Shipwrecked

Shipwrecked

Ashlee Craft

Ashlee Craft

Copyright 2011 Ashlee Craft

Smashwords Edition

Text copyright © 2013 by Ashlee Craft

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Cover art by Ashlee Craft

The day began simply, as every other morning of my life had began, but something was different today. A certain sense of adventure hung in the air, for I was about to achieve my biggest dream.

It wouldn't be until hours later that I realized just how great of an adventure I was about to embark upon, and just how much I would learn in the process.

I was about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

I awoke and saw the sunlight streaming through the prism hanging near my window, casting rainbows across the avocado colored rug near my bed. I stretched and basked in the light coming through my blinds before putting my feet onto the rug and kicking my slippers out from under my bed. The smell of French toast, which my parents were cooking in the kitchen, wafted into my room, and I noticed how hungry I was.

My faithful golden retriever, Sammy, lay on the rug at the foot of my bed. He wagged his tail happily when I walked across the floor and patted him on the head before I left my room.

If I had known the fate which I would meet later that very day, my morning ritual would have been a little different.

I smiled to myself as I peered out my window. I could hardly contain my excitement, for later that day, I was going to go on a boat and travel to an island in the middle of the ocean! It would be the first time I'd ever spent a night away from home, and I could hardly wait for this freedom! Initially, my parents had been apprehensive about this idea, but I knew I could handle it. I was sixteen years old and I needed some freedom – something my parents had never really given me, being as straight-laced and uptight as they were. They finally gave in, giving me permission to travel to the island alone on a boat captained by one of their best friends, who probably played large in persuading them that I should go.

For a long time, I’d wanted to visit the nearby island chain, which was about a hundred miles from shore. I had saved my money for this trip for so long, and thankfully, my parent's friend, Captain Holden, had offered a discount, saying that he had never been to the islands either and was looking for an excuse to go.

Why did I want to go to this island? Well, when I was twelve years old, I read Treasure Island for the first time, and immediately felt a connection with the main character, Jim Hawkins. The further I got into the book, the stronger my desire became to camp out on an island, even if it was only overnight. It just sounded so magical, so adventurous, so fun! Being on an island, practically alone, watching the stars overhead, trying to survive and keep yourself safe – I could hardly imagine anything better or more amazing than that.

But after experiencing the real thing, I would think differently.

That morning, I walked into the kitchen and greeted Mom and Dad. They were both at the table, dipping pieces of bread in an egg mixture and then cooking the bread on our griddle. A stick of butter and a bottle of maple syrup sat on the table near a glass of orange juice.

Good morning, honey! We decided to make you your favorite breakfast before your trip! Dad said with a smile.

Make sure you eat healthy food while you’re staying on the island. Mom told me.

Mom, I’m just going to be gone for a few days! If I did eat junk food or something, it’s not like it would really make a difference.

The look Mom replied with said a million things, most of all, the traditional 'I’m your mother and I care about you, so don’t get on my case about what I remind you to do'.

After eating the French toast, which was delicious, I hurried upstairs to get ready to go and to add a few more things to the duffel bag I'd packed the prior night.

Inside the worn blue duffel, I had packed a rope, two notebooks, a new pack of pens, a canteen, socks, a spare pair of clothing, a toothbrush and toothpaste, my hairbrush, bug repellent, and a few other items.

In addition to the duffel bag, I also packed a sleeping bag and tent in a separate bag. Captain Holden would be bringing the food and water for us, and Mom had made some sandwiches, so I didn't have to worry about those two necessities.

I raced down the staircase, eager to be off on my adventure. My parents were going to drive me to the docks, which were only a few miles from our house. I had spent many happy afternoons there, watching the waves and the ships coming and going, thinking of all the wonderful places they'd traveled. I could have easily ridden my bike to the docks that day, but my parents wanted to see me off safely on my adventure and insisted on coming.

The car ride was brief, and at the time, I was thankful for this. I wanted to get to the docks as soon as possible, mostly because I was excited, but also because my parents nagged me the entire car trip about what I had to do.

Don’t swim at night. Sharks attack most commonly at night. Dad warned.

Don’t fall down any holes in the ground! You could break a bone. Mom said, sounding overly paranoid.

Behave for Captain Holden. Don’t be stubborn. Dad continued.

Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want us to know about. Mom lectured.

Believe me, the ride there was by no means pleasant, but if I had known that I would not see my parents again for quite some time, I would not have rolled my eyes at their comments and sat silently in the corner, insisting that I was already aware of everything they were telling me.

We arrived at the docks and Dad pulled into a parking space between a bright red speedboat on a trailer and a convertible. I remember thinking how gaudy the red boat was as I grabbed my duffel bag from the back seat. I handed the sleeping bag and tent over the front seat, where Dad picked them up and carried them from the car.

I was wearing an old pair of tennis shoes, jean shorts, and a bright yellow t-shirt. It was a bright, humid July morning, and the Florida sun beat down hard upon my back. I was glad that I’d brought as much sunscreen as I did, although thankfully, my skin doesn't burn easily.

