The Treasure Beneath Infinite Skies

I

Pirate Supreme Ali Khursheed stood unmoved relative to his fluttering vessel. Like a feather with battered barbs, the travel-worn pirate ship drifted through the blue water currents. Up ahead loomed a hitherto fabled, but now quite real, treasure-laden island which the ship’s crew had longed to behold for many years. The erratically shaped land, dotted with palm trees and massive boulders, etched into the soft and soothing sky-mirroring water, was going to be the conclusion of Pirate Supreme Ali Khursheed’s long quest for the “fairy-tale” treasure. Possibilities of an individual or collective hallucination were almost eliminated by the island’s proximity and the crew’s bursting bellies. The night before, there had been a massive feast in celebration of the mythical island’s sighting. So fervent was the feasting that food supplies were all but consumed. Thus, the entire crew’s continued survival hinged upon the island’s not being a figment of the shared imagination.

Pirate Usman Qamar, the ship’s second in command, leaned against a barrel while sipping on his green tea. Except for Pirate Supreme and his second-in-command, the ship’s entire crew were singing, chortling, hooting, and dancing around in gleeful triumph. The sails undulated and cracked as the happy pirates adjusted the ship’s course for the island shore’s nearest landing point. Pleasant gusts of breeze, glistening liquid crystals of sunlight, the gentle lapping of water against the hull, and mewing seagulls assisted the festivities on the ship. As the crew members savored this moment of childlike excitement, Pirate Usman calmly recollected the first time he had met his Captain.

Before taking to the seas and plundering ships, Ali Khurshid was famous for his treasure-seeking expeditions across the middle-east deserts. Camels and scorching sand were the explorer’s initial expertise, not sailing vessels, looting seafarers, and treading treacherous waters. By the time Usman Qamar met the legendary treasure hunter in person, Ali Khurshid had made a fortune from various fruitful adventures. Tired of the heat and mirages of sandy expands, Ali Khurshid visited Karachi to recruit men apt in the sea-faring way of life. It was during this recruitment tour that Ali Khurshid and Usman Qamar crossed paths. Usman distinctly remembered the treasure seeker’s manic energy and obsessive fixation on mythical lore. At their first meeting, Ali Khurshid had sifted through the tottering stacks of material on a fabled treasure for Usman Qamar’s benefit. Deeply affected by the man’s infectious passion for finding the treasure, Usman vowed to serve Ali Khurshid to the ends of the seven seas. However, loyalty induced by an enchanting personality was not the only reason for Usman Qamar’s decision to transform from a legal fisherman to an illegal resident of the oceans.

Born and raised on boats, Usman Qamar was the son of a Karachi based fisherman. At the time of the chance meeting, the quest proposal appeared like a blessing from the heavens, an opportunity for early retirement, a prospect of living a comfortable life free of toils, and the possibility to be rid of boats and fishes for good. However, at the time of joining Pirate Ali’s crew, Usman had not expected the quest to last as long as it had. Indifferent to the rowdy and raucous celebrations around him, the ship’s second-in-command walked over to his Captain.

The Pirate Supreme stood at the head of the ship, squinting at the horizon.

“So, we finally found it, your Pirateness,” said Usman by way of congratulations. The Pirate Supreme merely grunted in response.

“It’s a beautiful day, no?”

Another grunt by the Captain and another failed attempt to strike up a conversation.

“Look here, Pirate Supreme. We may be bad men…Oh, who am I jesting! We are horrible men, O great Captain. Murderers, plunderers, looters, and outcasts. Yet, mother nature seems to be rejoicing with us. Just smell the fragrance in the air, hear the seagulls and water caresses, behold the way the water is scattering the sunlight, my master, my leader, my guide. All of this makes me wonder if what we have been doing for all these years was even wrong or not, O Pirate Supreme.”

“Rights and wrongs are just vague constructions of your mind, boy. Not just morality, but all is a story, everything a tale that we tell ourselves to be distracted by the utter futility of all this,” said Captain Ali while slowly sweeping his hand in the air.

Usman found the Captain’s typical cynicism unexpected, given the occasion. He had always thought that the accomplishment of this great goal would finally cheer the Captain somewhat and bring a lingering smile on his ever-brooding face. Surprisingly, the edge of the Captain’s mouth did stretch a little as he turned to look at Usman through a single unpatched eye.

“You have done superbly, my dear quartermaster. Your loyalty, faith, and perseverance have made all this possible. You should join the rest of these numbskulls, these wretched cave people, in celebration. Go grab yourself an intoxicating beverage or stick your love-making weapon into that stinky, hairy boyfriend of yours…”

“Captain! Please.” Interjected a mortified and scandalized Pirate Usman.

“Ah, hold your seahorses! We are nearing the conclusion of our long and exhausting adventure, my friend. Surely the occasion allows me to poke a little fun at your abysmal taste in lovers. You could have gone for a crew member that at least dips himself into a barrel now and then or grooms his facial hair. But no, you had to go for the…”

“May the Mighty Poseidon forgive me, Supreme Captain. But this talk from you is unprecedented. Is this your way of expressing happiness, my master?”

