August 29th had finally arrived. Simon hadn't been able to sleep a wink all night. His mind was racing with excitement and nerves, imagining the grand ship The Lady Morotha Tulip, the mysterious island, and the halls of Willowgate Academy. He was ready to face every strange and wonderful thing waiting for him.
He said his goodbyes to John and the other children. A wave of guilt washed over him, knowing that with him gone, John would have to shoulder much of the heavy housework. However, he found comfort in the thought that Mrs. Grabby might show John more leniency. After all, Mr. and Mrs. Grabby had always shown a level of kindness toward the other children that they never quite extended to Simon.
He climbed into Mr. Grabby's car, pressing his face against the window. As they began to pull away, he waved to the children, watching as the only home he had known since he was small faded into the distance. With a heavy breath, he said his final silent goodbye to the orphanage.
The car was filled with the lingering, stale scent of Mr. Grabby's old tobacco, and the gravel crunched loudly under the tires as they passed through the gates for the last time. Simon watched through the window, memorizing every piece of his small hometown as they drove by. He saw the open fields he used to watch from his attic window, the church where Mr. Grabby once served as a priest, and the rows of narrow houses that looked as if they were leaning on one another for support. Finally, they passed the Good Choice supermarket, and then, everything he had ever known was left behind.
As they slowly crossed the town's exit, Simon kept his eyes fixed on the entrance through the rear-view mirror. In that moment, he felt a chaotic swirl of excitement, joy, sadness, and fear all at once. His fingertips were cold, so he gripped his hands together tightly and whispered a small prayer to himself.
"It's going to be okay, everything is happening for the best."
After driving for a few more minutes, they reached a small town not far from their own. The car slowed to a halt in front of a weathered-looking establishment with a sign that read 'Gateway Bar.'
"We're here. Get out," Mr. Grabby said, stepping out of the car.
Simon was completely baffled. This wasn't a dock; it was a bar. He couldn't see the ocean, nor could he hear the sound of the waves. How could they have arrived? Despite his confusion, he remained silent, clutching his worn-out bag and following Mr. Grabby.
Mr. Grabby pushed the door open and stepped inside. As Simon followed him into the dim interior, he saw men and women already drinking, even though it was quite early in the morning. Simon stayed close to Mr. Grabby's back, his eyes darting around as he took in the rough, unfamiliar surroundings. Mr. Grabby walked over to the bartender and leaned against the counter, resting his elbows on the wood. The bartender, a tall man with a massive frame and a thick, bushy beard, looked down at Mr. Grabby with a frown.
"What are you having?" he asked.
"Comet. For two," Mr. Grabby said.
The big man understood the hidden meaning immediately. His eyes widened slightly as he looked past Mr. Grabby to the small boy hiding nervously behind the older man's back.
"Eight Sevan discs," the bartender grunted.
"That's expensive," Mr. Grabby muttered, his jaw tightening.
"Prices are up everywhere right now," the man retorted with a shrug.
"Pay it or get out and find yourself another gate."
Mr. Grabby ground his teeth together. Finding another gate would take too much time, and they were already on a tight schedule. With a grunt of annoyance, he reached into his pocket and pulled something out. Simon watched closely as Mr. Grabby revealed several glass discs, each about the size of a coin, resting in his palm. These had to be the Sevan Glass Discs. Seeing them in Mr. Grabby's possession sent a jolt of surprise through Simon, and he couldn't help but stare at the man's face, wondering just how much he actually knew about this world.
The bartender took the discs and slipped them into his pocket. Turning away, he opened a drawer beneath the rows of liquor bottles and produced two tickets. They were simple brown slips of paper with the word "Comet" printed in stark black ink.
"Head to the back and knock five times," the man instructed.
Mr. Grabby nodded and headed toward the rear of the bar. Simon took his ticket, clutching his bag with white knuckles as he followed. The path to the back was narrow and swallowed in shadows. When they reached the end, they found a small brown wooden door. Mr. Grabby knocked exactly five times. A small viewing slit in the door slid open abruptly, and a single eye peered out at them.
"Tickets, please."
Mr. Grabby collected Simon's ticket and handed both through the slot.
A moment later, the sharp click of a lock echoed from the other side. As the door swung open slowly, Simon was instantly met with the rhythmic crashing of sea waves, the crisp scent of salt air, and the distant cries of seagulls mixed with the low hum of a bustling crowd. When the door opened fully, Mr. Grabby stepped through without hesitation, but Simon remained frozen where he stood, his mouth agape in pure wonder. It was Comet Dock.
Simon stepped over the threshold, the worn soles of his shoes making a distinct thud against the sturdy wooden planks of the pier. He froze, his eyes wide as he took in the sheer scale of the docks. The ships moored there were nothing like the sleek, modern vessels he had seen in pictures; instead, they were majestic, ancient galleons with towering masts that loomed much larger than he had ever imagined.
