Into the Land of Clubs

By Jeannie Meekins

“Don’t you see? That’s why you are here.”
Jack shook his head. “No, I don’t see.”
“Then I’ll prove it... Where’s my Book. Bring The Book!” the King ordered.

A boy, a crystal and a world out of balance.
Jack finds himself trapped in the fantasy world of Drac; a world of magic, dragons, and evil doings. The world is dying. The Talisman, which stores the elemental virtues of the races and keeps the world in balance, has gone. A prophecy has been set in motion and will be fulfilled, one way or the other.
Jack has been brought there to save the world. While travelling the lands, he begins to realise that good and evil are not so clearly defined, and all the people need to unite to save their world.

In this first part of the adventure, Jack meets the mysterious Clubs, learns of the prophecy and sets off to find the first element.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Storm Cloud Publishing
• Release date: Apr 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781925285062

Jeannie Meekins

Jeannie Meekins is an Australian writer who lives with her children and a couple of cats who think they own the computer. And if her dog could read, he’d be jealous, so it’s lucky that he can’t. Jeannie has also written over 10 books for children, many available through LearningIsland.com

Book preview

Into the Land of Clubs

The Virtues of Drac: Book One

Jeannie Meekins

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Into the Land of Clubs

The Virtues of Drac: Book One

Text copyright (c) Jeannie Meekins (2013)

Editorial Associate Melissa Cleeman

Illustrator (c) AT Davidson (2015)

Published by Storm Cloud Publishing (2015)

ISBN: 978-1-925285-06-2 Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please go to Smashwords.com or any online bookstore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Junior Fiction: Fantasy Adventure, Hero’s journey, Bullying, Conflict and Problem Solving, Courage and Resourcefulness

Ages 8 years up

Approx 29, 000 words

Reading Level: 2.5

For my son, John, who gave me the idea and my daughter, Laura, who kept me going until I finished.

A big thank you to Melissa Cleeman for seeing more in this story than I ever realised I’d put into it and helped make it as good as it is today.

Thank you to AT Davidson for capturing the characters exactly as I saw them.

Contents

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Map

About the Author

About the Illustrator

Map

Back to top

Chapter one

It was recess at school and the oval was full of kids. Jack was playing on the swings with his friends. He’d wanted to play footy on the oval, but Trent and his friends were there.

We’ll play later, Rob had told Jack. When Trent’s gone.

Jack kept glancing towards the oval to see if Trent was still there. He was, and he didn’t look like going anywhere as he took a mark and lined up for his kick.

The footy slewed off the edge of Trent’s boot and went sideways.

Some of the boys began laughing. Trent glared and they were soon silent, then he ran after the footy. It bounced to where some boys were playing a card game. All the boys scattered – except for one.

He stood up and retrieved the ball as it came near him.

Hey, you, Trent called. Give me that!

The boy looked at the ball, then at Trent, who stopped a couple of metres short of him.

I said, give me that, Trent demanded. What are you? Deaf or something?

I see Trent’s at it again, Rob nodded towards Trent.

He’s not happy unless he’s picking on someone, Jack said.

Can I play with the footing ball with you? the boy asked.

No, Trent stepped forward.

Trent, let him play, one of his friends called out.

Trent turned around and glared at the boy.

Jack cringed. This was not going to end well. This kid with the ball didn’t know Trent. Trent always got his own way.

Gimme the ball! Trent snatched the ball from the kid.

I just want play the footing ball with you, the kid said.

You can’t even talk properly, Trent laughed. Where are you from? Another planet?

Trent’s friends all laughed. The kid didn’t seem upset.

You can give me your lunch money too, Trent demanded.

The kid frowned. Why? Don’t you have any?

Oh, I got plenty. I just want yours too.

Jack was about to ignore it, but a sudden anger came over him. Trent shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it. He looked around, but there were no teachers nearby.

Jack jumped off the swing. He took a breath and walked over to Trent. Leave him alone, Trent.

Trent turned his attention to Jack. What did you say?

I said, leave him alone. You’ve got your footy. Now just go back and play.

