RockFord Island

Chapter Three

          "Are you sure you've got everything?" Oscar asks, walking down the dock.

          "Yup—you don't have to worry about me," I reply, even though I'm slightly tentative.

          He laughs. "Oh, really? Remember our road trip down to Arizona? We had to go all the way back to Nevada just because you forgot the iPad."

          "Dude, come on. I was younger back then. And besides, it only took us like half an extra day."

          "Yeah. Tell that to mom and dad," he says, the boards of the dock creaking underneath our feet. "They were pissed off when we had to turn around on the freeway!"

          "Whatever." I give him a sassy brother look, gripping the bag of tents that rest along my shoulder. "Anyway, you gonna help me out here? This shit is heavier than it looks."

          "Fine. Only because it was you who came up with this awesome idea."

          "It was our idea—the whole group."

          "True, but I still think we should be thanking you. I mean, this is gonna be the highlight of the entire trip, no question."

          This morning, when we attempted to check in to our new hotel, we were informed that our rooms were not available until tomorrow. I couldn't believe it...Shawn and I had booked everything so carefully in advance. The receptionist even showed us our misdated reservation on the computer screen, only confirming, that technically, we don't have a place to stay tonight. Obviously, at first, this raised some concern amongst the group. But as we started asking questions around town, our worries were deflated with some rather fascinating news.

          Remember Brad and Cindy? Those crazy, drunk hippies who told us about the island last night? Well, turns out those motherfucker were telling the truth! Because we ran into some local fishermen later this morning, who said they actually knew about the secret island. To be honest, we were all shocked. One of the fishermen, Pierre, who's skinny and extremely short, even offered to take us there in his small, blue and red junk boat. Shawn and I are discreetly planning on giving him a solid payday if things really go throgh.

          So guess what? We're gonna be edgy and spend the night at RockFord Island! How freakin' cool is that? Obviously, there were some fears and questions going into the group. But in the end, we all agreed that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and that we had to live this longing vacation up to the fullest, since it had been a lifelong dream of ours. I'm more excited than ever before.

          Oscar and I then finally reach the end of the dock, where Christina and Shawn are already in the boat, loading our stuff up. Pierre is crouched down on one knee, starting to untie the many ropes that hold the boat to the dock. He's wearing a rice hat, a pair of black shorts, and a grey T-shirt. Pierre may not speak the best English, but he is a very happy, positive person. 

          He turns around to greet my brother and I with a big Vietnamese smile, speaking in his broken accent. "Ah, there you is! Ready to visit most beautiful island you ever see?"

          "Yes, I am!" I remark excitedly. "We are all very grateful for this. Thank you so much."

          "Yeah, we really appreciate it, man," Shawn replies, tucking the cooler into a shaded corner. "If it wasn't for you, we'd probably be sleeping on the sidewalk tonight. At least we have some fun this way, you know?"

          Pierre smiles again. "Really, it's not a problem! I happy to take you there. Not many people know of the island, so you a lucky one!"

          "Yes, we sure are lucky," Christina agrees while applying suntan lotion to her neck. "Do you usually take tourists around in your boat?"