The Adventures of Luke Baxter

Chapter 1: Life Begins to Change

Yesterday was the craziest day of my life. Never before have I witnessed what I witnessed then. However, before we get into all that, let me start from the beginning.

My name is Luke Baxter, I'm twelve years old, and live with my mother in Huntington, Cheshire. I lost my father at a young age through a violent conflict – although I'm told he was exceptionally noble and kind-hearted. I have no siblings, even though my mum tried for others; she calls me her "miracle".

Fortunately for me, my best friends Bryce Davis and Autumn Greene (who are also twelve) both live about a five-minute walk from me, so we get to meet up all the time and go for walks around our town.

Now, let me tell you about yesterday. I was out walking with Bryce and Autumn on one of our customary walks. It was late in the evening and the sun had begun to set. Dusk was fast approaching.

Suddenly, we stumbled across something quite astonishing. Right there, in a place we had visited on countless occasions, there was an ominous cave, with frightening screeches resonating out of it.

Bryce (the most foolish of the three of us) stepped forward, and he shouted loudly down the dark cave despite Autumn telling him to "shut it".

After Bryce's echo, there was silence. We were just about to step foot in the cave...

Then, boom,ferociousfire gushed out of the mud-spattered earth trapping all three of us in the middle of a circle-like shape.

Frightened, petrified and stiff, I couldn't move. The fire was closing in on us. "This is it" I remember thinking, death by fire. I couldn't bear leaving my mum after all she had been through.

Then something miraculous happened. Something that changed my life and the world as we know it.

A loud roar caused the flames to vaporize, leaving Bryce, Autumn and I shell-shocked. However, this feeling was nothing compared to what we felt when was saw what was standing in front of us.

Staring dangerously at us was a tall, broad male figure, shooting water out of his crystal-blue eyes. Very much to my surprise, he had fins where his arms should've been, and where his legs should've been there was a fishtail. After he put out the last of the flames he turned to face us.

"The names Glaucus", he said, with a booming voice. "God of the sea. You kids should know better than to wander around foolishly late at night, especially in an area such as this".

Shaking to the core, I managed to ask feebly: "what exactly do you mean in an area such as this?"

He looked at me wildly. I felt his eyes penetrating deep into my soul.

"Ah, young Luke." My heart was racing, not once had I mentioned my name. I began to assume he must've heard Bryce or Autumn saying it. "In your town, there are dangerous forces at work. Supernatural forces are attempting to co-exist with the mere mortals, and this puts you three in extreme danger. You must promise me that none of you will ever return". He even threatened to wipe our memories, although I assumed he was just bluffing as this was surely impossible.

Without hesitation, the three of us nodded our heads and promised Glaucus that we would never return to this spot.

In a sudden burst of light, Glaucus vanished, without leaving so much as a trace.

On the walk home, we were silent. Bryce looked over his shoulder and said to the slow-walking Autumn and me, "let's return tomorrow". Questioning his sanity, Autumn and I gave him a stern look as we wondered what lay in the hand of the Fates.