Table of Contents
Tregarthur’s Series
Captive
The Moor
Empty Houses
Bodies
The Village
Farming
Nurse-Mary
Freedom
Tithe
Soldiers
Sir Henry
Witchcraft
Fire
The Hunt
Black Marks
Bedside Manner
Departure
Zach
On the Run
About the Author
Tregarthur’s Series
Book 2
First published in Great Britain in 2014
by Cillian Press Limited. 83 Ducie Street, Manchester M1 2JQ
www.cillianpress.co.uk
Copyright © Alex Mellanby 2014
The right of Alex Mellanby to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.
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 without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-909776-06-7
eBook ISBN: 978-1-909776-07-4
Published by Cillian Press – Manchester - 2014
www.cillianpress.co.uk
This book is dedicated, as before, to Pat Read and all the walkers who have and will take up the challenge of the Ten Tors.
It could not have been completed without my wonderful wife Carolyn and her endless re-reading of drafts and suggestions which straightened the plot from its meanderings. Cillian Press have, as always, been fantastic and put up with my rantings and ravings which were entirely generated by the characters in this book.
Captive
-1-
Tonight was nearly here; my last tonight. I was on the menu for a caveman meal.
My arms were bound and my legs tied to a rock with thick creepers. I couldn’t have escaped, even if I’d been free. There were too many of them. Then there were the injuries. I didn’t think anything was broken – yet, but I had bruises all over my back from Zach’s beatings.
Our cave home had been wrecked. Pottery bowls smashed, rush beds burnt on the fire that smouldered near the entrance, even the rough partition thrown down the deep hole we used for a loo. Now it was a gloomy cavern lit only by orange rays of light from the setting sun.
Everywhere was crawling with Trogs, the name we’d given to the hairy cavemen – Neanderthals someone had said. If that wasn’t bad enough, into the cave came Zach; I thought he was dead, he should be dead. Zach the school bully turned murderer, followed by Demelza Honey, his queen bitch.
‘Are they going to cook him?’ Demelza’s voice was full of fake concern. She had recovered all of her old nasty self.
‘Nah, they eat everything raw,’ Zach laughed.
The group of Trogs, sitting cross-legged by the fire, turned towards me – and dribbled.
‘Big man now, aren’t you Zach?’ I did my best to sound brave. I didn’t want to let him believe he’d won.
It earned me a crashing blow from behind – Zach’s orders. How had he made this tribe follow him?
‘No one calls me that and lives.’ Zach turned to make sure he was in full view of the Trogs: ‘It’s King Zach.’ Zach raised his arms above his head and shouted, ‘King Zach! King Zach! King Zach!’
The Trogs whooped and cheered and grunted and spat and howled, although no one seemed able to actually say the words that Zach wanted.
‘Tonight,’ Zach sneered over his shoulder at me. ‘Tonight, Alvin Carter is on the list of specials – the dish of the day.’
I did my best to snarl, but for once I wanted my family around me. Dad would know what to do – probably involving guns and baseball bats. But Dad wasn’t here. He was rotting in jail with more of the Carter clan. I was on my own and a zillion somethings away from home.
Where were the other three who had stayed with me in this weird world? Alice Tregarthur’s weird world. I hoped they had escaped when the Trog army stormed our home and took me captive.
Would I ever see Jenna again, my fabulous Jenna? She had been down at the river with Ivy and Sam, finding food. Had they hidden or had they been killed?
My thoughts were broken by a sudden howl from outside the cave. Zach and the Trogs ran out. Demelza smirked, blew me a mock kiss and went after them.
I heard a scream.
Straining against the creeper ropes I still couldn’t see what was happening. More screams followed and the sound of fighting. One Trog ran into the cave, behind him three club-wielding men followed – not so much cavemen, despite the body hair and lack of much clothing. And that awful smell. Oh yes, these three looked like the Stinkers I’d met before.
I slid down behind the rock and watched the fight. It was three against one. The clubs crashed down on his skull. I heard the crack of bone. His lifeless body was left on the cave floor. The three victors barely gave me a glance before rushing back out howling and waving their clubs.
I didn’t think that meant much change. Last time I’d met the Stinkers they were trying to stone me to death. Maybe that was better than being eaten – but only just.
Sounds of a battle crashed on. I heard new shouts, different sounds from those of the cavepeople, whatever tribe they came from. Then a woman’s wail, one ear-piercing scream cut short. Was that Jenna? Had she died trying to rescue me?
The grunts and howls grew louder, the noise of fighting coming towards the cave. Then suddenly it stopped. Screams of triumph echoed around me but I had no idea who’d won – the stone throwers or the cannibal Trogs? I slumped down and waited.
‘Are you there?’ were the first words I heard. And they were Jenna’s.
She rushed over and flung her arms around me. I winced as she squashed my bruised body, but I didn’t care – she was alive. Big Jen was alive.
