The slight cold summer raindrops fell down the beige leather of the boots that were standing near the altar, one slightly lifted upon the cobblestones that weren't perfectly flat. The light colored fabric of the trousers above the boots were close to soaked right now and too was the vest and coat covering the trousers. The gold treading of the clothes gleamed within the few rays of sunlight that almost made the courtyard, decorated with white flowers and blossom everywhere, look magical like a holy light touched everything. Tables which were ready to be served food on later wore the soaked tablecloths, on top the porcelain china and glassware filled with rainwater instead of champagne. It was wet, empty and silent. Every guest that had arrived seemed to have vanished into thin air like they were never invited. The figure at the beginning of the aisle toward the altar was waiting, standing there for what felt like forever.
It was Cutler, who now moved down his brown tricorn hat which revealed his white wig, one of the few things on him still dry. Lowering the hat alongside his body, his shoulders slouching as his piercing blue eyes, reflecting the rain combined with the slight sunlight, kept on staring without looking back. He waited, more than necessary as the thing he waited for was not going to happen. He was waiting for something, or rather someone, that would never come, but not out of free will.
An hour earlier Jack rushed through the docks, in the distance he watched the Wicked Wench almost fully prepared for the trip. Everyone was onboard, even the "cargo" by now. It wouldn't take another hour before it would leave, exactly two o'clock in the afternoon. The same time the wedding was to start. But Jack carried a burden, a burden that made his heart quicken with each step he took. The fate of the bride was in his hands.
By the time he rushed back, away from the docks after being informed by some of his men, telling him the ship was ready to set sail, his heart seemed to be bursting from his chest. Especially as he met again with the frightened emerald eyes that contained less life in them with every minute that passed.
'Jack.. what are you doing?' Kate tried to press the words from her lips while she watched Jack, soaked by the heavy rainfall enter the room again. He had commanded no one to enter, so it was pleasant to hear him return as the fear kept on growing inside her with every second alone. Watching her hands Kate saw the tips of her fingers were covered in the purple veins that started to rise up to her arms. Her trembling hands were held still by Jack's warm fingers suddenly. He crouched down in front of her as she was sitting on a chair, the pearl white fabric of her train was spread across the wooden floor. His dark brown eyes pierced hers, they carried worry and great concern.
'We need help. I have seen the supernatural and this is a curse' Jack spoke with wisdom to his voice. He offered her two long pearl white gloves he managed to find between the seamstress' stuff still spread across the room. They reached all the way past her elbows. Kate watched him in confusion but accepting the gloves she tried to keep her hands as still as possible to move them over her trembling icy fingers.
'And where do you suppose we can find help?' Kate spoke quick, very quick. As if she was afraid she would lose all of her breath as she spoke. Jack tried to pull her up from the chair after the gloves covered her almost purple hands. For a moment he had stared at the strange and worrying sight, but it was obvious he was forcing himself to hold his tongue and he too did not answer her question.
Outside the rain continued pouring down. Jack had taken his leather brown vest and threw it around Kate's far to small shoulders, she almost drowned inside the large jacket, but Jack's body heat that the fabric still contained was pleasant on her cold skin. The mud stuck on the lace hem of her white wedding dress made her stomach turn for a moment, but it was least of their worries now.
It took long, to long and her feet started to crumble away from underneath her, at least it felt that way. Jack's tall legs and quick pace were hard to keep up with. Every time Jack turned his head around to see if she was still alright, but it turned away just as quick as it was obvious he was making sure they weren't followed. Holding her hand tightly he almost dragged her along. It pinched, the hold he had on her fingers, she swore they felt like breaking cause of freezing cold. Moving them slightly she noticed Jack weakening his grip, but it too could have been because of the fact they arrived at their destination, still unknown until she raised her sight up high. It was the grand Wicked Wench that was ready to depart from the Nassau docks, as planned for Jack's voyage.
'Why did you bring me here?' Kate's soft uncertain voice almost squeaked as Jack suddenly turned around and took her in between his arms, his hands holding the upper part of her arms while staring into the green of her eyes that once again seemed more faded, the brightness had disappeared.
'We need someone who knows how to solve this, or even how this all started' Jack spoke quickly. It was obvious he tried to hide her from all the guards around. But he was lucky as there were hardly any people at the docks, because of the big wedding that was about to take place within a few minutes.
Her ears recognized the rushing sound of sails. It was a familiar one mixed in with the waves stroking the side of the ship in between quay and the wooden hull of the Wench.
