Chapter 7
"Some Plunder & a Blunder"
Jack motions for everyone to draw out their weapons as the ship, the Siren, docks. A bunch of rough necks jump onto the beach and see Jack and the crew. A man finally descended from the ship. He was tall with long, dirty blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. He had a crooked nose and a handsome. His eyes were a cool gray color. His skin had a tawny hue to it. He looked no older than you did. He wore a clean white shirt that was partially opened, showing off a toned chest. His strong legs were hidden under his black pants and boots. His cutlass and pistol dangled at his waist.
"That's Captain Fletcher?" you ask AnaMaria in a whisper, eyeing the gorgeous man in front of you.
"Aye," said AnaMaria breathlessly.
"I thought you said he was a terrible pirate." you whisper.
"Yeah, I hold true to me word. He's thirsty for plunder, but he's horrible at trying to act like a real pirate. Too much of a gentlemen, but his crew is a different story," says AnaMaria.
So AnaMaria didn't mean that Captain Fletcher was terrible as in ruthless and bad, but he did a rather poor job. He must have done something right to command a ship and such a crew as the one before you. Captain Fletcher approaches Jack with a dazzling smile. Jack frowns.
"Hello Fletcher," Jack says without emotion.
"Ah, come on Jack, must we use surnames? Please, call me Daniel," says Daniel.
Jack rolls his eyes.
"Daniel, either ya leave now or I'll wipe that pretty boy face of yours from my boots," says Jack.
"Come now Jack. You know I'm here to find some treasure," says Daniel.
"Yeah, well, go somewhere else! Me and me crew were here first! Besides, we have the map and you don't!" says Jack with clenched teeth.
Daniel runs a hand through his hair.
"For your information, I do have a map," says Daniel, withdrawing a map from his belt and opening it. You catch a quick glance of it before he rolls it back up.
"Well, since we can't come to an agreement of who should leave and who should stay, how bout we have a contest. Whoever finds the treasure first, keeps it. Savvy?" says Daniel, extending his hand
Jack grins.
"Savvy," he says, shaking hands with Daniel. "Well, I hope your map does you justice."
Daniel's crew shoots dirty looks at Jack before heading off to a different part of the island. Everyone puts away their weapons and looks at Jack. As soon as Daniel and his crew are out of earshot, Jack turns to everyone.
"Get ready to go hunting for plunder at sunset. I don't trust that Daniel. He may be a pretty boy, but he isn't thick in the head," says Jack.
He retreats to his tent and pulls out his map of the island. It was quite different from Daniel's. The "X" on this map was upon a hill on the far side of the island. The "X" on Daniel's map was on the other side. Jack scratched his head.
"His map says to look at one place and mine says the other!" he shouts. "I know Barbosa's maps never failed us once, but Daniel's maps have never failed him too. Either there's two spots of treasure, or there's a trick here."
You walk up to Jack and eye the map. Your eyes scan over the various names of spots where traps are set up and where clues to finding the treasure can be found.
"May I?" you ask, pointing at the map.
Jack hands it to you. So, Daniel's map said to look on "Dead Man's Hill," but Jack's says to look "Lively Scallywag's Hill." Your eyes look between the two. You look up and can see both the tops of the hills jutting up from the trees. There was an answer to where to find the treasure. You looked backed down at the map and saw a small grove of trees called "The Philosopher's Gorge." You noticed they were quite more detailed on the map than anything else. You looked up and could see the trees, all different from the pine trees. They were large, Weeping Willow trees. You saw that they were all in two rows, forming an arched path. Your eyes traveled up the path and rested upon a small hill. You looked down at the map. It was a rather small hill called "Maiden's Peak" with little importance on the map, but it looked a bit translucent on the map. You held the map up to the sun and gasped.
"Jack! Come here and look at this!" you yell.
Jack runs over as so does Gibbs. They both gasp as they see what you are so excited about. There, on the map, are faint outlines of a marked trail to the treasure that is on Maiden's Peak. Someone must have rally wanted to hide this treasure for they used what appeared to be lemon juice to write out the true course of the treasure. Jack slapped a hand and your shoulder and gave out a hoot of praise.
