The Open Gate

Chapter 8: Day 2 on the Island

Day 2 on Twin 1 Island began quietly.

One by one, the children slowly woke up beside the dying campfire. Alex was the first to wake up. Feeling hungry, he grabbed a crab near the shore and killed it carefully using a knife. Then he removed its shell, wrapped the meat in cloth, and kept it aside for later.

Soon everyone else woke up too. Their main goal for the day was simple:

Finish building the hut.

The group freshened up, gathered their tools, and prepared to continue the construction.

But just before starting, Rockey suddenly looked around.

“Wait… where’s Julie?”

Everyone froze.

At first, they thought she might have somehow returned with the captain’s ship. But then Rickey realized something terrifying.

“Guys… we completely forgot about her yesterday.”

Silence filled the campsite.

Julie had never truly become part of their group yet, so in all the confusion and excitement, nobody had checked on her properly since arriving on the island.

Rickey immediately stood up.

“We need to search the forest.”

The others agreed instantly.

The group spread out in different directions across the island, shouting Julie’s name repeatedly.

“Julie!”

“JULIE!”

But there was no answer.

Almost thirty minutes later, Vickey suddenly shouted from deeper inside the forest.

“I FOUND HER!”

Everyone ran toward his voice.

Julie was lying unconscious on the ground beneath a tree.

Rickey quickly checked her breathing and panicked.

“She’s not breathing!”

The boys rushed her back to the campsite and desperately tried waking her up. They pumped her chest repeatedly, but nothing happened.

Fear spread across everyone’s faces.

Finally, in frustration and panic, Rickey slapped her cheek hard.

Suddenly—

Julie gasped loudly and began breathing again.

Everyone sighed in relief.

They quickly gave her water and food while Alex handed her the crab meat he had caught earlier.

After resting for some time, Julie slowly explained what happened.

“When we were searching yesterday, I tripped and hit my head. After that… I don’t remember anything.”

Rickey looked confused.

“But when we found you, you weren’t breathing.”

Julie shook her head weakly.

“I don’t know what happened.”

The group remained disturbed by the incident, but eventually they returned to building the hut.

By afternoon, they completed building the walls of the hut. Now only the roof was left unfinished.

The boys searched around the island again looking for cloth pieces to cover the top, but instead they discovered a large metal shutter lying near the trees.

Using all their strength, they dragged it back to the campsite.

First, they covered the roof using cloth pieces.

Then they carefully placed the shutter on top for protection.

Finally, they layered grass over it to keep the inside cooler during hot afternoons.

Throughout the day, they stopped several times to rest, eat food, and catch more crabs near the shore.

By evening—

their hut was finally complete.

As darkness slowly covered the island, the group gathered once again around the campfire.

The cool sea breeze moved softly while the stars sparkled brightly above them.

They sat quietly eating food, chitchatting, laughing, and staring at the beautiful night sky.

Then suddenly—

A shooting star crossed through the darkness.

Everyone became excited immediately.

“Quick! Make a wish!” Julie shouted.

Rickey, Rockey, and Alex silently wished for one thing:

To solve the mystery safely and completely.

Meanwhile, Julie secretly wished that Vickey would someday become her boyfriend.

At the very same moment, Vickey quietly wished for Julie to become his girlfriend.

Neither of them knew the other felt the same way.

After talking and laughing for some more time, the group finally lay down to sleep inside their newly completed hut.

And slowly—

Day 2 on Twin 1 Island came to an end.