My mousy brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, the most practical style for it to be in for this adventure. I figured that if my hair was put up, it wouldn’t get in my face and bother me while I was hunting for shells or climbing trees or pretending I was Jim Hawkins.

I walked down the docks far ahead of my parents, a little embarrassed that they were here with me. After all, I was sixteen, and I didn’t see any reason for them to treat me like a baby by having to come everywhere with me. I wanted to show them that I was independent and could do things on my own.

We neared Captain Holden’s ship, an older boat named The Hula. The Hula had just gotten a new coat of paint, making her shimmer brightly in the sun and reflect the glittering waves of the water upon her hull, making it look as though the metal of the boat was alive, like a wild animal in motion.

Captain Holden, a middle aged man with slightly graying blond hair and bright blue eyes that shone like sunlight, smiled brightly when he saw me approaching.

Well, hello there, Tami! It’s a fine day for sailing, isn’t it?

I was grinning from ear to ear, so excited to finally be going on the adventure I had dreamed of for so long.

Definitely! I exclaimed.

I hurried towards the edge of the dock and grabbed the railing of the boat, pulling myself onto the boat and over the crevice between the boat and the dock. From here, I climbed over the railing and onto the deck. As I walked across the top deck of the ship, I squinted my eyes against the glare of the sun, and, remembering that I'd brought my sunglasses, I put them on. I could feel the gentle rocking motion of the boat beneath my feet.

A minute or two later, my parents caught up with me and smiled at Captain Holden, who was testing a few controls on his ship in preparation for our trip.

The Hula was fairly small boat and contained a several small cabins below deck, kitchen, and a bathroom. On top the deck was a covered area where Captain Holden captained the boat, and outside of this area were some white vinyl seats Several life jackets stood out starkly against the crisp clean white of the boat.

Captain Holden strode over towards the edge of the boat and put down the ramp so that we could enter the boat. His forehead was covered in sweat and his skin was browned by the sun, a hue which contrasted his white captain’s outfit.

My parents stepped onto the boat.

Thanks again for deciding to take Tami on this trip. Dad said.

Captain Holden smiled and replied,

I’ve been waiting to see the island for such a long time myself, and when Tami mentioned that she wanted to go and explore it, I couldn’t help but accept. He looked over at me. You bring your camera, Tami?

Yes! I put it in a plastic bag to protect it from water. I announced happily.

Captain Holden, Mom, and Dad all smiled at me.

I was absolutely elated. I was about to go on the biggest adventure of my life.

On the top deck was a long, coiled rope, which was attached to the anchor. I entered the wheelhouse and saw the large steering wheel and a variety of controls. I immediately thought that captaining a boat must be a difficult job, because you probably had to pay attention to all of these dials and things all at the same time.

I walked back out into the sunlight and saw my parents talking to Captain Holden. Almost as soon as I reached them, Captain Holden looked at his watch and said,

Well, it’s nearly time for us to be off. Tami, say your goodbyes to your parents now. Looking at Mom and Dad, he added, And remember, be here at the same time in two days to pick Tami up. I have more clients scheduled for that day, and if you’re not early enough, your daughter will have to walk home.

Mom and Dad nodded, seeming saddened by my departure. I smiled at them reassuringly. I wasn’t at all afraid of spending a few nights away from them, despite the fact that I had never spent the night away from them once, not even for a sleepover when I was growing up.

I was happy to finally be embracing freedom.

On my adventure, I planned on exploring the island, pretending I was a castaway, and taking pictures and make notes about everything. When school started back up again, I would write my summer report about this trip.

Little did I know I’d have so much to tell.

My parents stood there in the sun, smiling at me as we embraced and said our goodbyes.

I love you, sweetie! Dad said, his voice filled with emotion.

Have a great time and be careful! Mom said, sounding a little like she was holding back tears. I love you.

I love you guys too. Now, have a good time! I don’t want you sitting around the house being all boring and stuff, crying about the fact that I’m on an adventure. I’ll have a great time, I can assure you! And be sure to play with Sammy, or he’ll get lonely.

My parents and I hugged once again, and they walked down the ramp and back onto the dock. Captain Holden untied the boat from the dock. Then he walked into the wheelhouse and started the boat’s motor. We slowly began to pull away from the dock, leaving my parents smiling and crying and waving at me.

We love you! They shouted.

I love you guys too! I shouted back over the roaring of the engines.

The boat slowly got farther and farther away from the shore, and in no time at all, we were cruising at an average speed.

The wind whipped my hair around, and I was thankful for my sunglasses, or else the wind would have stung my eyes as well. It was a little harder to breathe with all the air rushing into my nostrils, so I turned to the side a little a looked over the edge of the boat, grinning from ear to ear.

I was finally free! After sixteen years of being confined by my parents, of only dreaming of adventure, of having to listen to everything they told me, I was finally on my own, and I was sure I was going to have a marvelous time.

The ocean was a crisp, clear, sparkling blue, and the sky was nearly cloudless. The sun beat down warm against my skin, but the breeze was contrastingly cooler.

I glanced back at Captain Holden, who smiled at me from the wheelhouse.

At this point, I thought back on when I first conceived this dream of mine.