The Advocates of Gaia: Book one - The Reaching Tower

By Greg Pleming

For Larry and Laura, two lonely and different children, in one night they learn that their lives, up until now, have been nothing but a lie! And – their mother informs them of something so unbelievable, so life-changingly deceitful, that they are left completely gob smacked and stunned by what they hear!

Curiously, from that

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greg Pleming
• Release date: May 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9780648100201

Book preview

-PART ONE-

THE GREAT AND AWESOME SECRET

______________________________________________

VIEWED FROM THE STREET, THE HOUSE ABOVE THE FLOWER SHOP APPEARED COMPLETELY AS IT SHOULD – SMART, NEAT AND SPLENDID.

After all, a building had to fit into its surroundings and not look too out of place – didn’t it? With tall arched windows, intricate balconied railings and greenish copper roofing, it blended seamlessly into the bustling retro-futuristic streetscape of Central City. The two-story residence sat atop a busy flower shop in a city where things just got plonked on top of other things. Buildings just grew and grew until they seemed to reach right up into the night’s sky.

By day, the house and its occupants were a metaphor for happiness, joy and laughter, but tonight, the house sat in deep shadows and unlighted darkness. As dusk gave way to night, no laughter could be heard on this night, for laughter cannot be heard over gut-wrenching and hurtful yelling.

They are not … normal!

The man shrieked; the severity of his remark louder than the electric monorail clatter passing by outside, in front of the house.

"Keep your voice down … shhhh!" A woman hushed, she heaved a heartfelt breath as she attempted to calm her wracked nerves.

"They are normal …, she emphasised, they are special … you have no idea how m – m …" her sentence heaved to a breathless stop. She sniffed heartily, rubbed her nose and heaved deeply.

"How on earth can you say that? … They hang around by themselves and … their friends. He paused and lowered his voice to a barely audible tremble, their friends - don’t come here anymore and they – well … they look different. Then he whispered, It’s not normal!"

He sighed in deeply, for inside, the man feared deeply for his children.

"Just give them time … they are … they are … changing!" Fiona stared earnestly into his eyes.

"You know bloomin well that it has a lot more to do with hormones … It’s got to do with your secret past and you know it! … just – just … don’t lie to me anymore … please?" he whined again in emotional agony, knowing deep down that his children were his puppies no more.

______________________________________________

HIGH ABOVE the children wept.

Feeling utterly exhausted, they snivelled wetly within the shadows of the darkened attic corner. The black bags beneath their eyes appeared weightier and darker than they ought to be. With shallow gasps, they listened to the cruel word fight clawing away mercilessly beneath them.

Shrieks … Anger … Frustration …

Their hearts thudded. For all their twelve and a half years, never had the twins heard anything like this coming from their parents.

Knuckles clenched white with pressure; they clung to each other desperately, their over-stimulated senses unable to grasp the unrelenting anger below.

Overwrought, their minds wandered; seeking inner protection; and then something happened …

Suddenly, another voice – a strange voice, made itself known inside their heads.

It, she, he … called to the boy – sounding somehow familiar and yet so very far away.

______________________________________________

CHILDREN … CHILDREN, HEAR ME, it whispered quickly in breathless delight, come hither come hather, come dither come dather, children oh children … get thee away, come here come play …

The childlike voice was gleeful, almost on the verge of hysterical laughter and yet, it soothed and calmed them to the core. It breathlessly whispered to them once more, like an exhilarating summer breeze.

Come awaaaay … come and plaaaaay … come to uuuussssss!

Larry’s eyes shot around the dark recesses of the attic. He had to know at once who possessed this amazing voice. Laura, still cowering alongside him, seemed unaffected by the lyrical glee. He searched up, over and beyond … and still could not find the owner of the maniacal whispers.

High overhead, his wayward eyes fell upon a cord of dust magically falling from rafters high above. The vertical procession floated downward and spread out as it fell through the last rays of dusk light.

Larry stared suspiciously and for a fleeting second glimpsed a face swirling in the spreading cloud of glittery filth. It turned to meet his gaze, its eyes widened threateningly and it disappeared within a wafty blink of his wet eyes. Larry gulped hugely and stared, his heart hammered.

Now scared, he shuddered, blinked, blinked some more and stared at the spot, his eyes dinner-plate like.

As he stared, the falling dust cloud mass suddenly lurched forward, like a solid block, as if a great chunk of air moved violently behind it. Larry gasped and at that precise moment the whole house creaked and groaned in woodenly creakature.

Shouting … again … LOUD.

CREAK … This attic, their space – Larry and Laura’s world - number thirty-three’s ancient beamed and wooden wonderland – theirs … groaned! The great timbers of the old house moved and moaned deeply within. The house had heard the words being thrown about below.

