Crash, crash, crash! The storm shook the boat violently over and over again. Its crew of children screamed in fear clinging and desperate for just one more day of life. All were orphans, none had truly felt love except by one another. For days the children rocked in the shifting waters hoping, praying, that the storm would fade. Their elemental tormentor did not waver during this time, it did however; become increasingly belligerent as the days passed. Will, the largest of the kids, took charge. Through his leadership and tales of place known as Children Island the kids rallied behind him. With renewal of strength they fought the elements, not with conventional methods of rain protectant, but with the wild hope that this heavenly island existed. Little did they know even their hope would have a flaw. Buying into Will’s wild dream they gave up on the sane choice of finding land and instead searched for what some believed was only a dream.

“To Children Island!” He would shout through the boat’s control room which doubled as his bed room. 

Days passed and finally the burden that was bestowed upon them was finally lifted. It was a great day when the sun finally shown upon the children. They played laughing in only the innocent way a child can. Even Tom, the most pessimistic of them, joined in on the festive. All was good, just the way their wild leader had described to them. It seemed that for once in their life’s there was something to hope for.

This renewal of joy didn’t last long though. Like all moments in their short life’s it was quickly shattered. The elemental nemesis had returned and it come in full fury!

The pitter-patter of rain almost seemed to laugh at the children now. How could they be so foolish to believe that any break would come to them in life? As time continued pitter-patter evolved into the pounding of thunder and the crashing of lightning.

Life had never been to kind to them and it absolutely refused to brighten any of their tragic lives.

Every day as the sky relentlessly darkened Will would cry out in tears, “Why!? Why are you doing this to us?” The sky of course would never answer the boy’s pleas. 

Dejected and confused by his path Will still remained firm in believe that his savior, Children Island, would show in the distance.

They had simply been through too much pain for it not too. It had to show. It had to show. Will always strong for his friends would cry alone wondering, believing, pleading for his salvation to show.

Eventually the initial joy of leaving the oppression on their former home was all but replaced with doubt. Doubt that they would ever leave. Doubt that they would ever thrive. Doubt that they would even live. Doubt of Children Island.

“The sharks will feed on us!”

“The factory wasn’t that bad! Children Island don't exist Will!”

“Will! Are you insane? You are leading us all to our deaths!”

To these naysayers Will would respond with a conviction that even men years his senior would exclaim as legendary, “No. If you wish to die, then cut yourself and be consumed by the sea of death. I will be comforted by the warmth of Children Island. Alone or with friends, but not with doubters. Do you what you must.”

As the storm continued to thicken around the boat. The cowards, not able to envision a fate any better all eventually complied. Splash, splash, splash, splash!

The nights of death filled Will with despair. Those were his friends. More importantly those were children, just like him. They had their whole lives ahead of them, just like him. They just didn’t believe, unlike him.

Then it happened maybe a year after they fled, maybe a decade. The elemental monster had aged. Its original horrendous splendor now gone, the grey sky was replaced with blue.

He couldn’t believe it. Climbing to the top of the ship’s watch tower he saw it.

“Island!” Will screamed at the top of his small lungs. 

Overjoyed he let out the call again to all of his remaining believers, “Island!”

A boisterous combined yell returns, “To Children Island!”