Rouge-Pirate: I love wishful thinking. I can't tell you if you're being naive or not though, because that would give it all away. And yes, Jack's great.

Chapter 4: The Unexpected Spirit

Something sharp scratched his face. A musty smell filled the air. A feeling of dampness was all around him.

He groaned and rolled over, feeling a sharp rock underneath him. Looking up he saw cavernous rock.

"Depressing – Isn't it?" A cold voice sneered from beside him.

Quickly he turned over and laid his eyes upon the last person that he would have expected to be given a lesson on life from.

The man coldly laughed in his throat. "Ye didn' expect me, did ye?" The man chuckled.

"Barbossa?" He whispered, frightened by what he might be taught by this evil, madman.

"Yes, whelp. I'm here to teach you a lesson. It's not a lesson that I must seek revenge on you though. So ye can relax."

He didn't relax.

"Now, what have ye seen so far? What have ye learned?"

He didn't feel like sharing the information that Barbossa sought.

"Ye never were talkative, lad." Barbossa sighed. " 'less ye were protectin' that lass o' yers." He rolled his eyes. "But that's why ye're here, lad. Isn't it? Somethin's 'appened to the lass. Tragic really. But I guess that's the risk ye take when ye journey that godforsaken port without comrades." The tone in his voice didn't sound sincere, but sarcastic and mockingly cruel. "I'm not quite in the least bit sorry for 'er. Stuck-up lass never was kind ter me. Wish it were me that 'urt 'er."

That sparked something inside him and he leapt at Barbossa, seizing his neck. No sooner had he closed his fingers around it though, did Barbossa disappear.

"Such anger lad, it must be controlled." Barbossa mused from behind him.

He leapt at the cursed pirate. But Barbossa vanished right as he was about to make contact with his solid form. He lay on the ground, his head pounding, his chest heaving at an attempt to supply him air.

Barbossa kicked him in the jaw with his black-booted foot. Blood flooded his mouth.

"I wish I could kill you Turner. But I can't. You know why? — Because you have something Turner. You have something inside of you that burns. Love. I think that's what it's called. I want to see you die! You and your wife Elizabeth! And Jack! I want to make you watch them die! I want you to see them die slowly and painfully! Then I want to kill you! I want to see the life leave you! Because you took my life from me! But I can't! There will be a time and opportunity for that. Yer wife's been raped, for Christ's sake! That's right I said it. — Raped. Raped, raped, raped, raped!"

"Stop!" He yelled, covering his ears.

"Face the truth Turner! Your wife's been R-A-P-E-D; raped. Now do somethin' about it! Fight!"

He pumped a fist into the air and vanished.

His head began to spin, and he thought he would be sick from the flowing taste of blood. He closed his eyes and lay down, trying to ignore the spinning. "Raped." He whispered. "Oh Elizabeth."

Blackness.

Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I had an idea for a story that wouldn't let me be, so I kinda had to get that out of the way before I could continue on this one. Sorry Christmas is over. Just pretend you're still in the season. And again sorry for the shortness.

Thanks for being patient,

Nuriel the Pirate