Happy Birthday Travis Clarke!
I wrote this for my friend Travis Clarke. I want to warn you of a few things first though: This really isn't a good example of my writing capability and I hope you won't judge it too hard on its literary merit, cause it doesn't have that much. I was going for a very Disney style story and so it is written almost entirely in past tense and passive voice. As far as diction and structure, most sentences are short and use common vocabulary, although toward the end their I accidentally broke away and made it a little more complex than I was aiming for. Secondly, I know there a lot of typos. I wrote this in a little less than 3 days (entirely at school I might add) and I typed it up at 1am. Furthermore, I didn't have time to proofread it before presenting it to Travis as his birthday present, which only works to create more errors, and I'm too lazy to proofread it now. Third, it's REALLY long. Not long for a short story, tiny for a novel but still way larger than probably any Livejournal post you've ever seen (I'll be impressed if LJ will even let me make a post this big!). It was originally 15 pages handwritten (college ruled) and 10 pages in 12 point Times New Roman. The version I presented as a gift was in a larger font and was 11 pages. This being the case, I'm not exactly sure how my font will affect it, but my guess is it could be anywhere from 10 to 11 pages. I've broken the story up not really into chapters but into separate blocks of action. If you don't want to read it all at once (maybe a 10min read) you can read a few parts and pick it up later. Lastly, this may not even be interesting enough for most of you to read. If you don't know Travis or crew (namely the people) chances are you are going to miss pretty much all of the allusions. They serve as probably the only literary device in the entire work, so without those, it may seem pointless and fluff. That being said, read at your own discretion.
Once upon a time…
There lived a friendly fisherman named Travis Clarke. He spent his days relaxing on the beach and fishing. Travis built his home on a tiny island in the Caribbean. His life was very simple. He had his little hut with a fire pit and spit outside for cooking his dinner. There was a dock where his small black rowboat was tied and where he put his fishing chair and umbrella. Sometimes while fishing, he would get thirsty, so he would get a coconut from one of the many trees for a refreshing drink. It may seem like a boring life, but for Travis, it was paradise. He had plenty of friends to keep him company too. His best friend was a quiet and gentle goat named Slade. The goat would spend his days talking with Travis and munching on the island’s numerous plants. He was the chief gardener and kept the plants from overtaking the island. Occasionally, a flamboyant parrot named Tuhoti would stop by and tell Travis the news of the outside world and other gossip. Tuhoti flew all over, and had many friends. Tuhoti was easily distracted though, and would fly away as if entranced whenever he spotted another parrot. Travis had another good friend too that visited often. Big Don or “Big D” was an orca, a killer whale, but Big D never hurt anyone. Big D was very laid back. He would beach himself near the dock and chat with Travis while he fished. He was a very opinionated whale and so he had a lot to talk about. He loved to talk about red fish. Big D didn’t like red fish, especially a sea money named Ya-ya. Big D preferred the company of blue fish, and was a strong supporter of a seahorse named Purple Heart. Though his opinions gave him character, his most defining quality was his dorsal fin, Big D an enormous dorsal fin. Travis would comment on how huge it was and how the lady orcas must be really impressed. To which he would respond, “Eh, yeah”. Big D would come and go with tide and would sometimes share stories with Tuhoti and Slade as well. There was a crab that lived under a rock on the beach that would come out sometimes to chat. He was a proud and exuberant crustacean. His name was Triple the crab. On occasion, he would become offended when someone mentioned his small stature and would scurry off to his rock. Travis would go on long excursions in the rowboat whenever the others would disagree and argue or sometimes just for fun. Every time he launched the craft, a wise old sea turtle would swim up beside the boat. Travis would explain his problems to the turtle, and the sagacious turtle would help and advise him. After the row, Travis would thank Bert the wise turtle for his help and return refreshed to his home. All was well in the world and so it went on for Travis. Until one day…
It was a grey and cold day out and Travis wasn’t in the mood for fishing. He had plenty of food and so had no need to fish that day. He decided to stay inside and read. Slade was hungry though, and a gardener’s job is never finished. So he went on without Travis. After reading through most of the morning, Travis dozed off. He awoke much later to the beginning drops of rain on the rooftop. Concerned for his friend, Travis called for Slade to come in before the rain picked up. There was no response. Travis walked to the doorway and called out again. No response. Travis began scouring the island franticly. He was so worried his friend was in trouble. Travis searched the island carefully several times with no sign of the goat. He paused to rest near the shore and as he crouched, he noticed Triple’s rock nearby. Perhaps he knew where Slade was. Travis ran over and knocked on the rock. No response. Travis knocked again. No response. Frustrated, Travis picked up the rock to throw it, but as he did, he saw Triple lying on the ground covering his eyes with his claws. The crab gave a start when he reluctantly opened his eyes to see who was looming over him. Travis quickly questioned the crab about Slade. Triple had in fact seen the goat’s disappearance transpire. A stranger had come about midday in a red rowboat. He was tall and his face was shadowed by a hat and the collar of a long trench coat. The stranger began examining the island until Slade came up to ask him what he was doing. When the stranger refused to explain himself, Slade tried to bite him. The stranger then grabbed Slade by the horns and pulled some rope out of his trench coat to bind Slade’s legs and tie his mouth. The goat flailed and tried to call out to Travis, but to no avail. Right when Triple was about to run to alert Travis, the stranger turned his gaze on the crab and told him that if he emerged from his rock, the stranger would cook him alive. Triple was petrified. He apologized profusely to Travis for not being brave enough to come out and warn Travis. Of course Travis understood and thought no less of his friend, but now he had to figure out a way to get his friend back. Almost without thought, Travis ran to the dock and began untying the boat. He was already dripping wet from the rain that had only intensified through Triple’s story. It was frigid on his skin, but that is not why he shivered. All he could think about was his goat-napped friend.
