Chapter 3 

Something, or someone, was right behind them.  Tom froze with fear, while Lilly spun round. Lilly stopped. Tom turned round. Only to see a large silhouette looming other them. The small flickering flame, which was left of the candle, reflected in their eyes. The whole world seemed to stop. Lilly asked them who they are and why they were here they stepped back, then reached out, without replying and lit up the torch. Lilly and Tom gasped; it was their Dad. 

Without a second glance the twins rushed forwards. Meeting their freezing cold father with open arms. They paused for a moment, then Tom asked, “How did you get here”? He explained that he had been following them the whole time, just to keep them away from danger, but when the hurricane hit, he lost them…  

Tom hurried out the room to get Dad a blanket, while Lilly questioned him for why he was here. What would the twins tell Captain Alex?... 

Lily stared with fascination, as she took in their surroundings, infinitely tall pine trees with animals scurrying along their spindly branches, in the distance vast mountains, lightly dusted with snow like iced buns. Trees around them were bent and broken, where the sky ship had crash landed. Tom peered over the railings at the everlasting forest around them.

Behind the wall of pine trees an old house stood, stone walls gaped over a door which was ajar, with rusty windows. The house looked as if abandoned years ago, nature intertwined around the roof and weaved in and out gaps in the walls. Next to the house, an over-grown garden lay, full of flowers. To the over side a rusty bike lay, old and forgotten. The place itself was quite empty and oddly silent as the hurricane blew off west.

The evening sun had already cooled down the forest, as the last few animals went to bed. Ten minutes later the twins found themselves standing alone on the Icecracker. With strict orders from Captain Alex, not to leave the sky ship at all costs. The rest of the crew had headed off to search the house and to find supplies for the night. Tom and Lily gazed out their shared cabin window in silence, watching shooting stars gollop across the night sky, and over the glowing yellow moon.

At that moment, the twins heard a heavy footstep right behind them…

Lily clung onto Tom’s leg, dangling, as they lurched side to side battling the wind. Tom glanced down at Lily, his breath shallow, she seemed to hate being crazily swung around, although she always claimed to be fearless. They had left their city home about two weeks ago, they should have been passing over the mountains by now, but a huge hurricane had knocked them off course. 

At that moment, the sky goblins struck, bouncing on clouds, Tom saw a dozen of them leap out the blue and perfectly land on their sky ship. They were looking for treasure. Captain Alex grabbed Tom’s arm and pulled the twins back up onto the main deck, just in time to be swept onto the floor. Captain Alex steered the ship to the right. Sky goblins falling into the blue. In a swift swoop, Alex drove the engines full speed trying to evade them. 

For a minute, the sky goblins disappeared, as he twisted and turned the ship, heading straight for a huge storm cloud to hide. Thunder rippled around them, as if waking from a slumber. Lighting struck like heartbeats, sending a shiver down Lily’s spine. Tom looked for Lily, who he found lying across the engines, a nasty cut along her forehead. “Hold on tight”, “Prepare for crash landing” demanded Captain Alex. 

A moment later, the Icecracker swept down to the mountain floor, smoke from the engines drifted towards the sky, while the Icecracker dipped down. When they reached the ground, Tom and Lily searched the engine “Engine got struck by lightning” bellowed Tom as the twins searched for any further damage. Meanwhile, Captain Alex searched the sky. Had they managed to escape them? 

Lily clung onto Tom’s leg, dangling, as they lurched side to side battling the wind. Tom glanced down at Lily, his breath shallow, she seemed to hate being crazily swung around, although she always claimed to be fearless. They had left their city home about two weeks ago, they should have been passing over the mountains by now, but a huge hurricane had knocked them off course. 

At that moment, the sky goblins struck, bouncing on clouds, Tom saw a dozen of them leap out the blue and perfectly land on their sky ship. They were looking for treasure. Captain Alex grabbed Tom’s arm and pulled the twins back up onto the main deck, just in time to be swept onto the floor. Captain Alex steered the ship to the right. Sky goblins falling into the blue. In a swift swoop, Alex drove the engines full speed trying to evade them. 

For a minute, the sky goblins disappeared, as he twisted and turned the ship, heading straight for a huge storm cloud to hide. Thunder rippled around them, as if waking from a slumber. Lighting struck like heartbeats, sending a shiver down Lily’s spine. Tom looked for Lily, who he found lying across the engines, a nasty cut along her forehead. “Hold on tight”, “Prepare for crash landing” demanded Captain Alex. 

A moment later, the Icecracker swept down to the mountain floor, smoke from the engines drifted towards the sky, while the Icecracker dipped down. When they reached the ground, Tom and Lily searched the engine “Engine got struck by lightning” bellowed Tom as the twins searched for any further damage. Meanwhile, Captain Alex searched the sky. Had they managed to escape them? 

6 things found in a sky ship explorer rucksack

I would take a beautiful Bengal cat which can predict the future, for company and so that I can change what will happen,

A blue china plate, which magically gives me whatever food I am thinking about so I will never starve,

A teleporting ball to travel to places quickly, or to flee from danger,

Two large books, one titled ‘My Sky Trip Adventure’, the other’ Brilliant ways to defeat or flee from Dangerous animals’,

A camouflage cloak, the colour of tropical sand, made from the finest leather to hide from unwanted beasties,

And a pair of pure steel wings, to soar in the sky leaving the world behind.

Her skin as angry as molten lava, bubbling and erupting like a boiling volcano, 

Sharp dagger-like teeth, laced and dripping with poison, 

Glowing yellow eyes, with narrow cat like pupils, flicker between the corners of her lair,  

Her back coated in prickly scales, as sharp as a steel sword, 

Each individual crusty scale a fearsome red, painted with a shiny glaze, 

Wings strong and silent, able to lift her high into the sky, 

Claws, her deadliest weapon, catch her victims like a death trap, 

Her tail long and swift, adjusting her path between trees, 

Her fiery breath leaves a smoldering trail, scarring the Earth,

She is the fire dragon.

You are an imprisoned peacock, trapped in a dark, colourless cage. 

You are the difference between a friend’s warm hug, and a bully’s punch. 

You are the last puppy in the litter, like an abandoned star, twinkling on its own, waiting to be discovered. 

You are the image of petrified animals, running from wildfires. 

You are the last strawberry in the punnet, bruised, squished and unwanted. 

You are the first bright, golden daffodil to emerge in the depths of Winter. 

You are Spring, full of hope, energy, and new life. 

You are a long forgotten, lonely bench, waiting for company. 

You are everything.