Chapter 13
"Gents, our hope is restored," the man who couldn't possibly be anybody else but Barbossa yelled. The other pirates cheered. I still thrashed and screamed as the pirate carrying me struggled across the widening passage to the Black Pearl.
"Let go of me!" I shrieked. "Let go! Will! Jack! WILL!!!!!!!!!"
"As you wish," the pirate muttered as I socked him behind the ear. He released me, and I fell, screaming, into the sea.
It was cold, for one thing. I came up gasping, trying to keep myself afloat. But the dress kept pulling me down from the weight. I could barely keep my mouth above water. "Jack." I whispered before the water claimed me. Beneath the waves, I still struggled and fought. The cloth came below my ankles, and I kept trying to rip some of it off so I could have more swimming access. My lungs were going to burst. Bubbles erupted from my mouth as dark spots danced before my eyes. I reached a hand towards the surface, kicking for all I was worth, and my hand broke thru. Another hand, definitely male, grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. I fell on the deck, coughing and gagging and spitting up water. My dress clung very tightly to a few.certain areas, and I snapped it so it was looser. "Thank you, I-" I stopped mid-sentence. Wrong boat. The crew of the Black Pearl grinned at me, letting their eyes stay where they wanted. Elizabeth and the crew from the Interceptor were tied to the mast. Two pirates walked around them, their pistols aimed.
"Ah, missy, welcome aboard," Barbossa said softly, grabbing my arm between his fingers and pinching. I squeezed my mouth shut, trying not to yell. He threw me across the ship to the mast, and I hit it with a wet smack! I struggled not to scream. Our ship was a wooden mess of sails and planks. Barbossa stepped forward to watch. Jack was handcuffed and standing between two rough sailors, mouthing to me 'Don't do anything stupid' I nodded.
"If any of you as much as thinks the word 'parley'," one of the pirates snarled. "I'll have your guts for garters." Barbossa nodded to himself. With a nod to Elizabeth, who dashed under the rope binding her to the mast, we sprinted for Barbossa. At that moment, the Interceptor exploded. Flames and smoke reached for the sky.
"Will." I whispered, feeling like the world had dropped from beneath me. He wasn't here. The last time I saw him...I felt my eyes roll in back of my head, and I slumped forward. Two pirates grabbed me beneath the arms and shoved me against the mast, wrapping the rope around me. I didn't even bother fighting them. What was the point? Elizabeth was attacking Barbossa, screaming, "STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!"
"Welcome back, missy!" he snarled, grasping her forearms. "You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now that you return the favor." He shoved her towards a group of pirates, who began touching her and trying to remove her dress. Her screams echoed in my head. I didn't even bother looking at her.
"BARBOSSA!" a familiar voice roared. My head snapped up, hope swelling within like a bubble. And there he was. Soaking wet and madder than hell, but alive. My brother. Aiming a pistol at Barbossa's face.
"Will," I whispered.
"She goes free."
"What's in yer head, boy?" Barbossa demanded lazily.
He pointed to Elizabeth. "She goes free!"
"You've only got one shot," Barbossa notified. "And we can't die."
"Don't do anything stupid," Jack begged softly to Will.
"You can't," he said, leaping on the rail. He placed the pistol beneath his neck. "I can."
"Like that," Jack pronounced.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I wailed.
Barbossa looked at me funny, then turned back to Will. "Who are you? And who is she?"
Jack took this as a time to intervene. He stepped in front of Barbossa, blocking his view of my brother. "No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew, twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though." He whispered, "Eunuch."
"My name is Will Turner," my brother announced. "My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins, as does my twin sister's." He pointed at me. I wanted to kill him. The pirates' attitude totally changed. They removed me from the mast, and a tall black man grabbed me.
"Is this true?" he boomed, and I recognized his voice; the one that had hollered, "Hard aport!" all those minutes ago. I said nothing.
"He's a spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us," one of the pirates with two different eyes shouted, pointing a bent finger at Will.
"On my word do as I say or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker," Will announced, his finger heavy on the trigger. I shook my head back and forth fast.
"Name yer terms, Mr. Turner," Barbossa said snakily.
"Elizabeth goes free!"
"Yes, we know that one," he said silkily. "Anything else?" Jack made frantic motions toward himself, pointing and mouthing 'Me'.
Will pointed. "And the crew. The crew are not to be harmed." Jack let his hands fall to his sides.
Barbossa took a step forward, cocking his head just so. "Agreed."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Go on! Walk the plank!" Elizabeth stared in shock, backing away from the sharp sword tips on the short plank of wood. Will and I struggled against the pirates trying to tie us up.
"Barbossa, you lying bastard!" Will bellowed angrily. "You swore she'd go free!" I slapped a pirate across the face as he tried to touch me. He glared ruthlessly at me, and I knew I'd pay for that.
