Chapter 9
Lawrence and Lucy woke up in the witches cave, lying on a smooth slab. The magic pool and water channel had dried up beside them. All was dusty and quiet. Both felt very tired and confused. Why had Brandice given up on her revenge? Perhaps her terrible spell had failed after all? They looked around warily, thinking it may be another sneaky trick. Lawrence’s watch had stopped, making it impossible to work out how much time had passed. No clues had been left by the coven to give any idea what they’d been up to either. Nothing else could be done here, so the bewildered pair headed home again.
Breaking out of the clearing, woods grew thicker and thicker. Plants Lawrence had never seen before popped up before them. Brightly coloured fungus grew everywhere, and the wonderful smell of life shone all around. Lawrence bit his lip in confusion. Lucy looked just as puzzled, but the brave friends found the way back through the woods pretty quickly.
At the forest entrance the old oak tree was there to greet them and wondered who these strange travellers were. Neither one noticed he’d lost a little weight. Two friends trudged onwards, looking forward to their beds where they felt like sleeping for days. At the next field even folks as tired as those two had to stop and stare.
Instead of a busy road twinkling with lights there lay only another pretty meadow filled with sunshine and inquisitive deer. Lucy saw a large otter and a family of badgers playing out in the open without a care in the world. Flocks of starlings raced in front, diving out their way playfully. Lawrence even spotted a massive eagle swooping high overhead. He thought the bird was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen.
Across this field where his thriving village once lay stood a dozen ramshackle huts huddled in a rough circle for protection. A sparkling stream wandered amongst them, gliding past shrubs and swimming over tiny rocks that glittered like jewels. In the nearby field people dressed in dirty sackcloth tended roughly ploughed vegetable patches.
All roads had vanished. Only a few shallow ruts showed where simple carts had travelled over the thick grass. Enormous trees grew up to the horizon on two sides, and beautiful wispy clouds traced pretty patterns across the bright blue sky. In a never-ending circle rolling green countryside stretched on forever. Today was calm, warm and relaxing, sending a wonderful sense of peace bouncing through the sweet, fresh air.
Naturally a person may have loved to sit bathing in this healing atmosphere for hours, except Lawrence and Lucy who realised what had happened. This was terrible. Evil Brandice May had sent them back in time! Judging by these sights it must have been by hundreds of years. By separating them from friends and family, she’d cut off almost all their chances for help. This was the wicked witch’s twisted revenge!
Heavy footsteps pounded behind. A very tall man rushed towards them carrying a pitchfork up high. “She’s coming lad, I’ve seen her light over the hills! Follow me!” he boomed, brushing Lawrence’s shoulder as he sped by. There was no time for apologies as the frantic man disappeared into the nearest hut. Annoying buzzing sounds grew louder and louder, like strong wind howling through the trees. Seconds later his round, cracked face reappeared.
“Quick, can’t you hear her?” he screamed. Lawrence and Lucy ran straight through the door. The worried villager hurried them through a small trapdoor leading under the hut. Down there in the thick dust a woman and young child sat huddled together. The lady looked surprised, but pleased to see them safe. The girl gazed closely before allowing Lawrence a shy little smile. At the back of the cellar two old men nodded a hello, and went back to drawing strange symbols in the dusty grime.
Suddenly the big man slammed the trapdoor shut, pulling grimly on a length of vine with all his strength. He relaxed a little hearing a firm click.
Outside, the cowering countryside witnessed only mayhem and destruction. Swirls of black mist and slime shot over the woods. Trees bent, snapped in two and groaned in pain. Animals that hadn’t been quick enough to escape the evil witch’s clutches squealed in terror. She gathered them all into a big, messy pile and ate them whole. Luckily the thick wooden trapdoor smothered most of the disturbing noise from those sheltering below.
“I’m Jack,” the giant man said, patting Lawrence soundly on the shoulder.
“Lawrence and Lucy.”
“Lawrence? Fancy name that. Where are you from?”
“Er, it’s Larry really. I live not too far away across the fields. My house would be just over the next ridge on the edge of the flats, where the forest thins to a strange point.”
“Yes, makes sense enough to miss marshy ground. So, Larry eh? Good lad, you’re learning fast. It don’t pay to stand out here. Folk tell too many tales. Too many loose lips. It’s not just witches’ we have to hide from. Our Baron’s men can be just as bad with strangers. They’ll figure you a spy or summat in those clothes. Not very bright see?” Jack said, tapping his mighty head.
“Put these on lad. They were my daughter Willow’s before we lost her,” Jack told him, throwing Lawrence a very tattered sackcloth with holes cut in it. Lawrence quickly pulled it over his bright red t shirt. He rubbed the dust falling from it all over his jeans. Now he looked just like the villagers. Lucy thought he even smelt like them too.
“Is the witch called Brandice May Jack?”
“What do you know of her lad?” Jack asked, drawing very near.
“We fought her twice. We even outsmarted her the first time and destroyed her precious cauldron.”
“That so lad? Mmm, I’ll have a think about that one,” Jack said slowly, sitting next to his family who were still smiling at their two strange visitors. Sets of fat candles swinging above lit their faces with a friendly glow. They looked very kind. Jack introduced them all, piping up, “You know what lad, I believe you. Your face for one. Not even castle folks have skin as fresh as you. Then there’s your cats eyes. I’ve always been able to tell good and bad in people, animals mostly. Your Lucy’s the kindest and cleverest I’ve ever seen. Oh, she sits there polite enough, but I wager she’s planning away. An animal like her will give their life for their owner. I wished I had a friend like that,” he said sadly.
“Thanks Jack. Did Brandice take Willow?” Lawrence asked softly.
