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On the day Robert turns twelve, his life is irrevocably changed by more than just the passage of time. Having grown up in the shadow of his parents' crumbling marriage and the dark whispers of political corruption, Robert hopes for a reprieve during a sailing trip on Sydney Harbour with his father and younger sister. The calm waters prove deceptive when a sudden, violent explosion destroys their yacht, leaving Robert alone and adrift in the debris. Clinging to a charred remnant of his sister's belongings, he must face the terrifying reality of a family lost to the consequences of adult secrets. This evocative narrative explores the sudden shattering of innocence and the haunting isolation of survival in the wake of a tragedy born from hidden scandals. Comparable works include Life of Pi