Maud Chevalier, winner of the corpo 35 contest

“The uninterrupted sound of the heavy swell crashing against the ship did not bother Captain Rossi. Sitting in his large leather sofa, he stared through the porthole as the weather got gloomier. He was born a sailor, made for crossing oceans and braving the storms of those long journeys. At the helm of this sailboat, the captain felt invincible. It was a real sea monster, breaking waves with its bow and imposing its gigantic sail. Together, they had traveled kilometers, discovering at each stop new territories, new people, and always bringing more treasures. This wooden ship was his child, his pride. He had betrayed and stole for it, and he would give it his life if necessary.

Today, captain Rossi has other concerns. Hiding in his cabin, drunk of the smell of rum, cocoa and spices escaping from the dock, he was wondering. He lit his cigar brought back from the West Indies, letting out a thick cloud of smoke with a soft vanilla scent and couldn’t help glancing, for the umpteenth time, at the map hanging on the wall. He had found it in a bottle floating at sea while approaching the African coast. 25 years of sailing since that day, and yet he was never able to find this island, or this famous treasure …”