DoSP Part 2, Xander's Diary

+JMJ+

Diary of a Sailor Prince

Part Two

Nineteenth day of the Hot Season

Well, I do not see the point of dragging this odious task out any longer. All of my brothers and sisters, except of course for Greda and Tarek, have piled their wedding gifts for dear Anne in the storage chamber. Waylan's donkey keeps biting Yaron's camel but that is hardly the point. I have contributed nothing. Madra has hinted several times about my lack of brotherly love. The triplets have asked outright. I have been stalling by saying that I am looking for the perfect present. But the perfect present in my opinion would be a punch to the nose of that disgusting prince who thinks he can just waltz into River City steal my sister and claim a share of the Island as dowry. Everyone knows that the king of Kildimere is simply trying to take back the Glittering Island from my father. Well, I shall not be one to aide and abet him. But today Zeno kindly handed me a pouch full of food and spare garments and deposited me aboard the Crown Slayer. The same wretched ship that marooned Yaron on that miserable sand spit of an island.

“Alright, alright, I am going!” I shouted at my brother, “And I won't return until I bring the most wonderful present home for dear Anne!”

“Because if you don't I shall send you to the labor camps of Kildimere!” Zeno yelled. What a joker. The sea voyage will do me good. It is a well known fact I can last the grand total of ten minutes aboard a ship before I start trying to climb over the side. My insides churn and twist and threaten mutiny. Anyway, I shall find Anne a wedding gift. But it will be for her alone and not that wretched creep what calls himself her fiance.

Farewell for now,

Me

Thirtieth day of the Hot Season

Yesterday I went ashore on Ashtaran. Bleak miserable place that I ever saw. I never saw so many trees and such thick grass before in my life. Yaron says this is what Greengrove island looks like too. But how do people survive with the chill and lack of sand? The trees were easier for climbing then the palm trees back on Glittering Island. They had low branches. Can you believe that? I climbed one. Then do you know what happened? One of the treacherous branches snapped under my weight and dumped me on the ground. When I tried to stand up my leg turned a strange way and a bone popped out. After I finished screaming, writhing and fainting, I managed to grit my teeth, long enough to get used to the pain. Then I shouted for the sailors to come help me. Unfortunately, opening my mouth, caused me to scream again. I did not realize my voice was so high pitched. If I was not in such agony I could have been an amazing singer. Needless to say the sailors did not come for me. But how they failed to hear my cries is beyond my wildest dreams. But if I ever get my hands on the wretches, I will tare them to pieces. Provided that I can replace my leg first. It has seen many, many better days. Oh if only I could faint properly, then I won't have to wake up and experience any more pain.

Signing off

Me

First Day of Harvest

I awoke this morning in a cold sweat. I could not even feel my leg, which had turned a nasty color. What did bother me was that the hallucination of two men were staring down at me. They resembled each other, but the age difference was quite large. The older man had a thing straggly beard that had been braided into a thin disgusting little goatee. The affect was quite sickening. He was wearing a gray patched hood and cowl over a baggy brown shirt, that was strapped around the waist with a piece of rope. His baggy pants were gray like his hood. There were cloth shoes on his feet. The younger man had blonder hair, and the beginnings of a scraggly beard. He was wearing a large brown woolen shirt over woolen pants and boots. These people could not be fore real. Their clothes alone were impossible.

“Da?” the younger man said at last, “What kind of breeches do you reckon those are?” he pointed at me.

“The kind that I would whip any of my boys for wearing!” the older man threatened.

“They did not stop his leg from getting broke.” the younger man observed. I wished they would stop talking about me like I was not there. I suppose I was in too much pain to be all there, but they still could have had better manners.

“Find me some stout sticks, son!” the older man ordered.

“But why, Da?” the younger man whined.

“Hank get a move on it, now!” the older man growled, “Or I will whip you soundly! I see a fine investment in this here young man if we can get him move.” After Hank had gone off, and I was left to wonder what kind of investment I was, the older man knelt down, grabbed my ruined leg and cracked it. I screamed and everything went black.

I was in a hazy world when Hank and his Da carried me through the blurry trees to a small hut. I think a woman gave me something to drink and another man carved my leg up, but I could be wrong. Everything was probably just a terrible nightmare. I believe I must me dead.

