Chapter 6

A crew member alerted the Black Pearl's crew that they had finally come upon land.

"I want my jar of dirt," Jack said to himself.

"Who is your landing party going to consist off, Captain?" asked Gibbs.

"Not you. I'll take Pintel and Regetti. No choice about Miss. Curiosity, Amanda can come along, I like Amanda, and Norrington, because someones got to dig the thing up." Jack ignored Gibbs' sour facial expression at his choice of company. "Let's be off, mates."

Amanda had never wanted to jump out of a boat so bad in her entire life. Couldn't these people just get along? Pintel and Regetti argued the whole way about how to pronounce 'Karken'. On top of that, Elizabeth could not take her eyes off of Jack and Norrington was doing his best not to stare at Elizabeth. His best was not very satisfactory to Amanda. He was failing miserably.

Once the group reached shore, Jack charged Pintel and Regetti with the task of guarding the boat . . . and the jar of dirt.

Jack, Norrington, and Amanda followed Elizabeth around in circles until Elizabeth gave up and flopped down into the sand.

"This does not work," claimed Elizabeth. "And it certainly does not show you what you want most."

Amanda and Norrington gave each other a knowing look. They had seen how the compass had pointed to Jack.

Jack leaned over and looked at the compass. "Yes it does, your sitting on it."

Elizabeth looked at Jack, "Beg pardon?"

"Move," Jack whistled for Norrington and signaled for him to start digging in the spot previously occupied by Elizabeth.

Norrington began digging until he hit something solid with the old shovel.

Immediately, all four of them began digging. They hulled the crate out of the hole together. Jack broke the lock with the shovel and the lid was lifted. Inside the crate was love letters, dried roses, a dress, and a Chest. Jack grabbed the Chest and pulled it out. Everyone bent close, not expecting to hear what they heard.

Thump-thump.

Amanda was disgusted. Norrington shook his head in disbelief.

"It's real," said a surprised Elizabeth.

"You actually were telling the truth." Norrington found this fact highly amusing.

"I do the quite a lot, yet people are always surprised," said Jack smugly.

"With good reason!"

The group jumped and turned to face the new voice.

"Will!" Elizabeth ran to his arms and Will embraced and kissed her.

Norrington rolled his eyes, he wondered how long Elizabeth would be attracted to Will before she found yet another fiance. "Look who I found," Norrington pointed to Amanda.

"Amanda? Wow, I hardly recognized you. It's good to see you."

Amanda noticed the jealousy that crept it's way across Norrington's face. My word, I did not even say a word to him. . .

"How did you get here?" asked Jack.

The conversation turned to sea turtles. Seconds later Norrington, Jack, and Will all had their swords drawn. Then all Hell broke loose.

Elizabeth was soon yelling at the top of her lungs. When that did not work, she started throwing rocks.

Amanda winced at the shear horror of Elizabeth's bad aim. This girl could not hit the broad side of a barn. "Let me show you something, dear. You have to . . ." Amanda picked up a good sized rock and chucked it," . . .AIM!" The rock flew through the air and hit Jack in the face with a loud "whack!"

"Bloody 'ell!" yelled Jack as he took a moment to glare at Amanda. "You're next, love!"

Will took advantage of the situation and shoved Jack over.

"Come back here, whelp! No eunuch can out do me! I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" but Will was already chasing Norrington, who was headed inland.

When Amanda turned around Elizabeth was gone along with Pintel, Regetti, and the Chest.

Amanda made her way back to the long boat. After all, the party with the escape route was going to be the winners in this battle. She was completely unaware of the presence of Davy Jones' crew. That is, until they came charging out of the jungle chasing Jack, Pintel, Regetti, and Elizabeth.

Jack was the first to reach her and the boat. "Jar of dirt!" he yelled at her. Amanda quickly handed him his most treasured possession. Jack promptly dumped it out into the boat.

"What are you doing? Where are Norrington and Will?" asked Amanda.

Jack ignored her and pulled a beating heart out of his shirt, placed it in the jar, then refilled it with dirt.

"Hey . . .you cannot just take it . . ."

"Time and tide, love." Jack hit Amanda in the back of the head with the hilt of his cutlass.

Amanda's world disappeared into darkness.