Beside him, the elderly gatekeeper shut the door firmly as soon as Simon cleared the exit. All along the row, other colorful doors began to swing open, and more children emerged. The building Simon had just left was a long, vibrant structure painted in brilliant yellow with a sharp triangular gable. Its neighbors followed the same design, differing only in their vivid colors.
"What are you staring at? We don't have all day," Mr. Grabby snapped.
Snapping back to reality, Simon focused his mind and hurried after him. They turned right, walking down the center of a wide wooden pier where magnificent ships rested on either side. In the middle of this thoroughfare, a crowd of people moved with purpose. When they reached the towering iron gates at the entrance, Simon looked up to see a grand sign that read: COMET DOCK.
"This is as far as I take you. Go on then," Mr. Grabby said, his voice as curt as ever. Simon nodded and prepared to move forward, but as soon as he turned to leave, Mr. Grabby spun around to depart without a single backward glance. Simon's footsteps faltered, and he turned back one last time.
"Mr. Grabby!" he called out.
The man stopped, his shoulders tensing as he looked back at Simon with a familiar scowl of annoyance. "What?"
"You aren't... a normal person, are you?" Simon asked, his voice steady despite the chaos of the docks around them.
"No," he replied flatly. "I'm just like you... but with a better father."
Simon's brow furrowed in confusion. "What is that supposed to be? What does that mean?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Mr. Grabby said, and before Simon could ask another question, the man turned and disappeared back toward the gate.
Simon stood frozen for a long moment, staring at the spot where Mr. Grabby had vanished. Why did he have to be so cryptic? If there was something Simon needed to know, why couldn't he just say it plainly right then and there?
Shaking his head to clear the swirling questions, Simon forced himself to focus. He turned back toward the sprawling docks, his jaw set with newfound determination. Gripping the strap of his worn-out bag until his knuckles turned white, he began his search through the forest of masts and rigging. He had a mission now: find The Lady Morotha Tulip.
Simon continued to walk down the center of the pier, his eyes darting from ship to ship as he read the names painted in elegant lettering across their hulls. Just then, a loud, frustrated voice cut through the sound of the gulls and the crashing waves.
"Where on earth is that Lady hiding?!"
Simon looked toward the source of the noise. Standing just a few paces away was a boy who looked to be around his age. He was lugging a bright red suitcase that was almost entirely covered in a chaotic collection of colorful stickers. Matching his luggage, the boy's hair was a wild, fiery red that stood up in defiant spikes. He was looking around frantically, appearing somewhat dazed by the scale of the docks, yet his expression held no trace of fear—only impatient curiosity.
The boy's gaze suddenly shifted toward Simon, and their eyes met. Up close, Simon could see that the stranger's eyes were a warm, deep shade of brown.
"Hey! Mate!" the boy called out, lugging his sticker-plastered suitcase over to where Simon stood. His bright sweater, featuring a quirky orange bear sticker, was a stark contrast to Simon's best outfit—a pale brown long-sleeved shirt making the two of them look like oil and water.
"I'm looking for a ship with a name like Lady Morona... or Morotha... I don't know. Have you seen it?"
Simon looked at the boy and shook his head.
"You haven't seen it either? Tch... how frustrating. It's almost nine o'clock. If my parents could have just crossed that gate with me, I wouldn't be standing here lost. You had to leave your parents at the gate too, didn't you? It's so unfair and sad, isn't it? I don't even know what's going on anymore."
Simon listened to the boy's non-stop chatter with his mouth slightly open, blinking in surprise.
"Um... are you looking for The Lady Morotha Tulip too?" Simon finally managed to ask.
"Yeah! Such a strange name for a ship. Why couldn't they give it something easy? Like the Titanic..."
Simon watched the boy, quietly observing his cheerful energy. He seemed to have a good sense of humor and a kind heart, and since they were heading the same way, Simon decided he wanted to be friends.
"So... do you want to look for it together... um..." Simon asked softly. Back at the orphanage, his only friends were the much younger children; other kids his age usually avoided him because he was an orphan and didn't want to associate with him. He worried that this boy might look at his worn-out clothes and reject him too.
But reality was the opposite of his fears. The boy's smile widened instantly.
"Great idea!" he said enthusiastically. "I'm Kai, Kai Peterson. And you?"
When Simon felt that spark of genuine happiness in his chest, he couldn't hide his smile.
"Simon..." he began, before remembering he actually had a last name now. He added,
"Simon Blackburn."
"Whoa, Blackburn? That is a seriously cool name. I've never heard it before!" Simon couldn't help but smile back.
