and my nose blocked with
the impact. I flailed around for a moment, coughing and spluttering
the water out of my lungs. My mind was still floating away from me
but beginning to settle. My senses returned and I was standing
shoulder deep in the sea. I heard a bark and my eyes focused to see
Tessa standing on the beach not venturing any farther than a few
inches into the water.
I began to wade my way farther into shore. I
took off my glasses and held them tight. The last few waves that
crashed behind me almost knocked them from my face. My clothes
clung to me. Heavy, cold and dragging. My shoes were filled with
water and slipped off my feet with every step. I had to lift them
and hold them too. By the time I had made it out of the water and
to the sand, Tessa was jumping about me and had already collected
several sticks, of many sizes, for me to throw. I lay back on the
dry and soft sand, exhausted. I felt as though I had been
travelling for days but it was only moments ago that I was sitting
in Abe’s little house, preparing my visit to Northland. Only then
had it dawned on me. Where was Abe? I stood up and removed my coat,
hoodie, socks and rolled my jeans up to just below the knee. I was
wearing a black Soundgarden t-shirt, a bootleg one I bought at a
gig in Dublin for a fiver. It had a ram’s skull on the front and
the band’s logo on the back. I didn’t know how well that would work
in Northland. They may think I’m a travelling necromancer or part
of an evil cult. I needed to blend in, to avoid suspicion. I needed
to find somewhere to change my clothes.
I looked around to see where I was. Behind me
lay the ocean with several visible islands, too far to swim to. In
front of me were cliffs almost as high as I could see. On closer
inspection however I noticed old stone stairs carved into the cliff
face. I knew this place. This is where I had come the last time I
was here! I had created everything I could see, the steps, the
height of the cliffs, the islands and everything I could see. I
made my way up the steps, climbing up and up. I tried to imagine
railings but the power I once had was no longer there. The land had
already been established and grown from when I had left.
Once I arrived at the top of the cliff, I
could see for miles. The world had changed. More than I could have
dreamt. More beautiful and fascinating. Trees had grown tall and
strong. Rivers had burst and formed anew. The wind blew behind me
and I was moved to tears. I felt as though I had finally arrived
home. Despite it being somewhere I had only visited once. Following
the once trodden path, that now resembled an old walkway at an
abandoned country park, I was led to an opening up hill where there
were some standing stones. I walked towards them with Tessa at my
side, she had found a stick far too large to throw but perfect for
walking with. My inner adventurer was coming out. Walking with a
large staff and ragged clothes thrown over my shoulder. The grass
felt soft and comforting under my bare feet. No weeds or thistles
underfoot just thick, healthy emerald grass. I left my things at
the edge of the circle of standing stones and wondered around them.
I felt the cold stone and ran my fingers over the indents carved
into them. Circular designs with a form of writing I did not know.
It looked like a collection of runes. They were beautiful. The
stones felt so ancient. Like the dolmens in Ulster or Newgrange in
County Meath. I lay down with my back to one of the giant stones,
standing almost 10 feet tall. Tessa had come over and curled down
beside me, as I slipped into an exhaustion induced slumber.
“Well, well, well, what have we found here?”
comes the voice of an old man.
He must have been talking to someone beside
him, although I was certain he was alone as my eyes slid open.
“Looks like you two are in a spot of bother! Raggedy wet clothes
like those, covered in sand, smelling and sleeping outside?” he
seemed to reply to his own question.
the impact. I flailed around for a moment, coughing and spluttering
the water out of my lungs. My mind was still floating away from me
but beginning to settle. My senses returned and I was standing
shoulder deep in the sea. I heard a bark and my eyes focused to see
Tessa standing on the beach not venturing any farther than a few
inches into the water.
I began to wade my way farther into shore. I
took off my glasses and held them tight. The last few waves that
crashed behind me almost knocked them from my face. My clothes
clung to me. Heavy, cold and dragging. My shoes were filled with
water and slipped off my feet with every step. I had to lift them
and hold them too. By the time I had made it out of the water and
to the sand, Tessa was jumping about me and had already collected
several sticks, of many sizes, for me to throw. I lay back on the
dry and soft sand, exhausted. I felt as though I had been
travelling for days but it was only moments ago that I was sitting
in Abe’s little house, preparing my visit to Northland. Only then
had it dawned on me. Where was Abe? I stood up and removed my coat,
hoodie, socks and rolled my jeans up to just below the knee. I was
wearing a black Soundgarden t-shirt, a bootleg one I bought at a
gig in Dublin for a fiver. It had a ram’s skull on the front and
the band’s logo on the back. I didn’t know how well that would work
in Northland. They may think I’m a travelling necromancer or part
of an evil cult. I needed to blend in, to avoid suspicion. I needed
to find somewhere to change my clothes.
I looked around to see where I was. Behind me
lay the ocean with several visible islands, too far to swim to. In
front of me were cliffs almost as high as I could see. On closer
inspection however I noticed old stone stairs carved into the cliff
face. I knew this place. This is where I had come the last time I
was here! I had created everything I could see, the steps, the
height of the cliffs, the islands and everything I could see. I
made my way up the steps, climbing up and up. I tried to imagine
railings but the power I once had was no longer there. The land had
already been established and grown from when I had left.
Once I arrived at the top of the cliff, I
could see for miles. The world had changed. More than I could have
dreamt. More beautiful and fascinating. Trees had grown tall and
strong. Rivers had burst and formed anew. The wind blew behind me
and I was moved to tears. I felt as though I had finally arrived
home. Despite it being somewhere I had only visited once. Following
the once trodden path, that now resembled an old walkway at an
abandoned country park, I was led to an opening up hill where there
were some standing stones. I walked towards them with Tessa at my
side, she had found a stick far too large to throw but perfect for
walking with. My inner adventurer was coming out. Walking with a
large staff and ragged clothes thrown over my shoulder. The grass
felt soft and comforting under my bare feet. No weeds or thistles
underfoot just thick, healthy emerald grass. I left my things at
the edge of the circle of standing stones and wondered around them.
I felt the cold stone and ran my fingers over the indents carved
into them. Circular designs with a form of writing I did not know.
It looked like a collection of runes. They were beautiful. The
stones felt so ancient. Like the dolmens in Ulster or Newgrange in
County Meath. I lay down with my back to one of the giant stones,
standing almost 10 feet tall. Tessa had come over and curled down
beside me, as I slipped into an exhaustion induced slumber.
“Well, well, well, what have we found here?”
comes the voice of an old man.
He must have been talking to someone beside
him, although I was certain he was alone as my eyes slid open.
“Looks like you two are in a spot of bother! Raggedy wet clothes
like those, covered in sand, smelling and sleeping outside?” he
seemed to reply to his own question.
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