Creak, groan, crack, snap.

Something within this world was shifting.

Screams, roar, hysteria.

The children shuddered as their dad suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs … Fingers desperately sought ears as bruised minds desperately tried to block out the hurtful word cacophony.

Their dad’s screams and anger were directed at them!

Fingers in ears.

Baboom … baboom … baboom. Larry’s heart thudded to the point of hurt.

At once - The voice came back with feverish urgency, "Get away children, come and play children, come to us children.’

It babbled unrestrained.

Words swam around inside Larry’s head like a distant radio in a deep fish pond, too fast for him to hear … baboom … baboom – screaming …

"escape this day … run and play … come to us … escape this fuss …’

Confused, completely overwhelmed, Larry scrunched his eyes up tightly – hoping that it would all go away.

Behind his eyelids, he saw strange recollections and thoughts of another past. Images too unusual for him to grasp flashed through his mind’s eye … a lake … no water, a giant tower of rock and something strange right up high … a thing moving deep within the ground. The images went on and on and then something very scary … he openly gasped out loud, scared out of a deep sleep-thoughts.

His eyes shot open and a great shiver passed from deep within him, it shot out all over his skin. Overwhelmed, he breathlessly looked all around, searching the deep shadows in the attic. He sought to find the thing squirming deep within the impenetrable attic gloom …

Instinctively, he knew that something menacing and magical was about! He felt that something malevolent and scary lurked in the shadows, but it lay just too far beyond his shattered reach as if … as if … Another body tremor pulsed through him. His breath caught and he closed his eyes.

Yelling … again.

______________________________________________

LARRY’S FATHER SCARED HIM.

His mother seemed to have noticed things about both he and Laura’s behaviour. She had seen Larry recoil away from his dad. She had asked if he’d been hit … if their dad had hit him or his sister. Larry had been absolutely shocked by the question! Fiona, their mother, instinctively knew that something was wrong …

You’re not yourself honey, what’s wrong … please tell me? she had implored.

But Larry couldn’t tell her how he felt. He didn’t understand how he felt, so how could he tell her anything? He desperately yearned to articulate his inside thoughts to his mother, but his thoughts seemed too odd to even utter.

You are both acting so strange … what is wrong? she would plead again and again.

But one day, Fiona stopped asking questions and soon after that she would often stare at them with an unusually blank expression upon her face. At other times, Larry caught her stealing fearful glances at them both and the absolute terror in his mother’s eyes had scared him.

In his heart, Larry knew that something was up! He felt it, knew it and knew instinctively that his mother was acting strange herself …

It was a bright spring day months earlier when Larry first caught his mother writing into a small and strange looking book. He’d never seen the book before until that day after school, he had walked in a little earlier than usual. Feeling no need to be noisy, he casually walked up the stairs. As he entered the living room, he spied his mother madly scribbling away upon its ancient, unusually bulky and coloured pages. The pen she held was the weirdest looking pen Larry had ever seen. It was bulky, strangely textured and he could have sworn that it had been glowing … and upon hearing him, Fiona quickly hid everything under her clothes and pretended that nothing was there. She simply denied what he had seen and told him outright that he had made it up! What book … what pen, she sharply spat and quickly changed the subject.

She told him he was acting unusual and to stop it at once. She then awkwardly ambled away holding her jumper out to conceal the hidden contents beneath.

Unusual was a slight understatement in regards to what Fiona was actually up to … for you see, she had a massive and earth shattering secret! Unbeknown to the children, they had unwittingly opened a dark and buried place deep within their mother – a place hidden from a very long time ago.

Fiona knew that their confusion and pain was a powerful ticking time-bomb and that something lying dormant within her children was about to explode.

Fiona … just … knew …

As the twins fast approached their Thirteenth birthday … their mother knew what was about to happen. An ancestral legacy was about to be born within her children! A fearful legacy that she herself had run away from, from a place she had abandoned, from a place that she and her children were helpless!

Things were about to change forever and her children were being drawn to that formidable place.

Where answers to why they felt so very different would be discovered.

For this night … the children’s lives were about to truly begin.

Moreover, tonight, they would finally meet their destiny …

______________________________________________

AT THAT MOMENT, an eerie silence descended throughout the house and Larry’s mind confusion abruptly ceased like a cork popping loudly. A distant door slammed angrily. Larry’s eyes shot open and he stared all about. It was as if time itself had suddenly stopped still.

Moments passed … only to be interrupted by a gliding monorail train outside, it’s hum buzzing through them like electrified air.

Soon, silence and then, the front door opened and slammed forcefully shut. Their father had left!

Far below, in the street, beneath the great monorail beams, their father’s familiar car revved loudly.

