So here it is: an account of everything that happened. I know it sounds like an urban myth: the black stone that can take you through time. But that’s not my style.
You see, I’ve never liked urban myths. I’ve never liked pretending to believe in them, and I’ve never understood why everyone else doesn’t see straight through them. Why have those stories always happened to a friend of a friend—someone you’ve never met? Why does everyone always smile and nod and pull the right faces, when they must know the stories aren’t true?
So whenever people spouted the myths about Scaderstone Pit, I never took much notice. It was just an old quarry—nothing more. I never believed in the rumours of discarded dynamite. It had decayed, they said. It exploded at the slightest touch, had even blown someone’s hand off. And I shrugged off the talk of the toxic waste. It was dumped in the dead of night, they said. The canisters rusting away, leaking deadly poisons that could blind you, burn your lungs. I laughed at the ghost stories. You could hear the moans, they said, of quarrymen buried alive and never found. You could see their nightwalking souls, searching for their poor crushed bodies.
I didn’t believe any of it—not one word. Now, after everything that’s happened, I wonder whether I should’ve listened. Maybe, if I’d taken those tales seriously, all these things would’ve happened to someone else, and I could’ve smiled and said that it was all nonsense.
But my story is not an urban myth. And it did not happen to someone else, but to me. I’ve set it down as best I can remember. Whether you believe it or not, is up to you.
Thank You for Reading Scaderstone Pit
I SINCERELY HOPE that you’ve enjoyed accompanying Jake, Cally, Waeccan, and all the other characters on their journeys. Writing these books has been a journey for me too, and it’s been wonderful to have your company along the way. A special thank you goes out to all the wonderful folks who have written reviews and helped to spread the word. Please know that I read and appreciate every review. And finally, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch and offer encouragement. Writing can be a lonely business, and your messages and emails make all the difference.
NB I’ve answered some of your burning questions! Please keep turning the pages until you get to the Notes section.
Where do we go From Here?
I’d love it if you would stick around. I’ll do my best to make it worthwhile; I always do my best to deliver extra value to my readers. The next stop on our journey together is to visit my website: mikeycampling.com
Much Appreciated—Your Review
If you can spare a minute to leave a review for Scaderstone Pit it will make my day and help me to keep writing. Thank you.
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NB Breaking Ground is not available to buy as an ebook. This is an exclusive offer that’s just for my readers.
Afterword
THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH ME. It’s been a long ride, and at times, a bumpy one. The Darkeningstone books are quite hard to write, but that’s only partly because they’re complex; it’s mainly because they mean so much to me.
I’m a great believer in rewriting and rewriting, and I’m afraid that it takes time. My approach to writing is rather like the cabinet maker who knows that building the table is only half the battle; the success of the final piece is all in the sanding down. Hopefully, I’ve rewritten the book until you hardly notice my writing; I want to disappear into the background and let you get on with the story.
Right from the beginning, it was my dream to write a trilogy centred around the mysterious black stone, but at first, I didn’t know how deeply the intertwining stories would become embedded in my mind. It’s as if the tale has taken root in my consciousness, and I’m sure that in writing these stories, a lot of memories have been dragged to the surface. Those memories aren’t necessarily in the book, but I’m certain that they have informed the writing. So for me, it’s been a very personal journey.
The first draft was written longhand in a collection of hard backed notebooks. It took me a long time because I mainly wrote in the few moments I could snatch from my busy life as a full-time parent. In the first attempt, the story was quite different. For some reason, I decided not to name the protagonist—he was just ‘a boy’. He spent most of his time alone and he tended to brood as he struggled to come to terms with the fragmentation of his family. There was no Cally but there was a thread set in 1920.
When I finally managed to type it all up, the book had some interest from publishers, but eventually I realised that it needed a complete rewrite, and I set about it in earnest. I stripped out the 1920 material and those chapters formed the skeleton of this novel, although it needed a great deal of rewriting. Similarly, the original book featured a prologue, which, in a neatly symmetrical twist, became part of the epilogue of this book.
Is the trilogy perfect? I doubt it. I’ve stumbled many times, but I’ve always picked myself back up and carried on. And now, the trilogy is complete and all things considered, I’m very proud of all the Darkeningstone books.
Will there ever be another Darkeningstone book? At the moment, the answer is no, but there is a great deal of scope to carry on. I’d say that a great deal depends on the demand of readers, but I have other projects in mind. Below, I’ll try and tie off a couple of loose threads that may be worrying you, but I am slightly wary of painting myself into a corner. If I do write a fourth novel, I’d hate to be restricted by something I’ve said here. I encourage you to read right to the end, and then you’ll find out what happened to Trevor.
I’ll sign off by saying thank you for accompanying me on this journey. Your support, your reviews, and your comments have been wonderfully encouraging. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these books as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. To those of you who’ve been kind enough to help in spreading the word, I can hardly express how much your efforts have meant to me—you are absolute stars. And on the days when I’ve sat alone at my desk and wondered if any of it is any good, your emails, reviews, tweets, Facebook posts, and other messages, have brightened my day and made me smile when I needed it the most.
