Wirl's end

[Palustris]

Wirl's End

Chapter One

Introductions

Wirl's End was a small street in the poorest part of the town. There were only four houses, two on each side of the road. In front of each house was a small garden, just big enough for a few scruffy looking shrubs and a patch of weedy grass. None of the people who lived in these houses seemed to be keen on gardening. The houses themselves were old. They appeared well looked after, but they all had that sad and tired air that you get from buildings that have been in place for far too long. The only people who used the road were the people who lived there.

The street did have a sign screwed to a post at the beginning of it, just outside number 1. It read 'Wirl's End (unadopted)'. This meant that the people who lived in the End were supposed to look after the roadway and pavement themselves and pay for repairs and such like. Since none of them spent any money on the road, it was in poor condition, the cobbles were muddy and in places loose.

The pavement was a little better as everyone did sweep it clean once a week. The state of the road did not matter as it did not lead anywhere. At the end of it was a wall. It was just an ordinary brick built wall, too high to climb over and topped with iron spikes to make it even harder for anyone to get over to the other side. It obviously was not a house wall as there were no windows, but there was a Door. The odd thing about this door was that of all the doors in the End, this was the only one that looked as if it had been recently painted. It was a really strong looking door, the kind that ought to lead somewhere important.

Aidan Keeper lived at number 1 with his mother. He was just a normal 11 year old. He played football with his friends, got dirty, scuffed his shoes, collected the usual scratches and cuts to his knees and elbows and tears to his clothes. His mother sighed and bathed the flesh wounds and sewed up the clothes. She worked very hard, long hours earning enough money to feed herself and her son. Aidan's father had disappeared before he was born. No-one knew where he was. Aidan sometimes got fed up with living in Wirl's End.

“None of my friends will come and play here,” he grumbled to his mother one day. “They say it makes them feel funny. Can't we move somewhere else?”

“This house was the only thing your father gave me. It was his father's and before that it was his grandfather's and so on as far back as anyone can remember. If it was good enough for them, then it is good enough for us. Besides we cannot afford it.”

On the other side of the road, at Number 2, lived Aidan's best friend of all. Her name was Miya Custos. She was a fairly standard girl of ten. She liked to play football and join in with Aidan's games, so she too suffered her share of injuries to self and clothes. Her mother sighed and bathed the flesh and sewed the rips. Miya's father was a sailor and away from home for much of the time. Her mother too had to work hard to bring in enough money to keep her and Miya fed and clothed.

She too grumbled to her mother about living in Wirl's End. She got much the same answer as Aidan. “Our family has lived here for as long as anyone can remember. If it was good enough for them then it is good enough for you,” her mother said.

Miya did have one passion. She loved to read. Every Saturday morning she went down to the Town Library and borrowed as many books as she was allowed to take out. She would read anything, but her favourite books were about witches and Wizards and Magic. It was through her that Aidan had finally learned to read after struggling for a long time. He too began to go to the Library with Miya. He liked adventure stories where the brave hero rescued the heroine from danger. They often sat and discussed what they would do if the things they read about happened to them.

“They never do though,” sighed Aidan.

At Number 3 right up against the Wall, lived old Mr. Warder. There did not seem to be anything special about him, he was just a very old man who walked with a stick. He was not very friendly. Aidan and Miya always said “Good morning” very politely to him if they saw him in the End, but he never spoke back. When Miya spoke to her mother about him, she was told “Oh, just ignore him, he is harmless. He is just old and crabby.”

Finally at Number 4, again right against the Wall, was Mrs. Turnkey. If anything she was older and more bad tempered than Mr. Warder. The children did not even attempt to speak to her. They just stopped what they were doing and kept well out of her way when she hobbled past, leaning heavily on a thick walking stick. When Aidan spoke to his mother about her, he was told “Just ignore her and keep out of her way. She is just old and in pain.”

[ideasguy]

Another mystery story
Ready for Chapter 2 Eric!

[Palustris]

Chapter Two

The Door

One day, Aidan and Miya were sat on Aidan's garden wall idly chatting about the books they had just got from the Library when Mrs. Turnkey went past and down the End to her house. She had obviously been shopping to judge by the way she carried her bag. As ever, before she went inside she went over to The Door and tried the handle. She was obviously satisfied that it was still closed and took her shopping into her house.

A few moments later, Mr. Warder came out of his house and went off towards the Town with an obviously empty shopping bag.

“Have you ever noticed that those two never go out shopping at the same time?” Miya commented.

Aidan looked puzzled.

Miya explained. “Mr. Warder only ever goes shopping when Mrs. Turnkey comes back, they never go out at the same time.”

Aidan thought for a few minutes and agreed. “You are right, but so what?”

“Nothing really, it just suddenly struck me, that's all” said Miya.

“I can tell you when you see them both together at the same time,” said Aidan a minute later.

It was Miya's turn to look puzzled.

“You go near The Door,” smiled Aidan. “Then they both appear at the same time.”

