Chapter Fourteen
The sun came out. It was neither hot nor cold.
"Hold my hand," she told Daniel. He held her left hand and they began to fly. Through the old sandy beach, overgrown gardens, passing the bridge, the swans bowed down to them. The circle of stones lay quiet and an elderly couple dressed in warm clothes skipped around the mini golf course.
"The Peacocks hotel," Daniel pointed his right hand, Jezzabell whisked him up again and they landed near the building. It’s long, squared windows painted white, jotted around the first and second floor of the building. The building itself replaced the tatty iron and metal buildings that once had arcades now became a beautiful white porch. Its shape could be described as a long, wide sandcastle with a few pointed flags, dashing around the castle tops. Yes, the Peacocks hotel looked like a sandcastle but it did not contain any sand at all. Its front wall had white sparkly coating with dashes of green gems that sparkled in the dark. However there was one part of the building that did not change and that was the circular glassed room that overlooked the lake. Its white beams and clear windows reflected the clean blue lake that had many green, blue and red shrubs. These shrubs provided protection for the swans, ducks who wanted to shelter.
As they got closer, the waters reflection disappeared. In the room lay white chairs and blue tables. Many of these tables stood next to the window. Three to four lots of tables and chairs sat in the middle of the room.
"Diner," Daniel said.
"Yes, the cupboard is still there, under lock and key," Jezzabell answered him. This cupboard now had a small golden padlock on its silver handle. Jezzabell flew down onto the soft white pebbles that curved around the sandy borders of prickly red roses. There in front of the Peacocks hotel stood a double door dressed in white paint. Its blue handles grew into the shape of a butterfly.
"Why can't we hear the fair?" Slinks shouted, Daniel looked back at him and then he shrugged his shoulders. He smiled at Jezzabell.
"You look sixteen," Daniel said.
"I am twenty one," Jezzabell answered him.
"No, you are sixteen, it says on that plaque," Daniel pointed at the lilac rose that stood next to the entrance.
"Butterfly birthday, happy sixteenth," Jezzabell read the writing on the plaque.
"I don't understand," Daniel rubbed his chin. Jezzabell's face began to fade with fear.
"The past, It has taken us back. If you are twenty one then now you are sixteen." she sighed. She knelt down at the lilac rose and touched the top leaf.
"Jezzabell, it is time for tea," shouted a man’s voice.
"The past is mixed up with the modern day. I can see mama and papa," Jezzabell's face lit up.
"Have we past our G.C.S.E.S?" Slinks asked. Out of breath he stood in between them.
"I don't know. We don't do them. We are butterflies, we spread our happiness and revive spring and summer to the country side, seaside and suburban areas. I haven't heard about this G.C.S.E," Jezzabell told them.
"Never mind Slinks, we are in August, so we will find out when we get back home," Daniel shook his head.
"Excuse me," a large round woman with long brown curly hair interrupted them. Her purple and blue robes showed her old white wings.
"Aunt Chemichalas," Jezzabell hugged her.
"Yes, Do you know that we are crowning Cherrome, in three months" Aunt Chemichalas asked
"No, "
"He will be crowned the next butterfly of great shells," Aunt Chemichalas replied. Daniel and Slinks shrugged their shoulders.
Jezzabell pulled on Daniels left arm.
"Look, the long grass is gone. It is a," Slinks excitedly spoke.
"What. Aunt Chemichalas, What’s going on? Uncle Cherrome passed away" Jezzabell asked as she turned round to see what was going on.
“Cherrome hasn’t passed away. He isn’t old,” Aunt Chemichalas interrupted.
There, near the other side of lake stood many picnic benches, next to the benches unwinding paths of colourful pebbles. Two of these pebbled paths led to a small circuit of straw market stalls. The stall nearest to them was made from straw and grass. This held a variety of food and a man dressed in green top and grey trousers started to talk to the wondering customers. These customers, tall, small, young and old began to buy fruit from the stall. The other stalls that lay in the other circles of pebbles sold fine bone china, purses, bags and hats, a small half stall selled items of fake flowers. It looked like a market.
"Tea will be served in an hour, don't be late," Aunt Chemichalas sighed and she wandered into the hotel's entrance.
Jezzabell grabbed Daniel's hand and they both began to raise a few inches away from the ground. Peering over the clean white bridge the other side of the empty lake that had overgrown bushes were now trimmed down. In the lake were mothers, daughters sons and off course father's peddling around small boats that formed the shape of a huge swan. These swan like boats imitated the colour of Baby’s mother and father. As they flew further up towards the sky, they could see a small wooden train with an old man; He was pulling the controls up and down. Daniel pulled and both of them lowered next to the boulders. The boulders that stood opposite each other now held a set of tracks that allowed the train to pass over the walkway and they wove around the outside of the mini park that housed red and blue swings, a small roundabout and of course a tree house with a slide that joined the parks soft sand. Daniel pointed towards the moving train, they followed it. The rabbits that had turned nasty changed into timid creatures. They would not go near the humans or the butterflies but they would stand behind the bushes and watch.
"Jezzabell, it is the blind man, he helped us to find you?" Daniel spoke aloud. The old blind man looked up, he smiled and then the train hooted at him.
"Let's go back to the hotel,"Jezzabell said.
"No, I want to say goodbye to the blind man," Daniel let go of her hand. He quickly dived down; Jezzabell grabbed him by the waist and safely whisked him down near the train station. This small station, situated near the beach, lead the train to a stop. It hooted three times, steam arose from it and the Blind man stepped down onto the wooden platform. Jack, his dog wandered over to them.
"Jack," the blind man said and the dog went to its master.
"Thank you for saving me and thank you for bringing Daniel. He saved me," Jezzabell shook the blind man’s hand.
"No, you saved yourself by breaking that shell," the blind man put her right. Jezzabell frowned.
"The past and the present are mixed, but for now you have full health, you have the chance to see your family again," the blind man stoked Jacks ear.
"How do we turn it back?" Daniel asked him.
"You can't," he replied. The blind man picked Jacks lead up and he began to steer him away from them.
"Wait, you can come to our hotel," Jezzabell shouted, the bind man laughed, he carried on walking. “The ceremony in three months, I will be there to see Cherrome," his voice faded in the distance.
"What about Krome and Kimberley" Jezzabell fretfully said. She did not want to see them again. The Blind man said “They will be back for the key,” his voice drifted.
Someone’s finger touched Jezzabell’s shoulder.
“Aunt Chemichalas, you scared,” before Jezzabell could finish Aunt Chemichalas started to talk.
“He’ll be back with other recruits but he can’t hurt you,”. Chemichalas stood between them and she held their hands.
“Time for tea Aunt Chemichalas,” Jezzabell sighed.
--The End--
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The Key and the Broken Wing Page 23