The Secret Invasion of Port Isabel (14 page)

There was a
noise.

‘Harry, are
you still awake?’ whispered Sally urgently.

‘Yes. Are you
alright?’

‘I thought I
heard something. It sounded like…’

‘…help?’ he
asked.

‘What if
they’re looking for us?’

Yes,
indeed!’

Harry rolled
face up, took a deep breath and yelled at the top of his voice:
‘Help! If you can hear me, we need help! It’s Harry Possum
and…’

There was a
commotion then ferocious barking. Teeth penetrated the sack and
tore at his face, instantly silencing him. He struggled desperately
to get free but it was useless, he was bound too tight. One of the
dogs pressed down on his chest making it impossible to breath.
Canine jaws tightened like a clamp until he knew there would be
bruising and blood. Still they tightened, puncturing and tearing.
The pain was now so unbearable he felt himself slipping from
consciousness, eyes filling with light.

‘Harry!’
yelled Sally desperately, as if from a great distance. ‘Harry!’

But Harry was
unable to reply. This was it, he thought; this was how it felt to
be eaten alive. Having now accepted the certainty of his fate, a
great calm descended upon him and he stopped struggling. Somehow he
didn’t seem to be attached to his body anymore.

As the dogs
mauled him he listened to the sound of flapping sails above and the
gentle slap of the boat’s hull clipping the swell. He listened to
the hiss of surf and his own heartbeat. He listened to his own
ragged breathing. He had so many unrealised hopes; so many
injustices he had failed to correct; so many questions left
unanswered; so many places he had failed to see; so many wrongs to
correct.

But despite
all this and the certainty of this fate, Harry found a bright orb
of hope shining warmly within; so bright that nothing else seemed
to matter; that this wasn’t the end but just another beginning;
that the greater adventure was yet to be had.

He was only
dimly aware when unconsciousness dragged him down to silent
oblivion.

TO BE
CONTINUED

Coming
Soon:

A GIRL CALLED
ADMIRAL FAIRWEATHER

Book 3 of THE
FAIRWEATHER CHRONICLES

###

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NOVELS

If you enjoyed this
book, may also enjoy reading:

Dinosaurs Eat Paris

The World Fair, Paris,
1889 (an alternate history)

Dinosaurs are the last
thing on Dante’s mind as his governess, Maria Schiaparelli, tucks
him in to bed with all the love and devotion of a mother. It’s a
warm night in Paris, the day before opening day. The day before
Dante’s papa, Professor Augusto Righi, Italy’s greatest
experimental physicist, will unveil his creation to the world: the
Finestra Temporale, a window into time. Then he’ll finally be able
to spend more time with his son, to talk to him, to explore the
Exposition with him; at least that’s what Dante wants. But things
don’t go according to plan, not at all. And it’s up to Dante to set
things straight, if he can, before it’s too late, before dinosaurs
eat Paris.

The Paris Exposition of
1889 boasts more than 20,000 international exhibits. The newly
opened Eiffel Tower is the most prominent attraction but the
life-sized portions of recreated towns and villages from other
cultures, like the Egyptian Bazaar and Cairo Street, are also
expected to draw huge crowds. Wonderful advances in science and
technology will be showcased, including ingenious new methods of
harnessing the motive forces of steam and electricity. Organisers
expect more than 20 million visitors over 6 months, all of them
human.

SHORT STORIES

If you enjoyed this
book, may also enjoy reading Mark’s short stories:

The Grateful Girl

Book I in the THIS IS
BETTER THAN THAT collection

A short story about
gratitude

Lucy’s parents never
said ‘no’, not once. They never asked her to work for anything, to
do any chores, to care for anything. So she had grown up
ungrateful, taking everything for granted. It wasn’t that she was
particularly selfish or unthinking; it was just that she didn’t
know any better. Then strange things started to happen.

Elsie and the Money
Tree

Book II in the THIS IS
BETTER THAN THAT collection

A short story about
charity

Elsie was the kind of
tender-hearted girl who would give away her lunch money to someone
more needy before she even got to school. Her parents had never
understood her and despite their best efforts were unable to make
her understand that money should never be given away and that it
was their own fault that poor people were poor. As everyone knows:
money doesn’t grow on trees…

Grandmother’s Ashes

Book III in the THIS IS
BETTER THAN THAT collection

A short story about
contentment

Emma wanted her little
brother’s birthday party to be so perfect that even her mum would
be proud. But despite her best efforts, everything was going wrong.
And soon twenty snotty-nosed four year olds and their parents would
arrive.

