Wings of a Sparrow

A boy and a girl

A gray wall of fog rolled over the Caribbean sea. Lost in the fog, a boy and a girl floated over the crystal waters, the boy on a piece of driftwood and the girl hanging on for dear life and paddling weakly. The boy gave a small groan and the girl took a break from her strokes to feel his pulse. Thump. Thump. Weak. But still there. The pair pressed on.

About fifty yards east of the children, another young girl, a lady, spoke to a young man, a captain.

"I think it would be rather exciting to meet a pirate."

James smiled. "Think again, Miss Swann. Vile and dissolute creatures, the lot of them. I intend to see to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag, or wears a pirates brand, gets what he deserves: a short drop and a sudden stop."

Elizabeth didn't know what that meant. One of the crewman, Mr. Gibbs, helpfully mimed it out: a man being hung. She gasped.

Governer Swann stepped forward and put his arm around Elizabeth. "Captain Norrington, I appreciate your fervor, but I'm concerned about the effect this subject will have on my daughter."

James nodded curtly. He bowed respectfully and walked away. Elizabeth turned and faced her father. "Actually, I find it all fascinating."
Swann smiled. "And that's what concerns me. Elizabeth, dear... we will be landing in Port Royal very soon, and beginning our new lives. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we hold ourselves as befits our class and station?"

Elizabeth avoided his eyes. "Yes father."

After he walked away, she continued looking out over the water, and, to her surprise, saw a large piece of wood carrying two young people, looking to be around her age. A boy and a girl.

She turned and quickly shouted, "Look! A boy and a girl in the water!"

They began to haul them aboard, and Governer Swann placed them in Elizabeth's charge.

He looked to Norrington. "What happened here?"

"An explosion in the powder magazine. Merchant vessels run heavily armed."

Gibbs walked up. "And a lot of good it did them. Everyone's thinking it, I'm just saying it. Pirates!"

Elizabeth knelt down next to the boy and the girl, and reached out to touch the boy.

Suddenly, the girl lashed out and grabbed Elizabeth's wrist, stopping her motion. Elizabeth was startled, but their eyes locked. She took the girl's hand in hers.

"It's okay. You're safe. My name's Elizabeth Swann."

"Cora."

"What's his name?"

"His name is Will."

"It's okay, Cora. I'm watching over you both."

Cora nodded and slowly leaned back, finally fainting from exhaustion.

After she had passed out, Elizabeth saw a gold chain around the boy's neck and a clasp by his collarbone. She undid it and lifted up the chain to find a gold medallion at the end. One side was blank. The other had a skull. She looked up and out over the sea, and saw a ship with black sails sailing away. She closed her eyes tight...

8 YEARS LATER

And snapped them back open, wide with fear. Elizabeth sat up, turned on the flame of an oil lamp beside her bed, and crossed her room to a dressing table. She pulled one of the smallest drawers all the way out, reached into a space beneath and pulled out...

The medallion.

She had kept it all this time. Her sister never let her get rid of it, no matter how much Elizabeth begged. Speaking of her sister, Elizabeth crossed to her bed and started to shake her shoulder. "Cora. Cora! Wake up!"