Mukul Sharma blinked as he slowly rose to his feet. The twenty people surrounding him looked curious, cautious, and strangely powerful. Their clothes, faces, and accents told him they were from different parts of the world—Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, even distant islands he had only seen in books. Each of them carried an air of experience, though many looked younger than adults, their expressions sharp and attentive.
One of them, a tall woman with stern eyes, spoke first. "Child, who are you? Why are you here?"
Mukul's small chest heaved as he tried to gather his thoughts. He was five years old, lost, hungry, and frightened, and yet he knew he had to answer. The words tumbled out, simple but earnest: "I… I'm Mukul… I live in a big house… my family… my mommy… my daddy… my brothers… my sisters…" His voice quivered as he swallowed hard.
A man from a distant continent, with a deep voice, leaned closer. "Why are you here, little one? This island is dangerous. How did you get here?"
Mukul fiddled with his hands, his tiny fingers twisting nervously. "I… I was with my family in a… in a big building… far away… in a city called Beijing…" His eyes grew wide as he remembered the chaos. "There were… bad men… they made fire and loud noises… I got lost… I fell down… and I woke up here…"
Another woman, her accent lilting like the wind across oceans, knelt beside him. "You were separated? All alone?"
Mukul nodded, tears pricking his eyes. "Yes… I couldn't find anyone… I was scared… I cried… I don't know where my mommy is… my brothers… my sisters… my friends…" His voice trembled, but he continued, "I… I want to go back… I want to find them… I… I need to find them…"
The twenty people exchanged glances, some frowning, some softening. They murmured in languages Mukul didn't understand. A tall man finally spoke in a language Mukul could catch. "This child… he is telling the truth. His heart is honest. The island has opened to the world—only for seven days in twenty-one years. Many who enter get lost. He is one of them."
Mukul's eyes grew even wider. "You… you know the island?" he whispered.
"Yes," said the elder woman who first spoke. "This island opens to the world once every twenty-one years. People can come here, but the island hides itself for the next twenty-one. Few survive alone. You were lucky to wake up."
Mukul felt a flicker of hope. He nodded vigorously. "I… I was small… I couldn't walk far… I didn't know where to go… I was scared… I… I need to go home…" His little voice was determined, though trembling. "I want my mommy… my daddy… my brothers… my sisters… I want them back."
The twenty people listened silently. One of them, a kind-faced man from Europe, crouched and looked Mukul in the eyes. "You are brave, little one," he said gently. "Even at five years old, you told us your story. That takes courage."
Mukul's lips trembled. "I… I just want… I just want my family."
The elder woman nodded. "Then we will help you. But first, you must trust us and tell us everything clearly. Every detail you remember can help us keep you safe and maybe even guide you toward finding them."
Mukul nodded solemnly. Despite his age, he tried his best. He spoke slowly, pointing to his small sketchbook, showing seven stars he had drawn countless times. "These… these are my stars… they… they help me remember things… my family… my friends… I need… I need to find them someday."
The group listened carefully, and the atmosphere shifted. The fear and chaos of the last days melted into focus and purpose. Even though Mukul was only five, the island's twenty strangers now understood that this child, small as he was, carried a story, a mission, and a destiny unlike any they had seen before.
And in the quiet of the island, as the sun dipped closer to the horizon, Mukul realized something: even though he was lost, he was no longer completely alone. Twenty strangers, each from a different part of the world, had heard his story. They had listened. And for the first time since the attack, Mukul felt a small spark of hope that he might one day see his family again.