She could sense the men's great disappointment when she rounded the corner to return to the boats. They were all hoping that she had been punctured by razor sharp spikes or eaten by a very hungry beast. Yet, they sprang into a different tune when she told them about the cavern of gold. They pushed passed her as they ventured to the very room she had stolen the coin. She was about to follow when suddenly someone grabbed the rope that tied her. She turned back to see Barbossa.
"And where do ye think ye are goin'? She asked in a menacing voice. With a sharp yank, she stumbled backwards back into one of the boats. He then grabbed the shoulder of one of the crew members. "Stay here and guard this one." He ordered. The reluctant crew member looked from Kat and then back
at the captain. He didn't see very happy, but complied. As the others took the torches and moved ahead, he sat down on a rock and just stared at
her. Soon, there was nothing except for the echoes of the crew and the
crackling of the torch that had been left.
"I thought you all were going to kill me." She broke the silence. The
rough looking man she knew as Twigg just sneered.
"The cap'n 'as other plans." He answered. She didn't press the subject any farther. She was sure Barbossa would brag about it once he returned. There were a few minutes of more silence between the two. Twigg had even picked up a few pebbles and were throwing them back into the water beside
her.
"I hope you do know that Jack isn't dead." She spoke up. Twigg immediately stopped tossing the pebbles and looked up are her with a look
of anger.
"For someone that can read, ye aren't so bright. Jack is deader than dead, now after what we did to 'im. The buzzards have probably picked 'im clean
by now." He chuckled. Kat's eyebrows furrowed at his brazen comment.
"What in the blazes are you talking about? Jack fell overboard while I
slept, that's what I was told." She said, her voice beginning to rise.
"Ye bet'er ask yer friend again. Find the truth in that lie." He sniggered. Just then, he stood up from his rock perch and proceeded to the boat. "Ye know, ye are that firs' woman I 'ave been near for months." He
put one foot into the boat. Kat became alarmed and sat up straight.
"Oh no, don't you even think about it. I'm warning you!" She yelled. He didn't listen. He reached out to touch her, when she brought a foot up and kicked him where she knew it would knock him down. She knew it would work
because she has accidentally used it on Jack during a practice fight. Twigg let out a high, squeaky cry that could have been a mouse running from a cat. He fell away from the boat as he crumpled to the ground in awful pain that Kat couldn't even imagine. She stood up and leaned over the edge
to see where he had fallen. There he lay in a fetal position, nursing
where her boot had connected.
"I...I...gahh!" He choked. Kat had to hold back her laugher.
"You should have known better than to mess with a Sparrow. Savvy?" She
scolded. Suddenly, she could hear voices coming close to the resting
place. Off in the distance, she could see the flickering of torches. Quickly, she took her seat once more. She had just situated herself when Pintel and Raghetti came around the corner as giddy as a couple of school children. In their hands were bags of what sounded like jingling coins. Both of them stopped dead when they saw Twigg cowering on the sandy floor.
"What 'appen to 'im?" Pintel said, looking at the two left behinds. Kat
just shrugged a bit.
"He slipped on a rock." Kat answered as Raghetti pulled Twigg to his feet.
His just pointed at the girl, but was still unable to speak.
"Bloomin' idiot." Raghetti said as he shoved the pain stricken man into
the boats.
"I wouldn't think about using that in a while mate." She taunted under her breath. Soon, the men began to come back from the cavern of gold. Each of them was holding bags of coins and boxes of loot. She waited patiently as
William returned with them and took his seat at one of the oars. He wouldn't look at her. "William, I have to talk to you back at the ship. It's urgent." She whispered to the back of his head. He didn't turn, but he gave a nod indicated that she was heard. She was going to get to the bottom of what Twigg had told her, even if she had to torture someone to
get it.
There was much celebrating as the last members were pulled back up onto the
deck of the ship. One of them had taken the time to crack out a few bottles of rum for the occasion. Moral had been increase dramatically in such a short time. Even the injured Twigg had regained his bearings and was drinking to the pillage. Kat was lucky that he hadn't said anything to the captain about what she had done. Then again, no man would admit being kicked down by a woman that was half their size and body weight. Still, Kat remained bound as William pulled her onto the deck. It was tough for him because he was also juggling a box he had taken from the caves. Kat's
heart fell as he approached Barbossa.