Just like that, in an instant, their father was gone … CRACK – the house let forth a great release of structural tension.

Two great sighs erupted from the mouths of the children simultaneously. Slowly, their hands unclasped and Laura wiped tears from her weary eyes. She felt an enormous and sudden relief … he had left, the anger had simply just lifted away.

Gloomy silence. Baboom … baboom … baboom …

To Larry, the instant silence sounded like a hammer beating on his ribs and into his brain.

"Children … children …"

The voice erupted once more; soft at first, so soft that Larry assumed it was his imagination.

He glanced toward his sister and she looked at him in the same wide-eyed kind of way. He was startled; had she heard the voice too?

"You … heard it too?" he asked tentatively, his eyes wide with magic.

The gentle voice sang in their heads, "it can begin now, you must help us children."

Yes! Laura whispered quietly, It’s been singing to us – a beautiful voice – just now and before; it has been so clear … when dad left the house … it sounded like an angel.

It wants our help … we need to help it, we need to go somewhere!

______________________________________________

Familiar footfall sounds echoed from below.

Fiona climbed the stairs that lead up to their ‘special’ space and poked her head around the corner.

She stared lovingly at them, her eyes wet. And as she breathed deeply, she glanced around their wondrous sanctuary; their sanctuary decorated with their most treasured possessions. Her pale and weary face cushioned with large black bags, her eyes glossy with tears, her mouth twitched as she thought of what to say to her offspring.

"Hey you two …" She cleared her throat.

Relief flooded them at that moment and the children raced to embrace their mother.

Hugs, love, peace; they all clung together in a ball of emotion and calming.

Breaking their hug, Fiona bent down to look into their eyes …

I think you both know … that we have to go!

"We know mum, something has been telling us … it is going to ‘begin now … and … it needs our help’, was it an angel mum?" Laura asked concerned.

Taken aback, Fiona pushed the children quickly away and stared at them in astonished realisation. Her breath caught so loudly in her throat, that she had to gulp deeply to supress her shock … It was indeed time to go! Something had caught them and led them to this very big turning point in all of their lives.

Fiona stared at them, her breath still choked and her mind’s eye clouded with distant memories.

Secrets from her past washed through her mind like a tsunami.

Her children … oh no! She desperately feared for them!

Fiona had fled to the city to escape and cut off all ties with her past.

She wanted to have a life … a normal life, for her and her children, a life away from …

… All the denial, her staunch resistance … her strength, her utter steel-like resolve had just been shattered by the very words, "something has been telling us."

It … it was here to sweep them up into its world!

Fiona’s breath caught loudly again.

Mum … what’s wrong? Laura asked as she wiped a tear away from her distant mother’s eye.

"There is no escape … I’m so sorry … children!" Fiona whispered as she came out of her trance.

The children stared fixedly at her. She was deathly white, as if she had seen a ghost … Fiona’s head was awash again with stories, contradictions and ultimately lies … she had lied to them … and now they would find out the remarkable and astonishing truths for themselves, about themselves.

Oh, my god, Fiona trembled uncontrollably …

Mum? Larry whimpered, having never seen his mother act this way.

Fiona’s mind raced with fear …

The betrayal …

The house …

… that property … how could I do this to them? She agonized.

The family’s real ancestry …

Their true place in the world was calling to them …

… the property so unlike anywhere else, Oh … how could I, Fiona sobbed.

Mum, what is the matter? Laura said tearfully and reached out to touch Fiona’s hand.

A heavy curtain had suddenly lifted - Fiona was swept away in that special and magical place. An avalanche of vivid memories washed through her glazed eyes and mind’s eye.

Good memories of her youth, her parents, her childhood … all of which she purposely neglected to tell her children about. She had lied to them, lied to them so that she could have a normal life. Lied to them so that they could be happy … so that she could – be happy; but she had just suddenly failed dismally!

Her efforts to live normally, to live like a normal family, had just been suddenly and dramatically unhinged.

Destiny …

Fiona sagged, looked down and sighed deeply. She slowly shook her head back and forth in defeat.

Through wet eyes, the children looked on worryingly,

It’s here! Their slumped mother muttered.

Larry and Laura stared, their fear turning into shock and dismay …

Like a crack of lightening, Fiona snapped out of her reverie in a heartbeat, colour washed through her face again and before they could utter a single word, she exploded with instructions.

She told them to quickly go to their rooms and pack what they needed for a short holiday. It was as simple as that … but far less convincing.

Confused and frightened, the children quizzed and quarrelled with their mother, and yet somehow sensed that this situation was inevitable. The Something, the Voice, told them to do as you are told.

Things would all be alright!

