Xinder Rises
Page 23
His heart missed a beat. Water! Here?
The children! Apples alive!
He sloshed round to the entrance. A sound gurgled from a strange, billowing steam cloud.
Cautiously, he peered in, his eyes wide.
Inside, the cave floor was dry, and water flowed along a neat, straight channel that he presumed led directly into the pit.
Sap’s pulse raced.
On hands and knees, he followed the channel through a thick mist. As he crept closer, the colour of the water changed from blue to pink and he could tell it was gently bubbling. He put his damaged hand in. The water tingled on his cut and sent a warm buzz through him.
He leant over the edge of the pit, his heart thumping. Were they alive?
He pulled his hand out and gasped. The wound was healing in front of his eyes.
Then he heard a voice. Or was it laughter?
‘Sap, what are you doing?’ Anika said, her face appearing in front of him briefly before sinking back into the steam.
Sap reeled.
Anika giggled. ‘Hey, why don’t you get in?’
Sap felt himself choking up. ‘Goodness me. Anika!’ he cried. ‘Is that you? Is that really you? I can’t see you.’
‘Yeah, it’s me alright. Come on in. It’s gorgeous and warm and fantastic,’ she replied. ‘And it smells delicious, like lavender and pine needles and lemons.’
‘Are you alright in there?’
‘Yes! We’re absolutely fine,’ she said. ‘Come on in – see for yourself.’
Sap was confused. ‘Are ALL of you fine, I mean Olivia and Danny?’
Sap heard a splashing noise. Danny’s head popped out. ‘Yeah. Fine,’ he said.
Sap reeled. ‘Apples almighty! It IS you.’
Danny smiled. ‘Well, it’s good to see you too. How long have you been here?’
‘Your head?!’ Sap exclaimed.
‘Yeah, I know. I think it was a lightning bolt.’ He patted his hard hair before drifting back into the steamy waters.
Sap didn’t know what to think. Perhaps he was dreaming. ‘Olivia?’
‘Uh-huh,’ she responded lazily.
Sap’s heart leapt for joy. It was impossible, a miracle. He had to see it to believe it. ‘Right then, you lot, I’m coming in.’
He could hear them laughing.
‘There’s plenty of room,’ Anika said. ‘Though watch yourself, Danny might puncture you with his hairdo.’
Sap removed his coat, socks, and boots, and dipped his foot in the water. Then, ever so slowly, he lowered himself into the pool.
The water, like a winning combination of champagne and cream, bubbled up and sparkled around him. He closed his eyes and let himself drift under. Almost immediately, he felt the bubbles caress his aches and pains, targeting each one like mini lasers.
When he resurfaced and opened his eyes, the children were beaming at him.
Sap laughed out loud. ‘You did it, you blooming made it! HOW in apples’ name...? And, are you better, truly recovered?’
The twins floated over and hugged him.
Sap inspected Danny, looking for the cuts and bruises on his head, hands, and ankles. He did the same with Anika, but the procedure was quick and easy as their skin was smooth and clear, as though the battle through the storm had never happened.
‘I can’t believe it. I simply can’t believe it,’ Sap repeated. ‘I thought you were, you know, not alive, you twins! Battered to bits you were, and now look at you...’
Sap listened attentively to their stories, noting that each one had survived an almost direct strike from a lightning bolt.
But what was it about the awkwardness in Danny’s face, that same expression he’d seen when he’d handed him the strange overcoat? And who was this curious "Xinder" that Danny had called out for?
He remembered the apples and rummaged in his coat pocket. ‘You lot must be starving.’
As one they nodded back.
‘I took the liberty of bringing you something special. Afterwards, it’d be a good idea to grab some rest. After all, we’ve still got to find a way out of here.’
‘A chocolate brownie,’ Danny began, ‘with a spoonful of ice cream!’
‘Or a plate full of Peking duck pancakes with plum sauce, cucumber, and spring onions,’ Anika said.
‘Or a huge slice of banoffee pie, with thick cream,’ Olivia added, licking her lips.
Sap pulled out the apples.
‘Now, before you start complaining, these are my special ones, so make sure you eat the whole thing, understand? Pips and all. They’ll fill you right up. Trust me. Don’t know how, but they will.’
