Ley lines 10/11

“Your daughter tells me that she may very well have the answer to the prayers of all the archaeologists in this world. I’m pretty sure she’s found out how the ancient people built their huge stone monuments. I suppose we’ll have to leave it until the weekend, but I’d very much like to be there when she tries out her ideas.”

“The whole point is, that magic works very powerfully near the lines,” explained Jennifer Jane, “I only did half a twiddle instead of the ten or so I normally need to make myself light enough to become weightless. If the circle builders could do that, it wouldn’t take their priests very long to make huge stones light enough to move.”

She watched her parents as they thought of all the implications. “It would only take a few people to pop them into the right hole!” she explained triumphantly. “Abigail agrees with me and I suggest that we all go up there on Sunday night when nobody is about and see if I’m right. Abigail also wants to come to make sure nothing goes wrong, just in case anybody else does happen to turn up.”

They all agreed to wait until about three o’clock on the next Monday morning when hopefully there would be no one about. And so it was. Abigail was waiting with another witch and a couple of broomsticks as the Bell family walked into the woods. Abigail took Mary; the other witch took Dave, while Jennifer Jane made herself as light as she could and hung on to bristles of Abigail’s broom.

They arrived at the site much more quickly than Eve had when she’d driven Jennifer Jane round the local roads. The stones were still lying where they’d been on the night of the meeting, but three large poles had been erected to make a sort of primitive crane just beside one of the holes, which had been cleared ready to take a stone.

Jennifer Jane’s parents were amazed when Abigail suddenly sank into the ground to see the tunnels for herself and were even more surprised when she came out of the ground again inside the circle.

“It took a bit of doing,” she said, "but I was able to get out of the tunnel as far as this, although it was very hard work. It shows that the magic extends quite a way to one side of the main line and an ordinary human could well be excused for not getting the circle position exactly right. Now then apprentice Bell, you do the honours, only make sure you don’t overdo things.”

Jennifer Jane patted the stone nearest to the hole and began twiddling her fingers. Dave couldn’t restrain himself any longer.

“Can I have a go as well?” he asked.

“It seems to be taking an awfully long time,” said Jennifer Jane.”

“Don’t forget you only weigh a few pounds, this stone must weigh three or four tons at least.”

However, it didn’t take more than a couple of minutes of enthusiastic twiddling by two people, before the stone began to stir gently.

As soon as he felt it move, Dave stopped twiddling, while Jennifer Jane slowed down and made the last few fine adjustments. Then everyone joined in and pushed the huge stone across the ground until the end of it overhung the hole.

“A little further I think,” said Dave, “then we should be able to lift the end and slide it in upright.”

Everybody got a good grip on the end and lifted. The stone tipped up and fell gently into the hole. They all stood back and admired their work.