Aurora Barbossa (A Pirates of the Caribbean Story)

Chapter 26 Part of the Ship

Chapter 26

Part of the Ship

    I opened my eyes to find myself standing on the Flying Dutchman beside Davy Jones himself. All the pain had been vanquished. I had never felt more alive. Holding up my hands, I looked down at them to see my knuckles now had seashells grown over them. My fingernails appeared like the inside of a snail’s shell, only rustier. I felt that a few strands of my hair had transformed to seaweed. It had begun, my transformation into one of Jones’s sea monsters. Now that I had struck the deal myself, I am officially part of the crew, part of the ship.

    “How do you feel?” Davy Jones asked, looking down at my new body.

    I clenched my fist and uttered softly, “Stronger.”

    He grinned and nodded. “Good. Now, I want you to take out Jack Sparrow for me.”

    I turned my head and glared at him horrified. “No! I will not!”

    “He is the enemy now, Aurora!” Jones declared, shoving me forward.

    I swung back around, grabbing his arm. “Let me talk to him. Maybe if he gets the heart, I can get him to set you free.”

    Davy Jones jerked away stubbornly. “I will not have my freedom depend on Jack Sparrow! Now, go, do what you are commanded of!”

    I shook my head and raged, “I will not hurt Jack!”

    “Fine,” Jones sneered to my utter surprise. “I suppose as long as you have your free will that would be your choice.”

    Something about the way he said that unsettled me, but I had not much time to waste on that matter. Without further hesitation, I set off to seek out Jack, grabbing the first fallen sword my eyes fell upon. I knew he must be somewhere on the Dutchman.

    The rain continued to pour, blurring my vision, but I could still make out a familiar figure, battling towards the side of the ship. It was Jack.

    “Jack!” I called out as he slew down his opponent, one of Jones’s crew.

    He turned around and beamed for a moment but as I stepped closer, his face fell and he frowned. “You look bloody awful.”

    I could not help but chuckle at that. “Good to see you too, Jack.” I then took a moment to look around the ship until something stowed towards the center caught my eye. “The chest! You got the chest away from Beckett, didn’t you?”

    Jack nodded, proudly. “Indeed I did, love.”

    We were so close. I looked at Jack desperately and asked, “And the key? Do you have it, yet?”

    He looked deep into my eyes. “You mean the key that we are ever so dependent on to open the chest and relieve us of this catastrophe?”

    I nodded, drawn in by hope.

    Jack sighed and shook his head. “No, I do not possess that key.”

    “Jones still has it,” I concluded, letting out a frustrated huff, and then looked back to Jack. “So, how do we get it?”

    “Well, I was thinking…” he placed his hands on my shoulders, “we use you to draw Jones in. Sort of a diversion, if you will.”

    I shook my head. “I don’t think that will work. I just blatantly defied him. He won’t trust me anymore.”

    “Aw, come now,” Jack encouraged, walking in front of me. “Jones has always had a soft spot for you.”

    “Actually, sometimes I think I bring out the worst in him,” I muttered, as both of my hands began to grip the sword.