The Shiver Stone by Sharon Tregenza Read Free Book Online

said to Jago.
    She turned to me. ‘Tell you what, I’ll give your dad a ring later and find out a bit more. You just leave it with me.’
    The young police officer turned to his boss. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down furiously. ‘One day, ma’am,’ he said, ‘he’s only been gone one day.’
    â€˜I said leave this with me,’ she said, sternly.
    There was nothing else we could do so we left.
    We trudged through warm sand, dodging beach balls, running kids and people carrying ice creams from the van parked near the water’s edge. The sun shone bright and hot and the beach was crowded.
    â€˜Keep going,’ I said. ‘When we get around that headland it’ll be much quieter and we should have the place to ourselves.’
    Jago grumbled, but it was worth the hike and the scramble up and over hot boulders.
    The entrance to the cave was dark and cool and the water-washed pebbles gleamed. It’s a secret place tucked into a corner of the cliffs and hidden from the main beach when the tide is in. The sea rushed and gushed and formed a deep gulley between the cave and the rocks.
    Directly above, the Shiver Stone stands, looking proudly out over Carmarthen Bay.
    Dad brought me here all the time when I was a small kid. It was our secret place. Not many visitors bothered to make the climb, not when they had lovely sandy beaches within easy reach.
    â€˜Now, watch this,’ I said. I pulled off my t-shirt and shorts and kicked off my flip-flops. Adjusting the straps of my swimming costume, I took a deep breath and began to climb.
    Small flint stones dug into my feet as I clambered up to the ledge on the cliff below the Shiver Stone.
    A gull screeched a warning before launching off its perch into the clear blue sky. Below me the sea glittered in shades of green. A strong breeze whipped my hair around my face.
    â€˜Can you see me?’ I hollered down to Jago.
    He waved, shielding his eyes from the sun with his other hand.
    â€˜Ready?’
    As always, I heard Dad’s voice in my mind.
    Bend your knees.
    Extend your arms above your head, overlap your hands and lock your thumbs together.
    Keep your arms pressed tight against your ears.
    Bend at the waist.
    Jump!
    And with a shriek of, ‘Woooohoooo,’ I dived off the cliff.
    I felt the wild rush of air before…
    â€¦the ice-cold impact of the sea.
    And then, the slice through and down into the silence and up again to bubble-burst through the surface into the warmth and noise and light.
    I laughed out loud and I swam in short, strong strokes to where Jago stood open mouthed on the rocks.
    â€˜Awesome,’ he said.
    He looked funny in his red swimming trunks – too thin and too white. He’d threaded a shell into his long hair and I wasn’t sure if it looked cool or stupid so I didn’t mention it.
    I stumbled towards him across the pebbles. ‘Ow. Ouch. Ow! Take a video of me on your mobile, will you? I want to check something.’
    â€˜I haven’t got a mobile.’
    â€˜No mobile?’
    â€˜They fry your brains.’
    â€˜That’s what your dad says.’
    Jago smiled, and I could see he was pleased he had something in common with his father.
    â€˜You look a lot like him, too,’ I added and the smile turned into a huge grin.
    â€˜Here. Use my phone. Press this button to focus.’
    â€˜You’re going to do it again?’
    â€˜Yeah, I wasn’t too happy with my entry that time,’ I lied.
    The truth was I knew I was good. I was in the school diving team and had competed for Pembrokeshire. I’d won a load of trophies and medals too. Yes, I knew I was good and I liked people to see just how good.
    Jago videoed my next three dives but he was getting bored. The funny little hammer came out and he put on the goggles which made him look a real nerd.
    I wondered what my friend, Becca, would make of him.
    He tapped at the cliff face and mumbled