Travis jumped into the boat and began rowing towards the next closest island. That had to be where the stranger had gone. Soon after cast off, Bert swam up beside him. Bert asked him what was wrong, but Travis kept his eyes fixed forward with a solemn frown on his face, rowing with al his might. He didn’t have time to talk today. When Travis did not speak, Bert let them move along in silence. The only sounds were of the rain and waves and the lurch of the boat as the deluge filled it making every stroke heavier than the last. Then Bert spoke, “Travis, you are pursuing the stranger who took Slade are you not?” So shocked was Travis that he stopped abruptly and nearly capsized the boat. Bert went on speaking as if nothing happened, “You will not catch him like this. The conditions are rough and you are not prepared. The stranger rows swiftly and you will not make up the difference if you don’t use your head as well as your heart.” Travis’s stunned silence dissolved into defiance, but Bert kept going. “First of all, you are headed in the wrong direction”. Travis erupted in anger at the turtle for keeping this from him, and let forth a tirade at the turtle’s deception. Bert calmly responds, speaking almost at a whisper, “Travis, you often come out here seeking my guidance. You know I have never lead you astray. If you never heed my advice again, please, trust me now”. Touched and abashed by the wise turtle’s speech, Travis apologized and asked for help once again. Bert advised Travis to return home and prepare for a long trip and that he should pack his supplies in the boat. At sunrise the next day, Bert would meet Travis and start him on his way. Apologizing once more for lashing out, he thanks Bert for his wisdom and turns his boat around and slowly makes his way back to the island. That night, Travis got little sleep. He spent much of his night wide awake and anxious about the coming day and Slade. When he awoke, it was still dark out. He gathered his things carefully and quietly as if trying to keep from waking someone, and packed them neatly in the boat. He grabbed his fishing poll and several coconuts which were his source of nourishment. As he was finishing his preparations, Triple emerged from his rock and scurried over to the boat with a conch shell in tow. Travis gave him a questioning look and Triple explained how he felt ashamed for his cowardice and wanted to help Travis find Slade. Travis agreed to take him along, glad to have a companion for his long journey and a navigator. Triple hopped up onto the boat’s bow; depositing his shell full of supplies in the bottom. Travis stepped in and cast away from the dock. He paddled out a short distance and met Bert. The turtle instructed to head east to a small island that was many days off, where the stranger was headed. Travis spun his bow around into the rising sun. He took a deep breath and began his quest.
Travis pushed himself with fervor, but taking long regular strokes as opposed to his frenzied rush the previous night. His pace was smooth and powerful which made Bert nod in approval. A few hours into the ride, when the sun had reached its noon day peak, Travis stopped for lunch. As he sat eating, Triple was staring ahead apparently transfixed on something in the distance. When Travis questioned him about what he saw, the crab broke from his daze and told Travis of an approaching large black dorsal fin, signaling the arrival of Big D. Popping up cheerfully from the water, Big D greeted the trio and inquired as to why they were out so far from the island. Travis returned the greeting and told the story of Slade’s capture, with Triple filling in some of the left out details. By the end, Big D had a look of disgust on his face and immediately began to discuss the connection between the stranger and the color of his boat. Travis listened while he ate his lunch. As he was preparing to start again, Big D, who had been keeping up a steady stream of reasons why the red boat was of dire importance, stopped talking suddenly. He asked Travis to let him help rescue Slade. Travis acquiesced but was a bit perplexed as to how the whale intended to help. Big D suggested that they tie a boat to their bow and give the other end to him so he could help pull the boat along. Shortly thereafter, the boat was cruising much faster than before. Night slowly descended and Bert announced that it was time for him to return to the island. The wise turtle explained that he was just an old turtle and could not help anymore than he already had. From then on, it was up to Travis to save his friend. Travis was reluctant to let him go, but finally said his farewells as did the other two companions and Bert swam off into the sunset.
That night, Travis slept, but not from an eased mind, but from exhaustion and despair that seemed to have seeped into his bones. The rhythmic report of Big D’s blowhole marked out intervals of time with excellent precision that lulled Travis to sleep. In the morning, Travis had a small breakfast of fish and coconut milk. Afterwards, he embarked again towards the rising sun. The morning rolled on with the regularity of the rolling waves, a distant speck became visible in the sky to the south. The speck drew closer and it became discernable as a bird, and a colorful one at that. As it reached within a few feet of the boat, it swooped down with a howl. Tuhoti excitedly greeted the bunch and had the same question Big D initially had: What were they doing here? He apparently was on his way to visit a lady friend and had certainly not expected to find his friends out here. Before he had a chance to delve into a long monologue, Travis began his story of Slade’s goat-napping and the stranger. Tuhoti listened with careful focus. He sat quietly even after Travis finished the story. At last he nodded to himself as if reaching a decision with himself and put on an aspect of resolve and announced in a matter-of-fact tone, that he was going to accompany them in search of Slade. He told Travis he would scout ahead and try to gather information since he had the benefit of flight. So with a flap of his wings, Tuhoti departed into the eastern sky calling back a promise to return soon. Seeing little room for argument, Travis continued on. Come evening, the sea had grown very tumultuous and the sky darker than normal. That night brought a storm. Travis was forced to stop and cover the boat with a tarp while he lay inside. Tuhoti and Triple amused themselves by exchanging anecdotes while Big D used the rope to anchor the boat and left to find some red fish to eat. Travis was left to relax with his thoughts, which he found were not very relaxing. He recalled his friend the goat and the good times they had together. That night his dreams were troubling.
