The wind was howling like a thousand hungry wolves. The ship was swaying so far back and forth that it was scooping up water and the thunder cackled like the voice of an evil witch.
"Baton down the hatches!", someone screamed.
I had no idea who it was out of the millions of people on the boat, but just as I looked up a huge wave came crashing over my head. I closed my eyes and laid on the cold wooden floor frozen from fear. Just before I lost conciseness I heard a loud crack. Water started pouring in from all sides, and the commotion on the boat made my head ache even more. With my head to the floor I could hear the loud footsteps of everyone running to get off the sinking boat, next thing I knew I was floating in the ocean, lost and alone.
When I woke up I felt soaking wet against a warm, soft, sandy ground. I immediately jumped to my feet. I could see remains of the ship, scarcely in the fog. A few pieces were crashed up on the shore. The island that I was washed up on had to be deserted. When I looked around there was no other passenger around me. If anyone was here, wouldn't they be right where I also ended up?
"Where could they be?", I whispered to myself then fell to my knees.
After a few hours of being on this what seemed to be deserted island, I decided to search for some food. As I walked around I found only a few bunches of bananas and what seemed like thousands of coconuts. All I could think of was if the ship didn't sink I'd be on my way to visit my family in Rome, Italy by now. Just as I was about to head back by the water, I heard a rustling in the bushes next to me.
"Who's there?", I shouted.
Suddenly, someone jumped out. It was the captain! Soon a few passengers that I recognized jumped out following him.
"Do you have any idea where we are?", I asked.
"Yes, I do. We are in Oʻahu, Hawaii. But there seems to be no one here besides us right now and I have no idea where everyone else from the boat is. We'll have to wait and see if they also ended up here.", the captain answered.
That night the captain, the ten passengers, and myself ate a few bananas and drank lots of coconut milk. Just as we were making a shelter out of tree bark, leaves, and bamboo, everyone heard a noise. It was the loud beat of a drum and chanting.
"It must be more passengers that ended up here.", said Dan, who was also a passenger.
"Lets follow the sound and see.", I suggested.
We followed the sound of the beating drums for almost two hours and came upon an open field, and men and women dancing around a bon fire. It must have been a party, with lots of food, singing, dancing, and games. We have just found people, real people, everyone was overjoyed to know that we weren't alone. There was only one problem, they didn't speak our language. So, everyone acted out what happened to us, and eventually they understood. But, to get back home we needed to talk to someone that spoke English. The what seemed to be, tribe leader came over by us and stood up.
"Hello.", his booming voice shouted.
We explained how we needed help getting back and where we were from.
"No problem. We'll let you borrow one of our ships that we use to trade with other tribes, but I'll need something in return.", he said.
The man looked me up and down, then finally spoke.
"That’s a nice pair of shoes you have there.", he spoke.
With a sigh, I handed over my shoes and hopped on the boat. We set sail, but this time back home. When I arrived home, no one would believe my story. My parents in Italy thought it was an excuse I used so I didn't have to come see them. But, at least I knew the truth.
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