If only she had more
time.

My Daughter the Mind
Reader

Book IV in the THIS IS
BETTER THAN THAT collection

A short story about
conscience

I’d done my fair share
of thieving, such as any honest businessman did to get along. But a
bank robbery, that was a whole different level. My heart was
pounding when I woke Cassandra at midnight and dressed her in
black, because the plan hinged upon my little daughter’s
extraordinary abilities as much as it did her ignorance of what I
was about to do.

Sabina Octavius and the
Volcano

Book V in the THIS IS
BETTER THAN THAT collection

A short story about
possessions

‘What would you take if
Vesuvius erupted, what would you leave behind?’ Sabina’s teacher
asked. It was an interesting question because it made her think
about what was important. Her list was long at first. Then she
asked the slaves of House Octavius what they would bring if they
had to flee. The answer surprised her, and the reasons why. Their
sole purpose was to make her life comfortable but it seemed they
had thoughts and feelings, hopes and fears too, just like people.
The revelation threatened to turn her world upside down, just like
the rumbling volcano which rose above her family’s villa like a
wave.

When the Weather
Changed

Book VI in the THIS IS
BETTER THAN THAT collection

A short story about
motivation

It seemed obvious to
Ash that if you wanted to know the truth about something you should
ask people who actually knew, rather than people with no relevant
knowledge or experience. But grownups didn’t always see the
obvious, even when it was staring them in the face; even when the
swollen rivers flooded their banks and the heaving seas lifted all
but the biggest boats and smashed them on the rocks. But Ash knew
what was coming and wouldn’t be caught unprepared; and so did the
animals, which is why they came two by two.

I Smell Smoke

ON THE FAITH OF TREES,
Volume 1

A botanical fable about
the pursuit of truth

Reed’s brothers are
always arguing. One aspires to a life of faith, the other to a life
of reason built on the bedrock of scientific truth. She tries to
strike a balance but isn’t at all sure. Then there’s the mysterious
stranger who knows something’s that could change everything. Reed’s
time is almost up. What will she do?

The Artist

ON THE FAITH OF TREES,
Volume 2

A botanical fable about
faith and vision

Little Apple had a
dream his pragmatic brother couldn’t understand. As German bombs
rained down on London and shook the Earth to its mantle, he would
dare to bring something new and wonderful into the world, even
though it might cost him everything.

Blood Ties

ON THE FAITH OF TREES,
Volume 3

A botanical fable about
reconciliation

The girl guessed who
cut me and was determined to stop it happening again. She stood
between me and knife boy as she had stood between her fighting
friends, as a reconciler, an ambassador of peace. Her feet were as
unmovable as tap roots but I knew in my timbers it would be a close
thing. I didn’t want to die.

#

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Douglas Stafford’s
early years were spent building cubbyhouses, writing computer
software on some of the world’s first computers and blowing up
things in the garage.

After high school he
began with a teaching degree and finished with a business degree.
He established then sold his first business in 2005 after which he
embarked on a career in senior management, running various
technology companies in cutting-edge fields.

In all the chaos, he
somehow managed to find the million hours needed to write his first
two novels and crank out a raft of short stories about talking
mattresses and trees that grow money instead of leafs. Mark writes
particularly for the children’s and young-adult segment but his
highly imaginative and original stories are enjoyed by readers of
all ages.

He draws inspiration
from the fables of Gabriel García Márquez, Oscar Wild and Hector
Hugh Munro. As an aficionado of science fiction he is especially
fond of the classics, like Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Series which
harks back to a time when it was still fashionable to be optimistic
about the future.

He is excruciatingly
happily married and lives in the hills of northern Sydney,
Australia with his wife and four rambunctious children, all of whom
are fierce book critics; which helps.

Mark won 'Highly
Commended' in The Port Stephens Examiner Literature Awards 2013 for
his short story 'The Interview'.

Connect with the Author
Online

You can write to Mark
through his website or Facebook page.

Mark’s Facebook
page 
facebook.com/markdouglasstafford
 will keep you
abreast of all news, reviews, awards and publications. It also
distributes ebook promotional codes and discount vouchers. Use
these to download Mark’s ebooks from major online retailers at
discounted prices. Just click ‘like’ to stay informed.

Mark’s
website 
markdouglasstafford.com
 includes previews of
published and unpublished work.

Mark is also
a 
Goodreads
 author.