The Imposter 3/9

Next morning she gulped down her breakfast and dashed out of the house as quickly as she could. She actually arrived at the Witches’ Home before the day shift had arrived in the gatehouse.

“You’re in a hurry today,” yawned the witch on duty, as she signed out her scooter for a ‘long run to the north’

“I want to find somewhere where I’m not known, so that I can prove who I am with my new scroll.”

She wheeled her scooter out over the drawbridge just as the day guard arrived and both witches waved as she flew off towards the north.

“What it is to be young and full of enthusiasm!” said the night guard, “as for me, I’m off to my bed!”

Jennifer Jane flew northwards as fast as she could for an hour. She’d chosen this particular direction because most of her adventures in the alternate world had been in the south or west. Hopefully she’d spot a village that she’d never seen before and make herself known.

Almost certainly there’d be somebody who thought she was nine feet high and just for once she was looking forward to being asked the question.

Since she’d been using her scooter, she’d invented a way of flying for fun, with the wheels just touching the ground. There was just enough contact with the road for her to be able to steer, while the sense of speed at such a low level made it feel ever so exciting.

She felt it was perfectly safe, because she was still flying and could lift herself up in the air again instantly if anything went wrong.

So as soon as she felt she was far enough away from the Witches’ Home, she came down to ground level and started ‘driving’ along the nearest track going her way. Every now and again, she’d go back up in the air to see if she could spot a village that she’d never seen before.

At last she saw one that looked worthwhile in the distance and not too far away a good road leading towards it. She flew down again and began bouncing along one of the well-used tracks that passed for roads in these parts.

She was going between the last few trees and just beginning to slow down as she approached the outskirts of the village, when it happened!

A squirrel ran across the road in front of her, making her swerve violently to try and avoid it. She was quite successful and glanced over her shoulder to make sure the animal was all right.

The scooter put its front wheel into a rut, went into a violent wobble, then before she could recover herself it had run straight into a small tree.

She went flying over the handlebars and landed in a bush. Fortunately, apart from a few bruises, she was quite unhurt.

However, when she went back to have a look at the scooter, the front mudguard had been pushed into the tyre by the force of the blow and was preventing the wheel from turning. There was nothing for it but to go into the village and ask the local blacksmith if he’d be able to help her.