WE ARE DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE NEW AUTHOR, AMELIA SWANNEY, WHO IS SHARING AN EXCERPT FROM HER DEBUT NOVEL, 'THE SERPENT AND THE STAFF' #RWRTeamBlog #ReadWriteRepeat

EXCERPT FROM 'THE SERPENT AND THE STAFF'

Crawling on his hands and knees, Cim picked up tools and parts, lovingly returning them to their homes. Fortunately, his motorbike project was still intact. It was the first thing he'd rushed in to check after the Berserkers left. Perhaps they had respect for something after all. The others slouched on the brown couches, Lil with her legs draped across Daks's lap, watching Cim.

Cim's face was etched with tension and tiredness. "Well, we're in a royal mess this time." He paused, something else was bothering him. "I'm sorry about Eloise... I didn’t have a choice–she would have killed Tommy." Shooting Eloise was playing on his mind. Something about the whole situation didn't sit well with Cim, but he couldn't work out why.

Lil sat up. "Well, I think the silly cow deserved it, you shouldn't feel bad about shooting that bucket of crazy." She punched Daks in the arm and shouted, "BANG!"

Daks groaned, pushing her legs away. "We should go outside and shoot you in the face. It might shut you up." Lil had been going on since the confrontation with the Berserkers. Everyone was tired of her opinions coupled with never-ending lectures. Lil's piercing, shrill voice deliberately pushing buttons grated on all of them, even Daks.

Tommy looked doubtful, "I don't think a bullet to the face could shut her up."

Lil swung her legs back across Daks plonking them down hard on his thighs. "Well, I just think we should have shot some more of them. Total waste of oxygen if you ask me."

Frustrated, Jet replied. "Shut up Lil! Nobody did ask you. Talk when you've got something sensible to say. We're in a world of trouble. We stole their stuff, they know it was us and then we shot Eloise. They're going to come back, there's going to be more of them, and next time we might not get so lucky."

Cim raised his hands and brought them down gently for calm. "Enough now. There's no point arguing. What's done is done."

Tommy got up and walked towards a fridge at the rear of the workshop. "Seems to me, we need to chill out for a bit." Opening the door, he pulled out beers for everyone and a cardboard box from a cupboard, which he placed on the floor.

Tommy passed beers to each of them. "They're not going to be back tonight, what say we give Cim a welcome home party?" Returning to the fridge, he picked up the box from the floor. With raised eyebrows and a smile, he gave it a gentle shake. "Who's up for a bit of travelling?"

Excitedly, Daks sat up. "Oh yes! Now you're talking!"

A broad grin spanned the width of Cim's face. "Fuck yeah, I could use a bit of that!" Standing up from his clean-up, Cim found a chair and collapsed into it.

"I'll get the music on, shall I?" Lil jumped from the sofa finally finding something else to focus on. The sound system was part of a larger computer network in the workshop which had also survived the Berserker assault. "Sian, play Cim's playlist please," Lil asked the AI politely.

"Good evening, Lil, I am happy to play Cim’s playlist. Is there anything else you need?" Replied Sian the AI.

"Hmm, come to think of it, could I have a new brain for the big oaf over there please? Aaand, whilst you're at it, send some assassins to kill mad fuck Berserkers?"

"I'm sorry Lil, who is the 'big oaf' you refer to and my database has no entry for mad fuck Berserkers."

"Never mind Sian, just play the music."

"No problem, Lil, lovely chatting to you." A high-pitched beep signalled Sian was executing the request. Beautiful operatic voices filled the room backed by an orchestra of electric guitars, drums and pianos.

"Did you have to make her so bloody boring? No attitude, no personality, no nothing!" Moaned Lil at Cim.

"Thought it would be nice to have somebody with a bit of manners round here," retorted Cim as he turned to Tommy "So, we doing this box of magic dreams tonight or what?"

"Hell yes!" Tommy took a position on the floor unpacking the box.

He passed matte black headsets to everyone with armbands and vials containing a clear liquid. Each took their gifts and eagerly fitted their headsets. Cables connected the headsets to the armbands which clipped around their forearms. These were made of a solid composite material with a slot for inserting new vials when they ran out.

