Siren Song: Curse of the Black Pearl

Chapter 16

"Ah, yes... But the company is infinitely better than last time, and the scenery has definitely improved." She chuckled, nuzzling her head into his chest, falling asleep easily, him following shortly afterward.

~- Morning, Beach, Black Sam's Spit -~

It's well past morning when Jack awoke with a pounding headache and the smell of smoke on the wind. At first, he doesn't remember where he is when he looks up to the perfect blue sky, then, yesterday's events come rolling into his mind... One right after the over.

Things get a little blurry after he started drinking rum, but then the voice of angels shocks his mind, and he groaned to himself, placing a hand on his face as he remembers last night. What had he been thinking?! Letting a mermaid sing to him! Thank God, or whatever, whoever, was up there that turned the world round, she hadn't eaten him. That would've just been awful.

The smell of smoke started getting stronger, and an explosion made him jump, startling Roxanne awake as she rolled onto the sand next to him. They both turned to the origin of the sound, and Roxanne's jaw dropped as she saw a massive pyre of trees and other things that had been thrown in.

Jack shot up, and ran over while Roxanne stayed back, somewhat terrified of the fire. She watched Elizabeth throw another keg into the fire, and Jack started to shout, in what she assumed was anguish, as it exploded and burned merrily.

Jack couldn't believe his eyes. The rum. The poor, defenseless rum that had gone to waste, all for some stupid pyre this insane woman had thought off! It was a massacre! A senseless act of violence and arson. Absolutely ridiculous in his opinion.

"No! Not good! Stop! Not good! What are you doing? You've burned all the food, the shade- the rum!" He sounded absolutely scandalized.

"Elizabeth! What in God's name are you doing!?" Roxanne cried out, looking rather distraught at her friend. Elizabeth ducked as there a small explosion is set off, and then continued on tossing in another barrel.

"Yes, the rum is gone." Elizabeth wiped her hands. A rum barrel in the fire explodes, making Roxanne back away even more. Roxanne gripped her skirt, and quickly ran from the fire, and over the dune, feeling panicked.

"Why's the rum gone?" Jack asked as they paid no mind to the mermaid.

"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. And two," Elizabeth pointed to the sky, smirking. "That signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for us, do you really think that there's even the slightest chance that they won't see it?"

"But why's the rum gone?" He scowled, feeling ready to strangle her. "You– You burned up the island, for a one-time chance at being spotted....?"

"Exactly..." Elizabeth's voice trailed off as it hit her as to what she's done. But Elizabeth turns toward the sea none-the-less. "Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a 'weather eye open' and you will see white sails on that horizon!" She sat down, determined. Shielding her eyes, she scans the water, waiting, searching. Jack was speechless. He threw up his hands, and stalked up the sand dune, just to get away from her.

-- Day, Beach, Black Sam's Spit --

As Jack walked along a dune, he was muttering to himself.

"No. I'd have to have a lot more to drink." He imitated Elizabeth. "Well we don't have anything to drink now!" He shouted back at the mad woman, still scowling. When he made it to the crest of the dune, he spotted Roxanne standing at the edge of the water. He'd just been about to go down and join her, when he saw what she was staring at, and his jaw dropped.