Hey, I'm back again, thank you for the reviews. Well, my hair has awesome
blonde streaks...my ear is pierced and my braces are tighter. Man, I hate
braces. Oh well, gotta have hem. Thanks for the reviews and my new story is
up! The Fated Partings is it's name and I love it, I got a story line for
it and...I think it'll be better...see ya!
Ch.8 lost again
Jack woke up screaming, his body drenched in cold sweat. Shakily, he rubbed it from his face and hopped from his bunk, Bill calling groggily after him. Jack ignored his friend and staggered quickly up to the deck. The cool night hit his bare chest, sending a chill through him. He felt sick and slammed into the side of the ship, vomiting over the edge.
Roger was at his side in an instant, his hand on Jack's shoulder as he retched again, the disgusting splashes hitting the water below. "That's it kid, let it all out. There you go." Jack felt embarrassed and stood straight, wiping his mouth and staring up at the full moon floating above them. Unthinkingly, he wiped his hands on his pants.
It had been thirteen months to the day that he had killed Roper but he still woke terrified every night. Some times he could control his stomach, other times, like tonight, it was all too much. Roger leaned against the rail sympathetically and waited for Jack to calm down.
"You alright kid?" He asked. Jack rubbed his eyes, smudging the kohl that lined them and nodded, the beads he had placed on the end of the two braids tying the strands of hair together from his beard clinking softly. He ran a hand over the sparse hairs he had above his lip uncontiously. He had been trying to grow a mustache now for two weeks. The men on deck ignored them as this had turned into a regular thing. "Tell me about it."
"No, I'm alright." Jack muttered, wrapping his arms around himself to keep away the cold air touching his skin. Roger shrugged and walked away. Jack sighed in relief and turned back to the stairs to the crew quarters when Bill came up on deck, pulling a shirt over his head and holding an extra one for Jack. He handed it to him. "Thanks." Jack whispered, pulling it over his head. His eyes caught the tattoo on his arm and he started, staring at it. It was of a Sparrow flying over the backdrop of the sun sinking into the ocean with the name 'Jack' printed elegantly underneath. He didn't think he'd ever get used to that.
"The dream again?" Bill asked, sitting down on the deck with his back against the side of the ship. Jack sighed and sat down to, watching one of the new crewmembers they'd picked up the other day, a kid no older then fifteen, handing some gunpowder to Mourison.
"Yeah." Jack answered. "On'y, this time he was there." He rubbed his hands on his pants again and sighed, feeling the warmth of blood wash over them. He knew it was in his mind but it was driving him insane. If he were a drinker, he'd be on his eighth bottle already. Bill nodded and leaned back, closing his eyes. He knew 'he' meant Fritz. "I killed him."
"Jack, you have to get over it." Bill said. Jack growled but didn't move from his spot, waiting for Bill to say more. He knew he would, the whelp. "I've killed men. It still haunts me but..."
"From afar, you've killed from afar." Jack pointed out. "With a gun and a bullet. You never felt it, the blood and the spraying and..." He shuddered. "It's gross." Bill nodded.
"When I kill, I think about Rebecca and Will." He said after a long pause. Jack looked away, focusing on the main mast but not really seeing it. Who did he have to think about? Lily, he dreamed of her too, every day and night. She was all that was on his mind besides Roper. Rosa, he missed her. The memories though, they were fading. Rosa would be married, Lily probably too. They were so far away, he couldn't remember their voices, hardly remember their faces... "Did you ever finish that book Jack?" Bill asked, breaking his thoughts about home.
"What?"
"The book, the book you used to carry around with your nose in. Did you ever finish it?" Jack shook his head. Bill placed a hand on his head and used it to lift himself up. Jack winced as his neck cracked and punched Bill on the arm in revenge. Bill smiled and dusted himself off. "Maybe you should. Oh, and by the way, your makeup's running." Jack grinned and ran a finger under his eye, wiping away the kohl that had smudged. Sighing her stretched out on the deck and allowed the rocking of the ship to lull him to sleep. This time, he dreamed of Lily.
"How long has it been Sparrow?" Jack looked up from his book and turned to see Joshua standing at the wheel. It was another long and boring day. They hadn't had a decent raid for two weeks and the crew was growing restless. "Since you had a bad night's sleep?" Jack turned a page in his book, squinting as the sun cast it's light on the paper.
"A few months or so." He replied. It was true, since his talk that night with Bill about reading and Lily, he hadn't had one bad dream. Damn idiot couldn't have mentioned it sooner. His mind slipped to the book.
Mary ran swiftly across the deck, me bringing up the rear. The Red-Revenge was hitting us with not only cannon balls but also broken glass and other sharp objects. Around me the crew was going down, our ship was sinking and the sharks circled beneath us waiting for someone to fall.
"You know Jack, we're stopping in Tortuga and I thought..."
I grabbed the rope, Fritz firing on us from the deck of the Pride; his crew would not abandon their thirst for...
"...what say you?" Joshua's voice passed through him, not breaking his concentration in the slightest. Roger, who was standing at the side of the wheel watching the shoreline through a telescope, looked over at father and son. He addressed Joshua.
"You know, I think Jackie's preoccupied." He stated. Joshua rolled his eyes.
"Yes, than you Gibbs for that fine analysis."
Mary reached the other side of the room as I shut the door, her hands ripping out dresser drawers as she searched, cloths flinging through the air behind her. I knew our distraction would not be a long one. Under her breath she repeated the same words as if she was trying to keep her mind from slipping on the task ahead of us. "The map, the map."...
"Jackie, you get any more interested and you'll..."
"I found it!" She screamed holding it up. I stared at the map it was the treasure to...
"Hey Jackie?" Jack looked up, annoyed.
"Yes, yes, yes, fine. Okay." He said, waving a hand impatiently. Roger smiled and shook his head, turning back to his scouting job.
...the treasure of Isla de Muerta and the gold of Cortes himself!
Jack looked up at his father. The treasure of the Isla de Muerta. He had half the map. His eyes moved back to the book.
I ran to her, kissing her lips softly. She pulled away, giggling, and drew out a compass. "We need this to find our way." I opened it and noticed immediately there was something wrong.
"This compass doesn't point north." Mary shook her head.
"I know." She said simply, taking the compass and stuffing it in her sash. "The compass isn't supposed to find north." I took the other end of the map and we stood there, excitement flooding through us as I suddenly let it sink in. We'd found it! The treasure! Suddenly, the door opened and Fritz walked in. With out thinking, I turned and the map split down the middle.
That's what had happened, Jack thought as he read these lines. Josh had torn the map. Roger's voice suddenly yelled, "Sail, captain, on the horizon!" But Jack's mind had gone back to his book and he didn't hear it.
Fritz had a mad glint in his eyes. "Yes, that be the treasure map Delore." He hissed. "And I'll be wantin' it back now." He pulled out his gun and pointed it at us. "Now."
I shook my head and looked at Mary who had that gleam in her eyes. She wasn't going to give up without a fight.
