Between Earth and Water

By Salma Elgarf

You know when you look up to the magical sky at night, you feel like that you want to be fly up there in space . Nope'
That's in magical tales or bedtime story but mine is different.
My name is Sarah James I am 18 years old. My life isn't perfect , i always had routinely life. Go to school, be at home, watch TV, see what's new on social media until the story or adventure is started that day when I saw or notice for the first time a mystery lake beside my school which i knew after that it appears in my country in 1988 by itself then after that, I heard about the story of the child names Charlie with 9 years old who was playing beside that lake then disappeared, some people said that he had drowned but they didn't find his corpse .
Then the lake disappeared in 2000 and I found  a mystery glowing rock in that lake.
which I can't specify that it brought me ;jinx or luck from what happened to Me.
Travel around the world, visit the scarest places on earth, magic, witches, hunters, 
If you are interested to know my story and the adventure that will start . 
Take a deep breath because things will turn wild..:)

• Language: English
• Publisher: S.O.E
• Release date: Aug 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223972938

Book preview

The Beginning

Once upon a time there was a girl called Sarah James. Her life was Good, a normal one but with a problem that her father died in an accident when she was a little. her mum never told her the story about it

when where no, they don’t even talk about it. But she told her that her father was always brave, follow his heart and believe in his feelings. So he took a lot of risks. And Sarah believed that it was the reason being fatherless.

She has now a Stepfather, Howard was his name but she didn't like him as much, but she treats him well. She was a clever girl.

However, one day when she was returning home after school time she accidentally saw a lake, it was the first time she noticed it. Every time she goes to school, She never saw it before.

She stares at the lake for a while, then she found a strange thing. She didn't realize what it is. It was glowing so much. She had never seen something stunning like this before, while she was going to touch it ,a move in water was formed like a wave ,she thought like someone is watching her. The place seemed so isolated and pretty much scary, so she left the place quietly with no word to say or a move to make.

The weird about Sarah that she always do opposite what she believes. Like she always motivate her friends to do something new, try new things, visit new places, discover but Sarah cannot. She is afraid taking a risk like her father and what have been done to him. Even her mother courage her ,but it was always her red line not to cross.

In the Next day.

It's 8:00 a.m. How bothering!! waking up in the morning and going to school, so boring and exhausting but actually Sarah was awake before the alarm turned on, not of course excited to go to school, who will be?! but just to see the rising of sun ,she admires drawing and she has a gift to draw everything she likes and sees from one look. She has a lot of drawings in school's gallery

But her favourite ones about places she actually dreams to visit. Adventures she made only in her dreams. All of this mood was interrupted by Lucy, Sarah's mother.

Come on lady you are gonna be late for school

Sarah said while she was getting off the bed with a smile" good morning you too, mum"

Lucy said " drawing again?!"

Sarah replied do I have something else to do!!

Lucy said with optimism yes, you have the whole world to see, lots of things to do my girl

Sarah said trying to change the topic oh please, seeing the world, how come!! And the world is standing in front of me

And her mother start to laugh and then approaches to hug Sarah.

it's okay mum, don't worry about me ,at least you had the two types of sons; a crazy and wise one, one disaster is okay, but two will kill then they went downstairs to the kitchen

Someone wants to make troubles in the morning. Chris said.

Chris is Sarah's step brother, yub he is the son of Howard. Simply Howard is her father's friend, they were best friends. Together in work, together in everything. They worked as geologists. One day they were on a mission to a mystery island. The weird thing here is the tracker sensor of earth's movement in island was huge, it was nine Richter.

This time was the first they separated. Something inside Sarah always believe that it was his fault and shouldn't let her father go no matter what. But she knows that her father was stubborn, and will do what he believes no matter what it costs. Unfortunately The cost was so expensive.

The risk Sarah fears to take not the danger she will face, but danger of losing one of her family. So she don't put exactly all the burden on Howard at least he treated her and Lucy well.

But Sarah made herself a promise that she will treat him like her father's friend not as her stepfather. This doesn’t seem to work with Chris as they act as a real siblings. We will see soon....

