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19
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Jack pushed leaves out of his way. "Have you found anything?" He called to Erik.
Erik emerged from another section of leaves, hearing the call. He shook his head. "No, I don't think so. But I'm not giving up until we find him."
Jack sighed and continued in his search. They must have wandered throughout the entirety of Maple Cay, including its vast forest, five times now and still they had come up with nothing. Raoul had to be there somewhere...
Erik looked around, inspecting every inch he could lay his eyes upon. He still came up with nothing though. "Jack!" He called from within the trees.
"What?" Jack asked, annoyed.
"Come here."
"Alright," He sighed, beginning through the area of trees where he was located, and moving in the direction of where the voice had come from. He broke into a slow jog, the leaves on the trees whipping past him as he ran. As he spotted the top of Erik's head amongst the trees several feet ahead, he slowed his pace. Suddenly, his run was impeded by something sticking out of the ground. Not seeing it, he slipped and fell, his arms flailing out for support. He hit his chin on the dirt and groaned.
Erik came to him and looked down at the toppled man. He helped him up, then observed the protrusion that had caused the fall. He bent down, pushing dirt away from it and seeing that it was a piece of wood.
Jack spat on the ground, inches from the wood. "Damn thing. Could've killed meself on that piece of wood". He said miserably, smoothing out his clothing with his hands.
Erik shook his head, continuing to stare at the wood. "No... no that's not just any piece of wood, Jack. It's more than that."
"Oh, so I suppose it's a magic piece of wood now, eh?" Jack scoffed, turning his head away and looking at the trees. "I think you've wandered too long in these woods. Did you happen upon any 'special' types of herbs that you thought you'd try while I was gone?"
Erik rolled his eyes. "No," He stated dryly. "I meant that this is a handle."
Jack turned his head back, looking confusedly at Erik. "A handle?"
Erik nodded. "Yes," he replied, grasping his hand around the wood. With one quick jerk upwards, the ground began to lift up, dirt falling from the area. It was a door. Dust raised up in the air from the opening and settled on the ground around them.
Jack peered down into the black opening, seeing the beginnings of a stairwell which led down into the unknown. He looked back at Erik with uncertainty.
Erik gestured to the opening. "After you."
Jack gulped and slowly moved to the opening. He placed his feet on the first stair, then began his descend. Erik followed in after him, leaving the doorway open behind them... just in case. They moved through the dark passage, barely able to see their own hands in front of them. Soon, the darkness became less as several lit torches mounted on the walls appeared and illuminated their way. The passage was very dank and horrible dripping noises could be heard from all over. Jack could almost swear that at one time a rat had passed by his feet.
"I don't even know where we're going. What if he's not here? What if this is a trap?" Jack asked behind his shoulder fearfully.
"Then we're trapped," Erik replied logically. He suddenly extended a hand and placed it on Jack's shoulder.
Jack jumped, then realized it was only Erik. He stopped and turned around. "What do you want?"
Erik stood silently, his head cocked to one side. "Shhh... do you hear that?"
Jack was silent for a moment, trying with all of his ability to hear whatever Erik was hearing. He did not, though, and shook his head. "Hear what? I don't hear anything."
"Shh! There it is again!"
Jack furrowed his brow and listened harder. This time he could hear a faint noise in the distance. It seemed almost... human. His eyes went wide in fear. "What is that!" He asked nervously.
Erik shook his head. "It sounds like... moaning?" he replied, listening again. He nodded. "Yes. It's definitely moaning. Let's get going again." He began to walk, then Jack stopped in front of him again. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"
"I've a question for you first," Jack said slyly.
"Which would be?"
"Why on earth do you want to save this Raoul guy? I mean... I thought you despised him for stealing your love and now you're risking your own life just to make sure he's okay. Man, what's the deal? The situation's just perfect now: the guy's out of the picture, his girl's all out in the open. It's practically screaming for you to make a move! If I were you I'd take that Christine up into my room and show her how my--"
"I have my reasons," Erik said, cutting him off.
Jack laughed. "Ah, mate. You cut me off just when I was about to get to the good part."