"You haven't told 'im, 'ave you Mary?" He asked. "You haven't told 'im about the curse." I was confused and turned to look at my love.
"Curse?" I asked. Mary placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I should have told you, I know." She said.
Jack turned the page. Curse? What curse?
"The gold is Aztec, the gods placed a curse on it to any mortal man."
Jack snorted. A curse? Sure, okay. Roger suddenly snatched the book away from him and through it at the wheel. It hit the deck and lay there, open; it's pages blowing in the wind. Roger grabbed his shirt and pulled him to his feet.
"Time for reading later, Jackie. Right now we need to fight." Jack looked up and noticed a larger ship then the Catherine sailing closer, the crew on deck hoisting the Jolly Roger. "It's the Red-Revenge!" Jack's mind couldn't quite grasp what had just been said. The Red-Revenge? The book!
Under his breath, he said what he had read; "The Red-Revenge was hitting us with not only cannon balls but also broken glass and other sharp objects." Swearing, Jack ran after Joshua who had entered his cabin. Jack stood in the doorway, watching as his father reached into a trunk and withdrew a folded, yellow, water spotted piece of paper and a little box. He turned and handed it to Jack. Outside they could hear shots being fired and yells from both crews.
"Here Jack, take this." A cannon blew outside and the ship shuddered. "It's a compass and the second to a map." He tucked them into Jack's sash. "Look after these." Jack grabbed his arm.
"This is my fight!" He yelled. Josh pulled away. "I can do..."
" No! You had enough trouble getting over Roper! Fritz will pay! He killed Meredith, no step aside Jack!" His tone lightened and he looked away. "Listen, Sparrow. If I don't make it, I want you to go to..." Roger rushed to the door.
"Captain, they're boarding us! There's to many of them!" Joshua glanced at his son and ran from the room. Jack stood there for a moment, heart pounding in his chest. Joshua had told him to stay here and keep safe but, the ship was being boarded. He had to do something! Jack checked to make sure the compass and other part of the map were safe then made his way from the cabin, cutlass raised.
Men were hitting the deck left and right. Some, he recognized as his ship mates, others were from Fritz's. Jack ducked as a man swung at him, the sword embedding itself in Joshua's doorframe. With a swift move, Jack sliced into the man's belly, bringing him down screaming.
Moving on, ignoring the blood and the sick feeling rising in his stomach like bile. There were still a lot of men he had to help take down. Moving up the stair way to the wheel, he came face to face with a woman. She was beautiful, her blond hair cut short like a man's, the wind moving the shirt and revealing her thin frame. She wore a skirt that cut off just below her knees and the sword in her hand looked unnaturally large for her. The look on her face, though, was of pure venom.
"So, are you Fritz's squeeze?" Jack sneered. The woman smiled faintly back, raising her bloody cutlass. Behind her, the newbie lay dead, his head disconnected from his body. "Oh, god." Jack wanted to turn away but couldn't, the woman had started at him.
"Maybe." She replied. "Same question, are you Delore's?" Jack shrugged, bringing a smile to his lips despite the fear and sickness he felt. She attacked first, slashing at him with a down wards swing. Jack jumped back and laughed.
"Oh, a girl who makes the first move. I like that." Jack said. He was trying to anger her. He moved next, going for her head but being stopped shot by a block. Their swords spun as they tried to hit each other. Suddenly, Jack's back was against the wheel, the blades of his and the girl's swords crossed in front of his face, inches from his nose. "Please, watch the beard, it takes hours to get it right."
"Oh," She simpered. "Don't worry about that. Let me get a little closer and I'll cure all your ills." Jack smiled and managed to push her away with as much strength as he could muster. She hit the railing hard and moved just as Jack embedded his sword in the side of the ship. The woman swung back and Jack sidestepped, getting up beside her and grabbing her hands. She tried to get away making them overbalance and fall to the deck, her on top, Jack holding her arms over his head with the sword. She screamed in frustration and kneed Jack in the leg close to his goods. Jack winced but held on. Suddenly, she had wriggled her on hand free and punched him full on the side of the face knocking out one of his bottom front teeth.
"That's not very nice." Jack growled, digging his nails into her wrists. Finally, she let go of the sword and it thudded to the deck loudly. Rolling over so he was sitting on top, Jack pinned her arms down beside her, legs pinned by his own. "Sorry, I usually prefer the bottom but, in the circumstances..." The woman smiled back.
"I don't date eunuchs." Jack's face blanched in anger. A eunuch, oh, so she wanted to play rough eh? Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her lips and she kissed back. Jack, surprised by her reaction to his advance, let go and sat up again. Looking around, he watched the other crew fighting. He had to rejoin the fray.
"Look luv, I have to get back to me duty, so..." With out another word her leg go of her arm and punched her hard across the face, effectively knocking her out. As he moved to stand, a hand grabbed the back of his head and wrenched him to his feet, a sword to his neck. A shot rang out near by, and most of the fighting stopped.
"Delore, I believe he belongs to you." The man who held Jack yelled. Jack leaned in closer to the man, away from the sword and his foot hit a peg leg. It was Fritz. "How old would this one be, eh?" Fritz asked, shaking the fist holding Jack's hair. Jack growled but couldn't do any more because the sword was digging into his neck. "Older then the one behind me?" Jack knew he meant the newbie and his murderous rage grew.
Joshua stepped forward, holding his cutlass tightly. His eyes were on Jack, fear on his face. "Let him go Fritz, your quarrel is with me, not him." Fritz laughed a high cold laugh and ran the cold steel of his cutlass over Jack's skin as though he longed to use it. "Just let him go."
"What's his name?" Fritz yelled. Joshua didn't answer. "What's his name?"
No one said anything. Jack wasn't afraid, "Jack Sparrow!" Jack screamed. He saw his father close his eyes briefly, a grim look on his face. Fritz leaned in closer so Jack could see his face a little from the corner of his eye. "My name is Jack Sparrow."
"Jack Sparrow, I've heard that name. You're wanted in Port Royal." He laughed, "Your pretty young." He moved his face back behind Jack, still speaking into his ear. "Jack, Jack...Mary and Joshua's son was named Jack from what I remember." Jack could hear the tone in his voice as he put one and one together. "Jack Delore?"
"No, Sparrow." Jack growled. "And you better remember it." Fritz laughed.
Joshua stepped forward with pleading eyes. "Please, Fritz, please...he's just a kid, let him go! Please. You can take me; you can kill me or torture me, what have you? But please let..." Fritz interrupted him.
"Your son stays with me, Joshua." Jack could tell her was smiling. Suddenly he noticed there was someone standing beside them. Looking over, he took in the guy's ugly face and rolling belly. He looked extremely well fed and white, as if he hadn't seen enough sun light. "Do you notice your ship is sinking Delore? Tell me, where is the map and I promise, no harm will come to your dear little son."
"Let him go." Joshua said. "I'll give you what you want, just, let him go." The man beside them was looking at Jack's stomach where the sash was tied. He moved forward and placed a hand inside Jack's sash, drawing out the compass and map. He grinned and waved it in the air for everyone to see.
