Outcast (The Darkeningstone Series Book 2) Read online

  My eyes flew open. The stone. I turned to face it. The black rock towered above me, glittering darkly in the pale dawn light. It was made from the same dark stone I’d fallen against in the old quarry, and its length and width were the same, but the slab in the quarry had only been half a metre high. This stone was at least two metres tall. There was no way it could be same stone. And anyway, how could it have moved from a ledge partway up a sheer, rocky slope, to the top of a green hill?

  I ran my hands through my hair. None of this makes any sense. But I couldn’t just stand there staring. I had to do something. I let my eyes roam over the stone’s sparkling surface and suddenly my stomach was hollow. “You must’ve brought me here,” I muttered. “You can bloody well take me back.” I knew exactly what I had to do.

  I reached up to the top of the stone and curled my fingers over the sharp edge, pressing my fingertips down onto the smooth surface to get a grip. But just as I tensed my arm muscles to pull myself up onto the stone, I hesitated. When I’d fallen onto the stone in the quarry, I’d banged my head against it, but that didn’t explain the pain I’d felt. It had been almost unbearable; a savage, icy burn, ripping through me, tearing me apart. What if it’s just as bad this time? What if it’s worse? I took a sharp breath. If it means I can go home, I’ve got to try it.

  I pressed my fingers harder against the stone and hauled myself up with my arms. I was tired, weak, and my arms wobbled as I pulled myself up. “Come on,” I hissed. And then I was there, level with the top. Another pull and I was sliding my chest over the edge. I leaned forward and lay flat on the stone, dragging my legs up behind me. “Yes.”

  I sat up and rubbed my palms together. “Now what?” I laid my palms flat against the stone and ran my hands over its smooth, cold surface. It gleamed in the early morning sunlight and a tingle of anticipation ran up my spine. Beautiful. I recalled the first time I’d seen the stone slab in the quarry and I thought of Cally; her beautiful smile, the mischievous glint in her eye when she’d shown me the black stone. It seemed a lifetime ago, but it had only been the day before yesterday, hadn’t it? I shook my head. Ordinary things like days of the week didn’t matter right now. All I cared about was getting home.

  “OK,” I said. “Let’s get it over with.” Gently, I lowered myself down onto my front, watching the stone carefully all the time. Back in the quarry, I’d seen strange reflections; flashes of blue light that seemed to come from within the stone. Now, there was nothing—just a flat slab of pure black, solid rock. I closed my eyes and rested my forehead on the cool stone. It felt good and I realised my head had been hurting for a while. A dull, throbbing ache had crept over my scalp and settled around my tired eyes. I sighed and longed for a tall glass of ice-cold water and the cool comfort of fresh cotton sheets on my bed at home. And I waited.

  Soon, the press of the cold stone against my forehead wasn’t a relief anymore, but a painful pressure. “It’s not working,” I said. “Why isn’t it working?” I opened my eyes and rolled over to lie on my side. I must be doing something wrong. What exactly had happened back in the quarry? I’d backed away when Robbo threatened me and then I’d fallen onto the stone by accident. I was lying on my back. Perhaps that was the key. I lay down on my back, but that wasn’t quite right. In the quarry, I’d curled up into a ball to protect myself. “Worth a try,” I muttered. I curled up and hugged my legs against my chest. I closed my eyes tight and thought of home, of seeing Mum and Dad, of meeting up with Matt, my best friend. I thought of my house, my bedroom, the street where we lived. “Please,” I whispered. “Please, I just want to go home.”

  And nothing happened. Hot tears stung at the corners of my eyes and I screwed my eyes shut tighter. I swallowed hard. “Please,” I said, my voice hoarse and unsteady. “Please. Please, please, please, please. I…” But I didn’t know what to say. What was I going to do—promise to be a good boy from now on?

  I shook my head. It’s not working. And of course it wasn’t. I’d no idea how the stone worked, or if it worked at all. I bit my lip and thought again of my family and my friends. But they couldn’t help me now. There was no one to rely on, no one to turn to. I was on my own. If I wanted to get home, I’d have to do something about it.