They marched to their rooms, packed and felt the great urgency racing within their mother like a loud heartbeat pulsing through their own veins. They instinctively knew that a great journey was about to be had.

Right … I hope you have everything, Fiona said as everybody assembled in the downstairs entranceway of their home. The children nodded mutely, still not understanding, but seeing rather their mother’s strange and urgent gaze.

Let’s go!

That was that … the words that changed everything!

Together, they crossed the carpeted threshold of the house and passed through the front door, leaving their old lives behind … forever!

______________________________________________

THE MOTLEY DRESSED, BAG CARRYING GROUP CROSSED THE ROAD AND

WALKED TO THEIR CAR PARKED UNDER THE MONORAIL TRACKS.

In the glare of streetlights, Fiona unlocked the car and the kids clambered into their seats alongside their hastily thrown bags.

Clatter-clickety-clack – hummm …

Overhead, sleek silver and white carriages glided along the rail toward them. Larry hurriedly buzzed his window down, poked his head out of the car and stared up, dumbified by the monorail train passing overhead.

His hair lit-up intermittently as the carriages bright lighting drifted down and washed over him. His eyes shone with glee and adventure … The train’s carriages hung out over the edges of the concrete rail structure and lights glimmered down as it went along. It charged down the street, flew around the bend at top speed and disappeared into the metro tunnel further down the line.

Larry loved monorails, roller coasters and trains!

The cities new metro silver monorail trains were the fastest and most modern yet. The ancient concrete beams had always fascinated him. It was age and future all rolled into one thing, modern trains, ancient concrete rails and his bedroom looked right out onto the tracks!

He often sneaked looks out his third-floor window at all the smartly dressed passengers flying past in the silver and white carriages. He longed for the day when his life would be as exciting as the people’s lives gliding by on the mono-trains.

Little did he realise that he and his sister had just embarked on a journey that would be a lot stranger and far more exciting than any of the passengers flying high above them.

______________________________________________

TO DRIVE AWAY

IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR, DRIVING FASTER THAN SHE OUGHT TO, FIONA GREEN-ACRE SPED LIKE A MANIAC THROUGH THE DESERTED STREETS OF THE CITY.

Sitting in the back seat, their eyes firmly fixed on their mother, both of the children couldn’t help thinking - Why is she so upset? Where are we going?

In no time, they had travelled far into the darkened and lush countryside and were miles away from the bright lights of Central City. A clawing chill had crept into the speeding car and the children felt shivers course through their bodies. They sank further into the electric cars warmed seats. The children began to thoughtfully doze … and sleep took them away quickly … vivid dreamscapes and wild thoughts flew through their resting minds.

Soon children, soon … he he he …

Bang – bump … Larry’s head bumped painfully against the car window and he awoke groggily and rubbed his head. He heaved mightily and wearily opened his eyes. The car had slowed dramatically; its electric hum was now louder than usual. He sleepily eyed rain drops streaking down and across the window messily, as if buffeted by forceful wind.

Laura, whose head was held up painfully by the biting seat belt, awakened shortly after and peeked out her window. Intermittently, the cars headlights lit up foliage and shrubbery bordering the road, the country – why are we going into the country, - she pondered sleepily.

Why are mum and dad fighting? … Why would they fight about us?

Why are we out so late? – I am so tired! It is way past our bedtime … Where are we going? Questions rattled foggily around her tired brain and then the voice was suddenly back!

Gently reassuring, its dulcet tones lulled her into a trancelike state.

The strange lyrical song was hard to dismiss and it filled her with a kind of joy. Her mind had no choice but to listen … the nursery rhyme would not shut up!

Come hither come hather … I am so close now children, it went on and on.

Soothed and relaxed, Laura glanced at her brother as he smiled, his lips moved in unison with the incessant babble too. Laura smiled, sighed and looked back out the wet-beaded window and suddenly her eyes shot open in awe.

A bright and piercing light was travelling through the forest alongside their car. It lit up the dense foliage as it shot along parallel to the moving vehicle. It looked like a crashing airplane moments before impact streaking through the crowded jungle landscape. Alert now, Laura’s eyes glued to the phenomenon as the glowing brilliance outside lit the streaking water droplets sliding across the window toward the back of the car.

Aghast, she punched Larry, alerting him and pointed. In wonder, he too instantly glued onto the strange light streaking through the jungle. He stared wide-eyed at his sister and mouthed - Huh … wha …?

Fiona suddenly blurted out, shocking them … "Sweethearts – we’re going to – your Grandma’s … your father and I need some time apart, I need for you now to both understand and – we’ll talk about … all of this … after we rest."

Then their mother cried, softly, innocently and with a sense of great relief.

Silence.

Aghast, the children stared forward, listened to the gentle hum of the cars electric and then the force of what Fiona had just said shot through them like an electric thunderbolt …

GRANDMA??

