Chapter Four: A Curse that Reaches Beyond the Grave
::stares at the chapter that's still sitting under "document manager":: This was suppose to be uploaded yesterday... I could have SWORN I'd uploaded it yesterday... ::sigh:: I really am loosing my mind. Sorry, ya'll!
The rumbling finally slowed and Will Turner pulled himself from beneath some of the treasure that had come crashing down around him. His eyes scanned the area, looking for his friend. "Jack?" There was no answer and his heart seemed to constrict. "Jack! Where are you?"
A muffled groan sounded from beneath a pile of rocks and Will was upon it immediately. "Jack?" he called as he dug and finally found the pirate captain beneath it all. "Jack, are you all right?"
The pirate groaned and his eyes fluttered open as Will pulled the last of the small rocks off of him. He was still trapped beneath several larger ones that pinned his left arm by the shoulder and another looked as if it might have crushed his ankle beneath it. "'m a'right," he slurred together, grimacing in pain as he did so.
"Sure you are," Will answered softly. "Come on, we'll try to get these rocks off of you."
Jack suddenly seemed to jump to life as something struck him. "Where's Ana?"
"I don't know, Jack, but we've got to get you out now. We'll find her after that. I promise."
"No," Jack said quickly as he struggled to get from beneath the bolder. "We 'ave to look now."
Will struggled to help him so he wouldn't hurt himself further. "Jack, slow down. I'm sure she's fine."
"No," the pirate mumbled, struggling still. His eyes were frantic as he stared up at his friend. "Will, please... Ya don' understand, lad, we 'ave to find 'er."
Will nodded silently, unsure of why Jack was acting the way he was. The usual calm and collected pirate captain looked near panicked.
It was a couple minutes before Jack and Will could move the boulders and Jack stumbled to his feet, favoring his injured ankle and he started off towards the way Ana had disappeared, Will in tow.
"What's going on, Jack? You said something about a dream right before the cave in..."
Jack turned and was suddenly in the blacksmith's face, right hand moving as he talked and left one hanging limp at his side, worrying the slightly taller man. "'ve been 'avein' strange dreams where I walk in an' Ana's lyin' dead. I know it's jus' a dream, so don' give me tha' look, lad, an' I'd say the same, but it's been hauntin' me every night."
"Maybe just because we've come here..."
Jack shook his head. "I think tha' curse stretches beyond the grave, Will."
"The curse? Cortez's treasure?"
"Aye."
"So you think...? No, that's not possible, Jack."
"Not probable."
Ana felt a hand snake its way to the back of her neck and clamp down. She let out a startled gasp. "You... But you're dead."
"I am, lass, tha's a good observation."
"Then how...?"
"Some curses reach beyond the grave."
Ana struggled against her captor. "You won't kill him, you know. He's better than you."
He chuckled lowly. "Aye, you'd think tha', lassy, but ye don' know tha' perhaps tha' 'is death is what brought me from the grave. I crave revenge."
"It's yer own bloody fault ye died!" Ana felt her body being tossed like a rag doll into the cavern wall with a sickening thud. She fell to the floor, groaning.
"Sorry t' dissapoint, lass, but I 'ope ye said yer goodbyes."
Ana watched as the dark man left the corridor and she gave a small cry out, even if she knew there was no way Jack could hear her. With a moan of pain, she struggled to her feet and started her slow and painful way after one of the few men who might have a chance of taking down Jack Sparrow.
"Jack, slow down," Will pleaded. "You're hurt."
Jack turned a glare at the blacksmith that made Will want to retract a few steps, but then the taller man returned it, but certainly not as harshly. "And you believe you'll help Ana Maria by killing yourself to get to her?"
"'m not killin' meself," Jack answered shortly.
"You very well might be. Neither of us have any way to no the extent of your injuries."
"'m findin' 'er before it's too late."
"Perhaps it all ready is," a voice echoed through the cave, causing both pirate and blacksmith to shiver.
"Who's there?" Will demanded.
A figure stepped out from the shadows with a dark smile on his face. "An' ol' friend."
"Barbossa..." Jack breathed. "No... Where's Ana?"
"Good as dead, your poor lass. She's the one you met so many years ago, wasn't she? The one you saved in the bar that night."
Jack's eyes narrowed. "And if she is?"
"So sweet. Makes me sick."
"If she's dead, I swear I'll-"
"You'll what, Captain?" he asked sarcastically. "Kill me? I'm all ready dead." Barbossa leveled a pistol at Jack. "And now it's your time to join me in hell."
A/N: I'm going crazy, it's official now. I'm gone... Just thought I'd let you know.
Dawnie-7: Hmm, yes, but if they didn't, would it be a good story?
Lynx Ryder: Ah yes, the strong female... That'd be Ana. That's why I adore her character. She's strong and yet she's not anti men. Lovely combination there. And yes, cliffhangers are wonderful, unless they're in your story in which I'm dying to know what happens next!!! I mean, c'mon! You have a talent for making the reader want to scream to hurry up with the next chapter! Aren't cliffies great?
Kungfuchick: as long as it's just the computer and not the voices. And if my voices start talking to your voices we're REALLY in trouble...
Taurus-Sparrow-0506: Just keep telling yourself "Saiko's stories almost always end happily" and just repeat that over and over again. The problem is that almost in there. That tells you that not ALL of my stories end happily... So yeah... hmm... minor problem there. But maybe it'll make you feel better, hmm?
Celebrean: I'll... umm... do my best... And here's your update! :) Hope I haven't ruined it for you!
Jackfan2: Well, he realizes it's happening, but I dunno if he can stop it... You know how I write, Julie, very spontaneously. That could be very good for them or very bad. One good thing, I have the end in mind, so that's encouraging to the characters. Just can't tell what it is yet! ; P
