Children's Story

Callie's New Friend (cont)

Western Bay citizens woke to a bright, sunny morning with not a cloud to be seen. Birds in the trees sang happily. Seagulls swooped over the beach looking for food.


Callie Shaw opened her bedroom window to let in the morning sun ane the cool breeze. Taking a few deep breaths Callie looked toward the beach, which she did each morning. Her view was blocked. Instead of the view of the beach there stood a ship with torn sails fluttering in the gentle breeze. Rubbing her eyes with both hands, Callie opened them again to see the wrecked ship still blocked her view.

'Dad! Dad!' cried Callie, as she raced from her bedroom. 'There's a ship on the shore.' She found her father in the kitchen. 'There's a ship wreck on the beach.'

Tom Shaw looked at his daughter with disbelief in his eyes. No sip would come close to their beach. The water was too shallow for large ships.

'Come on, Dad!' Callie grabbed her father by the hand to pull him from his chair. 'Come on. We might find some treasure.'

Tom let Callie drag him from the kitchen to the front door of th family home. Swinging open the door, Callie pointed to where the ship had come to rest. 'Look Dad! It's not a dream. The ship is real.' Tom blinked a couple of times but the ship was there when he opened his eyes.

'Go ring the bell,' said her father, the bell which had stood on the same place for many years to warn the citizens of danger. 'I'll go down to the beach.'

Callie ran down the street to where the warning bell was housed. Rushing up the rungs of the ladder, Callie began to swing on the rope of the bell. She had never been given permission to ring the bell in the past. Ten yearolds were told never to go near the bell as it was not a toy.

Hanging on tight to the rope, Callie stepped from the ladder to dangle from the rope to have more weight to swing the heavy bell. Her night gown fluttering against her body as the wind blew in from across the sea.

'What a confounded racket,' complained Captain Forsythe. 'Who could be trying to wake the dead?' He lifted his arms to be able to cover his ears with his hands. The captain kept walking until he reached the sorce of the noise.

He reached up to grab Callie around the waist with one arm and prised her hands from the rope with the other, before gently placing her on her feet on the ground.

'What did you do that for, Mister. I was told to ring the bell.'

'Why do you need to make so much noise? barked Captain Forsyth.

'To warn the citizens they are needed. There's a ship wreck on the beach. Some of the crew may need help.'

'Ohhh! My beautiful ship. What happened to it?' cried Captain Forsyth, when he turned to face the beach.

'Your ship? Why aren't you down there helping? Where are all the crew?'

"I've been searching but I can't find them. Have been tryng to sail the ship on my own since we were hit by angry waves, and howling winds. This is the first time I have come across land.'

'Who are you?'

'Captain Belamay Forsyth, at your service, Miss.' The captain took the hat from his head and bent at the waist as he held out a hand toward Callie.

'Captain? Why can't I feel your hand?'

'Try again.' Callie reached out for his hand but couldn't touch it. She pushed a finger to his chest and her hand passed through his body.

(To be continued.)