It was true. If anyone had the cheek to go near to The Door, both Mrs. Turnkey and Mr. Ward would come hobbling out of their houses as fast as their old legs could carry them, waving their walking sticks and shouting.

The mention of The Door brought them back to their favourite topic. Both of them were utterly fascinated by The Door. They spent hours wondering what was behind it and why the two old people were so determined to stop anyone from getting near it.

“I looked at all the maps of the town in the Library today,” said Miya

“And?” Aidan asked. They had tried to find the other side of the wall by going down all the streets near to Wirl's End without success.

“It is daft, but try as I might I could not find one that had Wirl's End on it.”

Aidan sat up. “What? On none of them?”

Miya nodded. “I looked at every map of the town, right from the earliest one they could find, up to the newest Street Map and we are not on any of them.”

“Always thought this street was the back of beyond, now I know it is,” muttered Aidan.

They sat and kicked their legs against the wall until Mr. Warder came back with a full shopping bag. They watched him go into his house after first going to The Door and trying the handle. He too seemed satisfied that it was still locked and went into his home.

“They always do that you know,” remarked Aidan. “Try the handle.”

Miya giggled. “I wonder what they would do if they found The Door open?”

“Oh, come on let's play ‘Rush The Door’,” said Aidan.

This used to be one of their favourite games. They started at their front gate and ran down the middle of the End towards The Door. The aim of the game was to see who could actually touch it and get away before the old people came out. They had both been in serious trouble from their mothers over this game and had been banned from playing it.

Miya was feeling rebellious. “Right! Me first.”

She sprinted down the middle of the road before Aidan could say anything. Miya reached the door going faster than Aidan had ever seen her run before. He thought he saw a flash of light and then to his complete astonishment, The Door flew open and Miya went headlong through it. The two old people came rushing out of their houses, but it was too late. The Door swung shut and Miya was nowhere to be seen. Aidan jumped off the wall and ran down the street.

For once the old people did not shout at him and threaten him with their sticks. Old Mrs. Turnkey looked to be trying to hold on to something. Aidan could just make out the outline of a figure. For an old man Mr. Warder moved very quickly. He ran into his house and came back with a large sack. With Mrs. Turnkey’s help he managed to get it over whatever it was that the old lady was holding. Aidan watched open mouthed. He did not know what to do. Once the 'thing' was safely in the sack and the end fastened, it stopped moving and lay on the ground. The two old people both blew a loud sigh.

Mrs. Turnkey said something to Mr. Warder. Aidan could not hear what it was. Then she grabbed the sack and dragged it up her path and into her house. The door slammed shut behind her. Both Aidan and Mr. Warder watched her go. Then, Mr. Warder turned and looked at Aidan. He used his index finger to call Aidan to him. Aidan felt his legs move him towards the old man. He did not really want to go that close to the man's walking stick, but he could not help himself.

However, Mr. Warder did not use his stick. He just looked at Aidan for a moment before saying, “How much do you care about your friend?”

“She is my best friend!” stated Aidan. “Why?”

Mr. Warder did not answer. He stood for a moment or two as if making up his mind. Then he sighed and said, “Follow me. “

He did not wait for Aidan to speak, but walked off into his house. Aidan followed. Inside Mr. Warder stopped and turned to Aidan. “You are going to have to go through The Door and rescue her. Neither me nor Mrs. Turnkey can do it. We are too old and besides, someone has to be here to catch whatever comes through when The Door is opened. When you get through The Door, you will have to find her and bring her back. Somewhere on the other side you will find something that looks like this.” He pointed to a Bell hanging from the wall with a speaking tube below it.

“Ring the bell and talk through the tube. If it is really you, I will open the Door for you and you friend. I will ask you your mother's name before I open The Door. Do you understand?”

Aidan swallowed nervously and nodded.

“Humph. Well, there is no time to lose. Your friend is probably in great danger. Come on.”

Mr. Warder grabbed a large sack from a table in the hall as they walked past. He led Aidan to The Door. Mrs. Turnkey came out of her house and joined them.

Mr. Warder said “Right, now as soon as it is open, you run through. You might feel something rush past you, but whatever you do, do not stop.”

“But,” protested Aidan.

“No time for that,” said Mr. Warder. "Your friend needs you.” He pushed Aidan to The Door and turned the handle. Aidan felt himself sucked in. As he had been warned he felt something go past. He had the strangest feeling of great joy from whatever it was, before he fell flat on his face. He heard the Door close behind him.

 

[ideasguy]

Mysterious AND frightening! Like all good stories, I'm sure it will have a happy ending

[Palustris]

Chapter Three

The Dark Forest

Aidan hauled himself to his feet and spit out the leaves that had managed to fill his mouth. He whirled round expecting to see The Door in a high brick wall. Instead he found himself looking at a high wooden fence. There was a Door set in it though. On either side of this Door was a tumbledown cottage. Neither of them looked as if anyone had lived in them for years. Slowly he turned round to look at where he had landed. He was in a small clearing in a Forest. The trees seemed to be leaning over and so it was quite shady and rather scary. There was no sign of Miya.

