Hi folks,
I know I haven't been in touch for a while but life is pretty hectic at the moment.
My best wishes to you all.
I finished a rough draft of the first chapter of my new book Destiny's Journey and have posted it as follows. Just a taste of what is to come. Hope you like it.
CHAPTER ONE
SHONKY IS RESCUED
“Don’t fall!” cried Destiny.
“Hold on, I’ve got you,” Jack said.
Shonky held on to an exposed branch at the edge of the cliff and held on to Jack’s hand.
“I’m slipping,” he cried.
“No!” yelled Manky, his brother.
Shonky’s hands started to lose their grip. He fell. The river below rushed madly. Shonky was
taken by the swift current onward down the stream. He struggled furiously but managed to
keep his head above water.
“He’s gone,” Jack said quietly.
“Oh my brother,” Manky sobbed.
“He may still be all right,” said Destiny. “Let’s climb down and see.”
“No, the cliff is too steep to climb. Besides there are a lot of jagged rocks below,” Jack said.
Destiny, Jack and Manky sat at the edge of cliff quietly.
“Oh my stupid brother,” Manky sobbed.
The three sat closely together and put their arms around each other. The sun hung low in the
sky. Night was approaching.
“We must keep moving,” Jack said. “Maxiumum Mischief’s men are not far behind. We
have to get to Angelique’s place before it gets dark.”
“We can’t leave Shonky behind,” Destiny said sadly.
“There’s nothing we can do for him now. Come on.”
The three slowly rose but lingered a little further in silence. They hugged each other. The
river below raged and the sun hung lower on the horizon as they resumed their trek. Further
down the way, Maximum Mischief’s minions were in hot pursuit.
“I can smell them,” one of them said. “We’re getting close.”
Manky, Jack and Destiny picked up their pace and headed for Hilltopia where they knew
Buttondrop, Angelique and Count Dabacus were waiting for them. They soon reached the
outskirts of town where they met a huge party of townfolk armed with pitchforks and lanterns
with their beloved Buttondrop.
“Thank God you are safe. Come quickly, we must get you to shelter,” Buttondrop said.
Back in the river, Shonky struggled with the fast current. I must keep my head above water
and go with the flow, he thought. Swiftly it carried him on, down past the sharp boulders into
a wide open stream. I must try and reach the bank. On and on the river swept him as his
strength began to fade. I must be brave, he said to himself.
He decided to lie on his back and let the mighty river carry him wherever it wanted. He
concentrated on his breathing and managed to stay afloat. He looked at the stars above him in
a clear sky. He stayed calm. He heard a loud roar and realized he was approaching the mouth
of the river. A barrage of breakers buffeted and tossed him like a rag doll. He swallowed a
mouthful of salt water but he managed to get past them, swimming as furiously as he could.
He was now in the open sea. It went quiet.
Shonky drifted and managed to avoid swallowing more salty water. He was tired. The night
seemed to last an eternity as he floated and tried not to fall asleep. His mind began to wander
and he thought of his brother Manky, Destiny and Jack. He became confused. The first rays
of the new morning started to appear. He closed his eyes and kept his mind on staying
relaxed. The heavily salted water helped keep him afloat. Time seemed to stand still.
The splash of paddles in the water alerted him and he opened his eyes.
“What kind of fish have we got here?” he heard a man’s voice say.
A grappling hook reached out and caught on to Shonky’s collar. He felt himself being
dragged into a rowing boat by many pairs of hands.
“Where did you come from?” a fisherman asked.
Shonky was too tired to speak as he lay on the bottom of the boat. The fishermen resumed
their rowing and headed back to the mother ship, a trawler. They lifted him aboard gently.
“Quiet now,” one of the fishermen said. “You’re safe now.”
The captain of the ship was called. Shonky heard the men talking but he was not able to work
out what they were saying. He felt a spoon at his mouth and hungrily took in the porridge
offered.
“Slowly,” a voice said.
The sea was calm as the fishermen attended to Shonky. Nets were strewn across the deck
together with various grappling hooks and other implements. Seagulls rested on top of the
ship and on the rails. The smell of brine was strong in the air and the warmth of the morning
sun kept everyone sheltered from a slight chill.
“Get this one to a bunk, he needs rest,” the captain ordered.
