Dead Man's Chest

He thought back on that day long ago, the day he sealed his fate...

He was a pirate then and a pirate he would always be. Young and unwise, he made a bargain with the devil, "I'll do your work forever if I can stay what I am now," and to seal it, he cast gold taken from the man he killed on his still warm body. The blood and the pirate's soul were satisfactory payment, and the pirate became the devil's servant. He didn't mind the job, he did what he always did, killed and took the spoils. The devil got what he wanted, and the pirate did, too.

"Ship sighted, Captain." He checked the read-out and gave a heading. The crew liked working for him; he always knew what he was doing, never made a mistake and they got rich because of it. As most of their battles went, it was over quickly and then came the one part of their job they all hated. It was the captain's standing order to kill everyone on every ship they boarded. There was no slaving allowed, or prizes of temporary companionship, no ransoms and no mercy; young or old, everyone died. One time a crewman protested as they were about to kill a child; the captain raised his hand, and everyone got quiet. "You don't like it?" he asked quietly. The protester swallowed dryly and said, "No. It's a waste, this kid could fetch a big ransom." He saw the agreement in the eyes of the rest of the crew, so he went on, a little braver, "We've wasted a lot of money killing everyone off. What's the use in it?" The captain's voice never changed from its cold quiet, "I don't make you rich enough?" The speaker looked around for support, but it was waning. They saw the look in the captain's eyes, but he was foolish enough to continue. With a little laugh the pirate shouted, "I'm never rich enough!" There were a few uneasy laughs, the captain gave a slight laugh himself then asked, "You want out?" He should have quit, but the pirate wasn't really protesting about the money, he was sick of all the killing; his dreams were filled with the deaths of innocents, and he wanted it to end. "Yeah," he said, "I do." "You're welcome to it." There was a look of surprise and relief in the pirate’s eyes as the captain ran him through.

The crew weren't the only ones unhappy with all the killing, and the dead pirate wasn't unique in his burden of guilt. The captain only slept when he had to; the dreams of the dying were too much, the whispers of the dead were more than he could endure. He cursed the fate he'd chosen for himself and wished for an end to his life, but he couldn't die, it was part of his hellish bargain, and he had decades of dead pulling at him for retribution. He would have gladly satisfied their demand, more than once he tried, but the pain of his wounds was not atonement enough. He knew the only way he could even begin to pay was to end his pact with the devil but that, he didn't know how to do. One night his dark master offered him a way out.

He couldn't fight off sleep any longer and the dreams began as usual but from among the dead, a presence arose, one he knew from ages ago. "You're not happy with our contract," his lord stated. "How could I be with the weight of the dead on my chest?" the damned pirate groaned. "You have done well; you can sit by my side any time you wish." His hopes were rising when he asked, "I can live without killing?" but they were dashed when the devil answered, "It's not that easy. The bargain was, you had to kill to remain as you are; that hasn't ended but I can amend the terms for service well done. You're a thief and a murderer and you always will be but, now, to stay out of my domain, you must rob but one soul of their life for every year you care to live." "What kind of bargain is that?" the ancient pirate asked but his master didn't respond. "It's still killing!" he shouted into silence. He saw it in the devil's eyes before he thought of it; life and redemption offered by the keeper of the damned. Suspicion filled his voice when he asked, "What's the catch?" The devil smiled a not-too-unfriendly smile, "No catch. You've done a good job and I know you still will." The pirate smiled back, "Aye, I will."

He set the auto-navigator for base and toured his ship; when he stopped counting the dead, he'd bought himself a hundred and two years. The ageless pirate would buy himself many more, those damned like him would die until he could finally sleep in peace.