“No, that evil one lives off in Rooksbridge. Good lady Gretchen did. She grants us the pleasure of her company today.”
“Ah!” Lawrence cried, telling the astonished family everything. Instinct told him these folk could be trusted, although it would be hard for them to understand it all.
“A queer, queer tale Larry, we can’t be telling anyone that. Nay, not that I doubt your word lad. As I says, I knows things, but we’ll keep it to ourselves I fancy. The crazy folk up there’d burn you as a witch for spinning one like that, quicker than you’d tell it an’ all,” Jack announced, shaking his head vigorously.
Jack was so pleased at Lawrence’s truthfulness, he explained much in return. This was the year of our Lord sixteen hundred and ninety two. A time of plenty for those lucky enough to be born into court. But honest folk like them had to work all day in the fields, gather fruit, hunt and fish. After tribute had been paid to Gretchen any leftover food was shared fairly with the thirty villagers, who gave most of it to the young ones.
When told of Lawrence’s happy life back home Jack was very surprised at how much had changed over the years. Lawrence mentioned amazing inventions such as sports cars and the incredible choice of food in the year 2000. The gentle giant sat back in wonder, saying it sounded like heaven, calling it ‘good magic, fit for kind folk.’ His wife and daughter were convinced it sounded like ‘an affy wonderful dream.’
An hour had passed since they took refuge, so Lawrence bravely offered to take a careful look outside. “If you’d care to,” Jack said nervously, “Find my chicken Sassy if you please. She won’t run if you tells her she’s safe.”
Lawrence crept out the door. Lucy followed closely. Such a brave cat certainly wasn’t going to let him face evil by himself. Lawrence wondered how
it had gotten dark so quickly. Sparks still shooting around the area showed the place had been left in a terrible mess. Lucy imagined a raging tornado had swept through the fields. Animal bones were strewn all round. Plants were uprooted, gigantic holes torn in roofs, strange symbols burnt into the ground and trees felled. At least it had fallen quiet.
Lawrence peered into the darkness at a pile of vegetables near the stream. He ran over to grab them in case Gretchen came back. Everyone would need every scrap of food to see them through this nightmare. All of a sudden loud, frightened bleating sprung from nowhere. Many solid objects brushed by, knocking Lawrence flat on the ground. Springing to his feet, he spun round. There was nothing there! Bleating continued till it reached a worn path, where pattering hooves led up a steep hill and faded away. Today only grew stranger and stranger.
Fluttering from an upturned hay cart caught their attention next. Aha! Lawrence strode over confidently. This must be Sassy the chicken. He bent down, keen to help out. Only inches away from his nose the cart shot off like a rocket far into the air, and never came back down. Thick, dusty hay exploded outwards till it fell like rain. Screaming showers of burnt feathers burst out the cloud and a terrifying flaming skull appeared before them. In a flash of stinking smoke the skull morphed into the unmistakable shape of a tall young lady.
Lucy recognised her right away. A much younger and prettier Gretchen floated before them now. She whirled round and round them, taunting Lawrence who tried desperately to keep facing her. “What have we here?” she cackled. A sense of recognition grew over her spotty face as green spit dribbled over her jet black cape. His disguise hadn’t fooled her one bit. Her memory quickly returned.
“Aha! Another pure one, a lost little pig, you’ll do!” she cackled, creeping closer. Lucy slipped out from behind Lawrence’s legs. Gretchen nearly jumped out of her skin, like she’d just gotten a massive electric shock. With a disturbing whistle a pitchfork landed at their feet, scraping Lawrence’s shoe.
“You!” she screeched, melting into the darkness. Now that was a big surprise. Back inside the hut they told Jack the news.
“Good, good,” he said, lapsing into deep thought. His wife put her arm round him. The poor man must be thinking of his kidnapped daughter again.
“How did it get dark so quickly Jack?”
“Whenever she visits its always night afterwards. Her queer magic see?”
“Almost as if she sucks all goodness out the air,” Lawrence remarked.
“Could be, could be,” Jack agreed thoughtfully.
“Maybe we could help each other Jack? Where does Gretchen live? If we could find out we may find Willow and be able to return to our own time using the witch’s power somehow. Mr Davis always says to know your enemy is key to defeating them.”
“No one knows where she lives lad. She’s clever that one. Folk says she never leaves in the same direction. Witches take, they never gives, unless one fancies a nasty boil or two counts as a gift. Some folks get even worse. Once they met Gretchen they were never the same. We seen them walking in circles one day. One walked right into a flooded river - their minds gone see? No, ones she takes never comes back,” he said sadly.
Jack said Gretchen had been visiting more often lately. None of the usual protective herbs or chants worked against her. Now no one had the energy or will to fight or move away. Even if they did leave, his family could easily end up in another witches territory that was even worse. Brandice May’s for one.
“I see your problem Jack. It’s very complicated for sure. Um, before we arrived I realised Lucy has some sort of magic too. That must be why Brandice stole her before she got old enough to use it properly. Gretchen recognised this as well just then and didn’t like it at all. But I don’t know how to use this magic yet, or even whether Lucy does. Perhaps here in the olden days Lucy’s power is greater somehow. I just wish I knew more. We’ll have a good look around tomorrow, there may be clues waiting.”
Everyone moved up to the ground floor to continue chatting now Gretchen had gone. Jack announced the two visitors were welcome to stay for as long as they needed. He’d tell nosey folk Lawrence was a cousin visiting from afar. Lucy ran to the door, twitching her nose uncontrollably. Something smelt new and very interesting. She walked up and down trying to form a picture in her mind of what it may be. Such precautions often saved lives. After a few minutes an enormous shape padded away into the darkness.