"Ah, so you lied Delore, tut tut." Fritz made a small whistle and the man beside them drew his gun so swiftly Jack didn't have time to yell out before the shot had rang out and Joshua was staggering backwards, a crimson stain spreading on his chest over his heart.
"No!" Jack screamed, trying to get loose. Joshua hit the railing and let his hand drop from the wound, looking up at his son through calm eyes. He smiled faintly.
The ship was silent as everyone watched in shock. Jack heard barely, the sound of his father's voice, "Meredith..." Before he toppled backwards off the ship and they heard the splash of him hitting the water. Jack's body was numb; the strength drained as Fritz led him to the side of the ship where he had a clear view of Joshua's body sinking below the waves. Jack closed his eyes, trying not to cry or pass out.
"Oh, come on Jack." Fritz said softly, "You look just like him but I see some of your mother in you to. Not much, but it is there." He turned Jack around, cutlass still to his throat and Jack finally, for the first time in his life, got a good look at the man who had killed his parents. "Oh, my. You two are almost identical." He smirked. "Almost." Looking down at Joshua's crew which were out numbered two to one, Fritz said, "Tie them to the mast men, we'll let them sink with the ship." The men below began to move as instructed and Fritz turned back to Jack. "Thank you for the map, Delore or, Sparrow, if you like. Tell me, are the rumors true, do you have a twin?" Rosa! There were rumors about Rosa! "Because, if I remember correctly, the map was split in half. Now, would she have the other piece or do you?" Jack stayed silent. "Pity. Okay, come on."
Fritz turned Jack around again and led him past the uncontious girl and the dead newbie, bringing him to the railing on the deck below at the spot where Joshua had disappeared over the side. "I think it appropriate that father and son join don't you?" The sword tightened against his skin and Jack stared at the water below. Just this morning he's been talking to his father about his new lease on life, devoid of bad dreams and memories. Now, his new life was to end and they'd be together again with Davy Joan's locker.
A force knocked him into the rail hard, knocking the wind from his lungs and creating a sharp pain in his hip as it hit a large barrel, which toppled over and rolled away. Fritz's blade dug into his flesh just on the point of shoulder meets neck, drawing blood but not enough to kill him. Jack hit the ground and somersaulted backwards in time to see Roger and Fritz rolling around, grappling with each other. The crews were battling again and the ship was fast sinking.
Rough hands pulled him to his feet and Bill's voice screamed at him to run. Jack pushed Bill's hands away and picked up a gun, running up the stairwell. The big man that had taken the compass and map, cocking the gun he prepared to fire. "Give me the map and compass!" He growled menacingly. The man extended the said items but, before Jack could take them, the woman he had taken down earlier stabbed him in the leg, bringing him crashing to the deck.
Jack screamed and spun around, kicking at her as she stabbed him again, this time on his already bruised hip. The large man pocketed the items and ran off, quickly untying a lifeboat. He was going to desert! Jack and the woman struggled, her face contorted with rage and pain, the dagger in her hand high over his head.
A sword whipped down from over head, the sun glinting on the metal blade. It embedded itself in the woman's back, sticking her to the deck. Blood poured from her mouth, a surprised look on her face. Jack rolled away from her as her hand went limp, taking the dagger with him and crawling to along the deck to Bill who was sitting there, holding his side. Jack grabbed the front of Bill's shirt and made him face him.
"We need the map!" Jack shook him roughly and noticed blood seeping from his side. "How are you doing?" Bill nodded and motioned for Jack to go. Jack looked up and saw the man with his map and compass jumping into a rowboat. Jack scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could towards him. The man didn't know what happened until the dagger was buried deep in his back between his shoulder blades.
Untying the man's sash, Jack pulled out his compass and the piece of the map. He needed the rest. Leaving the dead man near the rowboats, Jack passed fighting pirates and leaped down the stairs four at a time. The crew quarters were filling with water, blankets and pillows floating by him along with cloths and other personal items.
Using Bill's bed as a lever, Jack hiked himself up onto his and grabbed the box where he kept his personal items. He pulled out the necklaces and shoved the letter, beads, map and kohl into his sash before abandoning the rest and hopping down again. He slipped and fell into the water, the salt burning his wounds. Shaking the hair from his eyes, Jack pushed through the room towards the stairwell.
The battle still raged above. Jack crossed the ship at a run, grabbed Bill and pulled him to the rail. Many of the Catherine' s crew was in the water, either dead, dying or swimming to land which was some distance away. The blood was enough to attract any nearby sharks. Fritz's men were moving back to the Red-Revenge without their captain who was still fighting with Roger.
A vicious uppercut brought the fight to an end. Roger keeled over backwards and Fritz turned to leave. Jack grabbed a pistol from the ground, aimed and fired, a murderous joy inside him. Fritz turned, stared at Jack and then fell over the edge. Jack didn't wait to hear the splash, he knew the wound probably wasn't fatal. Grabbing Roger who was still reeling from the blow he'd received, Jack and Bill dived into the water, pulling Roger with them.
The water felt like a thousand knives were piercing his body. Jack would have screamed if he hadn't been in a rush to get to the shore. Even with Bill's help, Roger's weight was pulling them down. It seemed like forever to reach the shore and when they did, Jack's consciousness slipped, his head hit the sand and he knew no more.
When he finally did open his eyes again, Jack found himself staring up at a brilliantly clear starry sky. Turning his head slowly to the right, he found Bill passed out next to him and further along the beach, heard people talking. Sitting up and taking a mental note of the bandages on his leg, and neck, Jack watched the beach where a few crewmembers were dragging bodies in by the light of the moon above.
Roger's voice startled him. "Most of them are dead." He said. Jack turned, wincing at the pain in his thigh and saw Roger, propped against as palm tree behind him, holding a book in one hand and reading it by the light of a small fire beside him. He lifted the book and showed Jack the worn leather cover. "It's yours, Jackie. The one yer father wrote for yer mother."
Jack crawled towards him and leaned on the tree to, taking the book and thumbing through it. His eyes rested on a page with a handwritten 48 at the top.
Aloud, he read, "I spun, Fritz screamed, and his leg lay severed on the deck." Angrily, Jack closed the book and raised his hand to throw it in the fire but Roger stopped him, grabbing his wrist and yanking it from his grasp.
"Ye stupid whelp!" He yelled. Bill stirred but didn't wake. "What do ye think yer doing, throwin' somthin' like this away, eh? Bill saved it from the ship when ye went after that big man." He set the book down next to him and rubbed his face. "Jeez, Jack!" Jack's gaze shifted to the Catherine, which had disappeared from the water.
"Where are we Roger?" He asked. Roger closed his eyes and leaned back against the trunk, sighing.
"Not to far from Tortuga, as we was headed there." He answered. Jack nodded and got to his feet slowly. "Where you goin'?"
"A walk, I think I'll help them." He pointed to the beach. Roger let him go; knowing there was just no arguing. Jack reached the water's edge and walked along it, spotting Mourison dragging a body from the water. The man's leg was gone, bringing with it a faint trail of red. When he saw Jack, he set down the body and wiped his hands on his shirt.
