Disclaimer: I'm running out of interesting ways to explain to people how I don't own any of the characters you are actually attached to.  Osrick is of course mine, but I'm not sure I want to claim him anymore…if readers remember that he sprang from my mind I think I might be in trouble.

*~*~*

Haunted

Chapter 8

            Silence engulfed the room as Jack slipped from consciousness.  His motionless form lay on his side at Ana's feet.  She herself was on the edge of consciousness and falling into the darkness.  Will continued his struggle to breathe; it was only now beginning to become easier.

            "What…" He uttered in an attempt to ascertain what had happened.

            "He left," Ana choked.  Her throat ached and the cuts along her collar bone burned.  He'd left them…left them after he was able to break free.  Tears stung her eyes at the horrible let down she faced.  He'd come back and tried to free her…he'd tried.  She'd never known him to give up on something he wanted to accomplish, if he couldn't attain it one way he would have gone about it another way. 

            Ana had seen his eyes despite the difficulty of staying awake.  They had been Jack's eyes again and she could have cried with joy at seeing them.  They had never held more emotion any time Ana had seen them than that moment.  Anger had been clearly evident, but remorse and pain overrode it.

            The door opened and slammed against the stonewall.  Osrick stood in the doorframe, red eyes flaring, glaring down at the motionless body of the pirate captain.  The three captives could only stare at the man that was the cause of all their problems.

            "He thinks he can get away that easily?" Osrick's voice struggled to remain calm.  He strode over to Jack's lifeless form and roughly pulled him up by the collar and sleeve of his shirt.  Osrick dragged Jack along exiting out of the room before returning.

            "Don't expect to see him alive again.  And when he's finished I'll be coming back…these games are done."

            "Release us! Let me go and fight me!" Will exclaimed.  Osrick ignored the young blacksmith and closed the door.  The sound echoed that of their failing hope.

*~*~*

            It was numb again…the feeling of his body and his senses, it was just numb now.  He sat in the darkness of his own mind awaiting the next move that would determine the lives of him self and those he cared about.  Jack had taken a chance that if he would not allow himself to experience what Osrick was doing with his body, Osrick would give up on it and try something else.  He figured Osrick would more than likely just kill him rather than attempt to take control of him again.  Jack hoped within that amount of time some of the block headed soldiers running around the fort would get the bright idea of searching outside of it.  A sudden explosion of pain in his head and movement behind him gave Jack the impression that he wouldn't have time to wonder about it.

            "You pulled a fast one there Jack, I must admit.  No one has ever done that before."

            Jack didn't have to guess whose voice it was…he would always remember it.  Slowly, he turned to face Osrick who stood about ten feet away from him with a sword in hand. 

            "Well, that's because there's a difference between me an' them," Jack said with a wave of his hand.  Osrick cocked his head in amusement.

            "And what would that be?" A grin spread across Jack's lips.

            "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

            "That won't make a difference now," Osrick smirked.  "We are on a different playing field."

            "My playing field it would seem," Jack annunciated the point by raising his finger.  In a blink of an eye he found his trusty sword in his right hand.

            "Yes it is.  It took a bit for me to get in here. I can only imagine what kind of things you must have been through to need to create this place.  Very unique…but it won't help you. In fact-" Osrick brandished his sword, raising it in a fighting stance. "-I'd say you are at a disadvantage."

            "Don' know…me head still has its uses fer me," Jack said raising his sword as well.

            "I've noticed…you seem to be able to ignore the wounds that your body has sustained.  Let's fix that, shall we?" Osrick took a step forward and lifted his left hand as if to command something.  Jack's brow knitted in confusion before a wave of pain slammed into him and a gasp caught in his throat, almost choking him.  Feeling weak, his legs threatened to buckle, but Jack leaned into his sword to keep him steady.  His shoulder and torso burned again with the wounds that had been inflicted upon him. He had to grit his teeth together to stop for crying out.

            "That's better!" Osrick laughed.

            "I can still kill you…" Jack growled.

