It was the middle of summer. Thomas was about to spend his vacation with Uncle Fibber, a retired fisherman who lived by the sea. Playing on the nearby beach and re-enacting his uncle's sea-faring adventures sounded ever so exciting. But when Thomas unfolded the huge map it felt so brittle. He had to be very careful not to break the fragile pages. And they stank of rotten cheese as he brushed away the delicate cobwebs.
However, that was the least of his worries. With a loud gasp Thomas looked long and hard, and still couldn't believe his eyes. The entire page showed nothing but a barren landscape.
He may as well be spending his vacation on the moon!
He may as well turn around and go home!
He may as well lock himself in his bedroom and give up the idea of having any excitement!
Then he spotted it.
At the very bottom of the page, sitting right on the edge of the coastline was Sneaky Cove. That's where Uncle Fibber lived, in Shanty Cottage, a quaint little wooden shack he'd built with his bare hands.
Thomas's heart suddenly skipped a beat. He could feel the tingling surge of excitement rushing through his entire body. He couldn't wait for his adventure to begin. Then he realized.
Shant Cottage was in the middle of nowhere!
What sort of exciting adventure was that going to be?
It was going to be the most boring holiday ever, that's what!
*
Little did Thomas realize that for the next six weeks his life was going to be anything but boring. He was totally unaware that he was about to embark on an adventure where he would confront the most powerful forces of evil and his life would be in constant danger.
Now...doesn't that sound exciting?