"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy," Barbossa roared. "I agreed she'd go free it was you who failed to specify when or where." Will was gagged, still struggling. Barbossa looked lustfully at Elizabeth. "Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?" They 'ayed' their agreement. Elizabeth didn't dare to look hopeful. "So I'll be having that dress back, if ye don't mind," he finished, and the crew laughed and catcalled as she stripped before them. She was left wearing nothing but a long white underdress. I knew she felt embarrassed and humiliated.
"I always liked you," Jack tried sucking up to a crewmate. He grunted in distaste, revealing a sharpened dagger. He shut up immediately.
Elizabeth threw him the dress. "It goes with your black heart," she retorted. He merely smiled and rubbed the dress against his cheek.
"Oooo, it's still warm," he said, and the crew laughed harder this time, and he threw the dress into the group. Elizabeth took tiny steps, closer and closer to the edge to the hooting of the pirates. Will still fought to get away. She paused at the edge, looking at Will.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Too long," the dark sailor proclaimed, and stomped on the plank, shaking it. With a shriek, Elizabeth fell in. I screamed, and a sailor raised a hand over my mouth. I bit his fingers, and he howled. The other pirates laughed, and Jack pretended to until he was also pushed towards the plank.
"I really had rather hoped we were past all this," he said to Barbossa. He laughed and put a hand around his shoulders.
"Jack," he said merrily. "Jack! Did ye not notice? That be the same little island that we made you Governor of on our last little trip."
Jack looked behind him at the little spit of land, then turned back. "I did notice."
"Then perhaps you'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape. But I doubt it." He unsheathed his sword and brandished it at Jack's throat, who eyed it carefully. "Off you go." Jack slowly began to walk, then turned around.
"Last time you left me a pistol with one shot," he stalled.
"By the powers, you're right," Barbossa replied, then turned to the crew. "Where be Jack's pistol? Bring it forward." A man passed it forward to Barbossa, who held it in his claws.
"Seeing as there's two of us," Jack tried again. "A gentleman would give us a pair of pistols."
"It'll be one pistol as before and you can be the gentleman and shoot the lady and starve to death yourself," Barbossa proclaimed and threw the pistol into the sea. Jack stared at it sinking in the water, and without looking back, dove in after it. The crew laughed even harder. Barbossa raised a hand.
"Take our Turners to the brig," he ordered. "Lock up the crew in a different cell. We're heading to Isla de Muerta, to freedom!" There were cheers as we were shoved below.
I couldn't stop crying.
"Gents, our hope is restored," the man who couldn't possibly be anybody else but Barbossa yelled. The other pirates cheered. I still thrashed and screamed as the pirate carrying me struggled across the widening passage to the Black Pearl.
"Let go of me!" I shrieked. "Let go! Will! Jack! WILL!!!!!!!!!"
"As you wish," the pirate muttered as I socked him behind the ear. He released me, and I fell, screaming, into the sea.
It was cold, for one thing. I came up gasping, trying to keep myself afloat. But the dress kept pulling me down from the weight. I could barely keep my mouth above water. "Jack." I whispered before the water claimed me. Beneath the waves, I still struggled and fought. The cloth came below my ankles, and I kept trying to rip some of it off so I could have more swimming access. My lungs were going to burst. Bubbles erupted from my mouth as dark spots danced before my eyes. I reached a hand towards the surface, kicking for all I was worth, and my hand broke thru. Another hand, definitely male, grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. I fell on the deck, coughing and gagging and spitting up water. My dress clung very tightly to a few.certain areas, and I snapped it so it was looser. "Thank you, I-" I stopped mid-sentence. Wrong boat. The crew of the Black Pearl grinned at me, letting their eyes stay where they wanted. Elizabeth and the crew from the Interceptor were tied to the mast. Two pirates walked around them, their pistols aimed.
"Ah, missy, welcome aboard," Barbossa said softly, grabbing my arm between his fingers and pinching. I squeezed my mouth shut, trying not to yell. He threw me across the ship to the mast, and I hit it with a wet smack! I struggled not to scream. Our ship was a wooden mess of sails and planks. Barbossa stepped forward to watch. Jack was handcuffed and standing between two rough sailors, mouthing to me 'Don't do anything stupid' I nodded.
"If any of you as much as thinks the word 'parley'," one of the pirates snarled. "I'll have your guts for garters." Barbossa nodded to himself. With a nod to Elizabeth, who dashed under the rope binding her to the mast, we sprinted for Barbossa. At that moment, the Interceptor exploded. Flames and smoke reached for the sky.
"Will." I whispered, feeling like the world had dropped from beneath me. He wasn't here. The last time I saw him...I felt my eyes roll in back of my head, and I slumped forward. Two pirates grabbed me beneath the arms and shoved me against the mast, wrapping the rope around me. I didn't even bother fighting them. What was the point? Elizabeth was attacking Barbossa, screaming, "STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!"