            "The mind is an amazing thing Jack.  I hope you realize that if you die here…you die permanently.  There's no curse that'll keep this blade from killing you, no escaping death…no friends can save you here," Osrick taunted with his voice and his smile, taking small steps towards Jack.

            "At least here ye won' be able t' hurt them," Jack said pushing back at the pain with his mind.  It lessened some and he was able to stand up again and lift his sword.

            "It won't take me long to finish this," Osrick shrugged his shoulders.

            "Yer not leaving here alive."

            "I'm going to enjoy ending your life," Osrick chuckled before taking a lunge at the pirate.  Jack was barely able to dodge the swipe of the blade that would have buried itself into his chest.  He quickly retaliated by swinging downward. His sword met with Osrick's right forearm.  The older man quickly stumbled backwards, glaring down at the wound on his arm.

            "Heh, no' very fast are ye?" Jack snarled.

            "You think a little cut will stop me?" Osrick straightened.

            "Don' know, but it makes me feel better." 

            Osrick's eyes narrowed and he mumbled something incoherent.  Suddenly Jack was standing on that island again, alone, watching the Pearl sail away.  The same emotions ran through him as they had when it had first happened.  The anger and desire for revenge, the uncertainty…A huge explosion roared across the sea and Jack looked up in horror to see the Black Pearl, his Pearl, in an inferno of flames. 

            "NO!" Jack screamed out in protest to what his eyes were seeing, but he refused to believe.  He began to rush into the water, trying to get to her before it was too late.  Another explosion tore a hole into the hull and she began to fill with water, tilting on her side towards her watery grave.  His freedom, his life, it was gone…Laughter broke through his haze of emotions and he was back in the blackness standing in front of Osrick with his sword shaking in his hand. 

            "And that makes me feel better," Osrick mocked. 

            "How…" Jack shook his head trying to get rid of the scene he was just living.

            "An advantage of being me." 

            Jack rushed at the man as fast as he could, trying to thrust his blade into Osrick's tender stomach, but was stopped by the other blade.  The speed of the older man surprised Jack and he found himself stumbling back as Osrick pushed forward.  His wounds were throbbing again, but he continued to ignore them. 

            "I can see your worst nightmares here Jack.  I can make them come true.  I can even change the surroundings…let's try that, shall we?" Suddenly the ground beneath Jack became stone and the emptiness around him was filled with buildings, people, and animals.  It was night and people around him were screaming and running.  I've been here before…

            "Recognize it, hm?" Osrick questioned as he pushed forward while Jack was off guard and caused him stumble back and fall over a crate.  Jack got up as quickly as his injuries would allow.  He couldn't believe where they were.

            "This isn't real! It can't be real!" Jack yelled as he looked at Osrick.  The man let out a howl of laughter.

            "Seems real enough to me.  Can't you smell the smoke, hear the screams, the cannons?  It's all there…" Jack wasn't listening to Osrick, he was staying on his guard and watching the man's every move.  A sudden scream that Jack recognized broke his concentration.  It caused a shiver to run down his back.

            "It can't be-" Jack denied, his eyes wide. He shook his head and fixed his gaze on Osrick. "She's dead-they're dead! They've been dead!"  The scream filled the air again.

            "Doesn't sound like they are dead to me.  Too bad you're worthless…you couldn't save them then, and you're not even trying to now," Osrick smirked.  Jack stood frozen, conflicting emotions running through him.  Another scream rose and Jack could now hear the sound of burning wood.  It was happening again… He knew where he was.  Jack's feet moved of their own volition, rushing to the place he knew he needed to be, it couldn't be allowed to happen again.

            "I'm coming!" He shouted as he turned a corner and saw a small thatched house burning.  Men with torches were running around lighting everything they could while the innocent people that had been woken in terror fled in fear.  Jack winced against the pain of his wounds, but moved towards the house.  A man stood near by laughing at the screams that resounded from the small building. Jack ran his sword through the man before yanking it back out and watching as the man collapsed in a pool of blood never to take another breath again.  The screams echoed through his ears.

            "Clare! Donald!" Jack called out.

