Chapter Seven Sally and Jack ventured onward, the few crewmembers with them following silently. Part of Sally realized that the treasure they sought could spark jealously and greed in their companions, so one hand stayed at the hilt of her sword. She had been apart of mutinies before, and she was not remiss to prove herself in one again. “Was that a glint?” Jack asked, nearly gasping. Sally lifted an eyebrow. “Fool’s gold, love. Not what we want. Unless yer a fool.” He grunted and continued through the tunnel. * * * * * "Will?! Where are ya?" Pearl cried, feeling around in the dark. "Right here." A hand reached out and touched her shoulder, and she jumped before Will stepped close to her. She could just barely make out his silhouette. "What happened?" he asked. Pearl shrugged, then remembered he could not see her. "I don't know.” "Maybe if we push on the wall it will open again." Will suggested, taking a step towards where he thought the wall should be. "Yeah, and it might also get us skewered." "Right...well, we can't just stand here. Let’s go down the tunnel, maybe there is a way out." "Alright, but tread lightly, Will," Pearl said, reaching her hands out and grabbing onto Will's shoulders so they would not get separated. * * * * * “Are we nearing it, do you think?” Sally asked tiredly. “Feels as though we’ve walked for a mile or more.” “Mayhap we have, missus,” one of the crew said with equal weariness in his voice. Jack didn’t answer, the spark in his eye speaking for itself. He wasn’t tired at all. He never was when treasure was involved. He would walk to China on the water for a gold doubloon. Sally rolled her eyes at him and sighed, trying to get her mind off of her aching feet. “Pearly?” she called. “You’re awfully quiet back there. That’s not like you.” There was no answer, and Sally felt dread fill her like water filling a sinking ship. “Pearl?” she asked again. She spun around and saw the faces of several bewildered crewmen. And no Pearl. Or Will, for that matter. “Jack,” she said as softly as she could manage. “We’ve lost two. Stop. We have to go back.” Captain Sparrow looked to his wife, then back down the length of tunnel they had yet to cover. He shown his torch as far down it as he could, peering and debating in his mind. “Jack,” Sally scolded. “It is your daughter.” “Give me a minute, love,” he said. “I think I see something.” “Oh, you brainless scallywag!” she burst out. “You say that only because you wish to have treasure before you save your own flesh and blood!” “No,” he said back, scowling defensively. “Look for yerself, woman.” She peered through the darkness. “I see nothi—” She paused. “Wait. There’s a light…” * * * * * The two seemed to walk for what felt like forever when all of a sudden Will let out a cry of surprise and his shoulders dropped out from under Pearl's hands. "Will?!" Pearl cried, waving her arms and stepping forward quickly, but where there should have been hard ground was emptiness and she tumbled forward into it. She let out a scream as she hit cold water and came up sputtering. "Pearl?" "Will? Where are ye?" Pearl cried, splashing around in the water. "Swim forward, Pearl," his soothing voice came. She did as she was told and soon felt ground coming up under her feet and was able to walk the rest of the way out of the water. "Ok, I'm out, now where are ye?" she asked, squinting and trying to make him out in the dark. "Right here, Pearl," he said, reaching out and touching her shoulder. She threw her arms out and embraced him. As she pulled back she laughed and said, "there are far too many holes here." Will chuckled and took her hand. "Come on, we've got to find a way out of here before your parents go nuts," he said as he started walking. "You mean my mom. My dad probably wants to get his treasure first, then find me," she laughed. * * * * * Sally and Jack edged forward, then Sally turned back to the crewmen. “Go back,” she said. “Try and retrace their steps, if you can.” They nodded and, with disappointed looks, tramped back the way they’d come. Sally turned back to whatever their torchlight seemed to be glistening off of. “It’s rippling like water,” she said softly. “It may be just that,” Jack said. “But let’s hope that’s not all there is.” They continued onward until the rippling glint became lines of gold, splooshing quietly. “This is hopeless,” Sally said. “For all we know, this is just an empty cavern.” “Mom?” came an inquisitive voice from the darkness. “Pearl?” Sally asked in return. "Mom!" Pearl yelled coming out of the darkness. Her mother saw her and ran towards her and enveloped her in hug. "Pearl, what happened to ye?" she asked, looking at Pearl’s soaked clothing, then to Will’s. "Trap door, we got pushed into it. Walked along the dark tunnel, fell through another hole, and landed in that river," she said, pointing towards the river. "Glad yer alright, Pearly." Jack said, looking up from the ground that he was examining. Pearl frowned at him and shook her head. "Yeah, my arm is cut off too dad, just thought I would let you know," she said, raising her eyebrow towards him. "That’s nice, Pearl," he replied. "JACK!" Sally yelled at him as Pearl started laughing and looked at Will. "See, I told you he could care less when he’s lookin for treasure." Jack frowned. “Of course, I care… But look at this.” He took Pearl by the arm and pulled her to the spot he was examining. She