The Next Generation (FIRST DRAFT)

Chapter 27

Something was coming. 

    Ben was hiding in the shrubbery on the end of the beach, the beginnings of white stubble dotting his face. Matthew and he had discovered it on the day of their arrival. They had found it to be an amazing fishing spot. It was what had really sustained them their entire three month stay here. 

    Ben peered through the bushes, looking for the source of his uneasiness. Suddenly, he spotted it. It was a boat, a small cruiseliner by the looks of it, and it was coming his way. Ben’s eyes widened in surprise and he turned to go find Matthew.

    “Spiky!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “It’s a boat!”

    A few moments later, Matthew came crashing through the trees, nearly falling over forward with how fast he was running. “Where?!” he shouted. 

    Ben pointed out to a shining dot on the horizon. 

    Matthew gave Ben a look. “You know what to do, Ben.”

    Ben nodded and stepped out from the bushes. He took off his ragged and worn out shirt, torn from the constant wear and tear of life on the island. He threw it to the ground and took off running at his top speed to the highest point on the mountain. Matthew then stepped out to the beach and started to grow lengthy crystals from his arms, break them off, and then stick them in the beach next to the ones that were beginning to decay from the last time. He had done this many times and was too the point that he had almost no crystals left. It would take a long time to regrow them to the state they had been when they had landed, but now, He was just covered in small nubs. 

    When Ben got to the top of the island, he climbed a tree and stood out from the top cover, trying to catch the sunlight and reflect it at the ship. After a few moments of careful concentration, Ben was successful, making the sun reflect off of his outstretched arm that was aimed at the ship’s bow. 

    Matthew had also been successful in setting up his crystals. By putting them in the position he did on the beach, the sun reflected off of the prisms, scattering in all directions, including that of the ship. Now it was up to the captain to decide whether they were going to check out the source of the glinting or not. The last few ships hadn’t, so hopeful they would get lucky this time. 

    After a few seconds, the ship changed direction from its previous course to pass the island to head straight to the island. Upon realizing this fact, Ben let out a whoop of excitement. They had done it. They were finally getting help. 

    He stayed in that position until the boat was close about one thousand feet away from the shore of the island. He jumped out of the tree and crashed through the undergrowth until he reached the shore where Matthew was sitting on the ground, breathing heavily from the effort. Growing and breaking the crystals was physically exhausting for him, hence why he had stopped all natural growth of the crystals so he could focus that energy into making the crystals grow to the specific length and shape needed to signal the boats. 

    Ben held out his hand and helped Matthew up, pulling him into an embrace. They were finally getting rescued. 

    As the boat neared the shore, Ben had a thought.

    “Matthew, what if these guys don’t speak English?”

    “Don’t worry,” Matthew replied. “I’ve got this.”

    Ben gave Matthew a confused look, but stopped as Matthew pulled him over to the water. The boat had gotten close enough to the shore that they could wade out to meet the people stepping off. 

    The boat was a tour boat with a new captain directing the ship. They had been touring the surrounding islands, but had gotten lost in the tour and had gone to the wrong islands. It was pure luck that they had passed by the island that Matthew and Ben were abandoned on.