The sea was never this quiet.
Fourteen-year-old Arin stood at the edge of the small wooden boat, staring at the strange island ahead. It didn't appear on any map. No birds flew above it. No waves crashed against its shore. It was as if the island was holding its breath.
"Are you sure about this?" Mira asked, gripping her backpack tightly.
Arin nodded. "We've come this far. We can't turn back now."
They had found the island by accident. Or maybe not by accident. Arin had discovered an old compass in his grandfather's attic a week ago. It didn't point north—it pointed somewhere else. Somewhere strange. When he followed its direction, it led them here.
The moment their feet touched the sand, the compass needle began spinning wildly.
"This is not normal," Mira whispered.
Ahead of them stood a dense forest. The trees were taller than any they had ever seen, their twisted branches blocking the sunlight. A narrow path seemed to invite them in.
They walked carefully. Every step felt louder than it should. Suddenly, the ground beneath Arin shifted. He grabbed Mira's hand just in time as a hidden trapdoor opened beneath them. They slid down a tunnel and landed softly on moss-covered ground.
"Where are we?" Mira asked, brushing dirt off her jacket.
They were inside a huge underground chamber. In the center stood a stone pedestal, and on it lay a glowing crystal. The air hummed with energy.
"The compass…" Arin said. It was pointing directly at the crystal.
As he stepped forward, the walls began to shake. Strange symbols lit up around the chamber. A deep voice echoed:
"Only the brave may claim the Heart of the Island."
Mira swallowed. "That doesn't sound welcoming."
Arin took a deep breath and lifted the crystal. The shaking stopped instantly. A bright light filled the room, and suddenly they were back on the beach.
The island was no longer silent. Birds flew overhead. Waves crashed loudly. The trees looked normal again.
In Arin's hand, the crystal had turned into a simple blue stone.
"What just happened?" Mira asked.
Arin smiled slightly. "I think the island was testing us."
As they stepped back into their boat, the island slowly faded behind the mist, disappearing as mysteriously as it had appeared.
The compass?
It finally pointed north again.
But Arin knew one thing for sure—
Some adventures don't end.
They wait.