Pearl's Beginning

The Prophecy

"It is strange." one of them said as I sat with them.

"What is?" I asked.

"You were supposed to arrive with your husband, but our markings changed a few days before you arrived."

"Well, things change."

"A man." another spoke.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Why did these men not talk in full sentences?

"One of those men you travelled with is the reason that everything has changed. You were supposed to come with your husband, he was to show you all of our worshipping and all that we have done for you."

"I was lucky that those men saved me then."

"Indeed."

"Which is why no harm will come to them. They have helped me."

        The priests glanced at each other, clearly knowing something that I didn't. One of them produced a large book, placing it in the middle of the circle.

"Would you all stop staring and actually talk some sense?" I was beginning to lose patience.

"Those are not men. They are criminals."

"They are my-" I was suddenly interrupted by a slamming noise which came from the book.

          The pages started flipping erratically, stopping after minutes passed by. There were strange drawings and marking but they disappeared as soon as the book stood still.

"What's happening?" I stressed, freaked out by this voodoo.

"The prophecy, it's changing."

"Changing? How is that possible? It's a book..."

         My words trailed off as I saw the new prophecy. It was a group of men, though there was no detail on them, except for one who was leading them. I recognised that person instantly, knowing the whatever this book was now showing was happening at this very moment. I jumped to my feet, sprinting down the stairs until I felt a hand grab me. The person who grabbed me was the only thing keeping me from falling the rest of the way down.

"Let go of me! How dare you put your hands on me!" I still tried to keep up the act.

"You know who he is." the priest stated, his grip tightening.

"Who!?"

"I am sorry, but your husband warned us of your naivete."

"LET GO-"

           As I pushed him away, my balance finally slipped, causing me to call the rest of the way down the stairs. My body twisted and turned, my body throbbing as soon as I hit the last step. I let out a cry of pain, hoping that nothing was broken. The breath was knocked out of me, my lungs were winded. No one did anything as I laid there crying, not wanting to move in case I injured myself further.

"Look what you have done!" the priests fled down the stairs.

"It was not my intention-" the priest who had caused the fall tried to protest but was grabbed by the others.

"You have caused this."

          Before he could protest even more they forced him into his knees, getting a small dagger and cut his throat. I let out a small sob as I watched, petrified of what they could do to me. Blood poured out of the thin slice in the man's neck, pooling around his body as it ran like a small stream on the marble floor. It approached me at a steady pace, staining my hair first. Lifting my head so that it would not get on my face, though I felt it seep into my clothes.

          They let his body fall into the floor, inches away from mine, before picking me up. I let out a small cry of pain, panicking that I had done something serious to myself, but surprisingly I could stand up without too much pain. Their hands clung onto me, making sure that I would not get away; I didn't think I could do that even if I tried. Our heads all whipped in the same direction as we heard a commotion happening just outide the doors. They were slowly opened due to the weight of them, but we saw who was entering from far away.

         The huge group of men entered, leaning against the doors as they panted, all of them clutching onto their weapons. Jack spotted me first, calling out my name as he started running towards me. Tricks followed straight away, the others being more cautious of what these men were capable of.

"What have you done to her!?" Jack demanded, pointing his sword at the group of men.

"This is none of our doing, well, except for him," they gestured to the body on the ground,"he has been taken care of."

"Why do you want her back? She is a goddess, you are all but beneath her." Another spoke.

"They are my friends. Please, do my bidding and let me go." I whimpered out.

"But it is not prophesised, you were to wait for your husband-"

"Things change. Your little brains would not be able to comprehend how our world works."

Wow, maybe I should have become an actress rather than a pirate.

"Then teach us, we want to understand, give us your wisdom."

"No, you are not ready."

          Everyone else seemed confused as I kept on rambling about power and the gods, but knew that I was trying to buy us time and a way out of there. The people of the town could be heard rioting outside, Jack and Ragnar must have done something bad, they were trying to get into the temple.

"But the prophecy-"

"ENOUGH ABOUT THE FUCKING PROPHECY! It was wrong, it isn't the end of the world. I'll return at some point but right now it was a mistake to come here."

          Everyone was in shock at my outburst especially the priests. They were still persistent on the matter though and I could see the others itching to get out of here where the town's people couldn't get to us. How were they still believing this bullshit!?

"Mate, she's told you to let her go, so do as the almighty goddess says." Jack edged closer, along with Tricks.

"We can't let her go with you."

"And why not?"

"He told us not to, for she would live a life of misfortune and terror."

"Who is this 'he'?"

"He has many names, too many."

"You have to obey me!" I screamed out.

        The priests suddenly dropped me onto the floor and this time I screamed out of pain. They stood in a circle around me, holding their arms out by their sides. I couldn't comprehend what they were saying, it sounded like mumbling from down on the floor. As they continued with their gibberish, Jack and Tricks broke the circle, though none of the priests seemed to notice; it was as if they were in some sort of trance. As they continued to mumble the temple stated to shake as if there was an earthquake.

           Jack and Tricks took an arm each wrapping them around their shoulders. I tried to move my legs as fast as I could especially when the temple started to shake. Instead Ragnar swooped me up being stronger than Jack and Tricks put together.

"We have to find another way out of here!" Ragnar exclaimed.

"Over here!" a crew member called, finding a passage way.

           The two crews darted towards the hallway trying to work out an exit before the walls collapsed on us. The pain was getting worse and I was tired, I fought so badly through it all but I just wanted to rest. My eyes kept on drooping, limbs becoming weaker as we got more and more lost. I thought we would never make it out of there alive until someone found a source of light.

            A part of the wall was crumbled away the stones being very old and all. A few men pushed the broken rocks out of the way, a light streaming in; was that a whole night already!? Taking this as our only escape, we found ourselves in the dense rainforest again, only this time we had no idea how to get back to our ship or if we would even survive to make the journey.