Solo: Finally a Chance to Leave

---

It was a day just like any other. The sun rose to the east, driving away the shadows of the night hanging over the silent island. The owls returned to their nests in the hollows of trees, and the other night creatures returned to their homes, ready to sleep of the day. The morning birds were starting to wake, their songs echoing through the empty costal town. Pools of water had formed overnight, thanks to a nasty storm blowing through.

Of all the buildings in the empty town, the only one not crumbling was that of the library, still standing stoically. The buildings were crumbling from neglect, because no one was there to take care of them. With the library, places could be seen where stones that had fallen had been put back in place. This was the only evidence suggesting someone still occupied the otherwise deserted island.

In the library curled up on an old red leather couch was Theadora Halle, the solo occupant of the island. She wasn't asleep, instead she was nose deep in a book, and had been since the storm started the night before. As the songs of the morning birds met her ears, Thea slowly sat up and set her book aside. Around her fingers were several colored strings, tied there by Thea at one point or another.

The young woman lifted her left hand and examined the strings there, the newest one was red, and was meant to remind Thea to go out to the beach first thing that day. Storms for Thea meant new treasures could wash ashore, so she definitely didn't want to wait too long, otherwise the waves might reclaim said treasures.

Thea stood and stretched. Long blonde hair fell to the floor, and as Thea reached for a pair of wire rimmed glass which were placed on her face. Thea then began walking, long hair trailing behind her. She stopped at the place she kept shoes. Thea had many different pairs of shoes, but she never wore them. Most were too big for Thea's dainty feet. Sliding her feet into a pair of heavily used slippers, Thea began walking again, heading for the library's exit.

Thea stopped once more and picked up a strip of fabric which she used to tie up her long hair, so it wouldn't trail on the ground outside. It always took forever to wash out any dirt or sand, so Thea always tied it up before going out, to save herself the hassle. Finally she picked up an old leather satchel that had washed up many years prior. In it she kept food and treats for the stray animals also living on the island with her. In it was also her knife and a canteen of fresh water.

Finally Thea left the library and set off for the beach. Every so often she'd stop and poor water into bowls she'd set up throughout the town. She was also stopped by a few strays, one being an old grey striped cat. With each animal she gave them a treat, and stood there talking to them for a little bit. The old grey cat was different though, this one she picked up.

"How are you doing today Stripes?" she asked, cradling the cat in her arms. Over the years Stripes had been her favorite. "Oh! I don't have time to talk though, the storm that went through last night probably washed stuff ashore. Hopefully I'll find another chest of clothes like last time. I really need new materials for things." the cat was placed back on the ground and Thea continued on her way.

Halfway through the town, Thea stopped in front of a house that seemed to be in slightly better shape than the others. A wagon was left next to the house in an alleyway. Taking the wagon by the handle, the young woman headed for the beach.

Once she reached the beach, Thea began the chore of searching for interesting things that could aid her. Shielding her eyes, Thea gazed down the half mile stretch of beach, hoping to see anything large. With her poor eyesight and the glasses that weren't her actual prescription, it was difficult. Her eyes weren't terrible, she could still see, but not very far.
Not noticing anything big, Thea started searching the beach. She came across several broken wooden boards from a ship, so it seemed like another ship had hit the rocks in the storm. This meant something good really might have washed ashore.

Soon she came across several glass bottles filled with some kind of booze. Thea wrinkled her nose. The glass bottles would be useful for storing water, but she'd have to wash them out first. So into the wagon they went, and Thea continued on her way.

The next treasure discovered by Thea was a chest. Like the ones people bury with treasure in it. Excited now, Thea opened the box, only to find nothing. Quietly, she closed it. Then opened it again. There really was nothing in it. Sighing, Thea stood and hoisted the chest up and put it in the wagon. There may have been nothing there, but it'd still be good for storing things later on.

That’s how Thea spent a good portion of her morning, wandering down the beach and finding things she could use to help her out in day to day life. Most of the discoveries were pretty common ones, a few bottles, a barrel, some boxes of food, it was a pretty good day for quantity though. Thea even found a box of clothing that she could redesign into something for herself.

The beach had this one spot that rounded a corner, and a stand of trees blocked her view, so Thea didn’t know that her ticket off this island had finally arrived. As she rounded said corner, Thea froze and stared in amazement at the little boat that had drifted ashore. The handle of the wagon fell to the sand as Thea ran over.

After several minutes of inspecting, Thea found that one, no one was on the boat, two, it was in good condition and three, there was an oar for paddling in it as well. Quickly Thea pulled it farther ashore using ropes that had been in the boat. It took a while to get it to a place where the waves wouldn’t wash it away, before she ran back to the library, dragging the wagon with her.

“Oh happy day! Happy day! I can finally leave! I can finally leave!” Thea cheered rushing through the town. ”What should I bring with me anyways?”She began sifting through all the items she’d collected from the beach over the years. “The knife for sure, oh and my sewing kit, oh! I can pack anything in those chests!”

Thea ran back outside and retrieved the empty chests bringing them inside one at a time. In the first she packed her sewing kit and several of her clothes and other fabrics just in case. Another pair of slippers was also placed in the chest. Next she grabbed her hair brush and placed that in the chest too. She then remembered the jewelry box Matilda had left on the island all those years ago. Every time Thea had found any jewelry from sunken ships it had all gone in the jewelry box. That was placed in the chest as well. Now the first chest was filled. So Thea turned to the next one.

In the second chest she packed preserved foods and clean water those would be essential for while she was at sea, Thea didn’t want to starve or anything. Next she added a few oranges she’d found in one of the barrels. Thea had read about scurvy, she definitely didn’t want that to happen either. Next her knife was added. “Hmm, what else should I add?” Thea mused gazing around. As an afterthought her journal and some pens also went into the chest.

That’s when it hit, the nostalgia. For as long as Thea could remember, she’d lived here on this island. It was her home, the animals were her friends, and she was about to just leave. As if it were nothing. Feeling saddened, Thea sniffled a little bit. She left the library and sought out the strays she’d befriended. Spending several minutes telling them each good bye. By the time she returned to the library, tears were streaming down her face.

“I have to do this.” She told herself as she loaded the chests back on the wagon. “I have to. If I don’t I’ll never leave and probably die here.”

She spent the entire walk back to the boat debating with herself. Should she go, or should she stay? In the end, she knew it was time to go. The chests were packed into the boat. Thea had also brought several books to tide her over when she got bored, and a blanket for the chilly nights. With everything packed into the boat, Thea was read. She pushed it back into the water, boarded, then set out to sea. Today wasn't just like every other day after all, Thea had finally gotten the chance to leave the island and actually start her life.

---

In all her excitement and haste, Thea had failed to think of how a boat had gotten here intact through the rocks and storm. In reality, just after the storm, two boats had sailed up to the beach. The person sailing one the boats had jumped ship, only to go board the other boat. The person was a woman pirate by the name of Matilda. She was attempting to right a wrong she’d committed many years ago, by leaving a boat for a certain young woman.

Matilda hadn’t know that Thea was still alive until recently, and feeling guilty for leaving the girl alone on the island, she and the captain she now served came up with the plan to leave the boat, hoping Thea would take the chance and leaved.

An hour before Thea had even woken up, the other boat was long gone, Matilda with it. ”Are you sure you don’t want to see her Matilda?” The captain asked as they sailed away.

”I’m sure,” the woman pirate replied.

---

---