Shipwrecked Hearts

Navigare 96

We waited for Eli and the others to come back after the so-called trading... then we seized Treasure Trove which was almost as easy as nose picking. Maximo and I really did almost nothing. We just watched Maximo's crew and mine do their job—killing. They were quite skilled fighters, to be honest. Sabi rin ni Maximo sa akin ay mas mainam na magpahinga muna ako sa pakikipagbakbakan dahil hindi iyon makakabuti sa magiging anak namin... o mga anak, he added.

"The ship is ours again!" Maximo announced after tying Eli outside the railing of Treasure Trove, hanged outside. Our crew shouted in victory and raised their weapons in the air. "Okay, y'all clean the mess before somebody sees it." Aniya. Nagtawanan naman ang lahat.

They started compiling the corpses into the lower deck of the ship and mopped the blood off the floor. Gumawa ako ng emparadados at saka lumapit kay Eli. "Do you want a sandwich?" I asked, offering the food to him. Umimpit lamang siya. Oh, right... may nakapasok na panyo sa loob ng kan'yang bunganga at nakateyp kaya hindi siya makapagsalita. I'll just imagine myself talking to a mute.

Eli glared at me from his position. He was looking up actually to do that and I can see the hair of his nose from my point of view. Nakakatuwa lang na pagmasdan siyang nakabitin. I wonder how Maximo tied him just outside the railing and ensure he won't fall off the ship. He was like a shark-bait in his position.

Kinain ko ang sandwich sa harap niya. After having enough, bumalik ako kay Maximo na mukhang abala sa pag-inspeks'yon sa barko niya. It seems like he misses this ship as well, after all, this is what he always uses when he raids due to its incomparable speed.

"Starfish, since I brought your crew with me, you take charge of this ship with 'em. I'll command Royal Renaissance. Let's go back to Anarchist Harbor." Saad ni Maximo.

Kumislap ang aking mga mata. How I missed the island! How many weeks has it been?

"Sure!"

With that, Maximo exited the ship and went aboard his own ship with his crew.

"You heard the king, y'all!" Saad ko sa aking crew. Tumango sina Nick, Charles, at iba pang mga tauhan. "Hoist the colors!" And they did. The sheets fell down in an instant, along with it was the howling of winds.

Agad na lumayag ang barko papunta sa gitna ng karagatan. I went to the rear back end of the ship to check on Maximo. Pinanood ko ang barkong Royal Renaissance na bumuntot sa amin. Syempre, nauna kami dahil mabilis ang pagtakbo ng Treasure Trove.

Ginamit ko ang teleskopyo at nakita ko si Maximo na nakatayo sa barandilya. I waved at him, I think he saw me considering our great distance and waved back.

As if on cue, it started to rain. Exactly as I predicted. I immediately sought shelter in the porch of the master cabin, just in front of the stirring wheel. Mula sa aking pwesto ay pinagmasdan ko ang bawat butil ng ulan na tila mga bala ng baril na pumuputok sa karagatan. Dumapo ang aking tingin kay Eli na nagpupumiglas pa rin hanggang ngayon, tila giniginaw na basang-sisiw.

Hindi naglaan ay dumatal kami sa islang naging tahanan ko na, ang Anarchist Harbor. Kasabay nito ay ang paghupa ng ulan.

Wala pa ring pinagkaiba. Napapalibutan pa rin ito ng mga barko. Umukit ng ngiti ang aking labi habang pinagmamasdan ko ang matayog na kastilyo sa burol nito at ang mga bandilang nakawagayway sa apat na tore nito. Bumaba ang aking tingin sa s'yudad ng Jolly Roger. Ang mga pinagpantal-pantal na ladrilyong daanan at ang mga nakapundar na makalumang gusali.

Pumundo na ang barko sa daungan. Inutusan ko ang aking mga kasamahan na ihulog ang angkla nito at saka itali ang barko sa malaking tikin. Inayos nila ang plataporma't bumaba na kami. Mula sa aking gawi ay nakita ko ang kumpol-kumpol na mga tao sa baba, karamihan ay babae. Unti-unting pumunta ang mga kasamahan ko sa kanila at saka nagyakapan. This must be their family. Warmth prickled my heart as I watched them and it also gave a nostalgic feeling.