The morning brought clear skies and thoughts. Tuhoti quickly set off to stretch his wings and scout. Triple perched himself on the bow, looking out towards the sun and Big D returned shortly after sunrise. On the third afternoon, Tuhoti came back from one of his expeditions and said he had seen something, but didn’t know what to make of it. He insisted Travis check it out for himself. So they diverted their course at Tuhoti’s direction and followed along until they came to a small gathering of birds. What was peculiar about them is that they were flying around in a circle, almost anticipating something, here in the middle of the open sea. The companions watched curiously for sometime and at last a dolphin emerged a short distance from where the birds were circling. No sooner than it had surfaced and spouted water from its blowhole were the birds upon it. They were squeaking wildly and diving at the dolphin, pecking and scratching at it when they could. Appalled by these birds, Travis picked up his fishing poll and attached a large weight to the end and removed the hook. He then started casting the line and knocking the birds out of the sky one by one, using the poll as a massive whip. The birds became frustrated and eventually flew off. As soon as they were out of sight, the dolphin swam over to the boat and thanked Travis for his heroism. The dolphin introduced herself as Lin. She was extremely impressed by Travis’s masterful casting ability. She was energetic and friendly and quickly made befriended the other companions, although she was wary of Tuhoti because of her bad experience with the birds. After sometime though Travis insisted they must move on. Lin asked where they were going and Triple, Tuhoti and Big D responded before Travis had a chance to stop them. When the she had heard the entire story, she asked why Travis hadn’t shared this with her, to which he explained that he did not wish to trouble her. Lin turned a sympathetic expression towards Travis. She went on to say how impressed she was with the courage and loyalty of his friends. She had a proposition for Travis. She claimed the birds would come back and bother her; they always did, so in return for Travis’s protection, she would help in any way possible to help him find Slade. Travis hurriedly agreed, but importuned that she was not obligated to help and that he was glad to keep pesky birds away. The last part of that earned him a glare from Tuhoti. Travis was starting to feel a lot like Noah all of a sudden. Lin was not strong enough to help pull the boat, so her contribution was mostly morale. She would swim along and encourage Travis along with the others. During periods of rest, she was very inquisitive and was always full of questions. One that baffled Travis was when she asked, “Do you think, that if you drank the water from someone’s blowhole who was sick, you’d become sick too?” Travis replied that he did not know much about that sort of thing, but probably not. That night, it stormed again, and the night after that. Travis became frustrated by these constant storms which made kept him farther and farther away from rescuing his friend. He could not afford these delays if he was going to save Slade. Thrice a cursed storm barred his path. During the third storm, he resolved himself to reach his destination with no more delays, no matter what. So when daybreak came, Travis started forward with renewed vigor. He kept up an exhausting pace all day with no break. The others emulated his determination and worked with the same zeal, but occasionally glanced sidelong at Travis with worry showing on their faces. He rowed all day and kept rowing even when night fell. He pushed on into the deep dark abyss of the horizon, striving and driving as fast as he could. As he grew more tired, his determination compounded. He burned with an inner fire that seared his muscles and scorched his lungs. Before he knew it, he was moving so swiftly, Big D was having a difficult time just keeping up and Tuhoti and Triple were nestled at the bottom of the boat to keep from falling out. A sudden shudder and crash pulled Travis out of his trance. He discovered he had run the boat ashore. His accomplishment fresh in his mind, he collapsed. He had made it.
When he awoke, Travis could hear Triple scurrying about and mumbling to himself. Travis slowly sat up and saw the crab gathering the supplies that had been jarred from the boat by the impact and putting them in a pile. The crab did a double-take at the sight of Travis finally awake. Triple explained how the others had decided to split up and search for traces of the stranger and Slade. He said they would be back shortly. Sure enough, Tuhoti returned a short time later from the interior of the island, reporting that he had uncovered nothing except for acres of jungle. From the south shore, Big D swam up and reported the same thing as the parrot. Despair began to set in on the party when Lin appeared from the north. She jumped excitedly into the air from the anticipation of her report. Lin explained of a short dock located a small distance to the north with a path that lead into the jungle. At the end of the dock was a red rowboat. Travis was energized by the news and bounded to his feet despite his weariness. He nearly fell over in a moment of dizziness but quickly steadied himself. He immediately set off at a jog along the north shoreline. The rest fell in close behind him, even Triple; shuffling at full speed in order to keep up. It was a short run to the dock. The red boat was tied to the end and Travis ran over to crouch beside it. He untied it from the dock and kicked it out into the open water where the current pulled the boat away down towards the southeast. He did not intend on letting the stranger get away again. When the boat was dealt with, Travis turned his attention to the path into the tropical forest. Big D and Lin gave him a look that told him they wouldn’t be able to follow him farther