The Scar

The Scar

-CHAPTER ONE-

Once upon a time there was an island. This island was divided into two equal sections.
One section was made up entirely of sand, and the other of solid rock. Long ago, a ship of
people landed on this island, though, none remembered where he or she had come from. They
simply lived on this island, unaware of any other lands. Now as they people entered the island, they chose places to dwell. Some chose the sandy land, some chose the rocky, and some lived so close to the line between the two that one could not pinpoint exactly which side they lived on.


-CHAPTER TWO-
Now, these people lived on this island for many years. Many generations were born, and the number of those who dwelt there increased greatly. Everyone lived in peace, and there were very few quarrels. But one day, something happened that would change the island...forever. A baby was born. Now, this in itself was not strange. What changed history, is that this baby was born with a sign. A black "X" was found on his left hand. Murmurs filled the island as people wondered what this could mean. Something would be special about this child, whether for good or evil.

-CHAPTER THREE-
Years passed, and all too soon people forgot about the child. He, after all, was just a child. The scar was no more than an accident. A one in a million chance of luck. The child grew, and was a favorite of many people. Kind, compassionate, and quite talented. He dwelt with his father, mother, and two sisters on the rocky side of the island, though close enough to the sand to be known by those folk as well. And, as often happens in one life, time passed right before everyone's eyes. Before one could say Jiminy Cricket, the boy was grown. He had chosen a respected profession as a teacher, and though favoritism was frowned upon, everyone knew that he was the children's favorite.

-CHAPTER FOUR-
Change. If there is one thing that is true in every world, it this this. Change does not come without sacrifice. WIthout pain. Without someone being persecuted for the change they wish to bring. The Island had never experienced change. The lived every day just as they had the first. Happily. Joyfully. Contentedly. And above all...peacefully. But somehow, someone, at some point decided to change all that. The man with the scarred hand.

-CHAPTER FIVE-
Now don't let me get too far ahead of myself. The scarred man did not simply wake up and decide to change things. It was slow. A process. It crept upon him...like a hunter creeping in the wood.

-CHAPTER SIX-
A dream. It began with a dream. A short dream. Uncomplicated. The end of the world. The scarred man dreamt that he saw a wave, taller that the width of the island. It came with great haste toward the island, horrid cries coming from its depths. This wave crashed upon the island, destroying ever tree, every house, everything in his path. However, when the waters came, those who stood at the edge of the water, on the sandy side of the waters; these men and women were saved.

-CHAPTER SEVEN-
The scarred man did not begin his mission by telling the entire island his dream. He simply began with his father. He asked what it could mean. But his father dismissed the story, assuring his son it was just a dream. His mother said the same thing, as did the man's friends. The scarred man eventually gave up the idea, and said nothing more on the matter. But the very next night, he dreamt the dream again. This time the dream was more vivid, and it ended with a voice proclaiming, "Forty Days." That's all the voice said. "Forty Days."

-CHAPER EIGHT-
Nights passed, and each night the days lessened. 40-39-38-37-36-35...down to 20. But still the scarred man told no one else. But on the dream of the 20th day, the voice spoke on. "Twenty days and the island will fall. You. You alone can save them. You were chosen, and now is the time.

-CHAPTER NINE-
The scarred man could remain silent no longer, but he did not know where to begin. So, he started with the first people he saw. His class. "I'd like to tell you a story..." he began, and he went on to tell the whole story. He did not tell the children this would happen. He merely told it as a story. But children do not keep silent the things which they have heard, and soon every man and woman on the island knew the story of the wave that destroyed the island.

-CHAPTER TEN-
Immediately, a meeting was held, and the scarred man was brought before the leaders of the island.
"What is the meaning of this?" the asked. "Why have you chosen to scare our children with
such fables?"
"I had a dream." said the scarred man.
"I have had many dreams," said one man. "But this does not mean that I am inclined to spread them throughout the island."
"A voice told me to tell everyone."
"And I am telling you to stop." said a parent.
This quarreling went on for some time before another leader spoke.
"Silence! Look at us. Here we are a peaceful island since our forefathers came, and one simply story has turned us into this. Do not let this small thing be our undoing. For I warn you, if this quarrel is not stopped, than it will indeed be the wave the man spoke of. I suggest that there may be some truth to this dream, though it is not literal. Perhaps this dream is a warning that peace will end if we are not careful."
The scarred man looked at the leader.
"No. I do believe this dream was talking about a real wave destroying our island. We must listen to the voice and assemble on the 20th day where the water and sand meet."
Another leader raised his voice.
"I have heard quite enough of this foolishness. A wave has never attacked our island,
 and one never will. "
"Agreed." Several men answered.
And as soon as the meeting began, it ended. No one, including the scarred man, was ever to speak of the dream again.

-CHAPTER ELEVEN-
But the scarred man did not heed the voice of the people, and spoke of it again in the classroom. And again. And so, he was removed from his position. A few days later, he was cast out of his own home. "You've made a reproach of our family!" his father cried.
To this, the scarred man held out his hand, revealing the black X. "I am chosen, Father!"
The father sighed. "You are taking away our peace. You are cursed."

-CHAPTER TWELVE-
Day by day the scarred man proclaimed his dream. On the porches, the shore, the rocks, wherever he found people, there he proclaimed his message. "Enough!" cried the people. But there was never enough for the scarred man. "Two days!" he proclaimed. "And the island will fall." At last, the people had heard enough. The children were afraid, some even running to the shore, leaving their parents without a word. "This man will be our undoing!" the people cried. And so, the people took the man with the scar, and tied him to a wooden post. Placing the post on the shore of the sandy beaches they said,
"Here you will stay until you see that your wave does not exist."

-CHAPTER THIRTEEN-
Two days passed. On the second night, the island was quiet. The people were scared. There was no doubt. No one ate. No one slept. Each family stayed in the house, waiting. Begging for the morning to come. But as you have guessed. The scarred man was right. Just before the moon had fully risen in the sky, a horn blew heard all across the island. And the cries of the people filled echoed throughout. The wave had come.

-CHAPTER FOURTEEN-
The leaders gathered all the people together, and ordered that every man, woman, and child flee to the rocks. "We will hide in the caves. Surely, no rock shall be moved by any size a wave!"
The families immediately ran for the rocks. But what no one expected, is that the children did not follow. Every child chose instead to run to the sandy shores. Mothers screamed for them to come back. Fathers chased after. But some magic gave speed to the children, and no father could catch his child. At last, a decision had to be made. The wave was very close. There was not enough time to get the children and return safely to the rocks. And so, on an island that had never known pain, or calamity, or greed, or anything of the like; every father abandoned his child, and ran for safety.

-CHAPTER FIFTEEN-
All the children gathered around the scarred man, still tied to the post. One girl, skinny, with carrot hair, took the right hand of the scarred man in both of her hands. Another boy, chubby with freckles looked up at the man. "I sure hope you're right mister."
The wave was close. Seconds away. Ever child's eyes were closed, waiting. Except one child. He was tall and had a limp in his walk. He stared at the scarred man's left hand. The hand was at an angle the boy had never seen. And just before the wave hit the island the boy exclaimed,
"Why that isn't an X at all!"

The End.