The Boy Who Met a Whale

by Nizrana Farook

  “It’s lovely,” said Shifa. “Do you think it’s the right one?”

  “It has to be.”

  Razi brought the boat in and Shifa jumped into the water. They pushed the boat up the beach, Razi wedging it safely so that it didn’t get carried back out.

  The island was circular and sandy. There was a small clearing near the cliff, and a few rocky parts, but other than that it was quite uninteresting.

  Razi spread out the map on a large flat rock and held it down to keep it from flapping. They bent over it, squinting at the islet.

  “This is definitely the place,” said Razi. “Look at this.” He pointed to some jagged markings. “Doesn’t that look like the cliff?”

  “Yes!” Shifa looked around her in excitement. “So the X is somewhere on this side.”

  Razi considered the map, and turned it round so that the cliff on the map pointed to the real cliff. “Something’s wrong, though.”

  Shifa nodded and sat back on her heels. She held her hair back as it flapped over her face.

  The map showed an oval landmark with ridges running through it, but nothing of the sort corresponded to anything they could see. The X marking the treasure was right next to the oval, almost touching it, in fact. Razi and Shifa were silent as they tried to process what this meant.

  “Do you think we’re on the wrong islet?” said Shifa at last.

  Razi shrugged. “It has to be the right one, doesn’t it? There’s no other single islet around here and the map doesn’t show any other land other than little clusters of islets in twos or threes. We can’t see anything for miles around here.”

  Shifa stared at the map, as if willing it to reveal the answers.

  “Do you think whatever that oval is supposed to be could have been destroyed?” said Razi. “Some sort of natural event – I don’t know, erosion or rust or something.” Even as he said it, it sounded unlikely.

  “Whatever it is, it looks quite big, though. I mean, when you look at it in proportion to the size of the islet, it’s not tiny. I can’t think how it could be gone without leaving some trace behind. Also, didn’t Zheng say that the treasure was only buried weeks ago? That’s a very short time for something to disappear without trace.”

  “Should we just dig anyway? All around this area?” Razi stroked a part of the map with his finger. He was itching to get going. The sooner they found the treasure, the quicker they could save Zheng before something happened to him.

  “We could.” Shifa was hesitant. She turned around slowly, taking in the whole space.

  Razi sighed under his breath. It would be a lot of digging. They had no idea how deep it had been buried too. There was no way they could do all that.

  Razi felt like screaming. The clock was ticking and they had no idea how close the two men were to finding the islet. What were they missing? Something crucial was wrong in the map. He looked at the elongated oval shape on the map again, noticing the seven ridges running along it lengthwise.

  Razi paused. “There’s something about this.” He looked at Shifa. “I feel like I’ve seen it before. Have you?”

  Shifa considered it for a long time. “I don’t think so.”

  But he couldn’t shake off the feeling that it was familiar. Something he’d seen before.

  “Maybe there’s another clue in the map,” said Shifa. They examined it again, holding it down on the hot rock so that it didn’t flutter away. “What about the sun on the side there, casting rays?”

  Razi frowned. “That’s just to show direction, I think. It’s showing that that side’s east.”

  “Hm, I don’t know. It’s more normal to show north in a map, isn’t it? Why show east?”

  “Good point.” He wondered if Zheng had any clues from the captain that could help. Something flickered on the edges of his memory, but he couldn’t quite catch hold of it.

  “This is hopeless,” said Shifa, looking up. “Not much can change in a matter of weeks. Maybe we’ve got it wrong. Or maybe there never was a Dagger of Serendib here. Either way, there’s nothing we can do now. We should leave.”

  “No! Without the treasure, we’d have nothing to bargain with. What about Zheng? What about taking the dagger back home where it belongs!”

  “We’re too exposed out here. We agreed we’d be back home before nightfall. If Marco and Cook get here, we’re finished.”

  “But if we leave, then Zheng’s finished.”

