Uprising Read online

  Uprising

  Girl Across Time, Volume 1

  Dai Pryce

  Published by Ddraig Goch, 2022.

  While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

  UPRISING

  First edition. May 31, 2022.

  Copyright © 2022 Dai Pryce.

  ISBN: 979-8201338169

  Written by Dai Pryce.

  Also by Dai Pryce

  Girl Across Time

  Uprising

  Uncivil Times

  Empire's Edge

  Watch for more at Dai Pryce’s site.

  To my mum and dad who were always there for me, constantly encouraging my inquiring mind. Much missed and forever in my heart.

  Uprising

  Girl Across Time — Book 1

  By

  Dai Pryce

  Copyright © 2022 by David MacCallum-Price For sound files to help with the pronunciation of Welsh names, plus lots of other useful information, please head over to www.wales2america.com.

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from David MacCallum-Price.

  All artwork by David MacCallum-Price

  www.stripephoto.com

  “Nothing is as far away as one minute ago.” — Jim Bishop

  CHAPTER 1 - A New Start

  Flint, North Wales — Present-day

  Megan eyed the plate piled high with food and prodded the suspicious looking black item with her knife.

  "Gran; the black stuff, is that . . ."

  "Black pudding, yes. "

  Megan stifled a groan, wondering why anybody would want to eat something made from pig’s blood.

  "Just some cereal and a cup of coffee is fine, gran. That’s all I usually have back home in Virginia Beach."

  "Nonsense love, you need some proper sustenance for the day. We can’t have you starting your first day at school on an empty stomach now, can we? What would your mother say?"

  "She wouldn’t care. She couldn’t wait to get rid of me."

  "Now you know that’s not true love." She is just doing what she thinks is for the best, after, you know . . . "

  "My dad got killed in Afghanistan and I ’went off the rails’, as she likes to put it."

  Her gran gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Try and eat something love."

  Megan pierced a sausage and jabbed it into one of the sunny-side-up eggs as the phone shrilled.

  Her gran tutted. "Who can that be calling so early in the morning? Can you get that for me please love?"

  "Sure gran." With a clatter of fork prong against ceramic, Megan dropped the uneaten sausage onto the plate and traipsed into the front room. She couldn’t think of one other person apart from her gran that actually still used a landline. She didn’t even own a cellphone.

  Putting the plastic receiver to her right ear she said, "Hello."

  "Is that you Megan?"

  "Oh, hey mom."

  "You sound tired, honey. Did you not sleep well?"

  "Not really, no.”

  "What’s wrong? Not coming down with something are you?”

  "No, I’m not. I’m guessing it was due to my excitement about going to this new school where I won’t know anyone, and I’m sure they’ll all make fun of my accent."

  She sighed. "We’ve been through this a dozen times. You’ll be fine. You were popular at your old school here in VB."

  Megan grunted, wondering where her mom had got that idea from.

  "Today should have been my first as a sophomore at Salem High. You know, where my friends are. Instead, here I am, brand-new school in a totally different country."

  "Friends? You mean Joanne Fredricks, and what’s her name?"

  "Raquel? " Megan offered.

  "Yes, that’s right, Raquel Davis. The friends you’ve been skipping class and drinking with. I’ve heard other stories about Miss Davis as well. What she gets up to with boys. And she's only sixteen, like you."

  "Really, mom? And I only got drunk that one time. You know, the day after dad’s funeral."

  Not that she would admit it out loud, but Megan had to concede her mom had a point about Raquel. She was kinda slutty.

  "And anyway, we're not super close, we just hang out once in a while."

  "That's as may be, but what about that joint?"

  Megan sighed. "Oh my God, mom. I’ve told you like about a thousand times, that wasn’t mine."

  "So, how did it end up in your jacket pocket then?"

  "I don’t know, someone must have put it there. I still can’t believe that’s one of the reasons you’ve abandoned me and shipped me off to Wales."

  "Don’t me melodramatic Megan. In any case, I thought you liked it there, you loved all the castles and stuff when the three of us visited that time. And anyway, it won’t be for long, maybe a few months. It’s not been easy for me either you know, with your father dying."

  "I know mom. Look, I have to go, otherwise I’ll be late for school."

  "Good luck honey. Oh, and make sure you behave for your gran. Love you."

  "Love you too, mom,” Megan murmured.

  She replaced the receiver and wandered back into the kitchen, scooping up her backpack from the floor.

  "How was your mother, dear?"

  Megan shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

  "I know she misses you. She’s only doing what she thinks is for the best. Though, I’m sure you’d rather be back in Virginia than stuck with an old fuddy duddy like me."

  Megan smiled and hugged her. "You know I love you gran. But I have to go, otherwise I’ll be late."

  Her gran frowned. "You’ve hardly touched your breakfast."

  Megan reached over and grabbed a slice of toast. When she turned, she found a blue bank note being pressed into her hand. "For your lunch love."

  "That’s too much gran, but thanks. See you later."

