The Chronicles of Dylan McFinn

The River Chaos - that was not always its name - is the lifeblood of Maloto: ancient, mystical, a gateway to the heart of the island and to the past... The air felt quiet and still, as the river babbled gently over the rocks. A young warrior approached from the darkness of the Forest of Shadows and tentatively moved closer to the water’s edge. He knelt, placed his sword on the rocks by his feet, and cupped his hand into the river, scooping up a handful of cold water and drawing it to his mouth.

Dylan sat gazing out of his classroom window, waiting for the bell to ring. He was watching seahorses playing in the reeds of sea kelp swaying in the gentle current…and not paying any attention at all to the math lesson that was continuing outside of his daydream. “Pssst … psst,” Dylan heard behind him. Murdoch passed a note forward. Dylan quickly grabbed it and opened it under his desk without Mrs Pike-Teeth seeing it. It read, "Happy birthday Bubble Boy!”