… the light …

and GRANDMA???

… what is that light …

Grandma?

Wide-eyed with shock, at that moment the light suddenly flashed with piercing brilliance and then blinked out, just like that!

Larry shook his head, rubbed his blinded eyes and turned back to the rear vision mirror … and specifically stared at his mother’s reflected eyes.

Uh – mum, he asked as he stared fixedly, "you have always told us, that … Grandma was dead?"

Grandma is alive? Laura finally registered disbelievingly. She too stared at her mother’s reflection now.

"There are reasons – please understand – I couldn’t tell you for all these years … Your Grandmother – is – not … not like us … she’s – well – different from you, or I – or your father, and I … this is why I moved to the city, away from here, the country … oh it’s all too complicated!"

Fiona’s voice dissolved again and she began to cry forcefully.

Mum’s from the country? Larry thought. They both stared. The car hummed and slowed right down. The vehicle now twisted and turned up a narrow and bumpy laneway.

Flabbergasted, the children desperately wanted answers! Why the lies? Larry’s mouth twisted into grimaces of hurt, angst and confusion. Laura’s face remained a mask of astonishment. The late hour, plus this startling piece of news was too much for their brains to grasp. The car clock read 11.30 PM and they were utterly exhausted; and now completely confused.

Through teary eyes and hurt twitchy lips, the twins stared at their mother.

But judging by her soft cries and reflected tear stained face, she was in no mood for talking. In the back-seat gloom, the children turned to face each other and shook their heads in utter shock.

What is going on? Larry mouthed, wiping his nose.

I have no idea! she mouthed back, shaking her head and wiping tears from her eyes. Turning away from each other, Larry sought his sisters hand and gently squeezed it reassuringly.

______________________________________________

The enigmatic voice suddenly erupted deep within their heads again – upset, the children’s overloaded minds tuned out and they both shut their eyes, it’s alright, you’re nearly there, and it’s alright … you’re nearly there … please help the us children …

The family drove on for a long time along narrow country roads, great swirling clouds of drifting mist and the dark and foreboding night. After a long time in self-pitying emotion, the children came around to feeling a little better and Larry and Laura felt that a great mystery was afoot. Strangely excited and confused, they were both determined to throw a barrage of difficult questions at their mother. But that all stopped when the car suddenly skidded to a halt abruptly. Fiona quizzically stared to the right of the idling electric automobile.

So thick was the great whirls of fog outside, that the clouds rolled over the bonnet of the vehicle as if it were caught in a flash flood. Mortified, the children felt that the fog would eat the car; it seemed alive and pulsing. Waves of fog slid over the bonnet and were swiftly gone again, only seconds later to return and roll over the bonnet and swallow it up all over.

Through this intermittent fog flood, Fiona slowly drove on and scanned the roadway ahead. The car idled along and something ahead materialised to the right of the car. An imposingly tall, red-bricked wall came into view. Its size was so enormous that it dwarfed the small vehicle. The colossal wall continued for a good four to five minutes as Fiona drove slowly along.

Having never seen such a great wall, the children stared outside in awe as weird sections of the wall appeared to be made up of massive sticks and twisted branches all intertwined in erratic patterns.

Sticks? Laura blurted as she stared at the brick bordered art-scape fence.

Yeah … sticks – weird? Larry replied.

It’s like the forest spewed up – on a fence … How about that?

That must have taken ages! Larry proclaimed, amazed at the intricate workmanship.

Further along, Laura let out another shocked gasp and Larry’s head shot around and then up ahead and his mouth fell open too.

The cars headlights had illuminated something massive and metal further up the road. Resembling an artistic serpentine arrangement of twisted metal; ahead lay the most enormous gates they had ever seen.

The gates were huge!

The car braked forcefully right next to the behemoth metal spectacle. The grandeur of the gates was awe-inspiring! They looked like gates to heaven with twisted and intricate metal designs from the bottom right up to the top of them.

It’s like a giant metal painting – all twisted and bent. I’ve never seen anything … Larry’s words trailed off.

Wow – who lives there? Laura asked astounded.

Mum – who lives here … who lives here? Larry encouraged.

Children … this is your Grandmother’s house! They gasped loudly.

SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT

______________________________________________

LIT BY THE CARS INDICATOR LIGHTS, THE IMMENSE SET OF PLUSHLY DECORATED METAL GATES SAT IN BETWEEN TWO GIANT CONCRETE PILLARS. Like a giant children’s book cover, the gates appeared finely illustrated with characters, plants and all designs strange. Creatures and plants were frozen in copper and brass detail all over it. Their splendour and whimsy enlivened through designs of movement and magic. They appeared to be peaking out from behind metal trunks and vines embedded within the great gates structure.

