Painting My Island

     My oar dips into the water, and pulls it aside.  Dip.  Pull. Dip.  Pull.  I had been dipping and pulling for hours, and by now, I was exhausted.  I definitely wasn't an athlete.  In fact, I was practically the opposite.  I very nearly never exercised and when I did, I didn't do it for the physical activity.  And I was only canoeing because I wanted to paint a beautiful landscape, and I thought a new island would  be a perfect specimen.  Peaceful.  Tropical.  Beautiful.  So here I was, exerting myself.  At least I was almost there.  After about seventeen more dip and pulls, I was finally to shore of my island.  And it's worth it.  The island welcomed me with golden sand, and the relaxing sound of a waterfall.  There were dozens of kinds of trees, varying from lacy palms, to delicate magnolias. 
      As I exit my canoe, I can see giant coconuts in the palm trees.  Wait...  Why did the coconut just move?  The coconut begins to crawl down the trunk of the tree and I discover that the coconut is very much not a coconut.  It is a koala!  In fact...  Everywhere I look, I can now see koalas!  And when I reach down to itch my ankle, I feel something soft and furry clinging to it.  When I look down at it, I find that it is a baby koala that has taken a liking in my leg.  I can't help but laugh and smile.  I bend down and carefully pick it up.  The baby koala tries to resist it and leaves gashes embedded in my calf.  But eventually it stops struggling and settles into my hands.  
     As I continue to roam the island the koala that I have now named Nia, is perched on my shoulder, holding onto my neck.  He accompany's me as I discover a sparkling waterfall, and a riverbed that is covered in moss and wild flowers. 
      I finally go back to my canoe and collect my painting supplies and make my way back to the waterfall.  I settle down on a mossy rock and begin to paint.  I paint the trees, I paint the waterfall, and the moss, the wild flowers, and the koalas.  I paint for hours on end.  In the end, my favorite painting is of Nia, curled up in a leaf, right next to the rock I am sitting on.  In his mouth is a small pink flower that he had been chewing on when he fell asleep. 
     I soon accompany him in laying down, but instead of sleeping, I stare up at the stars.  They're beautiful.  I had never realized that there are so many
    The stars remain watching over me as I drift off to sleep.  But more importantly, they remain watching over my island, Nia, and all the other koalas that inhibit the island.
 

maelynslavik

VT

13 years old

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