Chapter 19 the light of the horizon
Jack sat on the high plateau near his SOS signal. It was the middle of the night, and the air was cold after the earthquake. He was tired from digging his way out of the cave, but he could not sleep. He watched the black ocean.
Suddenly, he saw a tiny yellow light. It was not a star. It was moving."A boat," Jack whispered. His heart started to race.He didn't waste a second. He took his small "Seed Fire" and touched it to the dry grass. The flames jumped up. Then, he threw the huge pile of green leaves onto the fire. WHOOSH! A massive pillar of thick, white smoke rose into the sky. Jack grabbed a large palm leaf and waved it over the fire to make the smoke puff in a pattern.The yellow light stopped. Then, it turned toward the island.As the sun began to rise, a small fishing boat reached the beach. Three men in orange jackets looked at the shore in shock. They saw a man with short hair, a deep scar on his eye, and muscles like a warrior, wearing only animal skins."Hey!" Jack shouted, waving his arms. "Over here!"The fishermen rowed a small boat to the sand. When Jack stepped onto the wooden deck of their ship, he felt the world shaking under his feet. It was the first time he had touched a real boat in almost a year."Who are you?" one fisherman asked."My name is Jack," he said. "I was on the yacht that sank."The men gasped. Everyone in the world thought Jack was dead. They gave him a blanket and a cup of hot coffee. It tasted like heaven.The boat had a satellite phone. With shaking hands, Jack dialed a number he had memorized long ago.Ring... Ring..."Hello?" a man’s voice answered. It was his father. He sounded old and sad."Dad?" Jack said. His voice broke. "It’s me. It’s Jack."There was silence on the other end. Then, he heard his mother screaming with joy in the background. "Jack? My son? Is it really you?""I'm coming home, Dad," Jack said, tears running down his scarred face. "I'm coming home."The fishing boat brought Jack to a large city. As the boat pulled into the harbor, Jack saw a crowd of hundreds of people. News had spread fast: The Billionaire Boy was alive.When Jack walked off the boat, he didn't look like a rich kid anymore. He was tall, tan, and strong. He walked with the confidence of a man who had killed a tiger.Waiting at the end of the dock was a long, black Rolls-Royce car. Standing next to the door was Alfred, the family’s old butler. Alfred’s eyes were wet with tears."Master Jack," Alfred said, bowing low. "It is very good to see you again.""Good to see you, Alfred," Jack said. He hugged the old man.Jack got into the back of the luxury car. The leather seats felt strange after sleeping on grass and stone for so long. He looked out the window at the tall buildings and the lights. The city felt loud and crowded, but he wasn't afraid. He was a survivor.When the car reached his mansion, his parents ran out to meet him. They hugged him for a long time. They looked at his scar and his rough hands. They knew their son was a different person now.
