The Adventures of Tom McGuire

James rubbed his eyes, trying to get a sharper look, but it was no good. The light was too dim. James could hear the pile of shadows silently sobbing. He was suddenly nervous, afraid to do or say the wrong thing. pg135... ‘Hello, are you alright?’ he asked timidly. ‘Do you speak English?’ The shadows grew silent and did not respond. He then asked in Latin: ‘Operor vos narro Latin? Es vos okay?’ James walked closer towards the pile as he spoke. The room was bare and dark as night. It smelt damp and cold, and the air was stale and tasted of sulphur. Just as James was about to lean forward and remove the black shroud that covered the two huddled people, Halaconia, Tom and Jambalee all arrived through the window opening. James stopped and turned suddenly, his eyes blazing. He had hoped to rescue Princess Anna-Lisa on his own, but that small, prideful hope was now dashed. ‘You came!’ hailed James, embracing his friends. Jambalee smiled up at James with an encouraging smile. ‘James, you have proved me pg136... wrong with your valour, I applaud you,’ he said. ‘Your strength is something that King Cepheus will be proud to hear of.’ Although James was feeling quite proud at the moment, Jambalee’s words spun him into disarray, as he did not know who King Cepheus was. James, gazing awkwardly at the pile, saw that it flinched. ‘Did you find her, then?’ asked Tom eagerly. ‘Hmm, I think....’ James pointed to the pile and licked his lips with worry. Jambalee smiled. He calmly walked over and picked up the shroud that hid Princess Anna-Lisa and Queen Amy from sight. As the shroud was lifted Princess Anna-Lisa screamed out, ‘No!’ terrified, she clung to her mother. The thirteenyear- old, who was once brightly beautiful, pg137... appeared morose and shadowed with terror. Her dusk dew skin had become grey and transparent and her jewel-like sparkly eyes had sunk deep into her eye sockets. Queen Amy could only sob with joy. Her tears flowed slowly down her cheeks, forming a conundrum of trickling diamonds; they were not wiped but left to drip down her sallow face. Sniffling, she intermittently peered down at her daughter, whom she held with protective anxiety. Suddenly, a spout of black smoke erupted past the tiny window with a rumbling roar; it quickly filled the grey and dismal horizon. Tom and Jambalee stared at each other blankly for a second. James turned, his eyes open wide with shock, and looked to Halaconia for help. pg138... ‘Is it Morkann?’ he asked. Before she could answer he shouted ‘It is, isn’t it?’ nodding wildly and dripping with nervous sweat. Jambalee quickly grabbed Tom’s sword and swiped it across the small dungeon. The sword began to shimmer, lifting the jewels from their settings. In the commotion, James threw himself into the pile to hide with Queen Amy and Princess Anna-Lisa. Jambalee precariously leaned on a thin ledge of the broken window, pivoting on the broken window, pivoting on the broken bricks at the opening, trying to get a good look at what was happening outside. Soon enough, he saw the black smoke consolidate into a huge demon that looked very much like a large and smoky Morkann.