"What shall I do with this one?" He asked. Kat felt her muscles tense up, but this time she didn't fear any pain. It was as if she knew that nothing
would hurt.
"Put it in the brig. Tis best to let yer enemies rot than go easily with death." He said. Without another word, William pulled her along toward the ships stairs. Kat looked in disgrace as the ship her brother took so much pride in was desecrated by the actions of these dirty sea dogs. She wished them nothing but harm and misfortune in all of their celebrating as it disappeared from her sight. Bootstrap grabbed the keys as he continued on to the brig area. He stopped her in front of the cell that she had been
in the last time he spoke to her before her brother's death. There, he
held her gently against the bars as he undid the bindings.
"Thank you." She said. It was odd having her hands back at her sides after so long, but it was funny that they did know burn from the chaffing of the ropes. In fact, she couldn't feel anything. He held onto her still as he unlocked the cell and led her inside. Once there, he let her go and
closed the heavy door behind her. She looked back to see him leaving.
"Bootstrap, wait!" She cried out. He stopped dead in his tracks.
"Please, I have to talk with you." She tried not to beg, but her voice came off in that fashion. At first she thought he was going to walk away.
She let out a sigh as he turned around and came back.
"I'm here." He said, leaning against the bars.
"Why do all of these men keep telling me that they did something to Jack? What happened that night?" She asked, taking his hand. Even with all that had been going on; her teenage crush had yet to diminish. William shook
his head as he ran his other hand through his dirty blonde locks.
"I told you, he fell overboard. There is nothing more too it." He said, pulling away from her. She tightened her already iron grip and forced him
closer to the bars.
"You're lying! I can tell you are not being truthful with me! What happened?" She asked, her patience beginning to break. She was determined to make him talk, no matter what it took. He looked her dead in the eyes.
"Kat, you will hurt when I'm through." He said sternly. Kat didn't let go
of his hand.
"It can't be any worse than how I have felt for the past few days." She answered, her grip becoming weak of his hand. He took a deep breath and
started the story.
"Barbossa got Jack to tell him where the island was located the night it all happened. I warned Jack against it, I told him that it was not wise unless it is to an honest man. You know of course that he didn't listen. That same night, Barbossa came to us with a plan to overthrow your brother. Didn't want a young blood like him ruling over us. Stupidly, I went along
with it fearing that if I said even the smallest phrase that I would be killed. When one of the men inquired about your fate, Barbossa said that he had that figured out already. Somehow, he stole the compass from Jacks pocket and planted it in the quarters. He then set out a goblet of drink with a note for you beside it. I don't know what exactly he placed in it, but when Jack found you he thought you were dead. The only time he let his guard down was when he covered your body with his jacket. The crew jumped him in the beat of a wing, tying him up and gagging him. As all of this went on, Barbossa pointed out a small island that was on the route to Isle
De Muerta." He explained the best he could. Kat just stood there, too stunned to speak. Memories from that night before were falling into place.
She could remember returning to the quarters to retrieve the compass as
she had been told. She remembered drinking the contents of the goblet. She remembered the dizziness before blacking out. It was all coming back
to her. Finally, she withdrew her hand from Williams.
"You marooned him." She said through her teeth. A mixture of anger and
grief were boiling inside her.
"Aye. He didn't put up as hard of a struggle thinking that you were dead."
William answered, trying to calm her down. Instead it made things ever
worse.
"That's beside the point! You marooned your friend on an island in the middle of nowhere to die! Then you lied about it to the person that Jack
mattered most to and made me learn about the lie from crew members that
would like to see me rot! Have I left anything out!?" She always screamed. She thrust her hand out of the bars to punch him in the face,
but he was quick to snatch her fist.
"It was either that or be killed. I know he was your brother, but I too have to think about my son. If I were to die my family would die with me."
He said, pulling her forward. "I know it's no excuse, but I had to do
what I had to do. There are no other words for it." He let go of her
hand. She then looked at him coldly.
"Get away from me." She whispered.
"Katrina, I didn't mean for this to happen." He said above the noise of
the celebrating above.
