Read Online Trespass: A Tale of Mystery and Suspense Across Time (The Darkeningstone Book 1) by Mikey Campling - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mikey Campling
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spectrometer and do as many tests as possible. But for that you need samples, and to take samples you need permission. And the druids…” She shrugged.
“The druids don’t want you hacking lumps off the mother ship or whatever they think it is.”
“Right,” she said. “Anyway, I think it’s usually this slow. It’s not like on the telly—you don’t rush in with diggers. It’s more like scraping away with a trowel and a paintbrush. You take your time, photograph everything, write it all down.”
“Sounds a bit…dull,” I said.
She shrugged. “It’s OK. You can have a bit of a laugh. And if you do find something, it’s great.”
“Yeah,” I said. I wasn’t convinced, but then I thought of long hours spent with Cally, and it started to sound pretty good. “Look,” I said, then I wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence.
She looked at me, smiling, expecting another joke. “Yeah?”
I felt light headed; was I going to do this? “Are you finished for the day? I mean, are you free?”
She looked at me quizzically. “Free?” she said.
“Yeah, I, er, wondered if you wanted to…” my voice trailed off as I saw the look on her face, realisation closely followed by embarrassment. I’d pushed my luck.
“Oh,” she said. “No, I don’t think that would be…”
“No,” I said. “Of course not. I…I’d better be going anyway. Stuff to do.”
“Yeah. Sure. And my friends will be back in a minute. And Dean, he’s sort of my boyfriend.”
I looked at the ground, I looked all around me—anywhere but at her. “You said there was a path?” I said.
“Yeah,” she said. “Just over there.”
I glanced at her to see where she was pointing. “Thanks,” I said. “See you…I mean…bye.” I started walking up the slope, hoping I was going in the right direction
“Bye,” she called.
I raised an arm to wave, but I didn’t turn around. I waded into the undergrowth, moving as fast as I could without breaking into a run. And I kept going.
Chapter 17
3,500 BC
TELLAN DUCKED INTO THE UNDERGROWTH just in time. It was not yet dawn, but already Waeccan was crossing the pit floor. Tellan held his breath, raised his head and watched. Waeccan approached the rock face and then…Tellan gasped. The old man was climbing, clambering rapidly up the sheer slope like a man half his age. Soon Waeccan disappeared from view. Tellan waited. When would Waeccan return? Tellan rubbed a hand across his face. It was worth taking a risk. He broke cover and sprinted across the pit. He found the narrow steps easily. They were only partially hidden by the surrounding undergrowth. Tellan reached out, ran his hands over the level surface of a step. It was cut into the rock, but how? He shook his head. It wasn’t right.
A voice from above. Waeccan was talking—to himself? Tellan backed away, listened. It sounded like Waeccan was on the move. Quickly, Tellan turned, scanning the pit floor for hiding places. He chose a large boulder and dashed toward it, almost slipping as he threw himself down behind it.
He took a deep breath. He’d done it. Carefully, he peered around the boulder’s edge. Waeccan was climbing unsteadily down. Tellan watched as Waeccan walked to his hut. Soon Tellan smelled smoke. His stomach growled as he realised Waeccan was making a meal. Tellan turned away, slumped back against the rock and waited.
In a while, Waeccan emerged from his hut, walked to the rock face and busied himself. What was he doing? And who did he keep talking to? I should go back to Burlic , Tellan thought. But I don’t know what to tell him yet. If I wait, he might do something worth watching .
Tellan had the patience of a natural hunter. As Waeccan worked, Tellan crept from shadow to shadow, watching, waiting. But he kept his distance. I don’t like it , Tellan thought. The way he talks. Can he really be alone?
Eventually, as the daylight faded, Waeccan stopped to forage for food and firewood and returned to his
“The druids don’t want you hacking lumps off the mother ship or whatever they think it is.”
“Right,” she said. “Anyway, I think it’s usually this slow. It’s not like on the telly—you don’t rush in with diggers. It’s more like scraping away with a trowel and a paintbrush. You take your time, photograph everything, write it all down.”
“Sounds a bit…dull,” I said.
She shrugged. “It’s OK. You can have a bit of a laugh. And if you do find something, it’s great.”
“Yeah,” I said. I wasn’t convinced, but then I thought of long hours spent with Cally, and it started to sound pretty good. “Look,” I said, then I wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence.
She looked at me, smiling, expecting another joke. “Yeah?”
I felt light headed; was I going to do this? “Are you finished for the day? I mean, are you free?”
She looked at me quizzically. “Free?” she said.
“Yeah, I, er, wondered if you wanted to…” my voice trailed off as I saw the look on her face, realisation closely followed by embarrassment. I’d pushed my luck.
“Oh,” she said. “No, I don’t think that would be…”
“No,” I said. “Of course not. I…I’d better be going anyway. Stuff to do.”
“Yeah. Sure. And my friends will be back in a minute. And Dean, he’s sort of my boyfriend.”
I looked at the ground, I looked all around me—anywhere but at her. “You said there was a path?” I said.
“Yeah,” she said. “Just over there.”
I glanced at her to see where she was pointing. “Thanks,” I said. “See you…I mean…bye.” I started walking up the slope, hoping I was going in the right direction
“Bye,” she called.
I raised an arm to wave, but I didn’t turn around. I waded into the undergrowth, moving as fast as I could without breaking into a run. And I kept going.
Chapter 17
3,500 BC
TELLAN DUCKED INTO THE UNDERGROWTH just in time. It was not yet dawn, but already Waeccan was crossing the pit floor. Tellan held his breath, raised his head and watched. Waeccan approached the rock face and then…Tellan gasped. The old man was climbing, clambering rapidly up the sheer slope like a man half his age. Soon Waeccan disappeared from view. Tellan waited. When would Waeccan return? Tellan rubbed a hand across his face. It was worth taking a risk. He broke cover and sprinted across the pit. He found the narrow steps easily. They were only partially hidden by the surrounding undergrowth. Tellan reached out, ran his hands over the level surface of a step. It was cut into the rock, but how? He shook his head. It wasn’t right.
A voice from above. Waeccan was talking—to himself? Tellan backed away, listened. It sounded like Waeccan was on the move. Quickly, Tellan turned, scanning the pit floor for hiding places. He chose a large boulder and dashed toward it, almost slipping as he threw himself down behind it.
He took a deep breath. He’d done it. Carefully, he peered around the boulder’s edge. Waeccan was climbing unsteadily down. Tellan watched as Waeccan walked to his hut. Soon Tellan smelled smoke. His stomach growled as he realised Waeccan was making a meal. Tellan turned away, slumped back against the rock and waited.
In a while, Waeccan emerged from his hut, walked to the rock face and busied himself. What was he doing? And who did he keep talking to? I should go back to Burlic , Tellan thought. But I don’t know what to tell him yet. If I wait, he might do something worth watching .
Tellan had the patience of a natural hunter. As Waeccan worked, Tellan crept from shadow to shadow, watching, waiting. But he kept his distance. I don’t like it , Tellan thought. The way he talks. Can he really be alone?
Eventually, as the daylight faded, Waeccan stopped to forage for food and firewood and returned to his
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