Curse of the Cruise Ship
Chapter Eight
Marooned
ESF's Author's Note: This chapter is where my story line totally runs off the road that is Disney's story line, and into the grass. Hopefully, it won't run into a tree, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. It was really fun to write, though, so I hope you like it. Let me know if you think Elizabeth is a bit too OOC. I think she sounds a bit stuck-up, but that might just be because she's like bananas and peas to me (bananas and peas are my least favorite foods). So yeah, if a lot of people think she's OOC, then I'll try rewriting her part.
Hey, all you ship-savvy people! Sweeps are oars, right? It's been bugging me, and I haven't been able to find it anywhere. Also, let me know if my definition of keelhauling is right. It probably isn't, but let me know anyway.
Oh, and a little tidbit for you: Wendy's reaction to the taste of rum is the same as my reaction to rum and cherry coke.
Okay, people, I have a bit of a surprise for you. Or it might not be, I dunno. Maybe you guessed. Well, whether it surprises you or not, there will be a sequel! Yay! It will take place during DMC, of course. We've begun writing it, using an online script and clips on YouTube. I'm sorry to say that it won't be out until Thursday, December 7th, at the earliest. Why such a precise date, you ask? Well for those of you who haven't heard, DMC will be out on DVD on December 5th! More yay! Can't wait! Want to watch deleted scenes!
Also on the subject of the sequel, I have a proposition for you all. If you all work together and manage to get us up to at least twenty reviews before Jack closes his compass, then I will promise you all a short preview of "Dead Man's Cruise" (the sequel) before December 5th. Don't worry, it won't be anything too end-ruining for the one person who hasn't seen DMC yet. I haven't decided what I'm going to give you, but I can promise you it will be worth a few praises (or disapprovals, whatever you think).
Fae's Fiyero: I haven't seen any of them in a while. I should, though. I can see the DVD cases over there. Do you hear them, mocking me? You're very cool, you know, reviewing every chapter. I don't think I've ever had a reader do that before. Keep it up, and you'll get a very lovely prize: a crate of rum! Not real rum, of course. I don't know if you're underage, or how I would get real rum to you. See, this is where the thought starts counting, savvy?
lizzybizzybee: I didn't think it was that hard to find, if you've watched Kiera's and Jack's commentary. It was, "I want to stuff the monkey!"
wendystwin's Author's Note: Hello, viewers of the pirates. If you are someone who has been to the Renaissance Festival lately and saw the Tortuga Twins, they're imposters! Wendy and Melody are the real Tortuga Twins!
Melody resurfaced seconds later to see Wendy treading water and glaring daggers at her. "What?"
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Depends on what you mean by 'on purpose'. If you mean, knew we were going to get thrown overboard, then no. He might've just decided to keelhaul us."
Wendy was confused. "Wasn't that what we did when we dropped the anchor to turn around?"
She shook her head. "No, that's clubhauling. Keelhauling is when they tie a rope to you, toss you overboard, and you get dragged along the keel." Melody frowned, trying to think back to the books she'd read on pirates. "At least I think so. I'm not sure what a keel is. Something like that, anyway."
Her sister seemed horrified. "WHAT!"
Melody began swimming toward the island. "We'd better catch up to Elizabeth."
"You did that when there was a possibility he could have keelhauled us?" Wendy yelled as she swam after her. "What is wrong with you!"
"Cool it, Wendy," said Melody. "We're fine. I took a risk, and it worked to our advantage. We're going to a tropical island, not the cold, cramped brig of a cursed ship." Wendy grumbled a little, but didn't complain anymore.
When Wendy, Melody, and Elizabeth reached shore, they had wait a bit for Jack, who was a bit behind due to the girls' interruption. Wendy continued to glare at her sister while they waited. Once Jack reached shore, he got the rope off his wrists, threw it down, and turned to watch the Pearl sail away.
"That's the second time I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship," said Jack, sounding depressed. No one said anything for a while. Then turned to the girls. "Here are your pistols," he said, handing them over. "I managed to convince Barbossa that the two of you are really pirates. There's only one shot in there, so try not to waste it."
Elizabeth walked away. Wendy gave her sister a good glare before following Elizabeth. Melody watched her leave and sighed.
"You did it on purpose, didn't you?"
Melody turned to see Jack sitting on the sand, emptying the water out of his boots.
"She should have known that's what I was going to do." She sat beside Jack and took off her boots as well. "If she preferred a cold, crowded brig to a warm, tropical island, she shouldn't have laughed. She should have known Barbossa would do something like that."
"Lass, we have a better chance in that brig than on this island."