"Betrayer! Traitor! You stay away from me!" She yelled. She had never heard her voice sound like that before. She sounded like some inner demon
was taking over her. William didn't continue. There was no sense in making things escalate from this point. He turned on his heel and walked
away from her.
"I'm sorry." He whispered under his breath as he left, but Kat was too
enraged to hear it. She paced the tiny cell, her mind trying to get a grasp on what had been said. In her grief, she proceeded to hit the iron bars as hard as she could with her fist. She couldn't feel the pain, but she thought it was because she felt so numb from the truth. It didn't feel as bad when she thought Jack had died from an accident, but to know that he was murdered by the hands of a friend was inconceivable. It all felt too
surreal.
"That bloody dream was true. All of it!" She said to herself as she backed into the wall and used it to lower herself into a sitting position. She covered her face with her hands, but no tears came. Instead, when she touched her cheek she found something was wrong. She brought a finger down
where Bo' suns slap had cut her face. Now her skin was smooth, unblemished. She reached inside Jacks coat that she had been wearing since
the night and pulled out her little bag. It was all she had from the captain's quarters. In it was a small shard of a mirror that her mother
had owned. She peered into it, trying her best in the little light her
had. Sure enough, the cut was gone. "No one heals that swiftly." She said, shaking her head. Then, she realized that she was still wearing the cloth around her neck. Slowly, she pulled it away to find that the perfect
finger marks were also gone.
"The count is in boys! 882 pieces for our troubles!" She heard Barbossa
yell from above her head. Her mind went back to the coin that she had stolen from before. Quickly, but careful to watch for unwanted visitors,
she slid her hand into her boot and retrieved the piece of gold. She
looked at it, rolling it over in her hand.
"Why do I have the feeling that you're behind this?" She asked the skull on its surface. These were her last words. With no family, no friends, and a mystery to why she had healed in mere hours, she sat in the darkness. All the while, contemplating on the vengeance that now seemed inevitable.
Sorry that is chapter is a bit shorter than the last one. I'm having a little thing called writers block and it kind of sucks. Isn't it kind of fun when you know what is happening to the characters before they do? What else could have healed her? Anyway, we're getting really close to having
Elizabeth entering the story and I have big plans for that part. Also, don't worry about Kat. Better times are on the way for her. I'll let you
go now, R&R! Remember, I like nice reviews! MUAH!
"And where do ye think ye are goin'? She asked in a menacing voice. With a sharp yank, she stumbled backwards back into one of the boats. He then grabbed the shoulder of one of the crew members. "Stay here and guard this one." He ordered. The reluctant crew member looked from Kat and then back
at the captain. He didn't see very happy, but complied. As the others took the torches and moved ahead, he sat down on a rock and just stared at
her. Soon, there was nothing except for the echoes of the crew and the
crackling of the torch that had been left.
"I thought you all were going to kill me." She broke the silence. The
rough looking man she knew as Twigg just sneered.
"The cap'n 'as other plans." He answered. She didn't press the subject any farther. She was sure Barbossa would brag about it once he returned. There were a few minutes of more silence between the two. Twigg had even picked up a few pebbles and were throwing them back into the water beside
her.
"I hope you do know that Jack isn't dead." She spoke up. Twigg immediately stopped tossing the pebbles and looked up are her with a look
of anger.
"For someone that can read, ye aren't so bright. Jack is deader than dead, now after what we did to 'im. The buzzards have probably picked 'im clean
by now." He chuckled. Kat's eyebrows furrowed at his brazen comment.
"What in the blazes are you talking about? Jack fell overboard while I
slept, that's what I was told." She said, her voice beginning to rise.
"Ye bet'er ask yer friend again. Find the truth in that lie." He sniggered. Just then, he stood up from his rock perch and proceeded to the boat. "Ye know, ye are that firs' woman I 'ave been near for months." He
put one foot into the boat. Kat became alarmed and sat up straight.
"Oh no, don't you even think about it. I'm warning you!" She yelled. He didn't listen. He reached out to touch her, when she brought a foot up and kicked him where she knew it would knock him down. She knew it would work
because she has accidentally used it on Jack during a practice fight. Twigg let out a high, squeaky cry that could have been a mouse running from a cat. He fell away from the boat as he crumpled to the ground in awful pain that Kat couldn't even imagine. She stood up and leaned over the edge
to see where he had fallen. There he lay in a fetal position, nursing
where her boot had connected.
