The+Island,+Robert

 It was when I heard the cannon that I knew they found us. I could almost hear that despicable hiss. I could almost feel that slimy, scaly green skin against me, right before I die a gruesome death.  “Dad,” I whispered. “I thought you said that we would be safe here.”  I turned around from the window to face him, and he was huddled in the corner of our tent. Ever since those reptilian people showed themselves, it’s been war. I didn’t know much, but I did know that almost half of the reptile population has been secretly evolving into human-like reptiles. They had camouflage abilities, so you’ll never know when you’re close to one. My dad and I had been running from place to place, desperately trying to escape them.  “Dad!” I whispered. “Get up!” He just grunted and rolled over. I couldn't believe this was happening. I heard another cannon, and he jumped up. “What’s going on?” He walked past me and headed to the exit.  “Dad, no,” I whispered.  He just ignored me and slowly unzipped the door. “They’re here. It looks like they took over the navy,” he said with a panic-stricken disposition.  “What do we do?” I asked. “We can’t do anything. We’re stranded on this island,” he replied. “Let’s just head inland,” he said.  We calmed down and took our most important and valuable objects. Dad took a knife and slashed a hole at the back of the tent so they wouldn’t see us escape. I quickly grabbed an emergency backpack and a few knives, and we all headed into the jungle, away from the beach. We all sprinted as fast as we could. After 10 minutes of running, we had to stop. We sat on a big boulder under a tropical looking tree. I took out my water bottle and had a huge sip of the cold drink. My dad was about to speak, “Son, do you have the-”  “Stop,” I said quickly. I thought saw a movement. “Dad, I think we should go.”  Maybe I was hallucinating. //What was that noise?// It was a ringing sound, almost like… a missile. “Dad, move-” I watched helplessly as a missile hit the island that had become our nightmare. I woke up on a tree branch. I had no idea how. All I remember was the missile exploding a few meters away. I recalled flying away from the explosion and grabbing a tree branch, and then… blackness took over. //How long was I out? My dad. Where was he? How could I have forgotten about him?// Suddenly I remembered the desperate shouts of my father as he attempted to protect me. That man was filled with kindness from head to toe. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> I looked down, and I could hear footsteps approaching. They sounded very faint, and it was clear that my hearing was impaired from the explosion. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> “Hello?” I shouted desperately. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">A pang of shock ran through my veins as I spotted the greenish tail swish back and forth. I gasped, and then it spotted me. I heard bagpipes in the background. Was I in Scotland? A plate of haggis floated by. I grabbed the haggis and devoured it. It was disgusting. Was I hallucinating – again? I must be going crazy. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> I woke up in a laboratory. White fluorescent lights blinded me as I tried to figure out where I was. I tried to sit up, but I couldn’t. Something was holding me back. I was strapped to a gurney. I turned to my right, and I was hooked up to about five IVs. I felt like a human vegetable. My vision blurred. I heard a voice. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> “Just a couple more tests, and it will all be over.” <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">I saw a syringe that was filled with an orange liquid. I tried to speak, but no words came out. I felt a prick on my arm, and suddenly I was feeling extremely drowsy. I passed out yet again. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> I woke up on a beach. I was standing on white sand and in the distance I could see the vast ocean meet with the glorious morning sky. I tried to walk towards the water, but I realized that I was sinking in the sand. With all my might, I tried to escape, but I just got more and more difficult. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">I thought hard about how I could escape this situation. And then I remembered that reality had escaped me. This was all in my mind. So I stopped struggling to get out. I let the sand swallow me into nothingness. I struggled to breathe, but I kept reminding myself that none of this was actually happening. I inhaled some sand, and woke up. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> Yet again, I encountered bright lights when I opened my eyes. A man with big green eyes and thick-framed glasses was standing right next to me. He was talking to me, but I heard nothing. He held out a syringe with a turquoise colored liquid. After he injected me, my senses became heightened. I suddenly remembered why I was there. The war. The enemy bombed us with a mind damaging gas. I was their big project to find a cure. I was here to heal. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> The man with green eyes smiled, and I realized that I wasn’t chained up anymore. <span style="color: #2028eb; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">“Father,” I said. I embraced him tightly, not ever intending to let go.