Where's Scotty? Book 1 - The Island of Doom

  At the top of the beach was a forest. It wasn't a normal forest like I was used to, back at home. The trees here made the trees from home look like babies in comparison. These trees rose high up into the air, reaching into the sky at heights I never thought possible. Their trunks were covered in thick, green vines, which, if the mood took me, I could probably climb up (looking at the sky and how it is turning orange, I may have to. Who knows what comes out here at night.) This wasn't an ordinary forest, oh no. This was a jungle.

  I walked up to it and the air slowly grew heavy and thick around me. It was like someone had wrapped me in a thick blanket on a hot day. A layer of sweat began forming instantly, so I decided to stay on the beach.

  That's where I am now! Sitting on the beach, taking in the remaining sun of the day, and trying not to think too hard about the fact that I am stranded on a jungle island with little to no chance of rescue.

  I mean, I wanted an adventure, right?

  Yay adventure!

  If someone finds this journal next to my skeleton on the beach, know that I, Alex, lived an awesome life to the absolute max.

  I miss my chickens a little.

  Probably Friday, definitely night time – On top of a very high tree, trying not to look down – Mood: Wishing I hadn't sunbathed for so long!

  I should have built a shelter. That's like Survival 101, and I completely forgot about it. Of course, it only occurs to me now that I am in incredible, horrifying danger! But next time I'm stranded on a desert island, I will definitely remember. Cross my heart.

  It wasn't long before the sun set behind the clouds and the sounds of bird song from the jungle changed to the low, angry moan of zombies coming out of the trees and heading towards me! The green, rotting monsters stumbled down the beach, arms extended in the air in front of them, reaching out. I only had moments to escape.

  I didn't waste my time. I went with my original plan: I ran towards the nearest tree and began climbing up the vines towards the top. I pulled myself up, hoping that they would hold my weight and, surprise surprise, they did! I began to climb and climb, pausing only briefly to turn and stick my tongue out at the zombies below. “Ner Ner!” I shouted at them. “You can't get me!”

  There was no way they were going to climb up after me! Ha ha!

  So now that is where I am. Sitting in the branches of a very high tree, in the dark, hoping that nothing is going to climb up here after me. I can hear the moans and groans of zombies below (there is a lot of them), but I think I'm safe.

  I'm pretty sure.

  I haven't really got any plans of becoming a zombie's dinner at this point. Actually, I don't think I ever will.

  I'm going to use this time wisely and make a list of things I need to do to survive this island. You never know, I might be really good at this survival thing.

  Survival list of Survival:

  Find food! There must be some fruit or something around here somewhere. (Watermelon?) Maybe fishing?

  Build a house. Mud hut will do at first, but then wooden house. Then castle if possible (Who doesn't like a castle? Optional: Inside pool?)

  Make a flag. I might as well claim this island as my own while I am here. I will put stars on it or something, and I will call the island Alexonia. Or Alexville. Or maybe Alexton. Hmmm.

  Come up with a cool name for the island. Those first three names were lame.

  Find some way of signalling for help. A giant fire? Bottle with a message in it? Build a boat?

  Write about my adventure, get a book deal and earn millions. Live a life of luxury.

  Yeah, I think that is a good enough survival list. I think I can do it. You never know, I might not want to leave. Who cares about Scotty and his stupid adventure? He can go and have fun. I will have fun right here, thank you very much.

  What was that?

  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Mood: Not good

  Ok someone is firing arrows at me! I thought I was safe in this tree but I’m not! agh! I need to move right now!

  It's dark – A cold and damp cave – Mood: Being very very quiet

  I tried to jump from the tree I was in onto a nearby one, like a monkey, to try and confuse whoever was firing arrows at me. Unfortunately there were two problems with this:

  1. I was very loud and they could easily hear me.

  2. I am not a monkey.

  Long story short: I didn't make it to the other tree. The branch I was aiming for was just out of my reach and I quickly tumbled back down to the ground. Luckily, I wasn't that high up, so I think I just got bruised a little. It still really hurt!

