| Beyond the Hedge |
By Mairi Craw |
a short extract (enjoy this passage as read by David Rintoul) |
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Storm clouds gathered out beyond Corvine Harbour. The sunset was an open wound trailing bloodclots of dark red clouds in its wake. The sky had the intensity and desperation of a doctor who is unable to save his dying patient, not through lack of skill on his part, but because fate in the shape of some meddlesome gremlin has made off with all the bandages. Grim blankets of mist gathered at the harbour mouth and spectres of jaundiced sea fog floated in over the lower stories of the palace like restless wraiths, condemned to drift round and round for eternity. The Fairy Queen stood on the highest balcony, her eyes fixed on a distant point to the northwest and the Island of Long Forgotten Dreams. Celestina was gripped by flutters of fear round her heart. An unknown yet all-too-familiar terror tugged at the coat-tails of her consciousness. When she tried to bring the fragmented memory to the front of her mind it slipped further away. The young queen sensed potent evil radiating from Long Forgotten Dreams. The Harpie's anklet was deep in the vaults under Moonglow Lake but Celestina had been acutely aware of Maligna's mood change long before the first reports ever reached her. The Harpie's star was rising and it terrified her. Rolls of thunder rumbled out in the bay and jagged streaks of lightning mutilated the sky above dense fog banks over Fractal Reef. Celestina wanted to rush from the balcony down through the vast palace to make sure her precious daughter was safe and sound in the nursery. It was ridiculous to give way to fears worthy of a mere mortal when she could engage the unique magic and awesome power that is the preserve of the Sylvanian Fairy Queen. She gazed inward through her mind's eye and saw Tabby sleeping peacefully. Sarah, her governess, was embroidering a cushion cover by fairy starlight beside the child's bed. She heard Sarah politely ask the stars to come closer and form a constellation over the detail of needlepoint she was working on. Tabitha was in good hands but Celestina sent a spell of protection to the nursery all the same. The magic was transported in a small chariot of sapphire stars drawn by a pair of tiny unicorns. She watched the dainty beasts trot through the air into the solarium before they broke into a canter by the spiral staircase leading to the main part of the palace. The enchanted carriage disappeared in a dissolving galaxy of spiralling stars. Perhaps Tabby might surface from her dreams just long enough to see the spell delivered. The deluge came unexpectedly and Celestina found herself a captive audience of one. The water fell in torrents quickly turning the balcony into a fast-running stream. The drains struggled to dispose of the rain which was forming deep, swirling pools at her feet but she remained where she was, mesmerised by a sky the unappetising colour of raw liver. Angry clouds churned and boiled as they were ripped apart by malicious bolts of sulphur yellow lightning. The Queen's bodyguard of white-winged rooks cawed raucously and took to the air from the glass roof above the balcony. They flew in well-practiced formations above her head. The leader of the squadron restlessly scanned the horizon, searching for any danger that might threaten his sovereign before he swept down onto the balustrade in front of her. Celestina was frozen in time, oblivious to the presence of the black and white bird or the torrents of rain that soaked her hair and seeped through her clothes. The rook inched towards her only to find she was no longer there. Her physical form was standing on the palace balcony high above Corvine but her spirit was far away on the deadly island where Maligna the Harpie schemed and plotted her downfall. |
| How it all began... Mairi reads her essay "Writing for Life", which first appeared on the Soothingminds website. |
| Between Two Worlds |
By Mairi Craw |
a passage from the sequel to Beyond the Hedge (Hear David Rintoul's dramatised reading of this extract) |
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Estella ran from room to room through the empty house. Her footfalls echoed on the bare floorboards as she crossed the landing and began her descent of the main flight of stairs. It was a slow business as she was much the same height as the individual steps. When she was about halfway down she realised she was no longer alone. The creature watching her was perched on the carved wooden ball at the end of the banisters. Its outer appearance and unblinking stare put her in mind of an owl, but its pointed ears and tortoiseshell tresses were very catlike. "Have you any idea how much trouble you've caused, meringue face? At least the dog arrived here with the others." Estella frowned. "But that's just it. They're not here, the house is deserted and there's not even a stick of furniture." "There's a good reason for that. The Hendersons have moved." It paused as Estella's face clouded over, then added. "You're not going to cry, are you, popsicle?" "No, I've done too much of that already and it didn't change a thing." "It's a waste of energy, if you ask me." "And who are you?" "How refreshingly direct, I like that in a child." "You do?" asked an incredulous Estella. "Mm, it saves time." The creature grew thoughtful, staring intently at an elaborate knot in the wooden floorboards. "You haven't answered my question," Estella said impatiently. When she couldn't bear the silence any longer she added, "Time's ticking by, you know." "You can hear ticking? That's quite remarkable. There's not a clock in the house." "It's just an expression." "And here was me thinking it was a clock or, at the very least, a watch." Estella started to laugh. "Whoever you are, you're very funny." "Am I really? No one's ever said, 'You know what, Noel, you're an absolute hoot.'" "But you're a born comedian. I particularly like your choice of word, you being an owl." "There you go again. That's another word never used in connection with me." "Comedian?" Noel shook his head in a 'dear-oh-dear' sort of way. "No, silly! I meant, owl, of course." "This is all moving too fast for me. If, as you say, you're not an owl, then you must be a cat." "Gracious, no! Whatever made you think that?" Estella's frustration came to the boil. "I'm fed up trying to guess what you are. I've had about as much as I can take for one day and your mind games are the last straw." "I don't know what you mean," it replied with genuine innocence. "You know, you shouldn't get so worked-up, candy floss. It's a complete waste of time and energy, subjects we've already covered, so don't come crying to me when you fail your life skills exam because you weren't paying attention in class." Its tone softened. "Perhaps you'd like a glass of lemonade with your straw?" Estella was by now hopping up and down, ready to bash it square on the nose, something that wasn't about to happen unless she were to shin up the rope ladder which dropped on cue from the ceiling. It didn't of course, this being a true chronicle of events and not some load of fantastical tosh. "So you still haven't worked it out. You're going to kick yourself when I tell you." "Kick you, given half a chance," she muttered under her breath. "Do you give up?" "Yes," she said with weary resignation. "That's pathetic, cherry pie." "Oh, all right then. I'll have a stab at it." Estella sniggered at the silliness of what she was about to say. "You're a cowl, aren't you?" "Now you're talking. I'd heard you were as sharp as a tack, but I was beginning to lose faith." An amazed Estella looked the cowl right in the eye, even though it made her neck ache. "Are all cowls as annoying as you, Noel?" "That's a matter of perception, sugar cube. Let me ask you one question. Do you feel better than you did before we met?" A smile spread across her face which turned her earlobes pink. "There's your answer, honey bun. Now how's about that glass of lemonade? We could share it if you weren't down to your last straw." |
| More about Beyond the Hedge and Five Star reviews on Amazon UK |
Return to the Home Page |
| Where to get the book | Illustrator Johnny Milne |
| Mairi's Hopes and Dreams Branch | Buy Johnny Milne's illustrations |
| Mairi's portrait and favourite links | Contact Mairi@mairicraw.com |
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Mairi Craw's Literary Agent is Darin Jewell at the inspira group | Mairi's collection of Greeting Cards which feature many of the characters in Beyond the Hedge |