The market place of Saripa was the busiest it had ever been. All week, ships had pulled into the harbour with survivors from a volcanic eruption that had destroyed six islands that had been close together. The men, women and children deposited in Saripa were sent to the market place. Their names and destinations were written in a large book people were calling the Survivors’ Book. Some people had already found family and friends with the help of the book, but there were countless people left hoping another ship had picked up their loved ones. Many feared the worst.
“Bring the next group,” a bearded man bellowed from behind the large table where he wrote names in the Survivors’ Book. Set up over him was a white awning while everyone else was forced to stand in the hot summer sun.
A group