  Megan opened the back door, scooted through the yard, and unlatched the back gate. She set off at a quick walk. Thanks to the call from her mom, she was running late.

  ♛

  Megan shot a half-smile at the blonde girl sitting on the chair outside the office, took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

  A muffled voice said, "Come in."

  Megan opened the door and shuffled in.

  "The lady in the office said I should come and see you, Mister Simpson."

  The man behind the desk finished scribbling on a piece of paper and looked up. "Ah, you must be Megan."

  He glanced at a clock hanging on the wall. The longer of the two hands clicked over to the number five.

  "And you are late on your first day with us. Not a great start."

  "No, sorry sir. My mom called this morning to wish me good luck just as I was about to leave. She got to talking, even though its super early back in Virginia, and . . . "

  He held up a hand.

  "Yes, yes, I'm sure it's a big adjustment, so we'll let it slip this one time. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

  Megan nodded. "Yes, sir."

  "Ask the girl sitting outside to come in, would you?"

  Megan opened the door and popped her head around it.

  "Mister Simpson says you are to come in."

  She followed Megan into the office, closing the door behind her.

  "Alison, this is Megan. She is starting today, and as you share several classes, I'd like you to show her around."

  He glanced at the clock again, snatched up a piece of paper from his desk and scribbled something on it.

  "As you're already late, give this to Mister Evans." He folded up the paper and handed it to Alison.

  "Now, off you pop. I’ll see you again last period Megan. You have geography with me."

  Megan dutifully trailed after Alison out of the office.

  "You're not from around here are you?" she asked as they walked along the hallway.

  Megan chuckled. "How did you guess?"

  "Well, your accent."

  "You don’t say?"

  Alison frowned at her.

  "Sorry, I can be a bit sarcastic at times. So, what's it like?"

  "What's what like?"

  "You know, the school."

  She shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

  "Anyone I should be wary of?"

  "How do you mean?"

  "Any mean girls, any boys that fancy themselves as players?"

  "Players?"

  Adopting a poor imitation of a gangsta rap voice, Megan replied. "You know, players."

  Alison giggled. "Well, Ben Davies fancies himself full stop."

  "What about girls?"

  "Who fancy themselves?"

  "No, are there any I should be wary of?"

  She shrugged. "I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Tanya Jones. Mind you neither would most of the boys, except for Jimmy Thomas. He's the hardest in the school. Tanya isn't far behind him though."

  "Hardest?" Megan queried.

  "You know, the best fighter."

  In an attempt to lighten the mood as they headed up a set of stairs, Megan asked. "So, what kind of music do you like, Alison?"

  "Most of the stuff in the charts."

  "Do yo
u have a favorite band?"

  She shrugged. "I like Ariane Grande, Billie Eilish."

  Megan made a face.

  "Who do you like, then?" Alison snapped.

  "My favorite band is the Dollyrots."

  "Never heard of 'um."

  "You've never heard of Kelly Ogden?"

  "Nope."

  "So, you've never heard the song 'Because I'm Awesome'?"

  She shook her head.

  "Dude, we have to hang out sometime so you can hear it. It's only like, the best song ever."

  She smiled. "I'd like that. Oh, by the way, I wouldn't say ‘dude’ in class if I were you."

  Megan laughed. "Okay."

  Alison stopped in front of a door and reached for the handle. Megan grabbed her hand to stop her turning it.

  "Before we go in, what's the teacher like?"

  "Mister Evans? He's pretty strict, even Tanya doesn't give him any lip. He's a proper Welshie as well."

  "Welshie?"

  "You know, into all that Welsh independence stuff. He even speaks Welsh."

  Megan let go of her hand and she opened the door.

  Mister Evans stopped speaking in mid-sentence. "Ah, there you are Miss Rogers, I was wondering where you'd got to. And who do we have here?"

  Alison handed him Mr. Simpson's note. Mr. Evans unfolded and scanned it.

  "Class, this is Megan. She is joining us from Virginia." He picked up a piece of chalk and tossed it toward one of the students.

  "That is in the United States of America, Mister Thomas."

  Megan glanced across and found herself looking into emerald green eyes. The boy's face creased into a smile, and she turned away.

  "Anyway, I hope you'll make her feel welcome."

  He turned toward Megan. "Croeso i Ysgol Flint, Megan."

  She smiled "Diolch yn fawr, Mister Evans."

  His eyes widened. "Ydych'in siarad Cymraeg?"

  Megan nodded.

  "Ah, Gwych," he said, with a smile.

  He waved at two empty chairs. "Now, take a seat please ladies."

  Megan headed for the nearest one; she hit her foot on something and almost stumbling headfirst into it. She glanced across at the smirking face of a girl with short ginger hair.

  "Whoops," she said, as she pulled her foot back under the desk.

  "You'd better take a seat before something else happens, you little creep," she hissed.

  "Yes, thank you Miss Jones. Now, as I was saying. The amoeba is a single-celled organism."

