It was in Maths that my friends noticed that he was looking at me! At me! And then next lesson I talked to him. Here goes nothing!
“Hey” I said, keep it cool!
“Hey” He replied (oh, such a dreamy, deep voice!)
“So, you’re new here?”
“Yeah, moved in from London. Names Tom.” (Wow London!).
“Cool. Do you like it so far?”
“Yeah, friendly people”
“Well that’s High Storrs for you! How come you moved so far away from London?”
“My mum and dad broke up. My mum never wanted to see him again and moved as far as she could afford, I went with her, my dad wasn’t very friendly”
“Gosh sorry” and that’s when Ms.Rogers asked us rhetorically if we were going to get any work done.

Few weeks later and we’re inseparable! I waited for Tom at the gates. I saw him run, he gave me hug and we set off.
“So, how’s home life?” I ask.
“Ok, my mum got a job” he answered.
“That’s great!” Then he sort of looked distant like he wasn’t really there, suddenly he snapped back
“Err…yeah”
We reached my street, I said bye, he kissed me,  said bye then left. I walked down my street and thought about what just happened. Nah, I said to myself, must be you.

Next day at school, I saw Tom and we hugged, you know all that greety stuff.
Later that day he asked,
“Can you wait for me at the gates? I want you to come to that graveyard with me.”
I said, “Yeah sure, but why?”
“I just want to pay a visit to my gran”
“I didn’t know your gran was buried here or, for that matter, that you even had a gran.”
“Yeah, well, now you know”
Then we went to class, we have different sets for French.

I couldn’t help wondering why he didn’t tell me about his gran. I mean we’ve been together… what, 3-4 weeks now. Wondering made me lose concentration and losing concentration put me in detention. I texted Tom that I’d be late out. After that I got lectured about concentration and how it is a ‘key skill in education’ blah blah.

I finally got out of school and, to my surprise, found Tom waiting for me.

“You didn’t have to wait for me!” I said.
“I know but I wanted to and I want you to come with me to the graveyard”
“Why, you scared?!” I teased.
“No! I just want you to come I can’t explain why”
“Ok, but you must mean it because you waited like, half an hour!”
“Well, anything for you”
Then he touched my face and looked into my eyes so meaningfully that you could think he was about to die any minute and that he didn’t want to lose me.

We reached the grave yard and walked though the gate. It was an old graveyard; all the tombstones were leaning and some had moss covering the names, or the dates. Some were so faded, you couldn’t read them.
It was starting to get dark and chilly, the wind whistled and the gate snapped suddenly shut. I grabbed Tom’s arm in surprise.
“Hey,” He said in a soft, comforting voice. “It’s only the gate”
“Ok, just the gate, no need to freak out”
“Look, there’s my gran’s stone” He pointed to one which wasn’t lopsided and had no moss on it.
“Can I have some time by myself?”
“Yeah, of course” He kissed me goodbye and walked over to the grave.

I walked, or rather, rushed out. I looked back and I saw that he was looking at me. I blew him a kiss he waved but without a smile. I walked on and, (again) I couldn’t help thinking that Tom was acting very strangely today. Like something was wrong, I thought to myself that I would ask him at school tomorrow.

I saw him in class the next day. We hugged (longer than usual I have to say). I asked, “Tom, you know, I’ve been thinking. You’ve been acting a little strangely lately, anything you want to talk about?”

“What? No, no, I’m fine don’t worry about me  ” He said hesitantly.“Tom. Please tell me if anything is wrong. I can help.” Then I swear I heard him say under his breath: ‘I’m afraid you can’t’. But then we had to sit down.

At lunch today Tom asked if he could sit with me, I said OK, but this was strange because I normally sit with my friends at lunch. I’m sure there was definitely something wrong.

I waited at the gates as usual. Longer than normally, I watched as everyone walked out until no one was left. I was about to get my mobile out when there he was running out the door.
“Sorry, I was watching the boys play.”
“I thought you didn’t like football.” I said, curious.
“This was a special game.”
We walked, until my street. We stopped faced each other, he put his hand on my cheek, leant in and kissed me. It was such a long kiss. Then he whispered bye so quietly, and walked off. I watched him until I couldn’t see him anymore. Next day at school, for the few periods we hardly spoke. I think he was hanging around with his mates. Then at lunch he came and sat next to me again.
“Hey” I said as he sat down.
“Hey” he replied
“Listen, I think something’s up” Phew I said it!
“Wha-what makes you say that?”
“You’ve been acting really weird.”
Then he sighed.
“Wait for me at the gates I’ve got something to tell you.”
Then he left.