'I will not go with you, Jack. I will not leave Cutler behind, we are to be married.. finally' Kate whispered while she hugged her chest, it was obvious she was freezing, goosebumps spread across her pale mixed in with the purple skin. It wasn't really cold, even though the rain it was still midsummer in the Caribbean. But it showed there was something horribly wrong with her.
'Please Kate, you need help' Jack's begging eyes watched her. Kate started shaking her head sideways, there were tears, mixed in with the raindrops, visible upon her pale cheeks, the rosy color it always carried had vanished like snow before the sun.
'I can't' it was when Kate spoke those few words she started to struggle in between Jack's arms. She didn't mean to, but it was like she couldn't control her body, just as the trembling she had no control, like the anxiety, or curse if it was true what Jack said, took over. A cold feeling crossed her spine until she fell to her knees. Jack just in time caught her before her knees would hit the hard ground. He was holding her, slightly moving her toward the gangway of the ship. Kate kept on shaking her head from side to side. It was then Jack had to hold her from fainting, Kate whispered a last weak 'No' before all went black.
A strong salt smell entered her nostrils and was pricking her closed eyes. Kate awoke and slowly raising her torso she noticed herself to be inside a cabin, the captain's quarters aboard a ship. A breeze mixed in with rain-mist entered the cabin from the open window of the ship's stern and touched the side of her face. Before she could realize and before it all came back to her Kate removed the blanket from her while quickly throwing her legs out of the bed. Wrong decision, she fell to the ground and suddenly remembered that aching pain, a pain like something was entering her body in a slow and painful process. Lifting herself from the ground with the help of leaning onto the bed she strumbled outside to the deck. Kate gasped loudly as she saw the view of the open water. She was in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. Holding onto the balustrade of the ship she kept repeating to herself.
'No.. no' Kate was leaning onto the side where her fingernails buried themselves into the wood of the rail, cause of the pain entering her body but too because her heart broke by the thought of Cutler waiting for her by the aisle, while she would never come. What would he think, what would he feel?
'Kate..' a soft voice asked for her. A voice she didn't need a face for to recognize. It was Jack who had noticed her being awake. She felt his warm hand reach for her shoulder. Kate abruptly turned around and struck away his hand angrily.
'How could you?!' Kate's soft but angered voice was muffled by sound of the rain and waves and she took steps backward as Jack took steps foward, trying to calm her down.
'Jack.. you have to return to Nassau' Kate started commanding with her voice now almost disappearing. It was clear Jack had hidden her from the crew before they left. And for a slight moment, in between her anger, Kate worried whether she should have shown up just like this, almost reaching the main deck. But she was furious at Jack for taking her away from her wedding, just like that.
It took long before Jack was able to reason with Kate and ease her mind on his plan. They were sailing for Tia Dalma's island. It would be there they would release the slaves to be free. It gave them time and a cover-up to visit her and ask her for a cure.
'You saw him do what?!' Cutler almost shouted while the calm tone it usually carried had disappeared, there was fear, pain and concern read from his voice. His face was as dark as the night that was about to arrive. His fists slammed onto the wood of his desk, inside his office.
'I saw Captain Sparrow, Sir, forcing her to move aboard the Wicked Wench. He kidnapped her' the tall slender redcoat standing on the other side of Cutler's desk was fearing for his life, his trembling hands holding his musket close to his body. Cutler was on the brink of smashing the wood of the desk in half. But instead, he started marching up and down.
There was a small glimpse of relief. Cutler was now, after hours of interrogating his men present at the docks earlier this day, sure Kate hadn't left him for different reasons or out of free will. But the relief had soon been swept away as he felt the nerves run through his veins, the so familiar fear of losing her.
'We will set in a pursuit as quickly as the Endeavour is ready to leave port. Make sure she's ready to fire at any time' Cutler growled, hiding his shaking hands underneath the surface of the desk. The redcoat moved his head down quickly and soon left the room in a hurry to spread the commands given by the Company's director.
'Why would Sparrow act so foolish Milord?' Mercer spoke almost as angered but his voice managed to keep the emotionless tone it always carried. He was standing behind Cutler in the distance and watched him from the darkness of the room's corner. Cutler growled almost unintelligible while he stood frozen behind the desk. His strict eyes met Mercer's.
'Why do you think Mercer?! Because Jack wanted to stop this wedding from the very beginning. As revenge on me' Cutler hissed between his teeth. It was when Cutler waved Mercer bowed down and left the room. After commanding him to make sure the Endeavour was indeed made ready as quickly as possible Cutler threw himself down into his armchair, his hand reached for his forehead where he closed his eyes and relieved himself of a sigh. He had made sure the wedding was called off without any confusion or suspicion. This island was like a small village and rumors would soon spread around in the Caribbean. Cutler made sure Kate's reputation and his own weren't harmed. He hadn't informed Lord Florence about everything that happened and had commanded his men several times to assure him, as Lord Florence had insisted on being sent into Cutler's office, that Kate was alright. Cutler had felt like a fool and simply couldn't look into the eyes of the man he had promised to keep his daughter safe.
