The Island

(For some reason the chapters of this story were deleted. I think something happened when my computer froze while I was editing it, so I am posting it again with a few improvements)

Prologue

Our story starts high in the mountains, past the green forest, in a village. This village wasn’t much different than any other. But one night during the drought of 952*, when the mountain wolves were most aggressive, two watch guards were on duty.

“No, I’m not scared of a few wolves, Seth.” One burly guard said to his companion, “But this is the time of year when they attack in groups of almost twenty! All I mean is for you to be alert.”

“Don’t be so cowardly, Daniel.” his young companion said scornfully. “We are armed, and those animals wouldn’t attack an open fire! Besides I want some sleep.”

“You will want to stay awake,” The Older guard said warningly.

The young guard didn’t answer; he crawled under his blanket that was on the ground next to him. Then he went to sleep.

Daniel frowned, and continued his vigilant watch. He wasn’t disappointed.

It almost caught him off guard, but he was just able to hear the soft pad of animal feet. “WOLVES!” He screamed running to the watch tower. Reaching the top he rang the bell and screamed the alarm. The village came to life with screaming people, and the snarling of the invaders.

Daniel heard a scream from below; Seth was fighting his way to the tower. When he got to the ladder he climbed up it like a streak of lightning. When he reached the top, he collapsed on the wooden deck, his calf bleeding horribly.

“Good God Seth! Be thankful that wasn’t your head!"

Suddenly everything became deathly quiet. The guards peered over the wooden rail and looked towards the town. It was dark. Suddenly they saw dozens of red eyes glaring up at them from below. The deck they stood on began to shake.

“The wolves are throwing themselves at the supports!” Seth screamed

If the tower had not been built of sturdy wood, they might not have survived the night. But soon the wolves began to leave, slowly, one by one. After a night that seemed to last forever the dawn came. The sweet, wonderful dawn.

When the daylight fully came, and no trace of the wolves, the two guards climbed down to inspect the village.

“Hey!” Seth shouted, “Everyone, it’s alright to come out now!”

Silence.

“Everybody!” Seth screamed again, “come out!”

Every window was broken and every door shredded to splinters. Drops of blood were all that was left.

“They are gone Seth,” Daniel said realizing the horrible truth, “their all gone.”

“No!” Seth yelled running into one house after another until he came to the last one. Then he fell to his knees. “Oh Lord.”

Daniel didn’t say anything.

Suddenly they heard a small stifled cry coming from a wooden shelf in the kitchen.

Daniel pulled a basket down, and lifting a piece of cloth revealing a baby about two years old. “It’s a baby boy!”

“Colin’s your name eh?” Daniel said reading the stitched name in the blanket. “Well Colin,” Daniel said quietly, “this sure is an awful way for you to enter life.”

The soliders brought Colin with them to a nearby town, and was was given to a couple who wanted a baby boy. They owned the Dusty Rose Inn.

* According to my dating system which was designed by the Gorons. If anyone wants to see it, I can post it at the end of this chapter.

The Island.

Chaper1

The Dusty Rose Inn was a large, old wooden building about 3 stories high. With a red rose painted on the aged, wooden sign that swung perpetually outside. It housed locals far from there farms, and sometimes a traveler or two at night. A gloriously large fire lit the main room, where many tables were set for eating and drinking.

Colin worked there, being fifteen now. As a waiter, a beer brewer, a cook, and everything else that needed doing. He had a comfortable house in the back of the inn, and he loved it. He loved it mostly because the inn buzzed with news, wild stories, and some strange characters too. He enjoyed it all.

And there were the less suspicious people.

Jim, a local farmer, was never at a loss of words or complaints. And he was considered a terrible nuisance by Colin. Colin didn’t hate him, just disliked him very much. Jim’s brain had never ventured past the fence of his farmyard. And so his opinions of things outside his world were, “nonsense.” And it wasn’t uncommon for the two of them to get in a heated argument that usually ended with Jim angrily waddling out the inn, looking like one of his pigs.

This particular night, they had been arguing about the sea, something Jim knew nothing about. Colin had always had a dream about someday sailing on it, and owning his very own ship. Colin gave up trying to explain the sea to Jim, after about his third beer. But Colin realized how little he himself knew about it. What was really out there? Will I really fall of the edge of the world if I go too far? Colin had always wondered what was beyond the horizon. Not knowing, made his imagination spin like a top. He wondered if he would be brave enough to leave his home, and everything else he had grown up with. But more cries for ale kept his thoughts in other places the rest of the evening.

When most of the crowd had left, or gone to bed, Colin washed the dirty plates and mugs in the sink. He heard the main door swing open. He looked up and saw two strangers walk in. One of them was a tall, burly, heavy built fellow with a yellow cap and bronze skin. The second’s face was hooded, and not quite as tall as Colin.

“Welcome to the Dusty Rose,” Colin greeted automatically, “Can I help you?”

“Two rooms and a stable for two horses” the burly one said quickly.

“Yes sir, coming right up. Hey Harry, two horses need stabling.” Colin shouted to the boy who took care of the horses.

“Will you be wanting dinner now?” Or are you going to bed?”

“Bed.” The cloaked person answered.

“Yes, well then follow me to your rooms.” Colin said, leading them up the staircase. The first two rooms on the second floor were empty. “Here are the two keys. And breakfast is served at nine o’clock. The eggs and bacon special.

At that, the brawny one’s face lit up. “That would be mighty nice, haven’t had a decent meal since we put into port at sontoso. It’s been nothing but salt beef and-

“Shut up you idiot!” The hooded person said sharply.

“Yes miss.” He said apologetically.

“And you there boy,” the cloaked one said, turning to Colin. “Our business is none of your concern. Thank you for the rooms and your hospitality, but we leave before sun up tomorrow. So would you see to it that our horses are ready at sunrise?”

“Yes maim,” Colin said startled.

They turned and went into there rooms. The big fellow went with a dejected look on his face

Colin took a last look at them, and came down to the kitchen. He finished the dishes and gave the cook orders for the morning, then went in his house where he slept at the back of the inn.

Colin tried as hard as he could to go to sleep that night. But as hard as he tried to, he just couldn’t get to sleep. He decided to get a drink of water in the kitchen. He stretched his arms up for a moment before getting out of bed. He hobbled to the door of his cabin. Opened it, and walked outside. The cool night breeze gently blew in his face as he walked towards the inn. He looked around and saw everything as it should be, the inn was dark and quiet, except for the dim glow of the lantern that illuminated the sign in front of the inn. Colin walked over to the back of the building, and opened the back door to the kitchen.

After dipping himself some water in a cup, he walked to the main room and sat down on a large wooden chair.

In the quietness Colin ran the questions through his mind that bothered him so much. “I feel so restless; he said to himself, I want to go do something. Go somewhere, anywhere, just to go! Somewhere…”he dozed off.

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