One particular character, centrally located, smiled down from atop the behemoth gate. It offered perpetual greeting to all travellers who passed by the metal marvel. Appearing old and wise, it sat upon a copper scroll with words and symbols designed all around it. Awestruck, Larry and Laura stared at the gate, whose curious colours, strange patterns and intricate designs were …

… familiar, the colours and designs are familiar, Larry thought. His sister replied softly, familiar.

The blues, yellows, greens and coppery/gold’s being somehow known to them. The shapes, the creatures, the plant designs … they had distant memories of them …

But how?

Caught in this moment of twin delight, they glanced at one another and smiled curiously.

Fiona suddenly whimpered loudly and jolted the children from their wonderment … their smiles vanished instantly and their eyes shot back to their mother.

It should be open … she blurted desperately.

She quickly opened the car door and slipped out into the night. About to protest, the chill from the night air rushed into the car and hit them forcefully; it stung them bitterly and they gasped. Fiona rushed back, stooped into the car again and grabbed an umbrella … the children by this time were frozen. The fog had cleared here and there, but swirled intermittently around the headlights of the car in mini-wisps of cloud. Something about the mist frightened them and seemed alive and viperish.

Outside, their mother stood alone on the narrow roadway – she seemed uncertain of what to do and teetered from foot to foot nervously.

‘BUZZ – boom - groan’

Great bone-jarring sounds splintered the quiet night air like a crack of violent thunder. The children jumped in their skin and their heads collided with the car roof. The frightening boom was followed by ancient, antiquated groaning’s of heavy and mournful metal. As the children gathered themselves, the great structure began to crustily shift back and creak into life. The gates began to open.

Startled into action, Fiona also jumped as the gates began to move. With wide-eyed trepidation, the children stared into the opening maw of darkness awakening beside them. The driveway disappeared darkly into the now open and massive void.

Laura shivered. "This … is Grandmas?"

I think it is? Larry replied, now a bit worried. He searched the darkness, his mind and heart raced with excitement and fear.

In the blink of an eye, their mother dove into the car, buckled up and stepped on the accelerator with foot stomping force … her eyes focused all the while on the dark portal into the property. The car lurched right, the children slid left as the vehicle revved loudly and tires bunny hopped wildly on the bitumen.

Disappearing under the gate, the tires suddenly crunched loudly along the mysterious driveways gravel and the car was swallowed up by the gloom.

______________________________________________

SEEING NOTHING AT FIRST, THE CHILDREN CRANED THEIR NECKS LIKE MEERKATS AND FEARED THAT THEY HAD JUST ENTERED A BLACK HOLE. The cars headlights their only comfort, Larry swung around and saw that the gargantuan gates were already beginning to close. Abruptly the green lights flickered out up at the gates and left only total darkness behind them … We’ve arrived – but arrived where? He wondered …

They had driven for ages – having covered quite a distance since the gates had closed.

Laura’s eyes slowly adjusted to the intense gloom and she shivered coldly.

Things will be OK, she kept telling herself worriedly, then, out of nowhere, a deep feeling of magical wonder flooded her being and dramatically her chills all but disappeared. Amazingly, a warm and tingly glow raced through her body like an electric shock … all the way to her fingertips! Tingling fiercely, it was unlike anything she had ever felt. On turning to her brother, she noticed that he was staring down at his fingers and he suddenly glanced at Laura and a secret understanding passed between them.

Instinctively, they knew that they had entered a great and magical place.

Something akin to a great and burdensome weight lifted from both of their shoulders at that moment!

Deep within the walls of Grandma’s estate, the electric car continued crunchingly along the long gravel driveway. The family had travelled far from the walls and deep into the dark and mysterious property. Feeling somehow excited, the children’s anticipation fast grew into fever pitched hysteria. Their eyes roamed and searched for clues as to their whereabouts at this late-night hour.

Outside, loud forest noises, howls, animal cries and creaking trees cracked and beckoned to them as they drove by. Moonlight beamed brightly and the children glimpsed a vast and ancient looking landscape all around. The forest here looked amazingly thick and luxuriant and up ahead a large grassy vista held a great sea of floating fog. The fog looked like it was churning and rocking like crashing waves at their local beach.

A sea of fog, Laura thought, mesmerised, a fog sea does exist …

The car lurched violently as it rounded another turn in the road; both of their heads slammed against the glass. Rubbing their heads, they looked ahead and the cars lights lit upon a gnarled and ancient copse of trees. The tree giants and their muscly limbs resembled great arms – arms ready to reach out and snatch the car up.

SCRATCH … silence …

Laura peered back, wide-eyed, as a large claw-like branch dangled into view and seemed to lift its limb up and away from the road behind, she shivered.