"Welcome back, missy!" he snarled, grasping her forearms. "You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now that you return the favor." He shoved her towards a group of pirates, who began touching her and trying to remove her dress. Her screams echoed in my head. I didn't even bother looking at her.
"BARBOSSA!" a familiar voice roared. My head snapped up, hope swelling within like a bubble. And there he was. Soaking wet and madder than hell, but alive. My brother. Aiming a pistol at Barbossa's face.
"Will," I whispered.
"She goes free."
"What's in yer head, boy?" Barbossa demanded lazily.
He pointed to Elizabeth. "She goes free!"
"You've only got one shot," Barbossa notified. "And we can't die."
"Don't do anything stupid," Jack begged softly to Will.
"You can't," he said, leaping on the rail. He placed the pistol beneath his neck. "I can."
"Like that," Jack pronounced.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I wailed.
Barbossa looked at me funny, then turned back to Will. "Who are you? And who is she?"
Jack took this as a time to intervene. He stepped in front of Barbossa, blocking his view of my brother. "No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew, twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though." He whispered, "Eunuch."
"My name is Will Turner," my brother announced. "My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins, as does my twin sister's." He pointed at me. I wanted to kill him. The pirates' attitude totally changed. They removed me from the mast, and a tall black man grabbed me.
"Is this true?" he boomed, and I recognized his voice; the one that had hollered, "Hard aport!" all those minutes ago. I said nothing.
"He's a spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us," one of the pirates with two different eyes shouted, pointing a bent finger at Will.
"On my word do as I say or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker," Will announced, his finger heavy on the trigger. I shook my head back and forth fast.
"Name yer terms, Mr. Turner," Barbossa said snakily.
"Elizabeth goes free!"
"Yes, we know that one," he said silkily. "Anything else?" Jack made frantic motions toward himself, pointing and mouthing 'Me'.
Will pointed. "And the crew. The crew are not to be harmed." Jack let his hands fall to his sides.
Barbossa took a step forward, cocking his head just so. "Agreed."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Go on! Walk the plank!" Elizabeth stared in shock, backing away from the sharp sword tips on the short plank of wood. Will and I struggled against the pirates trying to tie us up.
"Barbossa, you lying bastard!" Will bellowed angrily. "You swore she'd go free!" I slapped a pirate across the face as he tried to touch me. He glared ruthlessly at me, and I knew I'd pay for that.
"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy," Barbossa roared. "I agreed she'd go free it was you who failed to specify when or where." Will was gagged, still struggling. Barbossa looked lustfully at Elizabeth. "Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?" They 'ayed' their agreement. Elizabeth didn't dare to look hopeful. "So I'll be having that dress back, if ye don't mind," he finished, and the crew laughed and catcalled as she stripped before them. She was left wearing nothing but a long white underdress. I knew she felt embarrassed and humiliated.
"I always liked you," Jack tried sucking up to a crewmate. He grunted in distaste, revealing a sharpened dagger. He shut up immediately.
Elizabeth threw him the dress. "It goes with your black heart," she retorted. He merely smiled and rubbed the dress against his cheek.
"Oooo, it's still warm," he said, and the crew laughed harder this time, and he threw the dress into the group. Elizabeth took tiny steps, closer and closer to the edge to the hooting of the pirates. Will still fought to get away. She paused at the edge, looking at Will.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Too long," the dark sailor proclaimed, and stomped on the plank, shaking it. With a shriek, Elizabeth fell in. I screamed, and a sailor raised a hand over my mouth. I bit his fingers, and he howled. The other pirates laughed, and Jack pretended to until he was also pushed towards the plank.
"I really had rather hoped we were past all this," he said to Barbossa. He laughed and put a hand around his shoulders.
"Jack," he said merrily. "Jack! Did ye not notice? That be the same little island that we made you Governor of on our last little trip."
Jack looked behind him at the little spit of land, then turned back. "I did notice."
"Then perhaps you'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape. But I doubt it." He unsheathed his sword and brandished it at Jack's throat, who eyed it carefully. "Off you go." Jack slowly began to walk, then turned around.
"Last time you left me a pistol with one shot," he stalled.
"By the powers, you're right," Barbossa replied, then turned to the crew. "Where be Jack's pistol? Bring it forward." A man passed it forward to Barbossa, who held it in his claws.
"Seeing as there's two of us," Jack tried again. "A gentleman would give us a pair of pistols."
"It'll be one pistol as before and you can be the gentleman and shoot the lady and starve to death yourself," Barbossa proclaimed and threw the pistol into the sea. Jack stared at it sinking in the water, and without looking back, dove in after it. The crew laughed even harder. Barbossa raised a hand.
"Take our Turners to the brig," he ordered. "Lock up the crew in a different cell. We're heading to Isla de Muerta, to freedom!" There were cheers as we were shoved below.
I couldn't stop crying.