Trent turned to his friends, a malicious smile forming. He tossed the ball to one of them, then turned back to Jack.

You can give me your lunch money too.

I don’t have any.

Really? Well, I’ll just have to search you and find out. Trent stepped forward.

Jack stepped back. His nose tingled and he remembered the blood nose Trent had given him last year. He felt himself begin to shake. Stop it, Trent.

Trent raised both hands and shoved Jack hard in the chest. Jack stumbled back. Trent went to shove him again, when he stopped, looking over Jack’s shoulder. Jack turned and followed his gaze, and saw a teacher approaching.

You’ll keep, Jack, Trent hissed before taking the footy from his friend and racing back to the oval.

Thanking you, the boy smiled at Jack.

Jack didn’t remember seeing this kid before. He must be new. He was small with dark skin, and the most brilliant blue eyes Jack had ever seen.

Trent’s a bully, Jack said. Stay away from him.

Everything all right over here? the teacher asked.

Yes, Miss, Jack answered.

The teacher looked at the other kid, but he said nothing.

All right then. The teacher walked away.

The kid bent down and picked up the cards. He quickly worked them into a stack, tapping the edges with his fingers until they formed a neat block. Then he took an open-sided box from his pocket. He placed the cards in the box, then took the bottom off the box and fitted it over the top. Jack realised the box had been sitting in its lid. The gilded surface had a delicate pattern etched into it that Jack couldn’t quite make out.

The boy smiled at Jack as he slipped the deck of cards into his pocket. Then he turned and skipped away.

The bell rang to end recess. Jack raced to line up outside his classroom door.

During class, Jack thought about Trent. Trent was a bully. He pushed other kids around, took their lunch money and homework – and pretended it was his. Most times, the teachers did nothing.

Jack never had any lunch money because he always brought his lunch from home. Even so, when lunchtime arrived, Jack kept an eye out for Trent. He also looked around for the kid with the cards. But he didn’t see him.

Must have found somewhere else to play, Jack decided.

When he got home from school that afternoon, Jack told him mum about Trent.

If you don’t tell the teachers, then they can’t do anything, she told him.

I know, but... Jack sighed. There was always a but.

But Trent will only get angry.

But Trent will come after me tomorrow.

But Trent never gets into trouble.

Jack’s mum sat him down at the table. She pulled up a chair and sat opposite him. Look, Jack, I know you only wanted to help this other boy. But kids like Trent don’t listen.

And now he’s going to come after me, ’cos I stood up for that new kid. So how do I stop him?

You could always ignore him. Turn the other cheek.

Why? So he can hit that one?

No. Take away his power.

Huh? Jack looked up at his mum and frowned.

Bullies only pick on people who they think are weaker than them. Or who they know won’t fight back. I’m not saying you should fight him, because that’s wrong. You need to be smarter than him.

Jack’s head dropped, and he stared at the table. I’m not.

You are, Jack. Mum reached across and squeezed his hand. You just don’t know it.

He looked up, hoping she would say more. But she let go of his hand and sat back in her chair.

Have you got any homework? she asked.

Yes, Jack answered.

Maths?

He shook his head. English. Comprehension and essay writing.

Ah, she nodded her head knowingly. Do you want to start now? I’ve got a bit of time before I have to start tea.

Jack shook his head. I can’t think straight. And they use all these big words that I don’t understand.

Mum smiled. Come on. Take it out and I’ll look at it with you.

Jack looked down at his school bag on the floor near his feet.

The sooner you start, the sooner you finish, Mum encouraged.

Jack reached into his bag and pulled out his books and pencil case. He took out a pencil, then opened his book to the page with his homework.

Jack stared at the page. There were long sentences and big words. He chewed on the end of his pencil while he tried to make sense of it.

You just need to clear your mind and forget all about Trent, Mum told him. Read the questions properly, so you understand exactly what they’re asking. And if it’s not clear, read it again.

That was okay for Mum to say, Jack sighed. It wasn’t her homework.

A few days later, Jack was