Secrets Of The Island

Chapter One - The Storm

We are guided by our courageous hearts and our brave minds to find the answer to the missing pieces. The eldest of the villagers, told us that there was a time where life was perfect, where we weren't surviving, we were living. There are many things about this island that no one has ever been able to unlock but from the legends that the wise ones tell, there is something on this island. They’re never truly clear on what it is but even then the legends tell of great powers, the chosen ones and the truth. Whether all of these legends are true, is something that always passes through our minds. 

The youngins would be told stories of great adventure and courageousness. The guardians -who protected the land- would use the power given to them to keep the land vibrant and alive. The rivers flowed throughout the island clear blue and the water shone like crystals. Now the brown murky colour made people fall ill just by the colour. The grass, green and full of life, now dull and almost non-existent. The trees bursting with fruit flavour and the mouth-watering fragrance that any human would die for. Now near enough dry and tasteless. The hills, big and proud, sprouted up to the clouds making the journey up a painful beauty. Now eroded away into smaller hills of dark, enchanting forest wilderness. The creatures that were once peaceful and quiet, now, shrieking beyond compare.Leaving, the night to be dangerous and ominous to all who dare to leave the village walls. Once an island of majestic beauty, now an island of pity and death.

Whether these were myths, legends or truths, they didn’t care. It was always a close interest of theirs, knowing the past of the village, all the stories, all the myths, all the legends. They would use this as they grew up to guide them on their adventures. Not any important adventures, just the usual carrying of fruit or fixing the barrier. Either way, the children used this to their advantage, gaining valuable experiences and fears along the way. 

The storm had begun setting in on the island. The distant screeching of the animals could be heard pushing through the trees like the wind. The waves crashed against the shore front leaving pockets of air bubbles appearing in the sand, only to be washed away by the water.  With all the lights out because of the storm the huts were left in the pitch black. The village was its usual dead silence, nothing but the sound of rain and thunder could be heard from close by. The trees shook violently, as the fruit dropped to the floor, rendering them useless in the morning. The wooden, leafy huts leaked as the leaves were torn through by the vicious storm. The rain danced as it dripped onto the lifeless ground, giving it more moisture than it truly needed. That was going to be sludge in the morning. 

As Emlyn, Atlas and Nakoa ran back to their hut, they realized how much trouble they really were in. 

“I told you we shouldn’t have gone to the beach Nakoa!” Emlyn complained as she trudged back through the barrier groaning. 

“Oh come on, you know it was fun,” Nakoa teased as he closed up the gate behind the three. 

“It doesn’t matter, I’m now cold and completely soaked!” she whined, “i told you the sky looked too grey to be fine, but you were like ‘no,no it’ll be fine’ boy were you wrong”. 

“Guys can we please stop arguing and get back to the hut, I’m freezing cold and in need of warmth” Atlas, the youngest of the three exclaimed as he brushed the sides of his now goosebumped arms. 

“Well obviously, we’re not going to hang around in this sinkhole of mud, are we?” Nakoa’s sarcastic tone was put across only making Atlas annoyed.

“Well it wasn’t my dumb idea to go to thebeach during the calm before the storm, was it?” Atlas groaned.

“Will both of you just stop bickering like babies, I’m soaked and freezing so can we just move our butts before this storm gives us hypothermia too!” Emlyn snapped as she brushed past them in an attempt to reach the hut quicker. 

“Yeah, Yeah.” The boys rushed towards her, in order to catch up. Nakoa arrived at the hut first, running ahead wasn’t a good idea. He was now stuck in the sludge of mud outside their hut. The others held their breaths in an attempt to stop the laughter from falling out of them. 

“Not funny guys, there’s a leak in the roof!” he interrupted between the giggles of the others. 

“Yes w-we can s-see that” Emlyn was in hysterics at this point, her back slightly arched as she held her hands on her knees. 

“Well can you atleast help fix it?” he exclaims as he glares at the two being immature. 

“I would but seeing as you dragged us out here and the broken part of the r-roof is over your side of the r-room, I don’t really want to!” The youngest notified Nakoa of the new development.

“That’s more of a reason to help me!” he wailed as he trudged through the sticky mud. 

“F-fine, fine, we’ll help you but on one condition.” Emlyn states. 

“And what would that be?” he questions.

“You dress up in a hula skirt tomorrow and sing about how pretty you are.” At this point, Atlas is struggling to breath through all the laughter. 

“Please, anything but that!” Nakoa pleaded as he swiveled around to meet the impatient bodies of his two best friends. 

“That or no help.” 

“ Whatever, just help me,”

“And, what’s the magic words?”

“Please?”

“No, it was, I’m a pretty princess, but that’ll do.” The three join together to fix the roof. Atlas grabbed the rope, as Emlyn stood on Nakoa’s shoulders to get onto the base of the roof. 

“I’m up!” she shouts, “but you’ll have to pass me the material up from the inside cause I can’t reach it from here”

“On it,” the boys jumped over the mud to get to the inside where they attached the rope to the leaves and passed it up to Emlyn. 

“All done, now come help me down!” Nakoa rushed out and caught her as she jumped, making him almost fall over. 

Atlas stood inside staring in disbelief that his two best friends could be so stupid. Either way, he wished that these moments could never end. Curling up onto his wooden planks and blanket, he quickly dozed off into his little dreamland. Not long after, Emlyn handed her spare blanket to Nakoa and decided she was too tired to hear him ramble on about everything. Now by himself, his thoughts were left to die down as he progressed towards his awaiting bed. Clearly, they were all way too tired to notice the sheer chaos that was going on outside. Otherwise, they would be prepared for the next day's tasks.