The Darkness of Confusion - Chapter 2
Jack's blood ran cold in his veins at this newest accusation. 'Did not.'
The voice seemed to sense his fear, pressing further as he tried quickly to recover. 'Oh, but you did. You left your crew to fend for themselves just when they needed you most.'
'What're ye talkin' 'bout?'
'You know what I mean, Jack. Don't play coy with me.'
'But they said it were fine-tha' they didn' need me fer awhile-'
'The only reason they said that was because you ORDERED them away.'
'They didn't 'ave t' listen! They've disobeyed th' code 'fore; they coulda done it 'gain!'
'Believe what you will, but I speak the truth.'
Jack sat back against the iron bars once more, silently pondering the voice's words. Strands of doubt and confusion began to thread themselves into a complex weave over his mind.
'And Will and Elizabeth, what a shame it is.'
'What 'bout them?'
'They look down so harshly upon your exploits. On many an occasion they have mentioned how much they loathe having helped you escape the noose three years ago.'
'S'not true. Sure the boy can be straight-laced, but not t' the point o' wantin' 'is friend dead!'
'Is that really what you think?'
'No-I mean, yes! They wouldn' betray me!'
The voice didn't answer right away, and Jack thought for a moment that he had finally managed to silence it. As far as he was concerned, he had won this argument, and that blasted voice should have nothing left to say. But it found something... something which cut the imprisoned pirate to the quick.
'That's what you thought about Barbossa and your old crew, isn't it?'
'Tha' were different!' he protested immediately.
'Or so you'd like to think.'
'Stop it!'
'You want to be deprived of the truth? That's all it is, you know. Truth. Plain and simple fact.'
Jack squeezed his eyes shut in a futile attempt to block out the relentless words that haunted him. 'Stop it!' he shouted again in his mind.
'Face it Jack, you're afraid. Afraid I might be right.'
'No!'
'Face the truth, Jack.'
'No! Leave me be!'
'Jack.'
"Stop it!" Jack screamed, sitting up abruptly.
The guard, who appeared to have just woken due to Jack's outburst, glared in at the prisoner. "Quiet," he menaced.
'Jack, don't fight the truth. They've all abandoned you for one reason or another.'
"No! S'not true! They wouldn't do that!" Jack snapped aloud, more to convince himself than the cruel voice.
"Not another word from you," the guard said, standing up from his chair and reaching for his musket, but Jack hadn't heard a thing. The conflict within his mind overwhelmed any noise from without.
'They started turning against you the first time. Didn't your precious friend William leave you to Barbossa and his men? What makes you think he cares anymore now?'
'No! They wouldn't 'ave saved me if tha' were true.'
'They didn't know you then, Jack. All they had then were the beginnings of in inkling, just the seeds of doubt. It's when they saw you for who you really are that your so-called friends made their decision. They're better off without you.'
Jack shook his head. It couldn't be true. It couldn't. 'No.'
'Yes.'
"NO!!" Jack screamed, even louder than before.
The other prisoners down the row of cells were beginning to glare angrily at him, their sleep having been disturbed twice now by the ravings of a seemingly insane pirate. There was even a shout or two, but Jack paid them no heed, nor did he see the guard enter his cell. The voice was everything, pounding ruthlessly inside his brain.
'Jack, listen to me . . .'
The pirate captain clapped his hands over his ears. "Shut up an' leave me be!" he yelled, trying to drown out the unremitting voice with his own.
The guard approached Jack and lifted the butt of the musket. Grunting with pleasure, he brought the weapon down with punishing force on the captive man's scalp. Jack crumpled to the ground, his vision blurring, and then finally falling dark.
The last thing he heard before slipping into oblivion was the soft triumphant purr of that terrible voice.
'They've left you to die, Jack Sparrow.'
[a/n: Please review.]
Jack's blood ran cold in his veins at this newest accusation. 'Did not.'
The voice seemed to sense his fear, pressing further as he tried quickly to recover. 'Oh, but you did. You left your crew to fend for themselves just when they needed you most.'
'What're ye talkin' 'bout?'
'You know what I mean, Jack. Don't play coy with me.'
'But they said it were fine-tha' they didn' need me fer awhile-'
'The only reason they said that was because you ORDERED them away.'
'They didn't 'ave t' listen! They've disobeyed th' code 'fore; they coulda done it 'gain!'
'Believe what you will, but I speak the truth.'
Jack sat back against the iron bars once more, silently pondering the voice's words. Strands of doubt and confusion began to thread themselves into a complex weave over his mind.
'And Will and Elizabeth, what a shame it is.'
'What 'bout them?'
'They look down so harshly upon your exploits. On many an occasion they have mentioned how much they loathe having helped you escape the noose three years ago.'
'S'not true. Sure the boy can be straight-laced, but not t' the point o' wantin' 'is friend dead!'
'Is that really what you think?'
'No-I mean, yes! They wouldn' betray me!'
The voice didn't answer right away, and Jack thought for a moment that he had finally managed to silence it. As far as he was concerned, he had won this argument, and that blasted voice should have nothing left to say. But it found something... something which cut the imprisoned pirate to the quick.
'That's what you thought about Barbossa and your old crew, isn't it?'
'Tha' were different!' he protested immediately.
'Or so you'd like to think.'
'Stop it!'
'You want to be deprived of the truth? That's all it is, you know. Truth. Plain and simple fact.'
Jack squeezed his eyes shut in a futile attempt to block out the relentless words that haunted him. 'Stop it!' he shouted again in his mind.
'Face it Jack, you're afraid. Afraid I might be right.'
'No!'
'Face the truth, Jack.'
'No! Leave me be!'
'Jack.'
"Stop it!" Jack screamed, sitting up abruptly.
The guard, who appeared to have just woken due to Jack's outburst, glared in at the prisoner. "Quiet," he menaced.
'Jack, don't fight the truth. They've all abandoned you for one reason or another.'
"No! S'not true! They wouldn't do that!" Jack snapped aloud, more to convince himself than the cruel voice.
"Not another word from you," the guard said, standing up from his chair and reaching for his musket, but Jack hadn't heard a thing. The conflict within his mind overwhelmed any noise from without.
'They started turning against you the first time. Didn't your precious friend William leave you to Barbossa and his men? What makes you think he cares anymore now?'
'No! They wouldn't 'ave saved me if tha' were true.'
'They didn't know you then, Jack. All they had then were the beginnings of in inkling, just the seeds of doubt. It's when they saw you for who you really are that your so-called friends made their decision. They're better off without you.'
Jack shook his head. It couldn't be true. It couldn't. 'No.'
'Yes.'
"NO!!" Jack screamed, even louder than before.
The other prisoners down the row of cells were beginning to glare angrily at him, their sleep having been disturbed twice now by the ravings of a seemingly insane pirate. There was even a shout or two, but Jack paid them no heed, nor did he see the guard enter his cell. The voice was everything, pounding ruthlessly inside his brain.
'Jack, listen to me . . .'
The pirate captain clapped his hands over his ears. "Shut up an' leave me be!" he yelled, trying to drown out the unremitting voice with his own.
The guard approached Jack and lifted the butt of the musket. Grunting with pleasure, he brought the weapon down with punishing force on the captive man's scalp. Jack crumpled to the ground, his vision blurring, and then finally falling dark.
The last thing he heard before slipping into oblivion was the soft triumphant purr of that terrible voice.
'They've left you to die, Jack Sparrow.'
[a/n: Please review.]