Hold on children, Fiona called out, breaking her terrified thoughts.

BUMP … THUMP … the car slowed and drove up a hilly rise in a huge concrete bridge. Fiona had to navigate the narrow roadway carefully. Peering out pensively, the children saw an ancient concrete bridge-way. Car light hit the edges of the wall, making the bridges thick walled sides impossible to see over. Sitting higher in their seats and peering over the wall, they could not tell how high off the ground they were. A vast nothingness lay beyond the precipitous bridge walls.

Where are we going … Laura whispered worriedly to her brother. Larry was too engrossed with the adventure to take any notice of her. Half way across the great bridge, the road levelled out and revealed a large concrete flower-like structure sitting atop of the bridge wall. It was huge, and the size of a crouching person. Laura noticed that the strange and ornately carved exotic looking flower was highly detailed What is this place, she wondered?

A glimmer of light suddenly caught their attention to their right. Something glowed far off in the deep forest distance and instantly gave depth to where they were. The bridge lay between two great sections of forest on either side of a deep cut ravine, the bridge spanned the impressive distance.

The light moved along and matched the speed and direction of the car far out in the distance.

Laura was reminded of earlier … A bright light … aliens … a UFO …

Mum – there’s a strange light out there in the forest – and it’s moving, Laura stated as she stared.

Yes … I – I know! Fiona said softly.

An even brighter light shone from up ahead, this one illuminated the cars dark interior with bright urgency. The children scrambled upfront for prime position in between the front seats as things got so bright, that they had to shield their eyes.

Mum … what’s happening? Laura babbled, feeling very afraid now.

The car turned another sharp corner in the impossibly long driveway; the children braved the glare through their shielding fingers and looked on in utter shock at what they saw.

______________________________________________

Ahead, a circular embankment of flowers gave way to the biggest and most fantastical house that either of them had ever seen. Eyes adjusting fast, Laura and Larry gulped hard in unison … An architectural spectacle lay before them … their mouths fell open!

______________________________________________

THE HOUSE THAT TIME BUILT

‘FANTASY PALACE’ WAS THE ONLY WAY THE CHILDREN COULD DESCRIBE IT!

And peculiar; a peculiar fantasy palace of immense proportions! As the car rounded a circular driveway in front of the house, with wide-eyes, the children drank it all in …

Twisted, angular, leaning roofs hung out in impossibly high and steeply angled directions. Mist swirled about the tall structures of the buildings, like a flying dragon, creating an effect that made the building look alive and magical. There were curves and windows all over its façade with veranda’s and nook-like alcoves everywhere. The building was easily five or six stories tall in some sections and walls were mainly white, with black lines and designs patterned all over them. Red brickwork inlays and other patterned designs were incorporated all over the masonry and high, high above, two great chimneys topped off the buildings tallness.

Light shone from all over the house; it came from windows and not just windows – it appeared the walls were aglow as well. Vast numbers of lanterns lit up the walls, making the house look like a huge theme park building.

There was more though … the house had other buildings nearby …

To the right of the huge house, Larry could see a large cliff drop off, in to what looked like a deep ravine. Leaping out over the ravine was a large and decoratively designed covered walkway/bridge, capped at both ends with fantasy-like structures. Looking a lot like park rotundas; their high and ornately angled roofs were traced below with delicate hand-railings. This incredible covered walkway linked the house to a distant and massive looking Greenhouse structure over the far side of another deep gully.

The Greenhouse was enormous! It looked ancient and was in deep shadows that sent shivers down Larry’s back, such was its darkened malevolence. Light reflected off its dirty glass panes and dared not penetrate its black and cavernous depths. Larry shivered again.

Welcome to Grandmas kids … this is your ancestral home.

The children’s mouths fell completely onto the cars floor.

______________________________________________

In no time, the car was almost at the entrance of the house and Laura stared at the centre of the driveway roundabout and peered at its island garden. A large and ancient looking fountain sat majestically at its very centre. To one side, an even older looking 50-foot tall tree stood and appeared to have died centuries earlier. Something about the twisted and gnarly old tree suddenly caught her imagination and up until that moment, Laura had never really noticed trees, or in this case, one tree in particular.

Larry too felt the visual pull of the giant tree and not understanding why, he stared up into its lofty, leafless heights. It must have been amazing with foliage, Laura thought uncharacteristically, completely awestruck. Strangely, even in its decayed state, it somehow seemed alive and above all – beautiful!

The car abruptly shuddered and skidded to a stop in front of the house, the children fell forward messily.

