"Dead men tell no tales."
"That's not true," I automatically thought. "Dead people can talk, as long as you know how to read the evidence."
Still, the environment around us was spooky enough without the macaw's macabre call. We were fog-bound, slowly moving through a passage that was a graveyard for wrecked ships. It sent a shiver down my spine.
Captain Jack was at the helm, keeping an eye on his compass and steering us safely towards the island of the dead. Mr Cotton hovered by Jack's right side. I was on his left. Jack seemed annoyed by Cotton's presence, but ignored him for the most part.
I was preparing myself mentally for coming face to face with the cursed pirates again. My insides felt cold, and I realised that I was nervous. Trying not to let it show, I turned my attention to Gibbs and Will on the lower deck.
They were talking again, and I knew the topic of their conversation was the man standing beside me. Gibbs had let it slip to Will that Jack had once been the captain of the Black Pearl. Will proceeded to fish more information out of Jack's long-time friend. Gibbs didn't hesitate long in his story telling. There's nothing like a bit of pirate gossip.
I nudged Jack in the ribs. When he looked at me I pointed at Will, just as he was doing a darn funny, and accurate, impression of Jack. The captain frowned, put the rope anchor on the helm, and approached the two men. Despite his boots, he was slant as an owl as he crept up to them. As we got closer, we could hear more of their conversation.
"How did Jack get off the island?" Will inquired.
"Well, I'll tell ye," Gibbs responded eagerly. He used his hands to gesture as he spoke, weaving images of fantasy into Will's mind. "He waded out into the shallows and waited there three days and three nights, till all manner of sea creatures became acclimated into his presence. Now, on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed them together, and made a raft."
Will seemed disbelieving, and rightly so, I thought. "He roped a couple of sea turtles." he repeated.
"Aye. Sea turtles," Gibbs confirmed with a nod.
Will thought for a moment and came up with a valid question. "What did he use for rope?"
Gibbs frowned, unable to come up with an answer. I guess he had never thought of that before. Suddenly, he noticed Captain Jack standing there, eavesdropping.
"Human hair," Jack said, his tone mellow. I grinned in anticipation of his next line. "From my back," he added almost as an afterthought. And there, in a nutshell,was the myth, the legend, and the mystery of Captain Jack Sparrow.
"Let go the anchor!" Jack shouted to a group of sailors. They repeated their captain's command and went to go preform it. "Young Mr Turner and I are to go ashore." Jack and I moved to the rowboats on the side of the Interceptor. Gibbs and Will stood up and followed us.
"Captain, what should we do if the worse should happen?" the first mate asked.
"Keep to the Code," Jack responded quietly. We walked off.
"Aye, the Code," Gibbs agreed.
Will couldn't seem to shake the look of unease he had on his face as we rowed to the island. I decided to hover on my stomach above the little boat because there wasn't as much room inside it as I would have liked. Jack mostly ignored me. He was doing all the rowing, but unbeknownst to him, I was using my powers to subtly help him along. Will held a lantern, lighting our way as we entered the cave.
After a few uneasy minutes, the blacksmith looked over and saw a skeleton slumped over a rock, a cutlass imbedded in the back of its ribcage. Will gulped. I frowned and began to chew my lower lip. This was definitely dangerous territory we were heading into. "What code is Gibbs to keep to if the worse should happen?" Will asked in a worried tone.
"Pirate's Code," Jack responded. "Any man who falls behind, is left behind."
Will didn't like the sound of that. "No heroes amongst thieves, eh?"
"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one," Jack told Will over his shoulder. He proceeded to give examples. "Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga…" Will's lantern caught the golden glint of coins and other valuables resting on the bottom of the shallow water. Will looked at them, eyes wide. Jack and I glanced at the gold as well. "And you're completely obsessed with treasure," Jack concluded.
The boat ran aground on the shore of the cave. Will jumped out and hulled it a little more up so it wouldn't drift away. I landed on the rocks and Jack and headed for the heart of the cave, where the chest of cursed Aztec gold was held and where Barbossa's crew had gathered with Elizabeth.
"That's not true," Will said to Jack. "I'm not obsessed with treasure." My eyes rolled skyward and I sighed. That boy sure was stubborn! He followed us up around a corner, and to a hidden spot where we could watch the proceedings.
Jack looked at the gathering before us, turned back to Will, and said eight words in a phrase I would come to quote again and again with my peers. "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."