Cutler didn't know how to feel, one part of him knew Jack would never harm Kate, but another part inside told him if Jack really loved her like he feared, Jack would do anything to take them apart, he might even put her in danger. Cutler clenched his fists by the thought and he promised himself he'd make Jack pay once they would stand face to face again.
It didn't take long for the Wench to arrive at the mysterious island from which Jack remembered the coordinates. It was the island Tia Dalma lived. It was there the slaves would be set free. Even though Jack wanted to continue his mission of freeing them, there was something else that took his priority. He had arranged the escape of the slaves to be at the exact moment they would arrive. Jack was satisfied after a few hours as he had convinced quite a large group of men to help him with the escape. Among them, the spy Mr. O'Connor, hired by Cutler himself, would take the lead while Jack took this time to take Kate to Tia Dalma.
'Run!' Mr. O'Connor was shouting some hours later as they had arrived. And as soon as both Jack and Kate's feet touched land there was a fight going on between the group of men ready to release the cargo of slaves and the Company men that fought against Jack's plan. It all went according to plan and so Jack went on with it. He rushed Kate across the beach toward the edge of the jungle, in the rush he was in he had to carry her for a little while until they arrived at the large swamp river Jack recognized from last time. Kate was remembered of Jack's navigation skills that never let them down, he always found the way back on the most complicated and abandoned islands, something she had always admired about Jack. Right this moment Kate felt like he was truly putting her needs first, he was doing everything in his power to safe her. Kate watched the concerned brown, almost deer like eyes watch back at her while carrying her weak body. Jack was a good man, a true friend.
Jack released himself with a sigh of relief once he recognized the longboat they had returned with last time, it was still there, untouched. Now the next challenge was the way back to Tia Dalma's refuge.
Kate wanted to give up searching as she kept on whispering 'The cold..' it seemed to take a toll on her even to talk now. It had been half an hour now there were searching, slowly paddling across the swamp river that seemed endless. Jack lowered his sight next to him in the boat where he watched Kate underneath all the blankets he had searched for throughout the Wicked Wench just before they had left, to make sure she was warm as the cold rain continued touching their skins. Her always pale skin seemed paler, it had lost the healthy rosy undertone it always carried and watching her face it almost seemed grey. But the purple like veins worried him the most, it had to be a curse. It truly felt like something was taking away the life inside of her, as Jack had noticed before. He just couldn't put a finger on what might be the cause. But he knew it worried him even though he didn't show her he was concerned, it had eaten him from the inside out for the last couple of hours. If Jack had remembered correctly they had to arrive at an old house, just a little further into the swamp.
'Oi! there it is' Jack moved to the front of the vessel, making it rock slightly and he started to paddle even quicker. Kate managed to show a weak smile on her white lips as Jack glanced at her to reassure her.
'You found the way back' Kate's soft voice spelled out with her titled face looking up at Jack now standing with one leg on the side of the vessel.
'Did you ever doubt me, love?' Jack had winked at her before she rose her sight to their destination. They saw a glimpse of the old shack they recognized to be Tia Dalma's. As they remembered it felt like it could break apart and collapse any moment. The roof made of a mixture of bamboo and leaves was held up by the few small wooden pillars that seemed rotten, a miracle it still kept all the weight of the rain that seemed to have fallen down in the whole Caribbean, not just Nassau.
The fog surrounded the small shack which had made it hard for the two of them to exactly remember where it was inside the large jungle on the island. Once arriving at the little dock Jack started to tie the vessel quickly to make sure it wouldn't drift off. He stepped onto the platform and helped Kate to get out of the vessel by taking her into his arms. They moved up the little stairs that creaked underneath his feet, arriving at the wooden door Jack hesitated before knocking on it. Kate looked at him in question, her face encouraging him to knock. The door was already open and Jack pushed it open a little further stepping inside. Their eyes went through the room, it was dark and they remembered the smell of old and used items that were spread across the dusty room. The creaking of the old wooden floor continued on as they now fully entered the room, noticing the table where Tia Dalma had made Kate's prophecy before.
Suddenly there was a large pound and a door swung open. Inside the light of the few candles lit was the figure of a woman. It was Tia Dalma herself marching from the shadow in a quick phase. Jack noticed he felt somewhat relieved to see her, a feeling that surprised him.
