A/N: Thank you smartcat, Narnian Sprite, KillerRubberDuckiesR-J, 16aqua, Clymestra, WaterScorpion, and crazyloverofboys for reviewing. This chapter starts getting into the heat of the adventure, but Santana, as usual, does things her own way and ends up getting into the mix.
Disclaimer: I don't own the best movie in the world (sniff), Pirates of the Caribbean.
Chapter 3: Into the Caves
I dropped the book. There had to be some mistake. How could my father have killed me? I wasn't dead!
"Bloody hell." I stammered in disbelief.
"Do you often stow away on ships lass?" Jack said from behind me and I jumped in surprise. I whipped around to see him standing with a smirk on his face.
"Want some rum?" He offered holding a bottle up to me.
"What?" I was so confused, "Aren't you gonna lock me up?"
"That would be quite a stupid idea considering this ship'll probably be in Davy Jones's locker in a few days." He replied casually and poured me a drink. Then, Jack offered me a seat and I sat down still bewildered.
"This then isn't a normal pillaging quest?" I asked.
"No love, but you'll wish it was by the time ye get off this ship. Excuse me, if ye get off this ship." He paused, "Santana, have you ever heard of the Black Pearl?"
"Course, That ghost ship thing, with all the evil curses an stuff?" I said not seeing what any of this had to do with me.
"Well's we're trying to catch up with it and rescue a girl on board."
"Jack Sparrow, I live in the real world and whatever piraty stuff you're doin is your business. Don't mess with me, lyin about zombie ships from the dead."
Jack just laughed, "I'll have Will get ya a cabin."
Below decks, Will and I sat at a table, and he explained more thoroughly what was happening. Apparently, Commodore Norrington's daughter, Elizabeth, was taken by pirates a day ago and Will and Jack were trying to catch them.
"Okay," I asked, "Why don't you just let the British navy get her back. Why are you relying on pirates to rescue her?"
Will replied resentfully, "Those gitts wouldn't know where to look for her and they refused to listen to Jack who at least had some experience tracking the Black Pearl." He paused; I could see the pain in his eyes from losing someone who was very close to him, "Jack's a pirate. He can take us there quickly and draw less attention."
"The Black Pearl," I said thinking, "How could it be real? I mean the stories; I thought it was just a bunch of nonsense."
"It's real enough," I heard Will say more to himself. He got up, "You can stay in the cabin down the hall, I'll be on deck if you need me."
I settled myself down in the small bed in my room. It was small, smelled like seaweed, and was bare, but at least it was better than sleeping on the streets. I closed my eyes in the darkness and before I fell asleep I thought of the only kind man I had ever known. My father, Charlie Pace. It had to be a mistake.
The next day, I awoke to the constant rolling and rocking of the craft and then heard a loud thud against the hull. What the hell was that, I thought. Another loud noise and I was thrown out of the bed and landed hard on the floor. I dressed quickly, falling against the walls occasionally when the ship hit more objects.
I scurried out onto the deck and saw a group of pirates gathered by the side of the ship. Many seemed to be staring at something in the distance. I walked over to them and searched the foggy waters.
"What's out there?" I asked.
Ana Maria answered me, "We're approachin the Isle de Muerta, where they're holdin Elizabeth captive. Look yonder below them waters." My eyes followed downward at the murky water. Dark shadows became apparent to me after a while. Then I saw a mast of a ship sticking out of the water and I realized what we must have been hitting.
"It's a graveyard," I observed.
We continued on and very quickly the fog was burned off by the rising sun and an island with sheer cliffs and jagged rocks could be seen. The ship was anchored and then the crew waited for orders.
It was decided that Will and Jack would go into the cave of the island and rescue Elizabeth while the lot of us waited out here to outrun the Black Pearl.
I watched the two get into the row boat, and then felt a sudden urge to join them. That cave would hold a huge amount of treasure and earlier, I had heard one of the pirates mentioning loot inside of it.
My eyes scanned the ship and I saw another row boat tied to the side. If I could just cut it real fast, then I could make it in.
