Calling

Bates Penny

Description

Anna and her mum Kate have moved into Dragon House - a large, decrepit old ruin. Kate is planning some major renovations to the house - then she'll sell it on. But some locals seem to have other ideas. Can the house be calling them back?Part of the new Fresh Shades series, this book is exciting and fast-paced, keeping within the style of the Shades 2.0 series. It is perfect for reluctant teens who still want an exciting, unpatronising read that is relevant to their interests and concerns, but who don't want to read a longer novel. With a length of only 6,000 words, and filled with drama, this story will appeal to all reluctant teen readers.

Informations

• Publié par: Ransom Publishing Limited
• Date de parution: 28 août 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781781276495
• Langue: English

Extrait

“ ‘Your mother’s a silly woman!’ said the voice behind the gate. ‘There’s more to life than making money. And there’s more to death, too!’
Anna shivered in spite of the early morning sunshine.
‘Tell that mother of yours she’s playing with fire,’ the old woman said, gripping the gate with strong, bony hands. ‘This building work must not start. Tell her that Grace Palmer said so!’ ”

CONTENTS

Title Page One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen More Shades 2.0 titles Copyright
ONE
Dragon House blinked open its shutters in the breeze and sighed deeply. Sunshine smiled on its gloomy face. The cracked windows frowned back. The roof sagged as light crept over the broken tiles.
At eight o’clock in the morning, the boiler belched and the radiators spat out heat into the empty rooms. An icy chill slid down the stairs. The walls shivered as they clung to their blanket of paint. Pale yellow, painted blue then washed over with grey. Now the colour was slimy green with spots of mould.
The house had seen many people come and go. Once there were babies for the house to care for. Families had been and gone. There were farm workers and gardeners. Teachers and nurses followed cooks and cleaners. The house looked after them all, as their lives grew busy and time slipped away.
Dragon House had been lived in and loved for a hundred years. It stood on top of a hill surrounded by fields. Today there were sheep in the fields and daffodils spilling through the gate, as there had always been.
There were birds in the old apple tree and tadpoles in the pond. A cat sat in a patch of sunlight watching the fish. Some things had never changed, like the house itself.
No one ever wanted to alter the windows at Dragon House, or knock down walls. No one ever talked about building extra rooms, and the house was glad.
The people who lived in Dragon House loved the place just as it was, like the old woman who had lived there for the last twenty years. She lived and died there peacefully, as she always wanted.
‘This house has lived and breathed for a hundred years,’ Grace Palmer told visitors. ‘If you listen carefully, you’ll hear its heartbeat.’