Book 1 Chapter 2

This is the second chapter of my first book. If you got here from the Read and Review feature, the first chapter is here ("Book 1 Chapter 1" ). If you can't be bothered, I won't give you a summary, but I will let you read the disclamer:

This is the second chapter of a book I'm writing on Google Docs, which I've decided to transfer here. I hope to upload the rest of the chapters, but It's reliant on me getting enough GP to temporarily afford a paid membership. (Because of the 10-item limit on free accounts) And of course, my own personal interest in the project. The book also needs a title, so in addition to feedback on my writing quality, I would also appreciate title ideas. For the sake of ever making progress, I will not be changing, updating, or in any way editing the content of any chapter I post until the book concludes, but any feedback will be incorporated into future chapters.

No edits also mean no adding a link to the next chapter, so you'll have to check my portfolio. Also, Book 1 is my placeholder name, and doesn't necessarily mean I'll be making a series. anyway, on to the chapter!


As it turned out, the first thing the morning brought was a thick fog coating the entire countryside, although it gradually thinned as the morning went on. When he felt sure the fog wasn’t thick enough to be dangerous, He guided the two fishermen back to the water and then extinguished the lantern. The Crackern’s layout was unlike any he’d seen before, and he was almost as excited by the prospect of discovering something among those rocks as he was exhausted from the long night.

When he made his way to his bedroom, though, he was reminded of the other thing that had happened the night before. He could hear the woman - Anna - moving around in the apprentice bedroom. She pushed the door open and run-walked towards the stairs. As she passed him, she said, “Thanks for letting me stay overnight. I’ll get myself out of your hair now.”

“Not so fast.” Elias said, moving to block the staircase down. “Last night, you were lying when you said you were here because of a shipwreck.”

“No, I wasn’t,” she replied, trying to slip past him.

“Yes, you were, and I’ll tell you how I know. Ten miles north of here is the town of Axa. Twenty miles south is Jagon, which has its lighthouse. So there’s about a fifteen-mile range where it makes sense for you to head towards this lighthouse. In that fifteen-mile range, the only place there’s any chance of a shipwreck is here, in the Crackern. So, during a storm, I stand at the top of the lighthouse and keep watch so I can guide anyone in danger to safety. So now that you know I’ve caught your lie, care to tell me the true story?”

“A shipwreck really is the reason why I’m here,” she whispered. “Just not in the way you think.”

“Well, then, how about this. We head down to the dining room, I make us both some tea, and you tell the whole story. Then, I’ll pack you a lunch and send you on your way.” He offered.

She nodded, then followed him downstairs to the dining room, which doubled as a small kitchen. After putting a pot of water on to boil, Elias sat in one of the chairs and motioned for her to do the same.

“The sooner you start, the sooner you get to leave.”

She sat down and fiddled with the pendant hanging from her necklace - which he hadn’t noticed before. After a few minutes, she began to talk.

“For the last few weeks, I've been trying to stay on the move. Avoid spending too many days in the same town. Yesterday, when I woke up for what was supposed to be my last day in Jagon. I had arranged a ride on a shipping vessel called ‘Le Maria’ that would leave that evening.

Sometime during the afternoon, I got the news that the Le Maria had run aground the day before and was undergoing repairs. They told me it wouldn’t be operational for a week. When I heard that I - What are you doing?”

“Making tea, like I told you,” Elias said, walking over to the cupboards. Opening them, he retrieved two ceramic teacups and a ladle, which he used to fill the teacups with water. “Carry on with the story. It sounds interesting.”

“Well,” she continued, “When I heard that the Le Maria was delayed, I arranged transport on a merchant ship heading to Axa to buy fish. But about an hour in, they pulled ashore to avoid the storm. We were only a few miles away from Jagon, and I’d already spent too long there, so I decided to continue on foot.”

“Sounds like you're on the run from something,” he remarked, then noticing the stricken look on her face said, “Don’t worry. I won’t pry more than I already have. Care for tea? No? Then we’ll get you going, and I’ll take mine later.”

They went downstairs, where he packed a half a loaf of bread, a chunk of cheese, and a strip of smoked ham into a bag, which he handed to her. He wished her luck on whatever it was she was doing, opened the door, and found himself looking at what can only be described as a wall of fog.