The Cliff Edge Adventure

By Chris Wright

James and Jessica’s Aunt Judy lives in a lonely guest house perched on top of a crumbling cliff on the west coast of Wales. She is moving out with her dog Jack for her own safety, because she has been warned that the waves from the next big storm could bring down a large part of the cliff -- and her house with it. Cousins James and Jessica, the Two Jays, are helping her sort through her possessions, and they find an old papyrus page they think could be from an ancient copy of one of the Gospels. Two people are extremely interested in having it, but can either of them be trusted? James and Jessica are alone in the house. It’s dark, the electricity is off, and the worst storm in living memory is already battering the coast. Is there someone downstairs? This is the second Two Jays story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: White Tree Publishing
• Release date: Oct 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9780995759442

Chris Wright

Chris Wright is a young author who enjoys reading and is keen to share this joy with others. He lives in England, but he grew up in a small village in Hampshire. He wants to inspire young readers with his tales of a simpler time, outside among nature.

Book preview

The Cliff Edge

Adventure

by

Chris Wright

© Chris Wright 2017

e-Book ISBN: 978-0-9957594-4-2

also available as a paperback

ISBN: 978-1-5-211370-3-1

Published by

White Tree Publishing

Bristol

UNITED KINGDOM

Website: www.whitetreepublishing.com

Email: [e-mail]

The Cliff Edge Adventure is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book.

The English Bible verse in this story is taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. (No matter what version of the Bible you use, the verse has the same message and promise.)

(See also www.youversion.com for free downloads of over a thousand Bible translations in over a thousand languages on your phone, tablet, and computer.)

About the Book

James and Jessica’s Aunt Judy lives in a lonely guest house perched on top of a crumbling cliff on the west coast of Wales. She is moving out with her dog Jack for her own safety, because she has been warned that the waves from the next big storm could bring down a large part of the cliff -- and her house with it. Cousins James and Jessica, the Two Jays, are helping her sort through her possessions, and they find an old papyrus page they think could be from an ancient copy of one of the Gospels. Two people are extremely interested in having it, but can either of them be trusted? James and Jessica are alone in the house. It’s dark, the electricity is off, and the worst storm in living memory is already battering the coast. Is there someone downstairs?

Table of Contents

Cover

About the Book

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Epilogue

About White Tree Publishing

About the author

More books for young readers

Introduction

This is the third Two Jay’s adventure. It takes place on the west coast of Wales, where many people speak Welsh. In most schools the Welsh language is used for lessons. Here are a few Welsh phrases, including the approximate pronunciation. You need to hear it spoken to understand the exact sounds.

Bore da (Pronounced: Boh-reh dah): Good morning

Prynhawn da (Prin-houn dah): Good afternoon

Nos da (nohs dah): Good night

Croeso i Gymru (Croesoh ee Gum-reeh): Welcome to Wales

Diolch (Dee-olch): Thanks

Da iawn (Dah ee-aw-n): Very good

In Bethel Chapel (Capel Bethel in Welsh) Annie Jones plays the harp and sings what is probably the most beautiful and moving Welsh hymn, Here is Love, Vast as the Ocean.

You can hear this hymn sung in Welsh and English to a harp on YouTube. Try this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BibIpwAzsoc

If the link is broken, enter all these words without the quote marks: YouTube Here is Love Vast as the Ocean in Welsh and English in a search engine. You are looking for the recording made at The Event Without Walls, 1995. When you are with James and Jessica in Capel Bethel, remember this link!

A word of warning; If you try to print a sheet of modern papyrus in an inkjet printer, you do so at your own risk. Do get some adult supervision. It works for the Two Jays in the story without harming the printer, and it works for me in my printer, but maybe not in all printers. Genuine papyrus sheets are available on the internet.

This story takes place in the UK, so British English spelling is used. Also note that whereas in America a mother is a mom, where the Two Jays live a mother is a mum.

Chris Wright

Chapter 1

Is Great Aunt Judy’s house really going to fall crash bang into the sea? James Cooper asked from the back seat of the car. They seemed to have been on the road for ages and must surely be close to Abergair on the west coast of Wales by now.

His father gave a long sigh. Perhaps, he said. At first I thought Aunt Judy was in a panic about nothing, but the local council has stopped her taking guests in her guest house and told her to move out. So I guess it must be serious.

His mother turned round with what looked like a reassuring smile. I’d be surprised if it fell into the sea this year.

Not as surprised as we’d be, if it fell down this week while we’re inside it, James said.

I remember going to stay with Great Aunt Judy when I was small, Jessica said. I went with my mum and dad. She was ever so strict. It had to be, yes Aunt Judy, no Aunt Judy, please Aunt Judy, thank you Aunt Judy.

James laughed, and Jessica said, It wasn’t funny at the time. I was really scared of her.

I think it would be best if you called her Aunt Judy, not Great Aunt Judy, Mrs Cooper said. I know she’s old, but she may not want to be reminded of her age. And she has some very old-fashioned ideas on the role of men and women, and girls and boys in the house, but don't you dare to try to correct her.