"Ye alright Sparrow?" He asked. Jack nodded and pointed at the man on the ground.
"Who is he?" He asked. Mourison's hands were shaking, Jack noticed. The man tried to hide them.
"Richards. He had a wife and a family." Jack nodded and kneeled down next to Richards. Slowly, he placed his hand on the man's cold wet brow and ran it down his face to close his still staring eyes. When he was done, he stood only to be surrounded by four or five other crewmembers. One he recognized as Logan. Logan grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer so he was only an inch or so away from the other's face.
"It's your fault!" Logan growled. "It's your fault the captain's dead." Jack went to respond but another man grabbed him away from Logan and punched him roughly in the ribs. Jack doubled up, wheezing and was pushed to the ground.
Above him, he recognized Maxius and Prechart taunting as another continually kicked him in the side. Reaching out blindly, Jack managed to hook his arm around someone's leg and next moment he and the man were down, punching every bit of each other they could find. As he reached for a concealed knife in his boot, someone seized him and pulled him to his feet. It was Bill, obviously the fighting had woken him.
As Jack looked around, he noticed all of the remaining crew were gathered around in a circle, eyes on Jack and Prechart who's nose was swelled and bleeding, obviously broken. He let the blood flow down his face and didn't try to stem the flow as he pointed threateningly at Jack. "All his fault!"
"Stop!" Roger shouted. Everyone looked up to see Mourison supporting Roger into the circle. Bill let go of Jack who pulled himself up to his full height and straightened his cloths the best he could, the throbbing in his leg growing stronger with each passing second. "Is this what Joshua would have wanted? His crew murdering each other?" Everyone looked around and there was some muttering around the circle. "I am the first mate! Savvy? I say, we elect a new leader, a new captain, even if it's just until we get to Tortuga, but right now we need an unchallenged leader! I vote Jack!" There was silence at this statement; the only sound was the waves that crashed on the beach.
Dontae shook his head and stepped forward, towards Roger. "No!" He shouted. "I will not take orders from a snot nosed little eleven year old, no way!" Jack growled and lunged forward, grabbing Dontae. There was a short struggle and again, the fight was broken apart.
"Yeah, Dontae, an eleven year old! Well at least I still have my..." Roger shut Jack up with a look.
"Jack is the son of Joshua Delore, his blood is the blood of two pirate captains and great leaders! Mary Johanna is his mother." Many of the men looked up in surprise and a few whispered to each other. "Now, does any man here object?" Prechart stepped forward.
He spit on the ground at Jack's feet and said, "I say 'no' to the whelp." Some of the other men nodded and joined Prechart. Roger sighed.
"Okay." He said in a resigned voice. Taking a stick, he limped over to one side of the circle of onlookers and stuck the stick's end in the sand, running it in a perfect line across the circle until he was at the end, one side of the line stood Jack, the other Prechart. Roger looked around impressively at them all. "Anyone who wants Jack, over here. Anyone who wants the eunuch, over there." There were a few minutes of activity as men choose and joined their sides. By the end, over half the men were on Jack's side. Roger smiled and clapped Jack on the shoulder. "Settled," He turned to Jack. "Captain Sparrow, what do you purpose we do now?"
Jack led the men up the beach, the sun winking down on them, storm clouds gathering in the distance. The night before still played itself out in his mind as he walked. From cabin boy to captain in only a few hours. It was over whelming.
The men had stayed up the whole night, burying the dead at Jack's instructions and now, they trudged through the sweltering heat, along the bends and up hills to their eventual destination, Tortuga. Prechart had given up in the end and started calling Jack 'Captain', but there was malice in his voice as he did so.
As the rain began to fall hard and heavy on top of them, they reached Tortuga. The men cheered and began running and jumping as much as their injuries would allow. Jack stopped just outside the town and sank onto the beach, his arms propped on his knees which were pulled up to his chest, his eyes to the sea. He was alone; the crew had left him now. Captain Jack Sparrow had only been for a day.
Maybe he should go home, back to Britain and make a new life for himself. Fritz had slipped from his grasp and taken his father with him. He had failed. Maybe it was better to let things go, especially if it was going to kill the people he was close to.
How long he sat there, Jack didn't know but Bill's presence beside him shocked him. "How long have you been there?" He asked. Bill looked up and handed him a banana.
"Hungry?" He asked. Jack shook his head but his body betrayed him when his stomach gave a loud rumble. Bill grinned weakly and shoved the banana at his friend who took it reluctantly but didn't peel it. "Some of the men are still loyal to you Jack, and plan to follow you." Jack leaned back against a palm and closed his eyes as the wind shifted and the rain began to beat cold against his face. "Scarlet's waiting." Bill clapped him on the knee and stood, grasping him under the arm and dragging him up as well.
As he walked towards the warmth of Totuga, he felt lost. What was waiting for Jack Sparrow now?
The only thing I can say to make up for killing Josh is...sorry. I love him,you know I do but...hey...maybe he's not dead...maybe he is. Anyway, please keep reading and reviewing and dsheal, don't hate me...please don't kill me...P.s. my mom is really interested in where all my reviewers live so, if you'd please tell me so I could tell her...that would be great. Thank you.
Alteng: Thak you for saying my stories are quality. Right now I'm supposed to be working on French with these weird cd things but, I don't get them any way so... I've never heard about the hardest to kill first person, where did you get that? But I guessed it would be, I mean, it would be hard to kill anyone no matter who they are...or how evil. And don't worry, Jack will be prepared. That was interesting about the khol, I never thought about that but that's very interesting...no offese but you sound like my brother. He told me all about the powder mag in detail. I live in a small town called Hawarden in Canada, Saskatchewan and man, hockey is the biggest thing in the world there. Hockey and snow mobiling in the winter, up and down the street. They even do it at midnight past my house. Barbossa? I don't feel sorry for him...I hope you find something really cool to do to him but, make him wallo in...never mind. Sounds good. I want to get the internet soon so then I do't have to take away my French classes, that is so tragic...wink wink.
Dshael: Josh...I love him to and it's kinda weird that you drool over a man in my mind. That's kinda like a weird tele-cantetic thing going on. I am so sorry but, you never know...he may not be dead. Ever think of that? I seriously almost cried when I did this chapter because I like him but, life sux so...Love the growing daftness...there'll be more. I swear. Please, keep reading.
DragonHunter 200: Thank you for calling it addicting but it really depends on the drug...you don't want to hear about my life though...jk. I'm sorry about your birthday, if I'd known I would have done something about trying to get it up for your b-day instead and...happy b-day, really. Hope it was better then mine! Sweet 16 is supposed to be the best, mine wasn't. I was moving that day and we were snowed in so...I studied for my mid-tests instead. Stupid Canadian weather! Two or so days ago it snowed! It's May! Anyways, you may or may not know what I'm talking about, ranting about snow but, if you do, you hate it to...maybe. You wish you got a man for your birthday. I don't know about you but my father would never let me have one...unless he was butt ugly so I wouldn't touch him! I hoped I'd made the blood good enough...It was satanically kinda fun...scary to. Please keep r and r-ing.
