Sanity?

As the morning sun crept over the beach, the passengers awoke to Tesuke unfurling the catamaran’s sails. Very quickly the water began to rise and waves rushed in from the crescent’s sides. “We must sail very close to Anarchy to make it through!” warned Tesuke as he caught the wind and the catamaran jumped into motion.

Just after the rising tide collided with Anarchy’s core, Tesuke and his passengers rode the second wave atop the break and raced past the impending ground. Then, they were across, watching the tide flood over the wide sands, though only to about a foot deep. “Crossing anywhere else would have beached us,” said Tesuke.

The other side of the island was just as mountainous, but covered in castles that gleamed brilliantly in the morning light. Above each flew a different flag, and there were small towns covering the lower valleys, where people could be seen. “It all looks peaceful,” said the representative. “Why is this place called Anarchy?”

Tesuke looked away from the island, “The people here have made war illegal,” he said, “and they deal with their own problems.”

“But what is out there?” asked one of the passengers, pointing to the sea. “Yes,” added the representative, ”what can we expect out at sea? Are there more islands out there?”

“Many,” said Tesuke. “They are all different, and I do not know all their names.” Realizing their choice, the people began to talk. Anarchy bustled with activity and a small sailboat appeared, approaching Tesuke’s ship gliding pleasantly across the water. “Any who wants can go with them, Anarchy is welcoming of new people.”

As the small sailboat pulled up next to the catamaran, the group got quiet. A man like any other lowered a plank, and for a moment no one moved – but one, then another and another walked across the plank and stood looking back at the catamaran, ready to leave. Over half of the group had gone and the representative was torn. “I want to stay and be totally free, but I never could live happily without knowing what happened to the rest of my people.” Without asking more, the anarchist withdrew the plank, and Tesuke guided the catamaran away from the island.