The Gardener's Son
by
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In the middle of the night, Alexander awakened to howling winds and high waves. His uncle had woken up as well.
“Uncle? What's going on?”
“It sounds like a very severe storm. Don't worry about it though. I've been through worse storms. It'll be okay. I'm going up on deck to see if Captain Bernard needs a hand.”
“I want to go with you,” said Alexander.
“Okay, but we have to be very careful. Hold unto something at all times.”
Uncle Ridgeway opened the door. Both he and Alexander could feel the intensity of the storm. It was hard to keep their balance. The ship was pitching and rolling as the waves hit. It was frightening. Alexander wondered if the ship was going to make it through the storm. It felt like the ship was going to be torn in two. But his uncle seemed to be calm, so Alexander continued on with him. As they made their way unto the deck, they passed by several passenger compartments, where people, who had been woken up by the storm, peered out anxiously.
“Remain in your cabins. You need to stay inside,” Uncle Ridgeway shouted above the noise of the storm. “Secure all of your belongings so that they will not hit anyone. Please remain calm. Alexander and I are going on deck to see if the captain needs anything.”
Once on deck, Ridgeway and Alexander could barely stand. The wind was so intense that it took a great effort even to walk. The ship seemed like a rag doll, bouncing up and down, being carried to and fro by the ever-increasing waves. They struggled through the torrential rain. They didn't say a word to each other, as they knew they wouldn't be heard over the boisterous winds. Several ship hands were there trying to keep the ship from toppling over. Captain Bernard was shouting orders at the ship hands. The ship's sails were torn, and it was useless to raise new sails until the winds calmed down. The captain had to let the ship drift. They were driven far off course, into uncharted waters. It was difficult to see where the ship was headed. And the fog was so thick, that Alexander couldn't even see his hand in front of his face.
As the fog began to lift, the captain saw that it was too late—the ship was about to crash into a reef. As the Arisa hit the treacherous rocks, there was a tremendous crack and the ship began to sink. The main mast snapped and, as it fell, it swung over the ship, knocking people into the open sea.
“Look out!” cried Uncle Ridgeway. The beam narrowly missed him.
Alexander tried to jump out of the way, but the beam struck him on the head and rendered him unconscious. Uncle Ridgeway could see that the ship was taking in a lot of water and would soon be plunged into the sea, so he scrambled towards Alexander, put Alexander on a large plank of the ship that had broken off, and shoved him into the sea. As Uncle Ridgeway tried to grab a plank for himself, another mast fell and pinned him under a beam of the ship. People scrambled, trying to get away from the ship as it gave a last, sorrowful, cracking and breaking sound, and then sunk silently into the sea. The passengers below deck didn't even have a chance. The ship hands had been swept into the sea, along with Captain Bernard. Only a handful of people survived the shipwreck. And most of them did not survive the open sea. Captain Bernard did not survive, nor did Uncle Ridgeway.
Alexander woke up, his head sore, and he realized he was drifting towards shore, laying on some kind of a wooden plank or raft. He tried to understand what was happening, but he could not remember a thing. He could taste the tang of the salt from the sea, and he was extremely thirsty and tired. He looked around him, to see if there were others like him, adrift in the sea. He started to panic, not understanding what he was doing there. His clothes were tattered, and the only thing he had on him was a half-locket on a chain around his neck. He slipped into the water and tried to swim to shore, hanging on to the plank, but the water was very cold, and his body began to feel numb. In addition, his head felt like it was going to split in two. Then he saw some people on the shore. He tried to call out to them, but his throat was so dry, that he was hoarse, and could barely whisper. So he tried to wave at them. The villagers spotted him and ran to him and helped him to shore.
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About the Book
Once Upon a Time, there was a prince named Alexander. He went on a secret mission to Patage. But he never made it there. As the only survivor of a shipwreck compounded with his amnesia, he stays at Calisa for three years. His family back home thinks he is dead, and his kingdom is now open to whomever marries his sister.
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Join Alexander, as he goes on his quest to regain his memory, his home, and his kingdom.
About the Author
Born in