By the time they got home, everyone was starving again and it was generally agreed that they should order a takeaway Chinese meal. Saddler forgotten, they all chatted animatedly about the show until Jenny yawned, glanced at the clock and announced that she for one was ready for bed.
Once upstairs, Anthony and Destiny discovered that they were not at all tired. That was when Destiny said, ‘Why don’t we just go and look? You know. In the Green’ouse. At Midnight!’
‘You’re serious, aren’t you,’ said Anthony, laughing.
‘Go on. Anyway it’ll be fun seeing if we can sneak out in the middle of the night!’
‘Even if there isn’t going to be a crazy man in the greenhouse?’
‘Chicken!’
‘Am not, just not particularly keen on getting out of my nice snug bed in the middle of the night, on a wild goose …. er … chicken chase! Not to mention, your mum is going to kill us if she finds out.’
Destiny grinned. ‘She’d better not then.’
They had agreed to wait until both their parents’ bedroom lights were out; now Destiny and Anthony were sneaking down the stairs trying desperately to avoid the ‘creaky bits’. Finally, they made it to the back door, stifling whispered giggles. The key seemed to make the most enormous clunk as it turned in the lock. Destiny thought it was loud enough to wake the whole street, let alone her mother, but nobody stirred.
Then they were out in the garden. It was very still. It didn’t seem like her garden at all, Destiny thought. It looked strange, like some place she had never been before. She shivered; it was quite eerie. As they trod softly down the path, past the shed to the row of trees that hid the back part of the garden, they could see an unexpected glow filtering through the spiky branches. They glanced at each other.
‘It can’t be,’ said Destiny firmly.
Suddenly, they both felt very nervous.
‘Maybe we should go back and wake Dad up! I mean, if it’s really him, he must have followed us home. That’s like being stalked or something!’
As they dithered uncertainly at the edge of the row of trees, the glow moved through the greenhouse towards them.
‘It is him, he’s coming out!’ hissed Destiny frantically. ‘Quick, hide!’
But it was too late. Before they had time to move, a figure appeared through the gap in the trees.
‘Ah, there you are.’ Saddler beamed. ‘I was beginning to think you weren’t going to come. Not that I’d ‘ave been surprised, of course …’ he rambled on, chivvying them towards the greenhouse. ‘It’s not every day a strange man arranges to meet you in the green’ouse, at midnight, I know. You might ‘ave thought I was a bit mad like and I wouldn’t ‘ave blamed you!’
In the greenhouse, he had arranged three crates for them to sit on and another in the middle with a flask, three cups and a plate of biscuits. He chattered on, waving them to sit down. ‘I know you young ‘uns is always ‘ungry and it’s a bit nippy, so I thought to myself, I thought, what can you do, Saddler old lad, to make it more cosy for ‘em.’
Destiny realized she actually felt both chilled and hungry – two reasons that persuaded her that this wasn’t some bizarre sort of dream.
Saddler sat down on his crate. He poured out three steaming mugs of hot chocolate and set to on the biscuits gesturing to the children to do the same.
‘Now,’ he mumbled through a mouthful of biscuit, ‘enough of my rabbit, any questions?’
For a moment or two, there was silence. Both Anthony and Destiny were so amazed to be sitting in the greenhouse, at midnight, with steaming mugs of hot chocolate in front of them, that all they could do was stare helplessly at the man who called himself ‘Saddler’.
Then, in a rush, a barrage of questions came tumbling out from both of them at the same time.
‘Whoa, whoa.’ Saddler held his hands up in front of him, laughing. ‘One at a time, please.’
Destiny looked at Anthony and he nodded.
‘We want to know why you’ve been following us and what you meant when you said you’ve been “trying to catch up with us”?’
‘I’ve been travelling for some time, looking for someone to ‘elp us,’ Saddler said seriously. ‘I’ve travelled all over your world and I saw something, some months ago now, in a place called Aymerika, which made me very ‘opeful.’
‘America,’ corrected Destiny. ‘What do you mean, “your world”?’ She glanced at Anthony who raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders.
