The salty breeze from the ocean brushed against my skin as Justin and I made our way down to the port. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the boats bobbing lazily in the water. My heart pounded in my chest; this was our last chance to make it off the island before the elders realized what we were up to.
Ahead, a grizzled old fisherman stood by his boat, inspecting the nets tangled along the dock. His weathered face was hidden beneath a sun-bleached hat, and his clothes were covered in salt stains from years at sea. This was our ticket to the ferry on the other side of the island. I squared my shoulders and approached him, hoping he’d be willing to bargain with us.
“Excuse me,” I called out, trying to sound confident despite the nervous flutter in my stomach.
The f
