She could have chosen any other job. She was intuitive enough to apprentice under Jacob, or she could’ve tried learning how to fight from Arbory, but instead, she was drawn back to the same fruit. She wasn’t lazy, it’s not that she didn’t want to do something more, she felt the obligation to him, to keep the memories safe.

“I’d love to have an apple pie,” Ray said. He leaned against one of the trees tossing an apple up and down. “That would be nice right about now.”

Lana kept picking apples and throwing them into the bag on her back, barely glancing at Ray as she spoke, “Cool, come back once you’ve tried that.”

He scoffed at her response. “I just wanted to make a pie. Show some respect to my dreams.”

“Your goal is to make a pie?” Lana hopped off her stepstool, securing the basket and grabbing the stool.

“Well I want to try one, I read that apple pies are warm and tasty.”

“You read?” She had known Ray since they were young and he’d always been this way. Lana couldn’t understand why he clung to such stupid ideas.

He mumbled, “From time to time.”

“Yeah right, Trent probably told you about it. He’s the smarter one of you two.”

“Yeah—well, being the Guardian of the Island is cooler than picking apples and drawing stupid maps. I get to have a sword, and it’s an awesome name. Hah.”

“Okay.” It was strange to Lana, Ray always tried acting superior to her in any way he could. For as long as she’s known him, Ray would try to beat her at cards, checkers, or anything only to end up with the same fate. Losing. She thought maybe after growing from adolescence he’d become more competent. Apparently not.

Ray’s eye twitched, she could tell his head was about to explode. Lana sighed. “Yes, your title of ‘Guardian of the Island’ is much cooler than ‘Map Drawer/Seasonal Apple Picker’. Satisfied?”

He gave her a snarl before answering, “Not at all. But I’ve got to go back to patrolling, it’s difficult work Lana, but if you’re in trouble maybe I’ll be your knight with a shiny sword.”

“Great, I’m ecstatic,” she sarcastically muttered. Still, there was something that made her smile while he was around. Maybe his overconfident tone or walk, his way of speaking without knowing what he’s talking about. Something about him made Lana smile, and not knowing why made her dislike the feeling even more.

At the end of the field was a small worn shed. It was made of logs, and a name, Alaric, was carved on the door. Her hand glided against the now jagged wood, reminding her how it used to be smooth. Storms pass through their island so often that most structures have been rebuilt many times. She could hear the sound of her dad slicing away the impurities of the wood. She had not gotten a single splinter when she visited this shed.

Inside, baskets of apples were kept for storage. She plopped it down next to the lines of other baskets, which made a heavy creaking sound as the apples settled. The shed was well-built, but Lana couldn’t understand why the floorboards were creaky. It’s not like her dad would build something poorly, the issue had to be the floorboards. She couldn’t question why they were so creaky, so instead, she pushed the haunting thoughts out of her mind and quickly shut the door.

It was simple work, with little gratification at the end of the day, but something was oddly satisfying to Lana about continuing her dad’s job. Perhaps she was doing it to connect with her father, or maybe she was still grieving. It was too hard to tell, at least to Lana.

By the time she reached the Mound, it was already evening. The Mound was a giant termite-like structure, with holes all over the pyramid-shaped structure. She had never seen a termite before, nor had anyone else, but she could remember how her dad would describe them, he would say they were similar to the ants. Small creatures that built large mounds out of the ground, hence the name of her home. Of course, they hadn’t built the Mound, but her mother did tell her that it was a sacred structure that had been there since the dawn of the island.

The entrance of the Mound was decorated with colorful streamers and tarps on the archway. It matched the island’s lively and festive atmosphere. Lana walked through the archway, entering a cozy open space they called the lounge. Tables and chairs were scattered across it, with kids running around and playing games, while the adults played card games or simply conversing. Tarps covered the walls and ceiling in many different colors. None of it matched, and it all seemed like a five-year-old made it. But that’s what made it appealing, the calm atmosphere contrasted with the chaotic colors. The smell of fresh juices and freshly roasted steak and vegetables was appetizing to everyone. It was nostalgic. It was home.