"Why?" asked Melody bitterly. "Have all the sea turtles gone extinct? Or have you shaved your back recently?"
He stared at her with an unreadable expression. "Well, that's not very nice." He picked up his pistol.
She stared at it. "What are you doing?"
He chuckled. "Relax, pet, it won't fire when the flash pan's wet."
Remembering something, she looked down to find she still had the pouches of black powder and shots attached to her belt. She looked in the one with the shots.
"Anything left?"
She groaned, tossing it aside. "No, I must have used them all during the battle." She looked inside the other pouch. "Still got powder, though." She stuck her finger in it. "Oh, ew!" She pulled her finger out and wiped it on her trousers, leaving a black smear. "It's all wet."
"Well, it won't do you any good, wet or dry, if you don't have any shots. Does your sister have any?"
"How should I know? She's off with bloody Lizzy." Before Jack could react to this jab at Elizabeth, she asked, "Are there animals on this island, Jack?"
"No." Jack grinned. "But there is something better here. Something that'll make you feel better."
She frowned. "What is it?"
Jack's smile grew, and he stood up. "Come with me."
A few minutes earlier
Wendy gave her sister a good glare before hurrying to catch up with Elizabeth. "It's Elizabeth, right?" she asked, falling into step with her.
Elizabeth looked her over. "Yes, it is. You're Melody?"
"No, I'm Wendy," she corrected. "My sister is Melody."
"Oh, sorry."
"That's all right."
After a minute or two of silence, Elizabeth asked, "So is it true what Will told me? You and your sister really have lost your memories?"
"Every word. All we remember is our names."
"And they were still going to hang you? That's awful!"
She shrugged. "Can't really blame them, we are dressed a bit like pirates."
"But you were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time! I could speak to my father, he's the governor of Port Royal. I'm sure I could get him to give you a pardon."
Wendy smiled gratefully. "We would appreciate that, Elizabeth, if we ever get off this island."
They didn't say anything else until they reached Jack and Melody. Jack was doing something to his pistol, and Melody was staring blindly out at the horizon.
"It's not really all that big, is it?"
Elizabeth turned away from she and Wendy's footprints in the sand and looked at Jack and Melody. "If either of you are going to shoot me," she said, "please do so without delay."
Jack lowered his pistol and looked at her. He was about to say something, but Melody beat him to it.
"I might," growled Melody.
Elizabeth looked horrified. Wendy stared at her sister in surprise. Then she noticed the dusty bottle she was clutching. Immediately forgetting all attempts at secrecy, she rounded on Jack. "We were gone for five minutes, and already you got her drunk?"
Jack looked scandalized. "It's not my fault she can't hold her rum!"
"Neither of us have ever had a drink before!"
"Wait, rum?" repeated Elizabeth. "You have rum?"
"Yeah, Lizzy, lots 'n lots of rum," Melody slurred. "Go ahead 'n tell her 'bout the rum-runners, Jack."
"Rum-runners?" Elizabeth repeated angrily. "Is that how you really got off this island? Spent some time lying on a beach drinking rum, waiting for your free passage off?"
Jack was getting angry. This was not going at all like he'd planned. He stood up. "I'll have you know, young missy, that it wasn't free at all!"
"Come on, Mel, let me have the rum," Wendy was saying to the drunk Melody.
"No," said Melody, holding the bottle tighter. "Get your own bottle, Wendy. It's really good, better than I thought it would be. You should try it."
"I don't want to get drunk, Mel, now give me the bottle, you've had enough."
"Come on, Wendy, I swear I'm okay to drive! Wait...there's no cars here..." she began giggling madly.
Wendy glanced worriedly at Elizabeth and Jack, who were still arguing and had hopefully not heard her. She hoped Melody wouldn't start talking about the movies. Otherwise, they would both be in trouble.
"Just give me the bottle, Mel."
"No! I know what you're going to do! You're going to take it, and you're gonna do this!" She turned the nearly full bottle upside-down, and the rum spilled onto the sand. "Oops," she said when she realized what she'd done.
Jack saw this as well, and let out a cry. "Now, love, you've got to be careful! We only have so much!"
"It was her fault!" Melody cried, pointing at Wendy.
"It's not my fault, you're just too smashed to think about what you're doing!"
With a growl, Melody jumped up and tackled an unsuspecting Wendy to the ground.
Jack jumped up. "Now, ladies," he exclaimed as they rolled around in the sand, trying to get close enough to pull them apart, "I know you're angry with each other and there's no food, but let's not resort to cannibalism!"
