The letter had come on a Thursday, unassuming in its plain white envelope, bearing no return address. I almost tossed it aside with the usual junk mail, but the crisp handwriting caught my eye. It was addressed to both Laura and me, and signed simply as ‘A friend.’ The note itself was brief, almost cryptic, warning of an island that didn’t appear on any maps, only accessible by a short boat ride from the coast.
Laura, ever the adventurer, looked up from her crossword puzzle and said, ‘Why not check it out? We’ve been living here for ages and never heard of such a place.’ Her curiosity was infectious, so I agreed. We packed light for our usual weekend trip, adding a few extra supplies just in case.
We set out early Saturday morning, the sea calm and inviting. As we neared the coordinates mentioned in the letter, our GPS started acting up. The screen flickered and then went blank, leaving us to navigate by sight alone. Just as the island came into view, the sky darkened unexpectedly, casting a foreboding shadow over the water.
‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’ I asked, doubt creeping into my voice.
Laura shrugged, her eyes fixed on the horizon. ‘We’ve come this far. Besides, who knows when we’ll get another chance?’
As we drew closer, it became clear why the island was uncharted. Sharp rocks jutted out from the water, nearly invisible until you were right upon them. We tried to steer clear, but the current was too strong, pulling us in.
‘Hold on!’ I shouted, but it was too late. The boat lurched violently, and I lost my footing. The last thing I felt was Laura’s grip tightening around my arm before everything went black.
I came to with the sound of waves lapping against the hull. The boat was damaged, taking in water, and we were stranded. Laura was already up, assessing the situation with a determined look.
‘We need to get to shore,’ she said, urgency in her voice.
‘But what then?’ I asked, feeling the weight of our predicament.
‘We’ll figure it out,’ she replied, but her eyes mirrored my panic.
As we made our way to the island, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we weren’t alone. The thick underbrush seemed to whisper secrets, and I wondered who had sent that letter—and why.
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