Some days begin with a slow awakening however sometimes they arrive like the unexpected crash of China plates smashing on the floor followed by an urgent call for help .
Mr and Mrs Green acre rushed downstairs to find Mrs McDermott on the floor with broken crockery all around /
Mr Greenacre looked at her and said.
‘Oh no Mrs McDermott . You’ve had a fall . Don’t try to move just for now . Try to relax . Tell me what happened”!
‘Silly me , I had spilt some cooking oil on the floor and forgot to clean it up , be careful , Can you please check the pots and pans on the stove . Maybe just turn everything off for now “
Mrs Greenacre turned off the hotplates then covered everything with their lids and she squatted down beside Mrs McDermott and holding her hand she said
“Don’t worry Mrs McDermot we will get an ambulance ?”
“For what ?” Came the reply .
“To take you to hospital ?’ Mr Greenacre said and she laughed and said ,
“Don’t be silly , I’m in no need for a hospital or ambulance “
“Please allow me to make that choice Mrs McDermott . You might have broken a bone . You never know .” she sighed in disbelief and replied ,
“Mr Greenacre , the nearest hospital that might have an ambulance is over in the village of Killamccudden . Thats at least 30 minutes’ drive from here and there’s only one very narrow road that goes there over the hills and past the old gothic ruins of McCuddens Castle , Then if John O’Driscoll decides to takes his sheep from out of one field into another the trip to Killamccudden could end up[ taking a half a day or more , so the ambulance wouldn’t be able to move an inch on the road because O’Driscolls sheep are stubborn and they think that they have the rite of passage and they would block that road for an hour or more depending on how they feel “ .“
Mr Green acre looked at her and said.
“I know some first aid let me just make sure you’re ok before you try to get up , tell me can you move your toes ?”
He removed her slippers and could see her wiggle her toes .
“I was just in a rush to get the breakfast ready and forgot to clean up the floor . So, it’s all my fault that I slipped and fell . Sure, it’s not the best way to start the day , Poor Shep was so frightened he ran outside , could you go and just check on him
and anyway, I’m ok , see I was just worried about the breakfast getting burnt so let me get up now ?
Just them Sham arrived at the scene and he said ,
“What’s going on ?”
‘Sham Mrs McDermott just slipped and fell, she’s ok . Can you go outside and see where Shep is son .”
‘Mrs McDermott lay there and started to do some funny little finger exercises and she looked up at Sham and said . . .
“Good morning little Sham . Your Daddy asked me to wiggle my toes so now I’m wiggling my fingers as well , I hope he doesn’t ask me to wiggle my nose because I might a problem with that one “
Sham giggled ,
‘Hello, good morning, Mrs Mc Dermott . Are you ok?’
“I’m fine Sham, as soon as Doctor Greenacre finishes his assessment I’ll know”’.
‘
They all laughed and Sham went out the door to find Shep who was lying there all.
Stretched out on the ground .
Sham put his hand upon Sheps head and said ,
“Are you ok my furry friend “ .
“It depends , Is she ok Sham ?
Shep didn’t want to look up at Sham .
“ Yeah, Shep she seems ok , she’s worried about you . Are you ok ?
Shep stood up and licked Sham on the hand and said.
‘When I saw her slip and fall down , I couldn’t do anything to help her . So, I panicked with worry and thought maybe she banged her head was dead . So, I walked out the door in fear ?”
‘Don’t worry my shaggy four-legged friend . She’s doing some exercises with her fingers and toes to check if there is any brain damage . My Dads a first aider so now he is checking her responses :
“What’s a first aider ?” Shep said ,
‘Someone who helps until an ambulance comes ?” and Shep groaned ,
‘That could take a long time as they have no ambulances here in Chapters End .
The nearest one would be in probably in County Killamcudden which is a long drive past the hills of Sky and a longer way to go if you’re in a hurry with an emergency “
Sham opening the door said .
’Oh well sure that’s not a problem because if there’s any issue my dad can drive her to hospitals in his car , so don’t be too worried Shep. Come back inside now as she is concerned about where you are .“
They both returned into the kitchen and saw Mrs McDermott now doing eye exercises, moving her pupils from left to the right and then diagonally up and down .
