THE DARK STAR 

I bet you’ve had a journey where the breeze floats around you and the clouds are fluffy and innocently sweet looking like candy floss. Maybe you should try an adventure where the wind scorches your skin and monstrous shadows circle high, high above. Well, this is the tale of Harley {She/Her} and Finn {Him/He} Blakely’s adventure of a lifetime…  

Chapter 1 Shadow Attack 

Inky, swooping shadows coated the sinking sky ship. Suddenly, as a blood-curdling screech parted the darkening clouds, a look of terror spread across Finn’s pale face. Harley grasped his bony wrist and proceeded to drag him into the warm, cosy interior of their beloved ship, The Dark Star. 

Inside, Harley rummaged through their father’s secret titanium vault, that was only to be used for emergencies. Quickly, she pulled out a black waterproof rucksack that she had been packing and preparing for the last two months, and contained clothes, water, books, food rations and a basic first aid kit etc. Now this rucksack was no ordinary rucksack as it had been enchanted with the spell of The Deepest Vally, a never-ending enchantment which enables only the owner to store and access {on command} any number of objects of any weight, size, or form. 

 The enchantment had been summoned by the most powerful spirit known to all Humankind, Celeste {They/Them}. Celeste had agreed to enchant the rucksack because they were a great friend of Harley and Finn’s father – they were in fact half siblings by mother but the best of friends otherwise. 

Out of the blue, The Dark Star’s protective bubble, which camouflages the exterior by changing colour depending on its surroundings, BURST. Sirens sounded, and a panicked command echoed down the deck, “Code Chameleon has been breached, abort ship NOW!” Cried Captain Bob {He/Him} as he was plucked from the plummeting ship by a menacing Shadow Dragon {pronouns unknown} with scales like burnt charcoal and breath as cold as if a soul has just sliced through your heart. 

Quick as lightning, Harley grabbed the rucksack and Finn, a tandem parachute, then they bolted towards the edge of the ship. Harley fumbled with the parachute buckle but managed to strap Finn and herself in within seconds. They had practiced this manoeuvre many times during drills with Captain Bob, so she was an expert.  

Then…they jumped… 

Chapter 2 The Island of Rusk 

Harley woke with a start as Finn gently nudged her in the ribs with his thin elbow. Harley sat up wondering what had happened to make her brother look so much more traumatised than usual, then she saw them, Celeste towering over Finn and herself with a faraway look in their eyes. Celeste’s eyes simmered a deep cyan with flecks of Rose-gold, dark curly brown hair was woven with gold string and daisies to create a beautiful but complex French Braid. Slowly, Harley and Finn began to get up entranced by the spell of Celeste’s natural beauty. The two children did not know that where they had landed had changed their lives forever…