Ch.8 lost again
Jack woke up screaming, his body drenched in cold sweat. Shakily, he rubbed it from his face and hopped from his bunk, Bill calling groggily after him. Jack ignored his friend and staggered quickly up to the deck. The cool night hit his bare chest, sending a chill through him. He felt sick and slammed into the side of the ship, vomiting over the edge.
Roger was at his side in an instant, his hand on Jack's shoulder as he retched again, the disgusting splashes hitting the water below. "That's it kid, let it all out. There you go." Jack felt embarrassed and stood straight, wiping his mouth and staring up at the full moon floating above them. Unthinkingly, he wiped his hands on his pants.
It had been thirteen months to the day that he had killed Roper but he still woke terrified every night. Some times he could control his stomach, other times, like tonight, it was all too much. Roger leaned against the rail sympathetically and waited for Jack to calm down.
"You alright kid?" He asked. Jack rubbed his eyes, smudging the kohl that lined them and nodded, the beads he had placed on the end of the two braids tying the strands of hair together from his beard clinking softly. He ran a hand over the sparse hairs he had above his lip uncontiously. He had been trying to grow a mustache now for two weeks. The men on deck ignored them as this had turned into a regular thing. "Tell me about it."
"No, I'm alright." Jack muttered, wrapping his arms around himself to keep away the cold air touching his skin. Roger shrugged and walked away. Jack sighed in relief and turned back to the stairs to the crew quarters when Bill came up on deck, pulling a shirt over his head and holding an extra one for Jack. He handed it to him. "Thanks." Jack whispered, pulling it over his head. His eyes caught the tattoo on his arm and he started, staring at it. It was of a Sparrow flying over the backdrop of the sun sinking into the ocean with the name 'Jack' printed elegantly underneath. He didn't think he'd ever get used to that.
"The dream again?" Bill asked, sitting down on the deck with his back against the side of the ship. Jack sighed and sat down to, watching one of the new crewmembers they'd picked up the other day, a kid no older then fifteen, handing some gunpowder to Mourison.
"Yeah." Jack answered. "On'y, this time he was there." He rubbed his hands on his pants again and sighed, feeling the warmth of blood wash over them. He knew it was in his mind but it was driving him insane. If he were a drinker, he'd be on his eighth bottle already. Bill nodded and leaned back, closing his eyes. He knew 'he' meant Fritz. "I killed him."
"Jack, you have to get over it." Bill said. Jack growled but didn't move from his spot, waiting for Bill to say more. He knew he would, the whelp. "I've killed men. It still haunts me but..."
"From afar, you've killed from afar." Jack pointed out. "With a gun and a bullet. You never felt it, the blood and the spraying and..." He shuddered. "It's gross." Bill nodded.
"When I kill, I think about Rebecca and Will." He said after a long pause. Jack looked away, focusing on the main mast but not really seeing it. Who did he have to think about? Lily, he dreamed of her too, every day and night. She was all that was on his mind besides Roper. Rosa, he missed her. The memories though, they were fading. Rosa would be married, Lily probably too. They were so far away, he couldn't remember their voices, hardly remember their faces... "Did you ever finish that book Jack?" Bill asked, breaking his thoughts about home.
"What?"
"The book, the book you used to carry around with your nose in. Did you ever finish it?" Jack shook his head. Bill placed a hand on his head and used it to lift himself up. Jack winced as his neck cracked and punched Bill on the arm in revenge. Bill smiled and dusted himself off. "Maybe you should. Oh, and by the way, your makeup's running." Jack grinned and ran a finger under his eye, wiping away the kohl that had smudged. Sighing her stretched out on the deck and allowed the rocking of the ship to lull him to sleep. This time, he dreamed of Lily.
"How long has it been Sparrow?" Jack looked up from his book and turned to see Joshua standing at the wheel. It was another long and boring day. They hadn't had a decent raid for two weeks and the crew was growing restless. "Since you had a bad night's sleep?" Jack turned a page in his book, squinting as the sun cast it's light on the paper.
"A few months or so." He replied. It was true, since his talk that night with Bill about reading and Lily, he hadn't had one bad dream. Damn idiot couldn't have mentioned it sooner. His mind slipped to the book.
Mary ran swiftly across the deck, me bringing up the rear. The Red-Revenge was hitting us with not only cannon balls but also broken glass and other sharp objects. Around me the crew was going down, our ship was sinking and the sharks circled beneath us waiting for someone to fall.
"You know Jack, we're stopping in Tortuga and I thought..."
I grabbed the rope, Fritz firing on us from the deck of the Pride; his crew would not abandon their thirst for...
"...what say you?" Joshua's voice passed through him, not breaking his concentration in the slightest. Roger, who was standing at the side of the wheel watching the shoreline through a telescope, looked over at father and son. He addressed Joshua.
"You know, I think Jackie's preoccupied." He stated. Joshua rolled his eyes.
"Yes, than you Gibbs for that fine analysis."
Mary reached the other side of the room as I shut the door, her hands ripping out dresser drawers as she searched, cloths flinging through the air behind her. I knew our distraction would not be a long one. Under her breath she repeated the same words as if she was trying to keep her mind from slipping on the task ahead of us. "The map, the map."...
"Jackie, you get any more interested and you'll..."
"I found it!" She screamed holding it up. I stared at the map it was the treasure to...
"Hey Jackie?" Jack looked up, annoyed.
"Yes, yes, yes, fine. Okay." He said, waving a hand impatiently. Roger smiled and shook his head, turning back to his scouting job.
...the treasure of Isla de Muerta and the gold of Cortes himself!
Jack looked up at his father. The treasure of the Isla de Muerta. He had half the map. His eyes moved back to the book.
I ran to her, kissing her lips softly. She pulled away, giggling, and drew out a compass. "We need this to find our way." I opened it and noticed immediately there was something wrong.
"This compass doesn't point north." Mary shook her head.
"I know." She said simply, taking the compass and stuffing it in her sash. "The compass isn't supposed to find north." I took the other end of the map and we stood there, excitement flooding through us as I suddenly let it sink in. We'd found it! The treasure! Suddenly, the door opened and Fritz walked in. With out thinking, I turned and the map split down the middle.
That's what had happened, Jack thought as he read these lines. Josh had torn the map. Roger's voice suddenly yelled, "Sail, captain, on the horizon!" But Jack's mind had gone back to his book and he didn't hear it.
Fritz had a mad glint in his eyes. "Yes, that be the treasure map Delore." He hissed. "And I'll be wantin' it back now." He pulled out his gun and pointed it at us. "Now."
I shook my head and looked at Mary who had that gleam in her eyes. She wasn't going to give up without a fight.
"You haven't told 'im, 'ave you Mary?" He asked. "You haven't told 'im about the curse." I was confused and turned to look at my love.
"Curse?" I asked. Mary placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I should have told you, I know." She said.