“Well, Aidan,” he muttered to himself. “You wanted an adventure where you rescued the fair maiden from awful danger and now you have got what you wanted.”

He went to the Cottage on the left side of the Door. He went in. The roof had long since fallen in and the floor was covered in a deep layer of rotting leaves. They looked as if they had been there for years. Miya had not come in here. There was no sign of the bell which Mr. Warder had mentioned.

“That's not very good,” said Aidan. He felt a bit silly talking to himself like this, but somehow it felt better than the silence.

He went into the cottage on the right. If anything the leaves here were even deeper than in the first place. Miya had not been here either. Again, on the back wall there was no bell or any signs of a speaking tube.

“Crumbs, that makes it a bit hard” he said to the empty room.

He went back out into the clearing. There was a very overgrown track leading out of it. He went over and examined it. He could see that someone had used it recently. He hoped it was Miya and as there was little point in stopping where he was, he started along the path. There were the remains of two other cottages, one on either side of the muddy track. He could not help thinking how much like Wirl's End it was, except abandoned.

The track went past the last cottage and became a path. It wound in and out of the trees, so to help him find his way back Aidan took out his penknife and carved a notch in the trees as he went along. He felt quite pleased with himself for thinking of it. He would not have felt quite so happy if he had looked back and seen that each notch he cut, disappeared as soon as he was out of sight.

The path eventually led to a wider one, almost a road. Aidan stood in the middle of it and wondered which way to go. The surface was hard packed soil and there were no signs of anyone having used it. Aidan stood and scratched his head.

Just then another person came out of the trees on the other side of the road. He did not see Aidan as he was busy carving a notch in the tree, just as Aidan had done. With that done he stepped into the road and scratched his head.

Aidan spoke. “Hello!”

The figure whirled round and looked rather frightened.

Aidan walked up to him, for indeed it was a young man. Aidan judged him to be a few years older than himself. “Hello!” Aidan repeated.

The young man swallowed nervously and said “Er, Hello. Er. You are not the Witch are you? “ Then, before Aidan could reply, he went on.” No, of course not, you are a boy, silly question. “

He seemed very, very frightened to Aidan.

At the mention of the word 'Witch' Aidan too began to worry. “Witch?” His voice went rather high pitched and it came out more of a squeak.

The young man nodded. “This is the Dark Forest where she lives and we are very close to her cottage.” He looked round at the trees and up and down the road. “I think it is that way, but I may have got turned round on that little path. He turned to point to where he had joined the road. The notch in the tree had gone. Aidan turned to look at his mark. It too had disappeared..

They both groaned.

Aidan remembered Miya. “You haven't seen a girl anywhere have you?” At the same time the young man said, “You haven't seen a girl anywhere have you?”

They stared at each other and tried again. “After you....No, after you...No, you first.” This could have gone on for a while, but they were interrupted by the arrival of a group of green clad horsemen.

The riders got down from their horses and two of them grabbed the boys by the shoulders. They were marched over to where the leader of the troupe was stood.

“Well now, what have we here? This is not the safest of places to be stood on the King's Highway arguing. The Witch's Cottage is not that far away you know.”

Both of them tried to explain at the same time.

The Horsemen's leader waved his hand to hush them. “You, you look the older, you begin.” He pointed to the young man. “And make it short. I am in a hurry. Your name first!”

The young man began. “My name is James, James Warder.”

Aidan's ears pricked up and he listened more carefully.

“I live in Scarrick. That's a village near to the Lost River.”

“I know it” said the Rider. “Go on.”

“My girlfriend and I were looking for where my family used to live and we got lost in the Forest and now she has disappeared. You have got to help me find her, please”

The Rider stopped James with a gesture. “All in good time.” He turned to Aidan. “Now you.”

Aidan began. “My name is Aidan Keeper.” He heard a gasp behind him from James. “I come from Wirl's End. My friend Miya is lost too.”

He did not get chance to say any more. At the words 'Wirl's End' the Rider reached down and lifted him up by the front of his shirt. “Where did you say?”

Dangling in mid air made Aidan very nervous. “Wirl's End!” he squeaked.

“That's where we were looking for,” exclaimed James.

“This is too much for me, said the Rider. “You pair had better come with me to the King's Palace. You have a lot of explaining to do.”

With that, they were hauled up behind a rider and at a word from the leader the troupe set off at a gallop down the track. Aidan was too busy clinging on to protest. When he did manage to open one eye he could see James holding on tight to another rider. Aidan felt better when he saw that James looked terrified and had his eyes shut too.

[Palustris]

Chapter Four

 

The Palace

After what seemed like hours and feeling very sick, Aidan was dumped like a sack of potatoes on to the floor.

