The LifeBoat

The wind was not in favor of the ship. The waves were dancing to the tunes of the wind.

'Captain, what you want to do?'

'Continue on the course. We will reach with some delay but we will make there, that is for sure.'

'The winds do not want us to reach there, Captain.'

'Yes, Tom. They do not want that. But, we must continue the quest because nothing valuable is not attained easy.'

'Captain, so you speak.' said Tim and conveyed the message to the crew on the ship.

The ship was on the course to the treasure island. The captain of the ship, Martin found the map for the treasure island. More like handed over by one of the monks in the city of forts. Martin was on a regular business trip to the city of the forts. The monk gave him the treasure map due to an incident that Martin refused to share with anyone. The monk saw something in Martin and decided to let him have the treasure. 

That monk advised Martin to pursue this map very cautiously. 

The monk said, 'You will gain so much wealth from this that your seven generations won't have to lift even a single stone to earn their livelihood. Just know that to achieve this wealth, nature will not help you. Instead, it will conspire to hinder your progress. So, be sure that there is someone to take care of your family before you seek this treasure based on this map.’

Martin said, 'Definitely. I will keep this in mind before starting my quest to this treasure Island.'

'And remember do not surrender your humanity while chasing this treasure. This treasure hates those who abandon humanity while seeking it.' 

'I will never abandon what makes me a human to achieve this treasure,' assured the captain.

The captain gracefully accepted the map and lived the rest of his life planning this quest. After twenty-five years, Martin gave the responsibility of the house to his son. Martin was now free, to begin with, the quest

 He gathered like-minded retired crew members for this journey. Most of the crew members were his former crew with an addition of the three members who were also on the verge of retirement. Martin selected them because of their benevolent nature validated by some of the other crew members on board. He took that crew to design and construct a brand new ship from the logs. It took him ten months to built a ship based on his design. The lightweight ship would help him sail with the winds easily.

He decided to inform his family members. He informed his son about his adventure. Martin warned his son to know that there is also a possibility that he might not return. The journey might be one way. He bid adieu to his family and so did the crew members to their families.  

Martin along with ten crew members began the journeys towards the treasure island. Now they were two months into the journey. The search for the treasure was not so easy but that monk in the city of forts had already warned Martin. They were ready for what they expected to come but what they faced in the journey was out of their expectations. Just like life, we expect something and something else happens. The journey took a drastic turn after 18 days. 

Martin has cautiously planned the journey with every minute details. The plan was to travel light. The winds were the only force back then with which the ship would sail. No heavy engines to propel the ships forward. Thus, Martin chartered a path that would be nearer to the shore for resupply. They would stock the necessities for as long as three to four days. After that, they would approach a nearby island or the port city to refill their supplies. 

This routine of travelling light and refilling when necessary worked well for 15 days. On the 15th day, they restock their supplies and began the forward journey on the sea. They travelled for three days and it was time for refilling. According to the chartered path, the island would supply them with their needs. 

However, when they landed on the shore of the island, it was covered in ash. The entire island was destroyed due to the volcanic eruption. The entire island was burnt to ashes. No living beings insight, they were quite disappointed with their discovery. 

As they were boarding the ship, they saw a human figure floating on the water. Tim went near that figure to see any signs of life.  

'Captain, there is a weak pulse. What shall we do?', Tim asked the captain.

'Take him onboard.'

'Captain, there is already a shortage of supply. How we will fit him in?'

'We will find a way,' the captain assured.

'It will be a risk. We will die.'

'So will he, if we abandon him.'

'So you say, Captain.'

'And Tim, we can at least refill the drinking water supply.'

'Yes, captain.'

They took whatever they can to sustain themselves. The next stop was five days and the sea was becoming quite rough. 

'Where am I? Where are my wife and children.' asked that stranger found floating near the island. He recovered after two days.  

'We don't know where they are. But you are with us on the journey to treasure hunt,' said Tim.

'For how many days I was out? And which direction you travelled from the island.'

'We are travelling northwards and it has been around two days.'

'Don't go ahead, the sea is quite rough and no one has made out of it,' warned that stranger.

The Captain convinced that stranger and they moved further. 

It was choppy winds that were unleashing havoc on the lightweight ship. The ship cracked and everybody shifted to the lifeboat. 

Captain Martin had an idea to place a lifeboat by taking into consideration the risk factor as mention by that monk in the city of forts. This lifeboat would save the life of all the crews. Martin designed it in so precise manner that the design was ahead of its time and can sustain any rough sea without sinking. But, Martin designed it for only ten people and the sinking ship had now eleven souls to save.

The captain volunteered to remain aboard while the rest of the crew were ordered to take the lifeboat. Everyone offered themselves to stay onboard, but the captain convinced them to save their own lives.

Tim launched a lifeboat with all crew members in it. While the captain stayed on board the sinking ship. 

Both boats did their job. The lifeboat saved the crewmembers while the sinking boat took the captain down with it. 

As soon as, the captain reached the bottom, he saw a structure resembling his lifeboat. Grasping for breath, he somehow managed to get near it. He managed to look in. The interior was shining with gold. It was the treasure that he was seeking for so long. But of what use? He would soon bid adieu to the world. 

From nowhere, Tim came down with a rope. He grabbed Martin to bring him on board a new and big ship. It was the ship of that Individual that they had taken aboard from the island. Luckily his wife found them. 

Martin, after becoming conscious gave the good news of gold. They shared the treasure among them, and their seven generations prospered on that.

It was the small and inconsequential decision of taking an almost dead person on board, which had important consequences. That decision saved the life of Martin and made them all rich.