  Shifa stared around helplessly. “I know, but we can’t help him if we get caught. We’ll have to think of something else, Razi.”

  As if in response to her mood, Razi sensed a change in the atmosphere. The sky darkened suddenly and the wind dropped. Razi stared at the sea as Shifa rolled up the map and put it in its lotus-leaf case.

  A chill settled in his heart as everything went a dull grey.

  “What’s the matter?” said Shifa. “Come on! We should leave before Marco gets here.”

  Razi cleared his throat. “I don’t mean to scare you, but we couldn’t leave even if we wanted to.”

  “What are you talking about?” Shifa stared at him. “Of course we can leave. We have to.”

  “It’s just that I think it would be advisable to stay, that’s all. Let’s not overthink these things; best to just go with the flow. Now, where shall we––”

  “Razi, stop blabbering! I can tell you’re scared to death. What’s the matter?”

  He looked at his sister. “There’s a storm coming.”

  “All the more reason to get out of here at once,” said Shifa, running to the boat.

  “No! We can’t go to sea like this. Look at that sky! It’s madness.”

  “It was fine two minutes ago!” shouted Shifa. She looked panicked. “Which means it must be miles away and moving really slowly. We’ll just have to row fast and get back quickly.”

  “Shifa, it’s too dangerous,” he said. “We’ll have to stay on the islet tonight.”

  A flash in the sky made them jump. Then there was a clap of thunder and Shifa screamed.

  “We can’t stay on this islet during a storm! We just can’t, Razi. Let’s get out right now so that we beat it.”

  But Razi was shaking his head even as she was speaking.

  “Are you sure?” she said. “I mean—”

  “I’m positive. I’m a fisherboy, Shifa. I know how to read the sea.”

  His sister took a deep breath. “You’re right.” Her eyes were red, as if she was trying hard not to cry. “It’s just – this –” She gestured around them at the little islet, small and unprotected. “I really don’t want to be stuck here in the middle of the ocean during a storm.”

  Razi looked around them and the seriousness of the situation sank in. How big was the storm? What if the islet got submerged? “We should secure the boat,” he said.

  They ran to the boat and dragged it further up the beach, being careful not to damage it.

  “Let’s get it right to the middle, close to the cliff,” said Razi. “Then there’s less chance it could get swept out to sea.”

  He really wasn’t sure what to expect.

  “It’s just a precaution. I don’t think we need to worry,” he lied.

  Shifa didn’t look convinced but she helped bring in the boat and wedge it under the cliff in a copse of coconut trees. Razi secured it by lashing it to one of the trees. In a storm where even the thickest tree could fall he knew the wiry coconut tree was the strongest of all. He triple-tied it, hoping it was enough to secure their lifeline.

  Then he looked out to sea in disbelief. “Oh no! It’s Marco!”

  They ran to the shore. Sure enough, Marco and Cook were coming towards them at speed in a fancy-looking boat. What was he playing at? He had to know about the storm!

  “What do we do?” said Razi, panicking. He took the map from Shifa and put it down his shirt like Zheng had done.

  “Let’s be bold about it,” she said. “We can’t run away so let’s pretend we’re not scared.”


  As the boat got closer they could see there was another figure slumped down inside.

  “Zheng!” said Shifa, practically squealing in happiness. “He’s alive!”

  Zheng was bound and gagged, bouncing about in the boat as they came nearer. His eyes widened at the sight of Razi and Shifa and he shook his head from side to side.

  “Too late, Zheng,” said Razi under his breath. “We’re here now.” But his heart was soaring at the sight of the boy.

  The boat landed and Marco jumped out. “Where is it?” he said, barrelling towards the children.

  Cook brought the boat up and jumped out too. Zheng was left in the boat, wriggling and protesting through his gag.

  “Where is what?” asked Razi.

  “Don’t play games with me,” said Marco, his voice dangerously icy.

  “You can have the map,” said Shifa. “But please let Zheng go.”

