She's a Pirate (Jack Sparrow)

32. A New Adventure

May I ask you something? Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?

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The Black Pearl anchored at the docks of Tortuga one Tuesday evening, with the sun setting over the horizon behind the translucid clouds. The crewmen didn't waste any time to leave the ship and rush into the town they knew too well, leaving Cotton alone to keep watch. Not even his parrot stayed to make some company to the mute man.

The captain, Narissa and Gibbs were the last ones to set foot on land amongst the thick fog. Jack looked around, wondering where to go first. He loved the town so much that he didn't even know where to start. There was no land that Jack liked more than the ocean, but for him Tortuga was a place to forget his duties for a few hours. This was probably the only piece of land he truly enjoyed.

Narissa's hand reached for a piece of paper from the inside pocket of her blue coat. "I'll go send the letter to William."

Nodding, Jack remembered he had seen her writing the letter in their cabin the previous night, very focused under the light of a few candles. He knew she missed her friends greatly, specially Will, and she wrote to them almost every time they made port. "We'll be at The Rusty Anchor," he informed her, making her smile fondly at the mention of  the tavern where they met.

Both men watched her walk away. If she had been any other person, Jack would have told her to be careful, but he knew her well. She had lived there all by herself as a child and survived, she was strong enough. He was certain that she would be alright.

As always, Tortuga was filled with drunkards, prostitutes, pirates and any other person that just wanted to enjoy some hours of fun in the island. Walking through the narrow streets with her monkey sitting on her shoulder, Narissa recognized the distinctive smell of the town: Alcohol, mud and piss. Oh, how many memories from her childhood!

The small house that played the role of a post office was not too far away from the docks, so the walk along the coast wasn't too long. When she stood before the door, she petted the monkey and said "Alright, Jacky, just as we practiced." The small animal nodded and screeched excitedly. Narissa had spent a few days teaching the monkey how to steal; it hadn't been too difficult, he was very smart.

As she entered the post office, she found a woman sitting at a table and smoking a pipe. Many boxes full of letters were behind her. Narissa knew this woman already. Her name was Tace, a voluptuous woman in her late 40s that made a living out of scamming those who needed to communicate with the rest of the world. An almost empty bottle of booze was on the table, which would make things easier for Narissa and her small friend.

Jack climbed down her body and hid next to the table of the office. After giving the postwoman the letter, Narissa left on the table the amount of money that she was asked for. Knowing Tace, she wasn't surprised to find out it was one shilling more than the last time. The woman took the coins and dropped them into a box under her chair, as she always did.