Erik frowned. "Knowing that it's you we're talking about, I don't think there can be a good part," He remarked, his eyes drifting down to Jack's manly possessions, then returning to his face.
Jack's mouth hung wide open.
"And that, Mr. Sparrow, is how we burn. Oh yes, you've heard correctly! Does it sting? I bet it stings," Erik taunted. He lifted a hand a tapped Jack on the face in a friendly manner. "Don't leave your mouth like that too long or you're bound to gather flies." He stepped past Jack and continued down the dimly lit passageway.
Jack closed his mouth, shuddering away all of his shock. He looked around the dark, empty pit which was beginning to stink and felt a chill run down his back. Absently, he followed along to catch up with Erik, afraid to be alone in the scary hall.
The supposed 'moaning' grew louder as they moved further. Suddenly their passage was blocked by a large barred gate which sealed off the path. As he placed his grip around the handle, Erik hoped that it would be unlocked. When it swung open under his force, he let out a long sigh of relief, stepping on the other side of the door. Jack stepped in behind him and the door shut with a click.
Jack turned his head after hearing the click, eying the closed door suspiciously. The sound of water now filled their ears. The path suddenly ended several feet in front of them. Erik frowned, slowly moving to the end where the path was no more. Step... step... step... he stopped, looking down at the rushing water of a waterfall. The waterfall gave away to a steep drop, the exact end of the drop unknown, as someway down there was only darkness. The waterfall was lined with a large wall of jagged rock.
Jack paused behind him, then peeked over, seeing the water and jagged rock and almost losing his balance. He grabbed onto Erik, almost sending them both over the flowing waterfall. Erik bumped Jack away and looked over the rushing water once again. He reached around to his back pocket, feeling around for his noose.
Bringing it out, Jack stepped away. "Oh no... no, no, no. I'm not riding any waterfall on that thing. You're crazy, Erik. You're sick. You're a sick, sick man. Sick!"
"Would you like to go first or would you rather I go?" He asked, ignoring Jack's comments and twirling the rope around in his fist. With one sharp motion, he swung it out, the noose attaching onto a jagged rock of the opposite wall. He pulled on it, making sure it was secure, then offered the end to Jack.
Jack made no attempt to take the rope.
"Fine. Then I go and you're stuck all alone here, wondering how to manoeuver the rope. If you go first I can help you."
Jack raised a feeble hand, taking the rope. He approached the overlook of the waterfall and stopped, shutting his eyes tightly.
"Now hold on with all of your strength and swing out forward."
Jack shook his head violently from side to side, his eyes still shut.
"Swing!" Erik demanded.
Jack held his breath and swung out forward. That was it. He was a goner. He always knew he would die like this one day. He just didn't think it would be this soon. He could already feel himself being sent up to Heaven... the light! He could see the light! Grandma?
"Let go," A faraway voice called, bringing Jack back to his senses. So he hadn't died afterall... hmm... He held his breath once again and let go of the rope, expecting to fall and die really this time. However, when he let go, his feet were planted securely on a hard surface. He forced one eye open a crack and peeked around. The waterfall was flowing right in front of him now. He could feel gentle mists of water splash him ever few seconds or so. He opened both eyes fully and looked down, seeing that he was standing on a ledge on the jagged rock wall across from the waterfall. Where was Erik?
He raised his head and looked up, seeing Erik standing many, many feet above him on the top waterfall area "You okay?" Erik called down.
Jack nodded and stuck his thumbs up to him.
"I'll be there in a few seconds," he called, grabbing another rope from his pocket and throwing it over a jagged rock as he had with the other one. Jack watched the waterfall in front of him. It was mesmerizing. He hardly noticed when, as promised, several seconds later Erik had jumped down next to him. He turned to see him.
"Oh, when did you get here?" He asked comically.
"No time for any jokes right now. We've go to move," Erik said, tugging on the two ropes above and bringing them down into his hands. He tied them together to form one long rope, then bent down in front of the ledge, attaching them to a long, jagged rock.
Jack watched him awkwardly. "What are you doing?" he asked curiously.