  Marco gave a mirthless laugh. “Nice try. We don’t need the map now. Where’s the treasure?”

  “We couldn’t find it,” said Razi. “We did try.”

  He glanced up at the dark clouds, now stacking up vertically overhead. Marco looked up too, and his expression darkened.

  Cook and Marco shared a look. Razi knew they were thinking about the storm.

  “Where’s your boat?” Marco asked suddenly, looking around.

  Shifa answered in a beat. “The sea was rough and our boat got pulled out.”

  Marco looked startled, then guffawed loudly.

  “We need to go now,” said Cook, glancing at the sea. “This boat should just about get us back before the storm hits.”

  Marco gave them a triumphant look. “That’s a good plan, actually. Goodbye, children. Enjoy the storm. We’ll be back to get the treasure when it – and you – have gone.”

  He turned and went up to the boat, Cook jumping in after him. Zheng groaned and flipped about like a fish out of water. To Razi’s surprise, Shifa screamed and ran up to the boat behind them.

  “This is all your fault!” she said, jumping in and slapping Zheng’s face. He looked completely confused as Shifa crouched over him. “We never should have got mixed up in any of this.”

  Marco grabbed her and pushed her off the boat. They sailed quickly away from the islet as the sky got blacker and blacker.

  “What are they doing?” said Shifa, stumbling back to Razi, who looked at her, open-mouthed. He knew she was frustrated but he’d never seen her do anything like that before. “They’re going the wrong way, aren’t they?”

  “They know the storm is nearly here, so I expect they’re going to wait it out somewhere else rather than go all the way back to Serendib.”

  From their direction, Razi guessed they were trying to land in one of the clusters of islands to the southwest. Somewhere the land was higher perhaps, where they were more protected and sure of being safe. Unlike their tiny, exposed treasure islet.

  Despite Shifa’s outburst, she didn’t seem to have taken in the full implication of Marco’s words and he didn’t want to make it worse by telling her that, in reality, Marco had left them there to die.

  Thunder crashed overhead.

  “Come on,” said Razi. “Let’s try to find find some shelter.”

  “The only place is the boat,” said Shifa. “The coconut trees might help keep it safe?”

  But Razi wasn’t so sure. He suddenly had a brainwave. “Let’s go up to the cliff.”

  “What? That’s completely exposed.”

  Razi looked at Shifa. He needed her to grasp the seriousness of the situation. “I’m worried that the islet will submerge in the storm.”

  Shifa’s normally rosy complexion drained of colour. “What, r-really? OK, let’s go up the cliff then.”

  Thunder growled again, and a sprinkle of rain started to fall. Shifa ran to the boat and grabbed a few items from the basket. “Might as well have some food with us.” She stashed the basket back and covered it with a waterproof sheet from the boat.

  Razi stuffed the food in his pockets as they went up the cliff. He was glad they hadn’t waited for the rain to come bucketing down; it was slippery enough as it was.

  Shifa went in front and Razi followed, using the same footholds that she did. The map inside his shirt slipped and he caught it before it fell out. He climbed the last part very quickly, the map in his hand, and just reached the top as lightning flashed, framing him for a second.

  The view from the cliff was spectacular. The islet stretched below around them, all greyed out in the haze. The sea too had gone grey and almost glassy. Not a single sea creature could be seen. They’d probably all gone into deep water in readiness for the storm.

  Razi noticed that the waves hitting the rocks at the edge of the islet were getting stronger and more frequent. The wind was picking up and the coconut leaves started to thrash about.

  The children sat under a small overhang in the cliff that gave them a little protection. Opposite, a clump of trees reached high towards the sky.

  “That’s good,” said Shifa. “If lightning strikes it’ll do it there!”

  “Let’s eat,” said Razi, giving her a couple of mangosteens from his pocket. “Before everything gets wet.”

  He took one himself and removed the stalk, crushing the shell between his palms. He took out a couple of the white segments and popped them in his mouth, enjoying their sweetness.