The Mr Greenacre asked her to start some deep breathing exercises . before sitting her up slowly . Mrs Mc Dermott got a chair and they both assisted her to a standing position and eased her on to the chair . She was handed a glass of water to drink after she sat up in a chair . The assessment was made and everyone was confident she was ok with no damage sustained in the fall .
Sham looked at her compassionately and saw a woman who had lived out her days doing the same routine without ever complaining about her life , she smiled at Sham and he felt sad for her as she lived alone running the guesthouse on her own . At least she kept busy and wasn’t useless . She was able to contribute in a big way to people and all that life demanded from her . The pictures all around the guest house were original works of art without a signature on them He wondered if maybe she was the artist who did them . They all were mounted in beautiful wooden frames hanging on the walls for everyone to see . There were lots of magazines placed on tables and hallstands and in the bookcases, there were so many books bound with leather and tied up with string as if they were little treasures for anyone to open .
Mrs McDermott had many wonderful things on display all around the guesthouse that Sham had never really took time to see before . He thought she must have been about eighty years of age and how at that age she could still see and hear and talk and continue to do the everyday tasks just the way she had done for many years .
After a little while sitting in the chair Mr Greenacre she got to her feet .
Mrs Greenacre put her arms around her then gave her a hug and said.
“How are you feeling now then Mrs McDermott.?
“I’m fighting fit and ahead on points . I might get knocked down but I’m up and ready for another round or two . ”
Mr Greenacre smiled and said ,
“ That’s good to hear . At least you still have all your marbles Mrs McDermott . Whatever you do , don’t lose them “
Both laughed and she said to him .
“Mr Greenacre .Whatever you do , don’t get old “
He laughed and replied ,
‘’Well, that’s a lovely thing to say Mrs McDermott but as we all know we have to get old sooner or later ?:
She smiled and replied.
‘Yes, that’s true Mr Greenacre , get old then but whatever you do , don’t get sick.”
‘He laughed and as they walked from the dining room to the hall and back, he said ,
Mrs Greenacre added ,
:
“Sickness is something no one needs but either way we must take the good with the bad . As long as we have someone there to help whenever we need , That’s the important thing .”
Mr Greenacre continued ,
“ It’s a hard life without a wife and I’m lucky to have a good one. “
Mrs Mc Dermott looked at them both and she said ,
”I had a prince myself once you know . He went to war and never came back . Part of me still hopes he might come and knock on the door and take me in his arms . “
Mrs Greenacre put her arms around her and said ,
‘I’m sorry you lost your prince Mrs McDermott “
Mrs McDermott smiled and said ,
‘The nights are sometimes long and often cold and dark. Those are the hard times when you have to find the light of the new day and the sun shines again . Now that’s usually when someone like yourselves come along to my little guest house . Then I have someone to cook and clean for , So I count my blessings and get on with it ‘
She went back into the kitchen to clean up the mess on the floor , then after that she brought breakfast to the dining room where the Greenacres were sitting . With a warm smile she put a ladle of cereal into their bowls and poured some warm milk from a saucepan over the top . Then she brough over some warm slices of toast that were placed in a stand upon the table . She left a jug of orange juice and a pot of tea with some fresh fruit . Just as soon as that was done there was a phone call .
She walked from the dining room towards the hallway but stopped briefly as if hesitant to accept the call . In two minds she was trying to decide what to do then in her indecision a knock came to the front door and she took the phone call .
.
“Hello. McDermotts guest house , how can I help “
Then the person at the door rang the doorbell rang . Shep as usual ran over here barking with his guard dog voice and Mrs Mc Dermott tried to settle him down .
She also opened the door to see the Postman there with a parcel and some letters .
In a three-way chat platform , she addressed each one at the same time . She was brilliant with her multi-tasking response . .
“Hello, give me a few moments and I’ll check my bookings. I have the postman at the front door and the dog barking its head off. Shep that’s enough now , it’s only the postman , Hello Pat, thank you have a good day , see you tomorrow . Sorry to keep you , so what date did you want to book your accommodation . mm ok let me just check . Yes, I think That’s ok , so I’ll just get your details .“
Mrs McDermott went into the kitchen and wrote a note on the calendar and ended the call . The Greenacres had finished their breakfast in the dining room where Shep was walking around a little upset , He looked at Sham and said ,
“I’m just doing my job , you know . I can’t see through closed doors . For all I know the person there could have a gun or an axe . I’m just sounding out a warning so whoever was there so they would know that I’m here .”