They walked together, following the flow of the crowd. Simon noticed that many other children, some their own age and others slightly older, were all heading in the same direction. As they rounded the end of a massive black ship, they finally saw it. There stood a magnificent, snow-white vessel with blue sails furled tightly against its masts. Across the hull, the name "The Lady Morotha Tulip" was inscribed in shimmering gold letters.
"So, that's the 'Lady'!" Kai said, his eyes rounding in excitement. Simon stood there, his mouth agape in wonder once again. As he took in this new marvel, he couldn't help but let a smile spread across his face. Just as he had told himself earlier, everything truly was happening for the best.
Crowds of families lined the sides of the pier, gathered to say their final goodbyes. Some mothers wiped away tears while giving last-minute advice, while fathers waved with expressions of immense pride. Up on the deck, the children who had already boarded leaned over the railing, waving frantically back at their loved ones on the shore. It was a scene filled with both the thrill of a new beginning and the bittersweet ache of parting.
Watching them, Simon felt a strange, hollow ache in his chest. He and Kai joined the line behind the other children, slowly moving toward the ship's entrance. One by one, the students showed their admission letters to the ticket inspector before crossing the wooden gangplank onto the deck. Finally, it was Kai and Simon's turn.
Kai presented his admission letter, flashing a wide, toothy grin at the elderly inspector, who looked frail, exhausted, and completely drained of energy. The old man ignored the smile, instead lifting a small magnifying glass to inspect the paper. Through the lens, the Willowgate tree logo began to move as if caught in a breeze, the branches swaying back and forth. This magical movement confirmed the letter was authentic. He handed the paper back to Kai and barked,
"Next!"
Kai grinned and trotted across the gangplank. Simon watched from just behind as Kai reached the deck, then Simon stepped forward and handed his own letter into the old man's thin, wrinkled hand.
As the old man took Simon's paper and prepared to inspect the logo, his eyes snagged on the name. He didn't just see 'Simon'; he saw Blackburn. His eyes went wide, reflecting a sudden, sharp terror as he stared up at Simon. The exhaustion and boredom that had clouded his face moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by a haunting look of pure dread.
"B-Blackburn... It can't be..." he stammered.
Simon was utterly lost. He could only blink in confusion, feeling incredibly uncomfortable under the old man's intense, trembling gaze. Up on the deck, Kai was also beginning to wonder what the holdup was, his brow furrowed as he watched the scene unfold from the top of the gangplank.
"Hey! Move it along! The ship is about to depart!" a sailor on the deck barked, his voice booming over the noise of the crowd.
The old man jerked his head toward the deck, then looked back at Simon, his eyes darting frantically. He seemed caught in a paralyzing internal struggle, unsure of whether to let Simon pass or bar his way. Behind them, the clock's hands were ticking relentlessly toward nine o'clock, and the crew was already beginning to unmoor the heavy ropes.
Finally, with trembling fingers, the old man pressed his magnifying glass to Simon's letter. The Willow tree swayed as expected. Realizing he had no legal reason to stop him, the old man practically shoved the parchment back at Simon and scrambled out of the way. Simon gripped his bag with white knuckles and hurried across the narrow wooden gangplank.
As Simon's feet hit the polished wood of the deck, a surge of pure adrenaline washed over him. He had caught the old man's strange reaction and the flicker of fear in his eyes, but he couldn't begin to guess why. Is 'Blackburn' really such an odd name? he wondered briefly, but the thought was quickly swept away by the sheer scale of everything around him.
The snapping of the bright blue sails, the sharp tang of the salt air, and the bustling energy of the other students filled him with a sense of wonder he had never felt before. To twelve-year-old Simon, this didn't feel like a dangerous mysteryit felt like freedom. For the first time in his life, he wasn't just an orphan in a gray room; he was a traveler on a magnificent ship, heading toward a destiny that promised to be much brighter than his past.
As soon as he stepped onto the deck, the clock struck nine. Just as described in the letter, the gangplank retracted on its own the moment the hour hit. Even the massive anchors rose from the depths of the water without any human assistance. The great blue sails unfurled and billowed into the air, and a sailor let out a long, booming blast on the foghorn. It was the signal; the voyage had begun.
From the deck, children were waving goodbye to their families on the shore. Kai and Simon stood among them, and though they had no one waiting for them, Kai raised his hand and waved wildly at the crowd anyway.
"Bye-bye! See you later!"
"Do you actually know someone there?"
Simon asked, leaning closer to Kai to be heard over the deafening noise.
"No, but who cares? It's a goodbye! Bye-bye!"
Kai shouted back with a grin. Simon glanced at Kai for a moment before looking out at the mass of people on the pier. He didn't recognize a single soul, yet he found himself raising his hand just like Kai, waving goodbye to his old life.
"Goodbye! See you soon!"
"Yeah! See you soon!" Kai cheered along.
The great ship pulled away slowly from the docks, sailing majestically across the sapphire ocean that matched the color of its sails heading straight toward the future.