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Category:
Young Adult/Teen
ISBN-10: B00GZ44DJY
Type: Fiction
Copyright: Nov 28, 2013
ISBN-13: 9780857793195
Price: $5.95 (eBook)
An adventure story of Chinese explorers pirates, magicians, ghosts and treasure ships.
Chen grew up in Annam, but it was soldiers of the Chinese Emperor of the Dragon Throne who laid waste to his village and tortured and killed everyone. Chen, just twelve years old, escaped with the help of a mysterious old man. After many days march with the old man, he finds himself on a Chinese Treasure Ship, and it is then that the real adventure begins.
But the old man has already revealed that he is a magician, and there is something very strange about Chen that the boy had never known and could not have possibly imagined. His skills may be unique, and without him the Chinese ships might not survive the pirates or come close to completing their mission halfway round the world…
Then, hundreds of years later, another boy finds an ancient knife on a beach after days of searching because, somehow, he knew it was there. As if that was not enough, he and his friends are then plunged into a modern-day adventure of pirates, thieves, ghosts, and buried treasure.
Recommended for readers aged 12 to adult.
Excerpt
Pirates Alley
by Robert Bresloff
Copyright 2013 Robert Bresloff
Published by Strict Publishing International
PROLOGUE:
Get your mind set…. Confidence will lead you.
—Unknown
Another sunset and another day had ended. The rays from the quickly sinking sun splashed muted colors across the pinkish blue sky, giving the clouds above new life. The water and sky merged gracefully into the horizon just near the top of the partially visible orange sun.
The sand felt cool beneath the young boy’s feet as he walked along the rocky beach. He loved to watch the sunset, though it saddened the boy to see another day slip into the past. A few more days and his vacation would end. No more exploring the beach or playing in the surf, the things that took up most of his days.
Day after day, the boy would scour the beach – searching – for what he was not quite sure. The boy had heard of a legend among the locals, a strange legend of a mysterious race of people who had come, centuries in the past, to this very shore. They had come in ships, great ships that sat majestically atop the blue Caribbean.
The legend spoke of innumerable treasures and riches that the mysterious people brought in their magnificent ships, many of them still believed buried in the sandy beach beneath his feet. The days had passed without a trace of the coveted treasures. The boy knew that time was running out. He was determined – no – consumed with desire to find something, anything to prove to his parents that he had not wasted his entire vacation.
The boy’s father laughed politely but his mother only smiled when he told them of his quest. His parents urged him to do other things as well, maybe make new friends during their two weeks on the island. The boy was not interested. The legend burned in his young mind.
The sun was nearly gone, and the wind that blew his sandy-colored hair had turned cool. Shivering, the boy pulled the towel tightly around his bare, sunburned shoulders warming himself in the evening breeze. Frustrated, he dropped heavily onto the sand. Pulling the towel up to his chin, the boy extended his leg, forcing his foot deep into the loosened sand. Back and forth, the boy’s foot dug inches deeper until his toes could feel the damp, rough sand that had never been touched by the warming sun.
The cold sand stung as it rubbed against his bare foot but he did not stop – he would not stop. “Ouch!” he said aloud as his foot hit something sharp. The boy quickly pulled his foot from the narrow burrow and checked for bleeding. Relieved that he had not injured his foot, the boy reached his hand into the hole.
Something was definitely there. It felt cold and very hard. Quickly onto his knees, the boy straddled the hole, carefully pulling the dampened sand away from the object. His young eyes widened at the dark, crusted handle revealed in the fading light. The boy dug deeper around a long, slender handle until he could fit his thin fingers beneath it.
His heart pounded and the excitement welled within him. Squeezing the handle firmly, he pulled with all of his might at the mysterious prize. The years of packed sand fought fiercely to keep its bounty, but as so often happens, nature loses to the will of man.
The cold sand finally released its centuries old grip. The force sent the boy backward onto the beach. He was exhausted and his forearm ached but he did not care. He lay there in quiet triumph, carefully viewing his sandy prize. Scraping the damp grains away, the long, dark handle gave way to a slender black stone blade. ‘A knife!’ he thought, carefully rubbing even more sand from the handle. To his wonderment, four lines of flat green stones adorned each dark side. Jade.
The boy sat up quickly, his heart pounded as if a large drum lay deep within his chest. “Could it be?” he asked aloud. His eyes made for the horizon. The last bits of pink and orange were fading from the clouds’ feathered edge, but he did not notice the beauty as he stared toward the thin line that separated the mighty ocean from the sky.
His mind was racing. Aside from a museum, he had never seen anything like this before. The boy trembled with excitement. Had he finally done it? Had he found what he was looking for? Did the legendary people that the local natives spoke of leave this knife behind?
The boy’s thoughts then turned to whom the owner might have been. Was he a man or was he a boy just like himself, or was the knife simply washed up onto the shore by centuries of endless currents and storms, or did a great warrior drop it during a fierce battle?
The sound of a familiar voice quickly interrupted his fantasies. The boy jumped quickly to his feet.
