Callum and the Mountain by Alan McClure

Author:Alan McClure
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing
Published: 2019-07-17T00:00:00+00:00

Doubt

“Steven!” yells Callum in horror, scrambling down as close to the surging water as he dares. “STEEEVEENN!!” He daren’t even blink as he searches the restless surface of the waves, waiting for his friend to reappear, but with no luck. His stinging eyes are met only with the deep stares of the selkies, who still seem to be waiting. “STEEEE—” His third cry is interrupted by a wave which slaps him heartily across the chops. Coughing and spluttering, Callum claws his way back up the rock to wipe his eyes.

“Why do you not follow?”

Callum staggers to his feet, and there stands Things-of-Water, shining and refracting the spiralling drizzle and the heaving sea.

“He’ll drown!” gasps Callum, struggling to look at the strange being without feeling giddy. Things-of-Water rises and falls in front of him like a roiling wave in what Callum realises is laughter. The voice tinkles like icicles tumbling in a spring thaw.

“Believe, Callum Maxwell,” it says, and the voice is so full of merriment and life that Callum finds himself grinning excitedly.

“Och, what the heck, I’m soaked anyway!” he cries, and with that, he holds his nose and leaps out into the sea after his friend.

The shock of the freezing water as it closes over his head punches all the breath out of Callum’s body in a pluming silver mushroom of bubbles, and his first instinct is to struggle for the surface to gulp down some air. As he is about to do so, however, strong hands grasp his arms. It’s only then he realises his eyes are closed. He opens them in surprise and stares in awe at the sight that meets him.

Rather than the grey-blue blur he expects to see underwater, his vision is crystal clear, and the water glints and fractures around him in a symphony of silver. Right in front of him, holding his arms, is Steven, grinning silently from ear to ear, his clothes slowly rippled by invisible currents. Behind Steven, a host of selkies swirl and glide through the icy water. They swoop towards the boys at speed, only turning aside with an effortless twist of a flipper when they are close enough for Callum to be buffeted in their wake.

Deep, deep below them, Callum can see a sandy seafloor, criss-crossed by rocky reefs alive with starfish and sea urchins. Every surface dances with dividing diamonds of light that streak down from the restless surface above them. Without even realising he is doing it, Callum draws a deep, sucking breath, and the whole sea seems to surge through him, replacing his blood with icy brine, clearing his mind, clearing his vision, claiming him as its own.

“Isn’t it amazing?” Steven’s voice sounds inside Callum’s head, although his lips don’t move. Ah, so we’re psychic as well now, are we? thinks Callum, so far beyond surprise that it barely even registers when Steven replies, “Looks like it!”

Selkies appear at either side of the boys, and they realise they are being invited to follow. The boys

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