Captain Jack Sparrow
and the Fountain of Youth
~ by Shadow
Now
settle down, quiet, and I’ll tell you the truth.
About Captain Jack Sparrow and the Fountain of Youth.
See Jack had been in the Locker, a place he had hated,
So he sought to avoid that for which we're all fated.
And being Jack, he believed this a goal he could hit.
After all, this was him, not some feculent twit.
As
it happens, the means kinda “fell into his lap”
When he filched from Barbossa Sao Feng’s mystery map.
So Jack took off in a dinghy with a bottle of rum
And headed for Florida while a tune he did hum.
He sailed ever on, through the night and the day.
With his compass for guidance, never losing his way.
And
finally, around daybreak, he came upon land.
Plopped out of the dinghy and laid down on the sand.
(Sitting so long had caused his muscles to ache
So prior to proceeding he would take a short break.)
Closing his eyes Captain Jack fell asleep.
And whatever he dreamed is his secret to keep.
When
Jack awoke he let out a great groan.
And was startled to see that he wasn’t alone.
Sitting beside him was an eight year old lad
With freckles, brown hair, and eyes that were sad.
‘Good day, Captain Sparrow,” said the boy.
“My name’s Kip.
And I’ll be your guide for this part of your trip.
The
first thing we must do now is leave, without fail,
For those who pursue you are hot on your trail.
So jump back in the boat and I’ll lead you upstream
And take you to that place of which you dare dream.”
“Who are you?” Jack asked, “and how do
you know
of dreams, and pursuers, and where I would go?”
But
the boy, he fell silent, so Jack did the same
While rowing the dinghy and pondering the game.
They headed inland for hours it seemed
Till Kip showed him a trail that came down by a stream.
“From here on we walk, sometimes there’s a path,
And when not, we use instinct.” The lad said with a laugh.
“Since
we know where we’re going, that should be enough.
But don’t be surprised when the going gets rough.
For those things we want most there is always a price.
If you’re not willing to pay, now’s the time to
think twice.”
“Let’s move on along boy, and get this thing done.
It’s headed towards evening and time for some rum.”
Through
the jungle they traveled. It was damp, it was hot,
Till they came to a clearing, where X marked the spot.
On the map Jack was carrying close to his chest.
Tucked under his shirt and that gray linen vest.
Jack stood there and trembled a little with fear.
After all this at last, now he was here.
Would
his goal have been reached, his hope be fulfilled?
Could he become a standing member of the Eternal Life Guild?
Would he finally be winning the grand prize at last?
Or would fate smite him down as it had in the past?
Gulping, he stepped forward to the Fountain of Youth,
Leaned over the edge, and stared into the truth.
The
fountain was empty, as dry as a bone.
Jack stood there and shook, feeling lost and alone.
He sighed, turned away, and then noticed a gleam.
At the edge of the clearing there ran a small stream.
He walked to the water and lo and behold
In the midst of the stream was a piece of Aztec gold.
Kip
picked up the gold and said “So it’s true.
The gods have indeed smiled favorably on you.
Now what you do, sir, is lie down in the dirt
And hold on to your hat, cause this is gonna hurt.”
When Jack was prone Kip put the gold on his chest
And we’ve all heard the tales about what happened next.
So
Captain Jack lives on and will never grow old.
The legendary pirate with a true heart of gold.