  I opened my eyes and pushed myself up to my feet. I wiped my eyes with the backs of my hands and looked out at the acres of countryside surrounding me on every side. There were no signs of civilisation, but there had to be someone out there. The nearest town was probably just hidden in the dip of a valley or tucked away behind a hill. And there would be a road to follow, or a signpost, or at the very least, some sort of path through the trees. There had to be something. It wasn’t like I was in the middle of a tropical rainforest or a jungle. It looked like England. The gently rolling hills, the forest—it all seemed familiar; a picture postcard view of the English countryside. And the weather was right too. The early morning air was cool and fresh despite the almost cloudless sky. It felt like England. And in England you couldn’t go far without seeing a farm or a village or a road. There had to be something useful nearby; some clue as to where I was.

  I turned my head and scanned the horizon, letting my eyes follow the almost unbroken line of dense woodland. I chewed the inside of my cheek, and for a moment, I pictured the vast woodlands in other countries. There were forests in America and Canada that covered countless acres, weren’t there? I pushed the thought away.

  “England,” I muttered. “I’m still in England.” After all, I’d seen no evidence I was anywhere else. Don’t get carried away, I told myself. This isn’t The Wizard of Oz. I allowed myself a small smile. But even in England, people got lost in the countryside. Hardly a year went by without a news story of search parties sent out to rescue hikers who’d underestimated the demands of Snowdonia or Dartmoor. And often enough, I’d watched the TV news as they’d shown the helicopters landing, the exhausted walkers led out with blankets wrapped around their shoulders. There was always talk of exposure and dehydration.

  I nodded to myself. I was getting thirsty already. I need to find some water. Yes. Water first, and then food, and if it came to it, some shelter. I’d look after my basic needs first, and while I did that, I might even come across someone who could help me or at least tell me where I was. It was a plan.

  I looked down at the stone slab and narrowed my eyes. “Stupid bloody thing,” I whispered. It had taken me away from everything I valued, ripped me from my life, torn the heart out of my existence, and now it just sat there, impassive, as though it was a hunk of ordinary rock. I let out a snort of frustration. “This is your last chance,” I said. “Take me back home. Take me back right now or I’m going away and I’m never coming back.”

  And nothing happened. No flashes of light, no strange noises, not even a flicker of colour or a hint of an unexpected reflection. Nothing. “Right,” I growled. “That’s it.”

  I slid across to the edge and lowered myself down. “I’m out of here.” I found my backpack, still lying where I’d dumped it on the ground the night before and as I picked it up, I felt the weight of the old tools inside it. For a moment I thought of throwing the tools away to save carrying them, but the heavy old hammer and the broad chisel were now the only things I possessed apart from the clothes I stood up in and a phone with a flat battery. I was damned if I was leaving anything behind. I shouldered my backpack, took one last look at the block of black stone, then turned my back on it forever.

  I picked a spot on the horizon, a dip that might conceal a town or a road, and fixed it in my mind. Then I stood up straight, as best as I could, and set off down the hill. I didn’t know exactly where I was heading or how long I’d have to walk before I found anything useful, but at least I was on my way. At least I was doing something.

  The slope was quite steep and there was no obvious path through the knee-high grass, but the ground was soft underfoot and it was an easy walk. I almost enjoyed it. Almost. But as I walked, and my stiff muscles loosened and reminded me of t
heir bruises, I started to sweat. When Robbo had kicked me, he hadn’t held back. Soon my legs were throbbing. But I walked on, trying to keep to a straight line, breathing hard. Every gasp of air dried the back of my throat and my tongue was like sandpaper in my mouth. I really had to find some water, and quickly.

  I paused, rubbed the sweat from my forehead, and looked around. The landscape was incredibly lush and green. There had to be plenty of water about somewhere. And water ran downhill, so I was heading in the right direction wasn’t I?

