Madeline Island Half Marathon Novels & Stories

Something warm and salt-tinged and impossibly clean. "Mama." Madison tugs my hand. "Mama, this is where we're staying?" I look out at the island. At the bungalows and the palm trees and the water so clear I can see the sandy bottom fifteen feet down. "This is where we're staying." "For how long?" "Two weeks." Her eyes go huge. "Two WEEKS?" "Two weeks." "That's... that's fourteen days." "It is." "That's a LOT of days." "It is."

"We got a day off from the team, so I came back." "That's great. I'll have Isabel make some of your favorite dishes—you're still growing, after all." "I saw you through the window, walking with your head down. You seemed bothered. Didn't you go out with Wendy today? Did something happen?" Three years had passed since they had last seen each other. Madeline had grown from a middle school girl into a graceful eighteen-year-old. As a brilliant young researcher, she could tell something was wrong with Halsey's mood. Halsey forced a small smile. "I saw Dwight today…"

It was an hour's drive to get to the neighboring city, Marisburg. Madelyn ran to the beach in excitement. She closed her eyes and breathed in the crisp sea air. She took off her flip-flops and stepped onto the sand. The seawater was a little chilly, but the sunlight above her head felt warm and refreshing. Madelyn strolled barefoot along the sandy shoreline, her eyes fixated on the myriad seashells that adorned the beach. Their intricate patterns and vibrant colors enticed her, urging her to collect them one by one. Just then, a voice, sharp and commanding, pierced the air above her.

When he got to the military base housing, he approached one of Elijah's neighbors to find out more. The neighbor said, "Oh, you're looking for Elijah and Madeline? They've gone out of town on a mission. Honestly, Madeline is such a nice woman. She used to be a doctor, so she joined the army as a military doctor. She's not like the rest of us—we can only stay here and wait for the men to return." Isaac hadn't expected to miss out on seeing Madeline, but he didn't want to give up so easily. He asked, "Do you know where they've gone?"

I examined it and the first thing I saw was the thing she had mentioned. ‘Annual Christmas trip’, the title at the top of the paper indicated. I cleared my throat, readying to read it aloud. “School is out, but that does not mean that you will have to lose contact with your friends. Join us on this year's Christmas trip. We will be having s’mores, campfire and a whole lot of fun over the holidays. Are you interested? Come and sign up. The date and place will be forwarded to you via the phone number you will register. Please make sure that you are available at that date. Once you text back your confirmation, you can no longer cancel. Happy Holidays everybody,”

I’m ready to be done. Melissa: Friendly reminder that you chose to sign up for this dumb event where you run all day and then sweat all night in a smelly tent. Me: We’re on a beach, and there’s a nice breeze. It’s actually comfortable for once! I might be able to sleep tonight. Melissa: You haven’t slept yet?!?! Me: A little. But not great. How’s everything back at the island? Melissa: Everything is good. The race website says you’re in fourth place. Do you think you can catch the guy who’s in third?

"You just left. I don't miss you." "Really? You're not missing me?" he asked again, slower this time. He then quickly changed the topic and asked, "Are you outdoors? Nobody answered the phone at home." Timothy changed the topic so suddenly that Madeline couldn't quite keep up with his train of thought. "No? I just came back from work." Just then, a woman in pink knitted activewear was jogging in Madeline's direction from afar, with a Samoyed on a leash. As soon as Madeline caught sight of her, she could feel her blood begin to boil. She got worked up at once, but amidst her heart beating more quickly than ever, she still felt unusually excited at the same time.

Visitors can travel to the island by way of a ferry boat from Bayfield, Wisconsin, or the island airport. The Madeline Island Ferry crosses the bay on a 3-mile trip to Madeline Island. The Island is home to Big Bay State Park and the magnificent 2-mile Big Bay Beach, The Madeline Island Museum, a Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed golf course, fine dining, galleries, and shops. I remember the first time I walked alone with Kacey during Soundrenaline. He was running, jumping, and dancing like a child. I'm really happy to see her happy. As Kacey and I walked along the stretch of sand, I was amazed by the hectic activity, even at night.

It was instinct whenever someone came to me to talk while I’m with Gavin. “Oh my, what a sweet child!” My lips twitched when he suddenly hugged me. I could see Venice giving me a knowing smile while Jasmine just agreed. “Yeah, Maddie is really sweet. Her name is Madison, she’s our friend.” “Oh. Nice to meet you, darling. My name’s Paloma.” “Nice to meet you, too, Paloma.” I said with a small smile. After exchanging some greetings and a bit of reunion and of course me being left out, we went to his office as he picked up his pencil and sketchbook.

“Well thank you. I've been training for a marathon.” I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Really? That's great, Maddy. What kind of marathon? A half or a full one? Are you going to do all twenty-six miles?” Maddy kicked her head back and started laughing. “Are you kidding me? I'm training for the best kind of marathon in the world. It's not a half or a full. It's called a movie marathon.” I rolled my eyes jokingly. “Oh, I get it. I thought you were serious for a second there.”