‘Well,’ said Saddler carefully, ‘I know this is going to sound weird and you’re going to think I’m probly just a crazy old man, but … I come from a world called Emajen. There are lots of worlds you see, apart from yours, only not in the same time continuum. There are ways of travelling between ‘em, only it’s something very few people know ‘ow to do …’ He trailed off. His face fell and his shoulders slumped at the disbelieving looks on the children’s faces. Then his face brightened again.
‘There’s only one way I can really show you what I mean.’ So saying, he picked up a small wooden box from behind the crate he was sitting on. It was beautifully carved with an ornate, black iron lock. Anthony and Destiny looked on curiously as Saddler rummaged in various pockets of his long shabby coat, muttering all the while under his breath, ‘I know I put the darn thing somewhere!’
‘Aha,’ he pronounced, after several minutes of searching. Out of a deep inside pocket he produced a key. It shimmered slightly as though it were alive.
‘There you are you little bligh’er. I keep telling you not to be ‘opping about in my pockets. You’ll get lost.’
Destiny and Anthony burst out laughing, only to be shocked into silence a moment later when a tiny voice shrilled out, ‘Much you’d care, you old grump. How do you think it feels being stuck in your smelly old pocket day in day out?’
Destiny creased up. ‘That’s really clever. Do it again!’
‘Oh deary me, you’ve done it now!’ Saddler slapped his forehead rather dramatically and shook his head.
The shrill voice got higher and, if possible, shriller with indignation.
‘Ventriloquism! I’ll give you ventriloquism! I wouldn’t spit out the words that come out of his grimy old mouth!’
Saddler looked at the children appealingly and clapped his free hand tightly over his mouth to prove that the sounds were most definitely not coming from him. The key rattled on until it gradually subsided into an angry mutter. By now it was glowing a dull red colour; the sort of colour people’s cheeks go when they are seriously annoyed.
At last Saddler said, ‘Look, it’s no use you getting on your ‘igh ‘orse. We got work to do. Now come on and open up the box.’
The key flared redder. ‘Not,’ it squeaked huffily, ‘until they …’ here it produced a beautiful silver spark, shaped like an arrow that pointed straight at the children and then disappeared, ‘… apologize!’
Anthony was the first to recover from his shock. ‘We’re very sorry,’ he said seriously. ‘It’s just that here we’re not used to keys that talk!’
‘Well,’ huffed the key, ‘maybe you just don’t listen.’ However, it stopped glowing red and began to shimmer again, a pearly kind of silver.
“Ere we go then,’ said Saddler, putting the key into the lock of the box. ‘You’ll ‘ave to follow me quick, mind!’
And with that he opened the box and a bright light flooded the greenhouse.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
There was no time to pause for thought. Saddler had disappeared through the dark patch that followed the brightness. Without hesitation, Anthony grabbed Destiny’s hand and pulled her into the blackness.
For the briefest of moments there was nothing.
The next thing they knew, they were stepping out into a small cottage-like room and there was Saddler beaming all over his face, arms open wide to welcome them in.
‘Come in, come in, sit yourselves down. It takes your breath away a bit until you get used to it!’
&
nbsp; In fact, both children felt as though they’d been running a marathon and they both gratefully plonked down on the inviting chairs at the scrubbed, wooden kitchen table.
Saddler bustled about putting a kettle on the range. At one point he opened a diamond-leaded window and shouted, ‘Mrs Saddler, we’ve got company.’
To the children, he said, ‘I ‘spect you’re ‘ungry. Leastways coming through the gateway always makes me feel starving. Mrs Saddler’s prepared a few bits in the ‘ope like that you’d agree to pay us a visit.’
Sure enough, the table was laid with a mouth-watering choice of snacks. Biscuits and hot chocolate seemed to have been hours ago, although in truth it could only have been a few minutes. Anthony and Destiny had to admit they both did feel remarkably hungry.
Mrs Saddler came bustling in just as Saddler placed a huge, cheery looking teapot on the table. Mrs Saddler was exactly as they would have imagined her to be in a friendly children’s book; small, plump and pretty and just like a female version of Saddler. She came in bringing a fresh outside waft of air with her. In her arms she carried a pot containing several of the largest flowers Destiny had ever seen.
‘Mrs Saddler’s very fond of ‘er garden, ain’t you, my dear?’
