To say thanks to everyone who has read my book Dernketh the Broken Island so far I will be sharing the first few chapters here plus some behind the scenes and extra bits. You can read the entire book right now on Amazon either as a paperback or eboo...
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I groaned, rolled on my side and heaved up the entire beach. I gagged, my mouth and tongue pasted with sand. My eyes burned with the grit. Then I realised I couldn't see a thing.
"And he's awake."
I jumped at the rough voice.
"Ohh, no, we're not going through that again." Strong arms grabbed my shoulders. "Your feisty little girlfriend has already done the whole show for you. Twice. She's decided it's safe and drunk some vodka. So I suggest you do the same."
"What?" I frowned. It was the weirdest feeling to have your eyes open and not see anything. I flinched again as a small cold hand slipped into mine.
"It's OK, it's me."
The girl from the tower.
"You!" It all came flashing back to me, the tower, the game against the island. I thought the island had got her, but she was alive! I was alive.
Oh, I was alive.
"Are you OK?" I asked.
"Yes. Are you?"
"The island tried to eat me. What's new?"
She laughed, a sweet sound. Better than her singing. "I think you ate more of it."
I sat up hesitantly, the darkness swimming inside my head. "Where are we?"
"Bern's cabin. I haven't decided if he's a grizzly bear or a teddy bear yet."
Bern the outcast. A pang of fear shot through me. I scowled at the ground. I think it was the ground. "Why did you bother saving us?" I muttered.
"I think you mean thank you." Bern laughed harshly. "Both of you, so ungrateful."
"Thank you. Why did you save us?"
"Why not?"
"Because no one does here. Once you're marked for death you back off. You can't do anything. One family watched their neighbour swept to sea. They stared like their souls were scooped out."
"Well, aren't you full of uplifting titbits," Bern muttered.
There was silence, then the girl spoke, her voice ringing nervously. "You can't really believe that, because you saved me."
I ground my back teeth. Why couldn't I see?
"Here," Bern said.
How the hell were we still alive? The island played games but not like that. It never let anyone go. What was it up to?
"Hello," Bern said with a sigh.
"He's handing you anchovies."
"He knows that, he can see me holding them..." Bern trailed off and I heard a tin clink. "Oh...I get it. You can't see."