Jack turned the page. Curse? What curse?
"The gold is Aztec, the gods placed a curse on it to any mortal man."
Jack snorted. A curse? Sure, okay. Roger suddenly snatched the book away from him and through it at the wheel. It hit the deck and lay there, open; it's pages blowing in the wind. Roger grabbed his shirt and pulled him to his feet.
"Time for reading later, Jackie. Right now we need to fight." Jack looked up and noticed a larger ship then the Catherine sailing closer, the crew on deck hoisting the Jolly Roger. "It's the Red-Revenge!" Jack's mind couldn't quite grasp what had just been said. The Red-Revenge? The book!
Under his breath, he said what he had read; "The Red-Revenge was hitting us with not only cannon balls but also broken glass and other sharp objects." Swearing, Jack ran after Joshua who had entered his cabin. Jack stood in the doorway, watching as his father reached into a trunk and withdrew a folded, yellow, water spotted piece of paper and a little box. He turned and handed it to Jack. Outside they could hear shots being fired and yells from both crews.
"Here Jack, take this." A cannon blew outside and the ship shuddered. "It's a compass and the second to a map." He tucked them into Jack's sash. "Look after these." Jack grabbed his arm.
"This is my fight!" He yelled. Josh pulled away. "I can do..."
" No! You had enough trouble getting over Roper! Fritz will pay! He killed Meredith, no step aside Jack!" His tone lightened and he looked away. "Listen, Sparrow. If I don't make it, I want you to go to..." Roger rushed to the door.
"Captain, they're boarding us! There's to many of them!" Joshua glanced at his son and ran from the room. Jack stood there for a moment, heart pounding in his chest. Joshua had told him to stay here and keep safe but, the ship was being boarded. He had to do something! Jack checked to make sure the compass and other part of the map were safe then made his way from the cabin, cutlass raised.
Men were hitting the deck left and right. Some, he recognized as his ship mates, others were from Fritz's. Jack ducked as a man swung at him, the sword embedding itself in Joshua's doorframe. With a swift move, Jack sliced into the man's belly, bringing him down screaming.
Moving on, ignoring the blood and the sick feeling rising in his stomach like bile. There were still a lot of men he had to help take down. Moving up the stair way to the wheel, he came face to face with a woman. She was beautiful, her blond hair cut short like a man's, the wind moving the shirt and revealing her thin frame. She wore a skirt that cut off just below her knees and the sword in her hand looked unnaturally large for her. The look on her face, though, was of pure venom.
"So, are you Fritz's squeeze?" Jack sneered. The woman smiled faintly back, raising her bloody cutlass. Behind her, the newbie lay dead, his head disconnected from his body. "Oh, god." Jack wanted to turn away but couldn't, the woman had started at him.
"Maybe." She replied. "Same question, are you Delore's?" Jack shrugged, bringing a smile to his lips despite the fear and sickness he felt. She attacked first, slashing at him with a down wards swing. Jack jumped back and laughed.
"Oh, a girl who makes the first move. I like that." Jack said. He was trying to anger her. He moved next, going for her head but being stopped shot by a block. Their swords spun as they tried to hit each other. Suddenly, Jack's back was against the wheel, the blades of his and the girl's swords crossed in front of his face, inches from his nose. "Please, watch the beard, it takes hours to get it right."
"Oh," She simpered. "Don't worry about that. Let me get a little closer and I'll cure all your ills." Jack smiled and managed to push her away with as much strength as he could muster. She hit the railing hard and moved just as Jack embedded his sword in the side of the ship. The woman swung back and Jack sidestepped, getting up beside her and grabbing her hands. She tried to get away making them overbalance and fall to the deck, her on top, Jack holding her arms over his head with the sword. She screamed in frustration and kneed Jack in the leg close to his goods. Jack winced but held on. Suddenly, she had wriggled her on hand free and punched him full on the side of the face knocking out one of his bottom front teeth.
"That's not very nice." Jack growled, digging his nails into her wrists. Finally, she let go of the sword and it thudded to the deck loudly. Rolling over so he was sitting on top, Jack pinned her arms down beside her, legs pinned by his own. "Sorry, I usually prefer the bottom but, in the circumstances..." The woman smiled back.
"I don't date eunuchs." Jack's face blanched in anger. A eunuch, oh, so she wanted to play rough eh? Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her lips and she kissed back. Jack, surprised by her reaction to his advance, let go and sat up again. Looking around, he watched the other crew fighting. He had to rejoin the fray.
"Look luv, I have to get back to me duty, so..." With out another word her leg go of her arm and punched her hard across the face, effectively knocking her out. As he moved to stand, a hand grabbed the back of his head and wrenched him to his feet, a sword to his neck. A shot rang out near by, and most of the fighting stopped.
"Delore, I believe he belongs to you." The man who held Jack yelled. Jack leaned in closer to the man, away from the sword and his foot hit a peg leg. It was Fritz. "How old would this one be, eh?" Fritz asked, shaking the fist holding Jack's hair. Jack growled but couldn't do any more because the sword was digging into his neck. "Older then the one behind me?" Jack knew he meant the newbie and his murderous rage grew.
Joshua stepped forward, holding his cutlass tightly. His eyes were on Jack, fear on his face. "Let him go Fritz, your quarrel is with me, not him." Fritz laughed a high cold laugh and ran the cold steel of his cutlass over Jack's skin as though he longed to use it. "Just let him go."
"What's his name?" Fritz yelled. Joshua didn't answer. "What's his name?"
No one said anything. Jack wasn't afraid, "Jack Sparrow!" Jack screamed. He saw his father close his eyes briefly, a grim look on his face. Fritz leaned in closer so Jack could see his face a little from the corner of his eye. "My name is Jack Sparrow."
"Jack Sparrow, I've heard that name. You're wanted in Port Royal." He laughed, "Your pretty young." He moved his face back behind Jack, still speaking into his ear. "Jack, Jack...Mary and Joshua's son was named Jack from what I remember." Jack could hear the tone in his voice as he put one and one together. "Jack Delore?"
"No, Sparrow." Jack growled. "And you better remember it." Fritz laughed.
Joshua stepped forward with pleading eyes. "Please, Fritz, please...he's just a kid, let him go! Please. You can take me; you can kill me or torture me, what have you? But please let..." Fritz interrupted him.
"Your son stays with me, Joshua." Jack could tell her was smiling. Suddenly he noticed there was someone standing beside them. Looking over, he took in the guy's ugly face and rolling belly. He looked extremely well fed and white, as if he hadn't seen enough sun light. "Do you notice your ship is sinking Delore? Tell me, where is the map and I promise, no harm will come to your dear little son."
"Let him go." Joshua said. "I'll give you what you want, just, let him go." The man beside them was looking at Jack's stomach where the sash was tied. He moved forward and placed a hand inside Jack's sash, drawing out the compass and map. He grinned and waved it in the air for everyone to see.
"Ah, so you lied Delore, tut tut." Fritz made a small whistle and the man beside them drew his gun so swiftly Jack didn't have time to yell out before the shot had rang out and Joshua was staggering backwards, a crimson stain spreading on his chest over his heart.