  I set off again, and as I waded through the knee-high grass, the dew soaked into the legs of my jeans. I toyed with the idea of squatting down and trying to lick the dew. Would it be worth it? How much water would I actually get that way? And surely, there would be bugs and slugs and snails all over the grass. No. Running water is safer, I thought, and I kept walking.

  As I reached the lower part of the slope, the grass gave way to bushes and brambles, closely followed by woodland. There’ll be a stream in the forest, I thought. There was sure to be a trickling brook weaving its way among the trees.

  But as I neared the edge of the forest, I slowed my pace. This wasn’t like any forest I’d ever known. There’d be no picnic areas here, no dappled shade or wandering footpaths. The trees grew close together and there was little light beneath the dense canopy. I stopped and rubbed the sweat from the back of my neck. There was something about the forest I didn’t like. It wasn’t just the gloom, the jumbled ranks of tree trunks—there was something else.

  I scanned the edge of the treeline, looking for a path or a gate or at least some sign of a thinner patch of trees where I might walk into the forest without losing the daylight. But there was nothing to show a way in, nothing to suggest that one direction was better than another. “Oh well,” I said. “At least it’ll be cooler.” Surely, that had to be a good thing. And if I kept walking downhill, it would lead me to water. Eventually.

  I pulled at the straps of my backpack and, as I rolled my shoulders, the metal tools in the backpack clanked against each other. As I’d walked down the hill, the hammer and chisel had jangled and bumped against my back with every step, annoying the hell out of me. But now, on the edge of this dark and forbidding forest, it was good to be reminded they were there. I shuddered at the thought of using them as weapons, but it at least I wasn’t entirely defenceless.

  You’re out in the middle of nowhere, I told myself. There’s no one around for twenty miles in any direction. And it was true. I’d seen no signs of civilisation whatsoever. I was much safer here than walking through the town centre after dark back home. I looked back toward the hilltop and then turned to try and find the point on the horizon where I’d seen the sun rise. I needed to get my bearings. But it was hopeless. I’d been on the top of the hill when I’d watched the sun come up. Now, I was much lower and I just couldn’t figure out where the sun had risen. It would’ve been hard at the best of times, but here, there were no farm buildings or roads to use as landmarks. There weren’t even any phone lines or electricity pylons and they were pretty much everywhere weren’t they?

  I sighed. Just keep walking, I thought. What have I got to lose? Besides, the sun was higher in the sky now and I was sweating already. The shade in the forest would protect me from overheating. I had to go on.

  I made sure the hilltop was directly behind me and walked on. When the first brambles snagged at my jeans, I walked more carefully, picking my feet up higher to avoid them as much as possible. “Bloody things,” I muttered as they snaked around my ankles and caught on my shoelaces. It wasn’t even as though they had any berries on. I licked my lips, thinking of plump, ripe blackberries, almost tasting the sweet juice, imagining the stains on my skin as I grabbed them by the handful. And that was when I fell.

  I hadn’t noticed the thick stem of a tough bramble looping itself around my foot. It brought me to an unexpected halt in mid-stride and I overbalanced. For a split second I realised what was happening and knew I couldn’t stop it, knew I’d land heavily on the tangled mass of sharp thorns. If I put my hands out to save myself, my fingers would be cut to ribbons. I threw myself sideways and managed to half-turn and land on my side, rolling over onto my back. “Bloody hell,” I hissed. I hadn’t accounted for the tools in my backpack, and now, as I landed, they dug sharply into my back, pressing hard against my spine. “Those damned things.” I sat up, wincing at the pain in my back, feeling the pinpricks of thorns through the seat of my jeans. “Damn, bloody, sodding, bloody hell,” I grumbled. “I’ve had enough of this.”

  I sat for a moment, staring furiously at the brambles. What I wouldn’t give for a machete right now, I thought. But I didn’t have anything even remotely like a machete. And I didn’t have any real choice about what to do next. I’d have to get up and I’d have to go on.

