Missing by Gabrielle Lord

size of an average one-storey house. But this ‘house’ had no windows, just narrow gun slits. The whole place reminded me of the old bunker system that Gabbi and I played in on Bare Island years ago. As I crunched around the perimeter of the square building, I came to one narrow, barred window, about three metres from the ground. Now I was
certain
this was a prison.
    The rumours on Shadow Island were that someone was locked up here in this horribly desolate place. Was that true?
    Scooping up a handful of small stones, I threwthem at the bars of the window. They rattled down to the ground. I was bending to gather another handful when the sound of a man’s voice shocked me. It was coming from behind the bars. ‘Help me,’ he groaned. ‘Help me!’
    â€˜Who are you?’ I called back.
    There was a long silence. I repeated my question. Finally, after another long silence, the groaning voice spoke again, halting gaps between each word, ‘I—don’t—know. Help me. Please.’
    â€˜I will,’ I said. At that moment, I had no idea how I could help this prisoner but I couldn’t leave anyone in a place like this without trying. ‘What’s your name?’
    Again came the croaking voice, ‘I—don’t—know!’
    This time, I could hear the anguish and despair in his voice. He really didn’t know.
    Something made me turn around and I freaked out when I saw a strong light sweeping over the water as the sound of a boat penetrated the noise of wind and waves. Somebody else was heading this way! Desperate, I looked around me but there was nowhere to run. There was nowhere to hide. The chugging noise of the boat came closer and closer and the beam of light continued to sweep the ocean. I flattened myself against the cold cement of the bunker,wondering if I could make it back to the rocks. As the craft approached, I could see it was the submersible, but riding high in the water, searching for the outboard motorboat—and me.
    The light flashed over the rocky outcrop, sweeping the walls of the cement bunker. I dashed around the corner to avoid its probing beam. Then I ran to the next corner as the submersible searchlight flashed over the wall I had pressed against only seconds earlier. My heart was pounding in my ears. Any minute now they’d find me.
    Amazingly, after covering the rocky outcrop with the powerful light, the submersible just continued on its way, heading north up the coast, searching the waters around Shadow Island. They hadn’t seen me or the boat! I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
    I calculated I had enough time to get back by the time they had circumnavigated the whole island and come back to the cavern mooring. As I ran back to the boat, I paused at the wall. ‘I’m sorry, I have to go or they’ll catch me!’ I shouted up. ‘I promise I’ll come back.’ But there was silence from within. My heart sank to leave someone there, but I had to go or there would be no chance of escape for either of us.
    I rowed back as fast as I could and breathed another sigh of relief as the cavern came into view. With aching arms, I rowed over to the wharf, roping the craft until I got out, then freed it and watched it drift towards the opening to the ocean. Hopefully they’d think it had drifted off its mooring.
    I kept moving, climbing over rocks, avoiding the deep crevices between them and the surging waves that frothed up through the narrow channels. Even though the surf here was reasonably low, eddies and jets of cold water sprayed all over me as the water slapped against the uneven shale and boulder-strewn edge of Shadow Island.
    Finally, soaking wet, I made it to the sandy headland that ran out into the sea not far from the resort compound. Now all I had to do was get back inside safely.
Paradise People Resort
11:28 pm
    Then I saw the time.
    I couldn’t believe it! I’d missed the window to contact BB.