than this. Triple commented that he would not be able to keep up, especially in the forest. He insisted that Travis and Tuhoti go on without him; he would stay here at the dock where he couldn’t slow anyone down. So Travis and Tuhoti forged ahead into the forest. The canopy thickened and the path grew darker and narrower. Unable to fly, Tuhoti perched on Travis’s shoulder. The long dark path twisted and contorted into convoluted designs with no end in sight. They rounded a corner to find themselves in a small clearing. Upon entering, Tuhoti jumped up and began to fly around. He told Travis he was going to figure out which way to go and that he should wait for him in the clearing. Travis took a seat on a nearby rock and waited. The moment seemed very anticlimactic and Travis’s momentum began to fade. As he sat their pondering what he would do when he found the stranger, a lizard sauntered up to the rock. In his long serpentine drawl he asked if Travis was lost and needed any help. Travis inquired as to if a stranger with a goat had come by the clearing recently. The lizard had in fact seen the pair go by about an hour ago. This gave Travis a suffusion of hope and he desperately wished for Tuhoti to return. The lizard indicated that the pair had traveled through an opening in the forest to the west. Travis thanked the lizard for his help. Realizing, he had been rude, Travis asked for the lizard’s name. The lizard replied that his friends called him Sleesay, and with that, he departed into the forest. Impatiently, Travis turned his stare on the sky. From the west came Tuhoti flying at full speed towards the clearing. Suddenly a loud bang erupted from the canopy far off and a net came streaming up and entangled the parrot mid-flight. Tuhoti plummeted into the jungle below. Travis looked on in horror and then dashed into the forest in pursuit of the stranger that must have captured Tuhoti as well. Recklessly he trampled through the underbrush, completely oblivious to any dangers to himself. Branches and leaves whipped and lacerated his skin and face. He slowed down to a walk as drew closer to a light amongst the trees. He crept close enough to see a lantern amidst a small camp. He leaped forward at the sight of a goat shaped mound lying on the far edge of the camp. Travis crouched over his friend and gently shook him. The goat’s eyes sprang open and grew even wider at the site of Travis standing over him. The elation on his face slid into a frown though. As Travis removed the rope binding his mouth, Slade urged Travis to flee before the stranger came back. He refused and instead, started untying the rope from the goat’s legs. Slade explained what had occurred since is seizure. The stranger’s name apparently, was Leon. He had heard the legend of Travis and was jealous. He had originally intended to set fire to the tranquil island, but when Slade showed up, the stranger panicked and grabbed Slade instead. He fled, fearing Travis’s wrath. By this time Slade was untied and was rising to his feet. A sudden crunch of twigs and leaves was the only warning they had before the stranger stepped out into the camp with a sedated Tuhoti under his arm. Slade snarled and charged at the stranger, striking him hard in the stomach with his head and horns. The stranger staggered and dropped Tuhoti. Travis sprinted forward and scooped up the parrot in his arms. “Run!” he yelled to Slade. Both took off in a dead run down the path back towards the clearing. Glancing over his shoulder, Travis could see the stranger chasing them and gaining quickly. Slade turned back to Travis and yelled, “Jump on my back!” Travis gave Slade an incredulous look but the serious expression on the goat’s face made Travis comply. With a mighty bound, Travis settled onto Slade’s back, cradling Tuhoti in one arm and hold on to the goat’s neck with the other. Slade accelerated abruptly and almost threw Travis from his back. Travis would never have believed that Slade was capable of carrying him and certainly not with such speed! Travis felt a surge of pride for his friend. The stranger was still in pursuit, although his gain was considerably less than before. They zoomed through the clearing and down the dark winding path of the forest. The light of the shore radiated at the end of the path, the beacon of their salvation. Slade burst through the tree-line and skidded to a halt on the dock. Travis carefully stepped down from his back and turned to face the stranger emerging from the forest. Travis noticed Big D and Lin at the end of the dock with shock apparent in their faces. Triple was standing equally as stupefied at the forest end of the dock. The stranger walked right by him seemingly without notice. He had a look of white-hot fury. The tall shadowed stranger drew a long knife from his trench coat and held it with a powerful grip that made his knuckles go white. As the stranger approached, drawn up in an intimidating and menacing manner, the now exhausted Slade and Travis backed to the edge of the dock. Sudden movement and a battle cry caught their attention and the stranger turned too late to see it coming. Triple surged forward and firmly grappled the stranger’s rear causing him to jump and squeal with pain. Using the stranger’s momentary imbalance to his advantage, Travis grasped the stranger’s arm and torso and lifted him over his head. With all his might, Travis tossed the stranger over the end of the dock into the waiting jaws of Big D. Restraining the stranger with his mouth; Lin used her tail to slap the stranger until he fell unconscious. Then they stripped him down naked, and buried him up to his head in the sand. Then they put let a star fish copulate with his face. With justice done, the party returned to the landing site and the boat. On the walk back, they all shared their part of the adventure and praise. Slade thanked everyone for their help and coming to his rescue. He was deeply touched and everyone was more than happy to help.
