Chapter 2: Stormy Seas
Elizabeth searched the dark waters vainly for any sign of her fiancé. Will, Jack, and Elizabeth had been sailing back to Port Royal from Tortuga, where Jack had stopped to get some information about recent rumors of Will's father, Bootstrap Bill still being alive. About a day outside of Port Royal the clouds had begun to grow on the horizon. Steadily they crept up and the sky was soon filled with dark, menacing clouds. Fearful for the Pearl, Jack had set course for a small town outside of Port Royal where they could wait out the storm.
The storm got to the Pearl before they got to the town of Canna. Yelling orders over the wail of the wind, Jack had come running down from the wheel, after passing it to Mr. Cotton, to help Will tie down the sails. Last Elizabeth saw, a wave had washed over the deck, taking Jack and Will with it into the ocean. Desperately flinging herself away from the hands of Mr. Gibbs who had tried to hold her back, Elizabeth frantically raced towards the rail where Will and Jack disappeared. They were gone.
When the Pearl reached Canna, Gibbs came into Jack's stateroom to get Elizabeth. She sat at the port side window, staring into oblivion. Her blond hair was ratty and her dress was rumpled. Gibbs noted it was the same one she had been wearing during the storm three nights ago.
"Miss Elizabeth?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes, Mr. Gibbs," Elizabeth replied, not taking her eyes off the roaming waters of the ocean.
"We've reached Canna. Perhaps you would like to come ashore and get some rest and something to eat. The rest of the crew is going ashore." Mr. Gibbs said. "I'll be staying here though, if you."
Elizabeth turned to him before he could finish. "I will go ashore." Elizabeth said and as she said it stood and began to rummage through her trunk, looking for a clean dress.
"Aye, Miss Elizabeth," Mr. Gibbs said and left with a small smile on his face.
**********
Portia had never been more scared in her life. Jack's blade was still at her throat as he forced her to sit down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Pulling up another chair with his foot, Jack sat down to Portia's left and Will sat down at her right, letting the pistol hover next to her temple.
"Now," Jack said, lowering the sword to the table. "Explain something for me lass, where's New York and what is all this that you be talking about."
Portia would have rolled her eyes but for the pistol next to her head. "New York city is where I live, where we are. You're in my apartment, in New York city, and since you guys broke into my bedroom I figured you were here to steal something." Portia was beginning to doubt that now. The blade Jack had laid on the table was a little too real for her comfort.
Jack twisted his lips in confusion and turned to Will.
Will shrugged his shoulders and replied to the look. "She seems to be telling the truth. I don't get it though. I've never heard of New York." Then turning to Portia he asked, "What country are we in?"
"America." Portia replied, some of her sarcasm from earlier coming back into her voice.
"Very funny, lass." Jack said. "America? And why would we be there? Just some stupid colonies under the British Empire. wait. What year be it?"
"2004." Portia replied watching the stunned looks draw themselves across Will and Jack's faces.
Jack whistled. "Man Will, we're in for it now. Either we're crazy, or she is."
"I am not crazy." Portia said firmly.
"Wasn't saying you were luv." Jack said, winking at her. Portia was beginning to think she didn't like Jack.
"Jack," Will said with a warning tone in his voice. He nodded his head to this side and Jack jumped up from the table. Together they went to the corner of the kitchen, each keeping one eye on her as they conversed.
"Maybe it had something to do with the storm." Will whispered. "and that ring you found at the island."
"Yeah mate, I didn't believe in curses before, but after Barbossa. What if that old cook be right?" Jack looked worried. "This girl could be important. Trouble is I don't think she trusts us very much."
"She doesn't trust you." Will said. "Do you have the ring?"
"Aye," Jack said, mischief growing in his eye. "What you be thinking?"
"If we can get to the water, the Prophecy should get us back to the Pearl. We can take the girl with us." Will said.
"All right mate," Jack replied. "You find the water and I'll get the girl."