"You'll see," he replied simply. When the rope was secured, he took it up in his hands and jumped off of the ledge, disappearing.
Jack peeked down below. "Erik?" He asked nervously, wondering if Erik had plunged to his death. He looked around. "Erik?" He asked again in a small, frightened voice. He suddenly saw a white mask appear below in the darkness, a face inside.
"Grab onto the rope and climb down," Erik instructed, continuing his descend.
Jack did as was told and began down the long rope. They set their feet on a another ledge and stopped to rest. After their energy was restored, they continued the process. They descended another several lengths until finally reaching the last ledge: the bottom.
Jack looked up at the waterfall, the top of it now only a small illuminated speck. It was hard to believe that he had just been up there before. He peered around at all of the water as they walked along the bottom. "How can this big of a waterfall be underneath an island?" Jack asked, confused. "It's just not possible."
"Yes it is. And you should know a thing or two about it because we are under the sea now, Jack. Don't you know about the sea?"
Jack gaped. "Really? We're miles beneath the sea? How?"
Erik shrugged. "I don't know the physics of it. We just are. There's a lot of these kinds of underwater passages and air filled caves beneath the sea. It's quite common."
Jack inspected the waterfall once again in amazement, as though a small child in a sweet shop. "Ya don't say..." He snapped from his amazement and took on a normal tone. "Where's this Raoul? I don't hear any more of that 'moaning'."
Erik shook his head in disappointment. "Me either..."
As though hearing them, the moaning started up again, this time so loud that they definitely had to be close now. Erik paused once again to adjust his ear to the sound. He nodded at Jack. "Yes, I recognize it. It's him," He said, feeling excited that they were about to accomplish their goal. He turned around, trying to pinpoint the direction of the sound. He stopped suddenly. "This way!" He shouted, marching forward.
They passed another large wall of jagged rocks, slipping around it. At once, Erik lay his eyes upon a steel cage at the end of the wall, and locked up in the cage was none other than Vicomte Raoul de Chagny! "We've found him!" Erik exclaimed in triumph, rushing over to the cage.
Raoul moaned loudly in a monotonous tone, unaware of his surroundings. Erik went to pull the cage door open, but it was barred off by a lock. Jack looked around and saw a broken piece of jagged rock on the ground. He picked it up and carried it to Erik who took it and began hitting it against the lock. In moments, the lock broke away and the door opened. Jack led the disoriented Raoul from his confinement. He stepped several paces froward, then collapsed to his knees, looking up at Jack, a confused expression upon his face.
"Whoa, man. How long have you been trapped in there?"
"Oh! Days! Days and days!" He agonized. Erik came up from behind, then moved around to stand next to Jack. Seeing the masked man, he shrieked. "Phantom!" He cried, drawing back from the beast. He pushed back into the rock wall, hitting his head and falling down, out cold.
"Well, I suppose that was all for the best, anyway," Erik said, looking down at the unconscious man. "It'll be a lot easier to carry him now."
And carry him, they did. They emerged from the dark pathway and returned to the woods. They set the unconscious Raoul down on the ground for a breather. Erik shut the trapdoor in the ground and turned back to Jack. With a smile over his face, Jack brushed his hands together in completion. "And that's the end of that chapter," He sighed in relief.
Erik shook his head in pity and tapped the relieved Jack on the shoulder. "Uhh... Jack. You're forgetting one minor detail. Where are we?"
Jack raised his eyebrow at the question, wondering what Erik was talking about, then his mouth pulled into a look of horror as he shouted, "Damn you to Hell! Stupid bloody Maple Cay! Nooooo!" He sank to his knees in frustration, ready to weep.
Erik nodded, staring down at the broken man on the ground... then he turned his eyes on Raoul.
"Well, this has been a fine break, but we should start moving once again."
Jack pouted and raised from the ground, back onto his feet. "Stupid Maple Cay and hitching rides," He mumbled under his breath.
Erik rubbed his hands together in anticipation. He mumbled something of his own under his breath, "Just wait until Christine sees what I've gotten her."