The Arks: Over Heaven

Chapter 18: Forever Promise

Original Post Date: Feb 1, 2024

Note: Story starts in Wyvern, Aerial ABC backwards filter and has a Prologue. Last chapter in Manticore, next chapter in Ichthyornis.

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“Whew, and that’s the last log finished!” Ruby let out a sigh as she clapped the dust off her hands. The raft was finally finished. What Samuel presumed to be just a thick blanket of logs tied together poorly with fiber had turned into something more. The platform raft was very sturdy and could fit everyone on board two times over, and there was also a lever made of wood that could be used to steer the raft. The raft even had a sail so that the wind would be able to blow them in the way they wished to go.

“Did we really have to build this over-the-top raft just to cross the river?” Samuel asked.

“Well, I thought about it for a moment,” Ben explained, “And I’m thinking, no. We’re not just crossing the river. We’re trying to get to the Book Club camp. I know that if we continue traveling along the coast we should be able to reach a river. If we just travel across the river we’ll make it to the camp in no time!”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Neddy said with pursed lips, “I saw a shark in the water, what if the shark eats our boat?!”

“No sharks can eat our raft,” Aurora reassured Neddy, “Sharks are friendly unless they think we’re prey.”

“Yeah and we’re on this giant attackable vulnerable raft…” Neddy replied queasily, “Definitely not prey.”

“Don’t be so paranoid, you may as well jinx us because of it,” Ruby warned Neddy.

“Right, sorry,” Neddy replied with a frown, “There’s nothing to worry about, right?”

“Yeah. Nothing to worry about. Jinxes and bad luck don't exist anyway,” Samuel declared.

With that, everyone boarded the raft, and with Samuel as their captain, they set sail for the river that leads to the Book Club…

“Smooth sailing so far,” Samuel replied as he pulled the lever a few times. Neddy was sitting criss-cross-applesauce and was peering into the deep blue sea. He was trying his best to observe the sealife down below. For some reason, the ocean surrounding the Island was crystal clear. This allowed Neddy to observe the fauna more easily.

“Woah! Are those Ichthyosaurus?!” Neddy gasped as he pointed at a bunch of dolphin-like creatures. Ruby giggled and put her chin on her fist. She was sitting next to Neddy and had her legs in the water.

“Aren’t those just dolphins?” Ruby asked curiously.

“Well, they can’t just be dolphins, after all, we’re on a-”

“Dinosaur infested island!” they both shouted in unison. The both of them laughed and hollered as they cried tears of joy. Star, on the other hand, was taking a nap next to Samuel, while Samuel’s raptor looked out into the open seas ominously, with a blank stare and a deathly grin.

Aurora, who was far away from the others, and looking out at the departing footpaw, sighed heavily as she fiddled with a strange necklace that was made of gold.

“Soooo, you gonna tell anyone about who you’re going to get with?” Ben asked as he crept up to her.

“I’m not getting with anyone,” Aurora shot back.

“Come on, it isn’t fun bottling up your emotions like that,” Ben retorted, “Hey, seems like Neddy and Ruby’s getting along really well, if you know what I mean. I thought you’d like Samuel-”

“NAH,” Aurora quickly responded, “I already said I’m not getting with anyone.”

Although it was clear that Aurora’s ears were burning up.

“It’s not a good idea to deny your emotions,” Ben told her, “Keep them hidden for too long, and they spoil fast. Then everything gets ruined. Just let loose and have some fun. You’ll appreciate it.”

Aurora scoffed and said back, “Don’t be so hypocritical. After you beat me in that tennis match, that girl was trying to get with you. You KNOW she was. So don’t try to pretend as if that didn’t happen. Trying to deny it and pretend you couldn’t see the signs. Why should I follow your advice when you can’t even follow your own?”

Ben was silent for a bit upon her words. He knew. He put his hands in his graduation robe pockets, and a waft of serenity floated in the air. He pulled his hand out to reveal a hibiscus wedged within his fingers, vines intertwining with his hands.

“Because I had a PROMISE to keep,” Ben answered solemnly, “A forever promise. And if I ever broke that promise, I’d never be able to forgive myself.”

Ben put his hands back in his pockets and the flower disappeared.

“Besides. She isn’t my type. Nobody is, really.”

Ben stopped speaking and began to shuffle away.

“Just consider what you feel toward certain people whose names start with S,” Ben said, “Why do you feel that way? Then take action. Because you might really like him without realizing it.”

Ben brushed his hair to the side, then rubbed his forehead intensely.

“Otherwise one day, you’re really going to regret it. And you’ll never be able to go back.”

Ben turned around with a big grin and closed eyes on his face. He put his hands up in the air with a smile.

“Well, nobody’s forcing you! You can do whatever you want you know,” Ben shouted with glee.

Suddenly, a large bellow radiated from the water, and Aurora got a chill of fear down her spine.