The Rowing Riddle

 

The three trudged through the white sand. Oliver could see his blue boat sticking out from the shrub he’d hidden it in.

‘Thank goodness it hasn’t been stolen,’ he laughed in relief.

‘Well, we haven’t been gone that long I don’t think,’ said Lois.

‘Actually, you haven’t even arrived yet by our time. Like I said, time goes backward here,’ said Colin.

Oliver thought about this. ‘So, err... we might run into ourselves on the way home?’ asked Oliver nervously. ‘We’ll think we have lost our heads.’

Colin laughed. ‘Don’t be daft! Like that could happen. What do you think this island is? Some kind of magical place, full of young witches and wizards with access to tools that can turn back time?!’ Colin shook his head smiling sagely. ‘That would be nonsense.’

Oliver and Lois stood blinking at him and said nothing.

‘Nah, this island is just nature’s joke,’ Colin said with a huff.

For some reason, Oliver felt irritated when Colin called the island a joke. He still wanted to leave though. Oliver snapped to. ‘I have some books and films to recommend to you when we get back,’ he said, pulling the boat to the water.

‘Great! Wow, I can’t believe I am going home,’ Colin said softly. ‘Thank you.’

‘Thank me when we get back,’ said Oliver, pushing Lois in the boat. ‘Get in!’ he said to Colin.

With both Lois and Colin in the boat, Oliver pushed the boat out into the water and jumped in himself. Ironically, he rowed backwards, as one does in a row boat.

Oliver’s hands slipped a few times, as coordination was sometimes difficult for him and as he was in a panic, but Colin helped.

They found themselves on the shore.

He attempted rowing out again, this time with both Colin and Oliver using an oar each in unison...

They landed back on the shore.

‘I’m going to have to learn how to tap-dance and juggle,’ whimpered Lois.

‘I don’t get it!?’ said Oliver. ‘How do we get off?’

Colin was shaking his head.

Then to their horror, they heard a rustling sound coming from the thicket. The three of them looked to each other wildly. Suddenly, something very small shot out of the brush as fast as a bullet and then disappeared into the distance.

‘Something rattled that snail,’ Colin hissed nervously.

Then Nutter appeared, walking to face them. ‘Row frontward,’ he squeaked.

Oliver was so relieved to see Nutter emerge from the thicket that he needed to sit down. ‘Oh Nutter. Thank Nintendo it’s you! But I was rowing frontward. You know... backward,’ Oliver said, nodding.

Nutter looked very nervous. ‘The King has not sent more police to find you. Macaroni has not become a Conscientious Objector!’ Nutter squeaked, shooting quick glances over his shoulder.

‘What do we dooooo?’ wailed Oliver on the brink of total mania.

‘I mean, row backward then, if you don’t understand your own language.’ Nutter said annoyed, then looked surprised at himself. ‘I really can speak frontward,’ he yelled happily. ‘Go!’

Lois grabbed Oliver by the arm. ‘Row frontward for real, Oliver! He meant it for real! It’s normal for us to row backwards, so of course here...’

‘I know!’ yelled Oliver now, pushing the still-talking Lois back into the boat. Colin helped him push the row boat back into the sea. Small waves crashed against them as they did. They both jumped in and - with great difficulty - they rowed with the oars, forwards.

It was working: they were leaving Alcatraz!

‘Goodbye, Nutter!’ Oliver yelled. ‘Thank you. I hope we never meet again!’ (Oliver was not being polite and speaking backwards).

‘Goodbye, and hello!’ yelled Nutter, smiling and waving.

Oliver learned to row frontward’s in about two seconds, but Colin kept slipping and making mistakes. Oliver took control and - despite it being weird to row forwards, towards the place they were trying to escape - it wasn’t long before they were sailing and heading away from the island. Oliver started to laugh a demented laugh, and Colin joined in - while Lois prayed! Oliver did not stop rowing until Opposite Island became a smudge.

Using his binoculars, Oliver looked for home.

After a while, he yelled ‘Land Ahoy!’

Lois looked at him nervously, and was relieved to see her brother muttering and grinning happily.

Now there was a different smudge. That smudge was home.

It was the best thing the three of them had ever seen.