Ch. 3

Barbossa paced around his cabin restlessly. Now that the gold had been regained, he was anxious to get it over with…They couldn't reach Isla de Muerta soon enough for him. Immortal or no, he was positive this wait was going to be the death of him. Sighing, he pulled the Aztec coin out of his pocket and examined it. How strange that such a little thing could be the source of our torment for near ten years… he mused, rubbing over the coin's smooth surface with his thumb. But it will all be over soon…

Slipping the gold back into his pocket, Barbossa continued to walk around. He longed for conversation beyond the intellect of his crew. "Bo'sun!" he called out sharply, seeing the tall man passing in the hallway.

Bo'sun turned to face him. "Aye, sir?"

"I desire company. Send someone to inquire as to our esteemed guest's well-being, and inform her that she will be dinin' with me tonight," Barbossa said. Performing a quick search of his cabin, he pulled out a dress that seemed Miss Turner's size and tossed it to the man. "And Bo'sun, give 'er this."

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Barbossa went into the room adjacent to his sleeping quarters and watched as the men carried in a lavish feast. Just the sight of the food reminded him of how hungry he was and made him angry that there was nothing he could do about it. A few minutes after the men had left, Miss Turner entered hesitantly, wearing the dress Barbossa had provided. "Maid or not, it suits you,' he commented, looking her up and down.

She shot him a look. "May I inquire as to whether it did its previous owner?"

"Ooh, now, none of that," he scolded teasingly. Pulling out a chair, he indicated for her to be seated. "Please." Reluctantly, she sat down. Leaning close to her ear, he muttered, "Dig in."

Elizabeth cut off a small bite of meat and placed it daintily in her mouth. As she swallowed, Barbossa watched in amazement. Neither he nor his crew had eaten in anything for ten years, but this girl treated it like an everyday occurrence. Because to her, it is, he reminded himself. Sometimes, in his separation from the mortal life, he forgot what luxuries mortals -himself included at one time- took for granted. "There's no need to stand on occasion nor call to impress anyone," he said casually. "You must be hungry." As if you could even begin to fathom true hunger… Elizabeth looked up at him. After a moment's hesitation, she set down her utensils and began eating ravenously off of the bone. Noticing a plate of bread, she grabbed a small loaf and tore a bite off. "Try the wine," he offered, handing her a large goblet. He again watched in fascination as she took a big gulp. "…And the apples, one of those next?"

She suddenly stopped eating and looked suspiciously at the apple in his hand. "It's poisoned," she said fearfully.

Barbossa chuckled. "There'd be no sense to be killin' ye, Miss Turner."

"Then release me! You have your trinket; I'm of no further value to you."

Barbossa took out the medallion and held it up. "You don't know what this is, do ye?" he asked.

"It's a pirate medallion," the girl replied off-handedly.

"This is Aztec Gold," Barbossa corrected. "One of eight hundred eighty-two identical pieces they delivered in a stone chest to Cortez himself. Blood money paid to stem the slaughter he wreaked upon them with his armies…But the greed of Cortez was insatiable, and so the heathen gods placed upon the gold…a terrible curse. Any mortal that removes but a single piece from that stone chest shall be punished for eternity."

Elizabeth looked doubtful. "I hardly believe in ghost stories any more, Captain Barbossa."

"Aye," he said, standing up and beginning to walk around. "That's exactly what I thought when we were first told the tale. Buried on an island of the dead what cannot be found, except for those who know where it is…Find it, we did. There be the chest; inside be the gold…and we took 'em all. Spent them and traded them and frittered them away on drink, and food, and pleasurable company… But the more we gave them away, the more we came to realize: Drink would not satisfy…food turned to ash in our mouths…and all the pleasurable company in the world could not slake our lust…We are cursed men, Miss Turner. Compelled by greed, we were, but now…we are consumed by it." The monkey began screeching and jumping up and down on its perch. Going over to calm the jittery creature, Barbossa continued, "There is one way we can end our curse…All the scattered pieces of Aztec gold must be restored, and the blood repaid. Thanks to ye, we have the final piece."

"…And the blood to be repaid?" Elizabeth asked nervously.

Barbossa laughed. "That's why there'd be no sense to be killin' ye…yet," he said, holding out the apple in his hand. "…Apple?"

Suddenly, she knocked the fruit from his hand and jumped up, brandishing a knife from the table. They played a bit of cat-and-mouse before Barbossa caught her.

"No!" Elizabeth screamed, whirling around and plunging the knife deep into where his heart should have been.

Looking down, Barbossa pulled the knife out and held it up, allowing the blood to drip on the floor. "I'm curious," he sneered. "After killin' me, what is it yer plannin' on doin' next?" Terrified, the young woman backed up slowly until she was out on deck with his skeletal crew. They quickly forced her into their midst, using various tactics to horrify their new arrival. Let 'em have their fun, Barbossa thought to himself. It's rare enough they get a chance. Finally, she came fleeing back toward him and hid under the stairs, only to be scared out by the monkey's screeches.

"Look!" Barbossa said, grabbing her and forcing her to behold the crew. "The moonlight shows us for what we really are. We are not among the livin' and so we cannot die, but neither are we dead." He whirled her around to face him. "Too long, I've been parched of thirst, and unable to quench it. Too long, I've been starvin' to death, and haven't died. I feel nothin'…Not the wind on my face, nor the spray of the sea…nor the warmth of a woman's flesh," he said, reaching out a hand toward her and walking forward until the moonlight fell on him completely. "Ye best start believin' in ghost stories, Miss Turner…You're in one!" Yanking the cork off of a bottle with his teeth, Barbossa poured the wine into his mouth and let it run down his ribs. Too terrified to even scream, Elizabeth fled past him and into the cabin. Barbossa slammed the doors behind her and laughed loudly, joined by the crew. "What are ye lookin' at?" he snarled. "Back to work!"

Barbossa watched as his men scrambled to get back to their jobs. Though they had all avoided the moonlight when they first learned of the curse, they had long since grown accustomed to it. What a wretched lot we are to behold…he thought ruefully. But it will all soon be over.

A/N: Okay, I realize I've gotten these three chapters up unnaturally fast, but unfortunately, school gets back tomorrow and I won't have quite so much time. It still won't be really long between chapters, but don't expect these two-day waits that we had for the first few. Please review!