The Return of the Curse

By Kelsey Birk



Introduction

The footsteps pounded above Catherine's head, telling her that something wasn't quite right. As she lay on her small, meek bed, the footsteps carried on down the wooden ladder that sat against the wall of the small ship. Four men carrying swords dressed in rags and blood soaked bandanas stood before the small girl, panting and grinning their yellow, nearly toothless grins. Their yellow eyes searched the bottom deck greedily. Suddenly realizing she was in peril, Catherine let out a small cry. The four men cast their gaze towards her and grinned even wider.

"Why hello, little girl!" the first and dirtiest of the four said mockingly. Just as the words left his mouth, a familiar voice was heard. "No! No," it was Catherine's mother, "Please don't take my baby!"

"Oh no, Elizabeth, we won't take your baby away from you, would we gentlemen?" the man laughed with greed. "Commodore?" Mother gasped in shock. "Fancy that, Miss Turner! We meet again!"

Catherine covered her eyes and started to scream and sob for help.

"Back, you devils! Away!" her father cried, leaping from the trap door to one of the men. His victim twisted and writhed until Father was flung from his back to the floor. Catherine hid her face in a sack of wheat while the fighting continued. The shouts continued all around her.

"Argh!"

"Get off her, leave her alone!"

"You get off me, you filth!"

"Will, don't go, please!"

"Elizabeth!"

Chapter One

Catherine awoke with a start inside the carriage she and her father had been traveling in for days. It jumped and rattled beneath whatever road they traveled on. Probably cobblestone. Father sat with his head resting on his chin, staring mournfully out the window. 10 years ago Catherine's mother went missing captured by pirates. Though, young, Catherine never fully recovered.

"You're awake." Father said, smiling sadly. Catherine nodded then shuddered with fear and the biting cold. "Another nightmare?" her father asked. "Yes. Same nightmare. Haven't had good dreams since I was two. And I don't even remember them." Catherine grumbled, staring darkly at the trees that passed. "Catherine, I'm sure she's alive." Father tried to reassure her. "Alive with the pirates. Might as well be dead." The girl spat out darkly. "Your clouds are empty of silver lining, I fear." Father sighed. "Oh no, not empty. They're dark silver. They've got a shining black lining. Very pretty." Catherine glanced at her father jokingly, though she showed no smile. "Whatever suits you, Cat." Father smiled, showing a tiny bit of actual happiness. "Sir, is this your destination?" the driver glanced back, showing worry and disbelief on his young face. "Aye. It is." Father smirked and nodded proudly. "Is this..." Catherine started her voice trailing. "Captain Jack Sparrow's temporary residence? Yes," Father sighed, smiling, "This would be the place." "Oh it's... humble." Catherine laughed, stepping off the carriage steps. "You wouldn't expect as much from a pirate." Father lifted the two suitcases off the back of the carriage, carrying them with strength Catherine didn't know he had.

The house before them was indeed humble. It was made of clay or mud of some sort, cracking in more than enough places. The shingles on the roof were either fallen off or holding on for their lives. And the shudders had no paint left on them- if they ever knew paint at all. Overgrown weeds guarded the front door poorly, as if sleeping because of sheer boredom and lack of excitement.

A face appeared in one of the windows, searching. The eyes lit up when they spotted Father and Catherine. A minute later, the door opened.

"Will, my lad, Will! How are you, come in, have some food- what's left of it!" the man from the window cried, holding the door opened broadly, " And who is this ravishing young lady? How are you- who are you?" The man bent down to Catherine's height, staring at her in the eye. Catherine raised one eyebrow and turned away slightly, untrusting. "This is my daughter, Catherine. Catherine- this is Captain Sparrow." Father gestured to Catherine and Jack, then nodded towards the driver, who was wringing his hat in his hands, frightened. Jack grabbed Catherine's hand and shook it gleefully. "Lovely to meet you, Catherine! You look just like your mother- except you've got black hair." The old pirate pointed out, shrugging. Catherine lowered her eyes, trying to bite back her tears. Father looked down at her, then off to the side.

"I'm sorry- did I say something wrong? You're very pretty- don't get me wrong now!" Jack tried to apologize, putting his hand on Catherine's shoulder. "That's why we answered your invitation." Will sighed sadly. Jack nodded, then muttered, "Right, of course. Come in now. Come in."

Catherine and Father stepped inside, and were shocked to find that the inside of the house was much better kept than the rest of the house. The walls were clean and white, with dark, shiny hardwood floors stretching from one end of the house to the other. There were all sorts of exotic treasures mounted on newly dusted side-tables and shelves.

