Adeena Cole: At World's End

Chapter Ten: Leadership

"Hods bodkins!" Ragetti breathed, padding after Pintel. 

"That's a new one, what does it mean?" I asked, wondering if 'Hods' was a person. 

I wasn't answered, because the two were too busy dreaming up situations in which they had slayed the beast. 

"You stupid fish!" Pintel poked it with a stick, grinning, but then jumping back as if the thing would come to life and eat him.

"Actually, it's a cephalopod." Ragetti corrected factually, looking knowledgeable. I gave him an incredulous look. So he wasn't as stupid as he looks.

"Serves you right!" Pintel told it. 

"I support!" I called, kneeling beside the eye and meeting the dead stare.

"See? 'Deena gets it!" Pintel grinned at me. I smiled back. If Jack and I ended up with the Pearl, I wanted them in the crew.

Jack and Barboussa had walked up behind me. I stood and backed up, so they could see.

"She' s a brute, hm?" I asked softly. 

"The breath was the worst part," Jack said, his nose crinkling. He grew more solemn, though, as he gazed at it.

It hit me suddenly. Jack was looking, in the eye, the thing that had killed him.

Barboussa spoke. "Still thinkin' of running, Jack? Think ye can outrun the world?"

He will try. I thought glumly.

"Ye know, the problem with being the last o' anything is, by and by, there be none left at all." Barboussa continued. I glanced back at him, surprised at the sensibility of what he was saying.

Jack shook his head, smiling faintly. "Some things come back, mate. We're living proof, you an' me."

"But isn't that a gamble of odds?" I said, realizing Barboussa was saying exactly what I had been trying to. 

"There's never a guarantee of comin' back, but passin' on, that's dead certain." Barboussa winked at me, unseen by Jack. I grinned at him, a mutual respect beginning to form.

"Summoning the Brethren Court, then, is it?" Jack wondered aloud.

"'Tis our only hope, lad." Barboussa said, seemingly reluctant. 

Jack looked amused and depressed. "That's a sad commentary in and of itself."

I turned my eyes on him. Why would gathering the pirates be such a terrible thing? My thought process paused. How did they even get the message around? 

Well, this is the Caribbean. 

"The world used to be a bigger place," Barboussa says, squinting at the back of Jack's head. 

Jack tore his eyes from the kraken, shaking his head. "The world's still the same, mate." He spared a look at the sky before pushing past Barboussa and walking to join the rest of the shore party. "There's just...less in it."

I watched him as he went, a heavy feeling in my chest. "He'll never get it, will he?" I wondered.

"He's still young, in my eye." Barboussa said gruffly. I raised an eyebrow at him. "An' you younger still. He respects you enough that ye could teach him."

I crossed my arms, suddenly cold. "Thanks, I guess." I said softly. 

He glanced away. "Well, come along, ye'll be left behind."

He stomped away faster than his usual limping gate would permit. I felt a smile spread across my lips.

***

The freshwater spring that Will had so kindly pointed out had a dead body floating in it. 

I crouched by the water, knowing of all of us I was less likely to be weakened by anything the deceased man had done to it. "Poisoned." I spat it out, grimacing. "Fouled by the body, I presume. Screw getting freshwater." I sighed, standing and pushing my hair out of my face as a gust of salty breeze blew it into my eyes.

"Hey!" Pintel exclaimed, turning over the body. Its face was only slightly bloated; still recognizable. "I know him! 'E was in Singapore!"

That's when the trouble started.

Cotton's parrot squawked. "Singapore!"

Marty, peeking between two palm trees, turned. "Captain!" 

Jack, Barboussa, and I looked to him. 

"Oi, we've got company!" Ragetti said nervously.

I gulped, freezing as all of the men Sao Feng had lent us turned their weapons on Jack. 

He threw his hands up, looking innocent. The mischief that remained constantly in his handsome eyes threw off the look, though. He glanced at Barboussa, then me.

"He's the captain," He gestured at Barboussa over his shoulder.

I gave Hector a sympathetic stare before raising my hand.

"Nice try, Jack," I said firmly. "No. I'm the captain."