Shoebox Zoo
A Fan Fiction Series
Episode 1 - The Prophecy Continues
'In every generation dawns a most auspicious day,
the day when four elevens meet and Sleepers have their say,
the day to which the fickle sands of time and tide have run,
the day when fate and prophecy reveal the Chosen One...
...But when the clock does chime again, and hours and minutes pass,
the cogs will turn relentlessly behind the cloudy glass,
until the Dawn Queen's faithless hand shall open up the Book,
then death and darkness will descend on all who dare to look....
....but if the Book shall be no more,
the fate and prophecy will restore,
a New Life born from the wings of a dove,
shall finish this quest with the magic of love....
2016
River Dove had reached her 22nd Birthday. Her birthday is the 22nd day of the 11th month, at the time of 11.22pm and now she had turned 22. She wasn't going to celebrate her birthday in style, like her friends or boyfriend would. She was helping her dad on her 22nd birthday. Her dad is a builder, well, instead of building large buildings, he demolished large buildings. And out of all the days, out of all the months, a building was to be demolished on her 22nd birthday. She had no choice, she had to help her dad. They only had each other, she never knew her mother. Her mother died after she was born. She hasn't even got an image of her mother. River and her dad was now staying a while in Scotland, to visit one of her best friends who she had been writing too for nearly 11 years. Her friend Marnie, is the only closet friend she has. Of course, River has many other friends and her boyfriend, John, who she doesn't really trust very well, but she still likes him all the same.
At 11.22am on River's 22nd birthday, she had arranged her birthday gifts in her hotel room. River and her dad were staying for 11 weeks, whilst her dad can work and River could meet up with Marnie. They managed to secure a hotel room for the 11 weeks fortnately. River and her dad left the hotel to arrive at the building site. River, with her long brown hair, blue eyes and not very tall, didn't fit very well with the other buildiers, but she was doing this for her dad. The building site took place down a street that River found quite creepy, the building only had one shop included. The shop was all closed up and boarded and the buildiers were checking inside for anything that can be rescued from the demolishing. River took her place as she always does. Standing and watching at the building as it was demolished and helping with the tea and coffee. Demolishing buildings was a man's job her dad always said. But she still helped in any problems involved.
'River?'
'Yeah?'
Her dad took River over to the shop, where all sorts of items were scattered on the stairs.
'You don't mind doing a little thing for me?'
'Anything, I can do anything'
'Simon has had some difficulty getting some stuff out, can you lend him a hand? It's just I need to sign some forms.'
'That's fine. I can do that.'
'You sure, any problems just tell Simon or Alan ok?'
'Sure, Dad'
Her dad walked off down the street where a small group of people were gathering around. River walked up the steps trying not to stand on any of the items, there was so many items there, cages, books, all sorts of things. When she reached the broken in door, she started to feel very dizzy, like she was suffocating, she closed her eyes and tried to breathe slowly.
'You Alright?'
River jumped, opened her eyes to notice Simon standing on the other side of the door, watching her curiously.
'Nothing, it's fine. Just the dust, got in my eyes.'
River entered the shop, it was very dark and cobwebs surrounded the whole room.
'We nearly have everything out of here, but I think there's some items over their underneath that plank of wood. Shouldn't be too much trouble'
River looked around, taking everything in, she then noticed the plank of wood leaning over boxes of items.
'What was this shop of?
'Don't know...just looking at the items we already have, looks like junk to me'
'Junkshop then?'
'Maybe, never really seem to see a junkshop before, maybe never will again'
River and Simon walked over to the plank, River grabbed one side whilst Simon took the other side.
'1,2,3...'
River and Simon lifted the plank but it wouldn't budge.
'Must be trapped on something'
Simon was really curious
'Nah, it wouldn't be, it looks light. I might have a look if someone else is availiable, give us a hand. Just wait here Riv, won't be a minute.'
Simon left River by the plank of wood. River looked at the plank, how could something that looked so light be so heavy. River looked through the small cracks in the wood and noticed a shimmer of light through the cracks. She tried to look through the cracks closely, but still couldn't see what it was. River noticed that Simon hadn't returned. She thought she might give it another go. River held onto the plank and tried to move it instead of lift it. But suddenly, just by touching it, she managed to lift the plank off like a piece of paper, she lifted the plank and dropped it onto the floor. Dust spread around her and she started to cough, she waved the dust away and finally noticed what the light was. A small hole in the roof was shining down on a very unusual clock. The clock had very unusual patterns on each quarter of the clock. River took notice at the clock and noticed that the clock was above boxes and boxes of items. But one box stood out from all the rest. The box was smaller then the others, it looked more like the size of a shoebox. She went closer and grabbed the lid lifting it very slowly. Inside, she noticed 4 small figurines. A wolf, a bear, a snake and a eagle. All very very dirty, she took the wolf out of the box and looked at it. She could see the blue painting, she was so fasinated.
'If this was a junkshop, i wouldn't say this was junk'
River talked to herself very often.
