The Island of Last Truth Read Free

left before they were boarded. Five minutes? Ten?
    â€œI don’t know, Frank. If this ends here, I’ll still want everything. I’m only thirty-six. You?” He turned to Katy.
    â€œI’m thirty-eight, like Frank. I would like to have had a baby. But wouldn’t you know it, now it would be left an orphan.”
    If they spoke so clearly of impending death, it is because they didn’t believe in it. Believing in it might have saved them. Maybe, if they’d felt threatened up to that point, they would have sent an SOS by radio.
    The appearance of the pirates was nondescript. No special mark or characteristic gave them away. Nevertheless, there was no doubt what they were. Five men on deck. Three black and two white. No visible weapons. The boarding was rapid. They pulled in alongside the
Queen
with the speed and efficiency of experience. They fixed cables to stern and bow. Two men came aboard the
Queen
and gave Prendel, who identified himself as captain, an order for him and the whole crew to throw themselves overboard. Seeing they spoke English, Prendel tried to talk to them.
    â€œWe have nothing of value,” he told them.
    The one who seemed to be calling the shots didn’t delay in answering him.
    â€œThe boat’s enough. Into the water.”
    â€œWe’ll die.” It was Frank.
    â€œSooner or later, yeah,” said another. And at that moment he pulled out a gun. They were getting impatient. “But if you prefer, we can kill you. Right now.”
    â€œAt least let us lower the lifeboat,” pleaded Katy.
    The man who had just taken out his gun shot at the boat.
    â€œNo use now,” he clarified needlessly.
    Feeling scared and having nowhere to run to was a terrifying feeling. Mathew saw there was no way out, but he had to try.
    â€œLook, I’m the owner of the boat, I mean, I’ll jump overboard, OK? But let these two people off at a port or near some coast so they can swim to it.”
    â€œAre you negotiating with us? Do you think you’re in a position to bargain?” He gave a signal. The one carrying the revolver shot and wounded Frank in the arm.
    Desperate, Prendel took out his weapon. He only had time to shoot once and, unexpectedly, he gave it to one of those who had remained on the pirate ship. The man fell into the water and sank immediately. He didn’t have to wait long for the pirates’ response. Infuriated by the death of one of their own, they started shooting. As he threw himself overboard Mathew Prendel saw Frank and Katy gunned down. He swam furiously, conscious of the difficulty of avoiding the shots in that calm sea. However, the men didn’t persist. Why waste bullets if Prendel would end up dying anyway? Of exhaustion or prey to some shark. Of hunger or thirst. Of desperation. Of loneliness. Drowned.

2.
    Prendel doesn’t feel the warm temperature of the water until he sees the pirate ship moving away. On the stern he can still make out the name,
Solimán.
Tugging his Swan 42; they had lowered her sails, defeated her. Even so, without meaning to, Prendel admires the line of her; he can tell himself he’s had the boat of his dreams. He can tell himself he’s made some of his dreams come true. He wonders if this is what counts, now that the moment has come to take stock.
    He is surprised to feel cold just as the enemy leaves. He observes them. There’s nothing else he can do. He knows that swimming is pointless. The only hope is that a boat may pass, but he knows that’s unlikely; so much so that it is almost impossible. He is going to die. This idea causes him to shiver as he never has before. Within a short time he will have done two radical things: killed and died. About dying, the only thing that surprises him is the manner. About killing, everything. He would never have thought himself capable of killing anyone, even in extreme circumstances. Although he hasn’t practiced for some time,