Based on the short story of Dimosthenis Voutira, “At the sea”.
The sky was black and furious like an undammed curse. It was shooting lightings and thunders along with raining waterfalls. The waves looked like beasts and even the bravest sailors of the boat were afraid of what’s coming next. I could see it on their faces.
I was scared as well. I was praying with my voice quiet, but I was wandering if God really listens to us or He has left us to the mercy of the sea. Although, I am a priest, my faith isn’t unshakable. After all, I am only a human.
-Are you praying again? The captain asked me and afterwards he kept on going:
-The laws of the sea apply here. There are no daemons neither there are angels!
-It’s the only thing I know to do. I replied in a low manner.
-You could do that without speaking at all…that’s quietly what I mean. A cabin boy told me that and I felt him attacking me with his sharp words.
-He is right. I can’t focus well into steering the sailing ship. The navigator said and I began to be afraid a lot of more.
The little ship could barely put up a fight against the huge waves. The captain was experienced, but the whole crew was wandering about the reasons of this sudden storm. I had started to believe that some thought that my begging to God was the fault of all this. I was preaching humble, without being heard anymore, as I was holding in my right arm a chaplet and I was counting the knots.
-Stop praying! The man who steered the boat shouted!
-But I am not doing it out loud, I replied like I had sinned and without a breath.
-IT’S YOUR FAULT! The navigator yelled at me and he was outrageous.
-He is disturbing our navigator. The cabin boy supported the navigator and afterwards he added:
-We must apply the law of the sea! This time he said it loudly!
The situation was out of hand. How could a man of the church could be responsible for a natural disaster? I was questioning myself by thinking quietly.
-Let’s vote, the captain recommended and after that he also said:
-Whoever agrees to throw the priest to the sea, I call him to raise his hand! They all raised their hands. The captain spoke for once more:
-The decision is unanimous!
-You are lying as I didn’t agree! I said that with louder voice than the previous times.
-The last thing that we would do is to take your opinion under consideration, the same cabin boy as before spoke suddenly and went with other two sailors to get me and throw me to the sea, but then I spoke with a booming voice:
-You may compel me to reach at the bottom of the sea, but I will condemn you to live all of you an unhappy life! I will throw myself at sea! I told them so and I went to the edge of the small boat. Afterwards, I made a long jump to the monstrous wave…
….aaaaah!
-Which morrow forgot to put the mattress? We said that under the point that I will jump, someone has to put a soft bed so I won’t get hurt! Do I have to do all things by myself? I have only two hands! Isn’t enough that I am pretending to be a priest, I am the film director and do I have to put the sets in the scene?
We were filming a cinema adaptation of Dimosthenis Voutiras’ short story, which is titled “At the sea”…I hope Voutiras’ bones won’t grind inside his grave…