He tossed an apple at each one, and ravenously the children bit in. They were rewarded as the taste of golden syrup, honey, apple pie, and sweet raspberries flooded their mouths.
The children pulled themselves out of the pit. Their bodies, now devoid of cuts and bruises, dried in the warm air. Using the multicoloured glow of the water, they found four protruding shelves, like stone benches, set into the walls off the floor. It was as though these ledges were individually crafted for each of them.
Anika climbed into the one nearest her and wearily tested it, scrunching her hand in the soft velvety texture, before she lay down.
‘This is lovely,’ she purred as she sank into it. Before long, little snores filled the void above her.
The others followed, and they too experienced the extraordinary sensation of the warm silky powder, softer than feathers, moulding perfectly around their bodies.
Danny
From his bunk higher up on the cave wall, Danny peered through bleary eyes out into the night sky of Yorkshire. Rippling, tiny waves caught the light that flickered over the moving floodwater.
A moonbeam shone into the cave, accentuating what looked like pictures etched onto the walls. He smiled. Strange how there was so much beauty and yet so much destruction in the world.
The thought that someone had been here a long time ago gave him a sense of comfort. They weren’t all alone.
He wondered about Fitzpatrick and the ghost. His memory was just a blur, an outline, but he still couldn’t work out whether Fitzy had done it to save him, or to deliberately take his place?
Anyway, they’d passed this first test Xinder had told them about. They didn’t have a chance, wasn’t that what he said? His lips turned up at the thought. Then he sighed. His dreams had been right all along. Even Sas had known, and had tried to tell them. But tell them what, exactly? Was that what she had been yelling on the pitch when he ran over?
Something to do about finding clues? He couldn’t recall. And something about this Ancient Lady of his dreams that he’d murdered over and over again? Xinder had to be right about that. Saving her was the only way ahead, surely?
Olivia, he thought as he breathed in deeply, must have known too. Her frantic efforts to persuade Wynn-Garry to abandon the game now looked like sage advice. What would Wynn-Garry make of it now, if he was still alive?
And poor Mrs Puddy, sitting at home worrying. He could imagine her pacing around, mumbling to herself.
What of all their friends? Had they made it? Would there be anyone left?
He touched his hard hair and wondered if they’d been blessed. He didn’t think the others would have been so fortunate, unless they’d run into the tower. Oh well. They’d find out in the morning after they’d found a way out of the cave and climbed their way up through the wreckage and back home.
He yawned and stretched his arms out. And what of that strange creature he’d seen over Anika? Was it a part of this adventure?
His eyes closed.
So long as he didn’t get any more nightmares… and what if he really did have the courage of a horse and the strength of a lion…?
A mist of heavy tiredness crept over every part of him.
He could think no more.
Within moments, the Sacrum and Sap were all sound asleep.
To be continued…
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to editor supremo Rebecca. I wish I had found you years ago.
Great cover designing from Stuart Bache.
And for everything else, Sara, Wiz, Cathy, Eddie, Charlie, Robert, Phil, Fahreen and my truly amazing family - thank you!
About the Author
Restless after schooling, JJ traveled and experienced plenty of adventures. He has been shot at, scaled Pyramids, climbed mountains, been through earthquakes, police detained and even swum with beavers.
JJ specialised in getting lost quite a bit, like in the Canadian wilderness in bear season, as well as experiencing hypothermia, dysentery, muggings, altitude sickness, thefts, a broken neck, desert breakdowns, etc.
Inadvertently these experiences have set JJ up for a big writing journey.
For More Info:
jjhawken@jericopress.com
Xinder Rises
Book One
A Tale of Dust and Dreams
Jerico Press
First Published in 2017
Copyright © JJ Hawken 2017
The right of JJ Hawken to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, recording, photocopying, mechanical or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This is a work of fiction and therefore entirely invented. All errors, factual, scientific, religious or otherwise are the author’s, and the author’s alone.
Xinder Rises is written in UK English.
Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1-910134-19-1
EBook ISBN-13: 978-1-910134-20-7
Also by JJ Hawken
Coming in Spring 2018:
BOOK TWO - XINDER’S CURSE
To get details, click here.