            "John!" A young female voice cried out from the house.  It took Jack a moment to remember that was what they had called him before he refused to ever let anyone call him it again. 

            "I'm here!" Jack said, before moving to the door and kicking it open.  He was forced back by the heat that rushed forth from the house. 

            "Daddy's not getting up! It's hot in here! Help us!" Jack heard his cousin call out to him, her voice filled with fear.   The flames ate hungrily at the dry wood and straw, roaring in its triumph.  It was a wall of fire…there was no way through it.

            "Clare get out o' there!" Jack yelled. He rushed around the house to see if he could get in through any of the openings.  He found one around the back and could see Clare curled up beside her father who lay on the ground encircled by the flames that grew closer.

            "Clare, come here! I'll get you out!" The young girl's eyes flew to the opening where he stood, they were filled with panic and horror.

            "John-" she broke off coughing.

            "I'm goin' t' get in there, just hang on." Jack dropped his sword and moved to the wall, getting ready to climb in.  I won't loose them this time. They are all the family I have left… not again, not again!  A sudden cracking sound caused Jack to look up at the roof.  His eyes fell to the young girl and man on the floor, powerless to move them.  The burning rafters finally gave way and fell to the ground covering the two people that Jack had wanted so desperately to save.

            "Clare! Clare say somethin'!" Jack shouted over the flames. He'd only been ten and three years before, but now he was older.  He should have been able to do something more.

            No answer came. Laughter broke out behind Jack and he whirled around to see Osrick standing there.  Jack bent down and picked up the sword pushing back at the pain again with his mind.

            "What a superb attempt.  Too bad though…you lost them again.  How does it feel to do that a second time?" Osrick cocked his head to the side in question.  Jack shook his head and forced away the images, slowly their surroundings returned back to the black emptiness.

            "Tha' wasn' them…" Jack said in a low, dangerous voice.

            "I'm sure they don't appreciate hearing you say that.  After all that poor man went through just to take care of a whelp like you and his own daughter.  His sister's son he'd never seen until you just showed up on his doorstep one day."  Jack was within swinging range in two strides and lunged at Osrick. The man parried the heavy blow, but was forced to take a step back as the pirate's momentum carried him forward, fueled by the rage that filled his eyes.  Jack grunted and swung low as Osrick's own sword missed Jack's neck. Satisfyingly, he felt flesh give way to his sword and pulled back before Osrick could recover and attack.

            "I'll take ye piece by piece if I 'ave t'," Jack said as he looked down at the gash that ran along Osrick's thigh. 

            "You will not beat me you naïve, low life, fool…"Osrick snarled.

            "Is 'at the best ye can do?"

            Osrick's answer was starting his incoherent mumbles again.  Before Jack could respond he found himself in a cave with a gun in his hand.  He immediately recognized the place and time.  Barbossa stood in front of him with his gun trained at Elizabeth and Will stood by the chest of the Aztec gold.  A shot was fired, but Jack realized it had not been his gun.  His gaze flew to Elizabeth who was clutching her chest in pain where the bullet had entered.

            "Elizabeth!" Will's cry echoed through the cavern walls, but before he could move a cutlass flew through the air and buried itself in Will's abdomen.  

            "No!" Jack exclaimed before shooting his own gun at Barbossa, but he simply laughed at Jack.

            "S'not goin' t' do anythin' t' me now, Jack!" Barbossa laughed.  Jack's panicked gaze flew to Elizabeth who collapsed to the ground at the same time Will did.   Barbossa's laughter grew and resounded through his head as Jack let out a scream in protest.

              A moment later he was standing in front of Osrick whose own voice had taken over the laughter.  In a rage, Jack charged at Osrick. However, unfocused his opponent easily sidestepped the pirate. Perfectly in position, Osrick brought his sword down slashing a long line across Jack's back.  The pirate hissed in pain at the new burning sensation. The cut wasn't deep, but blood quickly seeped out and began soaking into the shirt.  Jack turned and quickly put up a defense stance.

