Yes, it looks familiar, doesn't it? Lost In Croggon. Here we go again. Let's hope it's better this time!
Just a short chapter to start with, sorry about that. The others will be longer but I thought I'd get on with it.
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It is not that I am unhappy with my life, only that I find the world of fantasy rather less dull. It is for this reason that I read books. I have my preferences, of course, as everybody does, and my own personal favourite is the Pellinor series. I read it on the bus, I read it at work, I read it in the bath. I know every detail of each of the characters' lives. It drives my boyfriend mad. Nathan, his name is, and he does not understand the magic of reading. I have tried many times to convince him, but he remains sceptical.
One day, when he was out, I lay down on my bed with a hot chocolate and restarted The Gift for the thousandth time.
For almost as long as she could remember, Maerad had been imprisoned behind walls.
I settled down into the blankets and smiled with the comfort the familiar words leant me. I took a sip of my hot chocolate, burning my tongue, and jumped as I heard a crash in the bathroom next door. I swore as hot liquid ran down my fingers. Setting the cup down on the floor, I stood up, wondering what had fallen over in the bathroom to make the noise.
I opened the door slowly, to make sure I didn't hit anything behind the door, but it swung open easily.
There was a girl stood there. She had dark hair and pale skin and looked utterly shell-shocked.
"What is this place?" she asked. It sounded as though she was trying to be brave, but there was a tremor in her voice.
"Who are you?" I asked incredulously.
"Maerad…" she replied. "My name is Maerad." She seemed to gather her courage suddenly, as she drew herself up. "And who are you? Have you spelled me?"
"Maerad? You're Maerad?" I could see it now: the high cheekbones; the hair; the eyes, glaring right at me.
"What does my name mean to you?" she asked, with the same attempt at bravery, though I knew she was terrified. "I don't know you."
"I…er…never mind. Where did you come from?"
"I think I came through there," she replied (Maerad! Maerad in my bathroom!), pointing at the shower.
I looked over at it doubtfully. "Through here?" I walked over to the shower and opened the door.
It was the strangest experience of my life. Through the glass, I could see the shower. Through the open door, it was dark, and I could just see the wooden wall on the other side of what I could see was a hut. There was straw on the ground, and a cow staring at me with frightened eyes, blinking in the harsh electric light coming through the door.
I stepped through reverently. This was the cowbyre. Sorry, this was The Cowbyre. The one where Maerad met Cadvan, where the whole story started. The door swung closed behind me with the squelch-y thud of plastic waterproof seals, and I realised my mouth was open. I closed it quickly and looked around, seeing the dust motes floating in the rays of sun coming through the cracks in the walls. I glanced behind me and there was only a wooden door. A great panic washed over me, thundering through my stomach and making my head feel woozy.
I tried to open the door, but there was a padlock on it and a heavy bolt which was rusted shut. I shoved at it desperately, but it wouldn't give. Right. Looked like I was trapped here. I turned around with some apprehension, and started as I saw a man in the doorway.
Surely that was Cadvan?