༺ T H E R E S C U E ༻
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Despite the sun having shown itself the Interceptor had sailed right through the large patch of fog that was lasting for miles. Hundreds of shipwrecks surrounded them, making it difficult for Jack to navigate what once was broad, open water. Sharks could be seen every few feet, the wrecks were a wonderful hiding spot for them, and the many dead bodies of past sailors had once been their meal.
Clara shuddered at the sight as she watched, leaning on the rail with the crew. Mr Cotton's parrot was the only thing to make noise as it eerily sang. "Dead men tell no tales. Dead men tell no tales."
"I'm gonna shoot that bird," she whispered to Will. She stood straight, showing the young man that she was not jesting at all.
A hand shot out, keeping her in place. "Best not."
Biting her cheek, Clara stiffly nodded and went back to her original position.
After a short while, Mr Gibbs spoke. "Puts a chill in the bones, how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage." The man turned away, Will and Clara closely following him.
"How is it that Jack came by that compass?" questioned Will.
Gibbs tightened a part of the rigging. "Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow 'fore he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to find the treasure of the Isla de Muerta. That was before I'd met him, back when he was captain of the Black Pearl."
Will looked sharply at the man. "What?"
Gibbs glanced at him and sipped from his flask.
"He failed to mention that."
"Are you surprised?" asked Clara, rhetorically. "He knew your father and yet he failed to mention that too."
Gibbs nodded. "He plays things closer to the vest now. A hard-learned lesson it was. See three days out on the venture, the first mate comes to him and says, 'Everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure too.' So Jack gives up the bearings. That night, there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die, but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."
Will looked at Jack. "Ah. So that's the reason for all the . . ." He began to mimic the pirate, swaying back and forth, an odd gleam in his eye.
"Are you sure the reason isn't the rum?" Clara responded.
Will inclined his head, partly agreeing with her.
"Reason's got nothing to do with it," Gibbs answered, sitting on a barrel and the other two followed suit. "Now, Will, Miss Clara, when a pirate's marooned, he's given a pistol with a single shot. One shot, well that won't do much good hunting, or to be rescued. But after three weeks of a starving belly and thirst - that pistol started to look real friendly." He mimed a gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
Gibbs continued. "But Jack - he escaped the island. And he still has that single shot. Oh, but he won't use it, though, save on one man. His mutinous first mate-"
"Barbossa," Will concluded.
"Aye."
"How'd Jack get off the island?" questioned Clara, stealing another glance at him.
"Well, I'll tell ya. He waded out into the shallows and he waited there three days and three nights, 'til all manner of sea creatures 'came acclimated to his presence. On the fourth morning, he roped a couple of sea turtles, lashed 'em together, and made a raft."
Neither could believe the story. Clara looked at Will but he was occupied by holding his gaze steady with Gibbs, trying to see if the older man would break. "He roped together a couple of sea turtles."
"Aye, sea turtles."
"What did he use for rope?"
Gibbs began to answer then realized he, in fact, did not know.
Next to Clara, someone now stood, a hand on their belt near the infamous pistol and the other placed gently on her shoulder. It was Jack and he looked down at Will, an odd sense around him. "Human hair. From my back."
Fighting off the gross feelings she had, Clara shifted so she was head-on with Will now. Jack's hand dropped and he shouted for the anchor to be let go. "Young Mr Turner and I are to go ashore." Jack turned away as the crew scrambled to their places.
Mr Gibbs jumped up, trailing him very closely. "What if the worst should happen?"
"Keep to the code," he whispered back.
"Aye. The code."
The young adults watched speculatively as the two departed from their side. Clara and Will shared a look, not too entirely trusting of Jack anymore.
"Let me go too."
"Clara-"
"Please, it'll be harder for him to pull anything if I'm there."
Will thought for a moment. "Alright. Stay close."
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The rowboat was small, with Jack stuck in the middle as he had taken the oars. The cavern was dark, the only light coming from the lamp which Will held. As they passed an outcropping of rock, the lamp light showed over a skeleton, a sword deep in its back. Clara's breath hitched, wanting to scream but she knew she couldn't, Barbossa and his men would hear and they would be dead.
"What code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asked, breaking the long silence.
"Pirates' Code. Any man who falls behind is left behind."
"No heroes amongst thieves, eh?"
"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one. Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga, and you're completely obsessed with treasure."
