Crossing Blades (POTC FanFiction)

five➵ escaping death

"How you react emotionally is a choice in any situation."

- Judith Orloff

Evelyn's POV

    Thankfully I have quick instincts and instantly step back, falling on to the ground behind me. When I crawl over and look down into the hole, I see that it looks to be a hidden compartment. I'm struck with a brilliant idea when I see all the boats behind me...and I spot the oars inside.

    After putting all of their oars inside of the hole, I manage to find a huge gold tarp and place it over all of them. They won't be hidden for long, but long enough for us to get out. Just then I hear a gunshot ring out and my heart almost stops.

    I look back to see Jack's reaction when I remember that he isn't here. Oh god. My heartbeat quickens at the idea of him being shot and killed. Shaking the feeling off, I clamber up to see what happened and see all of the men arguing that one pirate didn't die.

    That's interesting. Jack didn't lie about something.

    "You, maid! Your father, what was his name?" The main pirate shakes Elizabeth's shoulders and she just smirks at him, "Was your father William Turner?"

    "No." She responds, that smirk on her face the entire time and I feel myself silently applauding her.

    "Where's his child? The child that sailed from England eight years ago, the child in whose veins flows the blood of William Turner. Where?" I feel my blood run cold when he says William Turner. Will...oh no. He protests so much that he hates pirates, it's going to kill him to learn that pirate runs in his veins. That's what Jack was talking about on deck!

    I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I hear a loud slap and see Elizabeth fall down the hill of treasure behind all of them. She looks unconscious and I realize now that this is the opportune moment.

Instantly I jump out of my hiding spot and rush over to her, staying silent as I hop over all the mounds of treasure and into the small river that runs right next to where she fell. I hear the pirates arguing over getting the wrong person and I wade through the water as I make my way over to her.

Clamping a hand over her mouth, her eyes shoot open, wide and afraid and I motion for her to follow me. She nods and looks behind her to see a gold medallion lying next to her and she quickly grabs it and follows me into the water and back to the boat. 

We start paddling back to the where Jack and I first came in and I look around for him, scanning the surroundings when I realize that he's not here.

Keep to the code...keep to the code. I tell myself and I really try to stick to it but as I resume paddling away, I can't help myself but have a guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach. Looking back to Elizabeth, who clearly isn't really capable of going off on her own, I feel bad about what I'm about to do.

"Hi, Elizabeth, I'm Evelyn," she smiles gratefully at me, "Look, I just needed to get you out of there but...someone fell behind and, well, I can't leave them behind." Her eyes go wide as she starts to understand what I'm saying.

"No, please, we can't go back in there, we have to leave," Her eyes are pleading as her knuckles became white on the oars. I bite my lip and look down.

"You don't have to go back. I am. Just follow this river out and it will lead you to sea. There's a ship out there. Trust me on this, there's good people aboard," I try to convince her but she's not buying it, "Will. Will is on the ship." I finally pull that card and her eyebrows relax.

"You know Will?" She asks, her hands loosening the grip she has on the oars. I nod hesitantly and she finally sighs, nodding as well.

"Okay, I'll see you soon." I tell her and try to tell myself that as well but honestly, I really have no idea if I'm going back to that ship or not. As I climb out, she grabs my wrist and I turn to her.