Escape to the Forbidden Isles

Chapter Six: Setting Foot on the Forbidden Isles

Several others jumped off to help Leif. Thora, Iona, Tove, and the ragtag group of juvenile pirates left the boat to make their way to shore. Tove went to help the men. They pulled the boats as close to the shoreline as they could. After the lead boat was tied securely to a stump, Leif organized the expeditions to search the island. Thora and Tove were assigned the unwanted job of watching the children.

"We is pirates, we is!" Skye had told Leif in her best pirate voice after he had told Thora and Tove to watch them. "We is able to be taking care of ourselves!"

"Skye," Iona had said, a reprimanding tone motivating the young girl to rethink her words.

"On second thought," Skye had said, "I guess a little help couldn't be a hurtin' us any."

For the rest of the evening, Thora and Tove reluctantly trailed a group of wild pirates as they explored the bay of the Forbidden Isles. Until dusk, Thora was tortured by a rowdy gang of loud, obnoxious children.

Finally, when the exploring parties returned, Thora and Tove were relieved from their duties. The different groups began to describe what they had found. A creek that ran through a valley. Forests that housed hundreds of plants and animals. Beaches that had bird nests with eggs. More descriptions followed. It seemed that the Isles were uninhabited and perfectly safe, but every Viking with education whatsoever (even if it was just listening to what your old grandmother chattered after the sun went down) had heard of the legends of the Forbidden Isles.

After listening to each report, Leif directed the men to tear down the less sea-worthy of the two boats for scrap lumber. The men piled the wood up where Leif decided the town hall should be. That night, they all slept around a large bonfire. As they slept, some strange noises came from the forest. Birds cawed wildly, small animals shrieked. At one point, when a particularly loud animal screamed, Thora woke up and heard the noise. She looked toward the screaming forest and shuddered. She considered waking her parents, but decided against it. She tried to go back to sleep, not daring to think what might be happening.