‘What happened?’ I said when she finally let me go and untied my ropes. ‘Where did you find the Stinkers and how did you get them to fight for you?’
‘I didn’t.’ Jenna pursed her lips and when she spoke again I thought she was avoiding something. ‘I don’t think they’re the same Stinkers – just look like them.’
‘But …’
There wasn’t any more time to talk. More people were arriving – I couldn’t believe who I saw.
‘Jack? Mary? You came back. What …? How …?’ I mumbled as I stared up at the two of them.
They were so clean – and normal. We all must have looked like that once.
‘But how did you get here?’ I was full of questions but two more stepped into the cave.
‘What are you doing here?’ I said, startled, recognising the identical shaven headed Peta twins – one was Kan and the other Van but I didn’t know which was which.
‘Alvin? Alvin Carter? Did we come all this way to save you?’ one of them said with a smile. ‘You didn’t say it was this Alvin.’
‘You know each other?’ Mary sounded cross.
‘Thanks for coming guys,’ I said weakly. I was missing something, but somehow my mind felt clouded, things around me blurred. I tried to stand. Everything went blank and I sank back down to the ground. Mary came to my side and handed me a water bottle.
‘We not do much,’ one of the Petas explained.
‘Oh that’s Kan – don’t mind his accent, I’m Van.’ The Petas were doing all the talking. What was happening?
Van looked at me. ‘Full on battle going on when we arrived between your …’ Jenna stopped him from speaking. That meant there had to be something worse.
‘Zach and Demelza have run off, but it’s not all good news.’ Jenna didn’t sound as though she wanted to explain. ‘Alvin, I’m … so sorry.’ She choked on her words.
‘What?’
Jenna turned towards the cave entrance. The rest stood silently watching. Jenna beckoned to a group of the Stinkers. Slowly the men stepped forward together. Everything slowed down as they moved. They carried the body of an injured woman. I could see blood dripping from under the deerskin that covered her.
They laid her on the ground. Everyone turned to me, not saying anything. I didn’t understand. I couldn’t see her face. Who was it? My pulse started to race, then I knew.
I jumped up, ignoring the pain from my bruises, and pushed through the men to stand over her. I stood and stared. I couldn’t focus, everything started to go dark in front of me. Jenna grabbed me as I slid back down, crying out: ‘Mum? MUM.’ It all went blank.
When I came round nothing had changed. ‘Mum, Mum,’ I groaned. I was still next to her. How could this be her? She had deserted me and run off to this weird world, all part of the plan that we had been dragged into – Miss Tregarthur’s awful promise. I’d been told Mum had died. It never seemed right but what was she doing here? What had happened?
I could see the movement of her shallow breathing, so I knew she wasn’t dead. But the blood, so much blood, could she survive?
The cave had filled with noise as the victorious Stinkers crowded in, pushing and shoving. I leant over her.
Slowly Mum opened her eyes. ‘Alvin. Did we save you?’ she mumbled.
‘Yes, Mum, all saved,’ I croaked.
‘My fault you got into this mess,’ she said and I could see the pain in her eyes.
‘Doesn’t matter now.’ I turned to the others. ‘Can’t we do anything?’ I tried to shout but my voice was weak. ‘Anything? Anything?’ I saw only blank faces.
Jenna knelt down beside me and pulled away a corner of the deerskin. A huge gaping wound was open in Mum’s side. I gasped. Mum gave a strangled yell. Jenna covered the wound.
‘Mary …?’ I turned to her but she just shook her head.
Then Mum stirred again. She seemed to gather all her strength and her hand grasped my arm. ‘Alvin. Take everyone back. Take everyone. You MUST take everyone. If you don’t, it will never end. It’s up to you. Get them all back.’ It was her last effort. Her head lolled to one side, her eyes stared, unblinking, and she said no more.
‘NO! Mum.’ I slumped forward, my head falling on to her body, she didn’t move. I felt blood running down my cheek. ‘Mum,’ I sobbed. No one moved or spoke. Slowly I looked up. Her breathing had stopped, no flicker of her eyes.
I was lost. So many things I needed to know, but did any of them matter? Mum had come to save me, now she was really dead. Did anything else matter – how she got here, how Zach was still alive, how all these other people had arrived? I stayed holding on to her lifeless body.
Before Jenna could explain any more, the sounds of a grunted argument echoed into the cave. The Stinkers had moved back outside and something was happening, something was wrong.
‘I’ll be back,’ Jenna said as she ran to find out.
I pulled myself up, wanting to follow her. I stepped forward but the sight of my mother’s body stopped me. I froze, thoughts scrambling in my mind.
Mary bent down, pulling the deerskin over her, covering her face. Then Mary held me in a hug, closely. It was enough, I pulled away to go after Jenna.
The tribe who had fought the Trogs were gathered outside the cave entrance.