Before Sarah continued her talking,  Chris kicked her leg and said " sorry my leg slipped."

Sarah calmed down? Of course not!! she hit the peanut butter sandwich on his face and replied "sorry it sticks"

They always fighting, it's a habit between siblings of course, as for a brother and sister, you have to call 911. I think like there is a world war II is rising in the house. And both of them is amazing in their performance like watching die hard part lll. At last Lucy and Howard both pay the cost of the damages.

It’s okay all of these things happens in everybody's house, they actually were so close, they knew each other since ever. But by passing time each one of them go distant, he is in college and she at school, so it really makes gap between them. But they still siblings in feelings no matter what. I really hope so... i will not really burn out the chapters so let's move on

Sarah rose up, prepared and got ready for school and quickly picked her bag before Howard wakes up. Avoiding all his interest in her life. Tick tock trrrrrnnnnnn. It was Howard’s alarm,quickly Sarah ran from the house in a rush. "See you mum"

before Lucy continued aren’t you gonna wait Howard pick you uppp

His work was beside Sarah's school but it's not just that she doesn't want him entering in her life, but also she enjoys walking to school. Walking beside the places and houses saying hello to her neighbours, love to do this, like she sees everyone for the first time. Putting on her ear-pods and listen to her favourite symphony. Singing and living the mood step_by_step. The comfort here that the road she takes is the way behind school, away from all the noise and cars. It's beside the wood, but what the worst gonna happen!!

Also she usually takes this way for along time, she knows it better than anyone.  

While she was Singing with all the imagination, like living in other world. She felt that there is something on her, something cold and soft , she stopped and then moved backwards a little bit and looked at her pants and surprise, they were wet. But it's not as you think. Sarah has fallen into a lake. A shock came to her. As  it was the first time she saw it. Or even noticed it.

She thought...

maybe I didn’t notice because I was concentrate singing more. She sat on the ground and yelled at the lake like it was a person " how did you come here, and how didn’t I never noticed you before"

she started checking how damaged was her clothes and then she looked again at the lake and saw something strange, the brightest glowing thing ever. She had no idea what it is, it was pretty much eye catching. "what are you" she wondered

then the glowing starts to faint, on the other side  Sarah started to feel  pain in her whole body.  But She was still holding the stone "air, I need air, I can’t breathe" saying that with a harsh tone, losing her breath and unwillingly holding it that seem as much as stone or small rock and she got fainted and then she fell into the ground. It was Sarah lying on the ground and the rock in her hand.

Lalalala. Mum, dad. Some memories flooding but it's not mine

Some calming voice were coming into my ears. Not words just sounds but the sweetest one i  never heard before.

Slowly she opened her eyes and started catching her breath, searching for the voice she  heard..

She said in pain what happened!! oh what a headache, maybe I was hit, that's why i got fainted

she looked at her watch and found she was late for two hours for school.

oh my God, Ms Heller gonna kill me

In a rush she started to collect her stuffs which fell from her bag when she fainted. She saw and heard a move in the lake then it turned to be a move in the trees. She got scared from this creepy situation and ran away

sure I won't stop to find out what is happening in that crazy place

She didn’t notice she picked the rock too in her bag and she continued her way to school

She didn't notice either that at-first she was in a lake and when she got up, her body was on the ground, doesn't make sense either.

Sarah entered the loopy running so quick with the moment of the school bell ring, announcing the end of the first class, but luckily her teacher was sick and didn't come.

Let me tell you that Sarah was strict with her studies and good behaviour in school, looking forward a scholarship maybe. Who doesn't want a great life?!.  With of course being always exhausting to be on a schedule. But I have to admit it doesn't go so well as it wished. Maybe because of that time she wanted to join girl's soccer in school and hit the girl with ball rightly through her head.

But it's okay, the most important thing is the good will. Like back there she joined chemistry group lab and by accident she added a little bit potassium and blew the lab.

