Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to HiT Entertainment. All OCs belong to me.

Chapter 10

Something gently brushed my cheek. I moaned sleepily.

"Sam?" mum called. "It's time to wake up."

I reluctantly rolled over onto my back, and I opened my eyes. Unsurprisingly, it was morning.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" mum asked kindly.

"Okay, I guess," I muttered. "Still a bit tired though."

"How's your ankle?"

I moved it around a little under the bedcovers. Then I winced. "It's still a bit sore."

"In that case, I want you to stay home from school today. You need to rest after all that excitement you had last night." Mum handed me a glass of orange juice. "And… I'm sorry I shouted at you."

"That's okay." I took a sip from the glass.

Someone knocked on my bedroom door. It was dad, and with him was Fireman Steele.

"How are you feeling this morning, son?" dad asked.

I wish everyone would stop asking me that question… "I'm okay, dad." I glared at Fireman Steele. I wonder if he saw the pwca too?

"Where's Station Officer Boyce?" mum asked.

"He's on holiday for a week, starting this morning," Fireman Steele replied. "And since he's gone to visit his family in Newtown, I'm now in charge of the fire station. I'm sorry to intrude so early in the morning, but I've come to tell you what Station Officer Boyce and I found last night near the well."

I sat up expectantly. Fireman Steele removed something from his pocket, and he handed it to dad. It was my torch.

"Was that all?" dad asked.

"No. We also found that the stile had been broken, so we're sending someone to repair it."

"Nothing else?" I asked in a low whisper.

Fireman Steele glanced at me, and he shook his head. "You must've been dazed by the lights of a passing car, or something."

Disappointed, I slumped back down onto my pillows, and I pulled the covers over me. "Go away," I muttered. I doubted that they would.

Sure enough, they didn't. However, since they thought I was ignoring them, they continued talking as though I wasn't there.

"Do you really believe that it was just a car, Norris?" dad asked.

"I don't know. But I do know that Sam couldn't have seen something that doesn't exist. Perhaps you should have his eyesight tested."

That did it. Enraged, I threw the covers off, and I sat up. "Just because you don't believe in legends, that doesn't mean they don't exist! I know what I saw last night, and nothing you say will change that!"

Concerned by my sudden outburst, mum placed her hands on my shoulders. "Calm down, Sam. You're getting yourself all worked up. Your granddad's stories are just that – stories."

"No, mum. They really happened! I know they did!"

Fireman Steele took a step towards me. "Sam, do you still believe in Santa Claus?"

"No, of course not! But this isn't like that! I saw the fairy fire and the pwca! They exist! You wait and see! Someone is going to die…"

Mum gently felt my forehead. "You're feverish. I think I'd better send for Dr Roberts, so he can sedate you again."

I pushed mum's hands away. "No, mum! Just leave me alone! I want granddad."

"He's out at sea, Sam," dad told me firmly. "So, just stop shouting and settle down!"

With a heavy sigh, I crawled back beneath the bedcovers. A few seconds later, I heard my bedroom door close, followed by the sound of the key being turned in the lock. Since I had nothing better to do now, I tried to go back to sleep.

About an hour later, I heard someone unlock the door. I pretended to be asleep as mum entered the room, followed by Dr Roberts.

"He's asleep," mum whispered. "Honestly, I've never seen him so worked up before, about anything."

I heard Dr Roberts place his bag down on the chair just inside the doorway. "I've been thinking about what happened last night, and I believe I know why he's acting like this, Nurse Jones."

"Why?" mum asked.

"It's a simple diagnosis, and it only has one word. It's called 'childhood'. He's at that age where he's creating fantasy worlds for himself, and that's something that should be encouraged rather than discouraged. It's healthy for his imagination."

"But Charlie never did that."

"Are you sure? Maybe he just didn't tell you about them. Or, it could be that because Charlie's about to enter puberty, Sam is trying to find someone else to share his fantasy worlds with, so he's more vocal about it. And I'm guessing that because you're rejecting his fantasies as make-believe, he feels that you don't love him anymore."

"But…" With a heavy sigh, mum sat down on the edge of my bed. "Honestly, I-I don't know what to do. I just don't understand Sam at all. He's so different from Charlie."

"That's quite normal amongst siblings. Especially now that Charlie's almost a teenager, Sam's bound to start feeling left behind. Now, I'd better take a look at his injuries."

Mum pulled down my blankets, and she lifted up my pyjama shirt so they could look at my side. "The bruising's gone down a little."

Dr Roberts gently felt the bruise. It hurt, so I whimpered.

"I recommend more ice for that bruise," Dr Roberts said. He pulled my left foot out from beneath the blankets, and he started to unwrap the bandage.

The doorbell rang downstairs, so mum went to answer it, leaving me alone with Dr Roberts.

"Okay, Sam. You can cut the pretence now. I know you're awake."

I sat up. "How did you know?"

Dr Roberts smiled. "Just a tip, Sam. Don't try to become an actor when you grow up. Now, how does your ankle feel?"

"It's a bit better. Ow! That hurt."

Dr Roberts began rewrapping my ankle. "Try to keep your weight off it for another day at least."

"Okay. Um, Dr Roberts? Do you believe me about the pwca?"

"Of course."

I was surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. You see, it's quite common for people to see them, even though most people deny they exist. People see ghosts, so I don't see why anyone should disbelieve you when you say you saw a pwca. But don't stress about it. You know what you saw, and that's all that matters. Who cares what other people think?"

