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𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐃.
blistering cold, biting at their veins and peeling at their skin.
the boat was covered in a thick layer of ice and snow. it drifted across the frosty body of water.
"no one said anything about cold," pintel grumbled between shivers.
"there must be a good reason for our suffering," responded ragetti, somewhat optimistically.
"why don't that obeah woman bring back jack the same way she brought back barbossa?" pintel wondered, a bit of anger tinting his voice.
"because barbossa was only dead," tia dalma interrupted suddenly. the pair of pirates jumped in surprise. "jack sparrow is taken, body and soul, to a place not of death, but punishment. the worst fate a person can bring upon himself. stretching on forever. that's what awaits at davy jones' locker.
ragetti nodded slowly. "i knew there was good reason."
bella glanced up at them before wrapping a blanket around herself and walking to the helm.
will and tai huang were looking over the navigational charts.
will turned to her as she approached them. "nothing here is set," he told her. "these can't be as accurate as modern charts."
"no, but they lead to more places," bella replied, spinning a piece of the chart around to form a new direction.
"over the edge, over again," will read, breath fogging the air around him. "sunrise sets, flash of green. care to interpret, captain barbossa?"
barbossa grinned. "ever gazed upon the green flash, master gibbs?"
gibbs turned around. "i reckon i've seen my fair share. it happens on rare occasion. at the last glimpse of sunset, a green flash of light shoots up into the sky. some go their whole lives without seeing it, some claim to have seen it that ain't. and some say—"
"it signals when a soul comes back to this world from the dead!" pintel interjected, smiling. gibbs gave him a death stare, and his smile dimmed. "sorry."
"trust me, young master turner, it's not gettin' to the land of the dead that's the problem," barbossa remarked. "it's gettin' back."
he looked careless and determined, a layer of madness behind his eyes.
the ship slipped between two huge walls of ice, and bella sat near the charts, studying them as best she could. her fingers shuddered in the cold.
as much as she tried to distract herself, her mind kept wandering back to him.
jack.
it was almost as if bella was losing her sorrow and becoming merely numb. somehow, she knew that was worse.
but that was the problem — he had been the hope to her despair, the light to her darkness. he had been hers.
if only she had let him.
* * *
the boat sailed through perfectly calm water, stars all around.
suddenly, will leapt up.
"barbossa! ahead!" he shouted.
bella followed his gaze. her eyes widened in fright when she saw the massive falls coming up before them.
"aye, we're good and lost now," barbossa answered with a crazed smile.
"lost?" repeated elizabeth.
"for certain, you have to be lost to find the places can't be found," replied barbossa. "elseways, everyone would know where it was."
"we're gaining speed!" gibbs yelled.
"aye," barbossa nodded.
bella stared at him incredulously.
"to stations! all hands, to stations! hard to port, gather way!" screamed will, hurrying around the ship.
"nay! belay that! let her run straight and true!" barbossa commanded.
"blimey!" pintel caught sight of the huge falls.
bella's face twisted with understanding. this way the only way to the locker. this was the end of the world.
"tie her off!" will ordered. she hurried over to him.
"we didn't come this far to only come this far!" bella shouted, pulling will away from the rope.
"hard to port!" elizabeth screamed.
"hold on!"
barbossa laughed manically as the ship turned. it was slowly yanked into the falls, and it fell freely as the crew held on for dear life.
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a/n
sorry this chapter is literally so tiny
the next one is good though! get excited!
another thing — i just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has read even a single word of this story . . . i never thought i'd have as many readers as i do, and i'm eternally grateful. thank you for enveloping me with your warmth and kindness :)
