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Chapter 12: The Scary Man

I was a brave boy but I didn't want to see that scary man. He made my tummy feel all squishy. I didn't like that feeling very much so when I saw that splashy ship I runned fast to Jack's cabin. They wouldn't find me in there.

There was a cabinet just my size on the floor. I climbed inside it and closed my eyes tight. I even put my hands over my face. He couldn't find me now!

But do you know? That scary man was a good finder.

I opened my eyes, peeking out from my fingers. Mr. Jack and the scary man were standing in the center of the room. Jack had his bottle of stuff again and he was drinking it fast.

"Jack, you know why I'm here." The scary man said something first.

"'course I do. 'm Cap'n Jack Sparrow."

He sighed and suddenly he didn't look so scary anymore…he looked like Mum when she was thinking about my Father. "Jack, I can't find her. I came to you…for help. I can't do this alone."

"You're a bloody whelp. Not surprising."

"Jack…" The scary man pointed down at the big papers with squiggly lines on them. "The hurricane struck there…and there. I've found survivors as far as here. Unless she's on shore…I don't know where to look."

I leaned forward, trying to see where he was pointing his fingers on that paper. Did he draw on papers like that too?

"Ah, look here, whelp, I'm not going on some retrieving the damsel-in-distress mess. I've got me own troubles."

"Jack, I wouldn't ask you if I could do it myself." There was a pause. "You know as well as I about the curse. I've already stretched it to search for her. I can't risk much more. I need your help."

"Here's the thing-"

Then the cabinet door did something that wasn't very nice. It stopped being closed. I fell forward and before I could even get standing up Jack and the strange man were helping me.

"An' tha's what I jus' about to tell you 'bout."

But the strange man didn't seem interested in what Jack had to say. He was looking hard at me. I knowed that Mum didn't like me to listen to her talking to other big people. Maybe that's why he was staring at me.

"I saw you! Three nights ago! You were in the wreckage!" The man knelt down in front of me. "Are you alright?"

I nodded.

"'e's a Turner, whelp. I wouldn't worry."

The man's head snapped up and his eyes went all narrow. "What did you say?"

Jack had a strange smile on his face, the kind of smile adults have when they know something you don't. "'e even annoys me like you do."

"You mean…" his eyes met mine.

He smelled like sea spray and sweat. "Elizabeth…she…and I…you…" he stuttered. Something changed in his eyes and he spoke again.

"You're my son." He whispered, almost like he didn't believe himself. "You're my son."

I wanted to hide behind Jack but something about this person made me stay. "B-but Mum said that I wouldn't meet my father 'till I'm almost ten."

I don't think that man knew what I said 'cause he kept looking at me like I hadn't said anything at all.

"You have her nose and her hair. You even have freckles like her."

"Mum says my eyes are like my daddy's."

He seemed not to know what to do about that. "I suppose."

"What's your name?" I asked.

I think he thought that was funny. I don't know why. But he did answer. "Will Turner."

"That's my name." I frowned.

"Yes. I married your Mum, Elizabeth Swann."

I didn't believe him all the way. "Are you really my father?"

"Yes."

"Are you a pirate?"

He hesitated before answering. "Would you like me to be?"

I couldn't decide. Pirates were too confusing. "Why haven't you come to see me before?"

That same painful look covered his face. "I've wanted to. Believe me. But I cannot. I have a duty that I cannot ignore."

I didn't know what to say. Did that mean that he couldn't come home? Ever?

"Is…" he cleared his throat, "is your Mum well?"

"Yes."

"Is she…happy?"

"Well, she cried a few nights ago over this hard chest but I told her a story and that made her feel much better." I told him, proud of how I made Mum happy.

His face went white. "Sh-she did?"

"Uhuh." I looked up at him, squinting my eyes like Mum does sometimes. "Can you tell me a story?"

TBC...