Beyond Boundaries

[Lana]

"As if you could knock me unconscious", - I roll my eyes and challenge Jack with a smirk. Well, although I know his words make perfect sense and although I agree with them, I still can't let myself go to sleep, because I am really scared. I am scared of what might happen there, and I am scared of no one being able to stop that nightmare once it's begun.

Moreover... even though Jack's words are reasonable, they're not fully such: "And what if I am half-dead and exhausted when I wake up after one of these nightmares?" - I contradict him easily. - "We didn't wake up all refreshed and renewed if you remember", - I shrug and nod slightly at all the bruises and wounds on our bodies. - "We didn't wake up relaxed and energetic, on the contrary - we were bruised, beaten up and worn out. So I doubt such sleep is better than staying awake".

Yes, I am damn stubborn.

"And if something happens and I am already dead in the nightmare, I doubt I'll stand any chance at all, Jack", - I tell him seriously, because - hell knows, what if a nightmare doesn't stop? What if it hadn't stopped when the Pearl was sinking? Where would we be now?

"I'm sure you won't be able to fall asleep calmly either".

[Jacky]

"I didn't say I would be." I point out to her. "Nonetheless, it's a chance we gotta take. Otherwise we might just follow the example and start shooting ourselves. A lack of sleep usually doesn't improve the mood, either."

[Lana]

"I don't want to shoot myself", - I mumble, realizing one thing: these nightmares did something good to me, even though it might sound insane. Before getting trapped into these dreams of hell, I thought I wouldn't be afraid of dying. I thought I had nothing to lose. But, in fact, it turned out that I had *all* my life to lose.

I look at Jack and sigh: "Let's go ondecks", - I offer him since we're still sitting in the corridor, leaning against its wall. - "I wanna breathe some fresh air".

Actually, I've almost said I want to stare at the stars, but there're no stars.

[Jacky]

"You're going to sleep tonight though, Scarlett. No arguing either." I get up and help her up as well to go updecks like she requested.

(Shorty Studying in the meanwhile)

[Lana]

(sure

"I won't argue", - I smile innocently. But I won't go to sleep either, - I add stubbornly, though only as a silent reply.

When we come ondecks, I shudder slightly 'cause of the chilly evening-wind that's blowing hard enough into our faces, but I'm enjoying this wind and this cold, because it makes me feel alive and sure that I am in Hell's Water, that there's the Pearl's deck under my feet and that it won't change into something horrible the next moment. I like knowing where I am and that this is real.

I shift closer to Jack. "How long will we be here?" - I ask him quietly. To be honest, I am more inclined to sail right out of this place then to the treasure at first. Though I won't tell him.

[Jacky]

"Don't wanna get any hopes up so I didn't mention it yet.. but if we're lucky we can make our way to that damn treasure in two or three more days." I let her in on my calculations.

[Lana]

"Oh my..." - I grin broadly, feeling a sparkle of hope ignite inside. I would give much just to come back to the Caribbean, to the waters that are much more homelike than these ones.

"And then? From the treasure to the... way-out?"

[Jacky]

"I don't know what our way out is gonna be, but it'd be six days tops to the edge of the map I've got. I jest hope tha's the end of it." I shrug.

[Lana]

"Ah... I see..." - I say slowly, frowning a bit. "I don't know what our way-out is gonna be..." These words make me feel uncomfortable, highly uncomfortable, in fact. "I jest hope tha's the end of it". And I suddenly understand one simple truth: Jack didn't tell me he knew where the way-out was. He said he knew where the treasure was, not mentioning anything about getting out of this place.

I was sure we had it in the map.

I look at Jack, trying to sound calm: "Oh, I thought we had it marked in the map somehow", - I shrug, seemingly nonchalant. - "And it's just the edge of the map, then?"

Oh shit.

[Jacky]

"We can go back the way we came, bu' I doubt we'll survive that again. I think our chances are better if we take the guess." I shrug.