Tucking him into bed, the fishermen left Shonky. He laid on his back with his eyes on the
ceiling for a while until a peaceful sleep overtook him. He began dreaming. Faces he didn’t
recognize peered at him and he tossed and turned. Voices called out to him but he couldn’t
make out what they were saying. He saw planets and stars and felt as if he was floating
among them. He wandered through swirling clouds of coloured gas, nebulae. And then there
was darkness and silence.
The fishermen discussed their find and were full of wonder of how he managed to survive.
They had seen many strange things on their voyages at sea but this took the cake. The captain
checked with his crew. The storerooms were full of frozen fish and they had all they could
take. He ordered the ship home to Hilltopia. The engines were started and they set off, chug
chug chug.
Hilltopia harbour was full of ships and boats as they found their mooring and brought out the
thick ropes to ship at the dock. Shonky continued to rest as the fishermen spread the word
around about their find. News travelled fast and soon the whole town was talking about this
strange happening.
Angelique was at the shopping centre when she overheard two women talking about it at the
checkout. Her ears pricked up and excitedly she hurried home where Manky was staying with
her.
Placing down her shopping bags on the kitchen table, she called Manky from his room. He
hadn’t wandered out in days and she was worried about him.
“You won’t believe what I’ve just heard,” she said to him.
“Sit down and I’ll make us a nice cup of tea.”
“What is it?” Manky said dejectedly.
“A fishing trawler out in the ocean found a young boy floating alone. Incredible. They fished
him out and he is with them now at the harbour. Apparently he has lost his memory and
doesn’t know who is. Oh, could it be him, Manky?” she said sadly.
“No, Shonky is lost for good,” Manky said.
“No, we must investigate,” Angelique said sternly.
“I’ll put this shopping away and you go and hitch up Toby and the carriage. I’ll be right with
you.”
Manky headed for the barn and went through the motions of getting the carriage ready. He
began to think. No, surely not. It couldn’t possibly be. Shonky is gone. He put it out of his
mind. We’ll see, he thought.
The trip into town seemed to take forever. Manky kept silent as Angelique held the reins
guiding Toby the horse along the unsealed dirt road. Approaching the centre of Hilltopia,
pretty wooden cottages with thatched rooves lined the streets as they wound their way to
the harbour.
Hilltopia was an old village, steeped in history. Its founder was an adventurer named
Thomas Hinchcliffe who established a community and brought in many relatives and friends
to start a settlement. The thriving town was now the supply centre for the many farmers who
came to tend the rich volcanic soils of the surrounding district. Fields of wheat and oats and
shepherds with their flocks of cattle, sheep, pigs and goats were now a staple of the area.
Hinchcliffe had built a pipeline from the nearby river to secure the town’s water supply.
Farmers also used the river to irrigate their fields. The townspeople had to be on their guard,
though. Many times the scurrilous Maximum Mishcief tried to sabotage their supply but they
held him in check.
Angelique and Manky arrived at the harbour. They went to the main office and enquired
about the boy who was found at sea.
A young woman named Sally at the reception desk excitedly told them the whole story.
“Such a miracle,” she said. “He has lost his memory and doesn’t know who he is or where he
is.”
“We might have a clue to his identity,” Angelique said.
“Just one moment and I will call the harbour sheriff. If you can identify him, the sheriff will
release him into your custody,” Sally said.
Manky brought out his wallet and showed the young woman a photograph of himself and
Shonky.
“Yes, that’s him all right. Just a second,” she said.
The sheriff duly arrived and negotiated with Manky and Angelique. They told him the whole
story of being kidnapped and imprisoned and the escape. They explained about his fall from
the cliff while being pursued. The sheriff took this all in very gravely.
“He’s lucky to be alive,” he said.
“Come on, I’ll show you where he is,” he said, leading them to the trawler which had picked
up Shonky.
The captain of the ship met them on the deck.
”The boy is still sleeping,” he said. “Do you want me to wake him up?”
“No, just let me take a look at him,” Manky said.
And there he was, sound asleep, as snug as a bug in a rug on the bunk below deck. Manky
and Angelique watched him quietly and cried. It was him, Shonky.
“He looks so peaceful,” Angelique whispered.
Shonky opened his eyes. He looked at the strangers before him and wondered who they were.
“Shonky, it’s me, your brother Manky.”
Shonky looked at him puzzled and confused but said nothing.
“Me too, Shonky, it’s Angelique.”
Shonky just smiled.
“You’re coming home with us until your memory comes back,” Manky said.
