The Other Side

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was the morning that Cindy said she would come for him. He would be gone for a year, she had said, so pack properly. He was supposed to have packed by now. But he hadn't.

Tom had never travelled before. He didn't know what to pack. And even if he had known, he didn't have a suitcase to pack it in – because he had never travelled before. And his parents hadn't thought to buy him one either. In fact, their behaviour had been a little odd of late...

He wondered if Cindy would really show. He still had his doubts. Going to a wizard school – it was a lot like a few stories he had read. If she did turn up though, he was certain she wouldn't be pleased with him.

Cindy did turn up. And he was right. She wasn't very happy. She muttered something about time being of the essence as she grabbed hold of one of his shirts. She did something to it and the next thing he knew, she was stuffing everything he owned into his new shirt-luggage-thing.

Maybe he really was going to a wizard school.

Tom said his goodbyes at the door and got into Cindy's red car. They drove for over an hour on the motorway before exiting onto a dual-carriageway. They were currently weaving in and out of narrow country lanes that seemed to narrow further with every turn.

"Are we nearly there yet?" Tom asked.

"No," Cindy said.

Ten minutes passed.

"Are we nearly there yet?"

"No."

A few more minutes passed and Tom wanted to ask again if they were nearly there yet, just to be annoying like some kids were. But he didn't think he knew Cindy well enough to do that. Although apparently he did know her well enough to wander off with her...

The car eventually came to a stop. Cindy got out. Tom didn't. They were in the middle of a forest. The only building in sight was a small cottage, not a school. It looked like a place you-

"Come on, Thomas," Cindy interrupted his thoughts.

She was standing behind the cottage with his shirt-luggage in hand, staring at him impatiently. He got out of the car and followed after her. It was a little too late to doubt her motives. Tom walked past the cottage. The trees thinned out and he caught his first glimpse of what lay beyond. He stopped walking.

"That's the sea."

"Yes, it is," Cindy said and she suddenly disappeared.

Tom rushed forward, worried she might have fallen off the cliff, only to see her walking down a set of wooden steps attached to the side of it. He followed her down to the bottom where, tied to a small pier, was an even smaller boat.

He stared at the boat, and then the sea beyond, and then the boat again. She couldn't be serious.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Cindy said.

Tom didn't find her words comforting. It looked absolutely awful, so not as bad as absolutely awful was still awful. But he climbed in anyway. He couldn't exactly turn back now. And he was a little excited – or terrified. He wasn't sure which.

The boat moved out to sea and the waves came crashing in on both sides. But no water ventured into the boat. Nor did it rock violently. Tom still held onto the sides tightly, just in case.

"Look ahead," Cindy said.

He had been looking ahead, wondering where they were going. It was a small boat, which hopefully meant a short journey. But there was no sign of anything but water and water. It stretched for ever.

And then, in the blink of an eye, there it was.

Land – lots of it.

"Where did that come from?"

Tom spun around to look behind him. Where there had been the coast of England only moments ago, there was now nothing but water. "Where are we?" he asked. "What happened to England?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

if you enjoyed this chapter, please vote for it :)