David Dunham's Blog - Posts Tagged "fantasy-fiction"

The following is the first chapter of my new book, The Legend of Caradoc. It is for teenagers and adults who like to take an adventure from time to time. I hope you enjoy it.

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There’s a legend about Jack Caradoc. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Chapter One


Cornwall, England
Present Day


‘You must concentrate, Jack. One second lost and you’re gone; you’re dead!’
Jack rolled his eyes. He’d heard it all before. ‘It’s not real sword fighting, Dad.’
‘That’s not the point. You don’t ever get hit. Agreed?’
Jack wanted to argue, but not as much as he wanted to see Lucy Peters. The sooner he lost meant the sooner he could get to Prussia Cove before she left; before he missed out on being noticed.
‘Jack! Answer me.’
‘Okay, okay,’ said Jack. ‘I don’t ever want to get hit.’
‘Good. Now loosen your grip; it’s too tight. And your stance is all wrong. I could pierce your heart in the blink of an eye.’
Pierce my heart? Jack thought. With a wooden sword?
‘You’re too far away. Don’t be intimidated.’
Jack shuffled along the fallen oak tree which had been balanced on two flat rocks for the past year so that a family tradition could be played out.
Time to get this over for another week, Jack thought. Time to go and see Lucy. She might even smile at me.
‘En garde!’
Jack raised his sword to meet his father’s.
‘And … FIGHT!’
Jack lunged, but his father swatted the attack away and exploded forward, wielding his sword furiously. Slashing side to side, high to low, he forced Jack back, leaving him teetering on the log’s bare edge. And then with lightning speed, he went for the finishing blow. The move should have caught Jack out, but before he’d even realised it he’d blocked the shot to his chest. It was as if someone else was guiding his sword. Someone who didn’t want to lose.
Faster! Faster! Jack told himself, suddenly on fire with a desire to fight. Can’t stop!
Wood smacked against wood as Jack went on the attack.
Crack!
Crack!
CRACK!
Each clash of swords was louder than the one before. Jack felt every nerve in his body come alive and he loved it. He saw his own sword angling inwards to block his father’s, and in one fluid motion it went to strike back hard.
‘Got you!’ said his father, seizing the chance to hit an exposed chest.
Jack touched his t-shirt, as if he was bleeding. ‘I thought I had you.’
‘But you didn’t. You weren’t quick enough and I won.’
‘I’m nearly sixteen, Dad. I should have beaten you at least once by now.’
‘Maybe … maybe not.’
Jack noticed something strange in his father’s tone; almost relief. Or perhaps he was just gloating that even after a twelve hour day on the farm he could still win a duel.
‘Don’t be discouraged, Jack. I had to wait until I was eighteen before I beat my father.’
‘As you keep reminding me,’ said Jack. ‘I’ll get lucky one day, you’ll see.’
‘You won’t win anything in life through luck. You need to work hard and be smart. That’s why you’re learning this, remember?’
Jack jumped off the tree trunk and made for the stable. His father came after him, pulling him around to face him.
‘Generations of Caradocs have learnt this skill, Jack. You should take it seriously out of respect for them.’
‘I’m trying to, Dad.’
‘Sometimes you make me think otherwise. If you put as much commitment into practising as you do surfing, you would have beaten me ages ago.’
Jack shrugged off his father’s hand. ‘Dad, I don’t know how many times I need to tell you this, but want I really want to do is surf, ride Calo and help you out. That’s what makes me happy, not learning how to sword fight because every other Caradoc has.’
‘Your mum wanted you to go to university. For you to have choices.’
‘That’s real nice, Dad, but I’m going to be taking over the farm when you get old, aren’t I?’
‘That doesn’t mean you can’t go away and study, and then come back.’
Jack sighed and resumed walking. ‘Unless it’s in Cornwall, I’m not going anywhere.’
‘What if you made the British surf team? You’d have to go somewhere then.’
Jack kept walking. ‘I blew my chance, Dad. Accept it.’
‘At least consider university before it’s too late. One day you might want to live somewhere else for a while.’
Under his breath, Jack said, ‘Not if I can help it.’
Jack collected a bridle, numnah, saddle, comb and brush from the stable and headed for the back paddock. Resting the tack on a gate, he whistled once, loud and sharp. Calo looked up and immediately began to trot towards him.
‘Good boy,’ said Jack, grabbing the last apple from a bucket on the ground. ‘There you are.’
Calo clamped his huge mouth around the apple and took it away from Jack’s hand, leaving a trail of saliva in its place.