"That me boy, Luke!" he said.
Just as the sun begins to set, everyone is ready to go. You grab a flame torch and trail behind Jack as everyone follows him. You march under the archway of the drooping trees, over a sand pit, and come across quiet a few traps. Jack nearly had his head sliced off when he let his greed take over when he reached out and tried to pluck a gold coin from a rock, causing a blade to come swinging out from nowhere. You crossed several more dangerous traps. Someone was knocked out cold by a boulder. A few men stayed behind to keep eye on the injured as everyone else came to the base of Maiden's Peak.
"Well, according to the map, we should see some sort of statue or something, but I can't see one," says Jack, looking from the map held up in the light of flame torch to the base of the hill.
Everyone is busy trying to look for a statue. You look among the many vines and bushes, but see none. Jack walks over to you.
"See anything yet?" he asks with a hint of hope in his voice.
You can feel his breath on your neck. It sends tingles up your spine.
"No, not yet," you say.
Jack looks a bit disgruntled, but smiles.
"No worries," he says.
You look up into his eyes and feel yourself go weak. Your hand grazes a stone. You look down as you feel a carved shape and see a miniature statue of a woman. You press down on the stone. Suddenly, a small grumbling noise is heard as a part of the base of the hill opens. Everyone gasps.
"Well, let's go in!" says Jack with the excitement of a young boy who has just received his first gun.
Everyone rushes in. You gasp at what you see. The place, no mistakenly a small cave, is loaded with gold and jewels. You grab a handful of gold coins and let them fall back into a pile, taking in the soft clinging noises they make.
"Well ladds, we found the plunder first! It's ours!" exclaims Jack as he examines a crown.
Everyone loads up sacks with all the plunder. You hoist a heavy bag in your back and drag it out. Several stronger men load it onto the Pearl. You are messing with your mustache that is beginning to fall off. Just as the last few bags are being loaded, you hear a few guns being cocked and the singing of metal.
"That be ours now, Mr. Sparrow," rings the voice of Daniel.
Jack spins around and sees Daniel and his crew with weapons drawn. Daniel has a look of hate and greed on his face. You cringe for thinking earlier he was so dreamy.
"We found it first! We had a deal!" yells Jack, drawing his weapon.
Daniel's face flickers for a moment before going soft. He lowers his sword.
"You're right," he says. "Come ladds, let's go."
Jack watches Daniel turn around before starting to climb up the rope ladder. You suddenly see Daniel spin around and grab a dagger from his boot.
"Jack! Watch out!" you yell.
Daniel throws the dagger. Jack freezes as he sees it heading for him. In slow motion, you rush and jump into the path of the dagger. It lunges itself into your abdomen. Daniel laughs and runs off. Jack jumps down and catches you.
"Luke! What ya do that for?" Jack yells, seeing the blood soak your shirt.
You just smile at him before you black out.
Jack paces back and forth on the deck just outside his cabin.
"If that lad dies, I'll die meself! He's so young!" Jack says. "That dagger was meant for me, not him!"
AnaMaria stares at Jack.
"Don't blame yourself. He'll pull through!" she says.
Jack stops pacing as the door opens. Gibbs exits out with a look of shock.
"Is Luke gonna pull through?" Jack asks.
"Aye," says Gibbs.
"Well, let's go in and see him!" says Jack as he rushes past Gibbs and into the cabin.
Luke is lying on the bed, fast asleep. Gibbs walks in.
"Jack, there's something you have to know about Luke," he says.
AnaMaria holds her breath.
"Yes, Gibbs?"
"Luke's not a he, he's a she!" says Gibbs.
Jack just stares at him blankly.
"Get off it!" says Jack.
Gibbs walks up to the sleeping Luke and pulls of the hat and bandana. Long hair tumbles out. He then removes the mustache. Gibbs then pulls down the blanket to expose a loose wrap tied around Luke's chest, no mistaking the chest of a woman. Jack gasps. AnaMaria clasps her hands to her mouth.
"I told ya!"