'My friends, what brings you here?' her deep Jamaican accent echoed across the room with a surprised and confused tone to it. She didn't seem to need an answer as she swept herself forward after watching Kate now standing, supported by Jack. Her long dark fingers moved to her face, Kate expected to feel a cold, but her warm hands were pleasant on her icy cheek.
'What caused this?' Tia spoke quickly as she forced Jack to place Kate down onto one of the wooden armchairs. Dust flew around when she hit the bordeaux fabric of the armchair.
'Well, it's a long story' Jack decided to speak for Kate as he noticed how her breathing had quickened throughout their journey and all she did took much from her energy.
'What are you waiting for?' Tia almost sounded angry as she made a gesture to Jack raising her hands as if she was ready to strangle him if he didn't tell her what happened right this second.
'It's the day of her marriage. All was going according to plan but at one point the weather suddenly changed, mid-summer in the Caribbean it started to rain like it was raining season.. It seems to effect Kate, she's tembling, cold like her skin could almost freeze. And then I kidnapped a bride from her wedding day. Well, that's a interesting first..' Jack started the story and ended smirking but soon he removed the smirk when he lowered his eyes on Kate, the feeling of concern raged through his stomach. Tia raised her hand to silence him.
'I too have noticed the weather change so suddenly. It is the work of something supernatural' Tia whispered as she kept on inspecting Kate.
It was when Tia Dalma touched Kate's hands as she removed the gloves and watched her skin that was still covered in the dark magic, she started whispering in a strange foreign language. Her dark eyes seemed even darker and it almost felt like they would disappear inside her skull. Jack was taking a few steps back as Tia Dalma kept on mumbling unknown words. There was a cold wind that seemed to sweep up from the ground, the curtains inside the shack started waving wildly and the front door kept on opening and closing by itself. Jack tried to hide behind the tall back of Kate's armchair when he beheld the supernatural stage Tia Dalma brought herself in. Her eyes were now completely black and Jack felt the ground underneath his feet tremble, he was afraid the shack that was built on wooden pillars would break off and make them fall down into the deep waters of the swamp. Jack felt his breathing quicken and had the urge to pull Kate away from her. His fingers moved around her wrist as the almost storm inside the room made it hard for him to move his arm up. It was when Jack pulled Kate away from Tia Dalma her sight focused on him, still in her trance she moved her dark pupilless eyes upon Jack and her voice seemed almost possessed as she spoke.
'She betrayed it didn't she?!' Tia Dalma hissed between her teeth, her eyes were huge by now staring at Jack as if she were to devour him any moment.
'Betray what?' Jack didn't understand and his eyes for a slight second moved to Kate whom's wrist he was still holding, she seemed just as confused.
'That!' Tia Dalma's demonic voice echoed through the room and her thin long index finger pointed to something inside Jack's pocket. Jack took out the compass he had received from Kate earlier this day. It seemed almost as if Tia Dalma was afraid of it when Jack took it out.
'Now your deepest fears will be released' Tia Dalma's raised voice spoke toward Kate that was in Jack's embrace by now, both watching her in great fear as the storm inside the room kept on raging. It was almost as if Tia Dalma had grown a few inches and she appeared to grow as her rage continued. Kate's long red hair was waving in front of her face, her eyes spoke fear and pain. Jack felt her body weaken inside his grip. He gasped for air once he noticed the veins of the dark curse had moved all over the top of where the gloves had been and had hidden it before, the dark purple lines now entered the part of her shoulder, slowly making way to her chest.
'As soon as this curse will reach her heart, it will be all over' Tia Dalma's voice echoed through the room, screaming through storm's rage, while her soulless eyes staring from above them didn't leave Jack and Kate in great fear holding onto each other.
'But how will we stop this curse?' Jack spoke bravely as he had to shout above the rage of nature, the storm that kept on moving through the shack that was tilting and cracking upon its pillars. Before Jack was able to receive an answer a loud explosion was heard, it sounded like cannon fire. Jack raised Kate higher up his arms. He noticed Tia Dalma looked up once they heard the explosion, she didn't seem pleased that her island was being attacked.
Jack had to think quickly. It was time for them to leave before she would unroll her rage upon everyone on this island. Without speaking Jack tried to move himself and Kate still in his arms through the wind and storm. As he reached the front of the door they saw nothing but dark smoke and fog inside Tia Dalma's shack. Jack didn't look back again once he moved down Kate's slender almost lifeless body into the longboat.