______________________________________________

FLORENCE GREEN-ACRE

STRAIGHTENING UP, THE CHILDREN SHOT A GLANCE TO THEIR LEFT AND UP A GRAND STAIRCASE. There, standing erect and proud, a stately looking woman stood on the landing in front of two huge wooden carved doors. Her hands fidgeted about and betrayed her nervousness whilst her face remained stern and serious looking.

Moments passed and suddenly she startled the children by flowing gracefully down the steps toward the car. Flowed, because the children could not see her legs due to the billowing old-fashioned dress she wore and in no time, she was right next to her window. Fidgeting again, she then clumsily adjusted her dainty spectacles … and then fiddled with her bunned-up hairdo.

The children peered out the car window and up at the curiously shaped woman and then upfront to their mother and then outside again – not knowing what to do.

The woman was tall, thin of waist and had a very large bottom and a very large chest. Her bottom and chest seemed very out of proportion to the thinness of the rest of her.

Laura gulped. Fiona yanked the hand brake up suddenly and switched the car engine off.

Their mother unbuckled her seat belt, and turned to them, giving them a small flicker of a smile. I love you both so much, she stated as the tears flowed freely once more.

The fog swirled about the car intensely at that moment as Fiona turned from them, opened the car door and rushed into the awaiting embrace of the strange looking woman. She was immediately smothered in cuddles by the mysterious lady and instantly the children felt strangely at ease with her.

With baited breath, they waited inside and listened.

"Oh mum, I’ve missed you so much … I’m sorry … I’m sorry," she cried, burying her face into her mother’s ample chest.

Grandma … the children whispered in awe. At that moment, the children were overcome with a huge surge of emotion. Laura let out an emotional gasp and Larry fought to control tears from welling him over.

______________________________________________

THEY JUST STARED AS THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER TURNED TO GO INSIDE.

After a few steps, their Grandmother put her head over her shoulder and spoke to the still motionless and bewildered children …

Look my lovelies, I’m Florence Green-acre, oh yes … and I’m your mother’s maker, welcome to Auchenflower at this late hour, the family home … well come-own!

With that, she gestured for the children to get a move on. Perplexed by what the woman had just said … the confused children quickly scrambled and exited the car – however, something made them stop dead in their tracks …

Startled, Laura skidded to a halt and took in a deep and intoxicating sniff of the air around her.

It smells … so – so sweet here! she proclaimed and then practically ate in the fragrance through her nostrils.

I can smell flowers, Larry snorted … drifting out of the car, "bit girly – but nice!"

Shaking themselves, they quickly scampered up the immense staircase. With wide-eyed wonder, the children felt very small as trudged up the stairs. The house was unbelievably enormous and they gazed all around at its grandeur as they walked up.

They noticed the ornate brick and tile work that graced the entranceway of the house … It was amazing and brightly, glitteringly coloured. Strange designs, not unlike the ones at the front gate, were emblazoned on the walls and doors of the impressive entry foyer into the huge house. Mesmerised, at the top of the stairs they came to an enormous pair of heavyset and open front doors. Excited, they passed through the doors and were taken aback when the doors magically swooshed shut behind them.

Shocked, they span around on the spot and saw that there was no one there!

Spooked, they walked on and stopped in the middle of an over the top ornately gothic entranceway lobby and simply stared. Above, the ceiling was so high they had trouble seeing it. Larry noticed that the walls were covered with lush paintings of strange and unusual things. Laura still gazed heavenward, completely gobsmacked by the immensity of the place.

Eating it all in, Larry’s eyes fell to his feet and the floor. He and Laura stood upon an ancient and detailed tapestry, whose details and intricate patterning’s instantly grabbed him. Apart from its size, fine detailed scenes covered the entire length of the woven fabric. It was unlike any rug he had ever seen or imagined.

Staring intently, the designs told stories of, he assumed, this property and many of the treasures it contained. Little things gave the subjects of the rug away … Small woven pictures of the house, gates, the Greenhouse, things that they had seen … and many things in between, covered the length of its fabric. There were thousands of picture squares running the length and breadth of the weave Laura stared down until … Is that mums’ car?

Realising that the detail of the small pictures was simply astonishing, Larry stared with even more interest and noticed startling familiarities too. He bent low and gasped … there were two figures that looked every bit as they did now!

Moreover, their clothing was the same! He did a quick clothing double take …

He gasped …

Laura came over to see what had glued him to the spot.

Mutely, he pointed down.

"Larry … that’s us … the car, the fog … how? She stammered.

Grandma’s voice suddenly broke the intensity. It boomed from another passageway to their left and stopped them dead. Their eyes shot up and the momentary woven spell was severed instantly.

Come on you two, come and have your cocoa brew, they followed her voice through a short, narrow lit passageway and came into a large open kitchen.

Their ashen faced mother sat