Farewell for ever,

Me

To Be Continued

Clues cast choices part one Edmund Peacock

+JMJ+

Awhile ago, I made a fan cast page for my book "Prince Charming Diaries." It can be found here. After that a friend suggested I do one for my book "Clues." Which is based off the board game Clue. The Problem is that there are so many children in that book. And I know practically no children actors. At least those that I have heard about are no longer children. So I looked up a list of children actors and actually found a great list with kids ranging from nine or younger to I think seventeen. But then I came up with a problem, which one is the best choice. It would help if I had actually seen any of the kids in movies, I suppose. But I haven't.

Those of you who know the story probably know that this is the ideal actor for Edmund Peacock. Particularly since my Edmund was based off of Edmund Pevensie.

Skandar Keynes

Now if only he was at least thirteen years younger.

Now he is the ideal choice, but I like to have my actors in these fan casts at least age appropriate. So it could really be a cast for 2018/19

I'm hoping you all will vote and maybe give me some input on the upcoming choices. I'm looking for an actor that resembles Skandar Keynes at least a little bit. The ideal age for Edmund Peacock is between the ages of 8 and 12 but he can be a bit older.

Top choices for Edmund Peacock

 Daan Lennard Liebrenz age 13

I like his smile. Daan's attitude in the picture could be Edmund in one of his good moods, or fake good moods.

Gabriel Bateman age 12

This picture is also very Edmund when he is in a sulky mood.

Wow, I only just started this list and I already cut three actors. Now that I'm looking at them, I think Daan Lennard Liebrenz is my top choice. I can see Gabriel Bateman playing little Johnny Dulzer in "Justice Begins."

Noah Jupe age 13

Jack Dylan Grazer age 14

Zackary Arthur age 11

Coming soon

Peter Peacock

Choices

God Bless You All,

The Author

DoSP Part 1, Xander's Diary

+JMJ+

Part one of the Diary of a Sailor Prince

Ninth Day of the Hot Season

My name is Xander. I am a prince of the Glittering Island highest ranking island on the Third World. Today I have reached the unbearably old age of nine and ten summers. I have done nothing in the past three years since fighting the terribly wicked people of Kildimere. What rotten people. Now they are coming back to steal away my big sister Anne and force her to marry one of their especially rotten princes. I have no idea what his name is, but that is no excuse for me to like him. I detest the very air he breathes. Or I will when I finally meet him. I suppose not everyone from Kildimere is evil. My eldest brother Zeno married a princess from Sandstorm Lodge. An unimportant part of Kildimere. She is alright as far as girls go. My other older brother, Yaron is also married. The bride he selected is boring, dainty and very girly. Things alright in a girl, but intolerable in a friend. She makes me ill. Yaron seems to like her, which is downright crazy of him. Anyway, to the point. I am the fifth child of the fourteen children of King Maldirk and Queen Jezana of the Glittering Island. My father was once an off worlder but that has not stopped him from conquering the Glittering Island. I believe he was trying to conquer Kildimere too. I think he would have done so too if Zeno had not arranged a truce. He married one of their princes and gave Anna's hand to one of their princes. Zeno is the oldest in our family. He married princess Giselledona of Sandstorm Lodge a few years ago. If I liked kids, I might actually like that mouse they call their child. But as it is, I don't like children and Mouse makes me nervous. Anne is the second oldest. As I said earlier she is engaged to some high ranking prince, who probably goes around in a silk nightshirt. Yaron is the third eldest. He recently just married Lady Alia of Greystark. She is so flimsy that she just makes me sick. Pretty and empty headed. Beatrice comes next. She is Yaron's twin. She is also the sharpest tongued shrew ever to have walked the Glittering Island. I think she deserves not to get married. She is always whining about how she is going to be an old maid and no one loves her. Then comes me, Xander. I shall never marry. The girl who is worth my time has not been born yet. A lovely example is sister Cassandra. She comes after me. Father adopted her, so that we could keep a boy, girl, boy, girl pattern in our family. She married twice in her sixteenth year. Zeno, Yaron and I helped end the first marriage. She got whiny and depressed after that, so we hooked her up with our friend Rupert. Poor man. Whatever did he do to deserve it? Then comes the triplets. Waylan, Deborah and Varek. They are just plain evil. When anyone sees them together they run. All together they are mass destruction. Pity, I wish I was one of them. Then comes the twins Ester and Fiona. But Fiona doesn't really count as father cast her out of the family as he couldn't adopt a boy to go between them, since they were twins. Poor Fiona. Then comes Uli. If he isn't running with the twins he's off making mischief on his own. The youngest two are Greda and Tarek. Tarek ran away from home three years ago. Greda followed him and neither have been seen since. Zeno tried to find them a couple of times, but father was very discouraging about it. Ha! I have introduced my family.

