A Smuggler's Life part 2

For audio click here 

As I am in China I thought I would share with you some of my stories for kids. This is called A Smuggler's life and it comes in several parts. For part one click here.
Previously on A Smuggler's Life. Ned has followed his father, a smuggler down to the beach to watch them unload a ship. He's hiding but a snapped twig gives him away.

Crack.

Ned froze. And so did the men.

“Who’s there?” one of them shouted.

Boom.

A bullet whistled past Ned’s ear. He’d trod on a twig and now the men thought he was the revenue men. He turned and ran. Springing up the path that he’d come down. There was no time to be scared of the owls or the rabbits now. He zig-zagged up the path like a hare across a field.

Boom another bullet whistled high overhead. Ned could hear footsteps behind him. But he was faster than the men. He knew he could out run them.

Boom

Crack

The bullet hit a branch above Ned, the branch cracked, creaked and then fell, smashing Ned on the shoulder. He stumbled, and retched, tears came to his eyes. Keep going he told himself, keep going. But it was no good. A small rock in the path caught his toe. He fell forward and crashed into the ground. His shoulder throbbed and his knee was bleeding. Ned tried to get to his feet but it was impossible. He could hear the men’s breath and feet clattering up the hill. He was stuck, what would they do when they caught him? if they didn’t recognise him they’d shoot him as a traitor. Just then he had an idea, he knew this path so well and knew there was a drop to the left, if he could just…  He rolled off the path, just as the men came around the bend. He’d hoped there would be a bush to cushion his call but there was nothing. His body jolted and bashed against the rocky cliff. He was picking up speed. He was getting dizzy as he rolled over and over. Would he ever stop? He’d got away from the men, but where would this end.

Ned put his one good arm out and grab at the air. It made contact with something. He grab at the branch and pulled. His body stopped rolling. He pulled himself up. He was covered in cuts and bruises but he was alive. He heard panting, he held his breath.
“He got away?” It was the men who had chased him. Ned must have rolled all the way back down to the beach.

“I think it was only a nipper.”

“Can’t do anything now,” It was his dad’s voice. Ned wanted to cry out. “C’mon, let’s get these things up to town.”

Ned breathed out. He was alive, but how was he going to get home.

Ned watched the last of the men leave the beach. The sky was a black and blue as dawn began to spread from the east. He shivered, trying not to let his teeth chatter too loudly. He was still scared about giving himself away. He moved his leg, it was stiff and it hurt, but he could put weight on it. His shoulder was worse. He flexed his fingers again. The pain shot up the arm, but he didn’t think it was broken. As soon as the coast was clear, Ned stood up and tried to make his way down to the sand. It was hard work, the gorse here was wild and tough and his knee throbbed. He battled his way through the thick grass. Eventually, he made it. Now all he had to do was climb the path and get back before his father got home or his mother got up and judging by the rising sun he didn’t have much time.

Ned’s mother and sisters were snoring contently as he painfully climbed the ladder that took him up to the sleeping level; Hawk ewe, hawk ewe hawk eweefffft, Hawk ewe, hawk ewe hawk eweefffft. His little brother stirred but didn’t wake up. Still fully clothed, Ned had just climbed under his bedding when he heard the door click and his father’s footsteps on the floor below. He closed his eyes and was asleep in no time, but seconds later the cockerel crowed, cock a reee ruuu, cock a reee ruuu. Nothing woke Ned’s mother during the night, but as soon as that damn bird sang she was up out of bed and starting the fire and clanking around with the big pot. His sisters were up now too, starting their morning chores and his baby brother was babbling away. But despite all the hubbub his father was sleeping soundly, the wooden beams rattling with his snoring. Ach tung, ach tung.  Ned pulled his sacking over his eyes, but he knew he wasn’t going to sleep.