The cruise ship started its motor when all listed passengers were aboard the ship. As the Jewel of the Pacific departed the harbor, I stood there on the deck in awe of the vast ocean ahead. The salty sea breeze gently touched my face, while my long brown hair flowed in the wind. It was as if I transcended into a world of peaceful bliss.
A day later, as the Jewel of the Pacific made its way south on the Pacific ocean, I leaned over the side of the ship to see a large green sea turtle swimming peacefully in the clear blue water. Suddenly, I heard a crack and felt the rail give way. I struggled to hang on as I plunged downward 30 feet from where I stood. The cold ocean took my breath away, and I was stunned. Panicked, I yelled for help and started swimming towards the ship. I was in shock, and my eyes stung from the salty water. I was thinking, will someone hear me and save me? Grasping for something, my fingers found the ropes that held a little yellow raft to the side of the ship. Quickly, I untied the wet rope releasing the raft. I climbed onto the raft, hoping I could signal someone on the cruise ship, but by the time I got on the raft, it was too late. The ship was slowly, but surely, moving out of sight. I looked to my left, and all I saw was never-ending water; however, as I looked to the right, I saw what looked like a little rugged island. Thankfully, the wind and the strong waves were carrying my little raft to this unknown island.
My raft crashed with force onto the rough rocks of this unknown island, gashing a hole in the little yellow life raft. Right then, a sense of unease washed over my cold body. Howling wind blew sand in my saltwater-burned eyes, making it hard for me to see the carcasses of unknown creatures scattered across the filthy shores. As my eyes cleared, I saw dark blue storm clouds and sheets of rain far above the raging ocean.
“Ouch!” I yelped as the biggest and scariest fly I had ever seen sank its teeth into the flesh of my leg. Then I heard the cawing of seagulls in search of food on the barren island. They must have felt the storm approaching the little island as they spread out looking for shelter. After being thrown from the raft against the rocky shore, I looked down and stood in shock bleeding from cuts all along my legs and arms. To my horror, what I thought were crushed shells, I saw were actually the remains of past human bones.
Sheets of rain that were in the distance had already arrived at the island in full force. The sound of thunder was followed by a gigantic flash of lightning, igniting a palm tree into a flaming ball of fire. Adrenaline kicked in, I was so frightened that the only thing in my exhausted mind said was to run. So I ran barefooted on the island’s jagged rocks until I finally found a mango tree. Unfortunately, all of the fruit was rotten. However, the sounds of my stomach growling forced me to try to eat the rotten mango. Yuck! I said with disgust. I had bitten into a fuzzy worm! The combination of dead fish, rotten fruit, decaying mushrooms, and the smell of my own body odor made me want to vomit, but I had nothing to vomit up.
The rain finally stopped so I sat on a hard and cold rock feeling homesick and sad. In a moment, I flew to a standing position at the sight of shark fins above the ocean water. I had to find a way out of here! I thought. My only idea was to make a “HELP” sign on the beach for possible planes or helicopters to see.
I gathered bamboo and slimy seaweed from deep into the island’s forest and ocean so I could form a HELP sign. I finally got the sign ready in time for a helicopter to fly by. “YAY!” I shouted in excitement. Jumping up and down, my heart fell when I saw the helicopter fly right on by and into the gray clouds. “What am I going to do,” I said quietly. In desperation, I fell on my knees onto the rough shores. When I looked up I found hungry little crabs eating the seaweed from my help sign. I burst into tears, “Well, at least I helped some crabs with my help sign.”
When I thought things couldn’t be any worse the baking hot sun appeared. Damp, hot, tired, scared, hungry, thirsty, and bleeding I sat there helpless with no hope of ever seeing my family and cozy home again!
As I was sitting in despair, I got a glimmer of hope when I heard the sound of another helicopter drawing near. He must have seen what was left of my “HELP” sign and the smoke of the burning palm tree. Although the pilot could not land the helicopter on the rocky shores, the pilot dropped a rescue basket down to the disgusting shores. Wind from the propellers of the helicopter blew my wet, sandy hair in my face as I climbed into the recuse basket. While the helicopter lifted me up off of the shores of the “Nightmare Island”, I sighed in relief.
High above the Pacific Ocean in a rescue basket, I prayed, “Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for sending this helicopter to rescue me from the horrible island, just as you promised in Colossians 1:13. Please keep me safe through the rest of my journey home.”
I woke up with relief that this was just a nightmare and realized even in my nightmare my guardian angel was working overtime even in my dreams. Now I must pack for my cruise on the Jewel of the Pacific. What should I bring?
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves... Colossian 1:13
Wow! What a wild ride! Who else was surprised when the palm tree caught on fire or the crab ate the "help" sign?? What was your favorite part of the story? Comment below!
