Okay I looked up the difference between gallows and galley, cause quite frankly I got over confused! Lmao.. So here it is. Galley is: the kitchen on an airliner, ship, or camper gallows is: A device usually consisting of two upright posts supporting a crossbeam from which a noose is suspended and used for execution by hanging; a gallows tree. Thank you dictionary.com.. My friend. lmao.. So there you have it. I'm no longer confused. Until someone brings it up again. Lol.. I'm good at updating quickly; I have to many ideas swimming in my head. Lol. Updates story then goes and reads tabbytha's story heehee. Gives cookies all around for bein such good reviewers .. A little reward! Okay that's it go on and read the story! :o)

Chapter 7
"The Curse Place Upon Me"

The sun had rose into the sky, another night over. I hadn't said one word to Jack since what happened last night. I should have brushed it off as nothing but for some reason or another I couldn't. I decided to keep myself busy, but how? After looking over the map absent mindedly, I had left the map on the table. Jack already knew of it, so I didn't think another thought of it when I stepped below deck. The old floorboards creaked below my feet as I took another step down the stairs. The smell of moldy food and rotten garbage filled my nose. "They live like pigs." I muttered to myself with disgust.

I began to clean the galley. I had to so I could keep my mind off of things. I didn't really understand how these guys could stay down here and not loose their appetite. By the time I had finished I had it spotless, I swore if anyone made a mess they would be getting a nice swift kick in the ass. I sat at the nice clean table, the chairs neatly pushed in. I was proud of myself how well I actually did. All of the rotten food had been thrown out of the window, the floor washed as well as the tables and counters. I was very satisfied with my work. I took a deep breath, the rotten food smell still lingered even though the food was gone. I scrunched up my nose and wondered why I just did that. I closed my eyes and shook my head; I was so dumb sometimes. I heard footsteps down the stairs I knew it was Jack just by the way all of his beads and coins that were braided into his hair would make a jingling noise. His boots clanked against the old, now clean, floorboards. He was mad about something, I could tell by the way he practically stomped down the stairs.

"Hey Captain, I just got finished...." I was cut off as Jack grabbed my wrist and practically threw my back against the wall. I closed my eyes as just about all of the wind had been knocked out of me.

"What the bloody 'ell?" I asked

"Why didn't ye tell me?" he asked, looking into my eyes, giving me a deathly glare, his usual calm collected self must have still been up on deck.

"Tell ye what?" I asked, I wasn't playing stupid I really didn't know what was going on.

"About the curse." He said, moving his face closer to me, and then backing off.

"'Cause it's got nothing to do with you. Only me." I stated, it was true he didn't have to know.

"Ye should have told me, what exactly is this curse?"

"I didn't tell ye because it is none of your concern!" I spat at him He cocked his head to the right a little.

"Oh, I think it is, now yer goin to tell me, savvy?"

"No I'm not, get it through that thick skull of yers, I'm not telling ye." I said walking toward the stairway, grabbing a banana on the way up. I could hear Jack following me up the stairs. I quickly made my way to his cabin, hoping to lock the door before he could reach it. I moved to close the door, the left on the knob my right resting higher on the door. Suddenly I realized it wouldn't close. "What the.." I wondered to myself, it was like something was stuck in the door. I peered around the door to find Jack standing there. He grinned slightly, well until he realized he was still mad at me not for telling him about my curse.

"Move yer damn foot!" I yelled frustrated

"No, I want to know why ye didn't tell me!"

"How did ye ever find out?" I yelled from the other side of the door

"Ye left the parchment on the table."

"Ye can read?" I questioned

"Aye." He said "now open the door before I break it down."

"Ye wouldn't..."

"Oh but wouldn't I?" he asked which confused me.

I backed up from the door, I watched his arm raise up and he pushed it open with his fingertips. I stood tall, knowing that I was going to have to be truthful now. I let out a deep breath and took a seat at the table. Tapping my fingernails on them out of annoyance. I watched Jack take a seat across from me; he rested his elbows on the table, with his hands balled into fists as he rested his head on them. "I'm waiting."

"Alright fine, I'll tell ye, even though it has absolutely nothing to do with ye." I said, giving him the look of death.

This was really none of his concern or business. But he looked so huggable sitting there with his head resting on his fists, intently waiting for me to speak. I peeled the banana I had grabbed on my way up from the galley. Jack eyed me and then the banana but then back to me.