  I didn't get to rest, because I had to start running again from all the zombies and, guess what, skeletons, armed with bows and arrows and spears!

  This island is a pile of never ending fun and surprise. My plan for survival was quickly reduced to a 'crazy run for my life through the dark forest'. I soon learned that I am bad at running as well. Every rock, twig and root that I could possibly trip on I did, and it wasn't long before the monsters were catching up.

  That's when I saw the cave I am currently hiding in.

  I know, a creepy, dark cave isn't much of an improvement on a creepy, dark forest, but I think I've managed to lose the monsters by hiding behind a large rock. If I can stay quiet enough, they might just leave me alone.

  I'm going to peek over the rock.

  Yes, I can see them now. They are looking for me, but they don't know where I am. Ha! I am a stealth master.

  I could be a ninja. When I get off this island, I'm going make some cool ninja swords as a present to myself for being so awesome.

  Yes, I've changed my mind. I don't want to stay on this island if it is filled with monsters! Sure, my home was infested with monsters too, but at least I had a comfy bed back there that I could sleep in while the monsters were prowling around - not a smelly cave that hurts my knees. This place is the worst. And I think I just stepped in something. Eww.

  As soon as morning comes, I am going to gather as much wood and food as I can, build a boat, and just row myself out into the sea. I don't care what is out there. Storms? Sea Monsters? Bring it on.

  Wait...can you hear something?

  It sounds like a kind of hissing.

  Reminds me a bit of a....

  Oh no!

  Still night time – Back on the beach - Mood: Lonely.

  Today is not my day.

  Scotty made up a stupid rhyme once. It went like this: A creeper's no fun, you've got to run.

  For once, he was right about something (it doesn't happen very often, although the rhyme is rubbish). When I heard the sound in that cave, I knew that it wasn't going to be any fun. It sounded like this:

  The classic hissing sound of a creeper. I barely managed to dive behind the rock I had used to hide from the other monsters before it exploded, blowing my hiding place sky high!

  Creepers just ruin everything. The explosion made my ears ring as if I was trapped inside a bell. I just kept my head down, closed my eyes, and hoped that in the hot air that blasted all around me, my hair wasn't singed off.

  What? My hair is very important.

  When I finally returned to my senses, I knew I had to get moving. Instead of the comforting (ish) shelter of the cave, I could now see the silvery sparkle of moonlight from the sky above me. The creeper had blown the roof clean off!

  That noise would have drawn every monster in the forest towards me. I decided that I had had enough of the forest. I was going to go back to the beach. If worst came to worst, I could swim out to sea and wait in the water until morning. Maybe that would be enough to hold them back.

  I couldn't go back the way I had come, though. It was filled with monsters. Zombies, skeletons, spiders, creepers, you name it, they were all closing in on my position. I was terrified. I turned and I began to run as fast as I could deeper into the island. If I could find a cave or something to help me hide or climb up and out of their reach, I would be happy.

  Uu
uuuugh

  Zombies weren't just behind me. They were all around me as well!

  For the briefest of seconds, I was sure that this was the end. I was unprepared, I had no weapons, no food. In fact the only thing I could say I had was a tan from lying in the sun earlier, and that would probably turn into a sunburn. I was doomed. Doooooomed!

  At least I still had my hair.

  Luckily, however, the island wasn't as deserted as I thought I was.

  It began as a rustling above me. I turned, scared that a monster was about to fall on my head (even more so when a black figure jumped out of the trees, landing nearby). But, as my eyes adjusted in the darkness, I realized the dark figure wore a three-pointed hat and was holding a sword in front of her. Two more figures leaped down beside her, one dressed in black, one as large as a mountain. They all had swords.

  “Ah ha!” Cat said. “We found you!”

  “Cat!” I cried. “How did you....”

  “The explosion,” Cat grinned. “Only you could cause chaos like that. Oh, watch out!”

  She swiped her sword down next to me and knocked back a zombie that had gotten too close. My chances of escaping alive suddenly skyrocketed.

