User blog:ElizaCreststeel/Cursed Treasure

Posted by Will Wildshot

March 22, 2018, 9 p.m.



You see an' hear all sorts of strange things bein' a bartender on Cuba. Did you think this is a quiet little island? HA! I get all kinds of people in this tavern an' the pirates be the LEAST of 'em. Crooked navy, smugglers, bounty hunters, witchdoctors and by Neptune's beard I swear there was one foul night where some of the Dutchman's crew came in here for a round of grog.

But there was a peculiar group that came in here the other day. The meanest looking bunch of salty cutthroats that I've ever seen! Yet the whole lot of them acted like they were a bunch of whimperin’ puppies, jumpin’ at every little thing like they were afraid for their lives.

I couldn't help but overhear them. Sounded to me as if they were a bunch of treasure hunters that had been explorin’ in that miserable island south of here. Tormenta. Now I've never set foot on those shores—I'd have to be out of my mind! But it was clear by their talk they had found something more dreadful than anythin’ I've ever heard told of.

“I tell ye we're lucky t' have escaped with most of our skin intact, t' say the least! I'll not be going back there!” One of them barked.

“Keep yer voice down you yellow coward!” Hissed another man; “I tell you that I saw a king's ransom secreted away in one of those alcoves!”

“Aye and those slimy freaks were all after us thanks t' ye! I'll not gamble my soul on such a pittance!”

“A pittance?!” the second man spat back at the first. “You call that a pittance? Don't you know what that is?!”

That was a long and skinny bundle of canvas tied up with rope and sitting in the middle of their table which he pointed to as he spoke.

“I know what it is,” the third of their number spoke quietly, “it's a violent death wrapped in a curse, that’s what it is. We should get rid of it, throw it back to the ocean or take it to her upriver.”

The second man seemed outraged by the idea, “Are you mad?! It's worth more than a fortune! We could probably sack Port Royal with that thing alone if we wanted! But there are more where that one came from!”

“Ha!” The third laughed without humor, “I'd rather take a short drop with a quick stop than take a trip there again! I'll stick t' plundering ships thank ye kindly—it be safer!”

My eyes musta lingered too long, because one of them took notice of me eavesdroppin' ---I mean cleanin’ tables—an’ they hastily got up and left.

It doesn't sit right in my gut, seein’ a group of weathered pirates like that cowerin’ at the prospect of makin’ a profit off some venture. I don't know what new horror the bowels of that wretched island has uncovered, but I do know this, it’s too dangerous to go alone.