Elizabeth searched the dark waters vainly for any sign of her fiancé. Will, Jack, and Elizabeth had been sailing back to Port Royal from Tortuga, where Jack had stopped to get some information about recent rumors of Will's father, Bootstrap Bill still being alive. About a day outside of Port Royal the clouds had begun to grow on the horizon. Steadily they crept up and the sky was soon filled with dark, menacing clouds. Fearful for the Pearl, Jack had set course for a small town outside of Port Royal where they could wait out the storm.
The storm got to the Pearl before they got to the town of Canna. Yelling orders over the wail of the wind, Jack had come running down from the wheel, after passing it to Mr. Cotton, to help Will tie down the sails. Last Elizabeth saw, a wave had washed over the deck, taking Jack and Will with it into the ocean. Desperately flinging herself away from the hands of Mr. Gibbs who had tried to hold her back, Elizabeth frantically raced towards the rail where Will and Jack disappeared. They were gone.
When the Pearl reached Canna, Gibbs came into Jack's stateroom to get Elizabeth. She sat at the port side window, staring into oblivion. Her blond hair was ratty and her dress was rumpled. Gibbs noted it was the same one she had been wearing during the storm three nights ago.
"Miss Elizabeth?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes, Mr. Gibbs," Elizabeth replied, not taking her eyes off the roaming waters of the ocean.
"We've reached Canna. Perhaps you would like to come ashore and get some rest and something to eat. The rest of the crew is going ashore." Mr. Gibbs said. "I'll be staying here though, if you."
Elizabeth turned to him before he could finish. "I will go ashore." Elizabeth said and as she said it stood and began to rummage through her trunk, looking for a clean dress.
"Aye, Miss Elizabeth," Mr. Gibbs said and left with a small smile on his face.
**********
Portia had never been more scared in her life. Jack's blade was still at her throat as he forced her to sit down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Pulling up another chair with his foot, Jack sat down to Portia's left and Will sat down at her right, letting the pistol hover next to her temple.
"Now," Jack said, lowering the sword to the table. "Explain something for me lass, where's New York and what is all this that you be talking about."
Portia would have rolled her eyes but for the pistol next to her head. "New York city is where I live, where we are. You're in my apartment, in New York city, and since you guys broke into my bedroom I figured you were here to steal something." Portia was beginning to doubt that now. The blade Jack had laid on the table was a little too real for her comfort.
Jack twisted his lips in confusion and turned to Will.
Will shrugged his shoulders and replied to the look. "She seems to be telling the truth. I don't get it though. I've never heard of New York." Then turning to Portia he asked, "What country are we in?"
"America." Portia replied, some of her sarcasm from earlier coming back into her voice.
"Very funny, lass." Jack said. "America? And why would we be there? Just some stupid colonies under the British Empire. wait. What year be it?"
"2004." Portia replied watching the stunned looks draw themselves across Will and Jack's faces.
Jack whistled. "Man Will, we're in for it now. Either we're crazy, or she is."
"I am not crazy." Portia said firmly.
"Wasn't saying you were luv." Jack said, winking at her. Portia was beginning to think she didn't like Jack.
"Jack," Will said with a warning tone in his voice. He nodded his head to this side and Jack jumped up from the table. Together they went to the corner of the kitchen, each keeping one eye on her as they conversed.
"Maybe it had something to do with the storm." Will whispered. "and that ring you found at the island."
"Yeah mate, I didn't believe in curses before, but after Barbossa. What if that old cook be right?" Jack looked worried. "This girl could be important. Trouble is I don't think she trusts us very much."
"She doesn't trust you." Will said. "Do you have the ring?"
"Aye," Jack said, mischief growing in his eye. "What you be thinking?"
"If we can get to the water, the Prophecy should get us back to the Pearl. We can take the girl with us." Will said.
"All right mate," Jack replied. "You find the water and I'll get the girl."