Without planning, because I never do, I raced to it and jumped in. I whipped out my knife and swiftly cut the ropes. The boat fell, with a huge splash, and at first, I thought it was going to sink, but it steadied and I started to paddle madly. Behind, I heard yelling, but I quickly diapered into the dark cave.
It was much cooler inside, the stale air felt different, almost as if it were dead. Coins and jewels glittered in the shallow water and I scooped them up and put them in a bag. In addition to the mountains of wealth, I saw several skeletons lying on the gold. Their flesh picked away by many sea creatures, which left the white bone exposed.
I came across a beach and saw Jack's boat along with several others pulled up onto the sand. Quietly, I got out and made my way to a giant pile of treasure and started looting. Stupid pirates, I thought mischievously, always hiding it in one place. So once I had finished stuffing the boat with gold, instead of making off with the fortune, I decided to stay and see who these ghost pirates were. I knew that I shouldn't get involved with this, but I couldn't resist. Unfortunately it was not one of the brightest decisions I had made.
Through narrow passages, I saw Jack and Will staring at some commotion going on further up and both looking tense. Then, a very peculiar scene played out. Jack stood up, followed by Will with an oar in his hand and then Will whacked it against Jack and Jack went out cold. Okay, I thought to myself.
I spotted the captain of the Black Pearl. He was a short man with a shaggy, long, black beard and was wearing raggedy pirate cloths. He was surrounded by his crew which was dressed in the same manor. Will had told me that the captain's name was Barbrossa.
Barbrossa was making a speech about waiting many years for this day to come and that now they had the girl's blood which would somehow free them. The girl in the middle of all this chaos was Elizabeth, I guessed. She was about my age and size with long golden brown hair, wearing a maroon dress. Yep, she looked like the governor's daughter even though she was dirty and her hair was tangled.
Suddenly, Barbrossa cut her hand and dropped a medallion into the chest, which I recognized as being the same one Jack had taken from me. The pirates all waited silently and closed their eyes.
"Well?" One spoke up, "Did it work?"
"How do we tell?" Said another.
Barbrossa rolled his eyes and pulled out his gun. He shot a pirate in the chest.
"You're not dead." One observed.
The shot pirate smiled relieved, "Yeah." Then his emotion quickly changed, "Hey he shot me!"
Angry shouts could be heard and the crew started arguing.
"You girl!" Barbrossa turned to Elizabeth in fury, "Was your father William Turner?"
She replied back coldly, "No."
He pushed her down the hill they were standing on hardly and Elizabeth fell to the ground and didn't get up. Will stepped into action and snuck over to her and quietly woke her up. They managed to sneak back without being noticed. I ran up to them forgetting my gold in the boat and my vow not to get involved.
"What about Jack?" I asked.
"We have to leave him." Will replied holding Elizabeth's hand.
"Wait, weren't you on the ship?" He asked taking a double take.
"Um Will, darling, my kidnappers seem to have noticed I'm missing." Elizabeth spoke worriedly. And Indeed I heard harsh shouts and yelling saying, "Find her!"
"Run." I ordered, which they had already started doing.
I took one last look at Jack and then sprinted away through the winding passageways. The pirate shouts could be heard echoing off the wall, so I had no idea where they were coming from as I followed Will and Elizabeth.
Without warning, a blurry brown thing flew in my face and started scratching furiously. (Furious George! I just had to say that lol). I tried to pull it off, but it scampered out of my reach. Finally, I got the squirming flee ridden thing off me and whipped it at the wall. The monkey fell to the ground unmoving, stunned.
"Bloody varmint." I spat at it.
Now, I was alone in the caves. Will and Elizabeth had abandoned me just like they did Jack. The tangle with the monkey left me disoriented and with a bloody face which made it difficult to see. Where the hell did they go? I thought in exasperation.
A second later, I felt a strong hand grab me around the neck and pull me off my feet. They had caught me.
A/N: Okay wat did u guys think? I know I switched the part with Jack getting knocked out and Elizabeth getting knocked out. Unfortunately, I'm a really slow typer and my teachers are giving me a crapload of homework this week, so the next chapter might not be up till 2-17. (Friday). R&R please!