Hatter Island: Chapter 1

Foreword: So seeing as how we are in the midst of summer, I figured it would be appropriate to share a few stories about winter.  I hope to be sharing these stories, or in the case here, parts of these stories on a regular basis, with a new update to the continuing series at least once a week.  These stories will be shared either on here or over on chroniclesofnowhere.com.  So be sure to check every day or two for new updates.

To begin the adventures, below I present to you the first chapter of a story called Hatter Island.  Please let me know what you think, and whether you like the length of this first section or would like to read it in slightly longer sections.  I hope you enjoy!

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CHAPTER 1: Disembarking

Theodore Gruen watched the waves compress and decompress as he sat on the white seat in the back of the cabin of Mr. Klima’s small boat.  A light rain splashed against the cabin’s windows, falling down from the gray Alaskan sky.  Theo held onto the smaller of his two bags, glad to be sealed away from the elements, and thankful that Mr. Klima’s boat had a heater.

            

Mr. Klima coughed.  “Well, Theo, you picked the last good day to head out to Hatter Island.  The forecast says this rain is going to turn to snow tonight.”

            

“Then I’m glad you talked me into leaving sooner rather than later.”  Theo didn’t know Mr. Klima very well—or at all, really.  They had met earlier that day, when the seasoned boat captain agreed to take him out to Hatter Island, where Theo was renting a small log house for the winter.  However, he found Mr. Klima to be quite pleasant, a man of honesty and integrity.  Theo wasn’t sure why he found this comforting.  Perhaps it was the weather, or perhaps it was the fact that he intended to spend the winter alone in a small cabin on a remote island off the coast of southern Alaska.  One last view of a confident attitude felt like encouragement enough to make it through the cold months ahead.

            

“We should be arriving in just a few minutes,” said Mr. Klima.  He glanced at Theo.  “I hope you brought warmer clothes than what you’re wearing.  This is surprisingly cold weather for October, and it’s only going to get colder.”

            

Theo gestured to his large duffel bag on the floor of the boat.  “I packed 15 pairs of socks.  Do you think it will be enough?”

            

“Oh, it’ll probably do,” mused Mr. Klima.

            

When they approached Hatter Island, Theo stood up and walked over to the windows towards the front of the boat.  Through the mist, he observed the landscape.  It was a relatively small island.  East to west, it ran about a mile long, if he remembered correctly on the information he had been given, and it was about half a mile in width.  Little more than a large mound rising out of the water, it had a couple of sandy beaches, but for the most part, trees, brush and rock covered the majority of the area.

            

Coming from the north, a small dock came into sight.  Another boat was tied up at the dock and covered by a large tarp.  This boat wasn’t as big as Mr. Klima’s, probably used mostly for leisurely days of fishing or similar relaxing activities, but it looked like it could also be used easily enough for transportation as well.

            

“Whose boat is that?” asked Theo.

            

“I’m not sure,” said Mr. Klima.  “You know what though, it must belong to the Halssons.  For some reason, I thought they were back on the mainland.”

            

“The Halssons?”

            

“Peter and Lela.  They live out here most of the year, but of course they need to head over to civilization for a few days or a week every now and then to stock up on supplies.  You’ll like them.”

            

Nothing in the information that Theo had been given said anything about other people staying on the island.  He had assumed that other people did stay on Hatter Island from time to time, seeing as how there were a few cabins built on it, but he had not considered how complete his solitude would be this winter.  At least the island wasn’t packed with people.  There would be plenty of quiet hours to himself, which is what he desired more than anything from this expedition.  Still, he thought, I suppose it will be nice knowing that there are others around when needed.

            

Mr. Klima skillfully brought his boat up alongside the dock, opposite the Halssons’ craft.  Theo zipped up his jacket and stepped out onto the wooden planks.  Ignoring the icy raindrops, he looked around.

            

His cabin stood easily visible from the dock, about fifty yards inland along a rough path, and just at the base of the main rise of the hill that made up a large portion of the island.  This was perfect—exactly what he wanted, and just what they had promised when he gave them the money to rent the place.

            

He turned to Mr. Klima, who stood with his head poking out of the doorway of the boat’s cabin.  “Where do the Halssons live?”

            

“You see how the path sort of winds up along the contour of the hill,” said Mr. Klima, pointing, “and then it goes around that bend near the crest?  Well, their place is just around that bend, if I remember correctly.”

            

Theo saw what Mr. Klima described.  The path ran slowly westward up the hill, until it came to a dip where the land began to head back down, and the path curved and was lost behind the trees.  Theo nodded.

            

“You should make sure to go visit them once you get settled in,” said Mr. Klima.  “I’m sure they’ll want to know they have a new neighbor on the island.  Besides, like I said, you’ll like them.”

            

“I look forward to meeting them,”

            

“Good,” said Mr. Klima, stepping down.  “Shall we unload your supplies and bring everything up to your new home, then?”

            

“Yes,” said Theo.  “We shall.”  He pulled up the hood of his jacket and rubbed his hands together.  He was already eager to shut himself inside, away from the cold and the damp, with a nice fire glowing in the stove and a good book to read.