Fiction: The cursed treasure

The lame Jou and the one-eyed Willy were looking for the treasure of the Ayucs for many years. Many hardships and sacrifices were spent on the trail of the booty. Now they were only a few leagues away from the mighty British navy vessel that contained what they longed for.

"It's almost over, Jou," Willy said to his battle buddy. "This last blow will be my retirement from pillaging." He flashed his gold tooth with an impish grin.

"You are right, my dear Willy, we have sailed and sailed through so many ports, searched for our treasure that will put us on the map of the best pirates, come on mate for what belongs to us."

The one-eyed Willy gave the order to the crew to head for the British galleon. At full sail the pirate ship was approaching its target, the crew was ready with cannons and guns to start the battle with the red enemies.

"Raise the flag, today we are going for victory, arrggg!" Willy shouted excitedly to the crew, while he was getting drunk with the adrenaline breeze of the upcoming battle.

The cries of the pirates could be heard across the immense ocean. The warm sun accompanied with its shining rays what would soon be the sound of cannons hungry for destruction.

"Petty Officer Jou, you lead the attack," one-eyed Willy said to him as his dark beard soaked up the damp, refreshing breeze.

"At your command, Captain," shouted the limping Jou, intoxicated with adrenaline for the moment of truth. "Crew, ready for combat, cannons enfiladed toward the Reds' ship, arrggg!!"

The stern wind was pushing the pirate ship toward the great galleon, the sails lovingly received the morning breeze. The lame Jou wielded his trident as his brown eyes focused on the target. The one-eyed Willy moved the helm gently like a woman on nights of passion.

A few leagues away the cannons loomed on the starboard side, ready to spit their steel balls and devour the enemy's wet wood. Tension ran in a kind of emotional swell through the crew who were ready to die to get the booty.

"Ready cannons and prepare for boarding, pirates. It's time to taste blood, arrggg!!!" An emotional Willy shouted to the crew.

The pirate ship was positioned alongside the British galleon, but something strange was happening. There was no movement, the loneliness could be felt running through the spaces of the galleon. The shouting of the pirates ceased and everyone looked on in astonishment at the grim scene, a dense macabre air could be felt coming off the great ship.

"Attention, crew, prepare to board, cannons ready to fire. I don't want to have any surprises," the lame Jou said, holding his sword aloft with his large calloused and wrinkled hands.

The two ships met face to face, but the British galleon was still unresponsive. The pirates were frightened at the sight of such a desolate scene, then there was a thunderous cry from the lame Jou: "Board!!!"

The pirates grabbed the ropes and slid down holding the knives with their mouths, but saw nothing, they began to search the whole ship without finding any trace of life, it was as if the ship had been abandoned intentionally.

From the galleon a loud voice of a pirate said, "There is no one!"

The one-eyed Willy and the lame Jou looked at each other quizzically, they could not believe such a situation. Jou turns to Willy, "and now what do we do?, do we continue with the plan?," he asked and suspense invaded him with those bulging eyes, waiting for one-eyed Willy's answer.

"I came for the treasure and I'm not leaving without it. Let's see what happens on the Reds' galleon, get ready." He tapped the limping Jou's shoulder with several pats.

The two companions were heading towards the big ship, hoping to find answers to their questions and found themselves with the desolate landscape of the beginning. The pirates looked at the two leaders of the ship and expectantly awaited orders from one of the two.

"Apparently the galleon was abandoned by the ball of red cowards, they saw us and ran away like filthy rats. Hahaha," the lame Jou said with a shrill laugh that cut through the dreary solitude of the place.

"All right, pirates, search for the treasure and bring it here, without delay, run, run...," said the one-eyed Willy on the verge of ecstasy.

After a few minutes they brought the chest, beautifully adorned with carvings in high relief, anthropomorphic figures dominated the wooden space and a series of inscriptions could be seen all over the body of the object.

A rusted padlock, carved with sinister, bulging eyes, awaited to be opened. Jou took the lead and with a hammer gave it a resounding blow. The padlock tumbled and spun across the dirty wooden floor.

The crew made a round around the chest and all waited impatiently to see the contents of the strange wooden container. The one-eyed Willy and the lame Jou looked at each other and together they took the lid, in an almost extrasensory communication the two opened the lid in unison.

Everyone's eyes shone like glittering stars gazing at the golden beauty that fell from the chest. Joe and Willy bared their yellowed teeth and a look of satisfaction swept the air.

"We're rich, you vermin, hahaha..." Laughed one-eyed Willy holding up some pre-Columbian jewelry.

Everyone was celebrating and laughing on the deck of the galleon, suddenly a thick fog began to envelop the two boats and a booming voice from the skies could be heard: "Garli ayucanic morlabia sinacadeo".

Then screams of terror could be heard in the emptiness of the ocean and the fog became denser, then colored lights danced all over the white mantle, while the screams were more and more ephemeral, in a few minutes everything was silent and only the seagulls could be heard passing by.

Everything had fallen silent and the chest lay in the middle of the deck, but the pirates had disappeared and there was no trace of them. The one-eyed Willy and the lame Jou had their last plunder.

"Captain, captain, two ships sighted off the port bow, permission to intercept."

"Permission granted, boatswain."