For who, to dumb Forgetfullness a prey,
This pleasing anxious being e'er resigned
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day
Nor cast one longing ling'ring look behind?
Immortal
Chapter Five
November 17, 1743
2:56 am
Dead men don't bleed. That failed to stop Barbossa and his crew from squeezing every drop they could from Will's bruised body. They held him over the stone chest for hours, and the red, clumpy blood fell from him like jam. Then, they took Elizabeth and Jack and wrung them. The chest was soon dyed with dry blood, but the crew and their captives looked at one another and looked at themselves. It was useless. The curse did not lift.
Then, the crew was in a flying rage. Gripping their swords a bit tighter, they turned on Barbossa. Shrieked and yelled to hide their fear. Fear of immortality; of existing and never fading. Unconsciously, they surrounded Barbossa, ready to take their fear out on their captain. Barbossa's eyes rolled around as he searched the cave for rescue. He lighted three bond figures: Will, Elizabeth and Jack.
"Young Turner's blood failed us, gents! They have tried to trick us, to send us into the hands of our enemy!" the proclaimed Captain.
The scapegoat was found.
"It was Sparrow who learned us of this Island! It was he who pulled us down into Hell!" Twigg joined in the chorus.
The pirates shouted in union.
Barbossa stepped predatorily up to Jack. He placed his hands on Jack's shoulders; it was almost a friendly gesture. His smiled and flashed rotting teeth. The monkey, from his perch on treasure, cried gleefully. Jack pulled a little, just a little, at the tight knot pinning his arms behind his back. Then he relaxed.
Barbossa hissed, "When we return to the ship, I'll have the whelp's bones plucked out one by one and tossed into the sea."
The pirates seethed with glee.
Barbossa continued, "But we would enjoy the young lady's presence. Perhaps she would provide entertainment for us gentlemen." He leered with heavy emphasis on the last word.
"But you, my dear Jack," he continued, slapping the pirate on the back, "We all know how much you like that ol' Pearl, don't we, me scallywags? So, we won't part ye from it. Not all of ye, anyways. I'll sever ye gullet and keep ye head in a fine glass jar. Then pitch yer carcass overboard. What say ye to that, mates?"
He turned to the throng. They cried heartily. Jack the Monkey screamed and jumped up and down on a mound of jewels.
"Barbossa, your lack of imagination does, really, scare me," Jack called after Barbossa.
He tuned back, "Are ye sure that's what be scaring ye, Jack Sparrow?"
Jack shrugged as best as he could for his bonds, "That, and the fact that you- may be- repeating the whole bloody Bootstrap fiasco, that's all mate."
The crew looked at each other, a slow light of realization creeping into their dull dirty faces. It was Barbossa who sent Bootstrap to the deeps; it was he who prolonged the curse!
"He got rid of ol' Bill, and then we needs him to lift the curse!" squeaked Ragetti.
The pirates shouted in assent.
Barbossa studied their mutinous faces.
A muscle in his cheek twitched, "All right, ye cockroaches. We are no dictatorship. What shall be done with these dogs?"
"Captain, do not harm them," demanded the Bo 'sun, "their rotting carcasses could still be important to us." The crew murmured and growled.
Barbossa whirled to face their spiteful faces growling back at him. He turned again to see Jack, a sly gleam in his eyes and evil smile on his lips.
"I suppose that they may stay in one piece. At least, for now," he added, more to Jack and his companions than anyone else.
"Look at it this way, Barbossa," Jack returned without missing a beat, "Immortality. Lasting forever and never fading. That has a nice ring to it."
I apologize for the long delay between this chapter and the next one. Oh, anyone care to guess where the rhyme at the opening of the chapter is from and what it means? If you guess right—oh, I don't know what a good prize is. E-mail you a virtual tootsie-roll, or maybe I'll just review a bunch of yer stories.