A tall woman sat in a chair surrounded by little kids reading aloud from a book. She had long flowing hair that reached down to her waist, and her voice was soft and inviting, making Lana feel as if she was safe from anything bad in this place. The woman was her mother, the island's elder and leader, Julie. Everyone respected her and she was like a second mother for most. Lana sat near the reading circle, trying not to disturb the experience.

Julie read calmly with a hint of sadness, “‘Just remember that the things you put into your head are there forever,’ he said. ‘You might want to think about that.’”

“‘You forget some things, don’t you?’

“‘Yes. You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget.'”

Several minutes passed until her mother stopped reading and called out, “Alright children, that’s the chapter for today. Now run along, and stay out of trouble.”

Lana waited for all the children to disperse as she watched them all thank her mother and scuttle off into the distance. Lana gave her mother a genuine smile, and they embraced each other. Lana said, “Hey mom. Seems like everything’s going well here. How are you?”

She could feel her mother's gentle pat on her back before leaving the embrace. They locked eyes, and Lana was now staring into her mother’s rich hazel eyes. “Your eyes are more vibrant than the ocean, Lana. And you’re as beautiful as ever. I’m doing well, but still facing the same daily struggles. How’s Jacob’s apprenticeship doing for you?”

A tear appeared in the corner of Lana’s eye, but Julie quickly wiped it away. “We live on the same small island, yet I feel like we live in two separate worlds.” Lana smiled, feeling a little calmer, and said, “It’s been good. Jacob is an odd guy but a good teacher. It takes up most of my time, but I still try to pick apples occasionally.”

They sat down with each other, Julie holding her hand while she spoke, “I know you’re trying to keep your father’s memory, but you should be focusing more on your apprenticeship.”

“I still miss him.”

Julie placed a soft kiss on her daughter’s forehead. “Me too. And we’ll continue to miss him. But you can’t live in the past, the only thing we can do is look fondly over the time we had with him and continue to move forward, okay?”

Lana nodded. When her father disappeared it only made them grow closer. Julie was the only family she had left, and her mother didn’t have anyone else either. Lana’s grandparents had passed when she was young, and her mother didn’t have any siblings, and neither did she. In the past several years Lana didn’t have the time to talk with her mother, so she appreciated every moment she could get with her. She appreciated the worrying and guidance her mother gave.

When Julie glanced outside, she realized it was almost dusk. “I’m sorry to cut this short Lana, but I’ve got to talk with Gabriel about this year’s harvest and other planty funness.”

“Have fun talking plants, he gets quite serious about the green.”

They laughed together, and it reminded Lana of when she was young and her dad would tell jokes or be a goofball. She felt happy about those memories, but she couldn’t help but feel regret for not spending enough time with him. Lana put her feelings aside and tried her best to enjoy the moment.

Julie quickly added, “Oh, and Lana? Tomorrow, there’s something important I want to show you. I’ve been meaning to but I’ve been way too busy. Okay?”

She nodded in agreement before walking deeper into the Mound.

The Mound had many different paths winding to where Lana needed to go. The main hallway was a large half-circle with many branches leading to the living quarters and storeroom. At the very top of the twisting hall was an open-roof observatory. The late evening light glistened against the brightly colored tarps. At the center of the room kept in a neat glass case was an orb of blue. It was held upon a pedestal of twisting roots and greenery. The orb reflected light like when the beams shine through water, distorted. Lana could almost hear the waves and feel the soft breeze, it was almost like being at the shore.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

The rest of the room wasn’t so neatly kept. Several desks were scattered about, covered from one side to the other with a random assortment of papers. Shelves contained tools like telescopes, sextants, hammers, and even an astrolabe.

Lana loved the astrolabe, and when she was younger she would spend time in the observatory workshop, meticulously taking it apart to see how it worked. The complex items couldn’t be made from the island’s resources and instead were found in drifting shipwrecks. They were rare, but when the waves would move them near the island, a team of scavengers would be sent out to collect as much stuff as possible. Lana had been gifted a telescope by her father when she was young and lost it after he disappeared. She didn’t talk to anyone for over a month when it happened.