The trip back was a quiet and relaxing. However, Slade found transit in a rowboat disagreeable for a goat and was known to grumble from time to time. The rest of the companions quickly made him forget his troubles and had him laughing again. Less than a week later, they found themselves home once again. Bert the wise turtle swam up beside them for a time and shared a wide grin and respectful nod with Travis. The island it seems had become overgrown in Slade’s absence, so the goat set straight to work and began munching away. The others were eager for rest or food and went on their way with farewells for everyone. Triple, now vindicated, sighed and walked back to his rock for some hard earned rest. Travis neatly unpacked everything and laid down on his bed. Finally, everything was back to normal. The following days were some of Travis’s best, and that’s saying a lot. He was settled back into his routine and reunited with his friend. His friends visited even more than before, including Lin who it seemed had at last gotten rid of the vexing birds. Tuhoti became known as a famous adventurer, admired by many. His deeds were told of all over the Caribbean and consequently had more friends than ever. Big D learned shortly after his return that the red ring-leader, Ya-ya, had been exiled to Cuba after he tried to declare a crusade against sharks. The red fish were in a state of chaos and the blue fish, Purple Heart, had risen up to create order. Triple was now more proud than ever and spent many of his days outside his rock conversing with the others. Slade lived on with little disruption, but now there was a strong unsaid bond between him and Travis. After all that excitement though, it was time for things to return to normal. Travis had gotten enough adventure to last him a lifetime and was elated about the transition back to the quiet life. All of the friends lived happily ever after.
Fín
P.S. Tell me what you think!
Once upon a time…
There lived a friendly fisherman named Travis Clarke. He spent his days relaxing on the beach and fishing. Travis built his home on a tiny island in the Caribbean. His life was very simple. He had his little hut with a fire pit and spit outside for cooking his dinner. There was a dock where his small black rowboat was tied and where he put his fishing chair and umbrella. Sometimes while fishing, he would get thirsty, so he would get a coconut from one of the many trees for a refreshing drink. It may seem like a boring life, but for Travis, it was paradise. He had plenty of friends to keep him company too. His best friend was a quiet and gentle goat named Slade. The goat would spend his days talking with Travis and munching on the island’s numerous plants. He was the chief gardener and kept the plants from overtaking the island. Occasionally, a flamboyant parrot named Tuhoti would stop by and tell Travis the news of the outside world and other gossip. Tuhoti flew all over, and had many friends. Tuhoti was easily distracted though, and would fly away as if entranced whenever he spotted another parrot. Travis had another good friend too that visited often. Big Don or “Big D” was an orca, a killer whale, but Big D never hurt anyone. Big D was very laid back. He would beach himself near the dock and chat with Travis while he fished. He was a very opinionated whale and so he had a lot to talk about. He loved to talk about red fish. Big D didn’t like red fish, especially a sea money named Ya-ya. Big D preferred the company of blue fish, and was a strong supporter of a seahorse named Purple Heart. Though his opinions gave him character, his most defining quality was his dorsal fin, Big D an enormous dorsal fin. Travis would comment on how huge it was and how the lady orcas must be really impressed. To which he would respond, “Eh, yeah”. Big D would come and go with tide and would sometimes share stories with Tuhoti and Slade as well. There was a crab that lived under a rock on the beach that would come out sometimes to chat. He was a proud and exuberant crustacean. His name was Triple the crab. On occasion, he would become offended when someone mentioned his small stature and would scurry off to his rock. Travis would go on long excursions in the rowboat whenever the others would disagree and argue or sometimes just for fun. Every time he launched the craft, a wise old sea turtle would swim up beside the boat. Travis would explain his problems to the turtle, and the sagacious turtle would help and advise him. After the row, Travis would thank Bert the wise turtle for his help and return refreshed to his home. All was well in the world and so it went on for Travis. Until one day…
It was a grey and cold day out and Travis wasn’t in the mood for fishing. He had plenty of food and so had no need to fish that day. He decided to stay inside and read. Slade was hungry though, and a gardener’s job is never finished. So he went on without Travis. After reading through most of the morning, Travis dozed off. He awoke much later to the beginning drops of rain on the rooftop. Concerned for his friend, Travis called for Slade to come in before the rain picked up. There was no response. Travis walked to the doorway and called out again. No response. Travis began scouring the island franticly. He was so worried his friend was in trouble. Travis searched the island carefully several times with no sign of the goat. He paused to rest near the shore and as he crouched, he noticed Triple’s rock nearby. Perhaps he knew where Slade was. Travis ran over and knocked on the rock. No response. Travis knocked again. No response. Frustrated, Travis picked up the rock to throw it, but as he did, he saw Triple lying on the ground covering his eyes with his claws. The crab gave a start when he reluctantly opened his eyes to see who was looming over him. Travis quickly questioned the crab about Slade. Triple had in fact seen the goat’s disappearance transpire. A stranger had come about midday in a red rowboat. He was tall and his face was shadowed by a hat and the collar of a long trench coat. The stranger began examining the island until Slade came up to ask him what he was doing. When the stranger refused to explain himself, Slade tried to bite him. The stranger then grabbed Slade by the horns and pulled some rope out of his trench coat to bind Slade’s legs and tie his mouth. The goat flailed and tried to call out to Travis, but to no avail. Right when Triple was about to run to alert Travis, the stranger turned his gaze on the crab and told him that if he emerged from his rock, the stranger would cook him alive. Triple was petrified. He apologized profusely to Travis for not being brave enough to come out and warn Travis. Of course Travis understood and thought no less of his friend, but now he had to figure out a way to get his friend back. Almost without thought, Travis ran to the dock and began untying the boat. He was already dripping wet from the rain that had only intensified through Triple’s story. It was frigid on his skin, but that is not why he shivered. All he could think about was his goat-napped friend.
