Leaving Essenwood: Simon's Story

By Sarah Jean Knowles

Leaving Essenwood ~ Simons Story is an incredible story about a 14 year old boy Simon, and his two close friends - the steadfast, funny and loyal Jethro, and the beautiful and magical Leah. It takes the three of them on a mission to rescue the stolen children of Fern Valley. Together they meet new and sometimes terrifying characters, explore new places, encounter weird animals both real and imagined, and experience a whole new and exciting world. They are all tested to their limits, helped by a little bit of magic! They know their friendship is special and they trust each other completely well sort of! It is a story full of twists and turns, some really good laughs and a whole lot of trouble.

Let Simon and his friends pull you in to escape your every day life for a while! Just chill out and enjoy the wild ride, the crazy adventure and the special bond between Simon, Jethro and Leah. Somewhere along the way you will relate to one of them and will imagine, just for a moment, you are on the amazing journey with them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: May 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491896815

Sarah Jean Knowles

Sarah wrote ‘Simon’s Story’ while pregnant with her only child Jenna. It was 12 years before Sarah went ahead to publish ‘Simon’s Story”. She was busy during that time raising Jenna, being a wife and step mother to her three step children, as well as starting her own construction and project management business. She has since separated from her husband and now lives with her daughter in Uvongo, South Africa. Sarah holds close to her heart her animals, her incredible friends and her wonderful family, especially her mom who constantly supports and inspires her. Leaving Essenwood - Simon’s Story Sarah Jean Knowles

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© 2014 Sarah Jean Knowles. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/23/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9150-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9681-5 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Essenwood

Chapter 2 Leaving Essenwood

Chapter 3 The Wolf Pack

Chapter 4 Meeting Jethro

Chapter 5 Someone’s Watching

Chapter 6 Fern Valley and the Stolen Children

Chapter 7 Simon Makes a Promise

Chapter 8 The River People

Chapter 9 Thanks to Tessie

Chapter 10 Hebron

Chapter 11 The Diamonds

Chapter 12 Meeting Leah

Chapter 13 Into Giant’s Territory

Chapter 14 Out of Control

Chapter 15 To the Mines

Chapter 16 Getting Lost

Chapter 17 The Magical Ride

Chapter 18 Finding the Code

Chapter 19 Finding the Children

Chapter 20 Knocking out the Guards

Chapter 21 The Escape

Chapter 22 The Impossible Swim

Chapter 23 Serena

Chapter 24 The Rescue

Chapter 25 Heading Home

Chapter 26 Back to Essenwood

The End

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this first novel to my daughter Jenna, without whom it would not have happened and who is, after all, my ‘perfect fit’.

Introduction

So you know you are cool, you have all the latest gadgets which is really awesome. You have loads of friends, you are crazy about music which you download and play constantly every second you can. You are good at sport and you are passionate about the things you love. You feel like you know it all, and if you don’t, you know exactly how to find out. But, whether you like it or not, if it’s a week day, you still just have to get up for school tomorrow.

Or, maybe you’re not so cool, maybe there are kids you have to admit you’d like to be friends with and yes, of course you’d love the latest I-pad or touch screen cell phone. Maybe you are not so sure what you are really good at, but you do keep trying and you hope you’ll find out one day. Maybe you just know that there are things you can’t explain so you watch the kid next to you and you hope you’ll learn. And you do learn, generally! So yes life’s ok, you’re ok, but whether you like it or not, if it’s a week day, you still just have to get up for school tomorrow.

Now imagine if you could change all that? Imagine if it was that easy, imagine if you could just zone out one minute and in the next, find yourself in another world, in another time.

Well if you think that might be cool, turn the page—you’ll find yourself in Simon’s story!

Enjoy the ride!

CHAPTER 1

Essenwood

Simon’s first feeling in the split second he woke was anger. Red hot anger! It burned through his body as intensely as the confusion that filled his mind. As the first rays of sunlight crept under the curtain into his room, Simon asked himself the same question, yet again, Why? What did I do to make him so mean? Lying on his bed he thought of the night before and how his grandfather had looked at him in disgust. He had shouted revolting harsh words, his face pushed up against Simon’s own before his relentless frustration at Simon’s presence had turned him away, brutally kicking Simon’s dog as he left the room. His grandfather had hit Simon many times over the years but he always stopped just short of really hurting him. The pain inside was always worse than the physical pain of a back handed slap or side ways punch. No, Simon wasn’t scared of his grandfather; he just couldn’t understand why the only adult man in his life was always mad at him. It had been the same ever since Simon could remember and, despite his anger, Simon felt tears well up in the corner of his eyes. Brushing them aside he reached down to touch his beloved dog Tux lying by his side. I don’t know why he is like that, he whispered, knowing the dog would be listening, but don’t worry, I’ll get us out of here.

Simon lived in a place called Essenwood, a small town with a few hundred cottages sprawled next to a forest of ancient yellow wood trees. The mountains on the other side of the forest rose high above the great Essenwood River. Once or twice Simon had made it to the top to explore the caves and had spent some time up there gazing out across the valley below, believing he could see to the end of the world. Well, his world at least. He had only ever known Essenwood and he loved it, but boy how he dreamed to leave it!

Simon lived with his grandparents. While his grandfather’s temper could match the thunder claps that echoed across the Essenwood plains most afternoons, his grandmother was different. She was quiet and gentle, she had protected him against the old man’s temper and he loved her, but the old lady had changed lately. He couldn’t remember a day recently when she said anything that made any sense. Mostly she babbled on about a time long before Simon was born and far away places that nobody else ever talked about. Simon knew she had gone crazy, but as she rocked in her favorite chair he would sit next to her on the floor and listen to her stories. They made him believe that he would have a story of his own one day.

Simon’s grandparents never explained properly why he lived with them. He wasn’t sure if he had been born in Essenwood but he knew that his mother and father had left him with his grand parents shortly after he was born. His grandfather never tired of reminding him that his parents had abandoned him and how he should be grateful they raised him and gave him a home. And he was, most of the time! Long ago he had given up asking questions, given up crying and missing a mother he never had, given up wanting encouraging words and a tender touch from a father he now wouldn’t recognize.

He was tall for his age. His eyes were deep indigo blue, The colour of the sea, his grandmother used to tell him which was a mystery to him as he had never seen the sea and wasn’t quite sure what it was. His black hair curled into the base of his neck, and