Disclaimer: i do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the characters in said story.

Origins of a Pirate

Chapter 9

It was a hot, sunny day on the Caribbean Sea. The kind that would make any sailor believe in his own good fortune. Any sailor, that is, except Captain Jack Sparrow.

Jack had found himself on a small dinghy and was currently in search of a ship he could consider a home- or at least had some shelter to offer him during storms and typhoons. He was currently passing up a port that was well known to both honest and dishonest sailors alike- Port Royale. As Jack slowly sailed past the island, a surge of memories crashed through his mind. Memories he would rather like to forget.

"How long has it been now since I last set foot on this rock?" Jack asked himself, staring into the deep blue emptiness of the surrounding sea with his deep brown glassy eyes.

"It's been…twenty five years." His inner voice answered back in a hushed silence.

The ghosts were all around Port Royale. Invisible to most, they constantly haunted the ever sensitive man, even in such exotic locations as Singapore, India, and Greece. They followed him everywhere, but they were at their most unbearable in this particular port. Possibly because that was where the haunted childhood memories that Jack tried so hard to escape had taken place.

The middle aged man sighed and attempted to make himself comfortable in his dinghy. He would skip Royale by and instead venture to the farther away Tortuga, although it might cost him several days of food. The pain of the sorrow here was simply too great for Jack to bear.

He began to lie down on the plank of wood that doubled as a seat to perhaps catch a wink of sleep. Suddenly, he felt a sharp scraping beneath his tiny ship. He had run over a reef. The Captain tried in vain to salvage his quickly sinking boat. It wouldn't be long until he went under at this rate. He knew he had to get to shore soon. The feared island was his only chance at survival.

"Looks like you're gonna have to go in there, mate." Jack's inner demons cried, breaking the awkward one man silence.

"Since when did I talk to myself?"

"Since when did you not?" the voice of sense and sensibility chuckled.

Jack thought hard about this statement as he slowly took off his hat to salute the mangled and mutilated corpses of his fellow brethren who had gone to their deaths by way of the East India Trading Company.

"It's been… Twenty five years."

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The "Green Eyed Monster" was the fastest ship on the waters these days, but it wasn't fast enough for its staff of seventeen able bodied boys and men. Food had run short after the last battle and the barrels of hardtack and salted pork in the hold were completely empty. The crew had been without the basic commodities of daily life for three days and everyone was starting to get tired of the hunger pains. Especially the Captain.

Davy Jones was not an amiable fellow by any means. His list of pastimes included whipping, torturing, and maiming whoever stood in his way. Today, Cut was the one in the way.

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"Son, allow me to be frank. We have to resort to committing acts of piracy."

Thirteen year old Jack slowly backed away from where his father was seated. Pirates were a fearsome bunch, forever hiding in the deepest shadows and circles of hell. Jack had heard the stories many times over, rogues from all over the world were coming together and uniting against the respectable crown of England. Although Jack didn't always agree with royal doctrines and the East India Trading Company which was currently in charge of the Caribbean, he would never dare to defy the logic of the laws which he lived under. It just wasn't right.

Besides, what would become of Ginny? There would be no question that it would be unacceptable for a female to sail among dirty thieves and murders, much less a girl of just seven years of age. The only other option was to leave her on the streets alone and un-chaperoned. However, Jack knew that his father, as crazy as he might be, would never do that to his only and youngest daughter.

"You know, Jackie. There's more than one way to earn a living. Even if it means havin' to pillage and rifle for our meager allowances." Teague's comments harshly interrupted his son's thoughts. "We will go back to making an honest sum as soon as we get back on our feet. Ginny can go with us as we will start our new career off in my trading ship. The Mariner is plenty fast, and as you and I both having knowledge of the ropes and rigging required it shouldn't be any trouble."

"But dad, I don't think we should do this."

"Very well," Teague sighed, "Then I guess your sister and yourself will have to make a few compromises."

"Anything."

"You will both need to get jobs. While we will be able to find you a position as a dockhand, Ginny won't be as lucky. Did you know, Jackie, that I once met an eight year old prostitute? "

"No, Teague. I will not compromise Ginny. You cannot sell my sister to men five times her age." Jack stared wide eyed with hatred and anxiety. Did his father really mean what he had just said?

"Then we will have to starve. I just don't see any other way, Jackie. We will become pirates."

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