Overview:
It wasn't supposed to be like this. This is all too real... time travel is real - irreversible! You can go forward, but you can never go back! We should have listened to him... what have we done??...the deepest thoughts of Mason Tucker. They found it in the bush and it took them to the Quicksilver. The Quicksilver showed them adventures beyond their wildest dreams... and devastated their lives. Now, Wynter Barnes and his five unlikely companions from Merrick Springs, have more power and responsibility than should ever be given to anyone. Least of all, those so young.
Awards:
The Quicksilver by Michael Madden received an honorable mention in the 2013 SAN FRANCISCO BOOK FESTIVAL Competition under the Young Adult Section.
Book Teaser:
Chapter one
A New Day Threatens
Morning came all too fast. Wynter Barnes showered and got ready to go. It was a relief not to have to wear his school uniform for the rest of the week. The jeans. hooded top, and sneakers he wore felt particularly comfortable.
It was Tuesday morning, the first day of year eleven camp. 'l‘he students of Merrick Springs Grammar were to be picked up by buses from school and taken to a place high in the Victorian mountains called Camp Wilson. Wynter did not know ifthe bully Mason Tucker was going on the four day trip, but desperately hoped he was not.
Wynler considered his reflection in the bathroom mirror and sighed. To his own mind, he was an average-looking boy, of middle height for his age, with a slim build. He had dark hair, blue eyes. and a plain face. Average and plain was Wynter Barnes in all areas except for his intellect. Wynter was smart, very smart, and he knew it. For a sixteen-year-old boy, however, that was more often a curse than a blessing.
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He sighed again, feeling dread at what was to come in the day ahead-dread at the thought of facing the boy Mason Tucker. For reasons Wynter could no longer remember, Mason had decided it would be fun to start
picking on him at school. Despite his reputation for being something of a super brain, Wynter did not regard himself as a nerd or an outcast in any particular way. Mason was going to great lengths to make him feel as though he should however.
The bully had arranged for the two of them to have a light after school the afternoon before. Wynter had agreed to nothing however; he wanted no part of it. He had managed to get the jump on Mason and slip away unnoticed, thanks mostly to his best friend, lett Nguyen, who had distracted Mace while Wynter snuck away.
Wynter knew he would pay for that today. Mason would surely come for him. The thought of standing toe to toe with another human being, pounding relentlessly on each other’s heads, held little attraction to Wynter. even less considering that the so-called human being facing him would be a year older than he and considerably larger. Mason had been kept back at the end of the previous year, forced to repeat year eleven.
Wynter gave himself one more ruthless assessment, grabbed his bag, and headed out into the kitchen. He was having breakfast with his mother, father, and younger sister, Casey, when there was a knock on the door, lett Nguyen. Wynter’s next-door neighbour and best friend, let himself in.
‘Morning, Barnes’s.' lett called as he strolled into the kitchen, looking as much at home as anyone else. Iett wore dark grey cargo pants and a blue jacket. His ever-present green baseball cap sat crooked on his head, long strands of black hair jutting out here and there, lett was of a similar height and build to Wynter.
‘Oh hi, Iett,’ Wynter's mum said. ‘Excited about your trip, darling?’ Wynter’s mother was a short, slightly plump woman with mousey brown hair. She had a kind face and large blue eyes which people often said were a
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[3]
mirror image of Wynter‘s. Or was it that Wynter’s eyes were a mirror image of hers?
‘Yep. sure am, Mrs Barnes. Raring to go,’ Iett said, before turning to Wynter. ‘You ready?’
‘Guess so,’ Wynter picked up his bag, then kissed his mother. ‘See you later,‘ he said, then shook his father’s hand.
‘Behave yourself. Wynn.’ his father told him in his most stern voice. Wynter’s dad had serious features and steel grey hair. He was not a tall man, but was straight-backed and lean. ‘We'll see you in four days.’
Wynter nodded, then ruffled Casey's long blonde hair. The ten-year-old girl glowered at him with her large blue eyes. ‘Have fun at camp with Mia, Pooh Bear,’ she said in a mocking voice.
Wynter rolled his eyes at his little sister, then followed Iett out to the car. The morning air was still and cool. A heavy fog had settled over Merrick Springs, making the early morning light eerie. Wynter’s home appeared neat and modern in the grey glow of dawn. He smiled at Iett's twin sister. Mia, who was sitting patiently in the back seat. He waved through the car window to lett's mother. loaded his bag into the boot. and climbed into the back seat beside Mia. Mrs Nguyen drove them all to school.
When they arrived, they saw a large gathering of students and teachers in the school car park. The buses had already arrived. They unloaded themselves and their bags, said goodbye to Mrs Nguyen. then made their way into the body of students. Wynter privately marvelled at how different everyone looked out of school uniform. Excited babble filled the air, mixed with the scent of a dozen different types of girl's perfumes and boys deodorants.
As they moved amongst the other students, looking for the bus to which their class had been assigned, Wynter heard a few whispered comments along the lines of ‘Look, there he is’. ‘His face doesn’t look that bad‘, and ‘I didn't think he was going to show up today‘.
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