peered at it and squinted, thinking she saw something poking up from the dirt. She leaned down to probe it. It was hard beneath her fingers. “Wood,” she said. “Probably a piece of a crate or barrel.” “Or the corner of a chest,” Jack said, grinning his gold grin. Sally watched their eyes meet and Pearl’s face spread into a wide grin. She rolled her eyes and looked at Will. “Like father, like daughter.” “We should start digging,” Jack said. “Not so fast!” Four sets of eyes snapped toward the tunnel entrance. The enemy captain who was once locked in the Black Pearl’s brig stood before them. He was flanked by nine of his men and held one of Jack’s by his hair. The crewman simpered and tried to twist away from the sword at his throat to no avail. “The treasure’s ours!” the captain snarled. Jack furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side. “Well, how about we dig it up first and see if yer name is on it, savvy?” “How about, instead, I cut this one’s throat, then yours,” The captain said. “Then, that tall glass of water.” He nodded toward Will. “Then, mayhap I’ll let the women live. We’ve needed women aboard the ship for some time.” “Yeah,” said a slobbering lackey behind him. “To hell with curses.” There were scattered chuckles as Sally and Pearl shrunk back, their respective men smoldering. “Any hand you’d attempt to lay on them would be lost!” Will bellowed, his pale cheeks glowing red with fury. “Will,” Sally calmed. She glanced at Jack, but he was not paying her or Will any heed. “Few things anger me,” Jack addressed the captain, trying with much effort to maintain his loose charm. “And that was one of them.” The captain grinned and ran the blade of his sword along the throat of the crewmember, cutting him open. He let the man drop to the sooty, wet dirt as he drowned in his own blood. “You talk a lot, Jack,” the captain said. “But I’ve yet to see you back any of it up.” Jack pulled out his sword and swung in one swift movement, his blade clashing with the enemy captain’s. “That’s ‘Captain Jack’ to you,” he seethed. "Dad!" Pearl cried as her father and the captain of the other ship engaged in battle. She went forward to join her father when one of the other crew grabbed her arm and attempted to pull her away. The man let out a yelp of pain as Pearl kneed him in the groin. He let go of her arm, and she spun and kicked him in the jaw. He fell to the floor. "Get up, and I'll kill ya," she hissed at him. Sally and Will came over to her, and Will put himself in front of Pearl, as if daring anyone to even look at her. "We're outnumbered, mom..." Pearl said. "Where is the rest of the crew?" "Out lookin' for you and Will." her mother answered with a wary grin. "Well....we'll have to think something up then..." she grinned as she looked at Will. "You remember that second hole we passed? The one after we fell in the river?" He nodded. "Yeah, what's that got to do with anything?" Pearl's eyes were lit with mischief. "Ye'll see. Just don't interfere." Pearl moved out from behind Will and called out to all the men. "Hey! You slobbering idiots! This way!" she yelled as she ran towards the entrance to the tunnel that she and Will had just come out of. Four of the pirates started to follow her but stopped as she entered. Pearl stopped and looked back at them. She leaned up against the stone wall. "Don't tell me yer all afraid of the dark?" she grinned. "Or maybe it's that yer afraid of a sixteen-year-old girl?" Pearl turned and darted down the tunnel as the pirates, with a roar of anger, charged after her. She sprinted down the tunnel, the darkness engulfing her. She panted and prayed that she timed this perfectly. When she sensed herself reaching the right number of paces, she leapt. The wind of a hand swiping for her hair swept over her neck and cries filled the echoic cave. She turned and heard the cries receding as the men chasing her fell to their death. * * * * * Sally had watched Pearl dash off with several of their enemies following but saw that a couple still lagged behind and were drawing their swords. One swung at her, and she ducked, unsheathing her own weapon and swinging back at him. She saw the second slash at Will as he parried skillfully with the pirate. Sally twirled and kicked at her opponent, knocking him into the wall. He grunted and glared at her as he shoved himself at her again. His blade made it past her defense and sliced across her arm. She winced and forced herself to not cry out, blood dripping down her torn sleeve. She could feel the skin stinging and draining as she continued to defend herself, making it difficult for her to move her arm at all. Finally, she dropped her wounded arm and fought one-handed. “Ye must have a death wish,” the pirate sneered. “I’m the greatest swordsman next to the captain.” He swung at her head, and Sally blocked his steel with her own, feeling her arm rock with the power behind his swing. She whirled and lunged forward to slash at him, then gasped as she felt his sword tip pierce her side. Her eyes filled as the pain numbed her senses to a sluggish lull. As the blade was ripped free, she jerked and stumbled back, disbelief written across her watering eyes and gaping mouth. “Sally!” Will called, driving his sword into his opponent and shoving him away. Jack turned long enough to see her fall to her knees, drop her sword, and clutch her midsection. “Sally, no!”
|