Travis jumped into the boat and began rowing towards the next closest island. That had to be where the stranger had gone. Soon after cast off, Bert swam up beside him. Bert asked him what was wrong, but Travis kept his eyes fixed forward with a solemn frown on his face, rowing with al his might. He didn’t have time to talk today. When Travis did not speak, Bert let them move along in silence. The only sounds were of the rain and waves and the lurch of the boat as the deluge filled it making every stroke heavier than the last. Then Bert spoke, “Travis, you are pursuing the stranger who took Slade are you not?” So shocked was Travis that he stopped abruptly and nearly capsized the boat. Bert went on speaking as if nothing happened, “You will not catch him like this. The conditions are rough and you are not prepared. The stranger rows swiftly and you will not make up the difference if you don’t use your head as well as your heart.” Travis’s stunned silence dissolved into defiance, but Bert kept going. “First of all, you are headed in the wrong direction”. Travis erupted in anger at the turtle for keeping this from him, and let forth a tirade at the turtle’s deception. Bert calmly responds, speaking almost at a whisper, “Travis, you often come out here seeking my guidance. You know I have never lead you astray. If you never heed my advice again, please, trust me now”. Touched and abashed by the wise turtle’s speech, Travis apologized and asked for help once again. Bert advised Travis to return home and prepare for a long trip and that he should pack his supplies in the boat. At sunrise the next day, Bert would meet Travis and start him on his way. Apologizing once more for lashing out, he thanks Bert for his wisdom and turns his boat around and slowly makes his way back to the island. That night, Travis got little sleep. He spent much of his night wide awake and anxious about the coming day and Slade. When he awoke, it was still dark out. He gathered his things carefully and quietly as if trying to keep from waking someone, and packed them neatly in the boat. He grabbed his fishing poll and several coconuts which were his source of nourishment. As he was finishing his preparations, Triple emerged from his rock and scurried over to the boat with a conch shell in tow. Travis gave him a questioning look and Triple explained how he felt ashamed for his cowardice and wanted to help Travis find Slade. Travis agreed to take him along, glad to have a companion for his long journey and a navigator. Triple hopped up onto the boat’s bow; depositing his shell full of supplies in the bottom. Travis stepped in and cast away from the dock. He paddled out a short distance and met Bert. The turtle instructed to head east to a small island that was many days off, where the stranger was headed. Travis spun his bow around into the rising sun. He took a deep breath and began his quest.
Travis pushed himself with fervor, but taking long regular strokes as opposed to his frenzied rush the previous night. His pace was smooth and powerful which made Bert nod in approval. A few hours into the ride, when the sun had reached its noon day peak, Travis stopped for lunch. As he sat eating, Triple was staring ahead apparently transfixed on something in the distance. When Travis questioned him about what he saw, the crab broke from his daze and told Travis of an approaching large black dorsal fin, signaling the arrival of Big D. Popping up cheerfully from the water, Big D greeted the trio and inquired as to why they were out so far from the island. Travis returned the greeting and told the story of Slade’s capture, with Triple filling in some of the left out details. By the end, Big D had a look of disgust on his face and immediately began to discuss the connection between the stranger and the color of his boat. Travis listened while he ate his lunch. As he was preparing to start again, Big D, who had been keeping up a steady stream of reasons why the red boat was of dire importance, stopped talking suddenly. He asked Travis to let him help rescue Slade. Travis acquiesced but was a bit perplexed as to how the whale intended to help. Big D suggested that they tie a boat to their bow and give the other end to him so he could help pull the boat along. Shortly thereafter, the boat was cruising much faster than before. Night slowly descended and Bert announced that it was time for him to return to the island. The wise turtle explained that he was just an old turtle and could not help anymore than he already had. From then on, it was up to Travis to save his friend. Travis was reluctant to let him go, but finally said his farewells as did the other two companions and Bert swam off into the sunset.
That night, Travis slept, but not from an eased mind, but from exhaustion and despair that seemed to have seeped into his bones. The rhythmic report of Big D’s blowhole marked out intervals of time with excellent precision that lulled Travis to sleep. In the morning, Travis had a small breakfast of fish and coconut milk. Afterwards, he embarked again towards the rising sun. The morning rolled on with the regularity of the rolling waves, a distant speck became visible in the sky to the south. The speck drew closer and it became discernable as a bird, and a colorful one at that. As it reached within a few feet of the boat, it swooped down with a howl. Tuhoti excitedly greeted the bunch and had the same question Big D initially had: What were they doing here? He apparently was on his way to visit a lady friend and had certainly not expected to find his friends out here. Before he had a chance to delve into a long monologue, Travis began his story of Slade’s goat-napping and the stranger. Tuhoti listened with careful focus. He sat quietly even after Travis finished the story. At last he nodded to himself as if reaching a decision with himself and put on an aspect of resolve and announced in a matter-of-fact tone, that he was going to accompany them in search of Slade. He told Travis he would scout ahead and try to gather information since he had the benefit of flight. So with a flap of his wings, Tuhoti departed into the eastern sky calling back a promise to return soon. Seeing little room for argument, Travis continued on. Come evening, the sea had grown very tumultuous and the sky darker than normal. That night brought a storm. Travis was forced to stop and cover the boat with a tarp while he lay inside. Tuhoti and Triple amused themselves by exchanging anecdotes while Big D used the rope to anchor the boat and left to find some red fish to eat. Travis was left to relax with his thoughts, which he found were not very relaxing. He recalled his friend the goat and the good times they had together. That night his dreams were troubling.