"Some Plunder & a Blunder"
Jack motions for everyone to draw out their weapons as the ship, the Siren, docks. A bunch of rough necks jump onto the beach and see Jack and the crew. A man finally descended from the ship. He was tall with long, dirty blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. He had a crooked nose and a handsome. His eyes were a cool gray color. His skin had a tawny hue to it. He looked no older than you did. He wore a clean white shirt that was partially opened, showing off a toned chest. His strong legs were hidden under his black pants and boots. His cutlass and pistol dangled at his waist.
"That's Captain Fletcher?" you ask AnaMaria in a whisper, eyeing the gorgeous man in front of you.
"Aye," said AnaMaria breathlessly.
"I thought you said he was a terrible pirate." you whisper.
"Yeah, I hold true to me word. He's thirsty for plunder, but he's horrible at trying to act like a real pirate. Too much of a gentlemen, but his crew is a different story," says AnaMaria.
So AnaMaria didn't mean that Captain Fletcher was terrible as in ruthless and bad, but he did a rather poor job. He must have done something right to command a ship and such a crew as the one before you. Captain Fletcher approaches Jack with a dazzling smile. Jack frowns.
"Hello Fletcher," Jack says without emotion.
"Ah, come on Jack, must we use surnames? Please, call me Daniel," says Daniel.
Jack rolls his eyes.
"Daniel, either ya leave now or I'll wipe that pretty boy face of yours from my boots," says Jack.
"Come now Jack. You know I'm here to find some treasure," says Daniel.
"Yeah, well, go somewhere else! Me and me crew were here first! Besides, we have the map and you don't!" says Jack with clenched teeth.
Daniel runs a hand through his hair.
"For your information, I do have a map," says Daniel, withdrawing a map from his belt and opening it. You catch a quick glance of it before he rolls it back up.
"Well, since we can't come to an agreement of who should leave and who should stay, how bout we have a contest. Whoever finds the treasure first, keeps it. Savvy?" says Daniel, extending his hand
Jack grins.
"Savvy," he says, shaking hands with Daniel. "Well, I hope your map does you justice."
Daniel's crew shoots dirty looks at Jack before heading off to a different part of the island. Everyone puts away their weapons and looks at Jack. As soon as Daniel and his crew are out of earshot, Jack turns to everyone.
"Get ready to go hunting for plunder at sunset. I don't trust that Daniel. He may be a pretty boy, but he isn't thick in the head," says Jack.
He retreats to his tent and pulls out his map of the island. It was quite different from Daniel's. The "X" on this map was upon a hill on the far side of the island. The "X" on Daniel's map was on the other side. Jack scratched his head.
"His map says to look at one place and mine says the other!" he shouts. "I know Barbosa's maps never failed us once, but Daniel's maps have never failed him too. Either there's two spots of treasure, or there's a trick here."
You walk up to Jack and eye the map. Your eyes scan over the various names of spots where traps are set up and where clues to finding the treasure can be found.
"May I?" you ask, pointing at the map.
Jack hands it to you. So, Daniel's map said to look on "Dead Man's Hill," but Jack's says to look "Lively Scallywag's Hill." Your eyes look between the two. You look up and can see both the tops of the hills jutting up from the trees. There was an answer to where to find the treasure. You looked backed down at the map and saw a small grove of trees called "The Philosopher's Gorge." You noticed they were quite more detailed on the map than anything else. You looked up and could see the trees, all different from the pine trees. They were large, Weeping Willow trees. You saw that they were all in two rows, forming an arched path. Your eyes traveled up the path and rested upon a small hill. You looked down at the map. It was a rather small hill called "Maiden's Peak" with little importance on the map, but it looked a bit translucent on the map. You held the map up to the sun and gasped.
"Jack! Come here and look at this!" you yell.
Jack runs over as so does Gibbs. They both gasp as they see what you are so excited about. There, on the map, are faint outlines of a marked trail to the treasure that is on Maiden's Peak. Someone must have rally wanted to hide this treasure for they used what appeared to be lemon juice to write out the true course of the treasure. Jack slapped a hand and your shoulder and gave out a hoot of praise.