“Ha! Now that is funny, my usually mirthless friend. There is no happiness to be found, only preoccupations to assist you in this sluggish march towards death.”

With his final remark, the Captain fell quiet. He finally unrooted himself from the spot and made his way towards the edge of the ship. Clutching the ship’s railing, he peered into the water and saw his distorted reflection…gathered and then scattered by the restless water.

Usman considered leaving the Captain to his brooding. But, considering the years of service he had provided in the pursuit of the mythical treasure, he thought that a little more explanation was the least that the Captain owed him.

“Have I ever told you the story of the cursed pirate, Aargyphus, Pirate Usman?” Asked the Captain once his second-in-command stood next to him.

Pirate Usman had heard the story countless times over the years.

“No, Captain. I vaguely recall the character you mention. Pray, do tell the story of this Aargyphus.”

“He was this great pirate from times of old. In his pursuit of great treasures, he crossed all boundaries of violence and blood-shed. They say the earth’s seas would have transformed from blue to red had not the sea gods intervened, an exaggeration, of course. It is said that one day a vile fairy, sent by the sea gods, came into his sleeping chambers and cast a wicked spell on the slumbering Aargyphus,” narrated the Pirate Supreme. At this point, he fell quiet again and began to adjust his sword-sheath. Pirate Usman let the silence drag on to allow the Captain’s intended effect to be achieved.

“What happened after the fairy’s curse, my master?”

“He became obsessed, absolute loony, for finding a fabled treasure that no one had ever heard of before. Out of nowhere, the great pirate was found to possess an assortment of intricate documents that led to the location of a most fabulous, lucrative, and magnificent treasure. Naturally, Aargyphus died in the course of finding the mythical treasure. It is said that the pirate’s restless spirit still roams through the seas, on a ghost ship, ever seeking the mythical treasure that never existed.”

“That is very intense, Captain. Do you believe the story is actually true?”

“Mind your words, my second-in-command. What do I always say about stories?”

Pirate Usman racked his memory before speaking.

“The truth of any story lies not in the story itself, but in the minds of the storyteller’s audience?”

“I could have phrased that better, but yes. The exact details of Aargyphus’ tale are just fragments, which we must stitch together in our minds to construct the story’s truth. For example, I ask you two questions. The answers that you give to my questions will determine the story’s truth for you and you alone. Firstly, what exactly is the nature of Aargyphus’ punishment? Secondly, from where and how did the documents about the mythical treasure came into Aargyphus’ possession?”

Pirate Usman was no stranger to being stumped by the Pirate Supremes’ baffling questions. This time, however, he put in a little extra effort before giving up.

“I do not know, Captain. The answers I do have seem too obvious and easy to be actually worth something.”

“Spoken wisely, dear boy. But still, try and humor me, alright?”

“Well…I think Aargyphus’ punishment was to be misguided about the existence of something that did not really exist. And about the second question, I think the angry gods magically put those documents in Aargyphus’ possession to set sail their ordained punishment.”

“Knowing you, I think the answers you have given are not surprising. This goes to show the role played by a storyteller’s audience in creating a story’s truth,” said the Captain.

Once again, the Pirate Supreme fell into a silent reverie. Once again, Pirate Usman allowed the muted conversation to prolong before posing his question.

“What answers would you give to those two questions, your Pirateness?”

“Well…I think Aargyphus himself drafted those documents which contained the path to a mythical treasure. Also, I believe that his real punishment was to continue with his quest even after death. The sea gods’ true punishment was to deprive Aargyphus of the blessing of mortality. Do you see my point? The pursuit of non-existing treasures is not the story’s tragedy, because all pursuits, in the end, are equally futile, equally meaningless, equally banal.”

“I don’t know, Captain. Spending one’s life roughly on the waters is one thing, and living with comfort and plentitude is another. Both those things do not appear the same to me.”

“Well, my dear quartermaster, that difference of opinion will be the point where we end our discussion,” said Pirate Supreme Ali Khurshid as he spun away from the waters and faced his crew.

“Our destination draws closer. Let us prepare these simpletons for landing. Do have the dynamites taken out of the storage, I suspect we will be required to blow away many a boulder before reaching our treasure,” said the Captain.

Quartermaster Usman Qamar straightened up at this direct command.

“Aye, aye, Captain.”

