Hope you like :) For SWC. CHAPTER 1 Black ash fell to the ground as, 14 year old, Robin Booker kicked a small rock into the polluted river. The grey clouded sky loomed over her as she searched her run-down village. Blackwell used to be a bright happy place, where normal kids lived normal lives. Playing, going to school, doing chores. But that all changed yesterday. When the monstrous tsunami hit. Washing away everything in its path. Luckily Blackwell is one of the smallest villages in the Nation with only 200 people living there, so everyone was evacuated before it hit. Natural disasters were rare in Blackwell, so everyone was in a flurry. Separating Robin from her family. She only survived the tsunami by running into the distant woods which was strictly off bounds, but still getting soaked through to the skin in the process. She waited for several hours before going back to the village in case it wasn’t safe. Back at the village, She was still dripping wet. Robin attempted to dust off any ash on her brown overalls. Her white top underneath wasn’t even white anymore, just a grey canvas with black spots all over it. Her face was the same as her top. Grey. But covered in scratches and bruises. Her hair looked a bit darker than her normal copper-red colour, with the occasional strand sticking out of her braid wrapped around the back of her head. Her emerald, green eyes reflecting the black water on the grass that had been reduced to mud. She couldn’t help but notice the old shoe warehouse, still standing. Towering above all other piles of rubble and dust. ‘How could it still be standing?’ She thought to herself. Eager to investigate, she ran past a few mountains of debris and the old market. Before freezing at the entrance, she had never gone there before. Some kids at her school said it was haunted, but she knew it wasn’t. Trembling, she mumbled aloud “Darson and Gregg’s” The old shoe factory that was shut down due to health and safety reasons. Rumor had it that one worker disappeared every month. But Robin didn’t believe in that rubbish. She opened the door that creaked extremely loudly, making her pause for a moment before entering. But she left the door open just in case she had to make a dash for it. “Hello?” She heard her voice echo through the empty building. But no reply. Robin sighed in relief and tiptoed inside. Her feet skimming the dirt beneath her. ‘How isn’t it wet?’ she contemplated to herself in confusion. The work benches were still lined up side by side but covered in dust. She eventually loosened up and went over to examine the rusted counter. After an hour of this she found nothing suspicious or out of place there. She put her hand on the wall and felt the soft moss growing up the side, hopeless and alone, Robin decided to give up and look for her family. When suddenly she felt a light rumble under her feet, she stood there until the rumbling turned into shaking. Until a neat circle in the dirt started forming around Robin, she couldn't move. Something was holding her in place, making her limbs stiff and unmovable. The circle slowly started descending into the floor with Robin still frozen going down with it. She knew there was something weird about this place! But when she got to the bottom, it was far off from what she imagined. CHAPTER 2 She was staring at a long narrow room that was a blinding white colour. Computers and monitors on either side of the walls with desks in front of them. There were at least 20 people in that room, all dressed in the same white and grey uniform. All staring at Robin. The magnetic pull faded and Robin stretched out her limbs. She didn’t know what was going on, who were these people? Why do they have a secret base in an abandoned shoe factory? “Welcome to D.A.R industries Miss. Booker.” Came an ominous voice from behind a crowd of uniformed men and women, who scrambled to get out of the way for him. I could tell by his face that he was important, and he knew it too. “How do you know my name?” I asked spontaneously. “Everyone knows your name around here.” He replied. “I’m Mr.Shawn Manfield.” He said as I slowly walked toward him cautiously “What is the place?” I said as I gazed around the narrow room. He showed a look of annoyance on his face like it was obvious. “I already told you, it’s D.A.R industries,” he said doubtfully, “the Dynamic Association of Rescue”. I just stared at him gaping. When it hit me, Darson and Gregg’s! “Did Darson founder this place?” I chirped. “Yeah he did, but he sadly died 5 years ago.” Manfield said, frowning. “He looks a bit like you actually,” He said with a quizzical look on his face. Without warning he took a photo out of his pocket and compared it to Robin. He went on like that for a few seconds before she snatched the photo from his hand and said, “But that's my Grandfather.”
Manfield straightened up and paused for a second. “No, that can’t be your Grandfather. That’s James Darson.” His face had taken a form of confusion and anger now. Robin sighed in annoyance and pulled out her locket, a small, silver oval with a humming bird on the front. She opened it and inside there was the same picture Manfield was holding. “See that’s my Grandfather, John Booker. He died five years ago,” Manfield and Robin both stared at each other in confusion. The men and women in uniform were all crowded around to catch a glimpse of the photo. “Unless he made a false identity.” Burst Manfield. “Why would he do that?” Robin questioned, bewildered. Her mind thought of many possible reasons why he would make a false identity even before Manfield could think of one. There was a few minutes of silence before he uttered, “I think he made a false identity to protect you,” She didn’t give anyone a chance to speak before she remarked “Protect me from what?” Her voice was raised now and her eyes were full of concern, she could tell that Manfield was holding back. But before she could demand an answer, he said. “From your Uncle,” CHAPTER 3 Robin scrunched up her face in uncertainty, “Why would you need to protect me from my uncle?” She was full to the brim with anticipation and almost yelling. Manfield could see her keenness to know more. So he took a deep breath and told Robin everything. “You see Robin, in your Grandfather’s will, he said that he would give his company to his first relative who finds it. But he didn’t mean the shoe company, he meant here.” Robin just gaped at him for a few moments until she finally said, “So that means.” Robin began to say before Manfield interrupted. “Yes, you are now the owner of D.A.R Industries.” Robin went back to gaping. She had to process what had just happened. Until Manfield cleared his throat, snapping her back to earth. “Continue.” Robin chirped. “Anyway, your Uncle was a good man. Until he heard your Grandfather's will. Hungry for power he searched everywhere. But he didn’t know that the reason he never found it was that he wasn’t worthy. Unlike you.” Robin forced herself a smile before she replied. “How am I worthy?” “Because you weren't hungry for power. So if your Uncle finds out you now own D.A.R industries, your in big trouble.” Manfield said with a new edge to his voice. Before Robin could say anything else he scrambled over to a safe at the end of the hallway that Robin didn’t even notice. It had fine silver work on it, and a big hummingbird on the door. It took Robin a while to realise that it was just like the locket, after everything that had just happened, it was a lot to take in. She scuttled over to Manfield and the safe. “You have to promise to never tell anyone about this place ok? As the new owner this is your responsibility.” Manfield yelled at her in a perplexed whisper. “Promise.” Robin said with a reassuring look in her eyes. With no further questions Manfield opened the safe and inside was nothing that Robin had ever seen before. Piles upon piles of gold coins, gold bars and riches beyond your wildest dreams. But Robin had a deep suspicion that she should ignore the money. Manfield stepped into the safe and stumbled on a pile of coins before clambering back with a huge, dusty book with a chocolate brown cover. On the cover in giant gold letters it read: The time book. He shakily handed Robin the book and opened his mouth to say something. But before he could Robin opened the book. A huge gust of wind blew out from the pages of the book making her drop the book on the floor where it landed with it’s pages staring at the ceiling. Manfield’s words turned into yells and everyone was running around the room panicked. In an attempt to close the book Robin jumped over to it, but before she could close it. She got sucked in. The book rose in the air for a second before dropping to the floor again, shut. Robin awoke to the feeling of birds pecking on her face. She bolted upright, sending the birds into screeches of havoc. She squinted at the burning sun, trying to see. Where had the book taken her? When everything came into focus all she could see was sand. Miles and miles of desert. Hope you like it :3 I will be writing more soon! This has already been added to my word count! :) Hugs xx