The rest of the day was hazy, as all I could think about was what Tom wanted to tell me.

I waited as he said and after 2 minutes he came out of the door.
“Come on, not a moment to lose” he huffed.
“Tom, tell me.”
“On the way.”
We walked faster than usual

“Ok, this is going to sound crazy but believe me, ok, and don’t interrupt.”
I just nodded.
“I don’t know how to put this but… I’m dead, I’m not alive, I’m a ghost.” I just stared. “I’m allowed to live again but only for 4 weeks, then on 4 pm on the last day of the month I have to go. That’s why I’ve been acting weird and I showed you the graveyard because of this, it’s practically my home.”
“But… It’s not real; you’re the only person I’ve ever really truly loved.” I started to cry, we reached the grave yard, I followed in. Suddenly, the graveyard wasn’t so scary. I hugged him he hugged back.
“It can’t be real! You’re not invisible; I can feel your heart!”
“But it is, unfortunately. I only got one chance to live again, and I’m glad I chose now, because I met you.”
I wept.
“5 to, we’ve got time”
“I don’t want you to go, ever since we met, you mean the world to me.” I sobbed.
We kissed for the last time, suddenly a bright light shone, wind in our faces and a sort of portal that you see in movies opened.
“I have to go, but you can come in or a few minutes, the portal stays open for 5 minutes. But afterwards it’s closed and can never open for another 4 years.”
“I really should be getting back,” he looked at me with those sparkling blue eyes, I couldn’t resist. “But 2 minutes won’t hurt.” He smiled.

So I stepped through, into whiteness. I looked around, it was literally whiteness. There was only one other person, He seemed to be waiting for Tom. I hugged Tom, and then kissed him. Then he looked into my eyes, for sush a long time he looked. I wondered what was going through his head.
Suddenly, I heard something like suction and the portal was gone.
“The portal! It’s gone! Its gone! I thought I had more time! Please I need to get back! I need to get back!” I sobbed, and sobbed. “Do something! Somebody do something please!”

I dropped to the floor. I looked up at Tom. He just shook his head with those sad blue eyes.

They had put up a good pace and were now getting nearer to the site where Rachel’s father went missing, although getting closer but still a lot further to go.
“Whats that rustling, over there in the bushes?” Raksi asked.
“There’s no rustling, it’s your vivid imagination!” Safi reaplied.
So they went on, getting deeper and deeper into the rain forest.
“I don’t think it’s your brothers imagination Safi, i can hear it too!” Rachel said, timidly.
“It is probably a bush baby or something like that.” Safi reassured her, although she was beggining to bellive them.

And there was that rustling again! This time they all heard it, and this time they ran, and as soon as they ran an immense dark creature, jamp out and ran after them.
They ran as fast as they could but little Raksi couldn’t keep up, he ran then stumbled, got up and ran again, but slower and limping….
they suddenly jamp to one side, the creature ran on.
“Is everyone alright?” Safi said, panting.
“I am but your brothers not.” Rachel said, pointing at Raksi’s bloody foot. He had cut it whilst running and falling. Rachel got her first aid kit out and put some anti-septic on it.
“This will sting a bit, but it’s alright.”Rachel said, reassuringly. Raksi didn’t know what she meant but there was somthing about her voice that was soothing. Then she sprayed it, Raksi jerked his foot back,
“It’s ok, It’s ok, this will help you.” Rachel said whilst putting on the bandages.Safi stood there horrified, what is she doing with him!!!
“Stop it, Stop it, your hurting him!!!!”Safi shouted.
” No I’m not it will sting a bit but it’s fine, it’ll make it better, trust me.” And she held her hand to be shaked, to reassure her. Safi took it and shaked.
“Now let’s get on,Safi help your brother.” Rachel said, taking the lead. They got up and started walking.
“Safi, do you know what the creature was?” Rachel asked.
“I think, err, what do you call it, err, rhino, yes i think it was rhino.” Safi answered.
“But why would the rhino attack when we have done nothing wrong?” Rachel asked, still looking for answers.
” I do not know.” Safi replied, confused herself.

Early that morning the team got ready to set off.
“Are you ready Rachel?” asked Saffy.
“I think I am, water, rope, rain jacket. I’m all set!” she replied.
“Ok, Raksi, have you got the food?” Saffy checked with her brother and they were all set to go. Mrs.Misata watched them off.
“Bye bye and be careful, be back in two days, if not I will go to the wiseman for help.”
Mrs. Misata shouted in Indonesian.
“OK!!”Saffy shouted back.So off they went, through the gates and into the forest, who knows what lies behind the trees waiting, waiting, till the right moment……..