II

Many of the pirates wept and wailed into their hands, others stood gawping, and yet others simply fainted on sight of the treasure. The cave-mouth had been blocked by many large boulders, just as the Pirate Supreme had predicted. It took several dynamite blasts to finally clear the way. Then, a snaking march along the cramped and stench filled path, with torches in one hand and swords in the other had brought the crew into the heart of the cave. Just as the myths promised, the gold within the cave was enough to make each pirate a self-appointed king of whatever country they chose to settle into. The sea of gold generated a blinding light from the torches’ feeble rays. Once the crew’s eyes adjusted, they saw that the golden sea was dotted by skeletons dressed in cobwebs and massive chunks of the cave’s ceiling. Pirate Supreme and his second-in-command agreed that the outside’s dynamite blasts had somewhat caused the cave ceiling to fall apart.

Worried, Pirate Usman immediately began devising a plan for the safe evacuation of the treasure. Then, a worrying prospect visited him: there was only enough space in the ship to carry a negligible amount of the treasure. He was amazed that this consideration had not crossed anyone’s mind before. Were they to repeatedly visit the island for emptying the cave? Was not repeated visitation a horrifying prospect considering the time and effort it took to reach the fabled island for the first time? What if they never found the island again? What if one of the crew members let the island’s location and existence slip while in a drunken boasting rant? But then, Pirate Usman remembered that his Captain was one of the most brilliant explorers and treasure hunters in the wide world. Indeed, he must have thought about all of these obstacles and problems beforehand. Thus, Pirate Usman went over to his Captain to discuss all of these concerns. The Captain stood near the opening of the treasure room, closely examining a coin. After hearing all that Pirate Usman had to say, the Captain threw the gold coin into the gargantuan pile.

“All of these are excellent questions and genuine concerns, quartermaster. However, I cannot think straight in this dark and suffocating chamber for the life of me. Plus, I cannot stand the sight of all these apes drooling over gold,” said the Pirate Supreme.

It was true, though. The crew members had all but lost their senses and decorum. No one and nothing could have brought them out of the dreams they were hatching in their heads. Pirate Usman wondered how long would it be before they came around.

“I suggest we go outside and talk over these strategic matters in the fresh air, under the shade of a palm tree. What say you, dear boy?” Said the Pirate Supreme.

“Your wish is my command, O Captain, most wise.”

“Good. Just do me one favor and take a single crate of dynamites with you. I think we will need to move the crates out before one of these baboons blows the whole place up. Just one crate, leave the rest. I need to knock some sense into a few of these chimps. They need to carry the rest of these crates outside. You go along now. I will be with you shortly,” said the Pirate Captain.

“Aye, aye, Pirate Supreme.”

III

When the muffled blast rent the air, Pirate Usman Qamar had been pouring himself a drink aboard the ship. Instinctively carried from ship to shore, he saw the sky painted with dust and rubble. It appeared as if the rocky ashes were suspended above the hill, refusing to come down. The spectacle’s causality and consequences were too unexpected and complicated for Pirate Usman to process anything. He stood, numb and shocked until a familiar figure appeared before him out of the cloud of dust…it was Pirate Supreme Ali Khurshid.

“Captain, captain, what happened?”

“Is it not obvious, my sole surviving partner. One of the idiots must have set off the dynamites. I was on my way to catch up with you when the whole ground beneath me shook. Oh, my dear boy, for a moment, I thought it was the fabled final earthquake that would spell out the earth’s destruction. However, I soon surmised what had really happened. I tried to go back into the cave, but the entrance is again blocked by boulders. Besides, considering the blast’s magnitude, I doubt if any of those primates would have survived. The cave ceiling must have collapsed upon them. They were good men, I guess. They accompanied me in my quest for the mythical treasure, albeit for their own greedy ambitions. But still, it is a huge loss. I think the treasure is probably cursed; the sources did mention something of the sort. Anyways, you must realize now, my old friend, that we have ahead of us a much more daunting task than the mythical treasure quest. Without a crew, we are positively stranded on this accursed island. Sure, we can use a boat, but where will we go? We need to ensure our survival while remaining on this island and hope that someone will come along. I know, I know, that seems very unlikely, but what choice do we have? Fear not, my former second-in-command. We will catch fish for sustenance, read from my book collection on the ship, and invent games of our own to pass the time. But what is this, you appear to be troubled. Do tell, what is the matter?”

“Captain, all that happened…I mean…why? How? did you…”

“Pirate Usman Qamar! Such an attitude of fixating on the past will not do you, or myself, any good. What happened is now in the past, and there is nothing either of us can do anything about it. If you are not up to the challenge that circumstances have posed for us, then just let me know right away! We might as well stab each other in our vital organs and be done with this whole charade called life. It is either that or the pursuit of yet another quest. You see now, my old friend, that the only real mythical treasure is meaning and purpose. So, you either give up and bite the dust or get up on your feet and start looking for the one true mythical treasure. So, I ask you one more time. Do you want to keep on living?”

Usman Qamar gulped and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. Then, slowly, he nodded with his eyes locked on the ground.

“Excellent! A splendid choice. Now let us scour for food before all else. To distract your attention from everything that happened today, I will once again tell you the entire story of Aargyphus, the cursed pirate who was condemned to search for a non-existent treasure in both life and then death."