I smiled. "Thanks. I feel better about it now."

Dr Roberts finished wrapping my ankle. "I'll go and see your mother now. Hopefully, I won't have to see you again anytime soon."

…

Since I wasn't able to go to school that day, mum did her best to keep me entertained. But because she also had patients to attend to, she helped me downstairs, so I could be in the sitting room where she could keep a close eye on me. After I'd caught up on my homework, I amused myself with dominos and draughts, but I quickly became bored playing by myself.

I was just settling down to have a nap on the floor, when someone entered the house through the backdoor.

"Anyone home?" granddad called.

"I'm in the sitting room, granddad," I said.

Granddad came into the sitting room, and he sat down on the sofa. "How are you feeling now, Sam?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that, and I'm rather tired of hearing it."

"Sorry."

"How was the fishing this morning?"

"Not too bad. It's been better though. Your dad's down at the quayside now, mending the nets. I came back early, because I wanted to be alone to think."

"About what?"

"The family. I'm starting to realise that I'm becoming a bit of a burden on your parents. They clearly don't want me to have any input into how you and Charlie should be raised."

I didn't quite understand, so I waited for him to continue. Granddad looked straight at me. Our eyes met. "Sam. I've decided that it's time for me to leave Pontypandy."

I gasped in shock. "But… You can't! You belong here!"

"I know. But let's face it. You and Charlie are now old enough to take care of yourselves. I don't need to help your parents look after you anymore. It's time I went and did some things for myself, before I get too old to do them. Oh, Sam! Don't look so upset. I will come back. I promise. But right now, I think everyone would be much better off without me around."

"I won't be," I sniffled. "I want you to stay here with me!"

Granddad came over to me, and he hugged me tightly. "I know you do, Sam, which is why this decision has been difficult for me. But I believe it's for the best. I won't go too far. I'm thinking of renting a place somewhere in Cardiff, Newport or Swansea. I haven't quite made up my mind yet though."

Tears were streaming down my cheeks now, and I gripped granddad's neck tightly. "I love you, granddad! Please, don't go! You're the only one who understands me."

"Oh, Sam! That's part of the reason why I have to go. It's time for you to learn how to be independent. You need to know how to look after yourself, because one day, you might find yourself on your own, without any family for support. Now, dry your eyes. Remember, you're a Welsh prince, and I want to see you smiling again before I go."

I let go of granddad, and I wiped the tears from my eyes. "When will you go?"

"Not for at least a month. Now, I've spoken with your dad, and he's agreed that the four of us should go camping this weekend, as a way of saying au revoir."

"Doesn't that mean 'goodbye'?"

"No. Au revoir simply means, 'until we see each other again'."

I smiled. "I like that. But I still don't want you to go."

Granddad hugged me again. "I know. I don't want to go either, but it's for the best. You'll see. Now, tonight after dinner, we can start planning our camping trip together, okay?"

"Okay."

…

A few hours later, after we'd eaten our dinner, I started to feel rather afraid that the pwca might return. I think granddad could sense that, because he placed an arm protectively around me while we sat around the kitchen table to plan our camping trip.

"The first thing we need to decided is where to go," granddad said.

"What about Pontypandy Island?" Charlie suggested eagerly. "Then we can have fish for dinner and breakfast."

"Providing we catch some," I said. I looked up at granddad. "Do you think the pwca will find us on Pontypandy Island?"

Granddad sighed. "Even if it does, it can't hurt you. Not unless you decide to follow it."

"What happens then?" Charlie wondered.

"Pwca will lead people into dangerous situations," granddad explained. "Some people have died that way."

I heard mum slam a stack of plates down in the kitchen. Clearly, she'd overheard our conversation, and she wasn't happy about it.

I have to get rid of that pwca, before someone dies. But how?

Mum emerged from the kitchen, and she tossed a box of matches at dad. He caught them easily. "You forgot to put these away, dear."

Dad placed the box in the middle of the table. "I'll do it later." Mum stormed back into the kitchen. Dad looked at granddad. "You know she doesn't want you telling the boys stories anymore, dad."

"Sam asked me a question, and I answered it," granddad replied simply. He slipped his arm from around me, so he could unfold a map. "Now, I think camping on Pontypandy Island is a great idea. Let's look at the map, so we can see where the best camping spots are."

While the others discussed possible campsites, I stared at the box of matches in front of me.

Perfect! Fire always frightens away wild animals, so why not a pwca? There's plenty of wood next to the stove in my bedroom, so maybe if I build a small campfire at the foot of my bed, that'll stop the pwca from coming back. I also need to practice building a campfire anyway.

Seeing that everyone was distracted, I leaned over the table, pretending that I was also looking at the map. With my left hand, I managed to discreetly slip the box of matches into my pocket.

"I'm tired, granddad," I muttered a moment later, feigning sleepiness. "Can I go to bed now?"

"Of course, Sam." Granddad gave me a quick cuddle. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, granddad. 'Night mum and dad."

"Hey!" Charlie protested. "What about me?"

I moved around that table, so I could give him a quick cuddle. Then, I headed towards the stairs, taking care not to make the matches rattle in my pocket.

Thank you for your reviews. They're very much appreciated. The fire will take place in the next chapter, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to update, so please don't hassle me about that. I'll do it when I can.