Chapter 10

Will and Elizabeth had been below deck for over an hour. Everyone on deck was silent. Mourning for the of the great Captain Jack Sparrow. Even me.

"I'm sorry, lass." Said Mr Gibbs, approaching me. "We were given strict orders to keep to the code.

"What code?" I asked, turning from my position leaning on the rail, to look at him.

Gibbs flinched. "Pirates code". He replied. "Any man that falls behind is left behind."

I blinked, utterly perplexed. Then, Ironically, I began to laugh. I was aware that all the crew members were watching me laugh. Gibbs looked uncomfortable.

"The code." I said. "You were keeping to the code. The stupid Idiotic code!" My anger began to flare. "Jack could be hurt or worse, because you had to keep to the CODE!!" Furious, I stomped off, tears pouring down my face.

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Everyone on deck was running around madly.

"What's happening?" I asked Ana Maria, emerging from below deck.

"The Black Pearl's gaining on us!" She replied, in a rush.

"What?" I gasped and raced over to the rail, looking out behind the Interceptor. Sure enough she was right.

Elizabeth crawled up the ladder, from below, and onto the deck.

"What on earth is going on?" She asked, looking around.

"The Black Pearl's gaining on us!" I cried.

Elizabeth's eyes widened, I wondered what happened to her aboard that ship.

"This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!" Elizabeth insisted.

"You can tell them that after they caught us." Ana Maria replied, sarcastically.

Something in Elizabeth's eyes flashed. I knew this gesture only too well. Elizabeth had an idea.

"Were shallow on the draft right?" She asked. What the hell was she thinking? I mentally kicked myself for not reading Elizabeth's favourite book. Scallywags of the Sea.

"Aye." Ana Maria replied, sounding confused that Elizabeth knew what a "draft" was.

"Well then can't we loose them amongst those shoals?" Elizabeth asked, pointing to a reef about 100-200 metres away.

I finally caught on. "We don't have enough time to argue." I said. "We need to outrun them!"

"The lasses are right, luv." Said Gibbs coming over to us.

Ana Maria gave in. "Lighten the ship! Stem to stern!" She shouted, giving the wheel a good tug left.

"Anything we can afford to lose, see that it's lost!" Shouted Gibbs, going past me.

Making my way to the other side of the ship, I noticed a pile of cannon balls. I guess I really underestimated their weight. One of the crew came by and picked up a cannon ball and tossed over the rail of the ship, showing no sign of effort. By the time I finally got my cannon ball over the side, the crew member had finished with the rest of them and skipped off to help someone else.

Looking over the side of the ship, I saw a bunch of oars, floating up to where Ana Maria was. I also noticed some small bits of coral floating around, most likely broken off by the cannon balls. Uh oh.

I quickly made my way back to Ana Maria, just in time to see Will giving orders to Elizabeth, Ana Maria and Gibbs, to load the guns.

"With what?" Asked Ana Maria, from the look on her face, I knew she was fed up.

"Anything. Everything. Anything we have left!" Will Shouted, his hair flying all over the place. I couldn't help but stare at him. He was so gorgeous. Lucky Elizabeth.....

"Fill it with knives and forks, bits of glass! Anything sharp or heavy!" I said above all the noise.

Gibbs nodded and set to it. I caught Will's gaze, he and I shared a small smile.

Elizabeth hung over the edge of the rail, her head turned in the direction of the Black Pearl. Suddenly she looked back towards Ana Maria, Will and I.

"Lower the anchor on the right side!" She shouted. No one moved. "The starboard side!"

I defiantly should have read Elizabeth's book of pirate terms too, I thought.

"Your daft lady, you all are." Shouted Ana Maria, struggling with the wheel.

"Daft like Jack!" Replied Gibbs with a smile. "Lower the starboard anchor! Do it or you will be loaded into the cannons!" He yelled and hurried off.

The ship rocked forcefully as the anchor caught the oceans floor. I was flung backwards into Will knocking us both to the ground. I blushed a deep shade of red, remembering that day with the rope.

Ana Maria was trying to steady the ship, by holding onto the wheel tightly.

"Let go!" Shouted Elizabeth, as I got up giving a hand to Will who had gotten the wind knocked out of him.

Ana Maria did just that and the wheel spun around at full speed.

The ship spun sideways blocking the way of the Black Pearl.

5 minutes later Elizabeth, Will, Ana Maria, Gibbs and I were crouched down at the side of the ship, next to one of the cannons.

"Fire!" Yelled Elizabeth.

"Fire!" Yelled Barbossa from the Black Pearl.

On the word the two ships fired their cannons, the Black Pearl fired cannon balls and the Interceptor fired whatever they could find.

"We could use a few more ideas, lass." Gibbs said to Elizabeth.

"It's your turn!" She replied.

"We need us a devils dowry." He said.

"We need a miracle." I muttered.

"We'll give 'em her!" Said Ana Maria, pointing her pistol at Elizabeth.

"No!" I cried.

"She's not what their after." Will told her with a stern look.

Elizabeth felt around her neck, then looked up at Will with wide eyes. "The medallion."

Will raced off towards the trapdoor leading below deck.

"Elizabeth! What medallion?" I asked, begging god that she would tell me. "It's not Will's one is it?"

Elizabeth didn't answer. She just looked at me guiltily and turned back to the cannon.

A cannon on the Black Pearl fired at me, Luckily I ducked in time and the cannon ball whizzed over my head and hit the mast which came crashing down.

Fear clenched at my heart as the pirates began to board the Interceptor.

Being as brave as I could I pulled out my sword and met the pirates head on, managing to kick one into the ocean.

Suddenly, the wind was knocked out of me by the Infamous Jack Sparrow, who had swung from the Black Pearl on one of the ropes, the Pearl pirates had been using.

"Jack! Your alive!" I cried and gave him a big hug.

"I'm Jack Sparrow, luv." He replied cheekily. "Where's the medallion?"

Ok now I was annoyed. "What medallion?" I demanded.

Jack ignored my question. "Where is your dear William?"

I spun around, looking for Will. I couldn't see him.

"Will!" Shouted Elizabeth, trying to move the mast which had fallen on top of the trapdoor, trapping Will below deck.

Quickly I hurried over to help her.

"Will!" I cried, helping Elizabeth to push aside the mast.

"Annabelle! Elizabeth!" Will Shouted, pushing up on the trapdoor.

"We can't move it!" Yelled Elizabeth, almost in tears.

Two pirates came up behind us and carried Elizabeth and I, kicking and screaming, over to the Black Pearl.

Thinking the whole time, please god, help Will.