Once the oar touched the swamp's water Jack started to paddle toward the edge of the jungle as quick as he was able to. On their way back he was cursing softly at how this trip had been no use at all. He moved down his fingers inside his pocket to feel the compass. Tia Dalma spoke of how Kate had been cursed and that her biggest fear will be reality because of betraying the compass. Even though Jack yet had to learn how she'd betrayed it he knew what her punishment was. Kate's greatest fear was to be separated from Cutler, and this curse killing her made that possible.
He took the compass out and wanted to open the lid. Before he did he realized there was something stuck between the compass and its lid. It was a small card he recognized immediately. It was one of the tarot cards Tia Dalma had used for Kate's prophecy. Jack watched Kate for a moment as she was laying on the small bench inside the boat, on top of the blankets with Jack's large jacket covering her trembling body, her eyes were closed as she seemed to be concentrating on not losing consciousness from the pain. Jack felt a pain enter his stomach, he felt powerless but soon his eyes returned to the tarot card.
Holding up the card in front of him he watched the drawing he had seen before. It showed a woman and a man, deeply staring into each other's eyes, above them a heart pierced by a cupid's bow and arrow. It was the card of true love. It was then Jack realized Tia Dalma did give them a cure to the curse. He had read about love being a powerful bond, so powerful it could break almost any curse. Jack lowered the card in his hand and stared at Kate.
They needed Cutler, he was the key to lifting this curse. If this was going to save Kate, he was going to take this chance and face Cutler. But first, they needed to reach the beach and sail back to Nassau in time before the curse would reach Kate's heart.
It took a while for them to reach the shore of where the large river ended. Jack took Kate out of the longboat and tried to place her down on her feet for a moment to see where they needed to go. Her eyes showed fear, pain and they were begging for help. Jack felt his stomach turn once again seeing Kate like this.
Suddenly Kate felt an intolerable pain in her chest. It proved wouldn't take long before the curse would reach her heart and end it all.
'Kate, I figured it all out, it was the compass that awoke your biggest fear as Tia Dalma told us. Which is being separated from your true love. So all we need to do is bring that love back to you, in that way the curse might break' Jack held her shoulders between his firm grip, his dark brown eyes piercing hers. Kate's eyes winded she too had the same realization.
'We need Cutler' Kate whispered staring into Jack's eyes as he was nodding his head quickly. Jack lifted Kate inside his arms to keep moving through the jungle to the beach.
Standing at the edge of the jungle the Wicked Wench was in sight. The explosions they heard earlier had to come from to Wench, defending herself as the fight probably had continued on. But once their eyes moved to the far distance there was a silence on the beach. The fight had ended, it was clear the slaves had been set free but the outcome of the fight was a horrible sight to behold. It couldn't have been the Wench that had fired the cannon shots.
Suddenly something moved in the far distance, it looked like clouds dancing above the trees as Jack and Kate still between the large leaves of the jungle's edge watched from afar. But as Kate looked closer, pinching her eyes to see, she noticed it were white sails that were slowly moving it's way to the island.
'Jack, A ship' were the few words she could spill out. Jack's eyes winded and when moving closer, moving from behind the leaves they recognized the large ship. It was the HMS Endeavour. It must have been warning shots the Endeavour fired, a warning toward Jack.
Kate's heart made a jump when her sight beheld the yellow and blue hull drifting through the waves. It was Cutler, he had come for her.
Kate suddenly held onto Jack's arm, keeping herself up from falling down into the sand, after the jump her heart had made it soon replaced itself by pain, a deep one. Jack took her arms to keep her up, his eyes looked worried.
'Jack, bring me to Cutler.. now' Kate spoke with what felt like her last breath. Jack looked at her in worry but didn't hesitate, he took her hand and started to run into the direction of the ship. With all the strength left in Kate's body, she lifted her skirt and started to run for the beach. Jack was pulling her hand to keep her going, but it almost felt like her legs were giving up. The strength was leaving her muscles and her heart started pounding like it never did before. The sand underneath her feet was not helping either, it was hard to run at a fast phase with her feet diving away with every step. In the distance, after moving out of the jungle onto the beach, they saw the Endeavour just at the surf of the beach.
'Culter!' Kate tried to cry out, but it was all in vain, her voice was turning weaker and with every step, she felt like life was leaving her body. Jack continued her scream for help once he noticed her almost not being able to scream anymore, he shouted at the top of his lungs. They noticed the crew, which looked like small black dots from that far away, on the Endeavour had moved to this part of the ship looking at them running at full speed into their direction. It must have been a strange sight.