  “Stay behind me,” Sally smiled, rubbing my hair with a huge hand.

  My saviours surrounded me in a protective triangle, swiping and stabbing at anything that got too close. Slowly, we began to move through the forest in what I assumed to be the direction of the beach and the Happy-Go-Lucky. But then I heard it again.

  Another one?

  Cat shoved me into the trees shouting: “Run, as fast as you can!”

  So I ran. The explosion shook the forest around me a few seconds later, and I turned back. All I could see was rubble and smoke... and then monsters. Lots of monsters.

  I remembered Cat's orders and began to run again, blinking the tears from my eyes. There was a feeling in my chest, a constricting feeling of panic, a feeling that told me that if I stopped running, I was doomed. So I ran and I ran, and even when I felt tired, I kept on running.

  I leaped over roots, I ducked under branches and I shoved my way through anything that stood between me and the ship. I was running on blind terror and I thought I would be running forever.

  And what about Cat, Bob and Sally? Had they managed to get away from the explosion? Had they spent their last moments saving me, useless Alex who couldn't even survive one night in the forest?

  I wanted to turn around and fight the monsters. Fight my way back to the clearing where Cat and her crew fought for me, find out what happened.

  Find out if I was alone again.

  I didn't want to be alone.

  But I couldn't. I was too scared, and my legs kept running and running until the forest opened up onto a white, sandy beach with the sea reaching out into the horizon.

  With one final glance back into the forest I finally began to slow. I was all alone on the beach.

  I didn't stop until I was sure that the monsters weren't chasing after me any more. I sat down on a rock and I haven't moved since. I think I can see the sky turning orange in the distance now, the sun rising for another day.

  At least that means an end to the monsters. For the moment.

  I guess I need to find the ship.

  Morning– Walking along the beach – Mood: Really wish I had something for breakfast.

  I've found a ship! I can see it in the distance. I have been walking for a long time, so I'm taking a break before I get there.

  I guess I am delaying having to tell Other Bob and Abraham that we are the only ones left. That is, assuming they didn't get lost on the island as well.

  I don't want to think about it. The ship looks damaged. Like, really damaged. I guess that storm took a chunk out of it! Everything I fixed on the dock looks like it needs fixing again. I hope I can find enough materials to do it. We definitely have plenty of wood. I think...

  Actually, that doesn't look like the Happy-Go-Lucky at all, now that I think about it.

  What ship is that?

  Morning – At the ruined ship – Mood: Shocked, horrified, scared, hungry, tired and scared. Wait, I already said scared. Terrified.

  After last night, I don’t think I am ever going to be able to sleep again. Ever.

  I don’t need sleep anyway.

  Yaaaawwwwwn.

  That wasn’t because I am sleepy. It’s because I am bored.

  I am tough.

  Anyway, I’ve found this ship. When I first saw it in the distance, I was sure that it was the Happy-Go-Lucky but as I got closer I began to notice that something was a bit off. To begin with, it was a lot bigger. Like, almost twice the size, no, three times. Hmm. Two and a half times.

  It’s bigger, anyway.

  Yaaaaaawn. What? A yawn? No, that was all your imagination.

  As the wooden hull of the unknown ship towered over me, I noticed it was leaning on its side on the sandy beach, and looking very sorry for itself. It was in a terrible state, worse than the Happy-Go-Lucky when I first saw it. This ship had clearly taken a severe beating in the storm. Holes and cracks littered the wooden blocks that formed the ship, and a big, deep gash that looked like a burn mark scorched its deck. It must have been struck by lightning or something, because it looked bad.

  It also looked really, really comfy. Did you know that wooden blocks make good pillows? I didn’t, until right now. What was I writing about?

  Oh yeah.

  The mast of the ship, usually a large wooden pole that rose up from the center of the deck, was snapped in half, leaning over the edge towards the sea, like a broken bone. In fact, the only part that didn’t seem to have taken any damage at all was the figurehead, a wooden woman attached to the front of the ship with her arms folded, an angry scowl on her face, and a fish tail instead of legs.

