Lonny Chapter Five
CHAPTER FIVE
All was quiet on the island. Lonny was happy with his nest and his berries. He loved all his bird friends now more than he had before, and felt more at home here on Wing Island than he had since he came here. He loved this island more every day and rarely thought about returning to Turtle Island. Then one day, as he was just about to lie down for the night, he heard the loud squawking of the long distance flying birds over the water near the island. He rushed out to see what was going on. The flying birds landed at full speed on Lonny’s beach, almost diving into the sand because they were going so fast.
“I need help,” a bird named Shanna told Lonny. My friend Antoine hurt his wing while we were at another island. He thought he could make it across the water and get back but his wing gave out. He’s stuck in the water miles from here and can’t fly. You’re the only one who can help him, Lonny.”
Before the long distance bird had finished talking, Lonny rushed down the beach and into the water. Shanna took off and led the way as Lonny swam swiftly to rescue Antoine. He knew that any bird stranded that far out in the water would almost certainly never be seen again unless they were rescued. He knew the dangers that were in the sea. It was getting dark, and the waves were high. Lonny swam with all his might, hoping the bird would not be overcome by the strong waves before he could get to him. Within minutes Lonny could see Shanna going in circles up in the sky to let him know where the stranded bird was. Looking in that direction Lonny was relieved to see that Antoine was still floating on the surface of the water. The brave bird was using his good wing to pull himself up every time a wave pulled him under. As Lonny got closer to him he could see how tired and frightened he was.
“Get on my back,” Lonny told him. “I’ll swim back to Wing Island where you’ll be safe.”
As they made their way back to the island the waves became higher and Lonny couldn’t see over them. He was being careful because he knew his passenger couldn’t hold on very tightly with only one good wing, but he was still able to made steady progress through the rough water. Then he caught sight of something in between the waves ahead. Lonny didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt very afraid. Something about what he saw bobbing in between the high waves had made him feel very small, alone and frightened. Then he remembered the octopus was still living in this water!
He knew what it was he had seen. It was the tip of a large tentacle. The octopus that had tried to drown him and had chased him from his home was up ahead, waiting for him.
Lonny began to swim faster. He thought that if he could swim faster than the octopus he could escape any attack. He moved quickly to the side, determined to stay as far away from the octopus as possible. He swam full speed past it and was able to easily outrun it. Happy to have gotten away, Lonny turned his head to make sure his passenger was alright, but the bird was no longer on his back. Lonny’s speed and quick turning had thrown Antoine off, and now he was lost somewhere in the waves. Lonny looked around, hoping to find his bird friend. He had promised to bring him home safely to Wing Island. He needed to find him, and find him fast.
“Where are you,” Lonny called out, hoping Antoine would be able to answer him.
“Over here, Lonny. Help me.”
Quickly, Lonny swam in the direction of Antoine’s voice. He could see him bobbing in the waves, trying hard to stay above the surface of the water. He was exhausted and his wings were wet and heavy. Lonny dove deep under the water. He could swim faster that way because there were no high waves to hold him back. He came back up when he knew he was close to the bird he needed to rescue. Then he saw the octopus again. It had found the helpless bird and was moving quickly toward him. Lonny stopped swimming. He thought about how powerful each one of those tentacles was, and how they had knocked him around in the water. He knew he could swim faster than the octopus. He could run away, but that meant leaving Antoine who needed him.
“You can do it, Lonny.”
Lonny looked around him. He knew he had just heard someone say he could do it, but whom? There was no one near him. Then he realized that the voice was coming from deep within his heart.
“How,” Lonny asked out loud. “What can I do?”
“Use your gift, Lonny. I’ve given you everything you need. Use what you already have.”
Looking up Lonny knew what he had to do. He again dove down deep under the water. He began to swim toward the octopus as fast as he could. He swam faster and faster until he was going as fast as he could. He saw the octopus and headed straight toward it. Swimming at his full speed, he rammed into it, and knocked it backward. It rolled helplessly in the water, stunned and unable to fight back. Then, Lonny went to find Antoine and bring him home, just as he had promised he would do.
By the time Lonny and Antoine got to Wing Island, the other birds had gathered with Mr. Blue on the beach. Shanna, who led Lonny to where Antoine was stranded, had gotten there ahead of them. She told everyone what happened, and how Lonny fought off the octopus rather than leave a bird helpless and stranded. They all watched in silence as Lonny climbed up out of the water and onto the beach.
“What made you do it,” a young bird asked. “What made you so brave?”
Lonny held one of his huge flippers up for all to see. “God didn’t give me wings so I could fly away from trouble,” he said in a firm voice.
Mr. Blue nodded. It was as if he was seeing Lonny for the first time again. Two years on the island had changed Lonny. His flippers, once small and light, were now large and heavy. His shell was as strong as the large rocks on the island. Everyone had gotten so used to him and he had grown so slowly that no one had really noticed it. Lonny was not a little turtle anymore.
Early the next morning Lonny had a long talk with his friend Mr. Blue. They both knew that the time had come for Lonny to make the trip back to Turtle Island. They spent hours talking about all the things they had done together and how much they would miss seeing each other every day.
“I won’t forget you, Lonny,” Mr. Blue told him. “And you’ll be hearing from me.”
“How can that be?” Lonny asked.
Mr. Blue smiled. “Don’t you remember? Sometimes God uses others to help us when we need help. The long distance birds have offered their help to us. Anytime we have something to say to each other they will be our voice.”
“I remember,” Lonny said, smiling back at Mr. Blue. “God answers prayers in many different ways. And, He takes the things we give him, and hides them in a secret place until they grow and become more and more. Then, He gives us back much more. I wanted wings for one day; he showed me that I had wings to keep for my whole life. I asked Him to help me run from the octopus; He gave me the strength and wisdom to fight off the octopus. I asked Him to help me get home, and He gave me three homes: Turtle Island, my first home, Wing Island, my second home, and heaven, my home I’ll someday go to forever.”
Later that morning all the other birds came to see Lonny as he prepared to leave for his long swim back to Turtle Island. They brought good food for him to eat, and told him how much they enjoyed having him on their island. One bird, who had said very little to Lonny the whole time he had been on Wing Island took him aside.
“Lonny,” he told him. “I always thought turtles were big and mean. I never thought they were friendly. You changed my mind about turtles because you were so nice and helpful. Now I know that a turtle can be loving and caring. I’ll never see turtles the same way because of how you loved us. Thank you, Lonny.”
When Lonny left Wing Island, he had tears in his eyes. This time they were not tears of fear, or loneliness, or hopelessness. When he first came to this place he felt like he had lost his home, and was a stranger on a strange island. Now he felt like he was leaving one home to go to another home. He walked slowly down the beach that had been his for almost two years. Stopping just as he came to the water, he looked at Mr. Blue.
“You were right, Mr. Blue,” he said. “Sometimes good things happen after bad things. Sometimes the bad things help us to find the good things.”
Then Lonny dove into the water. Mr. Blue watched as he swam farther and farther out to sea in the direction of Turtle Island. He knew in his heart that Lonny would make it.
The End of the Beginning