Chapter 7
Kate awoke to the tapping on the door. Kate looked over to Josh who was lying next to her. "Josh get up." Josh didn't move. "Coming!" Kate said as the tapping continued. "That'll be Jack." Kate whispered in Josh's ear. Josh shot up and put his pants on grabbed his shirt and boots and gave Kate a short kiss. She quickly dressed, as josh climbed out of the window. Kate answered the door,
"Hi Jack. What happened to you?" Jack was covered from head to toe in mud.
"I woke up in a pigpen. I've got a headache and I'm bloody tired." Kate let Jack in trying not to laugh.
"Hey! I know you!" a voice emitted from downstairs, a woman's. Kate clenched one eye shut as she remembered it as the woman named Kara. Jack glanced over his shoulder,
"What the bloody hell was that?" Jack snapped. Kate's eye twitched and she brushed by Jack and downstairs. What she saw was unbelievable. The man named James was sitting in the barstool shaking his head. Kara was pointing at Josh and looked to the point of pouncing on him. Jack came down the stairs and behind Kate. Kara was on a table however and swaying very unsteadily.
"Buttermilk, biscuit. . ." She muttered and fell on the floor. James rolled his eyes at her,
"And this is why I am hesitant to let you dink." He retorted, unmoving. Kara raised a hand,
"Shush!" She ordered pointing at him. James simply stood, grabber her hand and hauled her up.
"There." He snorted. Kate's eyes widened as she watched Kara.
"I'm gonna go upstairs and get ready for the day." Kate said turning to leave. Kara swayed slightly,
"Oh! I can help!" she yelped and took off. James scoffed and went back to the barstool.
"Ok." Kate continued up the stairs. Kara bounded after her; ran into the door but met with Kate anyway.
"What the bloody Hell are you doing here?!" Kate asked trying to keep her voice hushed. Kara winced,
"Don't yell at me!"
"Just answer me! And why do you have Norrington with you?!" Kara shrugged,
"Uh, I dunno to both! Let's just say I owe him!"
"For what?!" Kara winced,
"He saved me ok!! He's an ok guy once you get to know him. Don't eat me!"
"I bet you do know him." Kate smirked. Kara shook her head,
"Nope just best friends . . . which is awkward but stick. Hey are you with Jack and Josh?!"
"No." Kate blushed.
"Oh so just Josh?" Kara swayed.
"Something like that." Kate smiled.
"AHH! You're confusing me!" Kara yelped gripping her hair.
"The fact that you're drunk doesn't help." Kara made a straight face,
"Well . . . that's cause James let me."
"Ok. Now if you'll excuse me I have a long day ahead of me."
Kara paused, "Can I go with you?" She asked in a meek voice.
"I guess. But steer clear of Josh!"
Kara shrugged, "No problem! I have my own entertainment!"
"Good." The girls walked down stairs. Kate walked over to Jack who put an arm around her. Kara glanced between Jack, Josh and Kate, and then she grinned like a mad woman,
"I get it!"
"Get what?" Jack asked. Kate glared hard at Kara.
"Nothing." Kara chirped shaking her head once.
"Ok then. How's about telling me where this lovely ruin is?" Jack said turning to Kate.
"Can Kara come?" She asked.
"I guess." Jack huffed. Kara made a score motion with her hands then stopped,
"Well, what about James?" She asked.
"Does he have to?" Jack whined.
"Yes!" Both Kate and Kara retorted.
"He better or I will kick your ass!" Kara added.
"Fine."
Kate skillfully led the five of them through the streets of Port Royal. The pub's site was left as a pile of charred wood. The only part of the pub that wasn't charred or burned was one step. Kate sat on it thinking, Josh stood behind her ignoring the glare he earned from Jack, and Kara simply stared at the black pile while Norrington stood behind her.
"This is it?" Jack asked disappointment in his voice. Kate jumped to her feet,
"Well what did you expect Jack? That the key was just going to be sitting there with a note on it that says, You found it! Have fun spending the treasure!" Kate got so close to Jack that they were almost touching, Kate shook with anger.
"Hey would you two knock it off?!" Kara yelled spinning around. Jack could feel anger radiating from Kate. Kate turned back around and sat on the step, 'How could he say such a thing? He's an idiotic, arrogant man!' She told herself. Jack began to pace, 'Where was it? Did they have any clue how many pubs were in the Caribbean?'
"Kate I'm sorry, but do you have any idea where it could be?" Jack stopped pacing; Kate began to tap on the wooden step as she trying to think. Jack got a sudden idea, it was crazy, but who knew?
"Kate, get up!" He demanded.
"Why?"
"Just do it!" Kate hesitantly stood up. Jack knelt by the box and began to pry the top off. Jack's eyes widened when he saw that a small metal box lay inside. He opened the box the reveal a note. Kara gasped,
"A note!" She exclaimed. Norrington simply smacked her upside the head.
"Somebody give her a medal!" He announced. Kara shot him a death glare. Jack opened the note and the other 4 leaned over his shoulder, there were elegant words written on it,
"Close, so very close you are
But still so very far
For the place you long to find
You'll only find within a bind
Betrayal and lies find their way
Trust in those you know today
The path you seek will only be known
By those who wished to be alone
Soon, young ones, you will find
The place that will take your mind
The next clue is set in stone
Behind a pile of empty bone
Known as the broken heart."
