passage that he wanted to see for himself. With an empty ship, he submerged it to the deepest part of the ocean that was out of the reach of the sun. Despite the darkness, he could see clearly and found a hidden cave. He didn't know how to approach it, but he knew it would not come out just because someone called for it.

He then got an idea. He pulled out the music box that Calypso left behind (not by her own accord) and let the melody play: the one that haunted him for decades, almost a century. Sure enough, he heard a rumble from the cave and out came a couple of tentacles that were longer than any vessel Davy had ever encountered and they were large enough that they could split a ship in half with ease

"You recognize her song, don't you, Kraken?" he asked, knowing it wouldn't be able to talk back to him. "Calypso is no more. The woman who created us monsters will no longer have the power to rule over us. There is no reason for you to hide anymore. In fact, I wish to let you seek the revenge you must have sought for after all these years. She can no longer hold back your urge for violence with empty threats of punishment and I am willing to help you release it. Be my ally and I promise you that you will no longer feel powerless amongst gods, but rather be feared by those beneath you."

Despite not being able to say a word, he knew the Kraken's answer as it emerged from the cave it once hid in and fully exposed its complete form to the cursed captain. It seemed to have an infinite amount of tentacles as it completely covered Davy's vision. No eyes could be seen, but there was a mouth with many rows of sharp teeth ready to pierce any unfortunate soul that got too close to it. It was a truly magnificent and terrifying sight, almost enough to make the heartless captain cry. "Now then, where should we start?"


As mentioned before, this was part of the 2022 Halloween Event—Be the Monster, hosted by Seth's Kiss and NekoPantera. We are posting stories throughout October of varying fandoms, so please check out these fellow writers and their amazing horror and kinky works:

Alastair, asgardianhobbit98, NekoPantera, SerenaJones, Seth's Kiss, YaoiHime420

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my descent into madness and make sure to check out more of my stories. Reviews are very much appreciated!

See you then. PhantomGypsy13