"No!" Jack screamed, trying to get loose. Joshua hit the railing and let his hand drop from the wound, looking up at his son through calm eyes. He smiled faintly.
The ship was silent as everyone watched in shock. Jack heard barely, the sound of his father's voice, "Meredith..." Before he toppled backwards off the ship and they heard the splash of him hitting the water. Jack's body was numb; the strength drained as Fritz led him to the side of the ship where he had a clear view of Joshua's body sinking below the waves. Jack closed his eyes, trying not to cry or pass out.
"Oh, come on Jack." Fritz said softly, "You look just like him but I see some of your mother in you to. Not much, but it is there." He turned Jack around, cutlass still to his throat and Jack finally, for the first time in his life, got a good look at the man who had killed his parents. "Oh, my. You two are almost identical." He smirked. "Almost." Looking down at Joshua's crew which were out numbered two to one, Fritz said, "Tie them to the mast men, we'll let them sink with the ship." The men below began to move as instructed and Fritz turned back to Jack. "Thank you for the map, Delore or, Sparrow, if you like. Tell me, are the rumors true, do you have a twin?" Rosa! There were rumors about Rosa! "Because, if I remember correctly, the map was split in half. Now, would she have the other piece or do you?" Jack stayed silent. "Pity. Okay, come on."
Fritz turned Jack around again and led him past the uncontious girl and the dead newbie, bringing him to the railing on the deck below at the spot where Joshua had disappeared over the side. "I think it appropriate that father and son join don't you?" The sword tightened against his skin and Jack stared at the water below. Just this morning he's been talking to his father about his new lease on life, devoid of bad dreams and memories. Now, his new life was to end and they'd be together again with Davy Joan's locker.
A force knocked him into the rail hard, knocking the wind from his lungs and creating a sharp pain in his hip as it hit a large barrel, which toppled over and rolled away. Fritz's blade dug into his flesh just on the point of shoulder meets neck, drawing blood but not enough to kill him. Jack hit the ground and somersaulted backwards in time to see Roger and Fritz rolling around, grappling with each other. The crews were battling again and the ship was fast sinking.
Rough hands pulled him to his feet and Bill's voice screamed at him to run. Jack pushed Bill's hands away and picked up a gun, running up the stairwell. The big man that had taken the compass and map, cocking the gun he prepared to fire. "Give me the map and compass!" He growled menacingly. The man extended the said items but, before Jack could take them, the woman he had taken down earlier stabbed him in the leg, bringing him crashing to the deck.
Jack screamed and spun around, kicking at her as she stabbed him again, this time on his already bruised hip. The large man pocketed the items and ran off, quickly untying a lifeboat. He was going to desert! Jack and the woman struggled, her face contorted with rage and pain, the dagger in her hand high over his head.
A sword whipped down from over head, the sun glinting on the metal blade. It embedded itself in the woman's back, sticking her to the deck. Blood poured from her mouth, a surprised look on her face. Jack rolled away from her as her hand went limp, taking the dagger with him and crawling to along the deck to Bill who was sitting there, holding his side. Jack grabbed the front of Bill's shirt and made him face him.
"We need the map!" Jack shook him roughly and noticed blood seeping from his side. "How are you doing?" Bill nodded and motioned for Jack to go. Jack looked up and saw the man with his map and compass jumping into a rowboat. Jack scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could towards him. The man didn't know what happened until the dagger was buried deep in his back between his shoulder blades.
Untying the man's sash, Jack pulled out his compass and the piece of the map. He needed the rest. Leaving the dead man near the rowboats, Jack passed fighting pirates and leaped down the stairs four at a time. The crew quarters were filling with water, blankets and pillows floating by him along with cloths and other personal items.
Using Bill's bed as a lever, Jack hiked himself up onto his and grabbed the box where he kept his personal items. He pulled out the necklaces and shoved the letter, beads, map and kohl into his sash before abandoning the rest and hopping down again. He slipped and fell into the water, the salt burning his wounds. Shaking the hair from his eyes, Jack pushed through the room towards the stairwell.
The battle still raged above. Jack crossed the ship at a run, grabbed Bill and pulled him to the rail. Many of the Catherine' s crew was in the water, either dead, dying or swimming to land which was some distance away. The blood was enough to attract any nearby sharks. Fritz's men were moving back to the Red-Revenge without their captain who was still fighting with Roger.
A vicious uppercut brought the fight to an end. Roger keeled over backwards and Fritz turned to leave. Jack grabbed a pistol from the ground, aimed and fired, a murderous joy inside him. Fritz turned, stared at Jack and then fell over the edge. Jack didn't wait to hear the splash, he knew the wound probably wasn't fatal. Grabbing Roger who was still reeling from the blow he'd received, Jack and Bill dived into the water, pulling Roger with them.
The water felt like a thousand knives were piercing his body. Jack would have screamed if he hadn't been in a rush to get to the shore. Even with Bill's help, Roger's weight was pulling them down. It seemed like forever to reach the shore and when they did, Jack's consciousness slipped, his head hit the sand and he knew no more.
When he finally did open his eyes again, Jack found himself staring up at a brilliantly clear starry sky. Turning his head slowly to the right, he found Bill passed out next to him and further along the beach, heard people talking. Sitting up and taking a mental note of the bandages on his leg, and neck, Jack watched the beach where a few crewmembers were dragging bodies in by the light of the moon above.
Roger's voice startled him. "Most of them are dead." He said. Jack turned, wincing at the pain in his thigh and saw Roger, propped against as palm tree behind him, holding a book in one hand and reading it by the light of a small fire beside him. He lifted the book and showed Jack the worn leather cover. "It's yours, Jackie. The one yer father wrote for yer mother."
Jack crawled towards him and leaned on the tree to, taking the book and thumbing through it. His eyes rested on a page with a handwritten 48 at the top.
Aloud, he read, "I spun, Fritz screamed, and his leg lay severed on the deck." Angrily, Jack closed the book and raised his hand to throw it in the fire but Roger stopped him, grabbing his wrist and yanking it from his grasp.
"Ye stupid whelp!" He yelled. Bill stirred but didn't wake. "What do ye think yer doing, throwin' somthin' like this away, eh? Bill saved it from the ship when ye went after that big man." He set the book down next to him and rubbed his face. "Jeez, Jack!" Jack's gaze shifted to the Catherine, which had disappeared from the water.
"Where are we Roger?" He asked. Roger closed his eyes and leaned back against the trunk, sighing.
"Not to far from Tortuga, as we was headed there." He answered. Jack nodded and got to his feet slowly. "Where you goin'?"
"A walk, I think I'll help them." He pointed to the beach. Roger let him go; knowing there was just no arguing. Jack reached the water's edge and walked along it, spotting Mourison dragging a body from the water. The man's leg was gone, bringing with it a faint trail of red. When he saw Jack, he set down the body and wiped his hands on his shirt.
"Ye alright Sparrow?" He asked. Jack nodded and pointed at the man on the ground.