To all of my readers, I wish you all the best for your reading adventures and I hope I’ve entertained you and given you some stories to get your teeth into. Please feel free to stay in touch. My newsletter is the best way to keep up with my news and special offers, and it puts you in the front line for any free stories and advanced copies of new books. You can find it on my site at: mikeycampling.com
I hope to hear from you soon.
Kind Regards,
Mikey Campling
Coming Soon
The Trust—The Sequel to CHEATC0DE
Hank is back, and this time, he’s playing for keeps. Hank’s next thrilling adventure is due for release in 2016.
Don’t Miss Out
The best way to keep up to date with Mikey’s new releases is to sign up for his newsletter at: mikeycampling.com/freebooks
Also by Mikey Campling
Trespass: A Tale of Mystery and Suspense Across Time—The Darkeningstone Book I
Three stories, separated by five thousand years, united by one deadly secret: Somewhere, sometime, the stone is waiting.
Trespass combines gritty, edgy modern-day action with a thrilling adventure across time. Discovered over five thousand years ago, the Darkeningstone affects everyone who finds it.
Jake was too smart to believe the rumours about Scaderstone Pit, but now he’s in more danger than he could ever have imagined.
In 1939, as World War II looms, the lives of
two men will be changed forever.
Over five thousand years ago, a hermit will keep the stone a secret. But someone is watching him—someone with murder in his heart.
When it finds you, what will you see when you look into The Darkeningstone?
Outcast—The Darkeningstone Book II
3650 BC When Hafoc’s only family, his brother, is taken by the savage tribe known as the Wandrian, he’s determined to rescue him. But Hafoc is too young to face the Wandrian alone.
2014 Tom lives a life of quiet, orderly routine. He needs it that way. But when he sees a mysterious stranger, his life begins to unravel. Who is watching him? And why do they seem hell bent on ruining his life?
2018 Cally is working hard on her studies at university, so when she’s instructed to drop her research, she’s devastated. Will she give in or will she rebel? And who can she trust?
Breaking Ground - A Darkeningstone Story
A bonus story that adds extra detail to the Darkeningstone world but stands alone so it can be read before or after the full-length novels. Breaking Ground is only available via a free download via mikeycampling.com/freebooks
A Dark Assortment
Sometimes that noise you can hear upstairs is just the old floorboards creaking as they settle down for the night. Sometimes. But there’s no need to worry because that face you saw at the window was just a reflection. There’s no one else here. You’re alone. But that’s OK because you’re safe in your bed. And all those things you fear deep down in the dark reaches of your soul…well, they only happen in stories, don’t they?
A Dark Assortment is a collection of seventeen stories; a chocolate box of handmade treats. But beware—beneath each richly decorated shell, there’s a seed of delicious darkness.
The God Machine
Areva dreams of the day when he will become a Scribe and contribute to The Collective—the tethered souls, connected to the God-Machine. The Scribes write the Universe into existence, and it’s Areva’s destiny to join them. But as his time draws near, he hesitates. Perhaps the God-Machine serves a darker purpose.
This book is widely available for free.
CHEATC0DE
Play to Win. Play to Survive
Most people play the game: total immersion VR with full neural sync. But Hank lives it. In Unlimited Combat, he’s one of the best. He makes his own luck. And he plays solo. Until now. When a player offers Hank fame and fortune, it’s too good to pass up. To succeed, Hank must fight harder than ever before, pushing past the game’s safety protocols. His life is on the line, and when he’s captured, he knows he’s in too deep. Can he escape? And who can he trust?
Join Hank in the game—if you dare.
Connect With the Author
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME to read my work—I really hope you enjoyed it.
I love hearing from readers so there are lots of ways to reach me.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me via [email protected]
You can follow me on Twitter @mikeycampling and I’ll do my best to reply to your mentions.
I’m also active on other social media and the best place to see all those links is on my website: mikeycampling.com/contact
About the Author
On Mikey’s first day at school he discovered the wondrous world that is The Book Corner, and he has never really left it.
On writing, Mikey says: “I love the savage magic of wordcraft—it’s edgy, exciting and much harder work than everyone thinks.”
He lives in the UK on the edge of the wilds of Dartmoor, with his wife, two children, and a black Labrador called Lottie. He has more books than are strictly necessary, but not quite enough to have his house reclassified as a library. Apparently.
You can find out more on Mikey’s website: mikeycampling.com
You can also get exclusive free books, free audio stories and free artwork by joining his mailing list at: mikeycampling.com/freebooks
Now we bring you the anecdote:
Mikey has had lunch with the late Sir Terry Pratchett a couple of times. And you’ll be pleased to know that Sir Terry was just as warm and humorous as his books.