It was a long way till they would reach the beaches' surf but in the far distance, they saw the Endeavour was trying to reach land as longboats had moved its way into the water, probably noticing the emergency they were in. As the longboat almost arrived on the beach a figure of what looked like a man jumped into the surf, then moving his way quickly to the beach battling the crashing waves. Jack noticed it was Cutler now on dry land as well, fighting against the sand to get to them as fast as possible.
When Jack's eyes moved down he saw Kate turned awfully pale, the purple dark lines of the curse were covering her chest and neck almost up to her face. He noticed he was almost dragging her through the sand now.
'Hold on love' Jack whispered when he saw her eyes close and open at a slower phase than he wanted it to go.
Kate moved her eyes onto the figure in the distance and rose herself higher into Jack's arms. On her feet again she felt an energy enter her body like she had never felt before. It took all of her last strength but she stood tall and straightened her body. Letting go of Jack's arms when her eyes moved upon the man now running at full speed towards them.
'Cutler..' her weak voice whispered one more time. It gave her all the strength she needed and leaving Jack behind she started running into Cutler's direction like she had never run before. The sand underneath her feet was dragging her down and she had to keep herself from falling. The damaged skirt of her wedding dress now tightly between her fingers and moved behind her in the wind. Cutler's face became clearer into the slight sunlight rays that peeked through the dark clouds, it spoke worry and fear at the same time. Her heart made one last jump when the blue eyes she had trusted from the very first time she met them became visible. Then it stopped, Kate's sight became black.
Her body fell to the ground. Like it all went by in slow motion Cutler finally reaching her moved his arms around her waist and legs to prevent her from hitting the ground. When her head moved down and her eyes closed he moved her body down onto the sand and partly onto his lap when his own body collapsed down to its knees. His hand stroked her face to remove the strings of red hair before her closed eyes. Jack who had been running behind Kate keeping up arrived breathing heavy. He fell down to his knees next to Cutler holding onto Kate's lifeless body. Jack noticed the dark lines that now ran all the way up to her neck and chest slowly started to withdraw.
'Kate.. Kate please' Cutler did not seem to notice Jack in his desperate attempts to wake Kate. But it was all in vain. She didn't move an inch. Jack slowly took her wrist and tried to see if her heart was still beating. His hand soon moved to her neck, he couldn't make out whether he felt a slow heart rate or not, he had felt something but Jack couldn't check again as Cutler moved her body into his close embrace. Jack moved down into the sand completely in utter disbelief. The curse should have been lifted, she should have been awoken now that Cutler was with her again, but it had not worked.
'Kate, my love, please answer me' Cutler's forehead was resting on hers, still holding her weak body tightly in his grip. Jack swore he saw tears run down his face but Jack remained silent, unable to speak, unable to breath.
'Don't leave me.. don't leave me Kate' Cutler was whispering, but the soft tone went through the bone nonetheless. He kept on raising her higher in his arms, in desparate attempts to wake her.
'No.. NO' after a piercing silence Cutler now shouted his words across the abandoned beach, it was a scream that made the hairs on Jack's neck rise. Then an utter silence was heard, the only sound came from the waves crashing on the beach just behind them. Cutler moved up from his place on the ground after a while and raised Kate's lifeless body into his arms. Her head resting on his chest he started walking in the direction of the Endeavour.
The scenery of the island's beach was horrifying. It was the aftermath of the battle which had been fought before. Both men made their way to the ship in silence while Jack tried to keep his watery eyes away from the many bodies spread across the beach. The sky was still dark and their faces got touched by drops of rain that never stopped. They arrived aboard the Endeavour. The piercing silence covered the deck as it now started pouring. Like the sky knew their loss and wept along with their pain.
A few East India Company men had assembled some fabric placed on the ground to function as a bed for Kate's body to lay on. After that, the men watched them fully enter the deck, removing their hats out of respect, as they knew what was going on. Cutler was face down on his knees, bending his upper body over hers. Both still wearing their wedding attire that was soaked Cutler removed some of Kate's red locks sticking to her pale cheeks, she looked like an angel in her white wedding gown. The rain hid his tears that made their way down his face.
A loud thunder strike hit the highest mast of the ship which made it rock back and forth slightly. As one of the Admirals asked them if it might be better to go inside another thunder struck throughout the deck and suddenly a large ship arose from the sea's deepest abyss. It was a ghostly ship that shouldn't be able to sail, but it was kept up what had to be something supernatural. Jack stood tall from his place on the ground and his eyes winded by the sight of the unfamiliar ship with no colors. He was sure it must have been a pirate ship, but there was no flag that proved that.
The Company men braced themselves for an attack on the unknown ship, but it was an unusual sight and Cutler was unable to give commands, so the silence on deck didn't depart.
