The Black Pearl

Ramón and Luzon begin their journey back to La Paz immediately. Luzon is paranoid the entire time, looking over his shoulder back at the lagoon as they paddle. When he spots a manta, he is convinced that it is El Diablo hunting them down to retrieve its pearl. A storm rages above them and Ramón almost falls out of the canoe; his first thought is to ensure that the pearl is safe. On the shore, Luzon insists that Ramón throw the pearl back into the sea and says he will do the same to the three small pearls they’d left back at the lagoon. He also refuses to go to La Paz with Ramón, saying that the pearl is not his. Ramón tries to convince Luzon of the pearl’s value, but the older man does not care; he warns Ramón that Manta Diablo will eventually get its pearl back, even at the cost of Ramón’s life.

Ramón makes his way back to La Paz, where he weighs the pearl. It is 62.3 carats. Ramón returns home and finds that news of the pearl has spread; when he goes to the office, there is a crowd of people gathered to see if the rumors are true.