‘Eesa!’ their leader grunted and the rest joined in chanting.
‘I guess they mean your mum,’ Jenna said. ‘They’re trying to say her name – Theresa – Eesa’s the best they can manage.’
The Stinkers were restless, moving around, grunting and pointing.
Jack appeared. ‘I think they’re planning to leave.’ And as he spoke the whole tribe, there must have been twenty or so, turned and made off at a run.
Van and his brother Kan joined us.
‘Don’t think we should have let them go,’ Van said, staring at the disappearing group.
That didn’t register with me. I had something to do, to bury Mum. Nothing else mattered. I turned away to go back into the cave.
‘Er, Alvin.’ Van grabbed my arm.
‘What?’ I shouted and tried to pull away.
‘Now your mum’s army have left, the other lot will probably come back, and soon. Need to get out of here.’
Van held me in a strong grip. I almost hit him, but looking into his eyes I realised he was right. The danger wasn’t over, there were more people than just me to think about.
‘I don’t think getting away from here is that simple. Mum said before …’ my voice broke and I turned away.
Jenna took over: ‘She said we had to take everyone back or it wouldn’t end.’
‘We can’t take the dead people, can we?’ Jack sounded anxious. ‘But we need to get Ivy, she broke her arm in the battle. We need to get her home.’
I hadn’t seen either Ivy or Sam since I’d been released. Now I saw them walking up towards us. Ivy winced as she walked. Mary went to help her. I thought it was worse than just a broken arm.
Suddenly I staggered. Was it from thinking about Mum or had the ground moved?
‘Small earthquake,’ Jack said confidently and turned to the Petas. ‘Happens all the time here.’
I wasn’t so confident and I looked anxiously into the cave, not quite sure what would happen in another earthquake.
‘What was that?’ Van lifted his hand to his ear, listening.
‘It must be the Trogs,’ Jack cried. ‘Coming back with Zach and Demelza. They’re here again.’
Screams and shouts came from the direction of the river. Then a much larger tremor shook the ground. Slabs of stone fell from the cliff above. Was a blue light coming from inside the cave? Another wave of shocks moved under our feet.
‘The tunnel,’ Jenna shouted. ‘The tunnel in the cave is opening again. It’s the way out of here.’
‘What about Zach and Demelza?’ Jack was holding on to me to stop himself falling but he nearly pulled me over, it hurt but I was feeling stronger now.
‘They come,’ Kan Peta said, pointing down the slope.
Two figures came running out of the bushes. Zach running ahead of Demelza, who kept looking over her shoulder.
‘Help,’ screamed Zach. ‘Help, they’re coming to kill us,’ he shouted, more breathless this time, as he ran up to us and collapsed. ‘Help, quick, do something, they’re going to club us to death.’ Zach pointed backwards.
A group of Zach’s Trogs emerged from the direction Zach pointed. They were standing and watching.
‘They’re waiting for the rest of them,’ squealed Demelza. ‘Help us.’
‘What have you done to upset them?’ I said. They didn’t answer. ‘Ok, I think we’ll just watch,’ I said with a tight smile. ‘Remember they like raw meat.’
‘The tunnel.’ Zach stirred. ‘Let’s go.’ And he jumped up.
Ivy and Sam were already disappearing into the blue-lit passage.
‘Not yet.’ I turned and, despite all the pain, I knocked Zach back down.
‘It was a joke,’ Zach moaned. ‘They weren’t really going to eat you. Come on, let’s get out of here.’
‘Mum.’ I put my foot on Zach’s chest. ‘You killed her.’
‘No he didn’t,’ Demelza said in a frantic tone. ‘If she hadn’t turned up here there wouldn’t have been a fight. She started it …’
I leapt at her, squeezing my hands around her neck. The two Petas grabbed me.
‘Later, Alvin,’ said Kan. ‘We go now, good idea.’
Zach was trying to get up. I kicked him down again.
I didn’t need to hurry. ‘We can’t take any dead people. Mum must have meant we had to take the living people home. We leave him here and the Trogs kill them both. Job done.’ I prodded Zach with my foot.
‘That sounds like a proper Carter to me,’ Van laughed. ‘That’s what your dad would have done. Fine. Let’s leave them.’
I felt the hurt from Van’s words. Just like Dad. I thought I’d escaped from all that. Van was right. Leaving Zach was what my dad would have done. I took my foot off his stomach, pulled him to his feet and kicked him towards the cave. One more earth tremor shook the ground and brought a howl from the approaching Trogs. Zach was already making for the blue light.
There were a lot more Trogs and they were coming at a run. They were nearly on us. One threw his club and it whistled past my ear, smacking into Zach’s shoulder. Another club flew through the air, and another. We made for the cave.
Tregarthur's Revenge: Book 2 (The Tregarthur's Series) Page 1