Eve and the Curse of the Black Pearl {POTC}

Chapter 8: Arrival to Isla de Muerta (And Possible Doom)

The Interceptor drifts through calmer seas, now. The water may be calmer than the rough storm from the previous night, but that doesn't make it any less erie. A low fog drifts out to the seas from the Isla de Muerta. Wreckage from ships nearly surrounds the cursed island. Hammerhead sharks swim freely through the wreckage.

"Dead man tell no tale," squaks Cotton's parrot. This only adds to the creepiness of the entire island.

"How cheerful," I mutter. I look over at Gibbs who seems to be telling Will a story. This story better not be anything about me. I hate it when people are nosy.

Quietly sneaking over to where they are standing, I hear what they are saying. "Well they roped together a bunch of sea turtles and made a raft," Gibbs says.

I know this "story" all too well. And it's not true. But Jack and I go along with it. If people knew the truth, they wouldn't take us seriously. And we are meant to be taken seriously.

I gesture Jack over to where I'm standing. He walks over just as Will asks, doubtfully, "they roped a bunch of sea turtles?"

"Aye," Gibbs says, nodding.

"What did they use for rope?" he asks.

I roll my eyes. It's honestly a miracle that people believe this story, but the next lie to it makes it extremely unbelievable.

"Human hair," Jack buts in. Will and Gibbs look startled, like two children who just got caught doing a bad thing. "From my back."

"Let go of the anchor!" I shout. "Young Mr. Turner, Jack and I need to go ashore."

"Miss Freeman, what if the worst should happen?" Gibbs asks me, quietly.

He should know this, but I answer anyway. "Keep to the code."

"Aye...the code," he says agreeing with me as always. Jack stands there quietly, looking moody. He's probably mad about Gibbs and Will gossiping about our past. He seems to get over it when we hop into the longboat. Will looked worried as he got into it, but he didn't back out as Jack started rowing to shore.

We all sat in silence. I could feel the tension, but I didn't say anything to relieve Will's nerves. Nerves keep people on edge and people who are on edge are less likely to die.

"What code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asks, almost suspiciously.

There's no point in hiding it from him. He would find out eventually. "Any man that falls behind, is left behind," Jack answers for me.

Will doesn't like this. I don't either, but it gives you a reason not to slack or fall behind.

"No heros among thieves them," Will's voice was full of contempt. I have had enough of his stupid, anti pirate attitude.

"You know, for someone who has such a bleak outlook on pirates, your well on your way to becoming one. Sprung a man out of jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a crew of buccaneers out of Tortuga," Jack says, knowing it will anger Will.

I catch Will looking down at the gold and treasure on the walls and at the bottom of the stream we're rowing through in a cave. "And your completely obsessed with treasure," I add.

As we dock the boat at the side of the stream and hop out of the boat, Will defends himself. "Not true! I am not obsessed with treasure!"

"I think you'll find that you are," I say simply.

We crawl under a ledge and look into the main part of the cave. From there, we get a good look at Barbossa and Elizabeth, standing by the chest of Aztec gold. Will won't take his eyes off Elizabeth. It's actually borderline creepy. Can people be treasure?

I look at Jack and then back in the direction I'm looking. Yes, they can. "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate," I tell Will.

He looks confused. "I meant Elizabeth," I tell him. When Jack said that Will was well on his way to becoming a pirate, he left out the part where to become a good pirate, you needed a brain which Will doesn't exactly have.

I focus back on Elizabeth. She's wearing a burgundy colored dress. There's no doubt that it's a pirate dress.

"Where did she get that dress?" I wonder out loud.

"Eve, is this really the time?" Will looks at me, annoyed.

I would apologize, but firstly, I don't care what Eunuch boy thinks of me and secondly, I don't apologize for having fun. Ever.

"It would look better on you," Jack says. My face turns red.

"Jack! Stop hitting on her and just focus!" Will whisper-shouts.

"He's not hitting on me," I say.

"Oh yes I am," Jack says quietly so only I hear.

"Shhh!" He had gotten himself all worked up now. "It's not the time!"

"Bite me, Eunuch boy," Jack mutters.

"For ten years we've been tested and tried and each one of you has proved his mettle a hundred times over and a hundred times again," Barbossa shouts, going into one of his monologues.

"Oh please," I mutter.

"Punished we were, the lot of us - disproportionate to our crimes!" Barbossa throws off the lid to the chest. His beard is horrid. "Here it is the cursed treasure of Cortes himself! Every last piece that went astray we have returned save for this," he points at the medallion on Elizabeth's neck.

I hear a ridiculously feminine gasp. Without even having to look, I know it was Will. He starts to leap forward, but Jack grabs him before he can get anywhere.

"Not yet," Jack warns. "We wait until the opportune moment."

This idiot is going to ruin everything.

"When's that?" Will snaps. "When it's the greatest profit to you and Eve?"

"May I ask you something?" Jack asks Will, annoyed. "Have I ever given you a reason to not trust me? Do us a favor and stay here...and try not to do anything stupid." Jack and I stand up. He starts to walk away, but then he falls down, unconscious. I turn back to Will who is holding an oar in his hands.

"Sorry Eve, I will not be your leverage," he says. He whacks the oar on my head and I black out.