‘You want to go for a ride?’ asked Jack.
Calo continued to crunch the apple apart.
‘Towards the sea?’
Calo swallowed and leaned forward, allowing Jack to rub his face against his massive head.
‘Let’s go to the cove,’ said Jack. ‘There’s someone who needs to see you.’
Jack opened the gate and began to comb Calo, moving the comb in circles around the body. Calo stood perfectly still, even though he wasn’t tied to the paddock fence.
‘Nearly there,’ said Jack, switching to the brush, sweeping side to side, removing loosened dirt and hair.
Calo made a low rumbling sound in his throat; his way of telling Jack he was excited.
‘I know, I know,’ said Jack. ‘Me too.’
Jack prepared Calo to ride, taking care to be gentle as he looped the bridle over Calo’s ears.
‘All done,’ said Jack, putting his foot in the stirrup.
They left the paddock, went down the side of the stable and started to cross the gravel in front of the house. The front door flung open.
‘Your phone’s just been ringing,’ said Jack’s father, still in his milking overalls and almost filling the doorway even though he was barefoot. ‘Someone called Millie.’
Jack felt his cheeks warm and once again regretted going on a date with Millie Burns. ‘She wants surf lessons,’ he said, using the first lie that came to mind. ‘You didn’t answer, did you?’
‘Wouldn’t dare.’
‘I’ll call her back,’ said Jack. ‘Can you keep my phone charging?’
‘Sure, but don’t be out there too long. The storm isn’t far off. And I’m doing toad-in-the hole for tea.’
‘With mash and gravy?’
‘Guaranteed. It’s the rules.’
Jack’s stomach rumbled. No one could make gravy like his dad. It was dark brown and laced with Worcestershire Sauce, and thick, but never lumpy, it would slide across the crust of the Yorkshire pudding and over the sides to soak into the butter heavy mash.
‘You need to tie your hair back, Jack. Or better still, get it cut.’
‘Sorry, Dad, I can’t hear you,’ said Jack, smiling. ‘Gotta go!’
Jack struck out towards the grey clouds. Ahead of him was a stone wall, a metre high and covered in lichen. It marked the boundary of the farm. The very sight of it sent a tremor of excitement through Jack.
‘You want to jump it, Calo?’ he said. ‘I think you do.’ He nudged Calo into a canter and lifted himself slightly out of the saddle, leaning forward as Calo pushed off the ground, raising his front legs, soaring over the wall with ease.
‘YES!’ roared Jack as adrenalin pumped through him. ‘Nice one, Calo!’
Jack straightened up as the high wore off. He wished the fields would go on forever so he could ride and ride, and never have to pull at Calo’s reins. But he knew he would, and not because of the storm.
‘Slow now,’ he said, bringing Calo down to a walk as they reached the coastal path.
Jack looked around him and began to think about what he’d earlier told his dad. The view of the winding path, the fishermen’s cottages on the hills, the steep cliffs and the coastline stretching for miles, is what also made him happy. This was home. This was where the wind whipped fresh off the sea, blowing his hair wildly behind him; where no one could tell him he needed a haircut, or that he should spend less time surfing, and more time studying. This was where he belonged. He had no interest in ever being in a city, far from the ocean, on a university course he cared nothing for. He had no interest in being separated from Cornwall, and he knew he could never be separated from Calo.
The path began to descend as Prussia Cove came into view. It was almost high tide. Only a thin strip of the secluded golden beach remained. Jack scanned the water, questioning what he’d overheard Lucy tell a friend at the party the night before.
She definitely said she’d be swimming here at this time, he thought. Maybe she’s left already. Probably got a boyfriend anyway. Someone who’s already left school and can drive.
Calo’s ears pricked up.
‘What’s up, mate? Can you hear her?’
Jack listened hard, desperate to catch the sound of Lucy’s soft voice. The only voice he could hear was the loud one in his head telling him he was a fool. Nevertheless, he wanted to have one last check he hadn’t missed Lucy swimming. He looked at the sea and then the coastline path and squinted. His eyes definitely weren’t playing a trick on him. Walking into the distance, alone and carrying a towel, was Lucy.
I could catch her up! Jack thought. Say something about … err … something.
Calo twitched his neck towards the path that led down to the cove. Tied to a gate was a horse as pure white as he was pure grey, and it was trying to break free. Jack glanced down again at the cove and realised why the horse was so distressed. On a high ledge at the far end of a stretch of rocks sticking out from the beach was a girl. She had her back turned and was resting on her knees on a red mat, with her head bowed and her hands clutching the soles of her feet.