"Alice forced me to clean the place- I did my share." Jack explained, with the same Cockney accent Catherine's father used to describe him. "It's very clean." Catherine commented, knowing that cleaning was no enjoyable sail. "Thank you, miss. And it usually is," Jack said gratefully. But then he leaned in towards Catherine and whispered, "But don't think I do most of it!" Catherine chuckled, the first time she smiled since the carriage ride from the other end of the island.

Later on that night, after Catherine and Father got settled into their surroundings, they sat around Jack's table, talking.

"So, you say they attacked your ship, took no treasure except dear Elizabeth?" Jack asked, trying to make sense of both Father and Catherine's stories. "And one was named Commodore." Catherine added. Father spit some of his ale back into his mug, staring at Catherine. Jack's eyebrows were raised so high, Catherine thought they would slide off his head. "Commodore? That's all you heard?" he asked, setting his mug down. "That's what my mother said, yes." Catherine replied, furrowing her brow. "Please tell me you told her about Norrington, Willie boy." Jack stared at Will for a few seconds until Will set his mug down and sighed. "No. He didn't really have much to do with it- except that he won a ship and a few battles. Well- didn't do much for me." Will explained, sitting back. "I think now would be a grand time now, don't you, William?" Jack asked matter-of-factly. "I think I should be the one to tell her."

"Commodore Norrington was exactly as his title proclaims: a commodore. Don't get me wrong, he was a very good commodore, but he really made me very upset. He was the one your mother was set to marry. He was a good 10 or 20 years older than her. And she didn't even love him so they didn't really belong together! But, the Commodore started to have his way when he prepared to propose to your mother. But she was wearing a corset and couldn't really bring in any clean air. Her lungs were being hugged too tightly. So she fell off the tall wall," Father paused for a breath, but Catherine cut in. "And fell into the water, which beckoned the pirates to that particular area because of the medallion. And the morning after the pirates ransacked the town... you can take it from there." Catherine apologized quickly after her tale, then cleared her throat. "Right. So that morning, I went to find the commodore, and when I did find him, he was poring over all sorts of maps.

"'They've got Elizabeth!' I told him. But that fool told me 'Don't think you are the only man who cares for Elizabeth, Turner.' So I told him about Jack, and he didn't believe me. And after everything else which you should know about- marrying your mother, the Commodore getting jealous... wait."

"Jealousy, kidnapping, thieving, murder- what didn't this man do?" Catherine asked nastily. "Be nice to anyone not of the opposite sex. That's about it. " Jack answered with just as much cheer and kindness as Catherine had showed.

"Does he own a ship?" Catherine cried, standing suddenly.

"Catherine, love, he owns half the royal navy, if you think about it." Father answered in exasperation. "No, does he use one ship in particular? A favorite ship? I'm sure we could track him somehow. Someone must know where he is! I mean- he must stand out plenty- whether he's incredibly foul or shockingly handsome!" Catherine cried out, waving her arms around in exasperation. "I'm sure one man would know. Catherine, dear, ever been to Tortuga?" Jack asked, avoiding Will's bewildered stare. "Tortuga? No, but I've heard of it." "No way in heaven or hell is Catherine going to Tortuga!" Will demanded, standing up to add emphasis. "What about earth or sea?" Jack asked, smirking with triumph. "Tortuga doesn't sound particularly enjoyable, Captain." Catherine sighed apologetically. "I'm sure we could sneak in somehow without all the women and drunks taking notice." Jack suggested. Will and Catherine exchanged glances for a moment, then looked to Jack for explanation. "My dears, you've forgotten one thing: I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. We're getting the

little bonnie lass into Tortuga without the troubles and woes that come with it."

Chapter 2

Late that night, so Jack could avoid whoever "Alice" was, Will, Jack, and Catherine packed up their things again for Tortuga. All was silent except for a few random shouts of men who had too much to drink. The carriage and the driver were waiting outside. When Catherine knocked on the window, the driver jolted and awoke. He looked at Jack with no signs of trust in his eyes as this... person climbed into the left seat.

"Head to the docks, James." Will instructed with a low voice. "The docks? Where are you going that has to with the docks?" James, the driver, asked in a loud voice. "Quiet!" Catherine hissed through clenched teeth. "We're going to...London. We have... business there." Will explained, in the same low voice. "Oh. At this hour?" James whispered. "Yes, James. At this hour." Catherine snapped quietly, but firmly. "Mind your tongue, Catherine Ann Turner." The young driver scolded. "Mind your extremities, James Thurman- and make sure they stay there." Catherine told him with obviously false sweetness. James wrinkled his nose at her and grabbed the reins, shaking them. "Ah, you've got your mother's quick mind and tongue, Catherine! Be proud! Keep them!" Jack smiled, laughing joyfully with either obvious glee or too much ale.