“Dad!” he cried out. “Look what I’ve found!”
CHAPTER ONE:
When the student is ready, the teacher will arrive.
—Unknown
Chen ran. He ran for his life. As fast as his short young legs would carry him, the boy ran through his burning village. All that he could hope for was a way to escape the evil soldiers who chased him. Chen was sure that his family had perished in the attack. For all the boy knew, the entire village was dead or captured. “Run…!” he had heard his father yell. A soldier’s axe quickly silenced the warning before its deadly blade turned on his mother.
Chen glanced over his shoulder once more before diving off the path and into the brush. It would remain the last picture in his mind. The black smoke that filled the bright afternoon sky, the screams of the villagers, his family, his friends, and what had happened to his parents. All that had once been his home and life was no more. There was no time to cry.
“There!” shouted one of the soldiers who were chasing Chen, pointing toward the thick brush along the path. “The rodent hides in the thicket.”
The ground smelled of damp and dirt. As he lay hidden beneath the thick growth, Chen felt the heavy footfalls of the soldiers as they approached. The boy prayed for the wisdom of Tao to guide him. As the footsteps grew closer, the earth below him thundered as if it were a beating drum.
“Run!” he heard another voice cry. The soldiers’ footsteps suddenly fell silent.
Chen peeked over the thick brush that stood between him and capture.
“Run!” the voice came again. The voice was rough and gravely, but it was there. Chen was certain that he had heard it.
Chen saw that the soldiers were as confused as he was. The two large men stood, only a short distance away, at the center of the path, looking for whoever (or whatever) belonged to the mysterious voice.
Who calls out to my rescue? The soldiers were looking directly in his direction. If it had not been for the dense brush, the soldiers would have seen him. If they would only look away, thought Chen spying the soldiers through the thicket. Then as if by magic, both of the soldiers turned to look behind them.
“Now!” This time the mysterious voice shouted. “Directly behind you, Rabbit. Run!”
Without another thought, Chen sprang from the ground, turned and ran headlong into the trees behind him.
“Look,” cried one of the soldiers, turning in time to see Chen dash through the jungle, “the rodent runs for his life.”
Chen did not look back. He heard the soldier and knew that the hunt had resumed. On and on he ran. The low hanging tree branches slapped across Chen’s face like a whip and tangled his long black hair. The soldiers were gaining; there was no time for the pain. He had to
keep running. Closer and closer the soldiers came. They yelled insults and torments as they gained on the boy.
“We will not kill you, rodent,” they yelled. “You know what fate awaits you!”
Chen knew well the fate of captured young boys of villages that rebelled against the Emperor of the Dragon Throne. He would be tortured and left for dead. Even if he lived, what life would there be?
The mere thought of the torture that awaited him if caught sent him faster into the dark jungle. The soldiers followed closely, still yelling and laughing about what they would do when they finally caught him. Chen’s bare feet burned as they beat hard against the jungle floor. His body ached and he was nearly out of breath.
“Do not stop!” exclaimed the mysterious voice from just ahead. Chen continued to run.
The soldiers were gaining; Chen could almost feel their hot breath upon the back of his neck from the screams of insults and threats.
“Soon – Rabbit – soon!” cried the voice again. As Chen broke into a small clearing in the jungle, he knew that the voice was very close.
It was too late! He felt the iron grip upon his shoulder. In another second, Chen felt his feet kicked out from under him. He lay helplessly on his back, looking up into the smoke filled sky. Chen paid no attention to the searing pain that tore through the small of his back. He could only focus on the two smiling, sinister figures that hovered menacingly over him.
Both men stood with hands planted firmly on their hips. Laughing as they gazed at their helpless pray, the soldiers took turns spitting on Chen as he lay there breathless and scared. Wearing the scars from many battles, their ruthless stares betrayed the hatred that these warriors of the Chinese Emperor Zhu Di had for Chen’s people – the people of Annam. One of the soldiers fell to his knees and held Chen’s shoulders firmly to the ground.
“Hold him tightly,” growled the one that still stood.
Chen braced himself for what was to come. The pain of the soldier’s knife would soon be on him. He would act brave. He would make his father and his ancestors proud. He closed his eyes – tightly.
“Ahhh,” said the mysterious voice. Chen could not see, but he was sure that it came from within the clearing. “Two of Zhu Di’s finest,” continued the rough and gravel sounding voice. “Are we now at war with children?”
Chen watched the standing soldier slowly turn to look behind.
“What is your business, old man?” snapped the soldier angrily.
There was a pause. Chen lay there, in the silence shivering with fear.
“What do you intend for the boy?” asked the voice.
“Chinese?” the soldier growled again, pointing in the direction of the voice.
“Yes, of course” stated the rough voice proudly.
“Then you know this boy’s fate,” stated the soldier wickedly. “Again I ask you, what is your business?”
“I am Waan, the great and renowned juggler from the court of the emperor himself – Zhu Di!” exclaimed the old voice.
The soldier that had Chen pinned to the ground turned to get a better look at the intruder.
