a pirate's life ➸ potc (1)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

I knew that my gut feeling was right. Elizabeth was currently walking to the end of the plank, where the only chance she had would be to swim to the island opposite. It was a long way away, and I wasn't even sure Miss Swann could swim.

"Go on, Poppet!" Pintel called, the rest of the crew jeering along with him. Elizabeth looked terrified, she was trembling with fear. But once Elizabeth had gone, it was either me or Jack next, and then the other, so the sooner she jumped the better.

"Barbossa, you lying bastard!" Will yelled at him, being restrained by some of the crew. "You swore she'd go free!"

Barbossa faced Will with fire in his yellowy eyes. "Don't dare impugn me honour, boy. I agreed she'd go free, but it was you who failed t' specify when or where," he chuckled evilly.

The crew put a gag in my brother's mouth, and he looked pleadingly at me. But there was nothing I could do: I was next.

"Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?" The crew cheered in agreement. Barbossa took a few steps forward toward Elizabeth, who stood transfixed at the end of the wobbly plank. "So I'll be havin' that dress back before ye go."

The crew howled with laughter. It made me sick to my stomach. Meanwhile, Jack was trying to persuade the other pirates that he was a good man: "I always liked you," he tried, but the other pirate just grunted in his face.

Elizabeth had stripped off her dress, leaving her only in her undergarments. She tossed the wretched thing to him. "It goes with your black heart," she bit, turning around to face the thankfully calm waters.

"Ooh, it's still warm," Barbossa laughed sickeningly, throwing it to one of his crew members.

Elizabeth was still stood on the end of the plank, waiting for the right moment. "Too long!" Bo'sun yelled impatiently, and rocked the plank with his foot. It wobbled precariously and Elizabeth fell off into the ocean. I gasped. Jack was up next. He got marched up to the plank, his hands still tied in front of him.

"I'd really rather hoped we were past all this," he smiled weakly, fear clear in his dark eyes.

Barbossa put his arm round him in an unfriendly, condescending way. "Jack... Jack. Did ya not notice? That be the same little island we made ye Governor of on our last little trip." He pointed out to the distant island. Jack gave it a quick glance and then turned back. Barbossa retracted his arm.

"I did notice," he confirmed quietly.

"Perhaps ye'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape... but I doubt it," he cackled, brandishing his long silver sword and pointing it at Jack's neck. "Off you go," he taunted.

Jack stepped onto the plank and walked about halfway before stopping again. He turned. "Last time, you left me a pistol with one shot."

"By the powers, yer right," the captain agreed. "Where be Jack's pistol?" He addressed his crew. "Bring it forward." One of the pirates brought Jack's effects forward.

"Seeing as there's three of us, a gentleman... would give us three pistols," he tried to bargain, but to no avail.

"It'll be one pistol as before, and you can be the gentleman and pick which lady ye'd like to save," Barbossa laughed menacingly. "And then starve to death with the other one." The rest of the crew cackled as Jack's pistol was thrown into the water, and he dived straight in after it. He dived rather good for a man whose hands were tied.

My turn. I dreaded the thought of this. I stepped up onto the plank after I was shoved forwards, and walked straight to the end. I couldn't show my true fear. I spotted Jack poke his head up from under the water, and he turned to look back at his ship. He saw me and began to tread water instead of swim.