Sham looked at Shep and reached out to him . Shep came over and sat down there next to him . He patted him on his head and said ,
“You’re such a brave dog Shep . It’s hard to see through closed doors, even for me .”
After a little while Mrs Mc Dermott came to clear up the breakfast tables and was singing away quietly to herself , she had forgotten all about the fall .
‘Mr Greenacres said to her.
“You were saying there were some castle ruins on that road to Killamccudden I think we just might have a look at that “
‘Tis a rare old sight for new eyes .You should go and check it out there. Take the east road from the storyteller’s cottage and follow the sign to the Old Bog Road . You soon enough find the castle ruins there .
They all went and got dressed and went to off to explore what was there .
.
When they arrived there at the Killamccudden castle . They parked the car there within the ruins on top of the . They all stood there looking at the castle , so beautifully still in a moment of time and they reflected back at those times gone past . Thinking of the people who once lived there . They walked around for a while looking at the castle walls and between the stones there was clay and what lay within those walls were memories of a day that had long since gone past. They all spoke about what life must have been like there in the castle in its heyday . They tried to imagine what the people did then . Was there tea with bread and jam and was there poached eggs with ham for the hardworking man who worked in good faith that they would be kept safe from harm there within the castle walls . Did they worry about invaders who might come there on their holy ground and shake the foundations of their life and could they withstand their might and fight against them who would want to pull down those walls around them . In their imaginations they found some untold stories with the truth unknown to be shared . What else lay there among the remains in ruins from another century . Were their once fires with flames that leapt from the hearths and was that extinguished by wrath to become no more than a smoky memory . Where love songs sung from the bowers , was blood was spilled in the towers and were some killed with no flowers for their graves . Was there a sip or wine and a toast made by those who could measure in their own words the wealth lost by the Kings and Queens on the battlefields there around the ruins that stood on the hill at the Castle of Killamccudden . .
In a moment of time Sham felt very lucky to have the blessings of a life where homes had so many comforts and suddenly the gift he had being the seventh son of a seventh son kicked in and he saw a woman there in the ruins , she had grief on her face and she wept for her son had not returned from the battlefield , then he saw some young children who lingered there in the castle grounds where a spring festivals was taking place . There were families as well there ,some rich and some poor . He could hear arguments and laugher around the castle walls .In a sense of wonder he was able to see what life was like there in the Castle . As the sun began to set around the walls of the castle Shams Dad called it a day and they all made their way back to Chapters End .
It was hard for Sham to ignore or forget the images he saw and the things he heard from a time gone inside Killamccudden Castle . The children were as young as he was and as time stood still, he could see the battles and the festivals and the sorrow and joy all unfold like a picture in front of his eyes . But there he was now back in another place and in another time with his parents on a holiday were so many things had happened to him .
He breathed a sigh of relief in knowing something about the past and yet he was glad to be part of a modern world where life had become much easier to survive.
They parked outside the guesthouse and went inside where they saw Mrs McDermott there lying motionless on the floor . Mr Greenacre rushed over to her and as he did, she sat up and started laughing and said ./
‘I got you there.“
Mrs McDermott laughed and said,
‘You really saw us coming Mrs McDermott”.
Thay all had a good laugh and then Mrs Mc Dermott said ,
“I’ll get dinner ready now , it won’t be long . I was thinking maybe tonight before I go to sleep, I might try to wiggle my toes and fingers . That’s sure to give me a good sleep “
‘Oh, you are funny Mrs McDermott .”
Said Mrs Greenacre and she replied ,
.
“So how was it at there at the castle ruins.
Sham replied ,
“Oh, there was so much to see there . It was just great “
After they all had dinner, they went to their rooms for a good night rest .Sham was given a big hug by his parents before they closed their bedroom door .