Mrs Saddler wiped her hands on her apron and somehow managed to fold both children at once in a warm, motherly hug. Turning to Saddler, she queried, ‘Milk, Saddler, sugar?’
Left alone for a moment, Destiny whispered to Anthony, ‘Is this real, or are we both in the same unbelievable dream?’
Saddler and Mrs Saddler came and sat down at the table.
‘Tuck in, tuck in, food first, questions after!’
The children didn’t need any prompting.
It seemed easy to talk to the Saddlers about nothing much at all, just as if they were used to visiting a favourite aunt and uncle. Then Destiny said, ‘This is all so perfect. It’s like, well, it’s like everybody’s idea of a dream cottage, you know all cosy and sunny and flowery and that.’
‘Ah, well,’ replied Saddler knowingly, ‘where do you think people in your world get their ideas from?’
‘You keep saying that, your world,’ said Anthony. ‘Where exactly are we?’
‘This,’ said Saddler, smiling, with some pride in his voice, ‘is Emajen. It’s not so different to your world really, only we’ve been ‘ere a bit longer.’
‘And we don’t have talking keys,’ said Destiny.
‘Mayhap you do,’ countered Saddler. ‘Only p’raps you don’t ‘ear ‘em! You may think that Emajen seems very poor compared to your world. Your world ‘as moved in different ways. You ‘ave lots of big buildings and cars and … gadgets, that we on Emajen don’t ‘ave.’
‘You mean technology.’ Destiny laughed. ‘Like computers and stuff.’
‘Ah,’ said Saddler, nodding his head. ‘Yes, technology, that’s the word.’
Anthony looked more serious. ‘Why has Emajen turned out to be different, if we’re basically the same?’
‘Well, we’ve taken a more … I s’pose you might call it ‘mystical’ path. Taken more notice of nature, you might say. People in your world ‘ave more material things, but they don’t take care of their world. And they don’t seem very ‘appy!’
‘But people on Emajen are?’
‘Yes! At least they were!’
There was a brief silence that hung like a frosty breath and momentarily darkened the bright cheeriness of the Saddlers’ kitchen.
It was Anthony who broke the tension. ‘What you’re saying is, that something has happened here, which is making people unhappy. Something you think we can help with?’
Saddler suddenly looked very weary. ‘This may take some time to explain. Per’aps, my dear –’ he looked fondly at Mrs Saddler – ‘we should ‘ave some more tea?’
‘Hold on a minute! This is crazy!’
Destiny, who had sat quietly for several minutes, pushed her chair back roughly and stood up, hands on hips. Her eyes blazed and she wagged an accusing finger at a surprised Saddler.
‘You must think we’re so stupid. I don’t know how you’ve done all this, maybe it’s an illusion or … or something you put in the biscuits, but I for one don’t believe any of it. Well you’ve had your fun! Now I want to go back home before our parents discover we’re missing and go half crazy with worry!’ Destiny glared at the three stunned faces before her and folded her arms firmly.
At last Saddler said sadly, ‘Oh dear, I was afraid something like this might ‘appen. Of course I’ll take you back. Only don’t worry, your time moves more slowly than ours. Your parents won’t know you’re gone!’
He went over to a cupboard and retrieved the box he had carefully stored there.
‘Wait a minute!’ Anthony looked appealingly at Destiny. ‘I have a strong feeling this is real,’ he said earnestly. ‘At least let’s hear why he was looking for us. Then we can go back.’
Destiny heaved a sigh. ‘I don’t want any trouble, Anthony. You don’t know what my mum’s like – she’ll never let you stay again!’
‘There won’t be,’ he soothed. He looked at Saddler. ‘I don’t see how we can possibly help a whole load of unhappy people in a place we’ve never even heard of, but you might as well tell us why you brought us here!’
Saddler put the box carefully back in the cupboard. He sat back down.
‘I suppose,’ he started cautiously, ‘that a lot of things we do on Emajen are what you, in your world, might call “magic”.’
Here, Destiny shot Anthony an I-told-you-so-this-guy-is-completely-nuts look.