James was dropped next to him. He looked very dirty and rather pale faced.

“Stay there!” ordered the Rider. He handed his reins over to one of his men and strode off into the Palace. Aidan did not feel much like moving so he did as he was told. James obviously felt the same as he too stayed sitting on the floor, holding his head in his hands and moaning quietly. They did not have to wait for long. The Rider returned with four well-armed soldiers. Aidan and James were hauled up from the floor, roughly brushed down and then marched through the Palace until they reached the throne-room.

Aidan and James were none too gently made to bow to the man sitting on the throne.

He spoke. “So this is the pair who come from or who are going to World's End?”

“It is, sire” answered the Rider. I thought you had better deal with them yourself.”

The King nodded. “You, boy, your name?” He pointed at Aidan.

Aidan was a bit shocked to find himself talking to a real King. He stammered, “Aidan Keeper sir!”

The Rider poked him in the back and said “Sire!”

“Sire,” said Aidan.

“You say you come from World's End”?

“Wirl's End, sire.”

“Are you a Wizard, boy?” shouted the King.

Aidan stepped back. “No sire, I am just an ordinary boy. My mother says I have a bit of the devil in me sometimes.”

The whole Court gave a gasp

Aidan realised what he had said. “No, I mean. She says that because I do naughty things sometimes, nothing else. I'm not a wizard or anything, just a boy” Then he remembered why he had come through The Door. “And if it pleases your Majesty,” He remembered reading that in a book. “My friend Miya came through The Door before me and I was sent to find her.”

The King leant forward. “You came through The Door?”

Aidan nodded. “Yes, Sire. Please. Sire. I don't understand all this. I just came to find Miya.”

The King leant back. “If you are just an ordinary boy then you probably wouldn't know about it. “ He looked round. “Where's the Royal Historian, he can explain it to you.”

An old man came forward and bowed.

“Take this boy and tell him about World's End.” Then the King turned to James. “Now you had better explain yourself too.”

Aidan was firmly grasped by the elbow and led away by the old man. He would have liked to have listened to James, but there was no way he could escape the old man's grip.

In a quiet corner the old man began, “You understand none of this was written down at the time so it is just stories?”

Aidan nodded.

The old man went on, “A long time ago this world was plagued by a pair of brothers who were Wizards. They hated the sight of each other and fought all the time, using their magic against each other. Since neither could hurt the other it was the ordinary people who suffered the most. Somehow, no-one really knows who or how, it was discovered that there was one place on this world where it touched your world. A piece of stone was found nearby which had the words 'All Magic stops beyond the end of the World'. After much secret trial and error they found out that if someone went from our world to yours, someone had to come from your world to ours. The two worlds have to balance. Do you know what I mean?”

Aidan nodded. He had read about things like this.

“Anyway as luck or something would have it, there were two evil creatures in your world too. Somehow a swap was done and both worlds were saved. The Wall was built and two families from your world moved here to guard The Wall and two families moved to your world to do the same there. “

“That's what Mr. Warder and Mrs. Turnkey were doing then,” said Aidan. “But there were no guards on your side of The Wall when I came through. The cottages looked as if no-one had lived there for ages.”

The old man shook his head. “No, for some reason the families on this side suddenly ran away. We have been searching for them ever since to find out why and make them move back.” He looked over to where James was talking to the King. “That is the first person with his name that has ever been found. Ah, look they have finished and the King wants you.”

Aidan thanked the old man and went back to the throne.

“Well, at least now we know where to find the people who are supposed to be guarding the wall, thanks to this young man.” The King looked at Aidan. “I am still not sure whether you are a Wizard or not, so I am sending you to the one person who will know for sure, The Witch. “

James gasped.

The King held up a hand. “And if your friends were anywhere in the part of The Forest where you were found, then the chances are that she will have found them. My Foresters will take you to her cottage and then they will search for your friends. Now go and get yourselves cleaned up and have something to eat. There are quite a few hours before nightfall.”

Aidan and James were led away, cleaned, fed and once again found themselves riding behind a Forester out into the Dark Forest.

[ideasguy]

An interesting story Eric. I'm up to date and waiting for the next chapter.

[Palustris]

Chapter Five

The Witch

When they reached the spot where Aidan and James had first met, the riders stopped and dismounted.

“Right, announced the leader, “This is as close as we are going to the Witch's Cottage. You can find your own way from here. Go through there.” He pointed to a barely visible path through the trees.

“But the King said to take us to the Witch's Cottage,” protested Aidan.

“Listen sonny.” The Forester put his face close to Aidan's. “The King can give as many orders as he likes, but the last time one of my men went to the Witch's Cottage, she turned him into a crow. He is still flying around, up there somewhere. I am not going to take the risk.”

He stood up. “We will look for your lady friends. If we find them before dark we will take them to the Palace, then in the morning back to World's End. If you find them then, I suggest you go and wait for us there too. We will come looking for you tomorrow. Good luck!”

