I started this about two or three years ago and I'm considering re-writing the two chapters that I have and adding a few more but I'd like to see if people think it's worth it first.
Chapter 1 - The Test.
Amelia sighed deeply and pulled the piece of paper from her book. She carefully screwed it up into a tight ball and decided to throw this one. Just one try couldn't hurt. She pulled back her arm and judged the distance to where she had neatly placed the others. With a quick flick of her wrist the paper ball flew towards the mounting pile just like the birds at the wildlife centre she went to last week. It soared gracefully through the air and missed. It rebounded off her mother’s bead lamp before settling on the worn, blue carpet by her feet. Amelia watched this with interest and then sighed once more before retrieving her stolen pen from where it lay. She began again.
*****
The palm trees swayed gently in the breeze, whispering secrets of treasure and urging the boy to come closer. Chris took a step forward and then another and another until he stood beside the strong, rough bark of a tree. The young boy rubbed his hand up and down the wood to make sure it was real. For the first time in his fourteen years he was glad to feel the sharp pain of a splinter. His gaze travelled upwards to the high canopy of fresh, green leaves where he thought he could make out the dim shape of a coconut. He shook his head roughly and it vanished. Another mirage.
Chris wandered on a little further through the thick trees that closed in to become a wood. As he walked he pushed aside the heavy undergrowth and, glad of the shade he had found, stumbled on over the rocks. He continued like this for what seemed hours but in actual fact was a few minutes. The midday sun poured through to scorch his half covered back for his shirt had torn on the rocks years ago and he still hadn't been able to make another. His bare feet were bruised and swollen so he was relieved when he reached the sandy area twenty-five minutes later. Chris felt it was more like three hours but the time ring never lied. His feet sank into the soft, golden substance but out of exhaustion he tripped over a protruding stick and plummeted down.
He lay there for a while but knew he must go on. It was hard but Chris managed to pull himself to his feet and was careful to get properly balanced before releasing the tight grip he had on the tree. Night was quickly approaching and the boy gazed around himself warily. He had to reach home.
Chris ran a blistered hand through his dark, dishevelled hair. Sweat dripped down his brow into his calm blue eyes; as calm as the sea on a warm summers day. Chris didn't feel calm. His thoughts were a jumble of emotions but most of all he felt fierce and angry like the waves that played out their rhythmic attack against the shore or those that tore at boats in the high storms. His whole life depended on the sea, he was the sea. An outcast abandoned on this island long ago and left to survive on his own or crumble and die. The sea was his kind mother, his saviour from heaven. How he had come to loathe her! She was the reason he was banished, he had only.......
*****
"What you doing?" Sadie walked into the room and jumped onto the sofa where she spread herself out. As she crunched a handful of peanuts the remote found its way into her hand and she began flicking through channels.
"Nothing" Amelia swiftly turned around and hid her work like the ocean hides it's pearls or a magician hides his tricks, neither of which have much success though and so neither did Amelia.
"Yes you are, you're writing again." Sadie stated sadly.
Sadie pitied Amelia, the one who could get nothing right. Of the three girls in their family she was the only one who showed little promise. Compared to Sadie with her slim, attractive figure Amelia was large and clumsy. An elephant amongst mice. She wasn't athletic and was bottom of her class in everything except English. Her pride and joy was to write but that didn't matter much, not now. Maybe in the ancient years she would have been considered valuable, writers were needed back then to keep the balance in the worlds. That was what Kenny said anyway. Sadie found it hard to believe that writers were ever needed but the old books (old because books were no longer written) said writers named everything in the worlds and bound it together.
"Come on girls, lunch" Amelia was saved from the embarrassment of having to explain but she still worried.
"Please don't tell anyone" she hissed to Sadie as they left the front room and entered the kitchen.
"Where is Louise?" Diane, a soft, gentle mother with a large cuddly figure asked as she sat down. That was everyone elses cue to take their seats and then they waited.
"Here I am" Came a soft, melodic voice that sounded as sweet as sugar but was nothing compared to when Louise sang. The youngest of the Brigg girls and by far the best loved by the town walked in with a nervous smile.