It’d been an hour since they first set off, and even now they are tired and had enough of leaves in their faces and the hot summer sun. They found a small stream, refilled their bottles, and rested. “We must only have done half a mile!” complained Rachel.”We’re never going to get anything done at this pace!”
“We are doing are best, little Raksi can’t go any faster.” Safi snapped back.
“Yes I can, you always judge me!!!!!” Raksi shouted, so loud the nearest birds flew away.
They were all suprised by this and started saying sorry at once.
” It’s the devil, he made us argue.” Safi said half scared, half confused.
” Nonsense it’s the heat, come on we best get on before it gets dark.” Rachel said matter of factly. And so the search went on (although not entirely sure what to search for).

“My plan is for you to explore. Yes, by your self but my magic will always be with you. I will give you this,” and he passed her an odd yellow object shaped like an egg. ” all you have to do is twist it then you will be able to speak to me in your mind, but this is only for emergencies and can only be used three times.”
“Thank you wise one.” was all Saffy could say.
“To you Raksi Iwill give a dagger but be careful as it can cut through anything, except only the darkest object.”
“What do you mean by darkest object?” queried Raksi.
“You will leave now, I will talk with Rachel.” the wiseman said ignoring what Raksi had queried.

That afternoon Saffy and Rachel set out into the rain forest.Walking Cautiously, they swiped their way through the leaves.
“This way, and we will be there soon.” Said Saffy.
Soon enough they heard the sound of water serging down in a torrent. They ran towards it and surprisingly they saw a hippo bathing in the water. Saffy signalled that they should be quite and back up little.
They hid behind the leaves until the hippo had gone. But then…
SPLASH!!!!
They had jumped into the water, when they emerged they burst out laughing.
“This is so fun! I wish i had a waterfall in my back garden!” Rachel joked.
They splashed about for about an hour and then headed off towards the village.

After that commotion Raksi aproached his older sister.

“Saffy?”

“Mmm,” She replied

“You may think it’s my imagination but I heard some noises under ground when we were hunting.”

“I don’t think it’s your imagination because I heard something like people shouting under the earth when I was at the river.”

“What shall we do?”

“We’ll tell the wiseman.”

At the wiseman’s hut, Rachel was telling the wiseman exactly what happened. The wiseman thought about it very much but then came a ‘knock, knock, knock’ on the simple, thin, wooden door.

“Come in,” shouted the wiseman trying hard not to sound annoyed.

“We came to say that we heard strange noises from under the ground.” Saffy mummered in a scared tone, half expecting to feel embarassed when the wiseman would say it’s her imagination.

“Mmm, just as i thought, it’s the Lost City.” the wiseman said as he sat thinking.

For a moment everyone was in slience of puzzelment but then the wiseman spoke seeing the look on the children’s faces.

“The lost city was the greatest city in Indonesia long ago, but it got destroyed in the wars. Now, it is buried in the ground, and whoever puts one foot on it they get swallowed into the ground.” He said this in both languages.

“But what are we to do?” asked Rachel.

“We will meet tomorrow, but now it is the time for sleeping.”

With that the children knew it was time for bed so they all walked back to thier hut.

Chapter 2 The New Friend

“You two can go and play now,” Mrs. Misata said after lunch “come back when I call you ok?”

“OK”  Saffy and Raksi  said together. They went outside to join their friends.

Whilst they were playing a strange girl around Saffy’s age (which was 11) came walking towards the camp. Raksi was the first to see this strange girl, she was as tall as Saffy and she had long, flowing blonde hair with natural brunette streaks. She had quite a sharp nose and light freckles; she wore a traveler out fit. She wore a brown short sleeve top, a pair of shorts and big, sturdy, brown boots and she carried a backpack on her back.

“Hey, look everyone!” Raksi said while pointing to the strange girl. The strange girl came up to them and said,

“My name is Rachel, please help me find my father.”

“My name is Saffy, come, come in my house.” Saffy said in her best english she could manage.

“You speak english?” queried Rachel. As they walked on towards Saffy’s house.

“A little, the wise man teach me” answered Saffy.

When they reached Saffy’s home her mother immediatelly asked,

“Who his this Saffy?”

“Rachel, she is from England,” Saffy turned to Rachel “You are from England, yes?”

“Yes, I am.” Rachel answered.

“She will better stay with us.” Mrs.Misata said in the next room trying to find clean bed sheets.