Farewell for now,

Me, myself and I

Twelfth Day of the Hot Season

Nothing worth recounting has happened since my birthday. But I feel the need to mention that my home is being overturned so that rotten prince from Kildimere can get a favorable and untrue impression of my family. I told everyone that we should just make everything look like a dump, then maybe the prince would go away.

“Xander, peace depends on this marriage!” Anne cried. Her and Zeno put the Kingdom before themselves so much that it makes me sick. No one should be that unselfish.

“Make yourself useful, brother.” Zeno ordered.

“Just a quick question.” I said, “If peace depends on this marriage, why hasn't father forbidden it?” There are rumors going all over the Third World saying that father is a warmonger.

“Shall you box his ears?” Yaron asked as he looked through the garden window.

“I am sorely temped, brother!” Zeno growled with a nasty look at me. I retreated for the stairs. No one should ever stay where they were not wanted. My older brothers and sisters were all grouches. I never even dare go within twenty paces of Beatrice lest she bite my head clean off. Not literally either.

Farewell for now,

love me

Drawings from "Light"

+JMJ+

Cover Art

"Light" is the first book in the series "Earth Guardians," which takes place in the future.

The main character, Tara Cormack is an alien. She possesses the alien power of lighting up like a light bulb but can't control it really well. Her friend Terese Diego can turn invisible at well. The third character on the cover, Patrick Luke, doesn't have a power.

Name: Tara Cormack

Age: 16

Status: Heroine

Power: Light

Description: Long wavy blond hair, fair complexion

Name: Peter Cormack

Age: 19

Status: Brother of the Heroine

Power: The ability to bring fictional characters to life, as long as he's touching the book and thinking about them.

Description: Wavy blond hair, fair complexion

Name: Bethie Cormack

Age: 14

Status: sister of heroine

Power: Plants

Description: Wild curly red hair, darker complexion

Name: Matthew Cormack

Age: Ten

Status: Brother of Heroine

Power: None

Description: Straight blond hair, darker complexion

Names: William and Robert Cormack

Nickname: Billy and Bobby

Ages: Four

Status: Brothers of heroine

Powers: Billy can make water come come from his hands. Bobby has no power.

Description: Straight blond hair, fair complexion

Name: Amy Cormack

Status: Mother of Heroine

Power: fire

Description: Red curly hair, darker complexion

Name: Alex Cormack

Status: Father of Heroine/teacher

Power: wolf

Description: graying dark hair, darker complexion

Name: Madame Lana

Status: Leader of Elite/Mentor

Power: Snow

Description: Fair Complexion, white hair

Name: Sir Arian

Status: Teacher/mentor

Power: Heeling and strength

Description: Blond hair, fair complexion

Name: Riana

Status: Leader of of the enemies/villain/sister of Lana

power: Ice

Description: Fairy complexion, white hair

Name: Patrick Luke

Age: 18

Status: ally

Power: none

description: dark hair, darker complexion

Name: Sally Luke

Age: 16

status: ally
Power: Ice

Description: pale blond hair, fair complexion

Name: Sylvester P Luke

Status: Father of Sally and Patrick

Power: none

Description: dark hair, darker complexion

Name: Terese Diego

Age: 15

Status: ally

Power: Invisible

Description: Dark curly hair, dark complexion

Name: Jared Fuller

Status: ally/half brother of Sylvester P

Power: none

Description: dark hair, fair complexion

Names: Prudence McCarthy, Kendall Darling, Patsy Malone

Age: 16

Status: Classmates of heroine/bullies

Name: Mark Howard

Age: 16

Status: Ally

Power: super intelligent

Name: Kaman Williams

Age: 18

Status: Ally

Power: Unknown

Names: Royal Marks, Leonardo Wilder, Liam Powell

Status: Classmates of Heroine/bullies

Name: Sarah Gladys

Status: Teacher/ally

Powers: None

Name: Adam Rogers

Status: none

Power: Mind control

Name: Cal Diego

Status: Principal

Power: Unkown

Tara ready for battle.

~The Author

DoFP part 9, Yaron's Diary

+JMJ+

Icy Season day 10

For a week I have been waiting. For a week! All for Eldark to let me out of the dungeon and tell me my fate. Would I die or win Alia? I tried not to think of that. But there was not much else to think about. My family? No they would not care if I lived or died. Alright to be fair, my mother and Zeno might be a bit upset but that is about it.

