Chapter 18: A Foolish Decision

Diego and his small crew were trying to make their way through the fog that was so thick they couldn't see five feet in front of them. He had Angela by the arm as he pulled her alongside him. They all jumped when they heard a noise suddenly. Sounded almost like an unearthly scream from far away, but they dismissed it as just a wild animal from the island and pushed along. They were trying to find the other side of the island, but it seemed like they were walking around in circles. Diego was becoming furious. "Where the blazes are we?" He stopped suddenly and turned around to speak to the others.

"Let's just stop here and when day breaks and we have enough light to see where we are going, we'll continue."

Heshoved Angela on the dirt floor by a small tree and roped her hands behind her and around the tree so that she could not escape. They all lay on the damp and dirty ground and tried to fall asleep for a short while.

Meanwhile back on the Pearl, Jack and his crew were busy getting ready with their plan to get Angela back and deal with Diego. Jack had sent Will to his room to rest, he could see that the stress was taking it's toll.

Will had tossed and turned thinking of his Angie with this crazed man, but after tossing and turning he fell into a restless sleep. He began to dreamof Angela and that he could see her far away but he could not reach her, he tried to run but it was useless. Suddenly in the dream she disappeared from sight and Will awoke in a startled state. Sweat was dripping from his forehead and poured off him as his shirt clung to his body. He dropped his head back on the bed and held his pillow firmly between his arms, wishing the pillow he squeezed was his dear Angie. Not being able to sleep, he got up, dressed, and left his room.

Jack decided to take a short break and went back to his room to see Romi. She was sitting up in bed and Jack could tell that she was crying. Her eyes were red and puffy and her face was flushed. He walked over to her side of the bed and did not say a word. He just sat down by her and held her in his arms. Romi gladly accepted his warm embrace, and while in his arms said a silent prayer for her friend.

Jack looked at her and gave her a tender yet passionate kiss that left Romi breathless. He got up walked to the doorway where he stopped to look back at her, gave her that infamous grin, though she could tell that the strong confidence it usually held wavered a bit, and placed his old tri-corner hat on his head. "I love you." He said, and promptly left the room.

Romi felt a little more at ease knowing that Jack would do everything in his power to save Angie. She tried to lie back down and get some sleep.

Jack walked to Will's room and knocked on the door. No answer. He knocked louder. Still nothing. He opened the door and looked around seeing that Will was indeed not there. Walking back to the deck, his crew were there awaiting him.

"Has anybody Will?"

"No Capt'." The rest of the men shook their heads.

Jack looked out towards the island and whispered to himself. "Will, what foolish thing have you done?"

Will walked as quietly as he could through the trees, being careful to not make a sound. He held his pistol tightly in his hands and his cutlass hung at his side. Every now and then he would hear a sound coming from all around him, his heart beating wildly against his chest for fear that the others heard him approaching. He walked on and as he looked ahead he could see a dim light in the distance, he squinted his eyes to see if he could better examine it, but it was not clear enough to make out. As he walked closer the light became brighter and brighter. When he was close enough to it, he could see the figure of a woman amidst the light. He knew it wasn't Angela and as he got closer he tried to speak to the woman.

"Miss, please, have you seen some men carrying a lady through here?"

The figure did not answer.

"Please miss, I need to find my wife, she's been taken from me."

The woman still did not answer him. As Will got closer he noticed that the woman herself was radiating with the light, she was glowing, almost angelic looking. A sudden fear enveloped Will, but it quickly vanished as the figure motioned for him to follow her.

He did without a fuss figuring that if this being wanted to hurt him it would have done so already.

Jack stood at the deck wondering if he should go after Will or stay and wait till dawn to carry out their plan. He lowered his head and grated his teeth before looking back up to shout his orders to his men.

"Alright ye mangy cats, get all the pistols and swords ready we are to leave the Pearl at once to go find not only Angela, but now Will as well.