Saddler ignored her and carried on. ‘Whereas in your world magic is a sort of “waving your wand around, special power” sort of thing, we don’t see it that way. On Emajen, all living things ‘ave what we call “mind power”. There are people in your world that can use their mind power, but most of ‘em have forgotten ‘ow. They’re too busy with their televisions and their – you know – technology, to use their brains. They think that those who can use their mind power, are mad –’ here he looked at Destiny – ‘or playing clever tricks.’
‘But,’ said Destiny crossly, ‘we don’t have talking keys. That’s like something out of a children’s book!’
‘Exactly!’ Saddler’s voice was excited. ‘But where do the ideas for those children’s books come from?’
‘Well, people’s imagination, of course!’
‘And what’s imagination when it comes down to it?’
Destiny shrugged. ‘I don’t know,’ she snapped impatiently. ‘I’m not a psychologist!’
‘Ah.’ Saddler looked triumphant. ‘It’s memory. Memory from a long, long time ago, when ‘uman beings were aware of these things. Things they’ve long since forgotten ‘ow to ‘ear or see.’
‘Even if what you say is true, I still don’t see what all this has to do with us.’
Mrs Saddler smiled warmly and got up to refill the teapot.
Destiny looked at Anthony searchingly. ‘You’re not really buying all this stuff, are you?’
‘A lot of people don’t really believe the stuff we do with the horses,’ he replied. ‘I’d just like to know what Saddler thinks we can help with!’
Saddler looked at Destiny, then Anthony, then back to Destiny again. His face was a big question mark.
Destiny deflated. ‘I s’pose.’ She sighed. ‘But if Mum finds out we’re gone, you can do all the explaining!’
Saddler looked relieved. ‘I’ll tell it as briefly as I can. A long, long time ago, at the very beginning of all time, our two worlds were not so very different. There was water and land and sky and tiny things that lived in the water. Over time, they evolved and some of ‘em came out of the water and learnt to exist on the land. Eventually, some of ‘em found out ‘ow to conquer the skies. I believe that’s pretty much ‘ow things ‘appened with your world too.’
‘How do you know so much about our world though?’ asked Anthony.
‘Ah, well, I ‘appen to
‘ave a very good friend ‘oo came ‘ere from your world. One of the very few what knows ‘ow to travel between ‘em. ‘E’s called the Prof and I ‘ope that you’ll soon get the chance to meet ‘im. Anyway, this is where things get interesting. Why it is that two very similar worlds can produce so many different creatures, I dunno. We ‘ave “quaves” – I believe you call ‘em “cats” and we ‘ave “harets” – think that’s “dogs” in your world. Oh and we ‘ave “nators”, which I know you’d be glad of seeing as ‘ow you’re obviously very fond of ‘orses the pair of you. Although most of ours can talk of course!’ Here Saddler grinned at Destiny. She gave him a rueful smile and he continued.
‘Some of your creatures seem very strange to me. The Prof took me to see a … oh now, what did ‘e call it … big grey thing, wrinkles, long nose …’
‘Elephant!’ cried Destiny and Anthony together, beginning to catch his enthusiasm.
“Oh yes. El-e-phant,’ Saddler repeated carefully. ‘Very strange. And …’ he patted his arm, ‘… arm, arma … armadillo – funny, snuffly thing, with what looks like slates on its back! And … well, anyway –’ he caught himself in mid flow – ‘anyway, you see what I mean. The point is the Prof tells me that people in your world are finding new, wonderful creatures all the time. And that others are believed to exist, but ‘ide ‘emselves away.’
‘Like the Yeti,’ said Destiny excitedly, her interest, as always, roused by the subject of animals.
‘As you say.’ Muttering to himself, Saddler rummaged in one of his many pockets and produced a stub of pencil. From another came a tatty folded up piece of paper. On it he wrote ‘YETI’, in large capitals. ‘Mmm,’ he said, having forgotten the children for a moment, ‘I must ask the Prof about that one!’ Looking up, he saw the children watching him quizzically.
‘Oh, erm … where was I … oh yes. As in your world, Emajen relies on a balance of things, to keep everything ticking over smoothly. We ‘ave one animal what is very, very important to us. They ‘ave a greater mind power than any other creature on Emajen. They’re beautiful, proud and kindly creatures and it’s their goodness and positivity that protects Emajen from ‘arm. They ‘elp to make it the ‘appy, wonderful place it is!’
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