'You are beautiful, aren't you?'
All of a sudden, the hole in the roof closed all by itself, leaving a pitch darkness in the shop. River looked up to see what had happened. The ground started to shake slightly, they couldn't have been demolishing yet, could they? She placed the wolf back in the box and closed the lid.
'Let me save you guys? Can't demolish you beauties.'
The ground started to shake even more, she grabbed the box and held it under her arm. The other boxes below started to tip over, but they were empty, all the other boxes. The boxes got in the way, and River had to step over each of them. The roof started to shake. She had to get out quick. She looked back at the clock, should she take that as well. She thought to herself, well it might be unique. She started to walk back the way she came to grab the clock. But then with a huge sudden shock, some of the roof crashed down onto the clock, the clock stumbled and landed smashing into many pieces. River had no choice, she had to leave now. She went back to the front door. The roof was starting to cave in, and nobody outside were realising that she was still in the shop. She held onto the shoebox and saw the front door.
'River!!! River? Are you in there?'
'Dad?'
River got closer to the door, when all of a sudden somebody was standing at the front door. She couldn't see their face.
'Dad?'
The person just stood there, didn't say a word. River arrived at the door, but the person wouldn't budge. She looked at the person, but still couldn't see his face. Could this be a ghost? Someone haunting this old junkshop? She pushed the person to try to leave, when as she pushed the person, the person vanished, she looked around, the shop was starting to demolish itself. She escaped out the front door and tripped on the stairs. The box left her hands and landed onto the road, spilling the creatures.
'River!!!'
Her dad ran over to River and managed to grab her in time. He lifted her up, she was very dizzy and she saw the shoebox of creatures and picked all of them up and placed them in the box. Her Dad and herself managed to leave in time. Just as they reached the group, the whole of the small building and the shop crashed down all by itself. River was stunned, a building crashing all by itself, the day it was meant to be demolished, and an unknown ghost which wouldn't let her escape at first, but eventually did.
Back at the hotel room, River was resting on her bed. She nearly got squashed when the building collapsed. She couldn't have a nap, her head was hurting. She managed to take the box with her. Her dad thought it was a good idea taking the unwanted items, if River wanted to keep them, her dad was going to let her so. As she couldn't sleep she wanted to take a little more of a look of her new figurines. She sat up and walked over to the desk where the box was perched. She sat down at the desk and opened up the lid and placed each creature out onto the desk. They were very dirty, so River went to the bathroom and found a clean towel, placed it under the tap and turned the hot tap on. She came back after drying the towel a little and started to clean each figurine until they shined. After 11 minutes, she had completed the cleaning, and looked at each creature.
'Good job River, now you guys are lovely and shining?'
She picked up the eagle and faced it to the mirror.
'See, now you're lovely and clean. No more dirt'
Knock Knock
River dropped the eagle onto the desk and went to the door. She looked through the peek hole to see her Dad standing and waiting. As she opened the door, her dad came in before she fully opened it.
'You alright? You had some rest?'
'Not too much, couldn't sleep. My head still hurts.'
'You were lucky, that building was a danger hazard, I shouldn't have taken you with me'
'I wanted to help'
'Yeah, and you nearly became part of the rumble. It's my fault, I didn't check up on you. I'm sorry'
'You don't have to be. I'm fine, I'm not under the shop I'm I, I'm here'
River hugged her dad tightly.
'I see, you've cleaned up your friends.'
'Aren't they wonderful?'
Her dad walked over to the desk and picked up her bear.
'Yes they are, very unique'
'Simon thought everything was just junk, but you never know what you can find in a junk shop'
'Very right....you should rest a bit more, you need some more colour in your cheeks'
'Ok, if you insist'
Her dad places the bear back on the desk. And walks back to the door.
'If you need anything, I should be back (looks at watch) ooh in about 2 hours..you be ok yeah?'
'Sure, Dad. I will eventually fall asleep'
Her dad left the room and closed the door. River sat back on the bed and looked at the animals on the desk.
'You are very lucky you didn't get squashed either'
River rested her head on the pillow and started to close her eyes. She didn't want to look too weak, she was meeting up with Marnie tomorrow.
What a funny day, she thought, she didn't even mention to her dad about the shadow man by the door. But she was just too tired to mention all that now, she'll mention it another day. She turned to her side and started to doze off. Her eyes started to glitch. She could see a dark cloud in her mind. She started to shake....
'River......
'River......
Someone was calling to her, from far away. So quiet.........
'River...........
All of a sudden she sat up very quickly, wide awake and looked over to the desk at the mirror where an old man with a cloak was looking at her.
River screamed.....
NEXT TIME ON SHOEBOX ZOO
'Who are you?'
'I am the great wizard Michael Scot'
'Please tell me what is happening'
'I have woken!!!!'
In time, River was going to bring them back from the dead.
SHOEBOX ZOO COPYRIGHT BBC
THIS IS JUST A FAN FICTION STORY
COPYRIGHT KAREN SAMWAYS