Grabbing the astrolabe, she inspected the piece of metal and its fine grooves with etched symbols. “Have you come to use my astrolabe again?” shouted Jacob in a wheelchair. He was a wild-looking man, with receding blonde hair that shot outwards. Graphite smudges were all over his face and hands. He looked similar to a kid who had stolen plenty of grapes and left the stains all over him.

“No. Just admiring.” Lana quipped sarcastically.

He leaned in near Lana, “So? Any progress on that star map?”

His eyes were wide with anticipation as he waited for Lana to give him the answer he’d been waiting for for weeks. “I finished it.” She had apprenticed under Jacob in her spare time when she wasn’t picking apples. Well, “apprentice” wasn’t exactly the right word. Lana was significantly more skilled than Jacob, hence the project to create a map of the stars. Patience and triangulation were needed, something that Jacob didn’t lack, but Lana was much more efficient at.

His jaw dropped slightly, not bothering to show his surprise. “You’re done? Fully finished with it?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t too hard. Just a bit of drawing and transcribing then I was done.”

He looked dazed but quickly bounced back and started to scramble around. Usually, it wouldn’t be difficult for Lana to identify what people are doing or how they are acting. Their expressions were written all over their faces, but with Jacob, it was different. While his emotions were easy to read, she could never tell what he would do next. He continued rustling through papers, books, and shelves in search. “I’ve got it!” He exclaimed while flashing a paper in his hand. ”Lana, this is your next project.”

He rolled over to Lana and gave her the paper. Where she expected instructions or details for her next assignment, it was blank. She turned it over, and sure enough, the other side was blank as well. “What is this?” Lana asked inquisitively.

“Your assignment. I want you to make a ship completely from scratch. No references, no schematics, and no copies. It should be entirely your own, a creative work of the imagination.”

Lana was perplexed. She couldn’t understand what he meant by it. “What’s the purpose?”

“To be creative. You have learned everything I can teach and then some. But a big part of this job is being creative. I want you to take each ship you’ve ever seen as a reference to create something new. Any inventor should be able to create new stuff, otherwise, what’s our purpose?”

“What have you created?” Lana bluntly asked.

He glared at her. “I’ve made plenty of stuff. I created paper, charcoal, and improved our furnace. And this isn’t about me, it’s about you. You struggle with creativity, so if you can do this, I’ll consider this apprenticeship completed.”

Lana chuckled. “Oh Jacob. You severely underestimate me. I’ll make you the greatest ship you’ve ever seen.” He nodded at Lana with a satisfied look on his face, before she started working on her new assignment. Her confidence wasn’t the product of arrogance but of experience. She spent her entire life next to the ocean, reading and learning about ships, exploration was a part of her blood.

Before she left, Jacob grabbed her shoulder, handing her a large ornate box with wooden carving. “Take this to Arbory when you get the chance. The old bugger has been pestering me to make it for him.”

She grabbed the hefty box, putting it on her shoulder before waving goodbye to Jacob and leaving the wondrous observatory.

Her room was located on the lower floors of the Mound. Children’s rooms were always closer to the bottom, with the young adults being on the next floor, and so on by age. The idea was that they could more easily evacuate into an emergency shelter in a disaster. The design was made after her mother became the Elder on the island.

Most rooms were decorated with tarps and colorful drawings to hide the dull grayish-brown rock underneath. Her room contained a bed, a nightstand, a small desk, and several chairs. The walls were covered neatly with finished schematics and drawings she had made. The bed was neat with some decorated cotton blankets and a carved oak bedframe. Each door to every room was fit to the stone, meaning each door was slightly different in size and shape.

She softly placed the box on her bed while she changed into different attire. She opened a small closet stood next to the bed that contained her attire. Her wardrobe wasn’t too extensive, with several dresses, pants, and shirts of white, blue, and yellow. She grabbed a yellow dress from its place and quickly changed out of her baggy shirt and pants. The sundress fit much nicer, flowing down below her knees and short sleeves that showed her shoulders. She picked the box back up, placed it back onto her shoulder, and walked through the winding corridors of the Mound.