"That me boy, Luke!" he said.
Just as the sun begins to set, everyone is ready to go. You grab a flame torch and trail behind Jack as everyone follows him. You march under the archway of the drooping trees, over a sand pit, and come across quiet a few traps. Jack nearly had his head sliced off when he let his greed take over when he reached out and tried to pluck a gold coin from a rock, causing a blade to come swinging out from nowhere. You crossed several more dangerous traps. Someone was knocked out cold by a boulder. A few men stayed behind to keep eye on the injured as everyone else came to the base of Maiden's Peak.
"Well, according to the map, we should see some sort of statue or something, but I can't see one," says Jack, looking from the map held up in the light of flame torch to the base of the hill.
Everyone is busy trying to look for a statue. You look among the many vines and bushes, but see none. Jack walks over to you.
"See anything yet?" he asks with a hint of hope in his voice.
You can feel his breath on your neck. It sends tingles up your spine.
"No, not yet," you say.
Jack looks a bit disgruntled, but smiles.
"No worries," he says.
You look up into his eyes and feel yourself go weak. Your hand grazes a stone. You look down as you feel a carved shape and see a miniature statue of a woman. You press down on the stone. Suddenly, a small grumbling noise is heard as a part of the base of the hill opens. Everyone gasps.
"Well, let's go in!" says Jack with the excitement of a young boy who has just received his first gun.
Everyone rushes in. You gasp at what you see. The place, no mistakenly a small cave, is loaded with gold and jewels. You grab a handful of gold coins and let them fall back into a pile, taking in the soft clinging noises they make.
"Well ladds, we found the plunder first! It's ours!" exclaims Jack as he examines a crown.
Everyone loads up sacks with all the plunder. You hoist a heavy bag in your back and drag it out. Several stronger men load it onto the Pearl. You are messing with your mustache that is beginning to fall off. Just as the last few bags are being loaded, you hear a few guns being cocked and the singing of metal.
"That be ours now, Mr. Sparrow," rings the voice of Daniel.
Jack spins around and sees Daniel and his crew with weapons drawn. Daniel has a look of hate and greed on his face. You cringe for thinking earlier he was so dreamy.
"We found it first! We had a deal!" yells Jack, drawing his weapon.
Daniel's face flickers for a moment before going soft. He lowers his sword.
"You're right," he says. "Come ladds, let's go."
Jack watches Daniel turn around before starting to climb up the rope ladder. You suddenly see Daniel spin around and grab a dagger from his boot.
"Jack! Watch out!" you yell.
Daniel throws the dagger. Jack freezes as he sees it heading for him. In slow motion, you rush and jump into the path of the dagger. It lunges itself into your abdomen. Daniel laughs and runs off. Jack jumps down and catches you.
"Luke! What ya do that for?" Jack yells, seeing the blood soak your shirt.
You just smile at him before you black out.
Jack paces back and forth on the deck just outside his cabin.
"If that lad dies, I'll die meself! He's so young!" Jack says. "That dagger was meant for me, not him!"
AnaMaria stares at Jack.
"Don't blame yourself. He'll pull through!" she says.
Jack stops pacing as the door opens. Gibbs exits out with a look of shock.
"Is Luke gonna pull through?" Jack asks.
"Aye," says Gibbs.
"Well, let's go in and see him!" says Jack as he rushes past Gibbs and into the cabin.
Luke is lying on the bed, fast asleep. Gibbs walks in.
"Jack, there's something you have to know about Luke," he says.
AnaMaria holds her breath.
"Yes, Gibbs?"
"Luke's not a he, he's a she!" says Gibbs.
Jack just stares at him blankly.
"Get off it!" says Jack.
Gibbs walks up to the sleeping Luke and pulls of the hat and bandana. Long hair tumbles out. He then removes the mustache. Gibbs then pulls down the blanket to expose a loose wrap tied around Luke's chest, no mistaking the chest of a woman. Jack gasps. AnaMaria clasps her hands to her mouth.
"I told ya!"