"Sorry I kept you waiting" Her green eyes twinkled with laughter and her silky black hair was in great contrast to the silvery blond hair that belonged to Sadie. Louise took her seat with surprising grace and giggled like a child half her age. She was fourteen and the thing she cherished most was the animals and nature. She loved people too and always had a kind word for everyone. She was more than willing to look at a sick pet and everyone came to her. She had a way with animals and they trusted her more than anyone else, even the local vet admitted it.
Amelia watched Louise with her soft honey, brown eyes but found it hard to be jealous of such a kind, lively girl. Still she would have loved to have black hair that was darker than night or even Sadie's soft, blond locks would be better than her plain brown mop. Their brother was as much a contrast to the family as the three girls but that's what came from an arranged marriage between two opposite people. His features were very much the same as Sadie's, what did you expect with twins? At seventeen he was strong with a slim figure and a fast sprint. His life revolved around mechanics and already he was designing a new type of robot.
“So how is school Amelia?” Paul asked in a tight, formal voice.
“Good father. I have the test on Tuesday” Amelia stated as she prodded at her food and then began the tedious examination of her nails; anything to avoid meeting her father’s gaze.
“Ah the test. Which subject are you expecting to succeed in?” Paul leaned forward and at last Amelia had no choice but to look up. She stared into his harsh brown eyes that weren’t so unlike her own. His hair was a pale grey now, no longer the smart blond curls that had made him the attractive, young man he once was. His skin still had a slight tan to it but that was nothing compared to when he had travelled the world. If it wasn’t for his stern, military manner he would appear to be a weak, feeble old man with no purpose in life except to shovel his misery onto others.
“She’ll do best in English of course” Louise exclaimed with what seemed to be a casual, innocent tone but Amelia had to wonder if even she could be so oblivious to how this world was run.
“What?” Paul demanded, Amelia had to face him now. She concentrated on studying his face and avoided the gaze of his cold, angry eyes. Paul didn’t take too much interest in his children’s lives but this was enough to pull him from his bouts of self pity. Writing was no career for his daughter and he was going to make sure she didn’t take any steps in that direction. Maybe if he’d noticed earlier he’d have been able to stop her but it was already too late now.
“She means that I’ll do best in drama” Amelia spoke softly as her eyes travelled to her father’s high cheek bones. The years had not been kind to him and his cheeks were devoid of all colour, his eyes sunken in. Old age had stolen everything, his looks, his sense of humour and, most of all, his career.
“Drama yes, a good future there” Paul accepted this lie and clung to it like a man clinging to a rope to save himself from falling down the cliff. He didn’t want to believe that any of his children had anything to do with something as useless as writing.
After lunch Amelia and Sadie talked quietly,
“You shouldn’t write and where did you get the pen?” Sadie was smarter than you expected and never missed an opportunity to ask questions.
“It’s not like it’s illegal and that’s none of your business” Amelia retorted in a hushed tone.
“It is if you don’t want dad and mum to find out” Sadie growled. Her eyes softened,
“Please Lia, we tell each other everything” It was true, well almost. Amelia had a few secrets from Sadie and Sadie never talked about the one thing Amelia was most interested in - Great Aunt Gina’s diary.
“I took it from the museum but they wont miss it, they have loads!” Amelia blurted defensively, maybe just a little too loud.
“Just be careful and you’d best go revise” With that the two girls parted. The two years separating them only made them stronger and as Amelia danced up the stairs she smiled openly for the whole universe to see.
For all that day and all of Sunday Amelia listened to revision tapes and watched revision programs. Her computer was used more in those two days than ever before! When Monday came Amelia went to school and then upon arriving back home resumed her seat at her desk. She revised for another twenty minuets and then wired herself up to the tester. She entered the virtual reality program and failed every subject but three (English, Drama and I.T) Amelia strived to improve; she stayed awake and quizzed herself harder than ever. The time flew but no matter how hard she tried Amelia couldn’t take everything in. She finally collapsed at half past one and slept in a deep, dark abyss of despair where no dreams visited.
“Just try your best sweetie” Diane planted a warm kiss on her daughter’s cheek and embraced her tightly.
“Take the chute today or you’ll be late” With that Paul retired back upstairs. Amelia scooped up her jetter in one arm and her bag in the other as Louise, Sadie and Liam also said goodbye to their mother.
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