Adeena Cole: At World's End

Chapter One: Dark

I slowly poled down the black river, softly singing in my enchanting tones, though there was an unfamiliar edge to my voice. The slight swish of the pole kept the beat, and I kept my eyes on the night-colored water.

Some are alive

And some have died

We were in Singapore, to persuade Pirate Lord Sao Feng to loan us a ship and a crew while Will stole the Navigational Charts.

Ha. There was no possible way he would be able to steal anything; Will was too innocent for his own good.

And others sail on the sea

We need the charts to rescue him, from the locker. We have to get those charts. I don't care how we get them; if we have to slaughter the whole of Singapore, fine. I don't know what I'll do if we can't get him back...

With the keys to the cage

And the devil to pay

A firecracker started and hissed, in a spectacular burst of  golden sparks to my left. They shimmered and burned my eyes; I looked away. I couldn't appreciate the simple beauty at the moment.

We lay to Fiddler's green

I risked a glance over my shoulder. The crew; Gibbs, Pintel and Ragetti, Cotten, and Marty were following behind me, submerged in the water, using little straws to breath. I smirked darkly at that, then turned my head.

The bell has been raised

From it's watery grave

I passed underneath a bridge. Tia Dalma, in disguise, of course; was pushing a cart atop it. She was accompanied by Cotton's parrot, and Barboussa's monkey.

Can you hear its sepulchral tones?

A glance to the side showed that Barboussa and Elizabeth were following my trail, off to the side, waiting for the opportune moment, as he would say, to reveal themselves. Elizabeth had changed, somehow, after he died. I wasn't sure why his death had affected her so much; I had the impression that they were over the brief romance they had shared on the Pearl while Will was missing.

Well, they better be over it.

A call to all, pay heed the squall

And turn your sails to home

I reached the dock and tied off the boat, then carefully climbed out, still singing.

Yo, ho

All together

Hoist the colors high

Heave, ho

"Thief and beggar!"

I jumped up, my hand at the hilt of my sword, and faced the new-comer. He was a disgustingly dirty Singaporean, with two compadres. They slowly made their way to me, finishing the song.

"Never say we die." He tilted his head, studying me. His black eyes glittered in the dimness. "Dangerous song ta be singing, for one ignorant of its meaning. Particularly a woman." He moved closer, my heartbeat speeding up. "Particularly a woman alone." He eyed my curves. I tensed.

"And what makes ye think she's alone?" Barboussa descended from the shadows with Elizabeth, just in the nick of time. He had his hand on his belt threateningly. I smiled grimly and slid a knife out of my sleeve. Adrenaline coursed through me, I felt the chemical fogging my mind.