A Picture at an Exhibition
Cecilia stared at the picture of the sailing ship rocking in the waves. The galleon slanted on the water painted with thick oil-caked brushstrokes, and the full sails depicted the harsh ocean wind. Peter stood beside her; a snide remark died on his lips when he caught her far-away gaze.
“What’s the matter,” he asked, “don’t tell me you like this painting?”
“Well, it has so much movement,” Cecilia replied, “I can almost feel the wind blowing in my face and hear the waves lapping against the boards.”
“It has that,” Peter conceded, “but it’s just so jaded. It’s about time we stopped romanticizing the pirates. They were horrible people.”
“Who said anything about pirates?” Cecilia glanced at him, “There’s no black flag.”
“Huh…” Peter shrugged and squinted at the artwork, “must be my imagination; it’s the first thing I thought.”
He wandered off to gaze at the rest of exhibition.
“It’s a merchant vessel,” Cecilia mumbled in a monotone voice.
As she spoke, she listened to the jolly babble of sailors.
The sounds of the waves, the roaring wind and the merry sea chanties grew louder in Cecilia’s ears until she fancied herself on the keel. The gallery’s marble floor rocked under her feet, though the salty air bit into her skin. She was in two places at once, inside the cool air-conditioned gallery, and aboard the watercraft.
The lookout’s cry cut through the noise, “Ship! Starboard!”
An ominous gloom draped over the canvas.
Deep in the distance, Cecilia spotted sails moving fast on the waves.
“Sloop!” the lookout bellowed.
The men quieted in expectation.
The oncoming ship drew closer, dark clouds behind it, as if trying to escape a storm. Or was it bringing it? A shaft of sunlight broke through the dense clouds and glinted upon its main mast.
Cecilia covered her mouth and shrieked through her hand when something slapped down hard upon her shoulder. She jumped and whipped around in surprise.
“Jeez, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Peter said beside her, his hand still on her shoulder, “This picture fascinated you, didn’t it?”
“You’re right,” Cecilia replied, fixing her frightened eyes on him, “this painting is about pirates.”
An instant prior, she’d glimpsed cross-boned murder gliding upon the waves.
