Journey to Rainbow Island (24 page)

The children ran into the ocean to greet the dolphins, and the pink mammals proceeded to give many of the screaming kids short rides around the cove. It was an uplifting scene, and Yu-ning smiled in spite of her concerns about what lay ahead. Minkaro raced through a small wave, riding the breaker high onto the beach, to the very edge of the wet sand.

“Greetings from Rainbow Island,” Minkaro called out to the children all around. “It is so nice to see you all, and we are looking forward to bringing you back to your new home on our beautiful Island. You will never have to make another toy in your life—unless you want to!” With this, there was an explosion of cheers and tears of joy from the ecstatic children. Many of the kids surged forward to hug Minkaro.

Metatron, Suparna, and Yu-ning greeted Minkaro and confirmed their plans. Minkaro and Yu-ning would travel south past Rainbow and Malinga Islands, and then due east around the northern coast of Gracia Island, staying out of the icy southern waters as long as possible. Once past Gracia, they would travel southeast, straight on to Farcara Island, home of Snowy Mountain. At the same time, Suparna and Metatron would travel east, in the direction of Baggul Island.

The beach camp was quickly struck, the children scattering the driftwood and sea grass back to where they found it. When they were done, the beach seemed just as they had found it. As preparations were made for departure, Anne
approached Yu-ning and asked to speak with her alone. “Yuning, please promise me that you will try to rescue my sister from the boarding school on Malinga island.”

“Anne, I don't know if we will have time—we must reach Farcara Island as swiftly as possible to find Joshua and recover the lost arrows.”

“But you know what the headmistress did to us—she sold us into slavery!” implored Anne. “And she will do the same thing with other students—this is not the only sweat factory in our realm. There is always a market for child slaves. You must promise me that you will try.”

“All right, Anne, I promise. I will do what I can for your sister,” Yu-ning said. She had no idea how she would convince Minkaro to stop at Malinga Island, but she knew she had to try when the opportunity arose.

The children were organized into groups of ten and eleven and guided onto the backs of the dolphins. It was a wondrous sight to see the long line of pink dolphins beached in the shallow water, with excited children atop their backs, waiting to depart for a new life on Rainbow Island.

One moment it was a loud, raucous celebration, and then, just as the last group of waving children disappeared around the point of the bay, it became very quiet. The only sound was the soft
swoosh
of the waves breaking upon the steep, sandy beach. Yu-ning, Metatron, Suparna, and Minkaro said quiet goodbyes as Yu-ning mounted the dolphin king. Her saddle had been secured around Minkaro, along with her backpack and Lightcaster.

Metatron gave Yu-ning a goose-down jacket, which he had brought with him from Rainbow Island. “Your goose friend, Mary, and her friends donated the feathers, Yu-ning.
It was made especially for you,” he said, as he hugged her goodbye. “I venture you will need it in the snowy climes of the southern isles.”

Magic tried to hop onto Minkaro's slick back, but kept sliding into the shallow water. “No, Magic, you can't come,” Yu-ning said. “If something should happen to us in the open ocean, it would be a very long swim for you!” Magic was downcast, but dutifully hopped into the front pocket of Metatron's robe instead.

Minkaro was a very fast swimmer, and as he and Yu-ning left the beach, it took only a few seconds for him to cross the small bay and head into open water. As they exited the mouth of the cove, the water rapidly turned from an aqua blue to a deep purple. Yu-ning looked over her shoulder just in time to see Suparna take wing, Metatron on his back.

A
S
Y
U-NING AND
M
INKARO
, Suparna and Metatron raced south, they eventually caught sight of the great pod of dolphins, with the children safe and secure on their backs. Minkaro pulled up alongside the pod as the children cheered and waved at Yu-ning. But this was not a pleasure cruise for Yu-ning and Minkaro; serious business lay ahead for them.

Yu-ning gave one last wave to the children as Minkaro swam ahead of the pod, determined to cross as much open water as possible while they still had the daylight. She looked back and nodded at Metatron, who tipped his large grey hat in her direction as the great pink dolphin put distance between himself and the rest of his pod. As decided earlier, Suparna and the wizard would escort the dolphins and their young passengers back to Rainbow Island, just in case of trouble. From there, Suparna and Metatron would go to Baggul on their rescue mission.

Yu-ning felt as if she was gliding across the sea, as Minkaro was achieving speeds she didn't think possible. They were swimming so fast that Minkaro was actually skimming across the water, bouncing rhythmically over the glassy sea. The fine weather and calm conditions made for easy travel, and the dolphin king was making even better time than he had hoped. Afternoon came and went, and evening fell, a canvas of brilliant stars hanging above the dark floor of the smooth, vast sea.

By the following morning, they had crossed the strait between Darqendia and Rainbow Island and were headed into more familiar waters. “We will only be able to stop on Rainbow Island for a short while, Yu-Ning,” Minkaro said. “Just enough time to refresh your water skins and alert everyone that the children are on their way.”

Yu-ning was thrilled to hear that they would be stopping, even for just a short while. They entered Rainbow Cove at daybreak, just as the village was beginning to stir. Yu-ning was given a hearty reception, but her friends were sad to hear that the stop would be short. Feeling very homesick, and dreading the thought of leaving again so soon, she asked Minkaro if they could at least wait to make sure the dolphins and children arrived safely.

“I wish we could, Yu-ning, but we must keep moving,” Minkaro answered. “The children are now many hours behind us, and we can't afford to spend that much time waiting for them.” Yu-ning grew quiet, and Minkaro sensed her sadness. “I know you miss your friends, Yu-ning. But be encouraged—destiny has chosen you for this place at this time, and it is a brave thing that you do.”

