Cargo Of Souls

Cargo Of Souls

By Paul McCann

 

 

The ship pulled In To Belfast Lough on a quiet evening when the shops had all closed and the pubs were getting busy . A lonely shadowy figure walked through the streets of Sailorstown and found the open door of the dockers pub . He walked to a seat in the corner as if he had done it a million times before . He waved at the barman and said ,  

“Bartender give me a drop of Irish in a large glass .“

“No problem “

He poured the whiskey into a crystal glass and took it to the customer .

“What’s the damage ?”

“That’s your first drink here and so it’s on the house .“

“ Well you know , that’s very kind of you but I have been here before . That was many moons ago “ 

Said the old man who took off his cap and looked up into the eyes of the barman .

“You’re not from around here though . So have you jumped ship then ? “ 

Asked the barman .

“No , it’s a long story . I kind of turned right instead of left twenty years ago and a cold wind cut through me like knife when I saw something in fading light .“ 

Replied the stranger .

The barman felt a chill come over him and walked back behind the bar .

He left the stranger alone with his whisky and left the stranger alone and from the corner of his eye he watched the stranger poured the whiskey down his throat . Then he looked over at the barman and tapped the glass for a refill .The barman obliged and left him there in the corner untroubled .

 

A steady crowd came into the bar , most of them dockers and regular clientele  .

The patrons all sat in their wee groups together except for one who ordered a full bottle of Bushmills and took a seat with the stranger who was sitting alone in the corner . He poured himself a fait size shot and topped up the strangers galls and said .

“You were on the White Star am I right ?”

‘The stranger looked and emptied his glass and said ,

“How would you know about that ?”

He refilled the strangers glass and finished his own and said .

“I remember your face “

The stranger produced a  blue stone from the pocket of his donkey jacket .It seemed to have a glow around it . The bar went quiet and there was no movement anywhere .It was just like time had stopped . 

“Only ghosts of time would know a face from the past .I know your face but you may not know mine but spare me a few moments of your time , . “

The blue stone continued to glow as everyone in the bar had froze except for the old sailor and the stranger .

  

“I heard you said twenty years ago you took a wrong turn . Well I’m a man of the sea who has seen and heard many tales my friend . So tell me more .”

The sailor poured him another measure of whisky into the strangers glass and waited or an answer to come back .

“I’m one of those survivor’s from the White Star , a ship that has had many voyages and seen many people ”

 The sailor drank down the whiskey in his glass and said ,

“What is your name ?”

Then the stranger continued .

“Well I recall a place and time when I stood on the deck of a ship that was moored to the docks here in Belfast . As I remember , that night there was a  long twilight and the sky was painted with pink and light blue pastel colours that reflected out there on the sea beyond   There was another ship near by called the Black Star , We both had cargo on board and I was hoping to get a ticket to collect a few extra goods while we were docked here in this old city and the I started to see things like in a  haze , strange things , shapes without form , faces without features and shadows crawling all over that ship the Black Star . ”

Everyone in the bar was in a trance except for the two sitting there face to face with a bottle of whiskey on the table . No one moved , no one spoke .

“Do you know why I’m here ?” The stranger asked . .

“No I don’t , so please tell me , I’m curious “ .“ Said the sailor .

The stranger looked deep into the sailors eyes and said ,

“Cargo’s of lost souls drifting out to sea . Ship’s of fools you know , destined to roam the seven seas for an eternity “

The sailor looked worried .

“ Is this some kind of old mariner’s tale then you’re telling me “

“I’m here to stop you from stepping on board that voyage . I’m here to bring a

deliverance to your soul before you became one of those lost souls drifting for an eternity with no hope of finding a safe harbour. “

The sailor started to laugh and said .

“ Cry me a river , cargos of lost souls . You’re a Crazy old man “

The stranger pointed his finger all around the bar and said ,

“You and I are the only people here as far as I can see . Ask yourself why is that ?

The sailor looked and could see there was no movement or sound around the entire bar , Everyone in the bar was frozen in time :’

‘What is going on ? The sailor asked and the stranger replied .

“So , you’ve only just noticed what’s happening , That’s because I have stepped into the breach to prevent you from sailing away down to the bottom of a dark place on a ship with no return . “

The old man put on a pair of rose coloured spectacles and then he read from a note that he produced from his pocket “

“ Barry Brickem  have been given a chance to save your soul from sinking into the Sea of Damnation . I am the Barter of Lost Souls here to redeem the contract that was lost when you killed a man in a street fight on the docks of this city 20 years ago “

The sailor froze with fear and said in a shaky voice .

“How do you know about that , There was only me and him , the man I killed . No one saw what happened that night “

The stranger produced another page from his pocket and held  it up saying “

“ Every life that comes and goes into this world has a contract on the soul and it just so happens that the many you killed that night had come to the end of his soul contract and you had been chosen to be the person to terminate that life .

For reasons  I cannot mention you have done the world a favour Barry Brickem “

The sailor looked angry and shouted

“I have lived a tormented life even since that day and I still seer his face every

night before I go to sleep “

The stranger replied  ,

“God is good Barry and he knows you have suffered all your life. That is why I have come to tell you it’s ok .. You can ask for forgiveness now and this night you can step on board  the White star with me ? “

The sailor started to cry and a sea  of tears fell from his eyes “

“Forgive me for my wicked sin ,I didn’t mean to harm anyone , it all happened so quickly “

The stranger placed the bluestone on the table and as it started to shine brightly he held up another sheet of paper and said ,

“Life it comes and it goes . Everything passes away in time . Only the soul lives forever . I have your name on this page and its time for you to come with me . Our voyage awaits . “

The barter of souls put his arms around the sailor and they both stepped out from the bar into the street . As soon as the door behind them closed , everyone else in the bar started talking and drinking like normal again without noticing anyone had left their company . .

 

The End

By Paul McCann