Jack read it twice before Kate snatched it away to try and make sense of it. It only took Kara and Norrington the second time and one look. Josh studied the note over Kate's shoulder,
"What the bloody hell?" He whispered.
"What is this 'supposed to mean?" Kate muttered to herself. Kara shrugged,
"I dunno…hey a doubloon!" It was not Kate's turn to pace. She walked fiercely back and forth. Josh's eyes followed her as she walked.
"Behind a pile of empty bones…" Kara muttered, she though. "That implies death right?"
Maybe, but either way I think the next clue is on Cannibal Island." Kate said stopping to face Kara. Kara narrowed her eyes in concentration,
"That makes sense." She told Kate.
"Not, not that place." Jack whispered. Norrington raised an eyebrow,
"Oh…is the fearless Captain Jack scared?" He asked in a baby voice.
"No." Jack said defensively. Kate talked to him,
"Don't worry I'm here for you." Kara shifted her weight on one foot,
"What's going on between everyone?!"
"Don't worry about it." Kate said her eyes never leaving Jack. Kara shrugged again,
"Fine with me! Let's go!"
"First 10 rounds are on me!" Josh chimed in. Kara and Norrington brightened up,
"Sweet!" They exclaimed.
"I'll take that offer!" Jack said.
"Let's go!" Kara laughed and bolted off. Everyone followed her. Kate couldn't think of anything but her mother as they approached a pub. She stopped at the door and whispered to Josh,
"You guys go on. I'm gonna take a walk." Kate left Josh before he could protest. She walked down to the shoreline and stared out at the ocean. She let the cool breeze brush the hair from her face. Tears silently fell from her eyes. She turned and began to pace the water line. She walked to the dryer part of the sand and took off her boots. She then continued to pace the beach barefooted. Suddenly a yell broke Kate's thoughts,
"KATE!!" Kara yelled, sprinting towards the beach. Kate was suddenly concerned, Kara's voice sounded filled with horror.
"The monkey's gonna eat ME!!" She shouted, Kate huffed rolled her eyes and stepped one to the right. Kara tripped over her feet and fell face first in the sand. Kate crouched next to her,
"You have to ruin every moment don't you?" Kara lifted her head,
"I'm trained that way." She let her head plop back down in the sand. Kate smiled, shaking her head,
"C'mon princess, get up." She grabbed Kara's arm and helped her up. Kara swayed slightly, raising her left hand to steady herself.
"Whoa, I'm feeling unusual." Kate rolled her eyes and then they settled on the 3 belts Kara was currently occupying,
"Where did you get those?" She asked, Kara looked down,
"Oh these? They've always been there!" She slurred, one eye slowly blinking. Kate glared at Kara, who glanced down again,
"OH! These! This one is for…um…winning a drinking contest. This 'en is for dancing on a table. And this one is James' because he said it was heavy." She fingered a big buckle, "You know he's kinda right." She mumbled, glancing around.
"I have absolutely nothing to say about that. Now; why don't you run along back to the pub? And leave me to continue my pacing." Kara blinked,
"Well…what's to pace about?"
"Nothing that concerns you." Kara tapped her chin,
"I'm disinclined to acquest your request." Kate pulled her pistol, pointed it at Kara and cocked it,
"I'm sure you'll change your mind." She smirked. Kara stuck her fingers in the hole,
"Let's put it this way. I'm like a brick wall. Whatever you tell me now, I won't remember in the morning." Kate closed her eyes,
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Why not?" Kara persisted, swaying slightly.
"Cause I don't."
"Kate, c'mon. I know from a…experience that it's not healthy to keep things bottled up. Besides, who else would you tell?" She wondered aloud, removing her fingers.
"No one. I don't tell anyone hardly anything." Kara placed her hands on her hips,
"Please. I have nothing better to do."
"I just want to be left alone." Kate looked at the sand while Kara plopped down on it,
"You know, history can haunt you for the rest of your life if you don't acknowledge it." Kara pulled a bottle from her jacket. Kate turned and began pacing again.
"Kaaaaate." Kara drug out, swinging the bottle tauntingly.
"Fine. Just gimme the rum!" Kate swung after the bottle. Kara clutched it,
"Tell me."
"No."
"Then no rum for you. Seriously! What do you have to loose? I won't even remember!"
"I just don't want to talk about it." Kara took a swig,
"Well, ok then."
"Fine." Kate plopped down next to Kara,
"One swig first." Kara held the bottle,
"You promise?"
"I promise. Just give me the rum." Kara handed her the bottle,
"Talk to me."
"I'm just depressed." Kara rolled her wrists in a manner to exaggerate more,
"Keep going."
"All of this is so confusing and stressful. Do you have any idea how hard it is to two time Jack?"
"Yes, I mean no." Kara said quickly.
"Wait…what?"
"Nothing. Continue." Kara said. Kate took a large swig from the bottle.
"I just am. I don't know. I'm glad you're here though." Kate took another swig, "Is Jack passed out yet?"
"I think so." Kara took the bottle from Kate and took a swallow.
"Good." Kate brushed her feet off, pulled on her boots and stood up.
"I'm gonna go spend time with Josh." Kate began for the pub. Kara finished the bottle and chucked it in the sea, she stood and followed Kate's example in brushing her feet off. Unfortunately, she became extremely unstable and fell in the sand, passed out cold.