  I heaved a sigh and picked myself up, shrugging off my backpack and rubbing at the sore spot in the small of my back. “I’m not putting that bag on again,” I muttered. I held the straps in my hand. I’d carry it like that for a while, so if I fell again, I could just let go of it. And if I did need to get at the tools for some reason, it would be quicker. Why? I asked myself. Why would I need a hammer and chisel? I pushed the thought away.

  I set off again, picking my way more carefully through the brambles, occasionally looking up to get my bearings, and soon I was entering the shade beneath the trees. I stood for a moment and breathed in the cool scents of the forest. The air was deliciously damp and fresh and I took great gulps of it. It cooled my skin and soothed my headache. But it reminded me how thirsty I was. “Oh man,” I whispered. “I really need a drink.” I pictured an ice-cold can of Coke and my throat ached for it. Don’t torture yourself. I ran my tongue over my dry lips and swallowed. It didn’t help.

  “Come on,” I muttered. “Get a grip.” I turned around, looking for a path and listening for the sound of running water. There. A faint whisper. I took a step forward and tilted my head. But the sound faded away. I shook my head. It had only been the shush of a breeze through the treetops. I tutted to myself. I’d have to do better than this. I took a breath and looked around, my eyes already adjusting to the deep shade. The forest wasn’t as dark as I’d first feared, and like the hillside, the forest floor was lush and fertile, carpeted with pale green ferns that grew waist-high. Surely, with all this plant life, there had be water somewhere. And although the undergrowth was dense, it looked harmless enough. “Better than brambles,” I murmured. “Anything’s better than bloody brambles.”

  I walked on, raising my eyes to the leafy canopy as I went along, enjoying the mottled kaleidoscope of daylight as the leaves met and parted. I listened to the songs and calls of unseen birds. I let my hands hang at my side to feel the gentle caress of the ferns as I passed them by. And despite my thirst and my growing pangs of hunger, my headache finally faded away. I couldn’t help but smile.

  ***

  “Oh bloody hell!” I moaned. I stopped walking and turned full circle. Every tree looked sickeningly familiar. How long had I been walking? When had I last been able to get my bearings? I ran my hand across my forehead and my palm came away wet with cold sweat. I closed my eyes for a moment and a rush of dizziness spun through my mind. I took a breath and opened my eyes. Just keep calm, I told myself. But it didn’t help. A sudden surge of panic rose from the pit of my stomach. I was lost. But that tree—the one wrapped in ivy—I’d passed it ages ago, hadn’t I?

  “Oh no,” I groaned. “I’ve been walking in circles.” But I couldn’t even be sure of that. I turned around again, looking in every direction for some clue, some small thing to latch on to. But there was nothing. Nothing except a dense mass of featureless ferns and a thick throng of almost identical trees pressing in on me from every direction. “What have I done?” I whispered. But I knew the answer. I’d let myself get lost.

  Chapter 3

  2018

  CALLY BREEZED IN THROUGH THE SWING DOORS that led to Exeter University’s History Department and
marched along the corridor. She paused at the door to her tutor’s office. Doctor Seaton’s note to her had been unusually abrupt: See me today, 5:30 p.m. – my office, without fail. It was out of character. Usually, the old man was all charm and flattery, especially to the female students. Cally wrinkled her nose. There’s charm, she thought, and then there’s sexual harassment. And now, here she was, meeting him alone in his room. And for some unexplained reason, this appointment was much later than usual. Normally, she’d have put good money on the doctor being at the bar in the pub over the road by this time on a Friday. She raised her hand to knock then hesitated. What was Seaton up to? What did he want? Cally shuddered. Not that, she thought. Please don’t let it be that.

  She sighed. Seaton was supervising her final dissertation, and she needed his support. She wanted that first class honours degree. She wanted to go on to postgraduate work and get her Ph.D. She wanted to be published; a respected authority in her field. This was right for her. It was what she was meant to do with her life. And things had all been going so well, hadn’t they? She was already making great progress with her dissertation. She’d done all the preliminary research, she’d combed through all the available literature. Dr Seaton had seen her ideas and he seemed to approve. It was all going according to plan. And then, suddenly, out of the blue, there was this enigmatic note.