The morning brought clear skies and thoughts. Tuhoti quickly set off to stretch his wings and scout. Triple perched himself on the bow, looking out towards the sun and Big D returned shortly after sunrise. On the third afternoon, Tuhoti came back from one of his expeditions and said he had seen something, but didn’t know what to make of it. He insisted Travis check it out for himself. So they diverted their course at Tuhoti’s direction and followed along until they came to a small gathering of birds. What was peculiar about them is that they were flying around in a circle, almost anticipating something, here in the middle of the open sea. The companions watched curiously for sometime and at last a dolphin emerged a short distance from where the birds were circling. No sooner than it had surfaced and spouted water from its blowhole were the birds upon it. They were squeaking wildly and diving at the dolphin, pecking and scratching at it when they could. Appalled by these birds, Travis picked up his fishing poll and attached a large weight to the end and removed the hook. He then started casting the line and knocking the birds out of the sky one by one, using the poll as a massive whip. The birds became frustrated and eventually flew off. As soon as they were out of sight, the dolphin swam over to the boat and thanked Travis for his heroism. The dolphin introduced herself as Lin. She was extremely impressed by Travis’s masterful casting ability. She was energetic and friendly and quickly made befriended the other companions, although she was wary of Tuhoti because of her bad experience with the birds. After sometime though Travis insisted they must move on. Lin asked where they were going and Triple, Tuhoti and Big D responded before Travis had a chance to stop them. When the she had heard the entire story, she asked why Travis hadn’t shared this with her, to which he explained that he did not wish to trouble her. Lin turned a sympathetic expression towards Travis. She went on to say how impressed she was with the courage and loyalty of his friends. She had a proposition for Travis. She claimed the birds would come back and bother her; they always did, so in return for Travis’s protection, she would help in any way possible to help him find Slade. Travis hurriedly agreed, but importuned that she was not obligated to help and that he was glad to keep pesky birds away. The last part of that earned him a glare from Tuhoti. Travis was starting to feel a lot like Noah all of a sudden. Lin was not strong enough to help pull the boat, so her contribution was mostly morale. She would swim along and encourage Travis along with the others. During periods of rest, she was very inquisitive and was always full of questions. One that baffled Travis was when she asked, “Do you think, that if you drank the water from someone’s blowhole who was sick, you’d become sick too?” Travis replied that he did not know much about that sort of thing, but probably not. That night, it stormed again, and the night after that. Travis became frustrated by these constant storms which made kept him farther and farther away from rescuing his friend. He could not afford these delays if he was going to save Slade. Thrice a cursed storm barred his path. During the third storm, he resolved himself to reach his destination with no more delays, no matter what. So when daybreak came, Travis started forward with renewed vigor. He kept up an exhausting pace all day with no break. The others emulated his determination and worked with the same zeal, but occasionally glanced sidelong at Travis with worry showing on their faces. He rowed all day and kept rowing even when night fell. He pushed on into the deep dark abyss of the horizon, striving and driving as fast as he could. As he grew more tired, his determination compounded. He burned with an inner fire that seared his muscles and scorched his lungs. Before he knew it, he was moving so swiftly, Big D was having a difficult time just keeping up and Tuhoti and Triple were nestled at the bottom of the boat to keep from falling out. A sudden shudder and crash pulled Travis out of his trance. He discovered he had run the boat ashore. His accomplishment fresh in his mind, he collapsed. He had made it.
When he awoke, Travis could hear Triple scurrying about and mumbling to himself. Travis slowly sat up and saw the crab gathering the supplies that had been jarred from the boat by the impact and putting them in a pile. The crab did a double-take at the sight of Travis finally awake. Triple explained how the others had decided to split up and search for traces of the stranger and Slade. He said they would be back shortly. Sure enough, Tuhoti returned a short time later from the interior of the island, reporting that he had uncovered nothing except for acres of jungle. From the south shore, Big D swam up and reported the same thing as the parrot. Despair began to set in on the party when Lin appeared from the north. She jumped excitedly into the air from the anticipation of her report. Lin explained of a short dock located a small distance to the north with a path that lead into the jungle. At the end of the dock was a red rowboat. Travis was energized by the news and bounded to his feet despite his weariness. He nearly fell over in a moment of dizziness but quickly steadied himself. He immediately set off at a jog along the north shoreline. The rest fell in close behind him, even Triple; shuffling at full speed in order to keep up. It was a short run to the dock. The red boat was tied to the end and Travis ran over to crouch beside it. He untied it from the dock and kicked it out into the open water where the current pulled the boat away down towards the southeast. He did not intend on letting the stranger get away again. When the boat was dealt with, Travis turned his attention to the path into the tropical forest. Big D and Lin gave him a look that told him they wouldn’t be able to follow him farther than this. Triple commented that he would not be able to keep up, especially in the forest. He insisted that Travis and Tuhoti go on without him; he would stay here at the dock where he couldn’t slow anyone down. So Travis and Tuhoti forged ahead into the forest. The canopy thickened and the path grew darker and narrower. Unable to fly, Tuhoti perched on Travis’s shoulder. The long dark path twisted and contorted into convoluted designs with no end in sight. They rounded a corner to find themselves in a small clearing. Upon entering, Tuhoti jumped up and began to fly around. He told Travis he was going to figure out which way to go and that he should wait for him in the clearing. Travis took a seat on a nearby rock and waited. The moment seemed very anticlimactic and Travis’s momentum began to fade. As he sat their pondering what he would do when he found the stranger, a lizard sauntered up to the rock. In his long serpentine drawl he asked if Travis was lost and needed