"The first time I left" by Ye Wint Aung

Ben Green is a professional engineer. Back in the days when he was on his private tropical island with his parents, he used the natural resources on the island and build houses, stairs, paths and other construction stuff. Back in 1995, his parents bought the island so they can relax. Later they bought the island and they built a house and lived there. They used water to run electricity for their home and used wind turbines too. It took a few months and the engineers finished their island by building their home there. They lived there ever since and grew fruits and vegetables for food supply and the water is clean and clear. The island has everything they need for food supply to shelter and electricity. The island is peaceful, no wild life but they have to watch out for snakes. Living on that peaceful island was a great time for his parents. A few years later, he was born. Since he was born, his father took him out for an island tour. By the age of three, he knows the island very well and started to make stuff with sticks and ropes. Later, his father was building a small shed out of wood, bamboos, nails and rope. He started learning construction tips from his father. At the age of 10, he started to use hammer and nails and had to be careful not to hit himself. He started to make bamboos and wooden boxes and make roofs, repair and it was the best time of his life. The island was his home and he’d never know there were other islands or people living in cities in modern life. He doesn’t want to leave that island even if anything happens. Many years passed and he is now a man. He constructed bridges to cross streams and roads made by wood and houses too. He wanted to create more building but he was afraid the resources would run out and the island would die. Rain season is a hard time for them. Rain drops fall from roofs and the sea level gets higher every day and storms and waves came and wash up the shore. He tried as best as he could to fix the issues of the roof. But later, he was shocked to find that the island is sinking and the water is rising, destroying the island. They might not be able to live there, but Ben will try his best to try and bring it back. He planted some berries and trees and try to bring back the natural green life of the island. He doesn’t want to leave that island and he knows there are other islands and people living in cities. His parents told him that when he was little and told him they have to leave it if it dies. He would bring it back to normal and every day he works hard. His parents help too but it was no use. Every season is a peaceful season but the rainy is very difficult and the island is sinking and getting smaller. It’s raining cats and dogs and huge waves big as a house hits their island and they had to evacuate. He doesn’t want to leave that island but they have no choice if they want to survive and live. They built a raft to get cross the surrounding water but it was so strong the raft would be destroyed. The nearest coast is 12 miles away from their island. They need to build a secure boat that would go for 12 miles with some food supplies. Watercraft isn’t easy if you make it without modern tools and it have to be able to carry some load of supplies and get it out of the island. First he needs to learn to build a raft. Building a raft is a piece of cake for him and took about 4 to 6 hours. The second thing to do is to give it an upgrade and make it into a more secure boat. Third thing to do is to make room for supplies and for his parents and him. The boat can’t sink or get the rooms and supplies wet. It’s small but at least they could get to the coast and survive. It was during a thunder storm and he was finishing some final touches and his parents were loading the ship with some food supplies. He needed more wood so he decided to get some more. He chopped a tree down and made the logs in to planks. On his way back, the sand of the island he was standing on suddenly drag him down. He was sinking in to the grown slowly, it was quick sand. He could not grab anything to get back out. The lightning struck on to a tree and the tree was on the quick sand he was on. One end of the tree was outside the sand and one was on a rock. Because of the tree, he could grab it and get out. He finished the boat and it was finished and ready to evacuate. They made it pass the water surrounding them and they were washed up on the beach. It was very sad for Ben, the tree of the island saved his life and it was his home ever since but he has to work his life with a family and a new bigger home with lots of people and friends. They walked back to his parents old home and started living there selling their fruits and getting a job. They all struggled to live their lives but soon, everything went back to a normal life. Every evening, after his job Ben goes to the beach and watched the direction of their island and he promise to try to get back there one day or even bring the island back to life. Unfortunately for the island it became a deserted island with a little bit of trees and lots of sand.