The Older Swann

Chapter 6

We left Will in the cabin and went onto the deck. "Hands aloft to loose t'gallants! With this wind at her stern, she'll carry every sail we've got." Gibbs yelled. "What's happening?" Elizabeth asked although it was relatively obvious."The Black Pearl, she's gaining on us." The girl said looking back at the pearl. "This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean ." Elizabeth said. "You can tell them that after they've caught us." The girl, Anamaria, said.

"We're shallow on the draft, right?" I asked.

"Aye." Ana said.

"Well, then can't we lose them amongst those shoals?" I asked

"We don't have to outrun them long, just long enough." Gibbs said.

"Lighten the ship, stem to stern!" Ana yelled.

"Anything that we can afford to lose...see that it's lost." Gibbs said to us.

All the barrels were being tossed overboard. Will was the first to see the Pearl extend her oars and he stopped a cannon from being thrown overboard."We're gonna need that." He said.

Ana then noticed the Pearl and it's oars. "It was a good plan...up 'till now." Ana said.

"Gibbs ! We have to make a stand. We must fight! Load the guns!" Will yelled

"With what?" Ana asked matter-o-factly.

"Anything. Everything! Anything we have left." Will replied.

"Load the guns! Take shot and langrage. Nails and crushed glass! With a will!" The crew began to fill the cannons." The Pearl is going to luff up on our port quarter. She'll rake us without ever presenting a target."

"Lower the anchor on the right side. On the starboard side!" Elizabeth said.

"It certainly has the element of surprise." Gibbs piped in.

"You're daft, lady! You all are!" Ana said.

"Daft like Jack ! Lower the starboard anchor! Do it, ye dogs, or it's you we'll load into the cannons!" Gibbs said and the crew responses readily. And lowered the anchor.

"Let go." I ordered Ana. She let go of the wheel and the ship swung about.

"Keep us steady now. Now!" Will ordered.

"Fire all!" Elizabeth screamed as the ships exchanged fire.

"We could use a few more ideas, lass." Gibbs said after a few pirates had come over.

"Your turn." I said.

"We need us a devil's dowry." Gibbs said.

"We'll give 'em them." Said Ana as she pointed her pistol at us.

"They're not what they're after." Will said.

I noticed the medallion was not at my throat. " The medallion." I said and Will ran below to search for it.

"Jack !" Gibbs exclaimed.

Jack handed him a canteen "Bloody empty." He said. He helped Elizabeth and she almost shot him."That's not very nice. Where's the medallion?" He demanded.

"Wretch!" Elizabeth yelled and almost slapped him.

Jack caught her wrist. "Ahh. Where's dear William ?" He asked.

"Will... Will!" She said and I'm guessing this is when she saw him under the grate but I was too busy fighting pirates to worry about that.

"Elizabeth !" I heard Will scream.

"I can't move it. Will!" Elizabeth screamed as she was dragged away.

"Elizabeth !" I heard Will scream as I was dragged away myself. I saw the pirates ignite  some powder leading to the powder kegs.

We were in the Pearl, tied up.  "If any of you as much as thinks the word 'parley,' I'll have your guts for garters." Pintel said.

I slipped out of the ropes but then I saw the Interceptor blow up." Will!" Elizabeth said and ducked under the ropes too and attacked Barbossa, " You've got to stop it! Stop it!" Elizabeth yelled.

Barbossa: "Welcome back, Miss. You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now that you return the favor." Barbossa said and pushed her to the crew.

Will jumped up onto the deck , "Barbossa!" Will yelled and got Barbossa's attention.

"Will." I cried out.

"The girls go free." Said Will as he pointed a pistol at Barbossa.

"What's in your head, boy?" Barbossa asked.

"They goes free!" Was his only answer.

"You've only got one shot, and we can't die." Said Barbossa but he was only stating the obvious.

"Don't do anything stupid." I heard Jack say to Will.

"You can't. I can." He said then he pointed the gun at himself.

"Like that." I heared Jack say.

"Who are you?" Asked Barbossa

"No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though - eunuch." Said Jack, trying to cover for Will.

"My name is Will Turner . My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins." Said Will totally making all of our attempts to cover for him in vain.

"He's the spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us." Said Ragetti.

" On my word do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker." Said Will, although I knew he could never kill himself without marrying or at least telling Elizabeth that he loved her.

"Name your terms, Mr. Turner ." Said Barbossa but I felt that Will had already named all the terms he could think of right now.

"The girls go free." Said Will

"Yes, we know that one. Anything else?" Asked Barbossa but he was starting to get annoyed.

"And the crew - the crew are not to be harmed." Said Will even though I had clearly seen Jack pointing at himself.

" Agreed." Said Barbossa.

A few your later after we got near an island that looked deserted Elizabeth and I were sent out onto the plank. "Go on, Poppet, go! Walk the plank!" Ragetti said.

"Barbossa, you lying bastard! You swore they'd go free!" Will spat at Barbossa.

"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy. I agreed she'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where. Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?" Barbossa said and for a half a second before I remembered they were pirates I thought he would spare us.

"Aye." Said the crew.

"So I'll be having that dress back before you go." Said Barbossa.

"It goes with your black heart." Said Elizabeth and I threw him the dresses.

" Ooh, it's still warm." Barbossa said as he pressed it to his face.

" Off you go! Come on!" Said one of the pirates.

"Too long!" Another pirate said and he shook the plank and we fell in. Jack soon joined us and we swam to the island.