Melody stopped attacking Wendy and stared at Jack, who look surprised they had listened to him. Melody was sitting on top of Wendy, the empty rum bottle poised to hit her. Wendy, realizing Melody had stopped, lowered her arms from where they were protecting her face. Then, when she realized what Jack had said, she stared at him too.
Then, without warning, both of them burst into laughter for the second time that day. Melody dropped the bottle and laid down on the sand next to her sister, giggling madly. Elizabeth and Jack only stared in confusion, quite possibly thinking them both insane.
"Cannibals!" gasped Melody between laughs. Then she abruptly stopped laughing. Wendy stopped as well and looked at her. She looked very nauseous. "Shit." She jumped up, ran for the water's edge, and vomited. Wendy hurried after her to help her hold back her hair, which had come loose.
"I'm sorry Wendy," said Melody, trying to keep the contents of her stomach on the inside.
"It's all right, Mel. We're still alive, aren't we?"
Melody nodded, and Wendy kept her hair back as she retched again.
About ten minutes later, Melody was lying on the beach with her hat over her face, trying to sleep off the effects of the rum. Wendy was sitting with her, in case she threw up again. Jack and Elizabeth had just returned from the rum stash, Jack carrying two bottles of rum. Wendy decided to watch their exchange. This was a deleted scene, if she remembered correctly.
"So," said Elizabeth, as she came to a halt standing in front of him, "is there any truth to the other stories?" Melody shifted at the sudden noise, but didn't wake.
"Truth?" repeated Jack quietly. He dropped the bottles on the sand and pulled up his right sleeve to show her the P brand and the tattoo, and then showed her his left arm, which bore a rather odd-looking scar. Elizabeth took a step back. Finally, he pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal two bullet wounds on the right side of his chest. "No truth at all," he told her.
Elizabeth stared at him as he sat down next to Wendy and picked up the taller bottle. "We can stay alive a month, maybe more," he said. "Keep a weather eye open for passing ships, and our chances are fair." He took a swig from the bottle.
"And what about Will?" asked Elizabeth sadly. "We have to do something."
He smiled at her. "You're absolutely right," he said. He put the cork back in the bottle and rolled it to Elizabeth. She just stared at it for a moment. Jack picked up the other bottle and uncorked it. He held it up in a toast. "Here's luck to you, Will Turner." He drank.
Elizabeth finally picked up the bottle and uncorked it. She sat next to Jack. "Drink up, me hearties, yo ho," she said, and took a drink.
Jack looked at her. "What was that, Elizabeth?"
"It's Miss Swann," she told him sharply. He held up is hands in surrender and looked away. She sighed. "Nothing. Just a song I learnt as a child when I actually thought it might be exciting to meet a pirate."
"Let's hear it."
She hesitated. "No."
"C'mon, we got the time," said Jack. "Let's have it."
"No!"
"Come on, Elizabeth," said Wendy. "I'd like to hear it too."
"No. I'd have to have a lot more to drink."
Wendy sighed, disappointed. Jack uncorked his bottle and watched her for a second. "How much more?" he asked.
Elizabeth stared at him, and he took another drink. She didn't answer. She stood up and started her way around the island again, taking the rum bottle with her.
Jack watched her go, looking annoyed. He looked to his right, where Wendy was sitting. "Sure you wouldn't like any rum, Miss Parks?"
She wrinkled her nose. "I don't think I like alcohol much."
"How would you know? You haven't had any since you lost your memory have you?"
This was true, she hadn't had anything to drink since she and her sister had woken up in Port Royal. In her own time, she'd tried beer and hadn't liked it. She'd never tried rum, though.
"Just try it, at least," said Jack, and offered her his bottle.
She hesitated. She was only 20, and still underage, after all. But then again, Jack was a pirate and Elizabeth was drinking as well, so it was unlikely that either of them would rat her out. As for liking it, perhaps it was better than beer. Melody did seem to like it. Deciding to take a chance, she took the bottle from Jack and took a small sip.
Wendy cringed and forced it down. "Ew!" She handed the bottle back to Jack, who looked a bit surprised at her reaction. She licked the roof of her mouth repeatedly, trying to get the strange taste off her tongue.
"I've never known a pirate who didn't like rum," said Jack, looking a bit confused. "Your sister liked it, thought you would've too."
She glanced at Melody, who was still sleeping. "Well, that's Melody."
He drank some more. "Well, you might want to get used to it, 'cause that's all there is, and we'll be here a while."
She watched him. "Do you really think we're pirates, Captain Sparrow?"
He looked at her, smirking. "Aye. I think you'd be a pretty good pirate, aside from the rum part and not knowing much about sailing."
She grinned and blushed slightly. "Thanks, Captain."