Later that day when all the children were playing together happily the wiseman came out of his hut. The wiseman was the clever one of the tribe, if people wanted answers they would go to the wiseman.
“Greeting’s to you all, where is the english girl?” the wiseman asked the children in their language.
“Here your greatness” Saffy said whilst pointing to Rachel.
“Aaah, there you are,” the wiseman said in english.”What brings you here my young friend?”
“I need to find my father he disappeared under the ground, I saw it.” Rachel answered his question.
“Please, come to my hut and we will discuss in private.” The wiseman said as he ushered her towards his hut.

]]> http://aliya.ismangil.com/2008/03/15/chapter-2/feed/ 0 aliya http://aliya.ismangil.com/2008/03/14/chapter-1/ http://aliya.ismangil.com/2008/03/14/chapter-1/#comments Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:10:22 +0000 aliya http://aliya.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/chapter-1/ ]]> The Lost City

Chapter 1 The Strange Sounds

“Wake up, Saffy!” Raksi shouted as he shook Saffy by the arm quite hard. Oh, and incase your wondering you are in the past, the year 1883 June 2nd at 600 hrs and 6 minutes to be precise. This is the Misata family, oh yes you are probably wondering where we are. Well we are in Asia, Indonesia in the rainforests of Borneo. Anyway where was I, ah yes, the family are part of the Ular tribe (Ular means snake so, they are the snake tribe.) Today is hunting day but Saffy doesn’t really agree with hunting, lucky that the men only hunt.

“Why, do you have to wake me up?!” Saffy said half shouting.

“Mama said you had to see us off, now get dressed!” Raksi said in an annoyed way.  Saffy got ready but very slowly.

“Hurry up Saffy, they’re about to set off!” Mrs.Misata shouted.

“Coming mama,” Saffy replied.Saffy got dressed and went outside. She waved and the men and boys set off into the noisy, humid rainforest.

“Ok, boys,” Mr. Misata, (the hunting group leader) shouted over the noise of the rainforest, “Split up into two groups please, one group go west one group go east meet here at noon.” And so the hunting went on.

“Papa, what was that noise?” Raksi asked as they passed a damper place in the rainforest.

“What noise my son?” Mr. Misata questioned his son.

“That banging noise from the ground.” Raksi said to his father in an obvious tone.

“Sorry son, but there is no banging on the ground must be your wild imagination.” His father said.

Back at the camp the women are doing there daily chores.

“Saffy, come down to the river with me please, I may need some help with the washing and water.” Mrs.Misata called over to the next door room where Saffy was arranging the pots.

“OK, I’ll just be a moment!” Saffy replied.

When they were at the river Saffy thought she heard something like cries from the ground. As she collected water in a water pot, she heard the same noise again. It definitely isn’t my imagination Saffy thought.

]]> http://aliya.ismangil.com/2008/03/14/chapter-1/feed/ 0 aliya http://aliya.ismangil.com/2008/03/13/prologue/ http://aliya.ismangil.com/2008/03/13/prologue/#comments Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:09:46 +0000 aliya http://aliya.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/prologue/ ]]> The Lost City

PROLOGUE

“Let’s set up camp here.” The man started to build camp, he told his fellow friend and his daughter to get some fire wood. When he left, the man was just about to pick up a stick when “Aaaaaaarrrrgghh…” within a second he was engulfed with moss and rocks.

When his friend came back he was puzzled, he put the sticks down and sat down on a near by rock but then “Aaaaaaarrrrgghh…” the same thing happened to him. The daughter survived and went to find help…

]]> http://aliya.ismangil.com/2008/03/13/prologue/feed/ 0 aliya http://aliya.ismangil.com/2007/10/05/the-forest-2/ http://aliya.ismangil.com/2007/10/05/the-forest-2/#comments Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:44:05 +0000 aliya http://aliya.ismangil.com/2007/10/05/the-forest-2/ ]]> She went for an evening walk. Now she’s heading back. She doesn’t know which way to go. She’s lost.

It was getting dark. She decided to go right. She started to walk through the trees. Then she thought she heard something or maybe it was her imagination. Suddenly she definitely heard a twig snap behind her, she spun around no ones there.

She walked on through the trees then she felt a mysterious gust of wind then all is quiet. She hears a threatening whisper, she shouts in a quaky voice “Who’s there!”. No reply.

The moon has come up behind the misty clouds. She sees a shadow in the moonlight. It seemed to be laughing but not in a friendly way, in a threatening and evil way. She is now spine-chillingly petrified. Her head is spinning with fear. Her hands are getting clammy. Her heart is beating faster and faster. Just then she saw a clearing.

She was heading for the clearing. Something is blocking the moonlight in the clearing. It was heading towards her. It looks like it has a hooded cloak on and has glowing red eyes. It’s gliding towards her smoothly and noiselessly at lightning speed. She’s stiff with fear.

She screamed…