CHAPTER THIRTEEN

MISUNDERSTANDINGS

Samantha didn't protest her captors locking her away, because she knew that even if she managed to escape, she had no idea which direction home, Tortuga or any other land was. She was afraid, however, of them doing something to her once they learned that she didn't know the bearings to Isla De Muerta, because they most certainly would not turn around and take her back to Jack and the Black Pearl, and the nasty pirate, Pierre, was looking forward to any chance of getting rid of her in the way of his choosing, he didn't seem to like her much. She huddled in the corner of the dark, dank little room and clutched the medallion in her hand for an amount of time she couldn't measure, praying that Jack and Nicholas were looking for her.

She figured she had been locked in the room for nearly three days, because she had gotten food about six times, from Pierre, Captain's orders, she presumed, because Pierre definitely wouldn't have fed her on his own. On the fourth morning, (she knew it was morning because the light from outside had just started coming through the cracks in the ship's sides), Pierre came and opened the door.

"The captain wants to speak to you." he said. Samantha nodded and stood, brushing herself off, still clutching her medallion in her hand with a death grip. She was careful to walk as far ahead of him as possible to the captain's quarters. Pierre knocked three times and the captain called to him to come in, he opened the door and shoved Samantha through the door.

"Hello again." said the captain "Have a seat." he added, motioning to a chair at the table, opposite himself. The table was laden with maps and navigation devices.

"Now, you will provide me with the bearings to Isla De Muerta."

"But...I don't know how to get there..." she said.

"You aren't going to get anywhere by holding the information, so, let's have it out dear."

"Honest! I don't know, I've never been there."

"TELL ME!" he demanded, slamming his fists down on the table, his face inches from hers.

"I...d-don't know...please...I'm sorry..." Samantha stuttered, frightened. Captain Franklin sighed.

"Miss Sparrow, you try my patience." he said. Samantha's frightful look turned into a confused one. "If you will just tell me, we can be on our way and get you back to your ruddy father."

"I'm not Miss Sparrow..." Samantha said.

"Now you're lying about who you are as well? Miss Sparrow, please, what kind of a fool do--"

"My name is Samantha Turner. From Port Royal. William Turner is my father, not Jack Sparrow. I only met Jack about a week ago... I've never even left Port Royal until the other day. I had to get something to Jack, I found him in Tortuga. I'm not even related to the Sparrows."

"You lie!" he yelled.

"No, I'm not lying I swear! Please, just take me back to Tortuga."

"Why on earth would I do that? You've done nothing at all for me." Samantha, becoming desperate now, brought the medallion out and set it on the table on a map of the Spanish Main. Captain Franklin picked it up and looked at it closely. "What's this?"

"It's all I have. If you let me go, you can keep it. Please..." she whimpered.

"And you won't send Sparrow after me?"

"No, I promise...please..."

"Well, I'll see what I can do, Miss Turner."

"Thank you sir." she said.

"Aye...Pierre!" he called. The door opened and Pierre came through it.

"Escort Miss Turner back to her quarters."

"Our bargain?" she said.

"We'll let ye go." he sneered, pocketing the coin. "Don't you worry about that."

.......................................................................................................................................

Samantha was locked back in her room for two more mornings, and on the third, Pierre, in an extremely joyful mood, came again to escort her out, this time to the top deck, where the crew was gathered. A small island was visible on the horizon, about one mile out.

"Miss Turner, right this way." the captain said. He extended his hand to show her the way. A plank was set down, leading out above the water. Pierre shoved her towards it.

"You liar! You said I'd go free!"

"Don't go accusing me of lying Miss Turner, I said ye'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where." he laughed, the crew did the same. "Go on. Get out there." Samantha walked out and tiptoed cautiously to the end of the board. Pierre laughed and kicked the board. Samantha lost her balance and fell, screaming, into the dark water below. Gasping for air, she inhaled water, her heavy dress dragging her down. She pulled at the clasps and ripped it off, swimming as fast and as hard as she could to the surface, her lungs screaming for oxygen. The dress she wore underneath weighed her down a little, but she still made it to the surface, gulping down air. She tread water for a few seconds, trying to find the direction of the island she'd seen from the Navigator. When she had it in her view, she started swimming towards it. It took her nearly an hour to make it. She half-walked and half-crawled onto the island and collapsed on the beach, face down in the sand. She coughed and sputtered until all the water was out of her lungs. She closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them and looked around she saw that the island wasn't that big at all, there was a small grove of palm trees and some sand dunes, but that was about it. There was nothing but water around the island as far as she could see. She squeezed her hair to get the water out, then did the same to her under-dress. When she had gotten enough strength up to move, she walked around, trying to find any way possible of getting off the island. Frustrated and extremely angry, she picked up a rock and threw it, it struck another and sparks flew. Samantha's head was instantly filled with an idea of a blazing fire. She ran to pick up the rocks and gathered some kindling. It took her nearly four hours to get the fire big enough for warmth, and it was dark by then, but once it was built, she sat down in the sand and drew her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes.