Sample: CHAPTER ONE
Bonny was finding it hard to sleep as the sun arose in the eastern horizon. It was still very early in the morning as he slid out of the moss bed his female called Tally had made them for the night. Bonny noted that Tally had pulled the moss around her as she felt the chill from the space his body had vacated. He watched as she slept on, not even stirring as he made his way past his brothers and sisters and many other friends as they slept on.
Not making a sound as he crept past their prone bodies as they slept on, not a single newt saw him slip out of camp. He felt the chill of the dew on his body as he made his way back to the field they had crossed the previous day. The blades of grass shaved the dry skin on his body as he walked along. This was due to him being out of water for a long time, but this was only a passing phase as his body become accustomed to life with the air breathers. His senses were working overtime with all these new smells around him. Unlike the grass the clover was cool and refreshing to his tummy as he passed through a small patch of clover. He could smell the scent from the blooms as he passed them by. Suddenly he was disturbed by a bee as it flew only inches from his head. He ducked but realised it was only after nectar from the flowers to make honey. As he looked up he saw the blueness of the skies and the lack of clouds, meaning it would be a very warm day.
As he walked on not caring where he was going, or how far he had gone as he travelled along. He never saw the two sets of eyes watching him as he past by two hungry mice. Both watching as their eyes stung from keeping their eyes open, In case the blink might make the whites in their eyes flash, alerting him of their presence. Both mice were hidden under an old tree trunk that had fallen down many years ago in a big storm. As Bonny walked further away from the two mice, each let out the air from their lungs and wiped the tear from the corner of their eyes as they blinked away the soreness. When both mice were satisfied that Bonny had not noticed them the came out of their place of concealment. The two mice stopped, as they watched Bonny duck down as another bee flew above him.
Then the first mouse whispered, “Hasn’t he seen a bee before?”
“I don’t know, perhaps he’s blind and wondered what the buzzing noise was.” offered the other mouse.
Both were intent on their victim as they matched his speed of travel.
Bonny became intoxicated by the perfume emanating from clumps of violets that grew profusely near a large dock plant that gave shelter from the rising sun. As he hunkered down, leaning upon the stems of the plant, basking in the coolness of the plant. As he closed his eyes he could still hear the bees flying from bloom to bloom in the distance, he enjoyed the smell of the violets as he started to daydream of the things he had seen and heard in the past. He remembered how he crossed the field of conflict with Tally on his back, running for his life as the land creatures attacked them. Then he was jolted out of his daydream by a noise, or lack of noise, which he knew not. Sitting, slowing his breathing so he could hear better, listening for anything that would alert him of danger, his adrenalin was building up in his body ready for flight. As he sat listening, he could hear his heartbeat as it started racing making him hold his breath longer, still concentrating on any sound at all. He swivelled his head first left then right to detect anything that would be a danger to him. Bonny had slowed his breathing to a steady pace, ready for action as he sat up and got on all his feet ready to run. Bonny noted that the warmth of the day had taken the stiffness of the night away and he was ready to go.
Then a crack from a dead twig on his right, exploded in his ear, Bonny jumped up in fright as he heard the sound. Looking to his right he crept to the left of the plant, when he heard a squeak on his left telling him he was being stalked by two mice. He was miles away from help and on his own. Bonny raised his head up between the leaves of the dock weed and could see a hawthorn bush over the way apiece. It was still a fair way to run, looking to his left and right Bonny saw the two mice approaching his hide out. He thought now was his chance, as he leapt out from beneath the dock plant and started running as fast as he could. Bonny hoped he could get as far as he could before the mice saw him running across the field, half flying as he leapt over clods of dirt and broken stones that lay in his way. It was as he leapt over an old tin can, discarded by some lazy human, that he was spotted by the two mice. This spurred Bonny on even faster as pain tore through his chest and limbs as he ran on. He dared not look back to see if they were gaining on him or not, as when at play with his brothers, he found out by looking back he would fall over himself, so he dared not look back. But he heard the squeaks and squeals coming from the mouse in his left side and heard the response from the mouse on his right. At last he could see the hawthorn bush appearing in front of him, he could see a dark patch at the base of the bush knowing this was the way in. So he pushed on, still in pain and now shorter of breath from all this running his eyesight was blurred by the tears welling up in his eyes, as he started to panic as he heard the mice getting closer. With a mighty jump he flew through the air and sailed under the bush, catching his left side on a hawthorn needle as he did so. Not aware of his injury because of the pain in his chest and limbs, he slammed his back against the bush’s trunk and faced the way he had come in, with his lung bursting for breath he closed his eyes in pain as he dragged in as much air as his lungs could take.
The mice almost caught him but Bonny had timed his last effort just right. With his lungs and limbs screaming in pain he had made this colossal leap that took him just out of reach of the two mice. Both mice had flung themselves at the fleeing body but were a bit too slow, as they collided with each other as they saw Bonny’s tail disappear under the safety of the hawthorn bush. Both mice picked themselves up and started for the other side of the bush in case the newt had made good his escape from the two mice.
But as they met up the other side of the bush, the first mouse said, “There’s no way out this side.”
“Or this side, it’s so tight that only the bee and the fly can get in or out.” said the other mouse as they retraced each others’ journey around the bush. Both mice sat either side of the entrance under the bush not knowing what to do.
Under the hawthorn bush Bonny laid against the trunk of the bush still gasping for air, but the sting in his lungs was subsiding as he was able to rest and get his breath back.
As Bonny leaned forward his hands slipped in the muddy patch on his left side, when he looked at his hands he saw they were covered in blood. Then he saw the wound down his left side covered in blood, mud and sweat, it had congealed for now.
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