I woke up in another monotonous morning, same as all the other days. I
had very little amount of food for breakfast, as the provisions were becoming
scarce. Then I read a book I stole from a sailor for introducing myself in the
sea voyage, but it only makes me feel more afraid. The book talks about the
beasts of the ocean, and how strong they are. After reading, I stayed in my room, reading and finding more
about being a doctor, which was my
commitment in the ship and also my cover. Then, I had a little lunch and walked
around the ship. As I told, every day was equal to the day before, as it was my
sickness. Since we started this trip, it hadn’t
stopped. As a doctor, I should tell it is normal, just because it was my
first time, but there was something else. I wanted to get off to arrive to my
destiny as soon as possible, because I was afraid of being discovered. The
consequences could be terrible.
Somehow, a week later we went ashore. I was so happy I was finally
going to escape from my problems… But then I found about the truth. As we got
nearer the land, it started looking more like an island. I asked the captain where were we approaching and if
we were going to stay there for a long time. Those islands were the canary
islands, and yes, we had to stay because our rudder was broken. Now all my
plans were ruined. All my hope was gone. What have I done? I didn’t disserve
this! I needed to make up my mind, and this month was the perfect chance to do
it.
The next week I worked very hard. I continued my doctor studies just in
case I didn’t change my job in the ship. I also learned some Italian, but not
enough for talking with the Italian sailors. I read the Bible many times, maybe
god pities from me even if I had lied to
a lord like the captain. I made a list with the things I had to do to survive.
These are some: Don’t speak with Italians, don’t let the other doctor enter to
the ship where I am, make friends in the ship. With my list, I figured I needed
to change my job. One day, while I was entering provisions to the bridge, I saw
all the sailors doing really strange things, they were in their pray time. They
did all the priest told them just for “gods sake”. That’s it! If I change into
a priest, then no one could do anything to me because I would use “god’s faith”
on my own purpose. But I needed to know at least the basic things from our
religion to make it more realistic, so during our stay in the Canary Islands I
stayed with the priest.
Every day, after I entered provisions to the ship I went with the
priests, and the one belonging to my ship, Alberto Mendoza, became a good
friend of mine. There were priests in all the ships, and if I wanted to become
one I needed to quit at least one of them, the perfect way was humiliation. The
month quickly passed and I was now prepared to be a priest.
It was my last day on those islands, in fact it was in the afternoon
when I realised I hadn’t changed my cover, and I hadn’t humiliate any of the
priests yet. The first two ships had already left. If I really wanted to be
the priest of my previous ship I needed to humiliate my best friend, and I
needed to do it quick.