As she approached the top of the hill, she could hear the clashing of swords and the sound of grunts. The walkway led up to a dirt platform with a log cabin, probably built by her father that stood at the far end of the platform with an open patio leading into the dirt. Ray was sparring against a young fellow about his age. The youngster, Trent, was holding his wooden blade, ready. Recently, he decided to train under Ray since he was currently the only suitable guard, and if he fell ill or something happened, they would be in trouble.

Trent ran towards Ray, striking downwards at him. He parried the strike, holding the sword casually with one hand. Ray twirled the blade and sighed, “Your strikes are too shallow.”

Trent scoffed, running towards him again, keeping his stance lower to the ground. The strike was aimed straight at Ray’s legs but was quickly stomped to the ground with a loud unappealing clang. He rolled his eyes, “And you’re too predictable.”

It had been several months since Trent had taken up the training, but Lana could tell it was taking its toll on him. He had never been the talkative or emotional type, but even from her distance, she could feel his anger oozing from his body. Trent continued his anger streak, gripping his sword tightly and dumping it into a bucket with several other wooden blades. Ray shouted to him, “Grab your sword and attempt to split the tree until sundown.” Trent’s head sank as he swiped his blade, going down the path to a large stemmed tree with cuts and slices from all angles of it. He turned to Lana, nodding. “What do you need now?”

A half smile appeared on her face. “Nothing from you, but I do need to give this to Arbory.” She held up the little box and Ray squinted at the thing like it was garbage.

“That man never stops…” Ray muttered, gesturing to the centerpiece of the training area, the log cabin.

The steps onto the oak porch were covered by an overhang held up by wooden pillars attached to a decorated banister. A small bench sat below a window frame to the left of the door. Some flower pots were scattered around on the banisters and floor of the porch.

She grabbed the rusted door handle and twisted it open, only to find an old man sleeping in a large padded chair next to a stone fireplace. The space was kept tidy, with one table surrounded by three worn chairs. The stone fireplace was held on the left side of the room next to the table, with ash and soot contained in it. Two plain beds were kept on the right side, with some paintings and tarps hung across the walls.

Lana walked over to the table near the old man, placing the box down next to him before tapping his shoulder.

Once his peaceful slumber was disturbed, he sprang to life. His senses focused on Lana, and he groggily waved at her and groaned, “Thank you, my girl. You are such a lifesaver.”

Lana smiled, “Of course. Another pot to add to your ever-growing garden?”

He smiled kindly at her while struggling out of his chair. “Spot on as usual.”

Lana was quick to help him out of his chair and to the box, opening it for him and displaying the reddish pot. It was engraved with symbols and patterns all over it. She said, “This one signifies blessing and retrieval.”

“Mhm, Jacob’s works are always so full of meaning and passion. We are truly lucky to have someone like him.”

Lana had always known Arbory as a kind man, someone who had always treated people with respect, whenever they deserved it. That was until…

Ray walked in, went over to his bedside, and grabbed a towel. Arbory, whose tone was quick to change, was hostile and angered, “Did you finish your training with Trent?”

Ray sighed. “Yes, of course. I’m–”

Arbory interrupted, “You better not treat that boy too harshly!” He took a deep breath before continuing his entourage, “Now run up and down the Mound until the sun sets.”

He grumbled, “Fine, whatever you say.”

Arbory was a kind man, but in the presence of Ray, he became a feral dog. It’s not that Ray was a terrible student, on the contrary—he was an exceptional one. Everything came so naturally to him that Arbory found it difficult to train him, or at least that’s what Lana believed. Arbory believed in hard work and determination, while Ray was lazy but already had the skill and didn’t believe he needed to do much more.

When Arbody and Lana were left alone, his demeanor changed, and his voice got softer once again. “I wish that boy wouldn’t take for granted his immense talent.” He turned away to the window, holding the vase in one hand. “Lana, when I’m gone, make sure you watch over him, he’s a good kid, but talent like his will lead him down a sad path. He’ll be drifting from place to place with no end goal, like me.”

Lana nodded, and after saying their goodbyes, she left the training ground. She couldn’t help but think about what Arbory had said, she’d known him for most of her life. He was one of her father’s closest friends, and she’d spent a lot of time in this cabin with them. His words felt different, almost final even.