From acorn to sapling 9/13

Jennifer Jane flew as fast as possible into her garden, driving along the lawn towards the house in case any one happened to see her. Although it was unlikely, since it was now properly dark, she couldn’t take the chance that any body might see her flying home. She was just in time to stop Eve from leaving. She sounded rather cross as Jennifer Jane got off her scooter and ran towards her.

“I think you’re both being rather rude,” Eve was saying, “it’s a simple question, surely you can give me a simple answer! Ah, here’s your daughter now, perhaps she can tell me where this mysterious place is and why it was so urgent for that tall young lady to drag her off in the middle of the night.”

“I’m really very sorry,” her father began to say, “but there are reasons-..”

“It’s quite all right dad,” said Jennifer Jane, as she ran up, “if Eve would like to come back into the house, I’ll tell her all about it. Perhaps she’d like another cup of tea,” she said, making a face at her mother, to try and make her realise how important the tea might be.

Dave led them all back into the sitting room.

“Well young lady,” said Eve obviously still feeling rather cross with the whole family.

“Lurbridge is a small village a long way away from here,” began Jennifer Jane, in spite of horrified looks from her parents, she began telling the truthful story, while Dave and Mary kept trying to interrupt.

“How far away is this place then? I’ve never heard of it!”

“Actually it’s in another world and I have to fly there on my scooter. That’s how I got back so quickly.”

Dave put his head in his hands and groaned, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I think I’d better go and get the tea,” said Mary, making her way rather shakily into the kitchen.

“That tall lady didn’t sound as if she was playing a game, she appeared really upset to me.”

“It’s no game, you see I’m an apprentice witch and I’m able to help people in the alternate world with some of their problems. Excuse me a moment, I’ll just pop into the kitchen and help mum bring in the tea.”

Eve looked at Dave, “Do you believe all this rubbish?” she asked.

“I’m not saying a thing,” he said and put his head back on his hands.

In the kitchen, Jennifer measured out two drops from Esmerelda’s bottle into one of the cups. “Make sure she has this one and don’t worry everything’s going to be alright.”

Mary looked a little less upset and tried to carry the tray into the sitting room without shaking too much.

Jennifer Jane continued her story, telling the truth every time Eve asked a question. She was wondering how long the potion took to have an effect, when Eve suddenly asked her where she’d been that night.

“I had to go out with one of my friends for a moment or two,” she replied, “but I soon sorted her problem and was able to come home quite quickly.”

“A homework question I suppose, it is nice to see you young people helping each other with your schoolwork. Good heavens, is that the time! I really must get back, Adam will be wondering where ever I’ve got to. Such a lovely chat dear, perhaps you’d like to come and have coffee with me tomorrow morning.”

Dave heaved a sigh of relief as Mary saw Eve to the door. “I don’t know what you did, but thank goodness it worked, you had me worried there for far too long.”

“It saved a lot of time in the end, everything I said was the truth and I hoped you might be able to think of a way to help the villagers make the dam safe. Perhaps you’d better come to Lurbridge with me tomorrow and see for yourself.”