"Who is he?" He asked. Mourison's hands were shaking, Jack noticed. The man tried to hide them.
"Richards. He had a wife and a family." Jack nodded and kneeled down next to Richards. Slowly, he placed his hand on the man's cold wet brow and ran it down his face to close his still staring eyes. When he was done, he stood only to be surrounded by four or five other crewmembers. One he recognized as Logan. Logan grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer so he was only an inch or so away from the other's face.
"It's your fault!" Logan growled. "It's your fault the captain's dead." Jack went to respond but another man grabbed him away from Logan and punched him roughly in the ribs. Jack doubled up, wheezing and was pushed to the ground.
Above him, he recognized Maxius and Prechart taunting as another continually kicked him in the side. Reaching out blindly, Jack managed to hook his arm around someone's leg and next moment he and the man were down, punching every bit of each other they could find. As he reached for a concealed knife in his boot, someone seized him and pulled him to his feet. It was Bill, obviously the fighting had woken him.
As Jack looked around, he noticed all of the remaining crew were gathered around in a circle, eyes on Jack and Prechart who's nose was swelled and bleeding, obviously broken. He let the blood flow down his face and didn't try to stem the flow as he pointed threateningly at Jack. "All his fault!"
"Stop!" Roger shouted. Everyone looked up to see Mourison supporting Roger into the circle. Bill let go of Jack who pulled himself up to his full height and straightened his cloths the best he could, the throbbing in his leg growing stronger with each passing second. "Is this what Joshua would have wanted? His crew murdering each other?" Everyone looked around and there was some muttering around the circle. "I am the first mate! Savvy? I say, we elect a new leader, a new captain, even if it's just until we get to Tortuga, but right now we need an unchallenged leader! I vote Jack!" There was silence at this statement; the only sound was the waves that crashed on the beach.
Dontae shook his head and stepped forward, towards Roger. "No!" He shouted. "I will not take orders from a snot nosed little eleven year old, no way!" Jack growled and lunged forward, grabbing Dontae. There was a short struggle and again, the fight was broken apart.
"Yeah, Dontae, an eleven year old! Well at least I still have my..." Roger shut Jack up with a look.
"Jack is the son of Joshua Delore, his blood is the blood of two pirate captains and great leaders! Mary Johanna is his mother." Many of the men looked up in surprise and a few whispered to each other. "Now, does any man here object?" Prechart stepped forward.
He spit on the ground at Jack's feet and said, "I say 'no' to the whelp." Some of the other men nodded and joined Prechart. Roger sighed.
"Okay." He said in a resigned voice. Taking a stick, he limped over to one side of the circle of onlookers and stuck the stick's end in the sand, running it in a perfect line across the circle until he was at the end, one side of the line stood Jack, the other Prechart. Roger looked around impressively at them all. "Anyone who wants Jack, over here. Anyone who wants the eunuch, over there." There were a few minutes of activity as men choose and joined their sides. By the end, over half the men were on Jack's side. Roger smiled and clapped Jack on the shoulder. "Settled," He turned to Jack. "Captain Sparrow, what do you purpose we do now?"
Jack led the men up the beach, the sun winking down on them, storm clouds gathering in the distance. The night before still played itself out in his mind as he walked. From cabin boy to captain in only a few hours. It was over whelming.
The men had stayed up the whole night, burying the dead at Jack's instructions and now, they trudged through the sweltering heat, along the bends and up hills to their eventual destination, Tortuga. Prechart had given up in the end and started calling Jack 'Captain', but there was malice in his voice as he did so.
As the rain began to fall hard and heavy on top of them, they reached Tortuga. The men cheered and began running and jumping as much as their injuries would allow. Jack stopped just outside the town and sank onto the beach, his arms propped on his knees which were pulled up to his chest, his eyes to the sea. He was alone; the crew had left him now. Captain Jack Sparrow had only been for a day.
Maybe he should go home, back to Britain and make a new life for himself. Fritz had slipped from his grasp and taken his father with him. He had failed. Maybe it was better to let things go, especially if it was going to kill the people he was close to.
How long he sat there, Jack didn't know but Bill's presence beside him shocked him. "How long have you been there?" He asked. Bill looked up and handed him a banana.
"Hungry?" He asked. Jack shook his head but his body betrayed him when his stomach gave a loud rumble. Bill grinned weakly and shoved the banana at his friend who took it reluctantly but didn't peel it. "Some of the men are still loyal to you Jack, and plan to follow you." Jack leaned back against a palm and closed his eyes as the wind shifted and the rain began to beat cold against his face. "Scarlet's waiting." Bill clapped him on the knee and stood, grasping him under the arm and dragging him up as well.
As he walked towards the warmth of Totuga, he felt lost. What was waiting for Jack Sparrow now?
The only thing I can say to make up for killing Josh is...sorry. I love him,you know I do but...hey...maybe he's not dead...maybe he is. Anyway, please keep reading and reviewing and dsheal, don't hate me...please don't kill me...P.s. my mom is really interested in where all my reviewers live so, if you'd please tell me so I could tell her...that would be great. Thank you.
Alteng: Thak you for saying my stories are quality. Right now I'm supposed to be working on French with these weird cd things but, I don't get them any way so... I've never heard about the hardest to kill first person, where did you get that? But I guessed it would be, I mean, it would be hard to kill anyone no matter who they are...or how evil. And don't worry, Jack will be prepared. That was interesting about the khol, I never thought about that but that's very interesting...no offese but you sound like my brother. He told me all about the powder mag in detail. I live in a small town called Hawarden in Canada, Saskatchewan and man, hockey is the biggest thing in the world there. Hockey and snow mobiling in the winter, up and down the street. They even do it at midnight past my house. Barbossa? I don't feel sorry for him...I hope you find something really cool to do to him but, make him wallo in...never mind. Sounds good. I want to get the internet soon so then I do't have to take away my French classes, that is so tragic...wink wink.
Dshael: Josh...I love him to and it's kinda weird that you drool over a man in my mind. That's kinda like a weird tele-cantetic thing going on. I am so sorry but, you never know...he may not be dead. Ever think of that? I seriously almost cried when I did this chapter because I like him but, life sux so...Love the growing daftness...there'll be more. I swear. Please, keep reading.
DragonHunter 200: Thank you for calling it addicting but it really depends on the drug...you don't want to hear about my life though...jk. I'm sorry about your birthday, if I'd known I would have done something about trying to get it up for your b-day instead and...happy b-day, really. Hope it was better then mine! Sweet 16 is supposed to be the best, mine wasn't. I was moving that day and we were snowed in so...I studied for my mid-tests instead. Stupid Canadian weather! Two or so days ago it snowed! It's May! Anyways, you may or may not know what I'm talking about, ranting about snow but, if you do, you hate it to...maybe. You wish you got a man for your birthday. I don't know about you but my father would never let me have one...unless he was butt ugly so I wouldn't touch him! I hoped I'd made the blood good enough...It was satanically kinda fun...scary to. Please keep r and r-ing.