by Loui Downing
“Miss, what is this for? I’ve never seen a key like it” questioned Majtak, twiddling the key in between his finger and thumb.
“It’s a special room. I want you to stay there for now, whilst the others are being questioned” replied Mrs Green, allowing no time for a reply of any of them. She hurried back inside the common room and quickly attended to a tall boy over by the buffet.
“What does all this mean?” asked Pennie, aiming the question at Majtak, assuming that he would know for he is always responsible for mischief.
“If I knew that I would try and find Ed!” replied Majtak consolingly.
“Well, lets not stand here all day. Miss Green’s obviously told us to go to the room for a reason” perked up Angelica, usually being the quiet one on decision making within the group. The three walked over to another building that has symmetrical windows along its face. Majtak spotted a main entrance further down the building. As they approached the doors they swung open immediately, Majtak placed the key back into his loose corduroy jeans as they all entered.
“How are we going to find where the room is?” asked Angelica, looking left and then looking right down the corridors.
“No idea!” replied Majtak, holding the key up to the light and examining.
“Wait! What’s that?” shouted Pennie, pointing to a tiny button on the key edge. Angelica and Majtak watched in amazement as she pressed the button. A red light appeared out of the front of the key which shined above their heads.
“Maybe it’s telling us where to go!” added Pennie, making the others laugh which annoyed her. The light beamed up the stairs, turning the corner as if it was a trail.
“See, its directing us!” continued Pennie, silencing their laughter. They followed the beam up the stairs, the beam changing the direction as they walked. They reached the top and the red light shined through a hallway door. Pennie opened the door and they all followed, where they saw hundreds of bedrooms for the students. The rooms looked identical to each other, which filled Angelica with doom of ever finding where to go. The red beam shined a perfect line down the left corridor. It would be quite easy for the children to get lost in the dormitories, often some of them did from time to time. Pennie’s friend once took four hours to find their room after going to a meeting in the common room. The children walked briskly towards the beams end but then it vanished.
“Where has it gone?” said Majtak, tapping the key at the thought of it losing power.
“Its here!” replied Angelica, facing the opposite way to the others. The beam was now a red square on the wall next to room number 220-DPL1.4.
“What on earth is going on! How are we supposed to go there, it’s not even a room!” cried Pennie.
“Do you think it means the room next to it? It could just not be working properly” said Majtak, thinking of a reasonable explanation for the utterly confusing events, which no-one bought. The room started to shake. The children started to panic.
“We should leave; I think we’re in danger!” cried Pennie urgently.
“No, hold on. Mrs Green wouldn’t have sent us here if she knew we would be in danger” bolted Majtak. The conversation ceased as they watched the wall open where the red beam was pointing to. Angelica gasped and struggled to put words together to describe what was going on. The small opening swung and clattered against the door frame of the next door bedroom. The other side of the opening was like nothing they had ever seen before. Inside the opening was a pristine meadow, full of life and sounds. The sun relaxing the grass as it swayed up and down casting layers of light and shades of shadows from the clouds. It looked like paradise to the children.
“Someone coming!” said Angelica, looking down the corridor towards the main hallway doors. Five patrols burst through the doors along with Mr Deeds and Mr Philip Bird clearly looking for them.
“Quick, we best get in here before they see us!” said Majtak, hiding in the minute space of the door frame, as were the other too. Majtak peered around and noticed the patrols gaining on them. Feeling brave he ran and jump through the opening and urged for the others to come through too. Pennie swung around and leapt through, leaving Angelica there on her own.
“Come on Angelica!” cried Majtak, desperately concerned for her as she was so anxious by his instructions. Majtak saw the look on her face, guessing that the patrols were close-by.
“Im sorry Angelica!” shouted Majtak, pressing the small button on the key as the opening slammed shut which threw him and Pennie flying onto the grass through the perfectly cut hole.
“Over there!” hailed Alexandra, frantically waving her arms like a small child.
“It’s over by that tree, my tree!” added Alexandra, Francesca raised an eyebrow at her last words.
“I knew we were on the right tracks” concluded Alexandra, grinning emphatically at Francesca and Edward who found it has to reciprocate. The three walked eagerly towards a gigantic tree, certainly the biggest one in London anyway. Its branches shriveled from what Alexandra used to recall, but the sight of it she always thought was her imagination, which confirmed her hatred for the regeneration dome and the lies that they had all been told.
“We had better get a fire going then!” said Edward, rubbing his hands against his forearms and shivering thoroughly. They approached the house, which was half standing. The side of the house had collapsed and it barely looked safe at all.
“I don’t think you’ll need that key!” said Edward jokingly at the state of the house.
“Well, I’m not rummaging over all of that rubbish” replied Alexandra and strolled off towards the front door. Edward and Francesca stayed a few steps behind, taking in the scenery and looking for any items of use on the lawn. Edward found a damp blanket which he thought would keep them warm once cleaned and dried. Francesca found a cuddly toy rabbit poking its head out of all the undergrowth.
