Portsmouth Coast, England.
The strong winds lifted the sand and hurled it so viciously into his face that he could feel each tiny grain tearing into his flesh. Together with the salty sea and lashing rain, every millimetre of exposed skin felt like it was being attacked by a swarm of bees. The rain whipped his face and washed the sand downwards from his eyes and into his unkempt ginger beard. Yet still he managed a satisfied grin.
For William Tawnie, it was as though all his dreams of being wealthy had come to him in one instant.
With wind, waves, sand and rain slashing and almost ripping the clothes from his body he laughed. The rain couldn't dampen his high spirits; his brown eyes on fire with excitement. Falling to his knees he touched the statue, first gingerly and then a stronger grip; a possessive grip. This was his. This was going to make him rich beyond his wildest dreams.
William shut his eyes until they were only tiny thin slits, just able to see his route to the cave.
“Not far now my beauty.” he said, dragging the statue across the sand towards the cave. It made two deep ruts in the wet sand, about 10cms apart where the talons of the metal object dug into the wet sand.
How fortunate he was, the Spanish ship lay battered and all crew on board lost, the majority of the treasures removed from the ship the night previously. It was only by chance that while waiting for his two ‘partners' on the cliff top early that morning, he had seen the wooden chest, watched it hit the rocks and smash open, revealing its contents. The rough and forceful tide had pushed it nearer to shore and he was able to drag it from the beach before anyone else could see him. For the last thirty years he had dreamed of this moment, dreamed of being somebody, someone. Now he would have enough money to live with his child in luxury for the rest of their lives.
“What you got there, William?” a voice cried from the cave. “Best get up top before the tide catches you!”
William waved. He cursed himself for being so stupid. In his excitement he'd dashed down to the beach, totally forgetting the men he'd been waiting for. There was no way he was going to share this find.
The Curse of Sea Shell Cave on Amazon US
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