Sham stood looking out his bedroom window at the ocean . The sound of the waves crashing to the shore had a hypnotic effect on him . The wind stared to whisper a
soft melody and within the tune was a voice calling him ,
“Go now , to the place where no one has seen and hear the things where no one had ever been before . Go now “
Sham put on his soft shoes and made his way down the stairs and into the street where he walked to the storyteller’s cottage . In through the door to the room where the treasure chest sat , He moved it away and opened up the trapdoor then climbed down the ladder to the bottom where at the end of a long corridor he came to a door.
He opened the door and on the other side he discovered that he was he was standing on top of a mountain with the sound of thunder all around which he thought was a little strange as the sky was clear and cloudless . Then he felt a rumbling under his feet that continued , every now and the noise quietened down , .
Becoming more attentive to his surroundings Sham realised that it wasn’t thunder at all but instead the noise was coming from the out of the ground and not the sky . It resembled a moaning and groaning then from the hole he saw fire erupting . He made his way to investigate what was going on . Eventually he was standing there beside the hole . He looked down into the hole and couldn’t believe his eyes .
“:Owwa Owaa waaa !”
The loud noise was a very large dragon jumping up and down on one spot as if it was dancing . The ground shook every time the dragon landed back down on the ground . Each time the dragon moaned fire came shooting from its nostrils and mouth and up through the hole to the ground above .
.
‘Aye yaya waa waa !
The dragon continued to make strange noises .that echoed out all around the mountain . Again, and again the cries and moans continued until Sham couldn’t stand it anymore and he shouted down the hole to dragon .
”Why are you so angry ?”
The dragon stopped moaning . It seemed almost memorised by the sight of little Sham standing there looking down at him from above .
When the dragon tried to speak it breathed fire from of its mouth .
Sham had no fear and in fact he was excited to see something he had never seen . . The dragon jumped off the ground again did land with a thud that shook the ground above and below .
“Ahoo ooo woha whaoo “
the dragon cried out in a funny but scary kind of dragon sound .
Sham tried not to laugh but couldn’t control himself .
.
“Ha ha Ha “
Now the dragon was hopping on one foot but lost his balance and tripped over banging his head on the ground . Now he sat up and began to rub his sore head then he started hopping on the other foot crying out with a weird sound .
“Ahwah awah waa ahwha wha wo woah “
Sham couldn’t control his laughter and was bent over in a fit until he was rolling around on the ground in laughter , kicking both his legs in the air .
The dragon at him and slowly climbed out from the hole to the surface above on the mountain top . He looked with a quizzed expression at Sham and in that same moment it struck a chord with him and hen also started to laugh . Now after a few moments they were both at ease in their company and when one of them began to laugh the other joined in . The dragon laughed with smoke and fire pouring from the mouth . The Sham joined in uncontrollably until finally they stopped and Sham said .
“ So, what’s with the hopping and moaning and jumping and groaning then ?
“Well, I was pretending to be a volcano .“
They both started laughing again them said.
“Why a volcano . Why not a tornado or wild wind ? “
“No don’t be silly , volcanos breath smoke and fire just like dragons , so you see I’m just like a volcano .“
Said the dragon and Sham asked .
“Ok then so how long have you been pretending to be a volcano ?”
The dragon replied .
“Ever since I had a sore foot , which has been ages .It’s not my fault I have got pain and the only way I can get some relief is to moan . Sometimes I need to hop and jump . Its help ease the pain in my foot “
“ I’m Sham and maybe I can help . Let me have a look at your foot’ .
‘Pleased to meet you Sham , my name is Skyruin “
The dragon lifted up its sore foot and Sham could see a there was a few thorny spines underneath the claws on his feet and one by one Sham pulled them out .
Then the dragon lay down and closed his eyes making a beautiful sound .
“Oooohh ohh yeah thank you Sham, all the pain has gone. How can I ever thank you .“
Sham replied.
“Well, the thing was you couldn’t see the thorns under your feet so how would you know . Now they’re all gone so you can live with no more pain so you don’t need top.
The dragon smiled and said ,
“Have you ever been to the moon before ?
“Actually, no I’ve never ever left the Earth before .”
The dragon snorted smoke from its nostrils and said .
“Right, them lets go because I need to go there to eat some moon flowers and you might like to see other things that are there . “
“Wow I’d love to see that. “
Sham said.
The dragons reached out its foot and said .
