The Blackheart Curse

Part X

I open my eyes to an island. An island that seems vaguely familiar. Cliffs and overgrowth. Waterfalls and lagoons.

"Hello?" I call. I see a little girl in a clearing. It's me. A younger me. My fluffy hair is in a matted ponytail.

She hums a sea shanty to herself. The one that I learned all those years ago. The one my mother always sang.

"Jack? Is that you?" I hear a voice. A voice I haven't heard in forever. Joseph appears from the foliage. "Hey! What're you doing? You're supposed to be getting water for our soup tonight!" He approaches the little girl. Me.

"Oh! Right!" I nod, remembering my task at hand.

Joseph looks me over. "And quit wearing that necklace everywhere with you. It's dangerous."

"Okay." I smile. Why are you soooo bossy? I can remember thinking. "Do you wanna play pirates?" I jump up and down.

Joseph sighs as he takes the bucket from beside me. "I'd love too, kiddo, but-" he looks me dead in the eyes. "I can only play for a few minutes." He takes his sword out of its sheath and throws the weapon to the ground. I take my wooden sword from my belt.

"Take that!" I squeal with delight.

"You're getting better every day, Jack." He laughs, defending against me.

BANG!

It shakes the whole island. This day. I've been transported back to this day. To watch it all happen again. Maybe I can stop it.

"Wait! Wait! Don't go up to the house!" I yell, but it's clear I can't be heard. I'm only a helpless viewer.

"What was that?" My younger self asks.

Joseph looks around, that face of acceptance of fate in his eyes. "C'mon. Let's get up to the house."

"What? Why?" I ask.

He scoops me up. "Just because." He rushes off into the woods, carrying a little Jack. He rushes off to his death. To mom's death.

How on earth did I get back to this godawful day?

I rush up to the house. If I can't leave and if I can't do anything, I'd like to at least know what really happened.

"What are we gonna do?" My mother asks.

My father sits quietly at the dinner table, looking out at the myriads of purple-coated soldiers making their way up the hill. "Jack, give me your necklace." He orders. I watch as my younger self hands him the black diamond.

He says a code. He whispers it into the necklace. It glows a yellow color. Yellow like the eyes of the sea beasts.

"You're not gonna..." Joseph begins.

"Shush!" Mom scolds. Mom. My beautiful mom. Her brown, curly hair is tied into a bun. Joseph has the brown hair to match, but his is wavy like Dad's. My hair is red like Dad's and curly like mom's.

"Did you do it? Is it done?" Mom asks.

"Is what done?" My younger self asks.

Dad sighs. "This necklace is the key to finding this island." He explains to his family. "The key for all who've come before and the key for all who'll come after. It's not just any necklace, though, kids. It's the heart of the sea. It's the thing that ties the very fiber of our oceans together. Without it, there's no Blackhearts."

"S-so... wh-what do you mean?" Joseph stammers, holding me closer.

Dad looks at each and every one of us. "We're more than pirates. We're Blackhearts. We're the chosen protectors of the heart of our sea. These men came here for this and nothing else. Protect it at all costs."