Morning Watch

Maya stood at the edge of the cliff, watching the morning sun paint the ocean in shades of gold. Her island home stretched behind her, a mix of lush jungle and rocky peaks that tourists called paradise but locals knew better. The compass on her wrist caught the light as she adjusted her backpack straps.

"Another perfect day in paradise," she muttered, kicking a loose stone into the waves below.

The sound of boat engines made her turn. Three sleek speedboats cut through the water toward her island's main beach, their hulls gleaming white against the blue. Maya frowned. Tourist boats didn't usually arrive this early, and these looked different somehow. More serious.

She pulled out her phone to check the time. Seven-thirty. Way too early for sightseers.

The boats disappeared around the rocky point, heading for the village where her grandmother would be opening the market stall. Maya's stomach tightened with an uneasiness she couldn't explain. Something about those boats felt wrong.

The Morning Visitor

Maya hurried down the rocky path toward the village, her sneakers slipping on loose pebbles. The uneasiness from seeing those boats wouldn't leave her alone.

A woman with short gray hair jogged up the hill toward her, breathing hard. Maya had never seen her before on the island.

"Excuse me," the woman called out, stopping in front of Maya. "Have you seen three white boats this morning?"

Maya's stomach dropped. "Yes, they went toward the village. Why?"

The woman's face turned pale. "Those aren't tourist boats. They're taking children."

"What do you mean taking children?" Maya stepped backward.

"Listen carefully," the woman said, grabbing Maya's arm gently. "Those men collect kids from different islands. They make them work in hidden caves. I escaped from one of their boats last night."

Maya's phone buzzed with a text from her grandmother: "Strange men at market asking about island children. Stay away from village."

The sound of boat engines echoed from the direction Maya had come. The woman spun around, her eyes wide with fear.

"They're coming back up the coast," she whispered. "We need to hide. Now."