Notes
What happened to Vincent’s tools from Trespass?
Tellan took the tools after Waeccan’s death but although he was in awe of them, he was also frightened by them. If you recall, he buried them inside his hut. This idea of burying a powerful object in a home as protection is based on archaeological evidence. It’s possible that Tellan could return to the dark stone, but it’s also possible that he left the tools buried. The handles would decompose over time and the metal would rust away. If any remnants were ever found, they would be ignored or regarded as errors because there’s no way that iron could be found among Neolithic artefacts—is there?
Whose skull did Brian find?
He found Crawford’s skull. In fact, there were several other sets of human remains left on the ledge (Glowan, Waeccan, Cleofan, and Odely) but since the ground was solid rock, the remains were never buried but covered in mounds of stones. It was common in the Neolithic period for bodies to be left some distance away until animals and decomposition had disposed of the flesh. The bones would then be interred. This is what Waeccan did for his adoptive parents. You might recall though, that Waeccan was simply buried under the stones shortly after his death.
Over thousands of years, the remains on the ledge were disturbed by animals and carried away or scattered. Left exposed to the elements, the brittle bones disintegrated. By the time Brian and Trevor made their discovery in 1919, there were very few bones left.
Were the Shades real?
I leave this to you, but in my mind the answer has always been that the Shades and spirits were purely imaginary. I tried to suggest this in the text, but your interpretation is just as valid. Superstition is very powerful. Added to that, some places apparently resonate at certain frequencies, and some ancient sites have been found to have that property. In such places, studies have shown that people often report the sensation that they are not alone. I believe it’s true that some religious buildings also have the same acoustic properties.
But what about the stones themselves?
Yes, the stones have power. I leave it to your imagination as to where the stones came from and what their purpose is, but broadly speaking they are portals through time. They also form a connection between the collective consciousness of their creators. The stones’ creators also created the black stone amulets, and there is a link between the two: the amulets help to control the interaction between people and the stones. The stones’ creators have an agenda of their own. For reasons unknown, the stones have an affinity for females and they choose women to channel their powers. Men are tolerated so long as their intentions are acceptable. Anyone who tries to control the stones for their own gain is asking for trouble.
How many stones are there?
That is a closely guarded secret.
Was there one amulet or more?
There are several amulets. The one in Seaton’s collection was secured by the authorities and stored away. Morven, who gained his amulet during his rise to authority in the Wandrian, threw it in a river. His amulet was found much later and taken to the museum in Grand-Pressigny.
Why are mobile phones affected by the stones?
The stones release a burst of energy when active and this interferes with mobile phones.
How did the Wandrian get from France to England?
The Neolithic landscape and coastline were significantly different from their modern counterparts, and so it would’ve been quite easy to cross from France to the UK.
Is Scaderstone a real place?
No, it’s entirely fictional. The pit was inspired by an abandoned quarry in the town where I grew up in North Yorkshire. Although the real quarry was much smaller than the fictional pit, it backed onto a playing field, had a public footpath nearby, and had been used as an illegal dumping ground. It even had the remains
of a car and, best of all, a ledge. If you want to see it, there’s a video on my YouTube channel which you can find via my site at mikeycampling.com
How about Grand-Pressigny and Saint Victor?
Grand-Pressigny is a real place and it does have a museum with an exhibition of Neolithic artefacts, but for this book I have fictionalised the museum and its layout. Similarly, although real place names and roads are used on the journey to the hill, the hill itself, sad to say, does not exist. Saint Victor is a real place, but again, I have presented a fictionalised version of it here.
What happened to Trevor Marley? Did he ever get his chance to gain advancement by using his knowledge of the human bones at Scaderstone Rock?
Like so many men of his generation, Trevor was too young for the First World War but he was swept up in the Second. In many ways, the army was the making of him. He was deeply affected by the camaraderie he found in the company of like-minded men, and he became a brave and much respected soldier. He rose to the rank of Sergeant but shied away from any mention of applying for a commission; he was determined to serve alongside the ordinary fighting men. He served in Africa and Italy, and distinguished himself with his loyalty and service to others. He decided it was unfair to ask Iris to wait for him, and he broke off their relationship. Iris, who’d decided they must be married as soon as she’d seen Trevor in his uniform, was heartbroken. Eventually, after much cajoling from her father, Iris married the owner of a company that manufactured agricultural equipment. She was happy enough, but she often thought of Trevor and what might have been, had it not been for her father’s interference in her private life.
When her father died, Iris inherited his wealth but had no interest in continuing his business empire. When the quarry became unprofitable, she closed it down and thought no more about it. The site quickly became neglected and overgrown.
After the war, Trevor stayed in the army and became a career soldier, finding his spiritual home in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Regiment—the Sappers. He travelled the world, playing his part in many ambitious construction projects.
Scaderstone Pit (The Darkeningstone Series Book 3) Page 27