The headsets were found on one of their scavenging adventures in the city in an abandoned laboratory at York University. A symbol of snakes intertwined around a staff decorated the headsets, the armbands and was also engraved on the vials.

"Hey Daks! Do you remember guinea-pigging these bad boys?" Asked Tommy.

"Yeah, I remember. Felt like I'd been smacked in the face with a soggy sock, but I liked it."

"I think it might be your greatest contribution to mankind," replied Tommy.

Daks laughed. "Seems to be my job. Testing crazy shit for you guys because you're all too pussy to do it yourselves!" It was true, as the largest amongst them, Daks often ended up the lab rat.

"Your services to the human race are appreciated." As he said it, Tommy pressed a button on the side of his headset which glowed blue indicating it was ready. The others followed his lead.

***

"I'm going in, see you on the other side!" Announced Jet as he pushed his thumb against a flat sensor on his armband starting the release of the vial into his bloodstream.

Inside their headsets was surprisingly unremarkable for they weren't virtual or augmented reality. Their purpose was to manipulate brainwaves and create an environment of sensory deprivation.

Jet smiled as a kaleidoscope of colours indescribable in words unfolded in his mind. He left his body traversing space on a highway of interconnected threads. Lil played on an emerald meadow where flowers looked like sparkling jewels and the sky above shone with an iridescent radiance like it might be home to angels. Tommy walked through a maze of geometric shapes unfolding and collapsing in an infinite, unsolvable puzzle. Daks dissolved into a hive of foam in textures: Silk, velvet, hessian, cotton wrapped him up in a cocoon which he accepted like a baby in the womb.

Looking down, Cim saw himself sitting on the rickety chair, head slumped like a drunk leaning on one of the arms for support. He knew he was fine if he tethered himself and remembered to breathe. Looking upwards, the roof disintegrated into inconceivable designs, as he raced away on the same illuminated highway as the others.

Cim had questions. He didn't feel like the others when he crossed. They took what was given to them–Cim could consciously move around and manipulate his surroundings. He wasn't sure if he was just given a perception that this was what he was doing or observing like the others. It was overwhelming, incredible and unquestionably, real for him.

Picking at the fibres of the interconnected world, Cim watched the universe unravel and reform into a tunnel. In the physical world, the colour drained from his face as he peered through the tunnel. Something made him feel like things were horribly wrong. He'd seen it many times before but had no explanation for it.

Matter clashed with pure energy. Massive explosions burnt like a white-hot inferno before disappearing as quickly as they appeared. Something dark and mottled crept in towards him, warping his surroundings, leaving them mangled. Cim didn't know what it was, but it felt like something important. Infinite, inconsolable sadness pulsed through every sense of his being. A wake for something precious lost.

In his head, he called out, "Why am I seeing this?"

The answer came, not in words or any language, just a knowing. Because he could change it…

'Not today,' Cim thought as he turned away from the destruction and desolation. Today, he was going to enjoy himself. Turning his back, the universe opened into an immense landscape layered with impossible shapes. Beautiful lights zipped like a whirlwind of fireflies. Savouring it’s beauty, he relaxed back enjoying the show like the others.

After some time, he reached for the sensor on his armband, but his vial was empty. Focussing on his breathing, the physical world around him leeched back into his senses. With an arm like lead, he removed both his headset and armband waiting patiently for the others to return.

**********

 AUTHOR BIO

Amelia lives in North Yorkshire but was brought up on the Orkney Islands.  Through her career she’s worked in engineering and science which has formed the basis for her love of sci-fi and fantasy fiction. 

A huge part of her world includes motorbikes; she’s a bit of a rebel and non-conformist.  The experiences of close-knit friendships, families, and love are intrinsic in her storytelling.

Previously, she self-published a historical fantasy novelette – Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Battle of Culloden, a true and accurate history. This was a pivotal moment giving her the courage to try and write professionally.  This is the journey she is on now and The Serpent and the Staff will be her debut novel.

**********

COMING SOON: On Monday, 18th August, our team member, author Eva Bielby, will be sharing one of her 'Tales by Firelight' - 'Finding The Way'.