“I know this man,” he laughed. Chen watched as the man’s long strands of dark hair that hung from his mustache move carelessly along his chin with every word. “He is a wonderful juggler. I have seen him perform for the emperor in the Forbidden City.”
“A juggler, eh?” snapped the other soldier.
“Yes,” said the voice of Waan. “I am.”
“What is your business here in Annam, old man?”
“The Emperor himself has sent me to entertain his brave army.”
“Then you will perform for us?” asked the soldier on the ground.
“Indeed,” answered Waan. “Whatever is your wish, brave warriors of the Dragon Throne.”
Chen was confused, but he lay there hoping that the conversation would never end. He was in no hurry to taste the cold steel of the soldier’s knife.
“What about the boy?” asked the juggler. “Would it not be benevolent to let him see me perform, before his – punishment?”
“What harm could it do,” said the standing soldier. “Let the boy up.”
Chen felt the soldier’s iron grip disappear from his aching shoulders.
“Get up, rodent,” snapped the soldier, grabbing Chen’s loose tunic. In an instant, the boy was on his feet and looking directly at the juggler. “The old man wants to give you a show.”
Chen blinked his eyes twice, then again. The juggler had three balls already spinning in the air. The juggler’s appearance did not fit the raspy growling voice. He was very tall and slight of build, with long sinewy arms that moved in perfect rhythm with the balls as they landed briefly into each set of long, frail fingers. His hair pulled back into a long braid, revealed deep-set eyes, and high cheekbones. Gray with bits of black, the braid swished around each shoulder as his head turned from side to side, following each ball’s path. If it were not for his predicament, Chen surely would have laughed out loud at the sight of the juggler’s gaunt face and entertaining smile.
It was obvious to Chen that the soldiers were enjoying the show. They called out praise and laughed at the juggler’s silly, foolish faces and swiftly moving feet that managed to dance freely under the spinning balls. At first, Chen thought this to be an opportunity to escape, but each soldier held onto one of his arms as they watched. Then, the juggler began to sing while he juggled and danced.
To be a sailor on the China Sea
An adventurous life for you and me
To go aboard the Treasure Ships
And travel from land to land
To sail with Zheng He on the open sea
Set sail for Wanderland.
Again, the soldiers laughed and praised the juggler. They begged him to sing again so they could sing along. Chen did not understand the meaning of the song, but he understood the long, sharp fingernails nearly piercing his skin as each soldier’s grip tightened while they sang along with the juggler.
Faster and faster the balls spun, so fast that the juggler’s hands and arms nearly blurred. Faster and faster, he sang the song, so fast that the soldiers could no longer sing along. They began to laugh and yell at the juggler to slow down, but the juggler kept on singing, and juggling faster – faster – faster!
Chen had never seen anything like it. It felt as if he must have been dreaming. His world, what was left of it began to spin within the juggler’s song. Over and over again he sang:
To be a sailor on the China Sea
An adventurous life for you and me
To go aboard the Treasure Ships
And travel from land to land
To sail with Zheng He on the open sea
Set sail for Wanderland.
Then the juggler stopped singing and dancing. Finally, the juggler stopped juggling. The three balls fell noiselessly to the ground. The old man looked nervously at the soldiers.
“I am so sorry, oh great warriors of the Dragon Throne,” he apologized. “How clumsy I have become these days.”
“Nonsense, old man, you were wonderful,” laughed the soldier to Chen’s right. “Please try again. It is the least we can do for our little rodent here.”
“Oh thank you. I will pick up the balls and begin anew.”
Waan bowed gracefully from the waist to retrieve the balls, but as his hands neared the ground, two small, shiny objects appeared, one in each hand. Chen saw them, but he was quite certain that the soldiers had not.
What is he up to? Chen thought, watching the juggler closely.
“Hurry up, old man. We have work to do on this rodent,” yelled the soldier to Chen’s left. “Come. Start the show again.”
“As you wish, great warrior of the Dragon Throne,” Waan replied, still bent over, looking at the ground.
But as the juggler straightened, Chen again saw the flash of the sun hitting polished metal. This time one of the soldiers did see it.
“What trickery is this?” he yelled.
“A little trick that I learned from a pirate,” Waan laughed softly.
Then, as quickly as anything Chen had ever seen before, the old man flung his arms out toward the soldiers, releasing the shiny objects. Chen barely saw the objects as they sped in his direction. He closed his eyes tightly. All he heard were the sounds of simultaneous thuds when they struck their intended targets.
The two soldiers made not a sound. However, Chen felt each of them release their strong grip, clutching wildly at the objects that now stuck boldly from the middle of their chests. The soldiers fell instantly to their knees.
Chen opened his eyes slowly, stepped away turning to look at his wounded captors. How is this possible? he thought while staring at the small knives protruding from their heaving, bleeding chests. Chen turned to look at Waan. His heart pounding and still trembling, the boy sighed with relief. Chen shot the old man a questioning glance.
“If you want to live, Rabbit – come with me!” exclaimed the mysterious juggler
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