Short Stories for Eight Year Olds (or older/younger)

The Lost Island Of 𝙰𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚊

**The Lost Island of Aurelia**

I've always known there was something special about Grandpa's stories. He had this way of telling them that made you feel like you were really there, in the middle of some wild adventure. I guess that's why, when he told me about Aurelia, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe-just maybe-there was a sliver of truth in it.

It was a crisp autumn afternoon, the kind where the air smells like wet leaves and the sky is an endless stretch of blue. I was sitting with Grandpa in the old rocking chairs on the porch, sipping hot chocolate while he told me about Aurelia, the island that vanished.

"You see, Jake," Grandpa said, his voice soft but full of wonder, "Aurelia wasn't like any other island. It was hidden away, somewhere far beyond the horizon, where the sea turns as dark as the midnight sky. The people who lived there were said to be protectors of a great secret, something so powerful it could change the world. But one day, the island disappeared. Just... vanished. No one's seen it since."

I'd heard this story a dozen times, but that day, something clicked. "Do you think it's real?" I asked, feeling a strange flutter in my chest.

Grandpa chuckled, his eyes twinkling like he knew something I didn't. "Who's to say what's real and what's not, kid? Sometimes the greatest adventures are the ones nobody believes in."

That night, I lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Aurelia. What if it *was* real? What if it was out there, waiting for someone to find it? And what if that someone could be me?

The idea gnawed at me for weeks. Every time I looked out at the ocean, I imagined Aurelia, hidden just beyond the horizon. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to know. I had to see for myself.

One Friday after school, I made up my mind. I packed a small bag-just the essentials: some snacks, a flashlight, my notebook, and, of course, Grandpa's old map. He'd shown it to me a few times, a faded piece of parchment that looked like it had seen better days. It didn't look like any map I'd ever seen; there were no labels or clear landmarks, just swirling lines and strange symbols. But Grandpa always said it was the key to finding Aurelia.

"I'll be back before dinner," I lied to my mom as I slipped out the back door. The plan was simple. I'd follow the shoreline until I found something-anything-that could lead me to Aurelia.

The beach was quiet, the only sound was the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. I walked for what felt like hours, the sun sinking lower in the sky. I was starting to think this was a terrible idea when I saw it-a small, battered boat tied to a post at the end of the beach.

There was no way that boat had been there before. I would've noticed it for sure. It was old, the kind of old that made you think it shouldn't float anymore. But something about it drew me in.

"Guess this is it," I muttered to myself, my heart racing. I climbed into the boat, untying the rope and pushing off from the shore. For a moment, I hesitated. Was I really going to do this? Was I really going to search for a lost island?

But before I could second-guess myself, the boat started moving on its own. The oars dipped into the water, smooth and steady, like some invisible force was guiding me. I gripped the sides of the boat, eyes wide as the shoreline grew smaller and smaller behind me.

I don't know how long I drifted. The water around me grew darker, colder, and the sky above turned an eerie shade of purple. I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of land, but all I could see was endless ocean.

Just when I was starting to lose hope, I spotted something in the distance. At first, it was just a dark smudge on the horizon, but as I got closer, I realized it was land-an island.

Aurelia.

I couldn't believe it. Grandpa's stories were true. The island was real.

The boat glided smoothly onto the shore, and I jumped out, my legs shaky from the journey. The sand beneath my feet was soft, almost too soft, like it wasn't really there. The air smelled sweet, like a mix of flowers and something else, something I couldn't quite place.

I walked along the beach, my heart pounding. The island was beautiful, but it felt... strange. Like it was frozen in time. There were no birds, no wind, not even the sound of waves crashing on the shore. Everything was still. Silent.

As I ventured deeper into the island, I saw them-ruins. Old stone buildings, covered in moss and vines, crumbling from age. This must have been where the people of Aurelia lived. But where were they now?

Suddenly, I heard a soft whisper, like the wind was trying to tell me something. I turned around, but there was no one there. The whisper grew louder, filling my head with strange words I couldn't understand. And then I saw it-a small stone pedestal in the middle of the ruins, with a glowing orb sitting on top.

This had to be it. The secret Grandpa had talked about. The thing the people of Aurelia were protecting.

I stepped closer, reaching out for the orb. The moment my fingers brushed against it, the ground trembled. The island seemed to wake up, the sky above turning dark as clouds swirled overhead. I could feel the power radiating from the orb, like it was alive, pulsing with energy.

But then, just as quickly as it started, the trembling stopped. The island fell silent again. I stood there, holding the orb in my hands, my heart racing.

I didn't know what I had just found, or what it meant, but one thing was clear: Aurelia wasn't just a story. It was real. And now, its secret was mine.

I don't remember how I got back. The boat, the journey home-it's all a blur. When I finally reached my house, the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the yard.

Grandpa was waiting for me on the porch, a knowing smile on his face.

"Did you find it?" he asked, his voice soft.

I nodded, holding the orb tightly in my hands. "Yeah, I found it."

Grandpa's smile widened. "I knew you would, Jake. I knew you would."

And that's how it started-my adventure on the lost island of Aurelia. I don't know what comes next, but I do know this: the world is a lot bigger, a lot stranger, than I ever imagined. And now, I'm a part of it.