Pirates of the Caribbean: The Ring of the Abyss
By: Anna Summers
Hello, hello, and hello my adoring fans! So good to see you back. Thank you so
very much for the lovely reviews. The "thank-yous" shall be at the bottom of the
chapter this time just because I feel like it, savvy? I would like to inform
you all that I am fully excited about Spring Break, so if my story happens to
seem a bit...happier...than usual, you will know why. It's because I'm going
crazy with anticipation. Hoping everyone is as excited as I am and hoping you
like the next chapter!
Chapter 19
~~~
"Kate?" Jack walked over to
where his niece was standing; alone near the hull of the ship. Jonathan and Will
had gone to repair a tiny hole in the bottom of the small rowboat and Kate had
been left by herself again.
"Love, yer so tense! Loosen up
a bit! He's only a pirate!" Jack slapped Kate on the back as he referred to
Marona.
"A pirate who killed my
father!" Kate protested, whipping around to face Jack. He was silent for a
minute, and then spoke.
"Do ye want to tell me what
happened?" Jack's eyes were soft.
Kate instantly felt her eyes
well up for the millionth time that day, and she turned away, "No."
"It sometimes helps to talk
about it, ye know."
Kate sighed, and Jack thought
for a minute there was no point in pushing her to talk about it, but then she
began to speak.
"It was so quiet. That's what I
remember most." She began, "You couldn't hear anything but your own breathing
and the lapping of the water against the ship. That ship." She nodded towards
the Abyss, as it quietly sat in the murky waters not far off into the distance.
Jack leaned on the side of the
ship and stared at Kate, waiting for her to continue. She was choking up, and
he hated to see her so sad. But he had to know what was bothering her so much.
"That was the night my father
gave me the ring. He told me never to lose it...said it was very important, but
he didn't say why." She smiled weakly, "Guess I found out the hard way."
Jack studied Kate, listening
intently.
"He sent me off to bed and the
next thing I knew I was hearing voices. There was a huge ship with Black and
White Stallion sails...I was petrified and I got back in bed."
She sniffed, almost scared to
go on...
"Then two men came in and they
started talking about a ring. I could only figure it was the one my father had
given me. They left...but the screaming from on deck didn't stop." Kate
swallowed.
"Then, it got very quiet and I
went to see the damage. The Abyss crew was gone. It was black as night and even
quieter than before." A tear ran down her cheek, "Then I found my father."
Another tear, then another, and
soon Kate was erupting into a sobbing fit.
"He was bleeding," she gasped,
"And then he -- he died, Jack. He died and he left me there all alone."
Kate led her sobbing body fall
into Jack, who held her awkwardly and then loosened up and gathered her in a
tight embrace. She cried freely into his shoulder, taking in his signature
smell of rum and salt water.
"His last words to me were..."
Kate swallowed again, unsure if she would be able to go on, "Make me proud."
Kate took a step back and wiped the tears from her shining brown eyes.
"And I'm going to, Jack. I'm
going to make him proud."
Jack smiled at how brave Kate
was trying to be.
"I think ye already have, love.
Ye already have."
~~~~
"We can't have more than three
people cram into this boat." Will announced when Jack and Kate had joined the
rest of the crew as they crowded around the boat.
"Don't be ridiculous, William.
I once fit ten bodies in a small boat like that one." Jack exaggerated as he
pointed.
"The hole's grown. It'll sink
if it has more weight than three people."
Not one to argue with a skilled
blacksmith who was probably right anyways, Jack grunted and threw his hands up.
"Well, what now? I'll go, of
course. And Kate must." Jack glanced at Kate, who knew she didn't want to go,
but knew she had to. "That leaves one."
"Why must Kate go, Cap'n? She's
a woman." Gibbs asked.
"True this is, Gibbs, but a
very important woman indeed. Marona wants to see her."
"And I want to see Marona."
Kate smiled bravely with a hint of revenge in her voice. Jack smiled proudly.
"Savvy?"
"Aye, Cap'n. Who else will go?"
"William!"
"Alright Jack." Will stepped
forward.
"Captain Jack. Hop in, you
two."
Will entered the small boat
first and helped Kate in. Jack was about to climb in himself, but Jonathan
stepped forward.
"Jack! What about me? I want to
go!" said the eager boy.
"Ah, you, Jonathan, have a very
important job indeed."
Jonathan furrowed his brow and
looked at Jack quizzically, who was grinning as he always did.
"Ye get to keep me crew company!"
he winked at an angry Jonathan and yelled, "Lower away, Gibbs!"
~~~~
"Let go of the anchor,
Gilette."
"Yes, sir."
The Commodore gave orders to
lower the anchor, and Elizabeth, of course, ran to his side and began asking
questions.
"Commodore! Why are we
anchoring so far from the island?" she demanded. The island was not far, but
they were still not incredibly close to it.
"And put us at risk for an
ambush? Mrs. Turner, please let me do my job."
"Well, how are we going to get
Will?"
"I will paddle you to their
ship myself. A small boat will be less noticeable and we will be less
endangered."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and
noticed Gilette and two other men preparing a tiny boat.
"Fine." She shot him a look,
daring him to make any moves on her while they were in the little boat together
alone. She glanced down at her finger, making sure the ring was still there.
"Commodore! The boat is ready,
sir."
"After you, Miss Swann..." the
Commodore said her old name automatically, but Elizabeth didn't mind because
she loved that she could correct him.
"Mrs. Turner." She emphasized
as she took the Commodore's outreached hand and stepped into the boat.
~~~~
It was chilly up on the deck of
the Pearl, but it was nothing like the coldness of being in the small boat
amongst the fog. Kate shivered when the boat hit the water, and she hugged
herself to keep her warm as Jack picked up the oars and began to paddle.
It was also very quiet; no one
spoke a word. Kate hated the quietness, it reminded her too much of her father.
Though, she dare not speak. She felt if she did she might wake the dead.
Quite an obstacle course lay in
front of the threesome. There was debris of sunken ships everywhere and Jack
paddled expertly as he dodged them.
"Jack," Kate whispered, "Why
have so many ships sunken here?"
"No one knows, love." Jack
whispered back, then he said no more, so neither did Kate. She waited.
Just waited...
~~~~
Okay, so I know that one was short, but don't worry! I, Anna, promise a long
very exciting chapter next! I won't let you down! Keep me writing! Review! Love
you all. ~Anna Summers
Reviewers! My favorite people in the world!
Angelic Evility – Thank you very much for the review about the "words", you know I try! The best story you ever read? Oh, Angelic, you're making me blush now! And let me just say that it is great flattery that you think I have nailed Jack's character, because he is the most difficult and the one I am trying to portray most like the movie. So thank you, dear! You're great and you made my day! :)
artsigirl16 – Oh my! Well, you have certainly motivated me! I think I will have to do that little reception desk idea, though I'm not sure what the receptionist will think about that. But, you know what? Anything to make you happy! :) Thanks for the great review and I'm glad you pinpointed your favorite parts! It helps me find out my strengths and weaknesses! Thanks babe!
Satori Blackthorn – It's all right if you say 'that stupid Norrington' every review you wish because Norrington is a stupid buffoon who is not getting any smarter, if I do say so myself. And thanks for not being angry with me for the long reviews, you know I try! :) Happy readings!
bambi eyes – Let me just say adorable username! And I am very envious of you that your spring break is a lot earlier than mine, but nonetheless I wish you great fun in the sun or the snow or wherever you may be going! And I will try not to let you down with the lots of wonderfully written chapters, though I'm not so full of myself as to say that they are wonderfully written chapters, but thank you very much! Have a good break!