            "This is more fun than I could have imagined.  I can see now why you were able to defeat Barbossa and manage to stay alive as long as you have.  You have quite a bit of luck and skill on your side Jack, I'll give you that, but you don't stand a chance against me.  You're weakening…you were never that stable to begin with and now you are even closer to completely losing it."

            "'m not done yet…" Jack seethed.

            "Stop giving your self false hope, it's becoming annoying.  No real man would be in such denial.  But then, you aren't what one would consider an example of a man.  Just some poor excuse of a pirate trying to hide how sad and pathetic he really is by a great façade."

            "And what would ye know about bein' a real man?  You who needs to hide behind some power granted by a random god?  Can't even fight yer own battles, but instead, use heartless scallywags te do yer dirty work and then fer yer own kicks, tear apart the lives a few of the only decent people in this place?"

            "Decent?  Your definition of decent lacks I'm sure.  That wench of yours certainly isn't considered 'decent'.  Far from it, and that whelp and his bonnie lass?  Spending their time with the likes of you two speaks far more volume than anything else."

            "Sticks and stones…" Jack took a new offensive stand. 

            "Ready to go again?" Osrick snorted.

            "I've been ready." Jack stepped forward and aimed for Osrick's head. He was blocked as Osrick circled.  Jack followed parrying and blocking.  The two men started a dance as the sound of metal clashing with metal ringed through the air.

            "You're alone…" The pirate said out of no where.

            "What?" Osrick was thrown off by the words. 

            "Ye' 'ave no one…bet me hat ye' can't even get a wench at a saloon t' bed ye. Is 'at why yer so bent on killin' everyone?  No one te' love ye?" Jack spoke.  He ducked and stepped back as Osrick's sword flew.

            "You don't know anything about me…" the older man snarled.  His eyes had narrowed and his blows became more forceful.  A smirk began to play on Jack's lips.

            "Is 'at wha' caused ye t' go searchin' fer the magic ye wanted so bad?  Some strapping young lad come an' sweep yer strumpet away?  Can't believe she'd need much of a reason te leave.  Maybe ye jus' couldn' perform right?" Jack said between ducking and swinging. 

            "You don't know what you speak of. You've no idea of my-"

            "She wasn' even 'at easy on the eyes, was she?" Jack continued.

            "She was taken by-"

            "Taken? Ran more likely," the pirate smiled.  Osrick's normal calm was waning, his red eyes growing darker, his movements and strikes becoming jerky.  Jack allowed his chest to become an easy target.  Osrick took the easy shot, lunging forward.  With his opponent's balance off, Jack moved towards him and rammed his shoulder into Osrick.  Osrick let out a gasp as he fell back and Jack kneeled in spite of the wounds that protested movement.  He dropped his leg on Osrick's arm that held his sword and held his own weapon at the man's throat. 

            "I've never enjoyed killin' before…but this-this I'll always look fondly upon" Jack's eyes narrowed dangerously. 

            "You think you can win that easily?" Osrick sneered, his eyes burning brighter than ever before. "How do you know this isn't just another game?" 

            "I bloody well-" Jack blinked and suddenly he was standing in front of Ana again, with pitchfork in hand.  No…I beat him!  Osrick's unmistakable laughter rang in Jack's ears. 

            "You won't ever win!" The demonic man's voice laughed tauntingly.

            "Stop! I know this isn't real…this already happened…that isn't her!" Jack exclaimed.  But his mind was telling him differently.  He could feel everything, see everything, hear everything again.  Elizabeth's protests and Will's labored breathing.

            "Well, if that's the case then, it won't bother you so much when you kill her."

            "I'm not goin' te' kill her…" Jack retorted. 

            "Ye let 'im win Jack," Jack heard Ana whisper under his hand gripped around her throat.  Jack shook his head and tried to release the fork, but his hand held it tightly.

            "I won', I won'-" As if to prove himself wrong, the pirate's arm moved of its own accord and the fork entered Ana's chest with a sickening thwack. He felt bone and muscle give under the pressure.  Ana's eyes widened as the looked back into Jack's.  Her body convulsed under the fork, but after a moment stopped.  Jack looked on in disbelief as her eyes closed and she no longer moved. 

