Casabianca
by Aiven Gwen Calusa
In the midst of a fierce sea battle, where the relentless roar of big guns echoed, the air became thick with black smoke. The water bore witness to the havoc, strewn with broken masts and fragments of timber, casualties of cannonballs from the warring ships. Lives were lost, and many more were wounded in the relentless clash.
Amidst the chaos, the flag-ship became a scene of peril as flames erupted from below, turning the deck into an inferno. Swiftly, surviving men abandoned ship, leaping into a small boat rowing away. The danger was clear, any place was safer than the burning vessel, especially with powder in the hold.
However, standing firm on the deck was young Casabianca, the captain's son. Despite the encroaching flames, he adhered to his father's command to stand there. Trusting in his father's word, he believed that when the right time came, he would be told to go. Oblivious to the tragic fate of his father, who had fallen at the start of the battle, Casabianca hesitated, asking if it was time to leave.
Unaware of the dreadful truth, he desperately sought his father's guidance through the crackling flames. Little did he know that his father lay lifeless in the burning cabin below. As he strained to hear an answer, a sudden flash of light illuminated the air, smoke billowed, and an earth-shattering "Boom!" engulfed everything. The blazing ship vanished from sight; there was powder in the hold.
In this dramatic conclusion, the tragic tale of Casabianca unfolds in the midst of a naval catastrophe, ending with an explosive climax that leaves the ship and its secrets buried beneath the waves.
The End