James groaned. "And now you’re leaving us with her for a whole week to be her slaves. This is going to be the best spring half term ever, clearing all her stuff and taking it to the dump. And to the charity shops. And to her new place. And all the time she’s going to be fussing about our behaviour. Thanks, Mum. Thanks, Dad."

It was the end of February. James Cooper and Jessica Green were cousins. James’s father and Jessica’s mother were brother and sister. James wasn’t quite sure where scary Great Aunt Judy fitted into the family tree.

Aunt Judy is Grandpa Robert’s sister, his father said, as though reading James’s mind. My father’s sister

Grandpa Robert is fun. Always joking with us and messing around. I get the feeling Great Aunt Judy isn’t like that. James gave a pretend shiver.

His father shook his head. You’ve got that right. She’s five years older than Grandpa Robert, and he says she was a very bossy older sister. She never married, and has lived in her isolated guest house right on the top of a cliff on a remote part of the Welsh coast.

I don’t ever remember seeing her, James said.

Lucky you, Jessica whispered to him.

I heard that, Mrs Cooper said. Please don’t speak about your elders in that way. She thought for a moment. I can’t say I’m looking that forward to meeting her myself, she added. And Dad and I are only staying for a couple of hours!

James grunted. "But you’re leaving us alone with her for the whole week. Great move, Mum. Have you actually sold us both as slaves?"

James’s father laughed. A spare bit of cash always comes in handy. Not that we got much for you.

You won’t be slaving away the whole time, Mrs Cooper said reassuringly. There are narrow steps down to the beach and you’ll be able to take Aunt Judy’s dog for a run on the sand a couple of times a day. Poor thing probably never gets down there much.

James gave a loud groan. This is just so embarrassing. It’s going to be some ghastly little dog called Fluffy Puff Puff that wears a pink coat and has a pink bow on its head. It will be like taking a flea for a walk on the end of a lead. I think I’m going to die of shame. Can we turn round and go home, please?

James’s mother laughed. You’re in for a shock there, my lad. The dog is called Jack, and it’s mostly Doberman. Aunt Judy used to let her guests take Jack for a run on the beach most days, and sometimes she lets him go down the steps to the beach on his own. I don’t think it’s been getting much exercise since the guest house business was closed. Even so, Jack will be able to outrun the two of you, that’s for sure.

Jack and Judy, Jessica said thoughtfully. We’ll be the Four Jays, not the Two Jays.

Mrs Cooper gave a long sigh. "I hope the two of you are going to be sensible as well as helpful when you’re there. No, the house isn’t about to fall down the cliff, to answer your earlier question. But it might at some time in the next year or two. Some of the garden fell away a few weeks ago, and the house is now a bit too close to the edge for comfort."

I’ve been thinking, James said. The forecast is for storms this week. If it fell down now, it would save us the bother of having to pack everything up ready for the move.

You’re terrible, you are, Jessica said. "I can’t say I have very good memories of Aunt Judy, but I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Not even on her."

Besides, Mrs Cooper added, you’d be even more busy if it fell. You’d have to fetch everything up from the beach, and the steps are very steep.

Since entering Wales, what had been hills were now getting higher and higher, and one or two of them could even be called mountains, with snow left on their tops.

They were driving along the edge of a large lake when Jessica noticed the road signs for the first time. Everything’s in Welsh, she protested. Does everyone here speak Welsh?

The further west we go, Mrs Cooper explained, the more Welsh speakers there will be.

James was now taking notice of the Welsh signs. On a road junction, written in large white letters were the words Araf and Slow. Will people be able to understand us?

His mother turned round to where he and Jessica were sitting comfortably in the back of the car. "Araf is Welsh for slow, she explained. A letter f on its own sounds like a letter v. Ff together sound like our f. But you don’t have to worry about that. Everyone uses English when they’re talking to visitors. Aunt Judy is as English as they come, although she’s probably picked up some Welsh phrases by now. She’s been living in Abergair for nearly forty years. So you don’t have to worry at all about learning a new language."

Ah, James said, there’s something we meant to tell you, Jessica. Wales is a land of music, and Aunt Judy has a Welsh harp. She’s put you down to give a recital on the harp to the whole village on Wednesday evening. It’s only Saturday today, so you’ve got plenty of time to learn some Welsh tunes. And to learn to play the harp.

And what will you be doing, James?

"Me? I’ll be taking Aunt Judy’s dog for a run on the beach -- even if Mum is tricking us, and it really is called Fluffy Puff Puff. It would be much more embarrassing to be in the village hall listening to you!"

Chapter 2

Conversation in the car stopped for a while as everyone took in the exciting Welsh scenery. But James felt unable to relax. It had seemed a bit of an adventure setting out to spend the spring half term helping Aunt Judy. Now, she sounded like the ultimate nightmare stepmother from terrifying fairytales -- except