            "This isn't real, it can't be…" Jack mumbled.  He was able to now move his body and he reached out to touch Ana's face.  He could feel her, could see her…why does this feel so real?

            "Anamaria…" He said softly.  His hand dropped as he examined her, not wanting to believe that what he was seeing was the truth.  His hand touched some liquid and he looked down to see blood from Ana on his hands.  It felt warm and sticky between his fingers and Jack finally let it sink in. I killed her… A shiver ran through him, running cold to his core. No, no, no- The tormented pirate captain threw his head back in surrender, letting out a howl of anguish.  It echoed all the despair, rage, and guilt that tore at him from the inside.  He'd failed and this thought only added more to the cry. 

            His vision swam with tears, every muscle in his body was braced, used to strengthen the volume of the only release he had.  Suddenly Jack was pushed and fell back landing harshly.  Before he could comprehend what had happened a great weight was placed on his chest and he felt an object ripped from his grasp.  His sword…but he just- Jack pushed away at everything in his swamped head and focused on what was before him, or more precisely, above him.  Osrick now held his weapon to Jack's neck.  He had a grin on his face that spread from ear to ear. 

            "You should have learned by now," Osrick said.  "You won't win…"

            "Go ahead an' kill me.  There are far worse things that can be done." Jack didn't flinch.  Instead he met Osrick's gaze steadily.  Osrick's smile faded a bit, his head tilting a bit in contemplation.

            "There is…isn't there?" Osrick stated.

            "Ye want t' kill me don' ye?" Jack asked before gritting his teeth together against the weight being placed on his injuries.

            "I did at one point, just want to kill you, yes. But you have made that a far less appealing end to this little game now," Osrick grinned.

            "Kill…me…" Jack growled.

            "In due time, but for now…I've come up with a far better idea."

*~*~*

            Well, here we are again.  Thank you to all my fabulous readers for being patient and excited about this story.  There will probably only be about 2 or 3 more chapters left.  Kinda surprising huh?  Any bets on if these guys are going to make it or not? Maybe who will make it? Any guesses out there?  Just curious…also if it seems too predictable to you guys I might need to rethink my strategy…;o)  But then maybe my readers are just too smart *insert extra brownie points* lol 

            Ferntree:  Thank ye fer yer wonderful reviews mate!

            Kacijo12: Wow, thank you, no exaggerating eh?  *blushes crimson* I'm glad you weren't disappointed.  Yer welcome fer the glimmer of hope, I figured it was needed lol. *Blushes deeper red at being called idol* wow, uh, thanks…I hope I helped, r u going to update?  Thank you for your avid reading and reviewing!

            Inu lover: As always, Thanks mate! :o)

            J.L.Dexter: Hehe, I'm happy tha' ye like the plot, yes, despite its downward spiral lol.  Hope you continue to enjoy it.

            Girls-With-Attitudes-Rock: *sighs with relief* whew…glad to stop the tears.  I'm sure you can write, just have to practice and such, try to be true to the characters and the story and you'll be fine. Thanks!

            Capt. Cow:  Yes, calm…good…hehe, WHOO HOO!! Favorites list!! I do feel honored, Thanks bunches mate!

            Talamh: hehe, thanks.  Yea, Jack bad, who woulda guessed??? Lol

            AhiFlame: I'm glad you had fun on your trip.  Umm…*shuffles feet* I wouldn't make any assumptions about Jack's freedom…but then again, you're not one to talk!!!! You and-and yer hangings and illnesses!!! AHHH, I could keelhaul you fer all that!!! Grrr…*tries to calm down* ok, ok, I'm good…maybe…u better fix things soon!

            Kungfuchick: Thanks very much! Lol, lucky, update right after ur review.  Hope you enjoy!

            Jackfan2: No review this time, but I yer busy! You still get a thank you cause I love ye anyway!! Lol especially watching ur lit'l video.  How many times have u watched it by now? Thanks for all yer help, hope you enjoy the rest…and I'm still waitin' fer something te come out of the Jackfan camp writing wise!!!! Soon I hope…take care pack-mate!