Chapter Three - Nivashi's Grip

Late in the night or early in the morning Jack awoke to noises in the hall. He was still on the sitting-room floor he crawled to the door and looked out to find Adam trying to make his way down the stairs. He missed Adam terribly and it was even worse missing him when he was only three feet away. He crawled to the stairs and scooted down. When he reached his brother he pulled the crutches from his hands and sat on the stairs next to him.

"Let me help you mate."

"After almost five years you want to help me? Go to hell."

They made their way down the stairs. Jack helped him to his feet at the bottom.

Adam pushed him away. "I don't need your help thank you."

"Adam, come on." Jack begged, following his brother into the kitchen. "Why'd you come all the way down here anyway? Why didn't you call for a tray?"

"You might think I'm a worthless cripple but I'm not!" Adam's temper flared.

"I never said you were worthless." He grabbed Adam by the shoulders and pushed him into a chair then squatted to speak to him face to face. "Adam I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got you crippled and I'm sorry I left you in Jamaica. I wanted to get Dad. Forgive me."

"Bill said he would go and get Dad but you went anyway."

"I was scared. I ran. I'm sorry."

"Bill tried to get you to stay."

Adam was right and Jack wasn't going to argue. But he didn't want to rehash every mistake he had made in the drama five years ago. "Adam, Bill's dead." He said abruptly.

Adam went white. His chest tightened. "No! You're a pirate. You're a liar."

"No. Adam." Jack told the story of the trip to the Isle De Muerta, the mutiny and what he heard had happened to Bill.

"Oh God Jack." Adam had been quite fond of Bill. They had become very close. Jack put his arms around him and let him grieve for his friend.

"Jack," Adam said. His voice was thick with emotion. "Bill had a son."

"Ee did?"

"Yes! How can you not know that?!"

"I guess I never asked."

Adam's look was not kind.

Jack searched the kitchen and found scones. Adam heated milk. So, with all forgiven they sat in the kitchen eating scones and drinking warm milk while catching up on five lost years and remembering Bill..

The two made their way upstairs and Jack helped Adam into bed and walked to the door. He stopped and turned. He watched Adam fall asleep. "You might be emotional and crippled mate but ye sure ain't weak." He muttered.

"Adam. I really am sorry." He said. But Adam was already fast asleep.

He walked on the beach of the plantation at Montego Bay. He loved Jamaica. He had been born in Jamaica. He practically grew up in Jamaica. He pulled off his clothes and jumped into the clear green water and swam. Adam stopped and soaked in his surroundings. It was true freedom to be alone in the vast beauty of the Ocean.

Adam dove under the water looking for a tiny cave in which he used to hide shells and other priceless treasures of childhood. He reached into the crack and laughed at the things a seven year old found precious. As he admired the booty something strange in the distance caught his eye. He replaced the treasure and swam a bit closer to investigate.

Adam was mortified at the morbid drama unfolding before him. Creatures or Goblins perhaps had come down from the surface. They were dragging men down to the ocean floor, whipping them back and forth, to and fro. The men struggled and fought but to no avail. Their lives were drained from them. The lifeless bodies trailed behind the evil beings as the monsters carried them away. Adam hid himself shocked and in fear of the blood-thirsty creatures. What were they? Why were they doing this? He had never seen them before.

He'd practically lived his entire life in Montego Bay and nothing like this had ever introduced itself. Suddenly more goblins came from the surface. Some trailing dead men others carrying valuables. Adam assumed there had been a shipwreck and the creatures had taken advantage of the misfortune. The goblins took the same path as their predecessors as they continued to pull the bodies of their victims behind them like a child's wagon.

He waited to see if they would come back, they didn't. His curiosity got the better of him and he swam after them at what he thought was a safe distance. They stopped. The ocean swirled and bubbled the ocean floor rumbled. He saw a great mound of earth like volcano slowly and majestically arise from the angry earth and take its place in the center of the whirling vortex.. The vortex spun the water churned, Adam watched it rise up and take its place over the mouth of the giant mound of earth . Everything in its path was either destroyed or taken prisoner inside it. Adam had nothing to hold on to and found himself sucked into it as well. It hovered for moments as the tail of the swirling water meticulously positioned and lowered itself into its home inside the waiting mountain.

Still helplessly trapped inside the tornado of water, his body twisted and wrenched violently as it was thrown about like a ragdoll.while the rushing water raged about him. The motion started to make him sick. He was dizzy and disoriented. He didn't know if he was up or down. He was so numb that he couldn't even feel the water anymore. Perhaps he was drowning. It suddenly occurred to him that he had been under the water an awfully long time without feeling the need to breathe.

"Oh my God. I died. I'm dead!"

He agonized, now spinning head over heels as well as 'round and 'round. "I'm dead and I'm going to vomit. Its so unfair!!"

The spinning continued for some time then suddenly Adam was pitched forward and found himself hurtling head-first downward into what seemed a dark empty bottomless pit. He finally hit hard at the bottom and lay motionless on the cold hard ground still in darkness. Fearful that the goblins would realize he was alive, he started to crawl slowly, blindly feeling his down the narrow damp corridor. He had to try to get away. Adam knew it would be no time at all before the creatures came for him.

It seemed like hours when finally he saw light. He shaded his eyes when he arrived in the brightly lit part of the cave. When his eyes were able to tolerate the light the image that greeted him was nothing less than spectacular. He was standing in a room of solid gold and precious jewels. Treasures obviously retrieved from the ships of the men who's lives were taken by the goblins adorned the walls and floor. Adam 's mouth hung open wide. He'd never seen anything so splendid. He ran his hands up and down the seemingly solid gold carved walls and inspected the endless pieces of treasure housed there.

"Adam!"

They found me! Adam froze. It was calling him by name. Was it his turn to die now? Adam didn't want to die. He didn't want to be entombed in this place..

"Adam!"

Slowly Adam turned to face his executioner.

He gasped. "Bill!" He ran to the doorway and Bill Turner. Bars prevented Adam from accessing him.

"Bill! What's happening? What is this place? What are those things out there?"

"Adam watch out!" Bill yelled.

Adam felt himself pulled backward. Violently, his body was violently thrown to and fro. He could barely see the face of the evil creature with the iron hand. Painfully his body felt every movement.

"No!" Adam yelled to nobody. "No! Help me!"

He tried to fight the goblin but he was helpless in its grip.

"Someone help me!" He struggled to free himself. Oh God please help me!