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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

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At <strong>the</strong> speed <strong>the</strong>y’d been traveling before <strong>the</strong>y’d entered <strong>the</strong> fog,<br />

that meant that in ano<strong>the</strong>r two or three minutes, <strong>the</strong>y’d have traveled a<br />

mile. How wide was <strong>the</strong> expanse <strong>of</strong> fog <strong>the</strong>y had to cross?<br />

Jack watched <strong>the</strong> sails. <strong>The</strong> Wench had all plain sail set, and <strong>the</strong><br />

canvas was properly taut. <strong>The</strong>re was wind blowing, <strong>the</strong> sails could feel<br />

it, and were heeding its push, moving <strong>the</strong> ship forward. But he couldn’t<br />

feel <strong>the</strong> wind on his face, nor on his hand when he held it up.<br />

He glanced down at Chamba, who was watching him. Jack tried<br />

to give <strong>the</strong> lad an encouraging smile. Chamba attempted to return it,<br />

but it looked more like a grimace <strong>of</strong> terror. Jack wondered what <strong>the</strong><br />

former slave was seeing, and hearing. Worse things than he was,<br />

probably.<br />

<strong>The</strong> last <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sand ran through <strong>the</strong> glass. Chamba turned it over.<br />

Lee Trafford glanced sideways at Jack. <strong>The</strong> captain tried to give<br />

<strong>the</strong> helmsman a reassuring nod.<br />

Hurry up, Jack begged his ship. Hurry up and end, he ordered<br />

<strong>the</strong> illusion-fog.<br />

He looked back at Ayisha, and suddenly saw her draw a deep<br />

breath and relax.<br />

And, just like that, <strong>the</strong> fog was gone. It was like snapping one’s<br />

fingers. One moment <strong>the</strong>re, all around <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong> next, simply…gone.<br />

Before <strong>the</strong>m lay perfectly ordinary blue water, under a lovely<br />

afternoon sky. In <strong>the</strong> distance, Jack could see <strong>the</strong> green <strong>of</strong> trees and<br />

vegetation, <strong>the</strong> gray rock <strong>of</strong> cliffs, and white specks studding <strong>the</strong> side<br />

<strong>of</strong> a tall hill. A low range <strong>of</strong> mountains appeared blue-gray from <strong>the</strong><br />

distance.<br />

Jack heard Ayisha gasp, and saw her expression—<strong>the</strong> look <strong>of</strong> a<br />

woman who was not sure whe<strong>the</strong>r to laugh or weep with joy. “Zerzura?”<br />

he asked.<br />

She nodded, speechless.<br />

“It won’t take us long to sail into <strong>the</strong> harbor,” Jack said. “You<br />

should go put on <strong>the</strong> clo<strong>the</strong>s you made for your homecoming. And,<br />

Ayisha?”<br />

She glanced at him. “Don’t forget to take <strong>of</strong>f your shawl. You want<br />

your people to recognize you.”<br />

Ayisha nodded, <strong>the</strong>n she was gone, picking up her cotton skirts

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