Get on my foot and then walk up my leg to my back and then get inside my ears where you’ll be safe . Sham did what he was asked and the dragon said .
“Up up and a whoosh we go”.
Sham cried out with delight as the dragon flapped its huge wings that propelled them higher and higher and faster and faster until they landed on to the surface of the moon .
“Right now, stay there where its safe and you can see everything my inner ear .“
To The dragon made its way over to a large crater and went inside to where these golden trumpet-like flowers were growing . He stared to eat them and reached out a claw pointing to a clump of thorny bushes .
“ I must have stood on one of those thorny bushed the last time I was here . They’re known as a Smokey Moon Spike Moon Bush . Thank you, Sham , for removing it from my foot . I’ll have to be more careful from now on where I tread “
Sham was looking all around the surface of the moon and said .
“The moon looks like a very old planet .“
The dragon replied .
“In a long time ago, this is where we lived . The moon was home for dragons of every shape and size until it imploded destroying life as we knew it on the moon .
Sham replied ,
“That’s amazing Skyruin . I hope that things return as they once were on the moon”.
The dragon replied ,
So do I Sham , ‘Apart from the crystal spring water on the mountain where I live on earth , moon flowers are the only thing that keeps me alive . I have to come here to the as often as I can to feast on moon flowers . They have the chemical my blood requires to circulate properly .“
“How many dragons live on earth Skyruin ?“
“I’m the last one of our kind Sham . Now let me show you around the moon”.
Sham was interested in everything he saw . The moon had areas where green
sticky plants captured soft white fluffy insects that flew out of little holes inside smoke rocks around the crater’s edges . As the dragon flew higher Sham could see the surface of the moon glistening in areas where worm liker holes descended deep into craters around the surface .
“That’s where we used to live Sham inside those craters , below the surface . There is a network of tunnels deep underneath the moon that stretch out in all directions .”
Sham said ,
“Wow everybody on the earth were told there was no life on the moon .”
Skyruin replied ,
‘That’s only because people on earth were told the story there was no life on the moon but the fact is life does exist underneath the surface, not above .After the moon imploded the planet stared to burn up . Gases were released that destroyed all the life on the surface . All the dragons were affected and a few of us left . Now that the moon flowers have returned on the surface there is a chance for a renewal of life as it once was here “
Sham was astonished and said .
“That is so cool Skyruin . So how long will it take ? ”
“Nothing is ever renewing quickly . It’s a question of universal energy . That is measured in a different time continuum .So who knows , Sham . In time as earthlings understand it could take until the end of time .“
“So how old are you now then Skyruin ?”
The dragon replied .
“Let’s just say I’m older than time . Actually now we must return to earth .As you see the moon is creating holes every where and universal light is starting to shimmer which means there is something called cosmetic healing happening . Lets go Sham for a ride through space before returning back to earth .“
Skyruin punched his feet into the moons surfaces and took flight at an amazing speed through space . Stars and planets whizzing past like streaks of lines illuminated with colourful lights that stretched out as far as the eye could see .
As they abandoned sectors in space tunnels , bright flashes in sequence opened up doors into pathways where strange spacecraft flew past . Then as Skyruin went through a green mist they were back again on the mountain top on earth .
“That was just the best Skyruin . Space is an amazing place , It felt like I was on a spaceship built for time travel .’
After a short time Skyruin said goodbye to Sham and returned deep into the hole where he lived on the mountain. Then Sham returned back ti the door where he had come from . He made his way along the corridor to the ladder that brought him back inside the storytellers cottage in Chapters End .
He left the cottage and returned back to the guest house where he went up the stairs and into his bedroom .Feeling tired he lay down and went fast asleep in bed .
Danielle and Nina are rescued from their wicked step-mother by Emma the Yellow Dream Train who takes them on adventures. When Nina learns she has the ability to speak to animals, Emma and the other trains teach her how to use it.
If you enjoy being taken to the edge of your seat, yanked sideways, and left spinning through the sky on a speeding wyrm, rejoice. The gripping, white-knuckled conclusion of the Dragon Racers trilogy is here.
Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World is a novel in which nothing is quite what it seems and everything is loaded with shadowy dreams of the past and nightmares set to soul-pounding music of the future.
Skyruin And The Moon Flowers