Down in the shallow water, gleamed and glowed thousands of gold coins and jewels, swords, and cutlery. The boat came to a halt, bumping into the sandy shore, Will wasted little time in getting out, taking the rope to tie it off somewhere in hand.
Jack followed but not before offering a hand to Clara, helping to keep her steady as she came to the front of the boat. Gently as possible Jack took hold of her waist and lifted her, placing the girl on the shore so as to not let her boots or dress get wet.
Clara looked at him in surprise, muttering a thank you before heading off down the tunnel.
"It's not true," countered Will, still on the topic of piracy. "I'm not obsessed with treasure."
Climbing up a small rise, Jack stopped and looked back at the boy. "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."
Turning back to the scene in front of them, they could see the gathering of Barbossa's men and Barbossa himself who was standing high upon a pile of coins, Elizabeth near him. "Gentlemen, the time had come! Our salvation is nigh! Our torment is near an end!"
The crew cheered.
"Elizabeth," muttered Will.
"For ten years we've been tested and tried, and each man-jack of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over, and a hundred times again!"
"Suffered, I have!" responded one.
Many shouted in agreement.
"Punished we were, the lot of us, disproportionate to our crime! Here it is." Barbossa turned to a large stone chest and kicked off the lid. "The cursed treasure of Cortes himself. Every last piece that went astray, we have returned. Save for this!" He pointed right at Elizabeth.
Will was ready to fight. "Jack!"
He pulled him back, coins clinking as they fell. "Not yet! We wait for the opportune moment." Jack got up and walked back down the cavern.
"When's that?" Will asked behind him. "When it's of greatest profit to you?"
"Will, not now!"
But Jack had already stopped and turned back to them. "May I ask you something? Have I ever given you reason not to trust me? Do us a favour, I know it's difficult for you, but please, stay here, and try not to do anything stupid."
Jack walked off, never once peering over his shoulder, which was most definitely a mistake because once he was far away enough, Will crept to the boat, taking an oar in hand.
"Will?" Clara whispered, trailing him. "What are you doing?"
Placing a hand over his lips, he gestured for her to follow. They slowly crept through the caverns, staying a few meters behind Jack. They could hear more cheering as Barbossa continued on with his speech, it became louder as the cavern opened back up.
"You know the first thing I'm going to do after the curse is lifted?" said Barbossa, rhetorically. "Eat a whole bushel of apples!"
The pirates were now chanting. "Blood! Blood! Blood! Blood! Blood!"
"Begun by blood. By blood undone."
It made a chill run through Clara's bones. "Will!"
"I know!" He crept up behind Jack and, without hesitation, swung the oar, knocking the pirate out cold. "Sorry, Jack. I'm not going to be your leverage." He threw the piece of wood down and took Clara's hand, wanting to keep her close.
"Apologies," Clara said walking over to Jack's body. "You kinda do deserve it though."
They paused in another cavern, this time much closer to the crew. Will watched what was happening before running off again. A gunshot echoed through the cave and Clara gasped, hoping it wasn't meant for Elizabeth. As the two worked their way around, they finally came to the pile of coins, hiding behind it, practically in plain sight. Barbossa found out that Elizabeth was not a Turner and he turned and hit her, Elizabeth falling onto the rocky floor below.
"You brought us the wrong person!" said another pirate.
"No! She had the medallion. She's the proper age."
"She said her name was Turner. You heard her. Unless . . ."
"Unless?"
"The other girl."
Will and Clara paused, just out of reach of Elizabeth.
"What other girl?" shouted Barbossa.
The pirate hesitated before stuttering his answer. "We, uh, we let another girl go. We saw her with her, we didn't think anything of it-"
"You brought us here for nothin'!"
Not wasting another minute, Will shook Elizabeth and she bolted upright. He gestured for her to be quiet before helping her down and into the water. He handed the girl over to Clara who stood on the opposite bank. The two smiled and hugged each other with death grips.
"We must hurry," Said Clara pulling away.
They snuck back around the way they came but just as they were about to be free from the pirates' sights, a monkey screeches pointing right where they had been.
"The medallion! She's taken it!" Barbossa said, reuniting his crew. "Get after her, you feckless pack of ingrates!"
"Run! Now, run!" shouted Clara, letting go of Elizabeth and pushing her forward, as Barbossa's crew quickly drew upon them. All they could do was run for their lives, unknowingly leaving Jack behind.
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