The large ship now fully marched from the water and suddenly the crew turned around when they heard heavy footsteps entering the deck. Everyone's eyes beheld several men making their way to them, marching from the shadows. But they were no normal men, their faces and bodies were covered in what looked like barnacles, shells, and everything that came from the sea. Like they had been laying on the bottom of the ocean for decades. One of them standing in the middle of their crew was wearing a large hat, he had to be the Captain of the ship. His face was anything but normal, instead of a beard his face was covered in tentacles, his crab shaped hand raised as he walked forward.
'Now this we have not seen in a long time gentlemen' his voice wearing a Scottish like accent.
'A body shifting between the world of the living and that of the dead' the man suddenly stood beside Cutler still kneeled next to Kate. Jack was sure he could not have walked that distance in such a short time and it looked like he had teleported himself over there rather than he had walked, but that seemed impossible. His large and tall body bent over Kate's lifeless body. His hand that still had remained some of his human looks, besides one of his fingers looking like a tentacle, lowered to Kate's throat, like he was looking for a heartbeat. Cutler quickly raised from his place on the ground and removed his sword from its hull, pointing it to the unknown Captain.
'Stay away from her' Cutler had raised his voice almost piercing the large man with his sword. The man started to laugh and moved closer, the tip of the sword now entering his chest. The man did not flinch and Cutler was struck by the fact it did not kill him, as the sword now completely disappeared into his chest, at the place in where his heart must have been. Cutler removed his sword from his chest quickly, but it did not kill him. Like he felt no pain the man moved his hand away from Kate.
'Like I thought. This body needs to be taken to the Locker' the man spoke with his strong accent. Jack wasn't sure if he was talking to them or to his own crewmen.
'Who are you?!' Jack asked quickly, watching the strange Captain moving away from Kate. He started to laugh and his crew along with him.
'I am Davy Jones' he spoke and both Cutler and Jack couldn't believe their ears. It was Davy Jones, the man they all had heard so many stories about. So he wasn't just a legend.
'One step closer to her and I will kill you' Cutler spoke raising his sword to Davy Jones' face. He started to laugh at him again, this time alone. His crew had slowly moved around deck and all of Cutler's men were surrounded with knives to their throats. One of the Admirals had taken his pistol and shot one of Davy Jones' crew member's. The man with his face surrounded by a big shell moved slightly but did not die, the bullet had gone straight through him and had pierced into the wood of one of the masts behind him. They were immortal, and there was nothing they could do to defend themselves. Jack with a knife to his throat by one of the sea monsters tried to loosen the grip on him.
'What is it you want Davy Jones?' Jack moved forward with the knife now pointed to his back. He tried to understand why Davy Jones wanted Kate.
'It's mah duty to ferry those who died at sea and living dead to the other side. So I will take this lass, whether you like it or notah..' as Davy Jones spoke his lower lip made a 'plop' sound at the end of his sentence and he turned his back on Jack. When Jack spoke he turned his head immediately, his emotionless eyes stared at Jack in annoyance.
Jack tried to figure out what Jones meant. He was talking about the living dead. Jack suddenly recalled, there had been a slight moment, back on the beach when he was checking Kate's heart rate Jack swore he had felt a very soft almost unnoticeable heartbeat, so he wasn't sure if the curse had truly killed her or if she was still alive. Maybe he had imagined it, maybe he was just denying the fact Kate had died. Questions were raging through his mind. Cutler knew nothing about it all and thought she died there just a few moments earlier on the beach. Jack couldn't explain it to him, he felt a guilt and he told himself it was all his fault. The compass was still in his pocket, the guilt made it burn his skin when his hand reached for it. Meanwhile, Cutler was trying to defend Kate at all cost.
'She needs to be taken to the Locker, the undead living cannot be a part of this world!' Jones' mouth was spitting what looked like sea water when he spoke to Jack's face, his tentacles only inches apart from his own beard.
'What is this man talking about, Jack?' Cutler shouted through the sound of the pouring rain towards Jack and Jones still facing one another.
Jack's sight rested upon Kate's lifeless body. He swallowed and focused his eyes away from her and returned his sight to Cutler's desperate face, for the first time ever, Jack saw the man with the strong confidence, had fallen apart. Jack squeezed his eyes when the rain continued pouring down his face. He had tried to save her, he had a solution he was sure of it would have worked, but it did not. The guilt was too much. But there was something that didn't seem quite right, Jack couldn't put his finger on what it was.
