Disclaimer: I own nothing more than I owned last chapter, which is nothing.
Chapter Two: What ever happened to…?
Captain Jack Sparrow turned to look at the crowd of people at his back. "So we're all agreed then?" he asked. "Will and I are to go ashore."
Elizabeth glared at him. "We are most certainly not agreed. The last time you took Will somewhere in a boat, he almost got killed!" She crossed her arms, nodded emphatically and stated, "You'll have to take someone else."
Will rolled his eyes in disgust and walked over to the rail to peer through the gloom of twilight at the island. "It's a very depressing place isn't it Mr. Gibbs?" he asked. "Maybe it's all the ships sunk around the island that give it that feel. What do you think?"
Mr. Gibbs, who had followed Will in an attempt to escape from Elizabeth's whining answered, "It could be boy, but I'm wondering. What made all of those ships sink?"
Both turned and stared out over the still water.
Meanwhile…"Sorry love," Jack was saying to Elizabeth, "there is no one else. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some plans to make."
Jack gave Elizabeth and Anamaria a small salute, and walked over to where Mr. Gibbs and Will were standing. They both turned to him.
"Mr. Gibbs get the boat ready." Jack ordered Mr. Gibbs somewhat impatiently.
"Sir? I don't like the looks of that island. What if the worst should happen?" Gibbs asked in a worried tone.
"Stick to the code of course. Oh! And Mr. Gibbs? While Will and I are gone you are in charge of the rum. Don't let those women anywhere near it. Savvy?" Jack delivered this whole speech in an ominous tone, and raised and inquiring eyebrow at Gibbs.
"Aye aye Captain! I'll see to it that the men keep double watch so those bloody women don't get anywhere near the rum." Gibbs replied fervently.
Jack nodded, and walked over to the ladder that led to the boat. "Coming Will?" he taunted, "Or has your wife whipped you already?"
Will shook his head, cast one last glance at Elizabeth, and followed Jack down the ladder into the boat. "Seems kind of familiar doesn't it Jack? Gibbs keeping to the code, and the two of us rowing off somewhere in a boat? Next thing you know, we'll be meeting undead pirates."
The two finally reached shore, and they tied up their boat to a nearby bush. They waved at the Pearl, and turned toward the center of the island.
"The trees here aren't tall enough to make a mast out of." Jack commented. "We'll have to head toward the heart of the island to find what we need. We'll head a ways in then camp for the night."
"Explain to me again why we couldn't have just waited for morning." Will demanded.
"We need to get out of here as soon as possible," Jack explained. "This island makes me nervous, and I don't want the Pearl near it longer than can be helped."
Will nodded, took a deep breath, and headed into the jungle. Jack followed behind him cautiously.
By the time true darkness had fallen, the two had made it several miles into the thick vegetation that covered the center of the isle. They could no longer see the Pearl, and could here nothing but the babbling of a brook they had set their tents up next to. There had been no site of animals, or indeed, any living thing during their trek, and nothing had changed.
"This isle is a graveyard, and not only for ships. I haven't seen or heard any animals since we entered this God forsaken forest." Will whispered apprehensively. He glanced around, but quickly returned his gaze to the comforting sight of supper cooking over an open fire.
"Don't be silly boy!" Jack said boisterously. "Here, have a little drink out of my 'water' flask and you'll feel much better."
Will took the flask and sniffed suspiciously. "That's not water! That's rum!" He accused.
"I know that. But did you know that I know that you know…that." Jack swayed as he talked. "Maybe I'd better save the rest for the opportune moment, eh Will?"
Will sighed in exasperation, took the flask from Jack (again) and hid it in the tent. As he was emerging from said tent, he felt the prick of something very pointy, cold, and metallic at his neck. He looked up. Above him stood a man. Only, this man wasn't like anything, or anyone, that Will had ever seen before. He was rather short for one thing, and dressed very oddly. His clothes looked to be Spanish, and had strange similarities to paintings Will had seen of early explorers. The weirdest thing about this man, though, was the fact that Will could see right through him.
"Welcome to The Cursed Isle young sir." The man-thing hissed. Will gulped and glanced over at Jack, who was similarly restrained.
Jack gave a sickly looking smile. "Why hello Manuel! I thought this island looked familiar, but I never would have guessed that it was the same one we were sent to so long ago. To tell you the truth, I never really liked this place. So, if you don't mind, we'll be leaving." He attempted to get up, but the sword at his neck stopped him in a crouch.
The man-thing, Manuel, above Will turned to look at Jack. "Mr. Sparrow. It has been long since you were with us. I imagine you have a lot to tell us. Now, let us return to the Heart and see the Leader."
"Where are you taking us?" Will demanded to know.
"Where?" Manuel asked. "Why, to see Cortez of course."
Author's Note:
When I watched Pirates, I thought to myself…"Why would the Aztecs only curse the gold and not Cortez?" Answer: They probably wouldn't! Then I thought…"No one knew anything about Jack before he showed up to look for the Aztec gold. The Isla de Muerto can only be found by people who know where it is. Jack knows where it is. Where did Jack get the compass?" Then it came to me. Maybe, Jack was with Cortez, and that's how he knew where the Isla de Muerto was. I decided it might be a cool angle to explore, so here it is. Hope you like it.
Dreamstrifer: Here's another literary tapeworm just for you.
Anyone who's reviewed, or just read this: Thank you!
Quote of the Chapter: "If you're in a horror movie, and you see something suspicious, don't poke it with a stick." –me (again)