Finally today Eldark and Alia came down to the dungeon. Eldark unlocked the door very slowly. I stood up and braced myself for my fate.

“Master storyteller, I would never settle for anything less then a prince for my daughter, and you did tell a crummy story.” Eldark said. My heart sank. He was going to murder me. “But you told it well. The bet is in your favor. Alia is yours!” I blinked completely taken aback. Eldark pushed the girl into my arms. What bliss! I looked into Alia's eyes and received a crushing blow. Alia's eyes looked like the enchantress. I could not kiss my love while breaking my promise to Eleth. Not with those eyes looking at me. I broke away from her and rushed past Eldark.

“Yaron?” Alia cried. I ignored her.

Salt was tidying up on the roof when I scrambled up the stairs. She dropped her broom in surprise. I leaped into the trunk.

“Where are you going?” Salt screamed.

“Take me to Eleth.” I yelled. Then Alia came running up the stairs.

“Yaron come back.” she cried, “Where are you going?”

“Wait for me, I have to keep a prior promise first.” I yelled as the trunk whirled away into the air. The Third World spread out underneath me like a map. Was the trunk actually obeying my wishes for the first time?

Icy Season Day 11

What is wrong with this possessed trunk? I swear a genie lives in it. It has been flying all night and not landing. My yelling and ranting makes no difference. I swear I shall turn the trunk into drift wood when I finally get out of it. That is if I have not starved to death first. Or died of thirst. My yelling and ranting certainly did not help that much.

Icy Season Day 12

I found my desolate island. The trunk has been wheeling over it all day. There is no sign of Eleth. I swear I shall leap out of the trunk in midair, if someone does not make it land soon. I am trying to keep my promise but everything and everyone is against me.

Later

I jumped! Now I am sitting on the burning hot sand of Desolate Island. Previously I landed in the water. But by the time I splashed ashore, I found that the trunk had landed and was waiting for me. I swear that it was grinning smugly.

“You horrid thing!” I shouted, “I hope you burn up!” the truck creaked alarmingly. I stomped off to look for the enchantress.

Icy Season Day 13

Eleth is not on the island and I am trapped here! I sometimes heard that thirteen was supposedly an unlucky number. Well that would explain my great unluck I happen to be having. After not finding Eleth on this miserable spit of land, I returned to the trunk. My angry wish had come true. The trunk was going up in flames.

“No stop!” I yelled frantically, “I did not mean it!” I scooped water up with my bare hands, to throw on the flames. But it did no good. Soon the only thing left of the trunk was a pile of smoldering ashes. Of all the cursed luck! Now I was right back to where I had been at the beginning of this mess. Plus I am now starving to death.

Icy Season Day 14

I wonder what would happen if I tried to swim the divide. Of course I do not know how to swim, but perhaps I could hold my breath long enough to walk the divide and get to the glittering island. I guess one never knows anything until they have tried. I soon found that this was a bad idea. I cannot walk on the bottom the water anymore then I can swim. I must not be heavy enough. No I must face reality. I was not good enough for Alia! I deserve my fate.

Later

Well of all the embarrassing episodes. I had barely finished writing how I deserved my fate when Eleth herself appeared.

“So you finally decided to come back nearly three season later.” she said dryly.

“You see, I am getting married and I wanted to square up the rest of my debts.” I said stupidly.

“Really?” Eleth said dryly.

“Besides one should always keep ones promises.” I added quickly.

“Stop babbling Prince Yaron, or I might continue to decide that you are not worthy to lick Alia's feet!” Eleth barked.

“You know Alia?” I gaped feeling like a complete moron.
“The only reason you met her was because I sent you there in my little trunk.” Eleth said sounding rather smug. That is when everything went black. It must have been the surprise and lack of food and water.

Icy Season Day 20

I am not certain what happened to the last six days, but this morning I awoke and found myself in my very own sleeping chamber in River city on Glittering Island. I was home at last. What had happened on the Desolate Island? Eleth? Oh I needed to gain a ship and sail back immediately. Really, the enchantress was making it rather difficult to rescue her. I ran out of the chamber only to bump into Xander and Uli. They they both yelled like they had seen a ghost. Ulia took off running like the cowardly twelve year old that he is. Xander actually drew his sword.

“Avast you revolting ghost!” he shouted. As if any man the age of eighteen should be frightened of ghosts. Or even believe in the wretched things.