The sheriff and captain took Shonky aside and asked him if he understood what was
happening. Shonky, for his part, felt a bit confused and bewildered but felt a strange feeling
about these people. He couldn’t explain it but he felt safe with them. He told the two men.
“That’s settled,” the sheriff said, smiling. “Take better care of yourself, young man.”
“It’s almost lunch time,” Angelique said. “I have a wonderful idea. Ricotta cheese and
spinach pie and fresh, crispy salad. I have all the ingredients. You must be so hungry,
Shonky! Do you mind me calling you that?” she said coyly.
Shonky just smiled.
Off they set home.
What they didn’t know, though, was that they were being watched closely. A scruffy young
boy with buck teeth and red hair had been observing the whole encounter. He was one of
Maximum Mischief’s spies instructed to watch the comings and goings at the harbour. He
smirked.
Ha, gotcha, he said to himself. He hurried back to Mischief’s keep and told Clotilda the witch
the whole story. Clotilda smacked her lips.
“Good, master will be pleased,” she said. “Off with you!
Clotilda felt smug. Well, well, well, won’t he be pleased, she thought.
Finding her way to Maximum Mischief’s study, she knocked nervously on the door.
“Go away, I’m busy,” Mischief shouted.
“But master, I have some important news,” she offered.
“Enter.”
Clotilda went in and approached the desk.
“Hurry up, I haven’t got all day,” he snarled.
She ran her finger along the desktop as the news unfolded. Mischief fumed. Familiar, he said
to himself. I shall soon drive that out of her.
“Upstarts!” he said. “I’ll soon fix them. Send out the men, burn down the house, capture the
three of them and bring them to me,” he ordered.
Clotilda left quickly and gave orders to Maximum Mischief’s minions who were lazing about
in the giant courtyard in the grounds of the castle.
Unknowing the fate awaiting them, Angelique and Manky were getting Shonky settled.
They pulled out some old photographs of themselves together and showed them to him.
Shonky didn’t respond. It was late in the afternoon.
Under cover of darkness, the minions located Angelique’s house and scouted around. Their
dark clothes melded in with the dark night. Only the gentle light from the two moons lit the
way. Knowing their deadly task, they silently lit a number of fires around the house and
retreated to cover across the road to watch their foul deed unfold
“What’s that smell? I can smell something burning,” Manky said alerted.
“Fire!”, Shonky yelled.
Manky ran outside and was horrified to find the house well ablaze. He rushed back inside and
told the others what was happening.
“Quick, we must leave before we are overcome by smoke. Help me with the animals, we
must get them to safety,” Angelique said. They rushed outside to the barn, released the hens
and roosters, took Toby out of his stall and gathered the cat and dog. By this time the blaze
had taken well hold and flames leapt up into the night sky, creating an eerie light.
“Keep everyone together,” Angelique said. “We head for the church where we can take
shelter. Leave everything else behind.”
Off set the unlikely group, headed for the centre of town. Manky and Shonky kept the
gathering together as Angelique led the way. Father Primus, the local preacher, met them at
the doors of the church, smiling.
“Goodness gracious me, what is all this?” he said with a laugh.
“Oh Father, my house is on fire. We need shelter,” Angelique cried.
Father Primus became very serious and ushered the group into the main hall.
The minions were in hot pursuit but balked when the group reached the church and backed
off.
“Clotilda is going to whip us,” one of them said fearfully. They headed off back to the castle
with bowed heads.
Father Primus made tea for everyone and made sure they were settled.
“What do we do now, Angelique?” Manky asked.
“I must get in touch with Buttondrop,” she said with a grim face.
Settling into an armchair, Angelique closed her heads and nodded her head slightly.
“What’s she doing?” Shonky said quietly.
“Ssshhh, she is using mental telepathy. She can send messages through her mind. She is
trying to contact Buttondrop. Be very quiet for a while,” Manky said. The brothers watched
her intently as she rested her hands on the armchair. After a while, with eyes still closed, she
began to smile a gentle smile.
Manky smiled too. He knew she had made contact.
“I have contacted Count Dabacus too. They will be here soon. Let’s rest now. After a good
night’s sleep we will worry about things tomorrow,” Angelique said.
Father Primus prepared bedding and blankets and bade them all a good night.
Outside the two moons shone brightly in the night sky and all was quiet. The three settled in
for the night and were soon fast asleep. All was well as could be.