“That’s my sister’s!” said Alexandra, Francesca didn’t even know she had a sister. Edward and Francesca walked up the path and up towards Alexandra who seemed to be having trouble with opening the door.
“Are you sure it’s the right key?” said Edward, agitating Alexandra who kept on trying the key and applying more and more pressure.
“Let me have a go!” said Francesca, taking the key off Alexandra and placing the key in the keyhole. Still, the door would not open.
“Are you sure about this key? Take a look!” said Francesca, holding the key in what little light that remained.
“Oh my god!!” cried Alexandra, holding her hands to her mouth and staggering backwards.
“What’s wrong?” asked Edward concerned.
“It isn’t the right key. I know what this key is for” replied Alexandra, completely distraught.
“Where is this key for then?” chirped Francesca impatiently.
“A sweet shop mystery door that my sister used to visit when we were young” revealed Alexandra, embarrassed that she had sent them on a wild goose chase all of this time. Edward shook his head is despair.
“What are we supposed to do now! It’s cold, it’s nearly dark and we don’t know where we are and who is out there!” said Francesca, angry at Alexandra, although she felt bad as soon as the words left her mouth.
“It’s not my fault. If I wasn’t here where would you have gone anyway?” argued Alexandra.
“Stop it!” ended Edward.
“We will just have to find the sweet shop and stay there the night then won’t we!” added Edward.
“No, we can stop here as long as we are careful. We can head out in the morning. I think it has been enough for one day hasn’t it!” said Alexandra, looking up and the darkening clouds above. The three walked up to a half broken window. Edward took a nearby piece of wood and threw it gently at the window. The glass shattered into tiny pieces. A musty air escaped from the house that had been trapped for years. Edward, being a gentleman climbed into the house and opened the front door. The three of them sat down in the living
area which was quite clean and orderly, apart from the odd cobweb and insect trails. Edward fetched what he could find from the wreckage and boarded up the window, leaving a tiny gap for light and also so they could look out. With the rest of the snapped wood, Edward started to build a fire using an old bucket for the base as he chucked the wood in and searched the kitchen for a lighting device. He soon came across some matches, which he struggled to use. He finally figured out how to use the matches after a few moments of Alexandra chuckling to herself. Alexandra and Francesca were huddling for warmth on the gracious green sofa, watching Edward as they started to fall asleep shortly after the warmth hit them. Edward sat lonesome in a chair, picking out the newspaper that he had in his back pocket. He began flicking through to find out information about what happened but found nothing at all. He too started to drift off after ten minutes.
“Hooooo” cried a nearby bird that had just landed on the wobbly television arial, hooting loudly down the chimney. Edward awoke and wondered silently into the kitchen, refraining on waking the girls from their sleep, scared at the thought of them shouting at him again. He searched the cupboards for food, finding some food that was just in-date. The fridge was heaving with a sewer like stench, which made Edward close instantly. The clock above the sink indicated that it was quarter to ten. He was so privileged to see actual time, that’s if it was still running correctly. He decided to put some things together for the journey tomorrow, collecting knives and forks, tinned food, fizzy drinks, crisps and snacks that were lying around unwanted. He found a suitable rucksack in the cupboard underneath the stairs and started loading the items into. He found a torch which he added to his collection and a swiss-army knife. He placed the full rucksack next to his armchair and retreated back to his position where he fell asleep listening to the rustling wind against the gigantic tree nearby.
The morning came quicker than they had expected. Francesca and Alexandra awoke to the noise of Edward trying to use the water in the house, although he hadn’t realised that it would be stopped working now. The rest had done them all good, apart from Edward who couldn’t sleep much.
“So, what is that key for then?” asked Francesca, her hair frazzled as she tried to flatten it with her hands. A strip of red ran across her face, an imprint of where she was lying in the night. Alexandra paused to respond as she stretched and looked in between the wooden boards covering the window.
“I and my sister would visit this sweet shop around two miles from here near the station. It was the most fantastic place you could ever imagine. Sweets like you have never seen. The toys were so wonderfully crafted that you could never be tired of playing with. The best thing was the magical door. See you had to answer a riddle to open the door. Jessica, being a devil must have forgotten to put it back” said Alexandra, remembering the fond days of her childhood. The thought of Jessica made her choke. Her whereabouts is still to this day unknown.
“It sounds great. I can’t wait to see it” replied Francesca, very excited at the thought of a never-ending sweet or chocolate bar.
“I’ve found some supplies from around the house that may come in use on our journey. I’m guessing that we are not staying in the same place twice” said Edward, cutting the mood of their conversation as he entered clutching his rucksack.
“Oh, yes. Well done Ed!” said Alexandra, pleased with Edward’s preparations and foresight.
“Are you sure you remember where it is?” enquired Edward.
“Yes, it’s near the railway station, just up the road slightly. You’ll love it in there!” replied Alexandra sounding rather happy this morning. They grabbed what belongings they had and headed for outside early in the morning. Six thirty-two the clock indicated, although Alexandra felt it was earlier for sure. Edward was hunched at the window, peering through the hole that he had cunningly devised. A turquoise eye came into view. Edward leapt into the air as though someone had sent a thousand vaults through him. Francesca’s laugh stifled its way through Edward’s body as he looked through the hole again and saw a huge smile.
