All that Glitters
His fingers were stiff from the cold waters. Why had this cache been hidden in a cavern that flooded at high tide? He was becoming weary of the search.
Suddenly he felt something, a sense of warmth spread through his hand. His fingers tightened around the item and he withdrew it from the pile. He'd spent hours searching for this, finally finding it hidden at the bottom of the very last pile of treasure he'd explored. He stared at it expectantly, wasn't it supposed to lead him to the ultimate treasure? Why wasn't it working? He looked around the cavern. While the treasure secreted here was rather nice, it wasn't the finest he'd seen.
He looked back down to the item in his hand and turned it over, inspecting it closely. It was a simple thing, a figure made of wood. He caressed the smooth curves fascinated at the artistry it represented. Still, nothing happened.
"Jack?" Gibbs' voice echoed in the cavernous chamber as he splashed through the deep pools of water in the entry.
He hesitated, finally responding. "Over here," He slipped the object in his shirt, close to his heart. A warm feeling suffused his body the instant he did. Strange, he thought. It was just a piece of wood.
He heard the heavy footsteps as his friend and first mate moved towards him. "Did ye find it?"
"Aye, I found it," He admitted reluctantly, and then tapped his chest where he'd placed it. "But it's nothing special."
"Oh?" Gibbs was puzzled. If it wasn't special why had Jack been so insistent upon finding it?
Jack remained silent, not elaborating. How could he? He didn't understand it himself. The old witch had assured him that the figure would lead him to treasure of untold value. He could still hear her cackling laugh as he departed. Rousing himself from his thoughts, he motioned for Gibbs to follow him out.
They emerged from the cavern just in time to catch the sunset. The last rays of the sun danced across the water to highlight the Black Pearl. He pulled the figure out from its hiding place and stared at it once again then looked to the setting sun. He chuckled softly. "So, that's the secret?"
Gibbs looked at him questioningly. "Secret?"
"Aye, there is no 'magic', my friend, nor ultimate treasure," He smiled knowingly. "Except that which you bring to it," He pointed to the setting sun. "That is magic, wouldn't you agree?"
As the sun sank into the waters, Gibbs felt the feeling of peace envelop him. He nodded, agreeing with his long-time friend. "So, that is the treasure? Crew won't be happy."
Jack tossed back his head and laughed. "No, not with this," He held up the wooden figure, and then tapped the two sacks tied to his belt. "But I think this might satisfy them. Took the liberty of selecting only the finest baubles and bangles while I was looking for something I already had."