  “We’ll be all right,” said Shifa, as if to convince herself.

  Razi pulled out the now slightly crumpled map and pushed it into a long crevice in the cliff behind them. “Of course we will. And look on the bright side. We know that Zheng is alive and well, and we’ll rescue him once we’re out of this.”

  It was the only comforting thought as they waited for the coming storm, alone and unprotected in the wide grey ocean.

  Zheng’s head was sore from having hit it repeatedly on the side of the boat. He manoeuvred himself slightly so that he was in a better position to carry out his plan. He had very limited time in which to do what he had to do. The islet was disappearing from view already.

  “South-west,” said Cook to Marco, looking at the crumpled copy of the map that Razi had drawn.

  Zheng was as surprised as anything when the usually measured Shifa had attacked him like that. Until he felt the coldness of a knife blade press against his hand and he closed his fist round the handle before Marco had thrown her off the boat.

  He’d sawed quickly through his ropes but left the gag on. The men were busy trying to get away as fast as they could and hadn’t noticed a thing. As soon as he was free, Zheng threw the ropes into the water and jumped in himself.

  Cook yelled, “Idiot boy! What’s he doing?”

  The sea around Zheng churned and spat angrily. He dived under the boat and bobbed up on the other side.

  “Leave him!” said Marco. “We don’t have time for this. Let him die.”

  The men thought he was still tied up, seeing only his gagged head in the waves. That suited Zheng fine. He went down again, staying in the murky, churning depths until he was sure the boat had continued on its way.

  He popped up and gasped for air. He pulled off the gag quickly and swam towards the islet, which he could hardly see in the hazy greyness. He’d have to be as fast as he could, and keep the islet in sight always.

  He was starting to tire before he’d covered even half the distance.

  The rains came down quite suddenly and the sound drummed in his ears. He looked around him and realised he’d lost any sense of where the islet was. He’d have to keep swimming and hope for the best.

  This was nothing new to Zheng, of course. He was good at keeping his wits about him. The captain had always said that.

  The thought of the captain made Zheng’s heart contract. From the lonely coldness of his uncle’s house he’d found love and belonging on the seas. Now here he was, stuck in the ocean in a storm with no one to miss him if he died.

  Zheng slipped under the water.

  Nobo
dy would care. Nobody would care if he died.

  Except, on a little islet somewhere in the same ocean, were two children who did care.

  They cared enough to come for him, leaving behind the safety of their home and a mother who loved them.

  Zheng opened his eyes underwater. It was dark and murky down there, just like his insides. A large leatherback turtle swept away in front of him, its distinct markings jogging a memory somewhere. The captain’s words came into his mind. Follow the turtle, Zheng.

  Zheng kicked up and broke the surface.

  This time he could make out something in the distance. The cliffs of the islet perhaps? He couldn’t give up now.

  He was Zheng, survivor of everything!

  He struck out with renewed determination and swam towards the cliffs. It was slow going and his arms and legs began to strain. The cliffs got closer and he could see the islet shrouded in a veil of slashing rain and grey sludge.

  He was so close now he could even see the beach in front of him. But exhaustion had overtaken his body and his vision had gone blurry.

  “Razi!” he called out, his voice feeble and drowned out by the crashing waves. “Shifa!” He had to stay conscious. He tried to take in deep breaths but sputtered from inhaling rain and seawater.

  Despite his determination, he could feel himself losing the battle and closed his eyes.

  When the rain came, it lashed down in curtains, drumming into the cliff and drenching the little islet. Razi and his sister huddled close together, pressing into the overhang as much as they could, sometimes clinging on as the wind raged and slashed at them. They were soon cold, wet and hungry, but the rain poured relentlessly around them, pooling at their feet and preventing them from moving.

  At the foot of the cliff, the boat juddered violently as the wind battered it. The coconut trunks seemed to be forming a protective cage around it. The island had begun to submerge, but only just, and the boat bobbed in place as the ropes held.