"I...I...gahh!" He choked. Kat had to hold back her laugher.
"You should have known better than to mess with a Sparrow. Savvy?" She
scolded. Suddenly, she could hear voices coming close to the resting
place. Off in the distance, she could see the flickering of torches. Quickly, she took her seat once more. She had just situated herself when Pintel and Raghetti came around the corner as giddy as a couple of school children. In their hands were bags of what sounded like jingling coins. Both of them stopped dead when they saw Twigg cowering on the sandy floor.
"What 'appen to 'im?" Pintel said, looking at the two left behinds. Kat
just shrugged a bit.
"He slipped on a rock." Kat answered as Raghetti pulled Twigg to his feet.
His just pointed at the girl, but was still unable to speak.
"Bloomin' idiot." Raghetti said as he shoved the pain stricken man into
the boats.
"I wouldn't think about using that in a while mate." She taunted under her breath. Soon, the men began to come back from the cavern of gold. Each of them was holding bags of coins and boxes of loot. She waited patiently as
William returned with them and took his seat at one of the oars. He wouldn't look at her. "William, I have to talk to you back at the ship. It's urgent." She whispered to the back of his head. He didn't turn, but he gave a nod indicated that she was heard. She was going to get to the bottom of what Twigg had told her, even if she had to torture someone to
get it.
There was much celebrating as the last members were pulled back up onto the
deck of the ship. One of them had taken the time to crack out a few bottles of rum for the occasion. Moral had been increase dramatically in such a short time. Even the injured Twigg had regained his bearings and was drinking to the pillage. Kat was lucky that he hadn't said anything to the captain about what she had done. Then again, no man would admit being kicked down by a woman that was half their size and body weight. Still, Kat remained bound as William pulled her onto the deck. It was tough for him because he was also juggling a box he had taken from the caves. Kat's
heart fell as he approached Barbossa.
"What shall I do with this one?" He asked. Kat felt her muscles tense up, but this time she didn't fear any pain. It was as if she knew that nothing
would hurt.
"Put it in the brig. Tis best to let yer enemies rot than go easily with death." He said. Without another word, William pulled her along toward the ships stairs. Kat looked in disgrace as the ship her brother took so much pride in was desecrated by the actions of these dirty sea dogs. She wished them nothing but harm and misfortune in all of their celebrating as it disappeared from her sight. Bootstrap grabbed the keys as he continued on to the brig area. He stopped her in front of the cell that she had been
in the last time he spoke to her before her brother's death. There, he
held her gently against the bars as he undid the bindings.
"Thank you." She said. It was odd having her hands back at her sides after so long, but it was funny that they did know burn from the chaffing of the ropes. In fact, she couldn't feel anything. He held onto her still as he unlocked the cell and led her inside. Once there, he let her go and
closed the heavy door behind her. She looked back to see him leaving.
"Bootstrap, wait!" She cried out. He stopped dead in his tracks.
"Please, I have to talk with you." She tried not to beg, but her voice came off in that fashion. At first she thought he was going to walk away.
She let out a sigh as he turned around and came back.
"I'm here." He said, leaning against the bars.
"Why do all of these men keep telling me that they did something to Jack? What happened that night?" She asked, taking his hand. Even with all that had been going on; her teenage crush had yet to diminish. William shook
his head as he ran his other hand through his dirty blonde locks.
"I told you, he fell overboard. There is nothing more too it." He said, pulling away from her. She tightened her already iron grip and forced him
closer to the bars.
"You're lying! I can tell you are not being truthful with me! What happened?" She asked, her patience beginning to break. She was determined to make him talk, no matter what it took. He looked her dead in the eyes.
"Kat, you will hurt when I'm through." He said sternly. Kat didn't let go
of his hand.
"It can't be any worse than how I have felt for the past few days." She answered, her grip becoming weak of his hand. He took a deep breath and
started the story.
