Chapter 1: The Lost Island of the Wazoo

It all started with a dream. One that took me away from my treehouse home where I would invite all my exotic animal friends, away from a beautiful island where flowers of every color grew through crystal clear ponds, atop large ancient boulders, and up thousand-foot tall trees. 

As you can guess, the Wazoo is no ordinary place, and I am one of the few lucky enough to call it home. I could go rhino racing down the mountain sides, play bumper boats in the swirling swamps, slide through mud pits all weekend long and jump along the bouncy lily pads off Bayuga Bay. This was the only life I knew, and for better or worse, it was all about to change.

But it all started with a dream. I woke up alone on a rotting wooden floor. Wet dirt pressed against my face while I rubbed my eyes to look around the small dark room. There was a dry taste of salt in the air and all I could hear were large waves crashing against the walls, rocking me back and forth. A coldness held me tight as I tried to figure out where I was. 

Cwhhhhhh! Cawwcahhhhh! 

A loud call came from outside. I slowly pushed open the creaking door and walked down the hallway, taking a bright lantern hanging against the wall with me. Rain slipped through the ceiling above and thunder banged across the sky. As I reached a large room, I raised the light to see a bunch of dirty smelling men with ragged old clothing snoring away, some with glass bottles, others with a long metal stick beside them. 

Cawwcahhhhh! Cawwcahhhhh! 

The same call got louder from above. I walked past these long black tubes with large metal balls beside them and gently walked up the stairwell. I had never seen anything like this before at the Wazoo, and I was beginning to wonder just how far from home I was right now. 

I lightly pushed on the hatch before strong gusts of wind ripped it wide open. Rain poured down harder and felt like little needles as a strong breeze pushed me back. I lifted the lantern, trying to see what was in the darkness around me. Something was moving just up ahead. I could see it staring at me with its large eyes, waiting for me to come closer. I crept up slowly, not sure what was about to appear.

From the shadows emerged a large bird, staring at me with the same awe I saw with it. It must have been over twenty feet high, and had dark brown feathers with a bold yellow beak. 

Was this giant beast calling in the middle of the night? What did it want? Why was it here? Why was I here?  None of this made sense; maybe it wasn’t even real. A dream! I thought to myself just then and there, this was all just a dream I said to myself over and over again. It had to be. And soon, I would be waking up back in my treehouse surrounded by all my Wildling friends and family back in the wild. As for now, all I could do was to stay calm and wait, hoping this would all be over soon.  

Cwhh,Cwhh! 

The bird called lightly as it walked closer and leaned down to see me. I could feel my whole body shaking while the large bird tilted its head and stared. After a few seconds, it moved its beak to the side of its wing, shuffling through the feathers as if it was searching for something. It turned its head back around and leaned back towards me, clenching a small, shiny stone, almost too bright to look at. I put my hand out as it gently dropped it. Was this why the bird was calling me the whole time? How did it even know I was here? What was this stone? 

“Wh-what is this? What do I do with this?” I asked, wondering if it could even understand me, but the bird continued to stare. 

Cwwhhhh! Cawwwcahhhhh! 

It called at me eagerly, moving its head towards the sea. But I had no idea what to do. 

“What? What is this? Where am I? What am I doing here?” I asked harshly, but the bird moved back, staying silent as it fluttered its heavy wings and flew up into the air. “Wait, where are you going? Come back! Come back!”  I said, trying to chase it. 

I looked back at the stone. Maybe it was a clue. Maybe if I raised it in the air, the bird would come back. I waved it high, but nothing happened, so I looked into it, trying to keep my eyes open and see past the illuminating light. I was confused. Lost. Not sure what to do or still even close to knowing where I was. So, I looked around. I had never seen a boat quite this large, nor one with a wheel right at the center of it all. Maybe I could steer this whole thing with it! Maybe I was supposed to follow the bird or at least go back home.  

Right when I was about to walk over, a pair of doors slammed open, and two men walked outside towards me, one holding a large scrolled piece of paper open, looking at it carefully while the other one shouted at him. I quickly hid behind a couple of barrels before they could see me in plain sight. 

“Are you sure this is it? We cannot screw this up, the captain will be furious!” 

“I assure you, we are headed in the right direction. I have never seen anything like this before. The boy’s map is certainly the one the legends have spoken of,” he said as he held up the glowing paper. 

“So that’s it then? Within days we shall arrive at the rumored island? Where they say dreams can never die?”

“Yes,” the man said plainly, scrolling up the long piece of paper and putting it back into his coat pocket. “The lost island of the Wazoo, the wonder of the world, the isle of paradise, hidden from us no longer. And soon we shall be the first men in history to ever find it.” 

A tall man wearing a long black coat walked slowly as he approached the men standing off to the side, his metal boot thumping against the creaking floors. I couldn’t see his face, but noticed his tight metal fist and patch on his eye. A large black, red eyed crocodile with chains shackled around its neck walked next to him and slowly looked around. For a second, I thought it was looking at me and I quickly turned away from it. 

“Who left this yer lantern on me deck?” he asked angrily in a weird accent. 

“Oh, I’m sorry Captain, I will get that immediately! It must have been one of the crew, I’ll mak-”

“Are we almost there? Three months I’ve been at this now, scramblin’ the seas, goin’ nowhere, all cuz of you!”  

“We will be there soon, my Captain. The boy’s map has been correct so far. ” the navigator said, keeping his head down.   The scar faced man turned and quickly lifted him up by the neck.

“For yer sake, I do hope so! Me crocs have been gettin’ hungry, restless these past few days. Might hav’ to give ‘em somethin’ to eat, a new meal ta’ taste,” he said before throwing him and then quickly walking away. 

The two men followed behind their captain, and all I could think about was what they were saying. The lost island of the Wazoo? My home? Why did these strange men want to come to my home? 

But while I was lost in my thoughts, trying to figure out what they were saying, the lantern hit the ground. I looked around to see if anyone was around, but no one was in sight. I started to breathe heavy as metal chains clanked across the floor. Suddenly, the black crocodile lunged at me with its long mouth wide open. I threw myself back, trying to kick it away, but it crept faster towards me. 

I was standing on the ledge of the giant ship as it tore through the wood railings with its teeth. I tried to jump away and towards its back, but I was quickly lashed by its long scaly tail until I was completely cornered and fell off the ledge into the cold deep sea. I couldn’t even open my eyes nor move as the cold chill wrapped itself around me again, the ice water brushing through my veins and freezing my body. This must be a dream, this all had to be a dream! 

Cwwhhhh! Cawwwcahhhhh! 

That was the last thing I remembered…