Simon Goes to Spain

J Avey E

Description

Simon's idea of a great holiday is not spent with his dad and step-mum. However, when Simon's dad invites the rather-odd Demarion Diaz from two doors down, to a BBQ, he discovers his family isn't all that average, and he has an ability to handle emotive situations better than most. Simon's analytical skills in times of distress and his gifted intellect in mathematics and science help him to thwart Demarion's plan to brainwash the world's population into giving him their money. Simon Goes to Spain is the first in a series of books, where Simon learns more about himself and others and saves the world.

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 31 janvier 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528944502
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Simon Goes to Spain
E J Avey
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-01-31
Simon Goes to Spain About the Author Dedication Copyright Information Acknowledgements Somewhere off the Coast of Costa Blanca Demarion’s Lair Demarion’s Take Over Begins The Plan to Escape Snooping Around The Great Escape Who Will Believe Us? Breaking Back In! Finally, the Rescue Team The Family Holiday Continued
About the Author
E J Avey has worked with children with autism and their families over many years. The families of children with autism are often seen as being the cause of their child’s behaviours, where, in fact, they are just like any other family – trying to make the best life possible for their children. In her experience, she has found that the more understood the disorder is, the less stigma there is attached to those with this condition and their families. The Simon Goes To series is written with some of E J Avey’s favourite authors in mind, Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton, and gives a fun expression of her creativity.
Dedication
To my wonderful husband, Peter, who never gave up on me; and my beautiful, crazy family who gave me the inspiration to write this series.
Copyright Information
Copyright © E J Avey (2019)
The right of E J Avey to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781788786997 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781788787000 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781528944502 (E-Book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Austin Macauley, for believing in my book.
Somewhere off the Coast of Costa Blanca

Simon fluttered his eyelids, his head hurt and he felt stiff. It was dark when he opened his eyes. He couldn’t remember where he was or why his dad, step-mum and brothers were asleep on the ground with him? He attempted to scratch his nose and discovered his hands were fastened.
He took another look around; where was he? It was obviously not home, the room was furnished like a laboratory and he and his family were all sitting, rather uncomfortably, on a concrete floor. No windows and one door.
Despite pins and needles in his legs, he managed to stand up and bring them back to life. He walked around the laboratory, which after initial inspection was being used more as a storage room than a lab. The door was locked.
He sat back down, watching his family sleep and played back the events of the past few days.
His family had left their home in Kent, England to go on summer holidays to their villa in Torrevieja. They had the usual issues with everyone in the car; his dad, Peter; step-mum, Ella; brother, Stuart, and step-brother, Brandon, along with their suitcases. They were stuck in traffic on the motorway and he must have been anxious as he recalled the formula for calculating flow which he used to help himself remain calm whilst they sat behind a long line of stationary vehicles.

“Do you realise if you use Greenshields equation and free flow speed of 57.5mph, the jam density is 125 vehicles per minute. Meaning that the flow per minute is 0.46 vehicles and the speed is then 28.75mph, which is roughly what we are doing at the moment,” he said.
“Well, that doesn’t get us out of this mess, does it Einstein?” Brandon quipped, rolling his dark eyes at Simon.

And then he recalled his parents discussing the merits of the London motorway system.

“Is it possible in this day and age to be stationary on a major ring road? A road that can be seen from space by satellites? Surely, there is an alternate route?” Ella asked.
“What are you talking about?” Peter snapped. “This isn’t some hick town in the southern hemisphere. This is London, with a population greater than the whole of Australia. The place you keep referring all possible knowledge to. Yes, it is possible to be stuck in the middle of a three-lane ring road!”

Simon remembered getting the plane which was, fortunately, also running late. And then arriving at the villa.
He looked around again, this was not the villa. Not even the garage in the villa.
He began to recall their first day at the villa, he had floated around in the pool on the blow up ring as Ella, dark hair piled up and sunglasses on, read a book on the sun lounger and his dad… Now that was odd, his dad had gotten up and walked down the street. He returned in a short while. Was that yesterday?
Then Simon remembered what had happened the next day. The pool. Stuart, his blonde hair dipping in and out of the water, playing water polo with Brandon whilst Simon tried to avoid being hit by the ball. Ella on the sun lounger, reading. Dad, now what was he doing? Smoke!
That’s right! Dad was trying to start the BBQ, he had asked the neighbours down the street to come and Dad was having trouble to get it started. Ella was in the kitchen, complaining that he had asked someone to dinner on their second night of holidays. It always takes three days for Ella and Dad to relax when they go away.
Dad, in t-shirt, cargo shorts and face already tanned, was trying to light the BBQ with palm fronds. Despite going to Carrefour with a shopping list, he had still forgotten to buy firelighters; that was why there was smoke. Simon remembered telling his dad what the odds of this were.

“You know according to the rules of probability you should only forget once out of three events,” Simon said to his hot and bothered father. “However, your human error rating is 100%!” he added as he calmly walked away.

Suddenly Simon heard footsteps approaching the locked door. He held his breath and listened to the muffled voices, unable to hear what was being said. Who were they? Why were they holding his family captive?
Then he remembered the neighbours. Dad had invited them to the BBQ. They were three very large men dressed in black.

“Hola, my name is Demarion,” one of them said with a flourish and a flash of shiny white teeth resembling tombstones that appeared to be attempting to escape from his mouth. He was a large man with pleasing features, apart from his bulbous nose and a mouthful and more, of teeth. He was dressed in trousers, shirt and jacket, not holiday attire, at all.

Demarion? The name is familiar , Simon thought and then remembered the news report on the radio as they sat in traffic on the way to the airport.

“Listen to that,” his dad had commented, “that crazy man, Demarion Diaz has been booted out of the Spanish Ministry! It is about time too.”
They listened to the radio announcement, “The Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness have sacked Demarion Diaz stating he is being investigated for possible fraud. Political analysts believe this is due to allegations of misconduct and racketeering. These accusations will be tried at the Supreme Court of Spain.”
“Ooh, I wonder what happened,” Ella mused.
The radio announcer continued, as if to answer Ella’s question, “It is alleged that Government funds have been syphoned into a private bank account in the name of Demarion Diaz.”

Everyone thought he was just someone enjoying a summer holiday at a villa two doors down from them. Simon recollected the fateful first meeting.

“Hi, my name is Peter. And this is my wife, Ella,” Dad said, leaving his smoking BBQ for a moment, “I’m lighting the BBQ, go ahead and have some nibbles while we get the meal ready.”
Dad stretched his hand out to shake hands but the two large men with Demarion didn’t respond. They were like gorillas, chests like beer barrels and arms as thick as tree trunks. Each had a square jaw and reflective sunglasses on so when you spoke to them you could see your reflection.
“I hope you don’t mind, I brought some friends with me, they are staying at my villa?” Demarion asked then looked over to the smouldering BBQ.
“No, of course not, there should be enough food for everyone,” Peter replied. “Boys, come and meet our guests,” he said to the boys splashing in the pool.
“These are our boys, Brandon, Stuart and Simon. Simon has autism.”
Simon was used to being introduced along with his autism, it meant that he didn’t have anything to prove.
“And so how are you feeling now, S I M O N?” Demarion asked a little too loudly and slowly.

It was shortly after this that it happened, Simon remembered vividly now.
Dad had decided to splash a little lighter fluid on the smoking palm fronds and suddenly there was a huge explosion.

Ella ran to the kitchen window, “Peter, Peter are you okay?” she called.
Immediately, Demarion’s ‘friends’ had grabbed Dad, wrestling him to the ground. Simon, Brandon and Stuart came running out hearing the explosion and freezing at the sight of the men and their dad.