With that, he mounted his horse and before Aidan and James could protest, the whole troupe rode away.

“Great,” said Aidan.

“I am scared,” said James.

“Me too! Er, Is the Witch as bad as everyone seems to think?” Aidan asked nervously

James nodded. “She is the reason why the families moved away from World's End. They got more and more afraid of her. And now the King is going to make them move back again. It's all my fault 'cos I wanted to marry Verity Turnkey.”

He looked close to tears. Aidan turned away. He did not want to see James crying. To his astonishment he found that they were being closely watched by a pair of cats. One was large, grey and long haired, the other was smaller, short haired and black. Four green eyes stared at them, unblinking.

Aidan turned back and nudged James. “We are not alone,” he whispered. Then he turned back to look at the cats.

James stopped sniffing and stared back at the animals. The cats got up and came over and rubbed round the boys’ legs, miaowing and purring.

“They seem pleased to see us,” said Aidan. He stroked the black cat’s head. Then a thought struck him. “You know, in all the books I have read The Witch's always have cats. I wonder if these belong to her.”

James stopped stroking the grey cat, which immediately hissed at him. “She is supposed to have cats, from what I have been told.”

Aidan thought for a moment. “Well, perhaps if they go home we can follow them and find her Cottage.”

The black cat purred even louder.

“But,”  protested James, “Do we really want to see the Witch? I don't want to be turned into a crow or anything.”

The grey cat hissed.

“If the girls met the Witch then we HAVE to go and see her and take the risk. I'd rather be a crow than go home and explain to Miya's mother where she has gone.” Aidan shook his head at the thought of the row he would get into.

The black cat licked his hand.

James sighed. “I suppose so. I think I would rather be a crow than live without Verity.”

The grey cat purred.

“You would think these cats could understand every word we are saying,”  said Aidan.

The black cat purred.

“If they are the Witch's cats then they are probably magic too,”  said James.

The grey cat hissed.

Aidan bent down and feeling rather foolish said to the black cat, “Could you show us the way to the Witch's Cottage, please?”

The two cats got up and walked off into the trees. Aidan looked a James who shrugged his shoulders. They followed the cats.

They were led along a narrow path until they reached a thatched cottage set in a clearing. As they approached a flock of rooks flew up from the surrounding trees, making a terrible noise. There was no way anyone could sneak up on that Cottage.

The door opened and a tall dark haired woman came out. “Well now and what have we here?” She said.

“Are you the Witch?” Aidan blurted out. He had been expecting an old bent over, ugly, black clad female in a tall pointed hat. This woman did not look much older than his mother and she was not at all ugly and bent. She was dressed in a long tweed skirt and a white blouse and she definitely was not wearing any sort of hat at all.

“And who else do you think would come out of the Witch's Cottage?” The woman was much taller than Aidan.

“But, you are much too young and and.” Aidan struggled for a word. Pretty would not do so he settled for, “Handsome.”

“Flattery,” said the woman but she seemed pleased. “Yes, I am the Witch of the Dark Forest. I seem to be getting a lot of visitors today. Where have you too sprung from then?”

“If it pleases you ma’am.” Aidan liked the sound of that. “My name is Aidan and I come from Wirl's End.”

Before Aidan could carry on to ask about Miya and Verity, the Witch drew in a sharp breath through her teeth and pointed a finger at Aidan's chest. However, before she could begin to chant a spell, both cats flung themselves in between Aidan and her pointing finger. They hissed and yowled and fluffed themselves up until they were three times their normal size. James flung himself behind the nearest tree.

For what felt like an hour to Aidan the Witch continued to point at him. Then, to his immense relief, she lowered her finger. The cats still kept themselves between her and him though.

“You appear to have some friends. Answer quickly and honestly. Are you a Wizard?”

Aidan shook his head. “Everyone keeps asking me that. No, I am just an ordinary boy who happens to live in Wirl's End.”

The Witch peered at him. “Hmmm, we shall see. Stand very still, if you try anything I will turn you into a worm as quick as that,” She snapped her fingers. The cats hissed. Aidan jumped. “Cats or no cats,” finished the Witch.

She came towards Aidan. He stood still, hardly daring to breathe. The Witch took his head between her hands and muttered some words. She waited a second or two, then she dropped her hands. “You speak truly, you are just an ordinary man child. Lucky for you.”

Aidan sighed in relief.

The Witch turned towards where James was hiding. “But what about your timid friend? Is he from World's End?”

“No,“ said Aidan. “He just wants to go there. His family used to live in those Cottages by the Wall.”

The Witch made a curious gesture towards James, who came out from behind his tree and walked towards the Witch. Aidan could see that James did not want to, but that he could not help himself.

“So, you are one of those idiots who ran away from their job eh? Why?” The Witch sounded more curious than angry.

James stuttered “They, they were afraid to live so near to you. I'm sorry. It wasn't me, it was my grandparents.”