"Barbossa got Jack to tell him where the island was located the night it all happened. I warned Jack against it, I told him that it was not wise unless it is to an honest man. You know of course that he didn't listen. That same night, Barbossa came to us with a plan to overthrow your brother. Didn't want a young blood like him ruling over us. Stupidly, I went along
with it fearing that if I said even the smallest phrase that I would be killed. When one of the men inquired about your fate, Barbossa said that he had that figured out already. Somehow, he stole the compass from Jacks pocket and planted it in the quarters. He then set out a goblet of drink with a note for you beside it. I don't know what exactly he placed in it, but when Jack found you he thought you were dead. The only time he let his guard down was when he covered your body with his jacket. The crew jumped him in the beat of a wing, tying him up and gagging him. As all of this went on, Barbossa pointed out a small island that was on the route to Isle
De Muerta." He explained the best he could. Kat just stood there, too stunned to speak. Memories from that night before were falling into place.
She could remember returning to the quarters to retrieve the compass as
she had been told. She remembered drinking the contents of the goblet. She remembered the dizziness before blacking out. It was all coming back
to her. Finally, she withdrew her hand from Williams.
"You marooned him." She said through her teeth. A mixture of anger and
grief were boiling inside her.
"Aye. He didn't put up as hard of a struggle thinking that you were dead."
William answered, trying to calm her down. Instead it made things ever
worse.
"That's beside the point! You marooned your friend on an island in the middle of nowhere to die! Then you lied about it to the person that Jack
mattered most to and made me learn about the lie from crew members that
would like to see me rot! Have I left anything out!?" She always screamed. She thrust her hand out of the bars to punch him in the face,
but he was quick to snatch her fist.
"It was either that or be killed. I know he was your brother, but I too have to think about my son. If I were to die my family would die with me."
He said, pulling her forward. "I know it's no excuse, but I had to do
what I had to do. There are no other words for it." He let go of her
hand. She then looked at him coldly.
"Get away from me." She whispered.
"Katrina, I didn't mean for this to happen." He said above the noise of
the celebrating above.
"Betrayer! Traitor! You stay away from me!" She yelled. She had never heard her voice sound like that before. She sounded like some inner demon
was taking over her. William didn't continue. There was no sense in making things escalate from this point. He turned on his heel and walked
away from her.
"I'm sorry." He whispered under his breath as he left, but Kat was too
enraged to hear it. She paced the tiny cell, her mind trying to get a grasp on what had been said. In her grief, she proceeded to hit the iron bars as hard as she could with her fist. She couldn't feel the pain, but she thought it was because she felt so numb from the truth. It didn't feel as bad when she thought Jack had died from an accident, but to know that he was murdered by the hands of a friend was inconceivable. It all felt too
surreal.
"That bloody dream was true. All of it!" She said to herself as she backed into the wall and used it to lower herself into a sitting position. She covered her face with her hands, but no tears came. Instead, when she touched her cheek she found something was wrong. She brought a finger down
where Bo' suns slap had cut her face. Now her skin was smooth, unblemished. She reached inside Jacks coat that she had been wearing since
the night and pulled out her little bag. It was all she had from the captain's quarters. In it was a small shard of a mirror that her mother
had owned. She peered into it, trying her best in the little light her
had. Sure enough, the cut was gone. "No one heals that swiftly." She said, shaking her head. Then, she realized that she was still wearing the cloth around her neck. Slowly, she pulled it away to find that the perfect
finger marks were also gone.
"The count is in boys! 882 pieces for our troubles!" She heard Barbossa
yell from above her head. Her mind went back to the coin that she had stolen from before. Quickly, but careful to watch for unwanted visitors,
she slid her hand into her boot and retrieved the piece of gold. She
looked at it, rolling it over in her hand.
"Why do I have the feeling that you're behind this?" She asked the skull on its surface. These were her last words. With no family, no friends, and a mystery to why she had healed in mere hours, she sat in the darkness. All the while, contemplating on the vengeance that now seemed inevitable.
Sorry that is chapter is a bit shorter than the last one. I'm having a little thing called writers block and it kind of sucks. Isn't it kind of fun when you know what is happening to the characters before they do? What else could have healed her? Anyway, we're getting really close to having
Elizabeth entering the story and I have big plans for that part. Also, don't worry about Kat. Better times are on the way for her. I'll let you
go now, R&R! Remember, I like nice reviews! MUAH!