Chapter 20 - And So Passes Captain Isabella Sparrow
Jack led the solemn procession back to the docks. The entire crew of the Black Pearl was standing on the main deck of the ship, looking down on the approaching group. They saw Jack's head bowed, Roxanne and Anamaria crying and a doctor carrying something under a white sheet.
"Jack?" Kristen asked. Jack looked up at Kristen and the female pirate saw the tears spilling from Jack's usually brave and strong eyes.
"Is she…?" Jack nodded. "Oh no." Kristen's eyes filled with tears as she watched the doctor bring up the object covered by a white sheet. Kristen instantly realized what it was. Isabella's body. The rest of the crew knew it too and they shed silent tears as the Pearl moved out to sea once again.
The ship was completely silent except for the occasional creak of a board and the movement of the sails. Once the Pearl was about thirty minutes out to sea, the crew dropped anchor and all filed onto the main deck for Isabella's funeral service.
"Lads an' ladies, we gather here t'day t' say goodbye to a true friend an' leader. Captain Isabella Sparrow." Jack began. Isabella was lying on a plank, dressed in her off-white peasant top, black pants, black boots, hair French braided as usual with her sword and pistol at her waist. Her hands were folded on her chest with a single red rose in between them.
"She was more than a pirate. She was a captain, a loyal an' trusted friend, a mother, a sister, a wife. She will forever be remembered as one of the most feared pirates in the Caribbean as well as one of the most infamous pirate captains of all time. She will also be remembered fer bein' a carin' an' compassionate leader, who never overlooked the needs of others an' put the needs of others before her own. Although she is not on Earth t' witness her daughter's first steps or hear her first words, I know that Isabella is smilin' down on all of us right now an' is keepin' watch over all of us. May the Lord bless you an' keep you, Isabella Sparrow. My wife, my friend, my dearest love. Amen."
"Amen." was all anyone could manage. With tears streaming down their faces, Jack and Roxanne lifted the plank bearing Isabella's body and carried it to the starboard side of the ship. A cannonball was chained to her feet so as to make sure that the body would sink and then she was dumped overboard with a loud SPLASH!
"Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails!" Jack yelled out, his voice cracking.
"Where do we sail to, cap'n?" Anamaria asked. Jack hesitated for a moment, then answered.
"The Galapagos Islands." With that, a course was set for the Galapagos once again and Jack headed below deck to his cabin.