  Megan glanced across at Alison and she grimaced.

  It took a second for Megan to make the connection. 'Miss Jones'; the same surname as that Tanya girl. Knowing her luck, they were the same person — awesome.

  CHAPTER 2 - Bully

  "So, what do you normally order?" Megan asked.

  Alison shrugged. "Chips, sometimes a battered sausage as well."

  Having not had the chance to speak with Alison after Mr. Evan's biology class, Megan had agreed to meet her at the 'chippy' during lunch recess, the fish and chip shop was a five-minute walk from the school.

  Chips, or fries as Megan would call them were familiar of course, but not battered sausage. It sounded kinda gross.

  She stepped up to the counter. "Two chips and two battered sausages please."

  Alison stuffed her hand into her pocket, but Megan stopped her and smiled. "It's okay, I'll get them."

  "Thanks," she said.

  The man behind the counter held up the polystyrene trays. "Salt and vinegar on these love?"

  Megan glanced at Alison and received a nod of confirmation.

  "Yes, please," she replied.

  "So, what exactly is a battered sausage?"

  Alison laughed. "You've never had battered sausage before?"

  Megan shook her head.

  "You've eaten fish and chips though surely?"

  "Yes, a couple of times."

  "Well, they use the same fish batter on the sausage. It's well nice."

  The man placed two wrapped packages on the counter, and Megan gave him the five-pound note. Alison grabbed the food as the man returned the change.

  When they were outside the shop, she handed one of the packages over.

  Megan looked around; there were a bunch of kids standing around eating as cars streamed past on the road that ran up to the freeway.

  "Do we just stand around and eat, is there any place to sit?" she asked.

  "Let's eat them on the hoof."

  "On the what?"

  "The hoof, you know, walking."

  They set off down a street leading away from the traffic. Megan popped a chip into her mouth.

  "Go on, have a bit of sausage," Alison urged.

  Megan had planned to build up to it, but what the heck. She picked it up and took a bite.

  "And?" Alison asked.

  "It's hot," Megan managed with a mouth full of food.

  "No, the taste, silly."

  "It's good." Megan was surprised, it really was.

  "See, I told you." She stuffed a handful of chips into her mouth.

  "I didn't get chance to ask you before Alison, but that red-headed girl in Biology, was that . . ."

  "Tanya? Yep."

  "Shit."

  "If you're lucky, she'll leave you alone."

  "And if not?"

  "Have you thought about other schools?"

  Megan laughed, but Alison didn't join in.

  "There's always the Dickie Gwyn down the road," she said. "It's catholic like, but I don't think you have to be one to go there."

  "She can't be that bad surely?"

  "The rumor is that she stabbed someone over the summer. Then there was poor Tracey Phillips. Tanya made her life a living hell."

  "And what happened to her?"

  "She drowned in the River Dee last Autumn. An accident they said, but a few of us think she topped herself."

  "Topped herself?"

  "You know, killed herself."

  "Because of Tanya?"

  Alison nodded.

  "Jesus."

  By this stage they were at the school gates.

  "I've got to go and speak with Miss Slater about my English homework. Maybe I'll see you later? And thanks for the sausage and that."

  "Anytime."

  She called her parting shot over her left shoulder. "And try to keep out of the way of 'you know you'."

  Megan shuddered. Christ, that made her sound like a female Voldemort.

  She glanced at her watch — five minutes to kill before the end of lunch. She wondered how long it would take to walk around the school buildings.

  With her mind a million miles away, she bumped into a girl with long blonde hair.

  "Sorry, my fault," Megan said.

  The girl shoved two hands into Megan’s chest. "Too right, it's your fault," she growled.

  Megan pushed back. "I said I was sorry."

  "Perhaps that isn't enough, eh Jen?"

  Megan swiveled around at this new voice. The grim face below the short red hair cracked into a smile come grimace. Two girls flanked Tanya; they weren't her size, but big enough.

  "Who do you think you are? Welsh speaking Yank. Little teacher's pet. Eying up my bloke."

  "I don't want any trouble," Megan said, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.

  Tanya stepped forward and grabbed Megan’s hair. "Well, tough shit. How much money have you got?"

  "Not much." Megan rummaged in her pockets and tossed a couple of coins on the floor.

  "You must have more money than that, come on cough it up." The grip on her hair tightened.

  "That's all I've got, honest."

  "Punch her in the face Tanya; bloody Yank."

  As Megan mulled over her options, which were limited given there were four of them, a deep voice boomed out.

  "What the hell is going on here?" The hand holding Megan’s hair relaxed.

  "Well, I'm waiting."

  "Nothing Mister Evans, we were just messing around."

  Megan considered that a funny way to describe extortion.

  Tanya whispered, "I'll see you after school, Yank."

  The four of them sloped off as Mr. Evans approached.

  "Making friends already Miss Lynch, da iawn." The hint of a smile cracked his lips.

  Megan smiled thinly. "I don't think they liked my accent sir." He chuckled to himself as the bell rang.