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"𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐎 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒!" cotton's parrot squawked spookily the next morning.
"puts in a chill in the bones, how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage," gibbs announced softly.
bella and will stood by the railing, observing the eerie fog and numerous shipwrecks around them. will silently nodded in agreement.
jack, at the wheel, checked his compass and made a slight correction. he concentrated on navigating the graveyard of dead ships.
gibbs, will, and bella all looked curiously at him.
"how is it that jack came by that compass?" will wondered. bella turned to gibbs, hoping for an answer. her father's compass hadn't pointed north either. an odd coincidence . . .
gibbs immediately shot into storytelling mode. "not a lot's known about jack sparrow before he showed up in tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of isla de muerta. that was before i'd met him, back when he was captain of the black pearl."
"what?" bella said in disbelief. she knew jack had sailed with her father, but that was one detail he had clearly left out.
"he failed to mention that," added will with a negative glance at the captain.
"well, he plays things close to the vest now. and a hard learned lesson it was. see, three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share – that should mean the location of the treasure, too. so, jack gives up the bearings," gibbs shook his head regretfully. "that night, there was mutiny."
will and bella leaned closer as gibbs lowered his voice to a whisper.
"they marooned jack on an island, and left him to die. but not before he'd gone mad with the heat," he told them.
"ahh. so that's the reason for all the..." will gave a convincing impression of jack's mannerisms.
"reason's got nothing to do with it," he answered with a frown. "now, bella, i trust you know this: when a pirate's marooned, he's given a pistol with a single shot. one shot. well that won't do much good hunting, or to be rescued. but after three weeks of a starving belly and thirst, that pistol starts to look real friendly." he mimed putting a shotgun to the head. "but jack, he escaped the island. and he still has that single shot. oh, but he won't use it, though, save on one man. his mutinous first mate."
"ah, barbossa," bella realized. she couldn't help but respect jack's motives.
"aye," agreed gibbs.
"how did jack get off the island?" will asked questioningly.
"well, i'll tell you. he waded out into the shallows and he waited there, three
days and three nights, 'til all manner of sea creatures came and acclimated to his presence. then on the fourth morning he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed 'em together and made a raft."
will and bella exchanged a doubtful look.
"sea turtles?" bella repeated.
"he roped a couple of sea turtles?" will said, sharing the same sentiment.
"aye, sea turtles," gibbs gaze was confident.
"what did he use for rope?" will asked.
gibbs immediately realized he didn't know the answer, but suddenly jack was behind them.
"human hair. from my back," he supplied.
neither will nor bella bought that answer, and looked at him interrogatively.
but he turned away and shouted towards the crew to avoid any further questions. "let go of the anchor!"
"aye, captain, aye!"
"bella, william and i are to go ashore," he continued. gibbs stepped up towards jack. bella got within earshot.
"captain, what if the worst should happen?"
"keep to the code," she heard jack reply.
"aye, the code."
* * *
bella sat in a longboat, facing jack. he was rowed leisurely, and will held out a lantern from behind him. they drifted past several skeletons in silence.
"what code is gibbs to keep to, if the worst should happen?"
"pirate's code," bella answered automatically.
"aye," jack said, looking at bella curiously. "any man who falls behind. . ."
". . . is left behind," she finished. jack seemed impressed with her knowledge.
"no heroes amongst thieves, eh?" will said skeptically.
"you know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one," jack responded.
bella smirked. "you sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of tortuga . . ."
suddenly, gold sparkles reflected onto the cave walls. will looked down, realizing there were thousands of gold coins beneath the surface of the water.
". . . and you're completely obsessed with treasure," jack said to him.
will pulled the boat ashore. jack jumped out then offered his right hand to bella. she stared at it for a split second. he wore two rings— one with an emerald, and one with a black gem which she didn't recognize.
bella looked up at him trustingly, then took his hand and climbed out of the boat.
"that's not true," will replied defiantly. "i am not obsessed with treasure."
jack led them up a short incline, bella's hand still in his. he gently let go and gazed at bella before turning around to will.
"not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."
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