Free Chosen by Sarah Swan Page A

nowhere and smashed against the rocks, spraying us with cool water.  I stood in shock for a second, trying to comprehend where the water had come from.  Then, after noticing Chris standing there like a wet chicken, I burst out laughing.  He took one look at me, and started laughing just as hard. 
    “Good thing it’s a sunny day!” he called out.
    “Right,” I echoed.  “How far away is this little beach of yours?  I wouldn’t mind sitting down and soaking in the rays.”
    “And getting a little drier?” he laughed.  “It’s just ahead.  Not much farther.”
    ‘Not much farther’ turned out to be nearly a quarter of a mile.  But, when we finally got there, I saw why Chris had wanted me to see it.
    The beach was maybe five hundred feet wide.  But it was positioned on natural curve of the island so that it jutted out into the water.  From the bend, all you could see was the pristine blue ocean all the way to the horizon.  Right behind the beach was a dense thicket of woods, completely pure and untouched by humanity.  Nobody would have guessed there was a whole community not far away.
    “This is beautiful,” I said in awe.  “How’d you find it?”
    “Well, I’ve spent a long time on Traven Island, and had more chances than most to explore.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Well, remember when you asked me why I was here early?  And how I said it was a long story?” 
    I nodded.  “I’ve been wondering about that.”
    “Well, the truth is, I never actually left.”
    “Huh?  What do you mean?”
    “For summer break.  I never left the island.”
    “How come?  I thought you said that everybody has to leave?”
    “Things are slightly different when you’re the son of one of the tenured professors here.”
    I raised my eyebrows in surprise.  “One of your parents teaches here?”
    “My dad.  I don’t actually know my mom.”
    “Oh.  I’m sorry to hear that.”
    “It’s okay,” he shrugged.  “She died just after I was born.  I never knew her.”
    “I’m sorry,” I said again, more sincerely.  “I can’t imagine what that would be like.”
    “Sometimes it’s kind of rough,” Chris admitted, “but I’ve learned to deal with it.  What I have trouble dealing with sometimes though is this island.”
    “How do you mean?”
    “Well, my dad moved to teach here right after my mom died.  I think it was a way for him to get away from the rest of the world.  He dedicated himself pretty thoroughly to his work, so much so that he never really had any time to take a break from it and do anything else.  So I spent my whole life here.  I never went to elementary school, or anything like that, and my dad  got some of his colleagues to home-school me during those years.  When it came time to go to high school, Oliver Academy was the only choice.”
    “Did you want to go somewhere else?”
    “I never knew anybody my age growing up… because there was nobody my age around.  Some of the other professors here looked out for me.  Some even feel something like family, but I always yearned to get off the island, to see a regular city, to go to a regular high school.”
    “Wait a minute,” I said, holding up my hands, “do you mean you’ve never been off the island?”
    “My dad took me with him to a conference in Arizona, once, when I was thirteen, but other than that… not really, no.”
    “Wow,” I breathed.  I couldn’t imagine spending my whole life somewhere like this.  The island was beautiful, yes, but if I were to be here for more than a few years… well, I imagined it would quickly become completely stifling.  “So you spent your whole life here?”
    “Pretty much.”
    “Is that how you know about all the history of the island?”
    He shrugged.  “I guess.  You tend to figure some things out about a place you’ve called home your entire life.”
    “I can’t imagine being in one place for so long,” I said. 
    He barked an awkward laugh.  “I