FOSSILISED

SUSAN POPE

William Dyce, Pegwell Bay, Kent – a Recollection of October 5th 1858

We live in caves on the Kent coast. We have always been there. We are the spirits of extinct animals, reaching back millennium, to the beginning of life on this earth. Once we swam in the sea, and some learned to walk on the land, others to fly in the air. Now we whisper in the darkness, just empty shells of what we once were, and no man has ever found our hiding places. If you talk to us, you are speaking to the dead. If you listen closely, we will answer all your questions.

One day, a few years ago, a clever woman entered our caves and began to tap, tap, tap, with her little hammer. She lit candles and discovered our hiding places. With her hammer, she removed shells and fossils embedded in the rock. We watched and listened. The next day she returned and took more samples from the walls of the cave. This time, we spoke out, whispering to her, ‘Whatever you want to know, ask us, but do not take us from our fellows. Together we can tell you a whole history, singularly we have little to say.’

She didn’t seem to hear, and she continued taking evidence of lost creatures from the cave. We hoped she would use the knowledge for good. To illuminate our stories and tell of the past creatures that had inhabited the earth. She stopped coming and we waited.

A long time passed. She returned with many others, men and women. They each carried a book. The title was ‘Lost Creatures of the Past.’ We couldn’t communicate with so many people. They also all had hammers. They all took many more samples from our rocks. As they ate away our caves, our voices diminished, our spirits grew thinner and thinner, until we all but disappeared.

Man thinks he can find the answers to all his questions, about the past and its long history, by analysing what physical evidence they find. But perhaps if they stopped to think, and to listen. More answers would come, because history repeats itself, over and over again. They do not need to destroy places to find their secrets. Open their eyes, yes, but open their ears, and listen to what the ancient places tell you. You will be wiser for the experience without damaging history.

Susan Pope is an independent author and leader of Kent Writing Groups. She grew up in Medway, close to the historic City of Rochester. Susan writes fiction, based on true historical events which inform her characters and stories. Her works include Lighter Than Air (Vanguard Press, 2008) and Spirit of the Jaguar (New Generation Publishing, 2017: This volume includes the folktale, The Legend of the Jaguar, used as a precursor to the novel).

Susan’s book blog gives details of her work, publications, and Kindle eBooks. Her most recent works The Power of Wings (FeedARead.com 2020) and The Time Balloon (FeedARead.com 2025) are children’s novels, written to entertain and enlighten children of all ages, with historical adventure/fantasy stories.

Susan is passionate about supporting women writers, and leads women’s writing group, Medway Mermaids, where members can progress their writing journey within a supportive social ethos. Held via Zoom, meetings now embrace international speakers and members. Writing Group Anthologies, are published on FeedARead.com, which include Mermaid Tales (2014), Mermaid Voices (2022) and A Wealth of Words (2015, for Kent Writing Group, The Write Idea).

The publishing website, FeedARead.com is free for all nationalities to publish their own paperback books. Developed in 2011, with Arts Council funding to support talented writers develop their work. They assist writers to self-publish books through an online portal. Authors’ books are also displayed for sale.

Susan Pope’s books are available from Amazon and other book retailers in paperback or eBook format. Susan looks forward to continuing her writing and community work for many years.