"Fifteen men on a dead man's chest," Mr Gibbs sang as he staggered around the dark deck, a bottle of rum clutched absently in his hand as he took great long swings between verses. "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. Drink and the devil had done for rest. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum."
"You know Mr Gibbs, your sea chanties seem to be getting worse," I said smiling down at him as I leant on the rigging beside the foremast, intermittently checking the horizon in hopes of seeing Jack return.
"A fine ol' song lass!" He shouts in mock defense, throwing about the bottle in his arms. I laughed at his drunken antics before abruptly stopping as a loud gong rang out across the sea. It rang out twice, followed by the passing of a murder of crows above head, squawking noisily, leaving an ominous feeling in the air.
I sighed, the anxiety washing over me. Jack had been gone nearly 2 full days now and it was quickly pressing into the third, having fallen dark a few hours ago.
Suddenly, a shot rang out in the bleak darkness and I squinted trying to see through the fog. I'd know the sound of Jack's pistol anywhere.
Knowing Jack would be on his way, I jumped down from the rigging and ran to the main stairwell to shout down to the men, "all hand hoy!" The men immediately began running up onto deck and going to their posts, preparing the ship.
I walked back to Mr Gibbs as we kept an eye out for Jack. "Finely done lass," he smiles and I nodded my head in a warm thanks.
"Is that-?" Mr Gibbs asked, clearly not wanting to say it out-loud. I nodded with a disgusted and somewhat worried look on my face, not daring to speak.
There he was, paddling towards us in a wooden coffin. From what I could make out it looked like he was using a human bone of some sort as an oar, borrowed from the skeleton he was sharing the casket with. I grimaced, stood in horror at his actions which somehow didn't shock me in principle, just in execution. I walked over to the helm, preparing to pull away with Jack's command.
As he neared us, Mr Gibbs ran forward with the Jacobs ladder, throwing it down for Jack as he climbed aboard. Once he reached the top, Mr Gibbs extended his hand to Jack, who instead handed him the entire human leg.
"Not quite according to plan," Mr Gibbs said peering down at the leg in disgust. Cotton immediately placed Jack's overcoat on his shoulders as the rest of the crew stood watching in anticipation.
"Complications arose, ensued, were overcome," Jack shrugged, his eyes searching and then reaching mine. He squinted briefly and began walking towards me by the wheel.
"'Ello love," Jack smiled, placing his arm on my waist. I cringed slightly, realising he had just been holding a human leg but the joy of him being beside me overruled the disgust. I smiled up at him and he smirked, squeezing my waist gently.
"You got what you went in for then?" Mr Gibbs asked following closely behind Jack with a run. His voice held a tone of anticipation, almost like he was expecting something.
Jack nodded, reaching into his belt and produced a grim looking cloth which he shook in acknowledgment. He then turned sharpish, only to be met but the entire crew who all to be a mixture of disheartened and unamused.
"Captain, I think the Crew, meaning me as well... well we were expecting something a bit more... uh... shiny," Mr Gibbs spoke up, "What with the Isla de Muerta going all pear-shaped, reclaimed by the sea and the treasure with it." I knew the men felt this way but I didn't believe they would create such a scene.
"And the Royal Navy chasing us all around the Atlantic," one of the newer members of the crew added. The man then looked at me as if to impart blame, but I shot him a glare that caused him to immediately look away.
YOU ARE READING
Fathoms Below: Captain Jack Sparrow
Fanfiction"Jack was like a Chinese finger trap most of the time, you had to carry on playing, delve a little further and accept your fate before you were able to pry yourself away." Jack/ OC reader pairing, following the course of the movies with mini-inserts...