She nodded and left the beach to search for Cristobel, her trusted friend and instructor. Yu-ning found her in the main room of the school, which now looked like a regular hall again, since the last two patients from the makeshift hospital had been released just the day before.

Yu-ning told Cristobel about the boarding school on Malinga, the trafficking of students as slave labor, and her promise to Anne to try to release her sister, Ariadne, from the school.

“We can't allow any child to stay at a school where they are being mistreated, Cristobel,” said Yu-ning. “We must go and find out. When Suparna arrives, tell him to fly to Malinga straight away—I will be at the boarding school this time tomorrow, so he can't waste any time. Tell him it's on the northernmost tip of the island, on a high bluff—Anne says it's impossible to miss. I may need Suparna's help, since Minkaro can't venture from the sea.”

Cristobel promised that she would deliver the message to Suparna just as soon as he arrived. “But you mustn't tell Master Metatron. He will try to stop Suparna!”

“I will tell Suparna, but if Metatron inquires, I will have to tell him the truth,” Cristobel said.

After stocking up on fresh supplies, she and Minkaro headed out to sea again as the Rainbow Children, Julian, and all Yu-ning's animal friends waved goodbye. The weather still held, and they made excellent time as they ventured south toward Malinga Island. The days and nights started to blend together for Yu-ning, who awoke on the third morning to see land in the distance. “Is that Malinga Island, Minkaro?”

“Yes, it is, Yu-ning. But we won't be stopping there. We are heading east from here, and will travel around the northern end of Gracia Island and then straight on for Farcara. That will allow us to avoid the colder waters for a bit longer.”

“I need to stop on Malinga Island for a few hours, Minkaro. There is something I must do there,” Yu-ning said, with authority in her voice. “I made a promise to Anne that I would check on her sister.”

Minkaro protested and told Yu-ning there wasn't time. “Minkaro, if you don't stop, I will jump off and swim to shore. I made a promise!” Once Yu-ning relayed the story of how the students were being sold into slavery, Minkaro reluctantly agreed to make a brief stop on the island. Minkaro had swum past the island before and had a general idea where the boarding school was located. The shore was rocky, but Minkaro found a small sandy cove, depositing Yu-ning on the soft sand. “Thank you, Minkaro, for understanding,” Yu-ning said.

“Well, I am not sure I
do
understand, Yu-ning. But I know you feel strongly about this, so I will let you go. But you must be back here before the sun sets if we are to stay on schedule.”

Yu-ning agreed to return on time, and set out north along the beach. At the end of the beach was a rocky bluff, at the foot of which she found a well-trodden path. The path hugged the side of the bluff in a steep ascent before leveling out at the top. From there she made her way swiftly north, toward the boarding school. The path afforded an excellent view of both the sea and the inland hills and forests. Malinga was a lush, green island, and Yu-ning was struggling to reconcile such beauty with the atrocities occurring in the nearby school.

The path led downhill and paralleled the beach for a short distance, and rose again onto a rocky cliff high above the sea. At the top, just a quarter mile further on, was the school. From this distance, it looked peaceful and stately—a finely built school with high white walls and a red terra cotta roof. She picked up her pace, now jogging down the path and working out a plan for what she was going to do when she arrived.

As she approached the school, she took in the beautiful green lawn surrounding the main buildings, as well as the immaculate gardens and well-trimmed trees. She approached the front entrance and walked inside. A guard greeted her at the door, and, perhaps thinking she was a new student, allowed her to proceed. Through the main lobby, two corridors led in opposite directions. She chose the corridor to her right and began to walk down the hallway. There were many rooms on either side of the hall; however, they were dark and closed.

Yu-ning walked toward the room at the end and quietly opened the door. She was standing at the back entrance to a large classroom, with high walls and windows with drawn shades to block out the sun. The space was plain and monotone; there was no decoration or color. About thirty students sat quietly at their desks, writing. They were all silent and expressionless; no one was smiling.

Yu-ning saw a woman who looked to be in her late forties, with glasses and a tight bun at the nape of her neck. She was standing at the front of the classroom, writing on the chalkboard. It looked as if her attractive, feminine features had been hardened by a life of strict discipline, control, and
rigidity. She was wearing a white blouse buttoned to the collar, and a long blue skirt. She looked stern and severe. On her desk were a jar of pencils sharpened to a perfect point, a yellow-lined notepad, and a long bamboo reed. The sight of it made Yu-ning quiver.

Fear and restraint filled the room. Yu-ning heard the intermittent exhalations from the children who were holding their breath as they worked. An eight-year-old boy with gentle eyes and brown hair sat in the back of the room, next to the windows. He was the only person who looked directly at Yu-ning standing in the doorway. He, like the other children, was wearing the school uniform: white shirt, blue shorts, with navy blue V-neck sweater.

On the right side of his sweater, embroidered in red thread, was the name “Percival.” He was writing. Yu-ning, instantly drawn to the boy, tiptoed around the back of the classroom and over to his desk. “Hi,” she whispered. “Is your name Percival?” Yu-ning was smiling.

Percival was surprised. He quickly looked up at the teacher, whose back was still toward the students, and around at the other children, who were so immersed in their writing exercise that they didn't notice Yu-ning. He nodded at her and smiled. He held his index finger over his mouth and ducked down to whisper, “Yes, my name is Percival, but people call me Percy. What is your name?” He looked around again to make sure no one noticed them.

“My name is Yu-ning. What are you writing?” Yu-ning saw two piles of papers, one pushed up against the right corner of his desk and the other to the left.

In hushed tones Percy explained, “Well, this stack on the right has all the ideas I
want
to write about, and this stack on
the left are the
school
assignments. I have to sneak to write what I want so the teacher won't get angry. If we don't follow the rules, she thrashes us with that bamboo reed on her desk.” Percy raised his sleeve to show Yu-ning red welts on his arm.