A few hours later, when it began to get dark, Wendy and Melody helped Elizabeth and Jack build a fire. Melody had apologized to Elizabeth for her behavior, and the two of them were on good terms. Elizabeth was apparently drunk enough to sing, and had taught Jack and the girls how to sing "A Pirate's Life for Me." By the time darkness fell, they had a large fire going, and Wendy and Melody (whose hangover had greatly diminished) joined Jack and Elizabeth, who were by this time extremely drunk, in running around the fire and singing.
"We're devils, we're black sheep, we're really bad eggs, drink up, me hearties yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!"
"I love this song!" exclaimed Jack as the song ended. He grabbed the nearest person, who happened to be Melody, and spun around with her. Melody giggled. "Really bad eggs!" he said, complete with funny hand gestures. "Ooh." He fell down, then sat up. He grabbed Melody's hand and pulled her down. Melody, still a bit dizzy from the spinning, took a moment to regain her bearings. "When I get the Pearl back," he told her, "I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew."
"And you'll be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main," Elizabeth declared. She had sat down on his other side, and Wendy laid down on her stomach by Jack's legs.
Jack's eyes widened comically. "Not just the Spanish Main, loves, the entire ocean...the entire world!" Elizabeth giggled slightly. "Wherever we want to go, we go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and deck and sails, that's what a ship needs. But what a ship is...what the Black Pearl really is...is freedom."
Elizabeth stared at him for a second. "Jack," she said finally, settling back against his shoulder, "it must be really terrible for you to be trapped on this island."
He looked around. "Oh yes," he said. He wrapped one arm around Elizabeth and one around Melody. "But the company is infinitely better than last time, I think." Elizabeth looked down at his hand on her shoulder, and her expression turned to disgust. Melody, on the other hand, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself. "The scenery has definitely improved."
"Mr. Sparrow!" Elizabeth exclaimed, sitting up. Jack's arm fell from her shoulders.
"Mm-hmm?"
"I'm not entirely sure that any of us has had enough rum to allow that kind of talk."
Jack held up a finger. "I know exactly what you mean, love." He sat up all the way and curled the ends of his moustache up with his fingers. His arm began drifting lower down Melody's back, and he touched Elizabeth's back with his other hand.
"To freedom!" said Elizabeth suddenly, holding up her bottle for a toast.
Jack looked at it, then let go of Melody and picked up his own bottle. "To the Black Pearl." He hit his bottle against hers. Elizabeth went to drink, but stopped and watched Jack as he chugged the rest of his rum, fall over, and pass out. She then poured the rest of her rum onto the sand, tossed the bottle aside, laid down, and went to sleep. Wendy fell asleep sometime after that.
Wendy jerked out of sleep. The sun was up, and Jack and Melody were still sleeping. Wendy smirked when she saw them, wishing she had a camera. Melody's head was on Jack's shoulder, and Jack had an arm around her. There was an explosion. Wendy saw Elizabeth working on her 'signal.' Wendy went over to her.
"What are you doing, Elizabeth?" she asked, though she knew the answer.
"Destroying the rum," she replied simply as she threw another crate on the fire.
"Okay." Wendy went back to Jack and Melody and set to waking them up. Melody was the first to wake, and when she realized her position, she jumped up, blushing darkly.
Wendy laughed at her. "Dream come true, eh?"
He sister glared. "Shut up." She looked over at Elizabeth. "What is she doing?"
"Destroying the rum."
"Ah."
"What?" Jack had woken up. He stood up quickly and watched as Elizabeth threw another box of rum on the fire. It exploded, and he realized what was going on. "No!" he yelled, waving his arms. He ran toward the fire, and the girls followed him. "Not good! Stop! Not good!" Elizabeth turned away from the fire and walked past Jack. "What are you doing? You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!"
"Yes," said Elizabeth, stopping to look out at the water, "the rum is gone."
"Why is the rum gone?" Melody laughed.
Elizabeth whipped around to face Jack. "One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable people into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for me. Do you really think there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?"
"But why is the rum gone?"
Elizabeth turned around and sat down. "Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye open, and you will see white sails on that horizon."
Jack fumbled to take out his gun. Then he thought better of it and put it back in his belt, and stalked off angrily.
Melody and Wendy watched him go, and then sat down on either side of her. "I hope it works, Lizzy," said Melody. "I'm not looking forward to meeting up with the Navy again, though."
Elizabeth touched her shoulder consolingly. "Don't worry," she said. "I won't allow you to be hung. Father will understand that you've lost your memory."
The sisters shared a worried look. "I hope so, Elizabeth," said Wendy.