In the lush and mysterious realm of the South Pacific during the Victorian era, two young cousins, Richard and Emmeline Lestrange, embark on a fateful sailing journey with Richard's father, Arthur. During their voyage to San Francisco, disaster strikes when the ship unexpectedly erupts into flames. In the midst of chaos, the children’s lives take a pivotal turn as the ship's cook, Paddy Button, heroically gathers them into a lifeboat, rowing away from the impending disaster. Little do they know, they are now adrift at sea, separated from Richard's father, who escapes on another dinghy. Eventually, they reach the shores of an enchanting, uninhabited island.
As time progresses, Paddy takes on the responsibility of caring for the children, revealing the skills necessary for survival on this idyllic island. Under his guidance, Richard and Emmeline learn to source food from the land and construct a shelter, all while embracing their youthful spirits and freedom, often shedding their shirts to roam freely in the warm sun. Yet, Paddy’s warnings echo through their innocent adventures, especially concerning a stone altar stained with blood, which he insists they must avoid, as he describes it as a place governed by a boogeyman. Among his many rules, he cautions them against consuming the peculiar scarlet berries, ominously dubbing them "never-wake-up berries."
One fateful day, Paddy's discovery of a barrel of rum or whiskey washed ashore spirals into tragedy. Richard and Emmeline awaken to find Paddy has succumbed to a drunken stupor and has tragically passed away. In profound sorrow, Emmeline expresses her desperation to escape the island, leading them to relocate to a new beach where they attempt to begin anew. As they transition into adolescence, portrayed by Christopher Atkins and Brooke Shields, their lives on the island are a blend of shared responsibilities—diving for pearls, fishing, and cherishing their tree house—which gradually transforms into a journey through their own blossoming identities.
As their bodies transform, the cousins find themselves grappling with newfound emotions. Emmeline's first menstruation brings a wave of confusion and embarrassment. When she calls out to Richard, her fear momentarily takes hold, leading her to yell for him to go away. Yet, Richard is increasingly drawn to her, struggling to navigate the complex emotions tied to their evolving relationship. Emmeline, wary of isolation, often retreats inward, leading to a dynamic charged with tension. One day, driven by curiosity, Emmeline ventures to the forbidden side of the island and encounters the mysterious stone idol, which she mistakenly believes to be sacred and even prays to. Her revelation shatters Paddy's earlier admonitions, as she declares to Richard that she believes the boogeyman is, in fact, divine.
Their discussions sometimes drift toward dreams of rescue and reunion with Richard's father in San Francisco, yet a pivotal moment arrives when a ship appears in the distance, the first they've seen in ages. In a twist of fate, Emmeline hesitates to light their signal fire, leading Richard to confront her with disappointment and anger. When an argument ensues, it escalates to playful yet fierce coconut tossing, underlining the emotional turbulence coursing through their bond.
Time unfolds, and as Emmeline unwittingly steps on a stonefish, Richard discovers her desperately ill and begs him to take her to God, choosing to ignore the dangers of the stone altar’s law. With a mix of fear and determination, he places Emmeline on the altar, reciting fragments of forgotten prayers. Miraculously, she recovers, and soon the two share a life-altering experience by the lagoon, where their bond deepens into romantic love. They revel in their newfound intimacy, yet Emmeline’s pregnancy takes them both by surprise. Their earlier ignorance morphs into confusion as they navigate this unexpected change, often attributing it to mere weight gain rather than understanding the miracle of life.
An unsettling discovery leads Richard on a frantic search for Emmeline, following the haunting rhythms of tribal drums to an altar where a native tribe performs a human sacrifice. Horrified, he rushes to Emmeline's side just in time to assist her in bringing their child into the world, a boy they name Paddy. They strive to nurture their baby, learning through trial and error, as Emmeline instinctively feeds him, solidifying their connection as a family amidst the untamed wilderness.
However, the trials of island life persist as they grapple with the underlying threats from the environment around them. As they bare their souls and subsequently raise their son, the family experiences the joys and pains of existence in paradise. The arrival of a ship, led by Richard's father, brings a moment of reckoning, but when Arthur fails to recognize them through their muddy disguise, Richard and Emmeline silently choose to retreat deeper into the island, placing their familial love above all else.
In a poignant moment of introspection, Richard finds himself alone on the very beach where Paddy Button once lay, confronting the stark remnants of mortality—the old man's skeletal remains educating him about the cycle of life and death. In the face of temptation, the couple faces numerous trials including a harrowing encounter with the berries, leading to devastating consequences that challenge their survival instincts.
Through a series of grim and tender trials, the family's bond is tested, culminating in their discovery of what it truly means to navigate life and death, love and loss in a world that has become their only reality. As a ship draws near, Arthur's haunting question, "Are they dead?" is met with the captain's response, "No sir, they are asleep," leaving the story imbued with a profound sense of what it means to simply exist amidst the wild beauty and dangers of isolation.