“That’ll teach ya for being nerdy” said Francesca, referring to his military approach to keep them all safe.
“Haa-Harr. Very Funny!” said Edward, full of wit, laughing at his own misfortune. Once Edward’s heart beat decreased he pulled down the wood from the window and helped the girls through to front garden area. Francesca was still smiling about making Edward jump moments ago. She glanced over to him and noticed that he looked substantially more alert thanks to her. Fog bumbled its way down the frosty street. It was so cold for late summer. On the contrary, the sun poked its head in the distance, half asleep, waiting to warm the land. Alexandra trotted nervously behind Edward and Francesca like a new born calf struggling to balance. The cold made their toes numb like they were covered with pure ice and moving them felt so fragile that they might snap with too much force. The narrow road disappeared in the low fog that swarmed the houses, making it impossible to see further ahead. Despite this, they carried on down the road. Edward hoped it wasn’t to far away and the thought of a fire kept his muscles moving.
Ten minutes later the children had almost clear vision of the land. The fog cleared and the sun awoke. A broken underground sign lay on shattered outside of a disused station. The three crossed a small bridge, which now contained little water and mainly weeks and hedgerow. The road took a dramatic turn for the worst and headed vertically towards where Alexandra remembered walking as a child. She slowed her footsteps unknowingly and cast her mind back, welling up at the thought of her family. The freshness of the morning made the tears in her eyes sparkle like diamonds.
“Mr Biggles’ sweet shop is over the other side of that hill” said Alexandra, shivering courageously.
“I want to get up this hill quickly” burst Edward as he sprinted like a bolt of lightning up and over the hill. Francesca and Alexandra decided against the moving of their joints as quickly and lagged behind.
“Wow, you’ll never believe this!” shouted Edward, echoing defiantly as he stood on the top of the hill looking down.
“What is it?” asked Alexandra utterly worried. Edward didn’t reply and just stayed still. Francesca started to jog up the hill, so Alexandra followed suit, only more like a young lady. They reached the top short of breath. Alexandra felt her heart drop to the floor. Francesca made a jerking noise with her mouth but no words followed. The shop was immaculate. It stood untouched amongst the debris and houses torn to shreds.
“How is that possible?” said Edward, asking himself.
“It can’t be” added Alexandra, running her fingertips through her hair with wrath. They headed quickly down to the shop; distraught by the fact that one house was still in tacked. There were no signs of old age or general wear and tear on the house. It had been missed completely and looked brand new. Alexandra brushed past Edward and ran straight for the door and opened it. To her horror it was still open. She entered without the others. Francesca and Edward’s voices could be heard as they walked down the road. Alexandra felt at home as soon as she entered. The decoration and toys still in their original place. The shop was completely untouched, not the slightest ounce of damage spotted. Alexandra waved back to Francesca, urging her presence at the top of the hill. Francesca broke into a light jog to reach them. It was though the earth had preserved one building out of the surrounding flattened houses.
“This is so odd!” informed Edward. The shop gave off an aura of mystic as the sun shimmered across the pale brown tiles, tap dancing along the roof and down the street. The brickwork remained as golden as toffee, preserving the contents of the shop. Everyone knew that there was something magical about the sweet shop, but never this.
“I don’t remember it being this tidy and glamorous” mumbled Alexandra as she followed Francesca’s footsteps down towards the wonky wooden gate that led to the shop. The gate was the only piece of destruction around the house, it lent against the concrete, relaxing its joints. A dog lead swung peacefully from
the gate slats. Alexandra found it odd, as Arthur never has any animals, apart from a few insects in the house that was it. Jessica used to have the ability of finding the spider she often used to pick up and scare Alexandra with, naming it Simon after her first encounter. Their mother Lensa chuckling in the background every time she held him. Their father Joseph found it silly and mucky that she would do such a thing.
Alexandra withdrew the heavy silver key from her cold inner pocket. Edward and Francesca were mesmerised by its unique curvy shape and wonderfully craftsmanship. The edges were as sharp as a blade and its finishing made it as durable as something ten times its size. Alexandra held the key towards the cobwebbed keyhole and paused. A great surge of air hit their feet from underneath the door frame. The clouds darkened and the sun smothered by cloud hands. The children poised as they looked around, dead locked on what was happening in the sky and all around them.
“What is going on!!” stuttered Francesca, part of her words sliced by the frantic wind change. They all struggled to keep their balance as the wind swept them from side to side, shaking them in all directions. The vibrant clonking noise scared them all as Alexandra bravely inserted the key and began to turn it slowly. The lock must be heavy as Alexandra used both of her hands to twist the sparkly silver key one hundred and eighty degrees. The door brushed open with an old creak from a stereotypical ancient house. Everyone noticed the atmosphere resume to normal, the clouds parted and the wind died down. An unusual cough came from behind them all. Alexandra thought it may have been one of the others and continued inside, placing one foot inside.