“Idiots. They were told long ago that as long as they lived in those Cottages, no Witch would ever harm them. It was an unbreakable oath made when we got rid of those unspeakable Wizards.” The Witch shook her head.

James blurted out, “Then, that must have been the Family Secret that was lost when Great Grandfather Custos died. This is wonderful news. Thank-you, thank-you.”

Aidan was more concerned with the missing girls than James' family secret. “Please, did you see two girls wandering around in your Forest?”

The Witch smiled and Aidan watching her closely, for the first time could see that this was not a nice person. The smile was full of spite.

“I may have, and then again I may not.” Then, she reached out and grabbed Aidan's ear. He squeaked. “Now tell me truly. When you came through the Door, did you feel something go the other way?”

“Ouch! Yes, it sort of went through me though, rather than past.”

“Hmmm. Did you sense any feelings from it?” The Witch carried on squeezing Aidan's ear.

“That hurts,” he protested.

The Witch pinched harder.

“It seemed to be feeling happy, but it also felt very, very evil,” managed Aidan.

The Witch seemed satisfied with that and let go. “Good, better in your world than mine!”

Aidan rubbed his ear and sniffed. He was pleased that he had not mentioned that Mr. Warder had managed to catch the 'thing', whatever it was.

“Please , what about Miya and Verity? Do you know where they are?”

The Witch laughed, not a pleasant laugh either. “Oh I am sure they are not so very far away from you, even now. You just need to look a bit harder. Now I have had enough of boys for one day. You may both leave, NOW. I have to go and see a King about getting those Guardians of the Wall sent back.”

Aidan and James had no choice, their legs carried them away from the Cottage and back to the road.

“I think we were very lucky there,” said James and sat down in the road.

Aidan agreed. “But we are still no nearer finding the girls and it is getting late.”

The touch of a furry body against his leg made him jump. He looked down, “Oh hello puss.”

The black cat had appeared and was winding itself round and between his feet. When he looked over at James, the grey cat was rubbing itself on James. “At least we still have these two.”

James stroked the grey cat. “I don't suppose you can remember where the Cottages are from here,” he asked. “Only I would feel much safer there, if the Witch cannot harm us when we are there.”

“'Fraid not, the notches I cut in the trees seem to have disappeared. I wish these cats could lead us there, like they did to the Witch's home.” To Aidan's astonishment the black cat purred and walked off towards the trees followed closely by the grey one.

When neither of the boys showed signs of following, the cats came back. The black one reached up and scratched Aidan's hand. Then it walked off again toward the trees.

James remarked. “I think it wants us to follow it. You really would think they understood everything we said.”

The grey cat purred.

“They did lead us to the Witch's Cottage, so I suppose we had better follow them this time too. I think we would be safer in the old Cottages than sat here,” said Aidan.

Sure enough the cats led the two boys through the trees and out into a clearing. At the far end they could see the four cottages and high wooden Wall.

[Palustris]

Chapter Six

Explanations

The Cottage on the right of the door was the best preserved, so they went and made themselves as comfortable as they could on the leaves.

“This feels much safer,” said James. “But I wish we had found the girls. It is going dark and the Forest is even less safe at night.”

The pair of cats sat down and stared unblinking at the two boys.

“Right,” said Aidan. “You know, the Witch said that they were not very far away and that all we needed to do was look harder and I have an awful feeling that they are very, very close.”

Both cats purred.

Aidan looked down at the animals. “Can you do a purr for yes and a hiss for no?”

Both cats purred.

“That could be just luck, “said James. “Our cat at home purrs whenever anyone speaks to it nicely.”

Both cats hissed.

Aidan ignored the interruption. “Are you really cats?”

The cats hissed.

Aidan asked. “Are you Miya and Verity?” He held his breath.

If anything the cats purred even louder than they had been doing before.

“Did the Witch do this to you?”

The cats purred and then growled.

Aidan turned to the black cat. “Are you Miya?”

It purred.

James shouted, “Then this must be my Verity.”

The grey cat purred.

Aidan did not know whether to feel pleased or not. “At least we have found them, but what do we do now?” He spoke to Miya cat. “Can you be turned back into a human being?”

Miya cat did not answer straight away, rather she appeared to be thinking. Then, she gave a quiet purr.

Aidan scratched his head. “Do you know how to change back to yourself?”

Miya cat gave a sad sounding hiss. Verity cat came over and licked Miya cat’s ear.

“This is great,” shouted James. He jumped up and strode around the cottage. “Her parents and mine did not want us to get married so we ran away and look what happens! And the King and the Witch have gone to fetch my parents and Verity’s and the others here. They are going to be furious and it is all my fault.” He sat down with his head in his hands. Verity cat went and sat next to him. Aidan could see that she felt as miserable as James, even her whiskers were drooping.

He did not feel much happier himself. “How am I going to explain this to your mother?” Miya cat did not answer.

