The Captain's Heart

Chapter 5 - The Key

Will swam quickly ahead, but Ngaio couldn't seem to get her arms and legs to work fast enough. By the time she stumbled ashore, she could sense that the atmosphere was already tense. Will knelt by the big black chest on the sand.

"I need to stab the heart to free my father, " Will explain to the other woman on the beach as he went to unlock the chest.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that William. For if Jones is dead who is there to call off his beast?" The man who Ngaio assumed was Jack responded, pointing his sword at Will.

" I'm afraid I can't let you either, " Another man said. How many more pirates? To be honest, she wasn't even sure he was a pirate.

"Where the hell did you come from. Aren't you part of the navy anymore?" Her sister questioned. So he was a navy man. That explained a lot.

"No Celeste. I am no longer part of the Royal Navy, " He replied bitterly.

"Now hand over the key Will, " Jack ordered

"You know I can't do that, " he replied. They were stood in a circle, swords pointed at one another, and then they began to fight. Ngaio was just exhausted. Will told the woman to guard the chest, but she shook her head,a den tried to stop them fighting. It didn't work.

"3 shillings says Jack ends up with the key in the end, " Celeste said, leaning over to her sister. Ngaio wanted to bet on Will, but she panicked and deliberately 'forgot' his name. She didn't want Celeste to think she liked him. Unfortunately the description she gave of him really didn't help her case.

"Ok, 3 shillings says the hot one wins."

"Jack is the hot one." She wasn't expecting that.

"No not him the one without dreadlocks, "

"Will. You've known him for days and you already forgot his name, "

"I'm bad at names okay?" She could have breathed a sigh of relief - Celeste had bought it. "Wait... you called Jack hot, " Ngaio said looking at her twin strangely.

"So?"

"So you like him, "

"No I don't and besides you called Will hot too. But... I have to warn you - he is already dating Liz, " she pointed to the woman who was screaming at the others as they fought. Ngaio's heart sunk. That made sense.

"For now, " She replied, trying to sound light-hearted. Celeste laughed at her before turning around after hearing something. It was the crew of the Dutchman.

"You know I used to have nicknames for some of them, " she said to Ngaio.

"Oh, really? Like what?"

"They weren't very good but I just couldn't be bothered to remember their names. So that one was shell head, " She pointed to the appropriately named crew member. This continued for a few more and Ngaio had almost tuned out when her sister said, "and that was buttface."

"Buttface? Really?"

"What? I was twelve okay and the name stuck, " she defended with a laugh. Ngaio, laughed too but stopped suddenly. They both looked back and the crew were alarmingly close.

"Time to go?"

"Aye," her sister agreed and they turned and ran. They ran through the forests jumping over tree roots and ducking under branches. Pausing to catch her breath, Ngaio heard a peculiar noise.

"What's that sound?" She asked.

"I don't know." Out of nowhere, a huge wooden wheel appeared, as if off the side of a water mill or something. The twins paused to watch on in half shock, half amusement.