  Next to her, slightly damaged, were the words: The angry mermaid

  It was a HUGE discovery! No, no, not the bad spelling, I mean the fact that this ship is the Angry Mermaid. The exact ship that Scotty set off in from Heredock. It’s the one I was looking for!

  When I first realized this, I was torn between horror and joy. It meant that Scotty was somewhere on this island, and I was close to finding him - which is awesome!

  But it also meant that... Scotty was somewhere on this island. The dangerous island of doom filled with monsters and horrifying things. To top that, this ship doesn’t look like it is going anywhere soon. I’m not sure if it will go anywhere ever again, in fact.

  I looked all over it. The excitement that sparked in my chest at the thought of bumping into Scotty was crushed, because the ship was abandoned. None of the crew seemed to be on board. They have left it here to rot on the beach, hopefully to try and find somewhere safer.

  Unless they didn’t make it to the island...

  I don’t want to think about that.

  I’ve made another discovery, which has caused a lump to form in my throat and remain there. It was a small piece of turquoise cloth, torn off against one of the broken planks of wood.

  Turquoise.

  The colour of Scotty's favorite t-shirt. I think it looks stupid, but that isn’t the point right now.

  I slowly peeled it off the deck and whispered: “Oh Scotty, what are you up to?”

  I kind of feel bad for the Angry Mermaid. It clearly didn't want to be seen like this. It looks very upset. Well, not the actual mermaid. She is just staring out at the island angrily, like it’s an insult to everything she believes in.

  I can't blame her. I feel the same way.

  So, now I am sat by this wreck and trying to figure out what to do. Should I go back into the jungle and try to find Cat? Or should I keep going along the island and try and find the Happy-Go-Lucky?

  These hard choices are making me feel really... really slee...

  Morning – Back on the Happy-Go-Lucky – Mood: Foooooooooooood!

  Big news! The good type this time! I was sitting by the ruined ship (wide awake, obviously), staring at t
he piece of cloth and feeling sorry for myself, when a familiar voice rose behind me.

  “That’s a nice looking piece of cloth. Amazing what you can do with a good piece of cloth.”

  I looked up and grinned. Standing next to me, as if he had never left my side, was Abraham, the old wizard, leaning on his staff.

  I stood up and threw my arms around his neck. “Abraham!” I shouted happily. I instantly regretted it. His beard tickled my neck, and he smelled really weird. Like something you would find under your bed after a few years, which may or may not have originally been food. I pulled back quickly. Abraham looked a little shocked by it all, his eyes open wide.

  “This was Scotty's,” I said. “He is somewhere on this island. I know it.”

  A grin spread across Abraham's face. “Then we shall find him and our quest shall be complete!” He punched the air and then frowned, examining his nails. “I don’t remember that being there,” he mumbled.

  I’ve got to admit, I’ve missed the old guy and his goldfish-like attention span.

  “Scotty? Why does that name sound familiar?” My eyes widened and I spun around. It was a voice I had never thought I would hear again. It was Cat!

  She sauntered around the hull of the Angry Mermaid, staring up at it with a frown, as if last night had just been some kind of crazy dream.

  But her torn clothing, the cuts on her arms and her slight limp told a different story. Sally and Bob walked behind her, not quite as casual, glancing towards the jungle with nervous eyes.

  I ran over to her and hugged her as well.

  “You're alive!” I grinned. “I can't believe you're alive!”

  “Ack! Aaack!” Cat said as I accidentally crushed her throat with my shoulder. I pulled back.

  “Sorry.”

  She coughed a bit and straightened out her collar. “Yes, well, it will take more than a few monsters to kill Cat Danger!” She lifted her sword into the air and the blade fell off its hilt, hitting the floor with a soft clang. She looked at the broken sword in her hand and sighed. “Well, there were a lot of monsters.” She looked up at the Angry Mermaid and shook her head. “This is nasty. I wouldn't wish that on any ship. I hope the crew made it off OK.”