“Get out of my way Xander, I have got to find a ship!” I shouted as I pushed past him. I did not bother to think that both Xander and Ulia had been wearing black. I had not gone much further before I nearly ran into Deborah, Waylan and Varek. They were standing outside the grand hall. All three of them were wearing black too.

“No Yaron!” Waylan wailed, “Stay dead so I can have your Genie ring when uncle Mad dies!”

“So glad to know I was missed!” I retorted realizing they were in mourning for me. I was actually quite touched, but I certainly was not going to tell them that. I shoved the triplets out of the way and opened the door.

The Hall was nearly empty. Zeno, Giselladana, Anne and Beatrice were with my madra and father and three other people.

“I am sorry sir.” Father was growling, “My son Yaron died nearly three seasons ago in a ship accident.”

“I did not either!” I retorted and entered the room. The triplets followed me. My family looked flabbergasted. I suppose it is rather uncommon for anyone to return from a ship accident, not that we have ever had one since we never used to have ships.

“Well?” the man growled and turned around. It was Eldark. The other two people were Eleth and Alia, “You could have mentioned that you had a large numerous family.”

“Yaron?” Alia whispered, then was silent. Eleth approached me.

“I selected you for my niece with great care.” she said calmly. I glared at her.

“Knowing your father, I knew he would find it more convenient if he just told everyone you died instead of declaring war. So I forced your crew to maroon you so I could trick you into making a promise to me. Once you provided the promise, I provided you with a flying trunk. A trunk that would take you anywhere except Glittering Island or Desolate Island, but always return back to Graystark. I needed to see if you were honorable enough for Alia.” You better believe I felt pretty stupid. Who wants to be the subject of an enchantress's tests? Oh well I still got the girl in the end. I guess in a way we all won. And all of Alia's curses and blessings came true. The curse was that she would marry a wayward, runaway soldier who wondered about like a rogue gypsy and he would be the first man that she ever met. The blessing was that she would marry an honest and loyal prince. Not sure if I should really be considered loyal. I do think Eleth cheated the curse a bit.

I guess that it is time to close this book as I move on to the next chapter of my life.

Yaron, prince of Glittering Island

The End

DoFP part 8, Yaron's Diary

+JMJ+

Now that the story is over the posts will be longer in the future.

Icy Season Day 3

“I trust you plan on ending your little story some day soon?” Eldark growled as I entered the great hall this morning. I was tempted to tell him that the story went on for eternity. But he was tapping his sword and scowling viciously. I decided to say something else.

“Certainly.” I said with great dignity, “I shall do that just now.” The sighs of relief from the audience were rather disheartening.

“What did you say?” Boots gasped, as he opened his eyes and squinted up into the light. He thought he had heard wrong.

“I said wake up!” his oldest brother yelled. Boots was dangling upside down by his leg from his big brother's hand. The rest of his family was grouped around him. Water was running off of Boots' face and clothes. “The banshee was almost finished drowning you before I caught hold of you.” the big brother cried, “Really Boots. You know better then to follow a Banshee into the river.”

“Didn't the house burn down?” Boots asked, “With you all in it?”

“The runt thinks everyone is to dumb to leave a burning building.” the big brother laughed. For once, Boots did not mind being teased. He would rather be teased and have his family alive, then not be teased and have them all dead.

Moral: One never appreciates what they go until they no longer have it!”

I stopped talking and looked at Eldark. What a horrible story. I have no doubt that everyone would laugh at me. But it felt good to see all their furious faces.

“Father, he put a moral in it.” Alia said, “You like morals.” I shot her a grateful look.

“Go away storyteller, I must confer with my friends.” Eldark said after a long pause.

To Be Continued

Institute of Christ the King 2018 Girls' camp

+JMJ+

Last year I went to the Institute of Christ the King's girls' camp as a counselor for the first time. You can find the post here. 2017 Girl's camp. This year I went for the second time. You can find the link for that on my other blog here. 2018 Girls' camp. I didn't put the post on this blog because it's only for writing related stuff now.

God Bless You,

Emily

DoFP Part 7, Yaron's Diary

+JMJ+

Icy Season Day 2

I was even more nervous for today. It is one thing to tell about death and orphans, but how does one turn the story around and make everyone laugh. Maybe all I had to do was make it sound so dumb that people had to laugh. Apparently this was the subject of great discussion in the hall as well as in my mind. I saw money change hands and knew that the bets were on. I hoped Eldark was not betting. He probably would bet that I would fail. Either way he would probably end up killing me. If I won and he lost a bet, he would kill me for making him lose money. But if I lost he would kill me, because he wanted too.

