Lawrence and Lucy woke smiling back at the oak tree. Early evening shadows helped them adjust to earth’s light. Lucy was back to normal - as normal as a magical cat can be of course. Lawrence felt honoured to have spoken to her all the same. Orthaniel stood very still and quiet. The wise old man seemed to be sleeping. Lawrence decided it would be best to check on him tomorrow, so wisely sneaked away quietly.
Back home they found Mr and Mrs Davis sat chatting to mum. Mrs Davis was telling her all about their wonderful holiday. Apparently her happy young twins had particularly enjoyed themselves.
“Seems you two had an exciting time too,” Mr Davis said, noting their eyes shine a telling gleam. Lawrence quickly told him all he could remember. Yet again Mr Davis admitted to feeling a little jealous, saying it sounded like the old oak sent them to the strange world. This was probably Lenora’s gift for saving the Land of Dream. Orthaniel must have known both his friends had to change form to enter. Mr Davis had learnt when magical creatures get used to people and they are both relaxed enough, magic can sometimes seep through between each other. It sounds like that’s what happened to the two lucky travellers today.
“Lawrence, it seems the old oak only allowed this because he trusted you two so much – that’s a very rare thing,” he reminded them, explaining the interfering old crones had probably been watching him carefully from afar, waiting for the right chance. Sensing what had happened to Lawrence and Lucy, they quickly took advantage of the situation. After all, the weird world of light and shadow certainly didn’t sound dangerous till the Rooksbridge coven got there. Being such a strange, confusing land the witches probably figured it would make Lawrence and Lucy easy prey. Their clever plan almost worked as well.
Normally the two great friends didn’t have anything to show for adventures except memories. However, this time Lucy sported a sparkling souvenir collar and Lawrence had the strange pebble he’d found in Jasper’s tower. If it wasn’t for these Lawrence couldn’t have been sure they hadn’t fallen asleep and dreamt the whole thing.
Mr Davis turned the shiny precious stone over in his hand for a few minutes, wondering exactly what it may be. He doubted it would harm them though, or Jasper wouldn’t have allowed them to take it. Once more the lucky boy had the clever teacher stumped.
Lawrence invited him to take it for further research. Mr Davis admitted he’d love to accept the kind offer. Still, he’d been given this fine object as a gift, which was a great honour, and he had a strange feeling it would be best kept in Lawrence’s possession for the time being.
“I doubt we’ll ever find out what this is Lawrence, but when you’re ready to lend it to science, I know trustworthy people who’ll truly try their best. It’ll outfox them in the end though, I’m sure of that!” Lawrence told about the large parcel mum received last week. It was completely empty when she opened it. Mr Davis was intrigued, promising to think that one over.
Throughout the colourful story mum listened to odd little bits now and again. She’d always put Lawrence’s tales down to youthful imagination. Hearing wise Mr Davis sound so serious tonight, she started to wonder.
That night Caspar set up a meeting with Jasper and Lenora in Lucy’s dreams. Obviously the wicked Brandice May couldn’t just be left to sneak off again and make other evil plans. Jasper said the Elder Council always came to the right decision, they just took an awfully long time about it.
The party talked all night about what to do with Brandice after defeating her. Many clever suggestions were offered. Finally two solutions were agreed. One was a magical prison for infinity. The other was a quite different idea suggested by Lenora, which set them off chatting excitedly again. The friends decided the final vote would be on the day itself. Jasper asked Lucy to call them if Brandice appeared before their next meeting. If he could get there in time he’d do his best to help.
Early next day Lawrence and Lucy arrived back at the old oak, keen to thank him for the magical experience and his great trust. Orthaniel appeared to be sleeping again, though his glossy leaves shook in welcome. Lawrence told him since being a dragonfly he wasn’t afraid of heights quite as much, and how after being a fish Lucy felt more confident around water.
He couldn’t stay long today because he’d agreed to help mum in the garden. He’d also decided to set up a few traps at home to ward off any evil spirits before going to the beach that afternoon. After all, they couldn’t be sure when Jasper or Lenora may contact them again to help stop Brandice once and for all. Lawrence promised to visit Orthaniel more often, and hoped to be able to pay him back in some way in the future. Lucy purred in agreement at their old friends musical creaks.
After having so much fun at the beach Lawrence settled down for the night quite late, placing his precious gift safely in the dresser drawer. Lucy secretly wished for an enlightening dream to tell them what it was. Being such a magical cat she knew Lawrence wished the same thing too.
That very night while the moon watched curiously and the happy household slept soundly, the bright, mysterious pebble quietly shook the drawer open and escaped. It whizzed round and round at high speed, shooting through the house in a big circle, before flying out the bedroom window.
No one knows where it went, but seconds later it was back, perched on the windowsill, still and lifeless. The puzzled crescent moon sneaked through the trees, eager to peer closer. He’d sensed an unearthly, strangely powerful presence and wished to know more. As he drew nearer still, a stray beam brushed the jewels surface. To his surprise nothing happened.
At four am the pebble suddenly exploded into life, warping the window’s glass into strange colours, making the sleepers muscles twitch, and drawing all magical energy from the air. For a second the entire Somerset countryside stood still. One second later the world outside the bedroom window ceased to exist, leaving two friends perched on the boundary of a strange, forgotten dimension, far outside normal time and space.
Whirling streams of powerful mystical energy stretched through the window, blowing up like a giant balloon at the foot of Lawrence’s bed. Its enchanting musical humming woke them up, inviting the drowsy pair to step in.
Lawrence and Lucy were truly stunned at the entrancing sight. Nothing so far had been as beautiful and as alluring as this. Still half asleep, they imagined the whirling, warping tunnel part of a magical dream, so gladly stumbled through.