The Island Game: An Adventure of Sorts
Ian Shepard
(Independently published, Oct. 31, 2019)
The Game: At one point or another, every person has asked his or her friend a ridiculous question such as this, “What [insert number here] items would you bring with you to a deserted island, and why?” The friend would typically respond swiftly, certain that with his or her selection, survival could be possible against all odds. Some individuals who engaged in these conversations would be smart with his or her answer and bring along others who could also be granted [insert same number as before] items for a collective benefit. The answer would then be similar to the “three wishes” rule with genies; why only have three wishes when one could simply wish for more wishes? Two close college friends, Ethan and Astronaut, were more interested in the people brought to the island rather than the items. They wondered if people who disagree or even hate each other could survive together in desperate circumstances. After discussing such a scenario one afternoon, Ethan and Astronaut decided to conduct an experiment on their friends and acquaintances. They certainly could not expect to put others in a real dangerous situation. However, they could test the resilience of their friends by playing a game which would challenge their willpower. Could a diverse group of people work together for a common cause, or would they descend into chaos? While Ethan and Astronaut thought they were the conductors of this experiment, they quickly fell prey to their own game. New alliances forged, enemies emerged, and friendships were forever changed. A simple game turned into something far more for everyone involved. What follows is the story of a group of college friends who took a game way too seriously. It is a story full of mystery, drama, action, and adventure as this role-playing survival game gets out of control. This is The Island Game.