Carga valiosa (Author Reading) Por G. J. Villegas

La versión en español está narrada en el video de introducción. The English version is written below for English readers.

Carga valiosa - Valuable cargo

- Focus your attention on what makes you a sailor! -the captain of the merchant ship shouted ferociously.

-I'm looking at the lighthouse, sir! The rocks are too close! -replied the crew member, soaked by the salty waves and exhausted by the work that had been going on for several hours.

It looked like the boat would split in half. The winds were cruel to the ship, pushing it from one side to the other without any compassion. The waves rushed into the boat making it difficult for the sailors to work.

At the top of the cargo deck, huge wooden boxes carrying coffee bags danced freely and impacted anyone who dared to hold them. Like rebellious rebels, they tore each other apart, scattering roasted beans into the sea. But at the bottom of that merchant ship a more valuable cargo was a victim of uncertainty.

More than fifty people, all refugees from a country at war, hugged each other hoping for the best. Accustomed to bombs and shaking, sitting on the cold floor with their knees bent, they maintained an almost perfect calm, disturbed only by the tears of some children afraid of rats trying to escape from the place.

The lighthouse on the rocks was the focus of those brave men. The center of glances in the dark and stormy night.

The ship's distress was imminent. The captain knew and was willing to do whatever was necessary to save his vessel.

-Throw the load overboard! All load! -the captain ordered his men. On his face you could see the internal conflict between his economic interests and his religious conscience.

The master looked at him in astonishment, he had never heard anything like this from his superior before. He had accompanied him in worse storms and never heard him say such a request.

The master wondered whether the expression "all burden" also referred to refugees. A morbid fear took hold of his heart, and even more so when he saw his captain carrying a drawn weapon.

I said drop the load! Let's go! -he repeated furiously.

The seaman had to repeat the order to the others, the protocol dictated it in those cases. He hesitated for a moment, momentarily looking for some formula to resolve the matter. He turned to the bridge, and pretending not to understand asked:

-¡But do you want us to discard all the coffee?!

-Yes Master, all coffee must go! We will save the passengers at the expense of the merchandise! -replied the captain, firing a torch into the air

The officer was relieved to hear it. "Throw the load overboard!" he shouted loudly. One by one the boxes went to the bottom of the sea, relieving the ship of its great weight.

The lighthouse continued to illuminate the night, immune to rain and dense clouds. Showing the path to follow the merchant ship. Sien do the center of attention of the troubled crew.