‘HEY!’ shouted Jack.
The girl remained rooted to the spot.
‘MOVE!’
Still, the girl didn’t flinch.
Jack looked towards Lucy, now almost out of sight, and then back to the girl.
Calo twisted his neck again.
‘All right, all right,’ said Jack. ‘I get the message.’
Jack stayed on Calo’s back as he took the path down to the cove. The white horse continued to tug at the gate.
‘She’ll be back soon,’ said Jack as he passed by. ‘Just need to break her trance.’
Calo stepped onto the beach, sinking ever so slightly into the sand.
‘HELLO!’ boomed Jack.
The girl looked one way, then the other.
‘Behind you!’
At last, the girl glanced over her shoulder. ‘What do you want?’ she said gruffly.
Jack’s heart rose. The girl was stunning.
‘Aren’t you going to answer me?’ she said.
‘I wanted to warn you,’ said Jack.
‘About what?’
‘About that!’ Jack pointed to the sea rushing over the rocks, cutting off the girl’s access to the beach.
The girl looked casually at the water, as if she had all the time in the world. But as soon as reality dawned on her, she cried, ‘I’m stuck!’
‘You can wade through it,’ said Jack.
‘All the gaps between the rocks are hidden. I’ll break my neck!’
‘Then jump off the ledge and swim back.’
‘I can’t!’
‘Course you can,’ said Jack. ‘It’s easily deep enough.’
‘No, I can’t swim!’
‘You’re joking?’
‘No, I’m not! You’re going to have to rescue me!’
‘How?’
‘Ride out here and I’ll get on your horse.’
‘Can’t I just swim out and get you?’ said Jack, wanting to do anything to avoid endangering Calo.
‘Are you a lifeguard?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Then that’s a stupid idea.’
‘She can’t be for real,’ Jack said to himself.
‘Are you going to help me or not?’
‘Okay, okay!’ said Jack, nudging Calo. ‘I’m coming!’
‘Good. And hurry up.’
I can’t believe this, Jack thought. This is crazy.
With each step forward on the seabed, the water crept higher up Calo’s legs. He flared his nostrils and snorted loudly.
‘I’m here,’ said Jack. ‘You’re going to be all right … nothing to worry about.’
The girl shuffled as far along the ledge as she could. ‘Do you know what you’re doing?’
‘I’m coming to help you,’ said Jack. ‘Just try and be calm, will you?’
The girl frowned. Jack glanced down. The water went over Calo’s knees. ‘You can do it, mate. You can …’
Suddenly, Calo’s front legs buckled as the seabed dropped and he squealed in fear.
‘Woah!’ said Jack, grabbing the edge of the saddle to keep his balance. ‘Easy now, easy.’
‘You’re dawdling!’ said the girl.
‘And you’re pissing me off!’ said Jack. ‘You’ll have to jump.’
‘I’ll drown!’
‘You can jump, or stay there and hope you’re not washed away. Which is it?’
The girl huffed at Jack, but didn’t answer the question.
Jack shivered as the water reached his waist. ‘You’ve got ten seconds to make up your mind, and then I’m turning back.’
‘You wouldn’t dare.’
‘Try me.’
‘You’d seriously abandon me?’
‘Ten … nine … eight …’
‘You would, wouldn’t you? You, you …’
‘Seven … six ...’
‘I won’t forget this!’
‘Five … four …’
The girl groaned in anger. She picked up her mat.
‘Leave it!’ said Jack.
The girl let the mat go. She bent her knees.
‘Three …’
She closed her eyes.
‘Two …’
Bit her lip.
‘ONE!’
The girl opened her eyes and jumped, but she misjudged her leap and hit the water well away from Calo.
‘SHIT!’ said Jack.
A current took the girl further away. She flapped her arms up and down, getting nowhere.
Jack ripped off one riding boot and then the other. ‘Hold on!’ he yelled, launching himself off a stirrup towards the girl.
The girl’s head dropped under the surface. Jack reached her, swinging her nearest arm
round his neck. The girl brought her other arm out of the water, locking her hands, forcing Jack down. He came back up and kicked harder to keep them afloat.
‘Keep your grip!’ spluttered Jack.
The girl dug her sharp fingernails into Jack’s skin. He brought his arm round her waist and grabbed her t-shirt, accidentally breaking the girl’s hold, sending her backwards, under the surface again. Jack scrambled for her, but he found only water. He came up for a breath and went back down again.
Where is she? he thought, now seriously panicking. WHERE IS SHE?
Then he felt a tug on the back of his hoodie. Something was pulling him up.