THE ISLAND

It was better when the water beyond our shores wasn’t quiet like it was today. Then, at least, we knew where the evil was.

 

Our tiny island had been forgotten for so long now we didn’t remember anything else. There was barely enough visible land mass to produce crops and raise livestock to keep us all from starving but just barely.

 

No electricity or communications ran through our homes. The outside world simply didn’t exist for us. Lean-tos and shelters made from whatever washed ashore huddled in the very middle of our island for the most protection. It was almost the safest place. Our livestock surround that, and then the fields spread a little further out. Not much grew in sand, so our choices were limited, and quantities were meager.

 

Because of the evil swimming just beyond the shallows, there were no fish to speak of. Only “it” swam in those waters. Gargantuan in size, vile in temperament, it would kill anything it could reach. Kill isn’t a good enough word. It would rip apart and devour. If the victim was human, they would be tortured first. The livestock vanished occasionally, but humans were its main choice.

 

Daily life wasn’t life at all. One person ruled over the visible people. Tank. Not a name, really, but more a description. He was a massive man. Dark skinned and muscled. His shelter wasn’t much better than anyone else’s but it had more than one room. He took whatever woman he wanted and horded the most food. Right now, his choice was Sheila. For some reason, he fancied her the most. She, of course, wasn’t happy about it.

 

He didn’t choose violence much. Just intimidation. If someone made him angry, he simply picked them up and threw them into the water. It didn’t take long for them to disappear, screaming.

 

Me? My name is Shell. I lived between the visible and non-visible people. I even had a boat. I never went out on it, but I worked on it a lot. I even made bargains with Tank for metal. He seemed to appreciate my advice. Not that he took it very often. Right now, he needed help with Sheila. He wanted to win her over. I tried telling him to keep her captive wasn’t going to do it. Of course, he wouldn’t hear of that. So, I suggested giving her authority. Let her guide him. Show her he appreciated her. That, he listened to. As far as I knew, things were getting better between them now. Who knew?

 

I am sure you are wondering what is meant by visible and non-visible people. Let me tell you…

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