Journey Beyond The Storm

Out To Sea

Kai couldn't sleep. He was far too restless. He sat up and looked around at the dark gymnasium. Knowing his best friend was still out in the raging storm, he couldn't relax. Determined to find him, Kai dropped to his hands and knees and started crawling across the gym floor. He moved stealthily, trying to avoid detection. The whole operation would be blown before it began if anyone discovered him. Finally, he crept to the door and stood up. He gently pushed the bar on the door open and slipped through, closing the door as quietly as he could behind him.

Kai turned and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He saw a flashlight bobbing towards him from down the hallway, and he darted across the hallway and slipped onto his stomach. He slid under some lockers and held his breath, watching the flashlight get closer and closer. Kai crept as far back as he could, and the person with the flashlight stopped and looked around, shining the flashlight everywhere. Kai held his breath, not even daring to move a muscle. "Man, I'm tired." the person mumbled to himself. He walked on, and Kai let his breath go. "Way too close!" he whispered to himself.

Kai waited until the person was gone before he scooted out from underneath the lockers and stood up. He turned and started walking down the hallway, trying to move quickly and quietly. He turned a corner and ran into a man with his back turned to him. "Who's there?" "It was me, sir. I'm trying to find the bathroom. I'm sorry, sir. I didn't see you." he lied.

"Oh, that's alright, kid. The bathrooms are just up the hallway to your left. It's pretty dark, and it's hard to see." "Yeah, thank you, sir. Sorry again." Kai replied. "Not a problem, buddy." the man said. Kai walked past him and hurried to the bathroom. He went in and found a stall and locked himself inside it. He hid in the stall for a few minutes, waiting for the man outside to leave. He waited and waited, finally deciding it was safe to continue. He crept out of the stall and walked out of the bathroom. He looked up and down the hallway and found it empty. He saw a door leading outside on the far end, and Kai darted out from the bathroom and down the hallway. He burst through the doors and out into the relentless storm.

He tore down the bus lane to the gate and climbed up and over it. Then he dashed to the sidewalk. He knew the bus ride from school to home was only fifteen minutes long but that it would take twice as long to get there on walking. He knew that because he had walked home before when his parents were out fishing, and he didn't remember his bus number. Plus, he had the flood to worry about. Kai started to wonder if this was a good idea as he had thought it was way back in the warm gymnasium. "No, I must find Garrett. He needs my help right now." Kai said to himself. Kai started walking down the sidewalk toward home, unsure what to expect when he finally arrived. "I'm not in it to be a hailē. I want to save my friend." He said to himself.

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An hour later, Kai was swimming against the fierce current, hoping to find a boat or some wood he could climb onto. He was exhausted and struggling to keep his head above the surface. He slipped under, being pushed around in the murky water for several terrifying seconds. He popped up again and took a deep breath, only to go under again. Finally, he bumped into something, and he reached out. Kai reached up to the inside and pulled himself up to the surface. There he discovered a canoe. He took a deep breath and used all his strength to pull himself into the vessel. He laid on his back, totally shot of all energy. He didn't even have the energy to sit up and look around.

Soon, the wind and rain and everything stopped. The world became still and eerily silent. Kai sat up, intent on using this quiet time to make some progress. He picked up the paddles and got going. Despite his aching muscles from all the exhausting swimming earlier, he paddled furiously. He paddled for fifteen minutes and soon saw the ocean stretched out before him. "I know Garrett is out there somewhere. Time to go find him and rescue him." Kai said to himself. He pushed the canoe to sea, leaving the island's safety behind him.