The Redhead of the Sea (Jack Sparrow x OC)

Chapter 27: Escaping the Locker

Night had fallen surprisingly fast and was giving a more mystic and scarier vibe to the whole place.

Still, no piece of land or any animal was seen. Just an endless, blue sea whose water now was almost as black as the starless sky above them.

The crew lit the lanterns as the ship made its way across the smooth sea. Artemis was once again in her isolation place on the Crow's nest, deep in thought, Jack (the monkey) sleeping on her lap. She kept staring at pretty much nothing, one hand petting the monkey. The little crab she had, was returned to the water when she had climbed onto the ship.

It was clear that the place of the crab was not with her.

Her attention was drawn back to reality when Ragetti screamed. Looking down, she saw something she thought was an odd dream. Rubbing her eyes a few times, she saw that nothing changed. On the waters, bodies of people were floating as if they weighed nothing.

Goosebumps appeared on her skin at the mere sight, feeling a sudden drop in temperature. Jack the Monkey quickly slid down the rope to observe closer. She followed its lead and she was quickly on the deck, only to watch a certain duo carrying cannonballs towards the railings.

Their laughter was cut short as Tia Dalma appeared in front of them and gave them a warning look. They immediately drop the canon balls. The woman's expression changed to sadness as she turned to look at the people on the water.

"They should be in the care of Davy Jones. That was the duty he was charged with by the goddess, Calypso. To ferry those who die at sea, to the other side. And every ten years he could come ashore to be with she who loves him, truly. " the smile she had for a moment disappeared. "But the man has become a monster"

Artemis walked closer, interested to hear more about this story. She had never heard how Davy Jones ever came to be, for no one truly cared to find out. For all the smart sailors and pirates, he was a cursed creature that only brought death and slavery upon his ship; calling it servitude. He was the Devil himself and anyone wishing to keep their lives, knew not to mess with him.

"So, he wasn't always...tentacly?" Ragetti asked, surprisingly voicing a new question that Artemis had in her mind and yet did not dare to ask.

"No, he was a man...once" she answered with a sad smile, clearly thinking of a hurtful memory.

Artemis, who had been paying close attention to everything, felt this sort of empathy for the mysterious dark-skinned woman. Before she knew it, she had moved closer and gently held her hand in hers.

She wasn't sure how, but she suspected that this story was more personal than she showed. Tia Dalma was thankful for that, her thumb caressing the skin of the redhead as they both exchanged a look. There was this connection as their gazes locked, some sort of deeper understanding that needed no words to be explained; at least to them.

"Now it's boats coming," The tall pirate said and pointed at the front.

Indeed, people of all ages and genders were each on top of a small boat. The waters carried them slowly while they stared into nothingness. A single lantern was hung at the front to light their way.

Quickly, everyone on the ship came to look at the peculiar incident. Gibbs was the first one who started to load his gun, but Will stopped him.

"They're not a threat to us, am I right?" he asked Tia Dalma, who seemed to know everything about this place.

She nodded her head, an affirmative response to his question. "We are nothing but ghosts to them"

The answer did not seem to truly calm down the uneasy crew but none dared to draw their weapons or do something. Instead, they just stayed where they were, watching the boats with the souls of drowned people passing by them.