"It's like this, before my father died he gave me a heart shaped locket, there was a curse set upon the locket, anyone who keeps the half of locket in his or her possession shall suffer heartbreak. I'm not able to love, I can pretend but I can't love. The curse says that if the other half of the pendant isn't found with in 3 years of you having the locket, you will die." I took a small bite from the banana it was rather good. I chewed for a few seconds and then began to speak, Jack still intently watching me. "I hold a heart shaped locket, I have half of it. The map you hold takes us to the other locket and a huge amount of treasure." I stopped and looked at Jack, his jaw was dropped. Any further dropped and it would be resting on the floor. I took another slow bite of my banana it was almost finished. Then it hit me. He wasn't paying attention to me; he probably hadn't heard a word I said. His eyes were fixated on my lips and the banana.

"Jack ye listening?" I asked, he had a dazed look in his eyes. I rolled my eyes. "Men." I muttered to myself. I finished off the banana and threw the peel out the window, hoping it went over the rail and not on the deck. I reached over with my right hand and set it on Jack's jaw, closing it for him.

"What did ye do that for?" he asked, moving his jaw around. He gave an embarrassed half smile.

"Yer gonna make a puddle on the floor if ye were to keep it open any longer." I laughed.

I watched as his face turned 5 different shades of red, he looked away and then back to me.

"Now what were ye sayin?" he asked

"Ye weren't listening? I'm not explaining again." I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Please, I got....... Distracted." He said his hands coming up and then dropping again.

"Distracted by a banana?" I questioned, unbelieving

"Aye, beautiful fruit.. That banana."

I began to laugh; I couldn't help it. The embarrassed look returned to his face.

"Ye have a one track mind, gullible."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Do we always have to argue?"

I nodded. "Seems that way."

"Now please repeat wha ye said.. Before my.... Distraction." I watched as his hands came up he moved his fingers and then crumpled them into fists. I rolled my eyes, repeating what I had told him before his "distraction."

"Where is this locket ye speak of? Ye don't have a bag or anything."

I thought about it for a minute. "I.. Can't tell ye."

"Aye, ye can.. And will." He nodded, sure of himself I dug in my bodice between my breasts; I watched Jack's eyes stray to my chest now. He stared at it with interest.

"Eyes up here buddy." I said, watching his eyes look back up at me with an evil grin spreading across his lips.

"need help?" He rose his brows in a suggestive matter, he began to stand, his hand reaching toward me. I slapped it away.

"Oh ye would love that wouldn't ye."

He nodded quickly, obviously hoping I would allow him to dig in my bodice. I pulled out the locket and held it out for him to take. I took it, our fingers touching slightly; I felt a shiver run down my spine. He looked it over. It was half of a heart that was made of gold, a blue sapphire on the front of it, in the top left corner. He held it by its chain, swinging it in mid air. He opened it eyeing the picture. It was of a woman, a young woman who looked very happy. Which happened to be my former self.

"How did ye come upon this?"

"I told you, my father gave it to me."

"That doesn't seem right, why would ye father give ye half of a locket?"

I sighed, deciding to tell him the rest of the story. "Well, it was a full locket at one time, an old lady with gray hair and dark black eyes had seen me happy and in love. Feeling sorry for herself cause she had no one to love of her own, she placed a curse on it. Breaking it in half. I searched for 3 years for the map. I have the map all I need is the other half and someone who loves me to place it back together. I haven't found someone to love me, but that's an after thought. I at least want to find the other half. I want to die knowing I accomplished finding it. I also want to see my ship one more time. My first mate found the map one night and that's how he persuaded the crew to take over the ship and maroon me, he knew I was dying anyway."

"So either way you're setting yourself up for death? How long do ye have?" he questioned, handing the locket back to me.

"3 days. By my estimation, if the weather holds out, we should be there on the third day. I will have only a few hours to actually find it."

He nodded in response, his grin had disappeared and we were both in serious mode. Knowing I had 3 days left to live. I didn't want to tell him about it in fear of knowing he might have feelings for me. But, as he has the whole time I have known him, he weaseled his way into me telling him. He was very persuasive when he wanted to be. With his sexy grins, nice soft hands, and hard tan body.... I think I should jump overboard and cool myself down...