“And what is worse I cannot get hold of Mr. Warder either,” Aidan got up and went over to the Wall. “There should be a bell hung up here and a speaking tube,” He ran his hands over the Wall, brushing off the thick layer of cobwebs and dust. “Ouch!” He looked at his hand, he had caught it on something sharp and given himself a nasty scratch.

“Great. That is all I need.” He wrapped the cut in his rather dirty handkerchief. Then he looked carefully at what had caught his hand. It was a hook sticking out of the Wall. Much more carefully this time, he cleaned the wall below it. Sure enough there, under the filth, was a speaking tube.

“Hey, James,” he shouted. “Come here. I have found the speaking tube.”

James got up and came across. “What’s a speaking tube then?”

Aidan explained as he brushed the leaves from the floor in the hope that the bell had merely fallen off the hook. All he found on the floor was a large flat stone.

“What are you looking for?” James wanted to know.

“There should be a bell hanging above the tube, so you can tell the person on the other side you want to talk to them.”

Verity cat which had been listening to this conversation and watching Aidan’s frantic floor searching, suddenly began to howl. The two boys clapped their hands to their ears. It was a very loud howl. Fortunately, Verity cat soon stopped.

“I wonder why she did that.” James said.

Miya cat went rushing over to Verity cat and the two stared into each other's eyes, tails wagging slightly. Miya cat itched her left ear and Verity cat licked her right front paw. Both of them waggled their whiskers and blinked.

Aidan whispered to James, “You would think they were talking to each other”

The cats finished their conversation and sat in front of the two boys, staring hard at them.

Slowly Aidan said. “I think they are trying to tell us something.”

Both cats purred.

“You know,” said James thoughtfully. “Verity had a bag with her when she stormed off on me in the Forest.”

Verity cat lifted a paw and showed five very sharp looking claws.

Hastily James added. “It was all my fault of course. I was just being silly and stubborn.”

Verity cat purred.

“She never said what was in the bag, exactly, except that it was her Family Secret.”

Verity cat purred.

“Does it matter now?” Aidan asked.

Verity cat purred.

James said, “If that means ‘Yes’, then it does matter. Hmmm. Verity, do you know where the bag is now?”

Verity cat purred.

James carried on with the questioning. “Is it somewhere out there in the Forest?”

Verity cat hissed.

“Have you still got it with you?”

Verity cat purred.

“What was in it?”

Verity cat spit and showed her claws.

“Sorry, sorry, yes/no questions. It is not easy you know.” James remarked.

With a sudden flash of inspiration, Aidan suddenly shouted, “Was it a BELL?”

Verity cat purred and purred and purred.

“Yes, but where is it now?” James wanted to know.

Verity cat held up her chin. James bent down. Beneath the long fur almost completely hidden was a cat collar. Dangling from the front of the collar was a tiny bell of the kind put on cats to stop them hunting.

“May I take it?” James asked.

Verity cat purred.

Very carefully James undid the bell from the collar and removed it from Verity cat’s neck. “Ouch!” He exclaimed and dropped it on the floor. “It is hot”

To the boys’ astonishment, the cat bell disappeared and was replaced by a much larger one.

Aidan pounced on it and lifted it up. “Great!” He shouted and waved it around. It did not ring. “Oh no!”

Verity cat trotted over to him and stood up on her hind legs and pawed at the Bell. Aidan turned it upside down. It was no wonder the Bell did not ring, it was stuffed full of handkerchiefs.

Verity Cat sat down and gave herself a good licking.

James laughed. “I’ll bet she did that so she could run away with it without being heard.”

Verity cat purred.

Aidan pulled the stuffing from the bell and hung it on the hook. He was about to ring it when he stopped. “You know, I am not sure I want to talk to Mr. Warder just yet, least ways not until we have figured out how to change these cats back to girls.”

James agreed and both cats too.

Aidan wandered up and down the room He thought better when he was moving. As he did he stubbed his toe on the flat stone that he had uncovered whilst searching for the Bell. After hopping around and saying some rude words under his breath, he bent and picked up the stone. “Stupid place to leave a stone.” He took it to the doorway and made to throw it out into the garden. The last rays of the sun were shining through the tree tops. They lit up the stone and Aidan realised that there were words written on it.

He took it out into the light and scraped off the dirt. The stone had obviously been broken at some time. Only two words remained. They read 'All Magic'. Aidan put the stone down and scratched his head. Those two words rang a bell. Then, he remembered. He gave whoop of joy that brought the others running out.

“Got it,”  Aidan shouted, still dancing round waving the stone over his head.

“What, what?” shouted James and the cats yowled.

Aidan calmed down. “The Royal Historian said that they had found a stone that said 'All Magic Stops Beyond the End of the World’. Don't you see, this is the end of YOUR world, so all we have to do is send the girls into MY world and the magic stops and they change back!”

“Fabulous!” James was excited as Aidan and both cats were purring louder than ever before.

