diff --git a/_drafts/the-islands-part1.md b/_drafts/the-islands-part1.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e879bb9 --- /dev/null +++ b/_drafts/the-islands-part1.md @@ -0,0 +1,67 @@ +--- +title: "The Islands: Part 1" +author: "James Pace" +date: "2024/10/08" +--- + +> "The Islands" is a fictional series that take place in an chain +> of islands in an alternate universe. +> +> I'm writing this as an excuse to improve my writing skills, +> but I hope you also can derive some joy from it. +> + +The boats constant bobbing up and down in the rough seas made the island up +ahead appear even more intimidating than it did on a normal day. +We may have been pulling up to the southern beach of the island, but it was the +mountain that set on the northern shore that dominated the scene. +The mountain was grey and almost dreary looking, with asymmetric sections +that jutted out every such way, almost like little bolts of lightning. +The southern beach, where we were headed, was gorgeous, with the blue water +reflecting the image of the palm trees growing out of the pearl white sand. + +It was hard to miss the contrast. + +"Mahalo!" + +I hear a deep friendly voice yell as the boat bounces into the dock. +A cheery round man waves at us passengers from dock as the captain +moors the small charter boat. + +"Welcome, welcome", the man says at no one in particular. + +"Make sure to grab all your belongings and form a line!", he says cheeringly, +"I'll bring you through customs shortly." + +The boat is quickly emptied and we follow the man through a gate towards the custom +building. +The man starts chatting with the man at the front of the line and provides some tips +for the best places to eat on the island. +The man is extremely cheerful. +I notice the irony that we're following short Santa Claus through a gate with guards +holding guns, fingers on the trigger, on each side. + +The customs building is built from rock from the mountain and looks like a fortress. +If it wasn't for the men in the black uniforms holding M16s, you could be forgiven +for assuming you were in a medieval fortress. + +On the left side of the door into the customs office is a sign that reads "Welcome!". +On the right is a shield for the Second Royal Regiment, which proudly displays the motto +"As the moutain protects the north we protect the south." under a drawing of a body crushed +under a boulder, only the legs sticking out. + +I found my self mulling on the contrast of a "Welcome" sign next to a sign showing death, +when out guide smiled at me and said "Your next!" while pointing towards a desk where a +custom's agent stood. + +I borught my brain back into reality a smiled at the guide before walking towards the agent. +I already had all the paperwork I needed in hand. + +The customs agent looked through all my paperwork and then looked again, before looking at me +in the eye and completely dead pan saying "You may proceed through the double doors. +Enjoy your stay." + +I walked through the heavy wood doors, and was immediately attacked by the light. +I took a deep breath in and then repacked my documents. + +It was time to make it to my next destination on the island. diff --git a/index.qmd b/index.qmd index 53e1947..2fbb1ba 100644 --- a/index.qmd +++ b/index.qmd @@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ listing: Welcome to my blog, dedicated to things I've learned and am currently learning. -A lot of the intital content has come from things I'm working on for my for-fun -projects, and are thus are related to programming and Open Source software. -Over time, I hope to chronicle different types of content as my interests -change. +I'm currently writing a series of fiction called "The Islands" as an excuse to +draw. + + ## Latest Posts