Chapter 32
Mari slept badly; she was restless and woke up about every twenty to thirty minutes. Finally she gave up and just sat on the bed, leaning against the wall, stroking Orion's feathery back. Then suddenly the door flew open with a bang. Mari jumped about a foot in the air and Orion actually hit the ceiling.
"What the blazes is wrong Elizabeth?' Mari asked, seeing her flushed and gasping, she had obviously run from wherever she had been. Elizabeth collapsed on the bed next to her, gasping for breath. She tried to speak but couldn't Mari sighed.
"Calm down and take deep breaths. Then tell me what happened." Mari said. Finally Elizabeth was able to speak, somewhat.
"Will…" She began.
"Will what? What happened? Did he do something? Is he in trouble?" Mari asked hastily. Elizabeth shook her head.
"He…. He proposed to me." Mari couldn't help herself, she started laughing fit to burst. She stopped at the look Elizabeth gave her.
"I'm sorry; I'm just surprised you didn't expect it. As long as he has been courting you, I was just wondering when the dope would get up the courage to actually ask you. I was going to drag him into asking you if he didn't do it soon." Mari said. Elizabeth looked half mad, half joyous, and half confused and abashed.
"Anyway what did you say? Please tell me you didn't say no."
"I didn't say no and I didn't say yes." Elizabeth said.
"Well then what did you say."
"I just sort of shrugged, then bailed." Mari groaned.
"I figured you would know by now, Will is a more sensitive guy than he let's on. He might have taken that for a no."
"Then we have to tell him." Elizabeth said.
"Mari! Can you get Will?" Gibbs asked hurriedly from the door.
"Why? What's he doing?"
"The idiot is up on the top sail and is going to jump." Mari swore and raced past Gibbs, Elizabeth followed.
"WILL TURNER GET YOUR ASS BACK DOWN HERE NOW! AND IT HAD BETTER BE BY CLIMBING!" Mari roared up.
"NO!" Will shouted back simply. Mari raised her hand in exasperation.
"I'm gonna kill him." She muttered and raced up the mast and made it up to the topsail in less than two minutes.
"Will, please be reasonable." Mari said.
"What's the point, Elizabeth doesn't love me." Will said.
"Rubbish! She just was caught off guard that's all. She loves you Will, and so do I. I don't want to lose my brother again." Mari said, suddenly going quiet.
Hearing Mari go that quiet Will knew she meant it and was worried about him. He nodded and slowly climbed down the mast. Mari smiled and began climbing down, but suddenly things started spinning violently. She clung to the sail, hoping things would stop soon, but she quickly realized it wasn't just her. The whole ship was spinning. She slid down and landed in the crows nest. She seized the spyglass and looked around. Finally she saw it; the ship was being sucked in by a whirlpool.
"WHIRLPOOL The ship's being sucked in!" She shouted, not even needing any orders, she unfurled the sails, but that was quite the opposite of what Jack had been thinking.
"What's in your head?" He shouted up.
"All whirlpools give off as much wind as what they suck in. Somebody secure the lifelines, this is going to be one hell of a bumpy ride!" Mari shouted as she secured the last sail. She slid down, but then her leg got caught in a loose rope and she was sent flying as the ship began to go down. A strong arm caught her and pulled her in. She was held tightly, and they stayed against the main mast.
It was Jack who had caught her, he held her tightly and securely. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Will and Elizabeth in the same position, although both had lifelines, she didn't. Her only lifeline was Jack and his ability to hold her as they went down. Water rushed over the sides of the ship, she felt Jack tightened his grip protectively. She leaned in, half because she wanted to and half because it was safer. Suddenly, as the ship sank deeper and deeper into the depths of the oceans, Mari felt safe. As Jack held her tightly and protectively, she felt safer than she had in years, since before the ship wreck. She felt like she could let her guard down for once, and just actually relax and not worry and wonder if she would live to see another dawn, or noon, or sunset. She felt completely safe.
Ok, there is one of the softer chapters. I will give you a heads up, cahpter 34 is going to involeve just Mari and Jack.