On an Isolated Island

Izla bid farewell to Iris, her tears streaming down her cheeks. She could hardly believe she was leaving the sea that cradled her childhood, her memories, and her dreams. Surely, she thought, she couldn't bear to part with it, but this separation would be only temporary. Her absence wouldn't be long. That was the only comfort she allowed her broken heart.

Daniel approached her, gently taking her hand to console her, hoping to ease the pains life had dealt her. Yet, he felt that familiar feeling toward her—the one that had crept up before. He was beginning to realize it was that thing called love, slipping into his heart without permission. She pulled away, as usual, perhaps feeling the same way. She wiped her tears, steeling herself with patience and resilience to face the unknown lying ahead. Surrender wasn't in her nature; her father had taught her to be strong in adversity, to face challenges head-on since she became aware of the world. She wouldn't let life's tempests break her, for she was a traveler on the train of life.

Returning home, Daniel and Izla began packing their bags. She called for Rocky, her loyal companion, unable to imagine leaving him behind. As she made her way to the plane with Daniel and their companions, she paused, gazing back at her home and the sea. Her father's and Iris's images lingered in her mind until Daniel, growing impatient, tugged her hand, urging her to hurry aboard. He hoped to distance her from this place, hoping it would ease her heart.

She knew there was nothing left for her to stay for. Her father was gone, and after this journey—of which she knew nothing, nor who she would meet, nor how she would be treated in that strange world—she would only return to the island once she had regained her lost sense of self. She would need to discover the other world, to blend with its people, and learn of their various and fickle natures. As eager as she was to learn about their lives, fear took root in her heart toward them.

She boarded the plane, taking her seat with her dog by her side. Daniel smiled at her, his heart soaring with a joy he didn't fully understand—that he had fallen in love with her. As the plane took off, Izla felt an overwhelming loneliness, watching her island shrink until it vanished, knowing there was no hope of staying.