“Wake up!” a sharp voice yelled. Boots sat up rubbing his eyes and looked around. There was a girl with fire hair and orange eyes looking down at him.

“Who are you?” Boots whispered.

“People call me Spark.” the girl said with a toss of her flaming hair.

“My family just died!” Boots mumbled, his eyes following the flying sparks.

“But you will not let them die!” Spark cried, “Come on we can ask the ghost in the well how you can stop them from dying.”

“Can you do that?” Boots asked.

“Dunno!” Spark said as she began braiding her fiery locks, “You could always remove the stone and let them die proper like.”

“Never! It is my fault that the banshee decided to attack my house!” Boots said sharply.

“Nonsense, the only thing you did was being smart enough not to burn!” Spark argued.

“I wish I had burned!” Boots growled. Spark's fair flamed up and she licked her lips with a flickering tongue.

“Excellent idea, I believe I can arrange that.” she said. Spark grabbed Boots' feet.

“Ouch!” the boy howled as his feet began to smoke, “I do not want to die!”

“But you said you did.” Spark reminded him, “I was just trying to help.”

“I changed my mind.” Boots said, “Lets go see the ghost in the well.” He did not much want to see a ghost but it was better then letting a fiery girl roast him.

Spark brought the unhappy boy into a thick dark forest. The branches grew so close together that the rain could not penetrate the forest floor. So Boots had some relief from the pouring rain. Unfortunately Spark seemed to enjoy whipping her fire braid into the trees. Soon Boots began to wish for the cool refreshing rain. Rain was better then being sizzled alive.

“Spark, can you stop setting my hair on fire?” he asked politely.

“Oh look, there is the well.” Spark cried without answering Boots' question. Boots ran to the well and dived head first in. Soon he would be swimming in refreshing water. Suddenly he stopped falling and a terrible burning pain grabbed hold of his ankle.

“Ugh!” Boots bellowed. Spark hauled him out of the well.

“There is no account to be jumping in that well.” she said briskly, “It is drier then your house!” since Boots' house was nothing more then a pile of ashes, he could only assume she meant the well had no water in it at all.

“Alright, I will not jump in, but you have to stop burning me.” he squealed. Spark dropped him on his head and picked up a bucket. When Boots had got to his feet, she handed him the bucket. Now there was a rope attached to the handle at one end and a pulley at the other end.

“I will lower you into the well so you can hear the wise words of the ghost in the well.” Spark said. “Does that not sound like a lot of fun?”

“Actually no.” Boots retorted, “Why don't you climb into the well and I lower you down. I think it would be a lot more fun to use the pulley.”

“It is not my family who is dying.” Spark reminded him. Boots sulked a few minutes then he climbed into the well and let Spark lower him away.

“What do I ask the ghost?” Boots yelled up to Spark.

“I do not know, how about ask him what the meaning of life is.” Spark called back.

“I do not want to know the meaning of life.” Boots yelled, “I want to know how to save my family.”

“If you already know what you want to ask him, why did you ask me?” Spark cried indignantly, “I think you are mean.”

“But I thought I should-” Boots got no further, Spark was still talking.

“You only get to ask one question.” she cried, “I think you should ask-”

“If you want to know the meaning of life ask him yourself!” Boots barked.

“Uh- oh!” Spark said.

“Uh-oh yourself.” Boots snapped.

“Not good.” Spark cried, Fire! Help, Fire!”

“Fire, where?” Boots cried and looked up. The pulley was on fire. “Eeek!” Boots yelled, “Help!” he scrambled up the rope. For a brief minute he thought that he might be able to reach the top, then Boots dropped. “I am going to die!” Boots screamed as he plunged downwards, “I am going to be flattened like a pancake.” Splash, he plunged into the coldest water he had ever touched.

“Boots are you still alive?” Spark called downwards, “If not please tell me. I need to know! I do not want to inconvenience you so do not bother answering if you are still alive.” her voice faded away.

“I am alive!” Boots gasped and spat out some water.

“That is nice.” Spark said harshly, “Now get up. I told you only answer if you were dead, now you are just wasting breath. Now wake up!”

I stopped speaking and grinned at my audience. There was not a sound in the Hall. Everyone was watching me.

“Times up!” I said and strode out of the great hall without so much as a backwards glance.

To Be Continued