Damages happens all over the world. Of course it's coincidence. Strong will as I said, it's important to figure out who you are and what you are good at. Or at least your are not involved with that alone, it happens to all of us . And we will see about that with Sarah's friends .

So let’s continue

Sarah felt like it's a gift given to her from this day as Sarah didn't finish her assignment and for this, Ms Heller would have prevent her joining this year gallery. It's not a big deal but it's the only thing that she literally have, or it's what she made up in her mind.

Being successful in something gives you a little bit confidence right?!. Not for her, she always felt that she do this for the purpose of hiding from everything, like a burden on your back.

It didn't take a lot of minutes and she fell on a deep sleep, Like drowning in the water. She didn't get up until the school day finish. She didn’t talk, even hang out with her friends. She was picked up by Howard without saying a word,  just leading her head approach the car's window, Howard was talking so much but she didn't even know what is he talking about, without any caring  , she didn't focused. This time when your deep part of your head bring back the memories, a flashback with the places you see right now. but you will have now just the places and memories of today. How sadly!! In the moment of time you would do anything to live these moments again.

She woke up from the  memories and turned back to the real world, On the action of strong car’s brakes.

It was so much traffic, too many cars waiting.

It was a big hole in the middle of the road. Cars start crushing, interrupting each other. Cops were everywhere. After two long hours. People acted casual as it's just a natural phenomena. But not casual for Lucy, she was sick worried. As when they opened the house door, she was full of tears and start asking and make sure if Sarah and Howard are okay. Then they all ate lunch on the table but it looks like Sarah is not with them. She is with her thoughts. Then she suddenly rushed to her room and searched for the rock but she didn't find it, she searched alot in all the house asking if anyone entered her room. It was an awkward behaviour from Sarah which made all of them curious about what is happening

Then Chris wanted to add his touch and said " did you hide a treasure or what?!"

Sarah said with busy "It’s not of your business"

Lucy said what are you searching for, did you lose anything?

Sarah said trying avoiding questions just a tiny thing, it was in my bag

Her mother looked at her as she felt there is something but sarah not showing it up.

Lucy said well, if you clear your mind and focus on what you really searching for, you will find it in your hand then she left

Sarah didn't understand anything and looked in wonder !!

She put her hand in her jacket's pocket and felt something, she stared a little bit in surprising. And opened her mouth in shock, she gripped that thing. And said without any control to give a word out "Hh ooh" was it here from the first place!!. Then she kept looking at it. it was glowing pretty much when she getting it closer to her.

She kept it a little away then she started moving it to see all its sides, an edge just a rock with dust and the other one is wet like sea drops. Changing its face every time she turns it. Then it starts showing places like in south Africa, China, Colombia, Egypt, Switzerland. And other places like it's a commercial advertisement for tourist. She starts searching online of anything like this. But it was useless. She didn't understand why she still holding it and interested about it or why she kept it as a secret from her mother. Maybe she didn't want her mother to think that she has gone mad. Take a deep sleep Sarah. She had this dream about series of strange things and this strange mark like Pentagon shape and three triangle inside connected together. Lots of scenes about this century of calming era although blood and murdering.

Her dad she saw and suddenly wake up with breath taking. She rushed ,it was 9:00 A.m. she was late, she liked to have the ride today with Howard. but when she came down stairs, she didn't find anyone there at home.

At the school precisely (Break time) friends of Sarah were talking, laughing, eating their breakfast As usual, During this Sarah said with low voice guys, I will tell you a strange thing happened to me yesterday. I saw something like a lake yesterday next to school from the back side and it was in it, a strange thing like rock or stone, I don't know!! but with much glowing when it approach to me.

Kera interrupted her (Sarah's friend) "looks like someone hasn't wake up yet"

Sarah said with serious tone Guys I swear, I am not joking around. I saw it with my own eyes. I can even show it to you.

Kera continued "What lake are you talking about..?" And her facial reactions changed.

I would say she scared Sarah a lot at this moment

Sarah hushed, and Kera continued saying there is no lake beside school Sarah and there weren't any of it before ... Except.?!

Sarah said: "except what..?"