A Pirate's Life for Me

Chapter 32 Boats

"Father!" Elizabeth appeared oblivious to the growing tension as she waved frantically for their father to look over as she called, "Father here! Look here!"

Annalise glanced at her sister before looking at the rest of the crew. They were gazing at Elizabeth and a few glanced back at Annalise too in pity. Why were they looking at her like that? What exactly was it about the picture she was seeing that had already made her gut clench with dread?

Annalise looked back at her father and then she realized what was wrong. They weren't back - that was why the crew were so uneasy and the boats floated by as if they didn't even see the Pearl. They weren't back - and this was the land of the dead.

"No." Annalise whispered, her eyes flitting up to the nearest person - Jack.

He was gazing at her, his dark brows knitted unhappily, and Annalise pleaded of him, "Jack, please tell me we somehow made it back. Or please, tell me this is all a hallucination. Tell me that's not my father. "

Jack's expression became pained and his gaze was pitying as he slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, love." He replied softly. "This isn't a hallucination... and we're not back."

His tone was kind, but there was no kindness in the world that could spare the pain his words inflicted. Annalise's face contorted. At first, there was distress, then anger, then denial as she shook her head violently. But underlying her every expression was utter devastation as her heart knew what her mind refused to accept.

"Papa!"

Jack jerked and the entire crew, including Elizabeth, flinched as Annalise suddenly started screaming across the open waters and toward the figure of their father.

"Papa!"

Elizabeth's joy faded into confusion as she tried to understand her twin's sorrow. It was only then that she noticed the way the crew were looking at her, saw Will's ashen expression as he gazed at her hesitantly. Elizabeth looked from their distress to Annalise again and she finally recognized the expression on her twin's face - the unshed tears shining brightly in haunted blue eyes as she screamed for her father as she had for their mother the day she died many years ago.

Her heart and body going cold, Elizabeth slowly turned back to her father with growing horror while Annalise continued to scream.

"Papa! PAPA!"

Finally, Governor Swann's head turned as he heard his daughter's desperate cry although it was as though it were from afar and not from a mere few yards away.

"Annalise!" Governor Swann exclaimed in surprise and surreal calm. "Are you dead, darling?"

His words struck Annalise right in the heart as they confirmed what she had feared. The tears began to fall thickly as Annalise shook her head frantically while Elizabeth whispered in horror, "No. No."

"Oh, Elizabeth." Governor Swann noticed his elder daughter too at last, standing not far beside his youngest. "Are you also dead?"

"No, father." Elizabeth said shakily. "No. No-"

"I think I am." Governor Swann admitted, sounding more contemplative than pained and apparently utterly unaware that he was wrecking even more devastation on his daughters.

"No you can't be." Elizabeth cried and Governor Swann tipped his head a little as he stared at his daughter in confusion.

"Papa," Annalise sobbed, her voice cracking and making Jack's heart clench. "How did you get here?"

"There was this chest, you see." Governor Swann answered slowly, as though trying to remember something from a dream. "I thought... At the time it seemed so important."