The Magical Islands Of Da

1. The Norm

It was a misty morning, the air seemed thick, and the ground was tough. A boy walked out into the open plains that swayed like seaweed. He breathed in the air; a sigh of relief as he found his glasses, he slowly picked them up and wore them. The sound of dirt crunching behind him could be heard. "Cole, come in now, your supper is ready."

Cole heard his mother calling for him, he slowly turned around and started walking to his home. He looked down the road and saw another house, Cole looked down and shook his head.

As he sluggishly made his way into his home, he saw the dated look, moldy wood, sullied windows, cobwebs everywhere. His mother slowly looked over at him. "Son...did that Joey kid down the road give you trouble again?"

"Mom...he ehm-" Cole stumbled over his words and paused for a moment to think what he was going to say, he adjusted his glasses and the collar of his shirt before continuing his sentence.

"No mom...he didn't give me trouble, we just talked and- and that's it." Cole exclaimed.

"Cole...you know you're my little angel, right? Not just any normal angel, but a perfect angel. And if there's anything you ever need from me or need to say, then just tell me alright? Because I will help you."

Cole nodded and went to the dinner table; he was waiting for his food as he looked out one of the windows of the house. "Mom, have you ever been anywhere else in the world other than here? Like...anything but these open plains."

Cole's mother put three plates on the dinner table, she looked down at Cole. "Well not really...I really wonder what else there is to see in the eye." Cole's mother questioned a little.

"Jessie...why don't you join your brother and I for dinner?"

After some time, Cole's sister came out and sat at the dinner table. Unlike Cole, she was fit and could do more outdoor activities. "I'm only doing this, so I don't get in trouble...I hope you both know that."

Cole's mother started to plate the plates; Cole looked down at his plate. There was steamed broccoli and cooked pieces of salmon. "Moooom...why do you give us all these foods? Why don't you give us real food like Uncle Sebastian's?"

Unlike his sister, Cole accepted what was on his plate, even though some parts of the dish he didn't think tasted the best. He looked over to his mother who had sat down at the dinner table with him and his sister. "First of all, Uncle Sebastian's is not real food. It's fast food, and second of all...because it's fast food, it's not good for your health." Cole's mother exclaimed.

Jessie looked over at Cole who was eating his food. "Well, what do you think, brainiac?"

"I think the food is fine, as long as it's healthy and good." Cole said as he slowly looked over at Jessie. He went back to eating his food. He was reading a spy book after dinner in his room. It was cold inside since the window to his room was open. "Man... I wish I had the same skills as the secret agents...then I wouldn't have to worry about always being defenseless."

Cole slowly turned his way to his backpack and realized something, he forgot to ask his mom something important. After he got what he needed, he went to his mother's room and knocked on the door. "Mom...can I come in and ask- ask you a question?"

"Why of course you can my little angel. Is there something wrong?" Cole's mother asked.

Cole slowly walked in and closed the door. He saw his mother on her bed, he sat next to her. "Mom, my school is going on a field trip...and I was wondering if I could get your permission to go on the trip."

"Okay, show me the permission slip then." Cole gave his mother the permission slip and twiddled with his thumbs while waiting for his mother's decision. "Well, I'm glad you asked for my permission...rather than just writing my signature yourself."

"Yeah I, ehm...didn't believe that would be right for not only the trust with my school and the trust with you, so now you know."

Cole's mother took out a pen and signed the permission slip, she gave Cole a light kiss on the forehead. "Now don't stay up too late alright? We wouldn't want you to be tired on your field trip!" Cole's mother said enthusiastically. Cole was about to leave his mother's room when his mother stopped him. "Oh, one more thing, I wanted to let you know that you have to visit Doctor Harvey's office later this week."

"But mom, I don't want to visit the dental doctor...I don't like it when he uses his tools on me! And plus, I just went there recently!"

"I know you don't want to go there, but Doctor Harvey is not a bad dentist...in fact he's one of the best. It's just that he told me that your gums were bleeding more than they should have been. I'm just telling you this now, so you're not surprised." Cole's mother explained.

Cole nodded and went back to his room with the permission slip, he was looking through a telescope in his room once he put the permission slip away.

The sky was like a canvas, a blank slate. The stars were like the paint on a canvas, the images of one's imagination for anyone in the world to see. Cole was minding his own business when some faint knocks could be heard on his door. "C..come in." Cole hesitantly said.

Cole's sister Jessie slowly walked in and closed the door, she walked up to Cole. "Hey, why are you up so late, and what are you looking at?"

"Oh, I'm just ehm, looking up at the stars. I see the stars...because it gives me infinite imagination."

"Oh well, I guess whatever you see that motivates you..." Jessie blurted out. Cole slowly looked over at Jessie. "So...is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Mom is worried leaving you alone."

Those words sunk in Cole's heart; he shook his head. "Cole I'm a little worried too but I know you're getting older, and you're smarter too. So, I'm not worried as much!"

Cole slowly nodded; Jessie gave him a genuine hug. "I hope things go well for your field trip on that boat."

Cole nodded as he didn't let go. "Th- thank you."

He looked up and noticed he wasn't hugging Jessie anymore; he was hugging a stale pillow on a rough bed. He stared out the window of his room, it was really pouring outside. 

The sky was nothing but smoke and darkness. The sea currents looked swift, one jump in would be practically suicide. Cole slowly got out of his bed to look around.

A classmate in the same room nudged Cole, he looked over at the classmate who wanted to talk to him. It was Joey. "I can't believe me, and you got the same room for this field trip!"

"First of all, it's you and I... second ehm, yeah it's just a coincidence...so yay." Cole answered in a monotone voice but also tried to be a little optimistic.

"That's great, hey why don't we go out? It will be fun."

"We can't just go out, if one of the teachers or crew on the ship sees us...ehm, then we're done; our grades and trust are finished!"

Joey slowly opened the door to their room and motioned Cole to follow, Cole reluctantly accepted after being pushed constantly to follow. He put his glasses on and brought his satchel bag.

"Fine, we'll only ehm...go out this one time and that's it. After that I'm putting my pajamas on and going to bed."

"That's fine...I totally get it, it's going to be a busy day tomorrow; don't melt your brain too much from everything!" Joey chuckled as Cole took an umbrella for their walk outside on the ship.