Chapter One
Splash
In the warm thermals high above Tilogen island, a gull, its stomach rumbling like distant thunder, glided in search of its next dinner. It had been rather a successful food hunt if truth be told. First of all, the scraps from the
numerous bins along the beach had provided a wide range of treats. Once they had been demolished, some dive bombing on one of the local trawlers had returned some rich pickings. However, there was always room for more!
It was when it was soaring high above the jagged coastal rocks, the bird noticed the first wriggle…. not a worm type wriggle, or even a snake type wriggle. This was a big wriggle and it was just about to wriggle off a cliff!
‘What am I doing?’ Molly muttered under her breath.
She had reached that critical point, one more shuffle backwards and she was committed to going down the rock face. Having emptied her backpack of the strawberries she was going to sell at the market to make space for the rescue mission, it was now or never.
Below, Zeus sat there, his brown shaggy coat blowing in the wind, looking up at Molly’s scraped and blood covered legs dangling over the ledge. If dogs could look unimpressed then Zeus would be the go-to picture right now.
After failing in his attempt to chase down a rabbit while on his morning walk to market and then embarrassingly mis-reading a rather neat side step, Zeus had skidded almost in slow motion past the fluffy bunny off the edge of the cliff.
Now, he lay on a rather thin ridge in a doggy sulk, his only company, a rather annoying gull that had just landed next to him.
Thinking about how the day could not get any worse, he tried to zone out from the ear-piercing squawks of the bird and the falling small stones that showered him from above, indicating that the rescue mission was on!
Without hesitation Molly pushed herself backwards. With her waist now dangling over the cliff edge gravity started to pull. ‘OUCH!!’ she yelped to no one in particular as the jagged rocks gashed her legs, then followed a RIIIIIIP as her shorts pocket caught a protruding tree root.
There was no going back! Her arms and hands ached as her fingers grabbed onto any grip she could find. The spray from the waves below started to soak through her clothes.
Only a few feet above Zeus, she called ‘Move trouble! Please boy, please move.’
Zeus sat up and stretched as if he was getting up from the fireside and edged towards the annoying gull. Molly saw her opportunity. Letting her fingers relax, she slid down a short distance onto the ledge, landing precariously close to the tail of the still unimpressed looking dog.
‘Easy peasy,’ she cheered to herself and Zeus as she brushed stones and bird muck off her top. Crouching down and leaning into the cliff, she placed her open backpack on the ridge. Extending her arm through the spray she grabbed Zeus by his collar. The cold wet and miserable dog, realising the unenviable position he found himself in, relaxed, allowing Molly to guide him back towards her.
Lifting Zeus into a quick embrace she then proceeded to deposit him into the open backpack. Buckling up one side of the bag in an attempt to secure the dog enough so he could at least pop his head out and see what was going on, Molly swung the bag onto her back.
‘Whoooooooa!!’ She cried as the weight of her backpack pulled her towards the cliff edge! Fighting to keep her balance, Molly pushed herself forward, grabbing on to the rock face. As her breathing returned to normal, she started to look for a way back up to safety.
Peering up the cliff, Molly mapped her route, a small outcrop on the right, a tree root above that she could use to swing to the left onto a thin ridge which had lots of places to grip on to, but was next to a small waterfall. ‘We can do this!’ The youngster reminded herself, the dog and anything else listening.
Molly moved to her right towards the first small ledge she had eyed up. Loose stones dropped into the water far below but Molly was focused, focused on getting off this cliff. Grabbing the tree root, she pulled her self up to the ridge.
Drenched from the spray from the waterfall, fingers numb and red from the cold, she battled up the cliff. She knew she had been irresponsible even to contemplate such a mission as she followed her envisioned route to the top.
Just as she was an arm’s length from safety, with any worries of the disappointed looks she would be getting from her Grandparents almost dissipated Molly’s luck ran out. Her attention was drawn to a rather disgusting smell.
Turning her head towards the awful stinky aroma of fish, Molly came nose to beak with the annoying squawky bright white gull they had just left behind. At first the feathery friend seemed quite happy, perched on a small stone ledge level with Molly, tilting its head and gazing into the young girl’s grey eyes.
All of a sudden Zeus popped his scruffy head out of the backpack chewing what must have been a long-forgotten strawberry and rested his fruit covered smiling face on Molly’s shoulder.
The gull screeched, squalid fishy breath and flapping wings forcing Molly back, back on to a part of the ledge which didn’t exist!
A small simultaneous whimper came from both dog and girl. They knew they were in BIG trouble.
It all seemed to happen in slow motion! As the blue sea came up to meet the falling girl, a strange calmness came over her forcing a small smile. Wind rushed through her hair but Molly wasn’t scared, this was FUN!!!
Whatever excited smile was left on Molly’s face soon disappeared as she entered the water with a huge SPLASH!! Belly flop was not the best position to enter the water! Pain erupted in her stomach and shoulders forcing what little air left in her lungs out.
Breaking through the water’s surface Molly gasped for air, spluttering as sea water rushed into her mouth and up her nose. Looking over her shoulder to check on her beloved Zeus, she was faced with an empty backpack!
Kicking her legs hard, Molly fought to get a better view of the seascape. Just out of arm’s reach up popped Zeus, now looking more like a drowned rat as he paddled towards her.
‘Zeu–’ she spluttered as a small wave splashed into her face. ‘Come here boy!’ She encouraged.
Molly’s legs started to kick in a more rhythmic efficient manner as she remembered how to tread water, while after some erratic zigzaggy doggy paddle, Zeus reached Molly. Instinct took over the little canine and he scrambled on top of Molly’s head, momentarily forcing the teenager back under the water.
Keeping her wits about her and using a firm push Molly encouraged the unhappy dog back into the water.
The morning was still young and the sea cold, waves lapped into the steep rock face of the cove. To Molly there was no obvious safe place to swim to and, if anything, the current was pulling her further out. The legs of both Zeus and Molly started to burn as they kicked to keep their heads above water. A small whimper came from Zeus as if to say sorry. Molly could see the poor dog was starting to tire. In all honesty Molly felt the same and, even though they both still kicked their legs, she knew they were drifting further away from land.
Scared now, treading water whilst holding on to one of the straps of her backpack, Zeus biting on to the other. ‘HELP!’ she shouted ‘Please help us! HELP!’ Tears running down her cheek, she knew there was no one coming. Her audience comprised of a cliff full of birds, squawking and going about their morning business, showing little interest in the drama unfolding below them.
‘AHOY THERE! DON’T PANIC!!’ came a strong commanding voice. ‘Madam I have you!’ It continued as a large bright orange rescue ring splashed next to her.
Forcing her head and arms up through the ring Molly grabbed hold of the backpack that Zeus was still biting hard on. With a quick yank she pulled it up, praying that the weight of Zeus didn’t sink them.
‘Marvellous!’ came the voice. ‘I better contact the Admiralty with a mission update.’ Exhausted, Molly’s head slumped onto the ring. She felt the warm canvas like material on her face while the sweet smell of sun lotion charged up her nose.
Zeus, keen to ensure all body parts were out of the water, started to manoeuvre himself onto Molly’s shoulder. ‘You boy!’ came the same stern voice. ‘Stay still or you will sink us all!’
Too tired to argue about her dog’s comfort needs and still unsure as to where the sailor with the commanding voice was, Molly closed her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to get out of the water and see her grandparents, no matter what the punishmen
