Barnaby Oliver Maxwell Brown: Saturday Quest for the Gemma

By Stephen Ant

Barnaby Brown is not just the name of a nine year old boy, it is the name of a legend, a young man with a brave heart and the power to change lives. Travelling to distant lands, his greatness is known by all. The combination of the carousel, its mysterious owner and Barnaby Brown creates the most famous nine year old the world has ever seen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483554112

Book preview

6

CHAPTER.

Saturday morning 6:57am.

Barnaby woke earlier than usual for a Saturday. The sun was pouring through the tiny gap in the curtains, shimmering rays of light filling one half of the fish tank. Two of the goldfish were hovering in the corner, waiting for flakes of food to be sprinkled on the surface of the water. The black fish was circling round the sunken pirate ship. It darted through the bubbles that were set free each time the lid lifted on the small plastic treasure chest.

Barnaby stared, mesmerised by the lid lifting and slowly dropping back down. The gentle hum of the small pump was just audible. His mind drifted as he lay on his side. He imagined the battle that must have led to the sinking of the toy pirate ship. The deafening noise and chaos as the canons were fired. Barnaby tried to picture the captain shouting orders to his lawless crew. Slowly his eyes began to close, the battle still playing out in his mind.

‘Up Barrby, Barrby up.’

Barnaby opened his sleepy eyes. Molly was standing in front of him, stroking his arm.

‘Barrby up,’ Molly said as she pulled on his finger.

‘Hello Molly,’ Barnaby said croakily as he looked across at the clock.

8:29am

Barnaby threw back the covers and jumped out of bed.

‘Molly, it’s nearly eight thirty, I have to get to Perna’s,’ he said, feeling slight dizzy, having stood up too fast.

He rushed over to the chair to put on the clothes he had laid out the previous night.

‘My boxers Molly, where are my boxers?’

Barnaby turned round to see Molly wearing his bright green boxer shorts over her nappy. This was a new game she had been playing for the last few weeks. Molly ran down the hallway, hoping Barnaby would chase her and then tickle her as he usually did, but he did not today.

‘MOLLY,’ he shouted after her.

Giggling, she ran in to her bedroom and shut the door. Knowing he would have a battle on his hands, Barnaby aborted any ideas of trying to reclaim his underwear. He hopped around the bedroom trying to get his socks on.

‘Oh come on,’ he grumbled as he forced his foot into his trainer.

The tongue of his training shoe was hiding deep inside, as if to teach him a lesson for not undoing the laces the night before. Barnaby started to feel hot, his head pounding slightly as he attempted to put his feet, now complete with training shoes, through his trouser leg. He leant against the cupboard whilst wiggling the fabric to help guide his foot through.

As he rushed to the top of the stairs, he remembered he had not fed the fish. Returning to the tank he gently tapped on the glass. The fish were whipped into a frenzy, nudging each other as they fought for position in the feeding corner. He shook the pot of fish food from side to side; the flakes slowly slid to the edge before coming to a halt. Barnaby shook the container again; a large clump of food fell on to the surface of the water.

‘Oh no,’ he said as he peered in the top.

The goldfish fed as though it was their last meal. Barnaby flinched as the excited fish splashed water on his face. He closed