“Quick, hang the bell up and let’s see if Mr. Warder is there.” Aidan dashed into the cottage followed by the others. He gave the bell a good hard tug and set it jangling. He put his mouth to the speaking tube and shouted. “Mr. Warder, are you there?”

After a few seconds agonising wait an irritable voice echoed round the room “You don't have to shout, I'm not deaf. Who is it?”

Aidan recognised the voice straight away, “Mr. Warder, it's me, Aidan.”

There was a loud sniff from the speaking tube. “So you say. What is your mother's name?”

“Rosemary,” Aidan said quieter this time.

“About time too,” grumbled Mr. Warder. “This 'thing' is getting stronger by the minute. We won't be able to keep it in the sacks for very much longer. Have you found Miya?”

Aidan quickly explained about Miya's and Verity's problem.

Aidan could almost hear Mr. Warder thinking on the other side of the Wall before there was an answer. “Yes, if you send them through the Door, the magic will stop and they will return to their true selves.”

Aidan and James cheered.

Mr. Warder ignored the interruption. “But you do realise that  you can only send two people through, one for each of these 'things'.”

That stopped the cheering.

Mr. Warder had not finished. “And if the two you send here, ever try to go back, they will immediately change back into the form they have on that side of the Wall.”

That message really sobered them all up.

“And, you will have to be quick in deciding. These sacks are not as strong as they used to be. And we have been lucky so far, the Wizards on this side have not arrived yet to try and get through, but it won't take them much longer.”

“The girls have to go through, there is no choice really. We will have to stop here.” Aidan said.

James nodded sadly. “But I don't want to spend the rest of my life here when she is over there,” he said.

“Well, I do not want to spend the rest of my life here either. My mother needs me,“ said Aidan.

Both cats stayed still and silent.

“Right!” Aidan became all businesslike to cover his feelings. He spoke into the tube again. “Do we need to do anything when the 'things' come through?”

“No, they will be too weak from the crossover to do anything for a few weeks and anyway once they are in that world they have very little power. Just stand well out of the way of the open door in case they try to grab on as they go through. Give us five minutes for Mrs. Turnkey and me to carry the sacks to the Door, then open it from your side. The magic will do the rest.” There was a sigh and Mr. Warder added, “We really are getting too old for this sort of thing you know. We should have retired long ago.”

That final comment gave Aidan an idea, but he said nothing for the moment. Despite Verity cat’s protests she and Miya were put in front of the Door. Aidan opened it carefully, keeping well out of the way. There was a faint 'whooshing' noise and Aidan thought he heard a faint cry of “Nooo!” The Door slammed shut and Miya cat and Verity Cat were no longer to be seen.

Aidan and James rushed back into the cottage. Aidan rang the bell.

For ages, there was no answer then Mr. Warder spoke. “All right, all right, no need to get excited. They arrived safely.”

Aidan heaved a sigh of relief.

Mr. Warder went on. “Mrs. Turnkey says that girl is the image of her when she was that age. And got the same name too. Verity Turnkey. Would you believe that?”

Aidan said,” There is a young man here called James Warder.”

Before he could go on Mr. Warder interrupted with a chuckle. “Well, well, well, the same name as me. This is wonderful.”

Aidan smiled to himself. “When you said you and Mrs. Turnkey were too old for the job, did you mean it?”

Mr. Warder replied. “Yes. We would love to be able to hand over the job to someone new, but there has been no answer from your side of the Wall for as long as we can remember.”

“That's because they all ran away from the Witch,” shouted James. “I am sorry. The King and the Witch have gone to bring them back.”

“Idiots!” Mr. Warder muttered.

Aidan carried on. “If you and Mrs. Turnkey do not mind camping out in the ruin of the cottages until they arrive I am sure this James would be very happy to take over your job on that side of the Wall,”

James' face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. “I would rather not be here when my parents and Verity's do arrive to be honest. They were very angry with us before we ran away and now well..........” He shuddered.

There was silence from Mr. Warder's side of the Wall. Aidan crossed his fingers. The silence dragged on.

When Mr. Warder finally spoke, both Aidan and James jumped. “We think that is a very good idea. Give us an hour to collect our things and some food and blankets and we will swap over.”

Aidan and James cheered and danced round the room.

The hour was the longest the Aidan could ever remember, but eventually Miya's voice came over the speaking tube. “They are stood by the Door. Open it from your side as their hands are very full. And be quick. Mr. Warder says that the Wizards are very close by.”

Aidan and James raced to the Door and opened it. There was that faint 'whoosh” and Aidan found himself back in the familiar scene of Wirl's End. Miya and Verity came rushing up. Verity threw her arms round James. Miya smiled at Aidan. “Welcome home!”

Aidan turned to James. “Welcome to Wirl’s End. “


The End (or the beginning!)


A Quick note!

There are many places with names like World’s End or ones that sound like that, but unless there are four old houses, a Wall with a Door and four families, called Keeper, Warder, Turnkey and Custos, then they are not the REAL World’s End.