any help. Travis inquired as to if a stranger with a goat had come by the clearing recently. The lizard had in fact seen the pair go by about an hour ago. This gave Travis a suffusion of hope and he desperately wished for Tuhoti to return. The lizard indicated that the pair had traveled through an opening in the forest to the west. Travis thanked the lizard for his help. Realizing, he had been rude, Travis asked for the lizard’s name. The lizard replied that his friends called him Sleesay, and with that, he departed into the forest. Impatiently, Travis turned his stare on the sky. From the west came Tuhoti flying at full speed towards the clearing. Suddenly a loud bang erupted from the canopy far off and a net came streaming up and entangled the parrot mid-flight. Tuhoti plummeted into the jungle below. Travis looked on in horror and then dashed into the forest in pursuit of the stranger that must have captured Tuhoti as well. Recklessly he trampled through the underbrush, completely oblivious to any dangers to himself. Branches and leaves whipped and lacerated his skin and face. He slowed down to a walk as drew closer to a light amongst the trees. He crept close enough to see a lantern amidst a small camp. He leaped forward at the sight of a goat shaped mound lying on the far edge of the camp. Travis crouched over his friend and gently shook him. The goat’s eyes sprang open and grew even wider at the site of Travis standing over him. The elation on his face slid into a frown though. As Travis removed the rope binding his mouth, Slade urged Travis to flee before the stranger came back. He refused and instead, started untying the rope from the goat’s legs. Slade explained what had occurred since is seizure. The stranger’s name apparently, was Leon. He had heard the legend of Travis and was jealous. He had originally intended to set fire to the tranquil island, but when Slade showed up, the stranger panicked and grabbed Slade instead. He fled, fearing Travis’s wrath. By this time Slade was untied and was rising to his feet. A sudden crunch of twigs and leaves was the only warning they had before the stranger stepped out into the camp with a sedated Tuhoti under his arm. Slade snarled and charged at the stranger, striking him hard in the stomach with his head and horns. The stranger staggered and dropped Tuhoti. Travis sprinted forward and scooped up the parrot in his arms. “Run!” he yelled to Slade. Both took off in a dead run down the path back towards the clearing. Glancing over his shoulder, Travis could see the stranger chasing them and gaining quickly. Slade turned back to Travis and yelled, “Jump on my back!” Travis gave Slade an incredulous look but the serious expression on the goat’s face made Travis comply. With a mighty bound, Travis settled onto Slade’s back, cradling Tuhoti in one arm and hold on to the goat’s neck with the other. Slade accelerated abruptly and almost threw Travis from his back. Travis would never have believed that Slade was capable of carrying him and certainly not with such speed! Travis felt a surge of pride for his friend. The stranger was still in pursuit, although his gain was considerably less than before. They zoomed through the clearing and down the dark winding path of the forest. The light of the shore radiated at the end of the path, the beacon of their salvation. Slade burst through the tree-line and skidded to a halt on the dock. Travis carefully stepped down from his back and turned to face the stranger emerging from the forest. Travis noticed Big D and Lin at the end of the dock with shock apparent in their faces. Triple was standing equally as stupefied at the forest end of the dock. The stranger walked right by him seemingly without notice. He had a look of white-hot fury. The tall shadowed stranger drew a long knife from his trench coat and held it with a powerful grip that made his knuckles go white. As the stranger approached, drawn up in an intimidating and menacing manner, the now exhausted Slade and Travis backed to the edge of the dock. Sudden movement and a battle cry caught their attention and the stranger turned too late to see it coming. Triple surged forward and firmly grappled the stranger’s rear causing him to jump and squeal with pain. Using the stranger’s momentary imbalance to his advantage, Travis grasped the stranger’s arm and torso and lifted him over his head. With all his might, Travis tossed the stranger over the end of the dock into the waiting jaws of Big D. Restraining the stranger with his mouth; Lin used her tail to slap the stranger until he fell unconscious. Then they stripped him down naked, and buried him up to his head in the sand. Then they put let a star fish copulate with his face. With justice done, the party returned to the landing site and the boat. On the walk back, they all shared their part of the adventure and praise. Slade thanked everyone for their help and coming to his rescue. He was deeply touched and everyone was more than happy to help.
The trip back was a quiet and relaxing. However, Slade found transit in a rowboat disagreeable for a goat and was known to grumble from time to time. The rest of the companions quickly made him forget his troubles and had him laughing again. Less than a week later, they found themselves home once again. Bert the wise turtle swam up beside them for a time and shared a wide grin and respectful nod with Travis. The island it seems had become overgrown in Slade’s absence, so the goat set straight to work and began munching away. The others were eager for rest or food and went on their way with farewells for everyone. Triple, now vindicated, sighed and walked back to his rock for some hard earned rest. Travis neatly unpacked everything and laid down on his bed. Finally, everything was back to normal. The following days were some of Travis’s best, and that’s saying a lot. He was settled back into his routine and reunited with his friend. His friends visited even more than before, including Lin who it seemed had at last gotten rid of the vexing birds. Tuhoti became known as a famous adventurer, admired by many. His deeds were told of all over the Caribbean and consequently had more friends than ever. Big D learned shortly after his return that the red ring-leader, Ya-ya, had been exiled to Cuba after he tried to declare a crusade against sharks. The red fish were in a state of chaos and the blue fish, Purple Heart, had risen up to create order. Triple was now more proud than ever and spent many of his days outside his rock conversing with the others. Slade lived on with little disruption, but now there was a strong unsaid bond between him and Travis. After all that excitement though, it was time for things to return to normal. Travis had gotten enough adventure to last him a lifetime and was elated about the transition back to the quiet life. All of the friends lived happily ever after.
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