'This has taken long enough. Hand over the less!' Davy Jones stepped forward and signed his crewmen to take action. Cutler removed his sword from his belt and pointed into Davy Jones' direction. They were surrounded. Jack tried to free himself from the tight grip one of the sea creatures had on him. He was sure Cutler would be killed right then and there as he was still aiming his sword at Jones. Suddenly they heard a loud bang as the sky lid up and it felt like a thunder strike had hit the deck as the ship rocked within the waters of the ocean. Cutler noticed Mercer getting pushed back by one of Jones' crewmen as it seemed he tried to reach into Kate's direction. As his sight returned from the grand flash Cutler noticed Kate had disappeared. In full panic, his eyes searched for her. Jack moved up from the thunder strike as well and turned around. Cuter's eyes winded as they witnessed Jones carrying Kate's lifeless body, the strings of her gold locks and the pearl like silk of her dress in strong contrast with the barnacled tall body of the Captain, making his way to the other ship. Cutler started to run in their direction. But it was too late, Jones had disappeared within the walls of the ship. Cutler ran to the side of his ship where he saw by the flash of another thunder strike the Flying Dutchman moving, the hull of the ship lowering into the water.
'No!' Cutler was now shouting and Mercer had to hold him from climbing over the rail of the ship.
It was an awful sight to behold how a man's life got ripped apart within mere minutes. Jack stood there in silence, as the light flashes up in the sky continued he was comprehending what he had done. Jack's hand still on the compass inside his pocket, his eyes moved to the Dutchman now fully submerging underneath the waves. He felt regret once he realized he hadn't been able to save Kate. Jack wondered if he had imagined it, the heartbeat he had felt. If the stories where true and Kate had died on the ship, on the sea, she was to be taken to the Locker. The myth had told them what happens to people dying on the ocean, Davy Jones' territory. That had to be the truth, had it not?
The rain still pouring down on deck, Jack's eyes went to Cutler who was bending over the rail of the ship, he witnessed a broken man. It looked like he was unable to speak or bring out any words, unable to make any commands.
After some minutes Cutler stood straight from his grip on the railing, he looked devastated. His head turned to Jack, his eyes speaking sorrow and hate at the same time, his face looked dark. He raised his arm slowly and pointed to Jack.
'Seize him' Cutler's cold voice whispered with hatered. Mercer moved in the direction of Jack along with some of the Company men. Jack felt three officers taking him harshly into a tight grip, his hands were being shackled. Cutler had moved into Jack's direction.
'How could you?' for a moment Cutler's eyes spoke only sorrow again when looking Jack right into his eyes. Jack swallowed, he didn't know what to say. He wanted to explain everything, but couldn't bring out any words. Cutler didn't give him time to speak and soon Jack felt a punch in his guts. When Mercer stood straight from the blow he had given him his gloved hand moved his dagger to Jack's neck.
Cutler's sight rested upon Jack, it was silent for quite a while as his eyes pierced his. He had taken her from him, whether it was jealousy or something else, Cutler knew enough and would make sure Jack would pay for the rest of his life.
'Marks my words. I will do whatever is necessary to avenge her. Jack, you will tremble at my wrath. I will make it my life's mission to take away from you every single thing you hold dear' Cutler's words spoke utter pain and hatred.
'Beginning with the Wicked Wench..' Cutler continued.
'No.. no you have to listen!' Jack recovered from his pain started whispering but at the end of his sentence he shouted across the deck. He started to struggle within the grip of the men holding him. Jack's sight shifted from Cutler to the Wicked Wench titled to the side, still in the surf of the beach. But soon Jack was being carried away down below, to the brig of the Endeavour.
Cutler's cold eyes turned away from Jack fighting for his freedom. As Mercer and his men guided Jack to the brig, Cutler was left alone in the silence and moved to stand by the railing of his ship. Never would he let anyone cross him again without consequences. He will choose his own fate from now on. The walls that had crumbled down by the touch of Kate's love started to built around him again. Without her in this world, there was no chance of happiness, no freedom, only darkness. Cutler swore to himself he'd do anything to punish Jack, but Jones too as soon as he got the chance. He'd punish anyone in this world that had ever done something to her.
It had stopped raining and the sky had cleared up. The sun had appeared from behind the dark clouds, it was sunset. The sky had turned orange by the light it reflected onto the ocean. Cutler stared into the distance where the Flying Dutchman had moved its way down into the sea, disappearing beneath the waves, taking her with them. His hands moved to the railing of his ship as he felt a pain in his chest. His anger turned into grief as his cold eyes changed to sorrow and disbelief. He stared at the ocean that had calmed down. He did not know what had truly happened but the flame within him that had ignited so many years ago seemed not to have gone out just yet. Kate couldn't be gone. Even though his mind knew better, his heart told him something else;
'I will find you.. I will always find you..'