Star polishing 3/11

Esmerelda put out the fire, which wasn’t too difficult since it never burned very well in any case and then had a careful look round before leaving.

“Stamp out the embers over there Dulce, they might flare up again when we’ve gone and you know what that lot up at the Gate are like!”

“Rightyho,” said Dulcibella, doing as she was asked.

“Only one more day and then we can go on holiday for a whole month. You got any ideas where to go?”

“Seaside?”

“Oh very original, I suppose it’s because you like to paddle in the sea and enjoy making sand castles.”

“Yers ‘sright.”

Jennifer Jane watched them both climb on their brooms and fly slowly off towards the darkening woods.

“I’ll be going now,” she said to Martha, “see you soon.”

“You be careful, don’t forget they are witches after all, they may not be much good but they can do you a lot of damage if they get upset!”

“I hope they won’t even see me, I’m only going to find out where they live and then go straight back home.”

She flew away and quickly vanished from Martha’s sight in the gathering darkness. She kept Esme and Dulce in sight as they turned off the path past Tornak’s cave.

They stopped once and Jennifer Jane thought that they’d spotted her, but it was only for a moment while Esme lit a couple of lanterns and it became even easier to follow them after that. The brooms flew along a dark winding path for about half a mile and then stopped. Jennifer Jane watched them open a gate, walk up the garden path towards a cottage and park their brooms in a shed. Lights came on as they went indoors and at last their home could be seen.

It was surprisingly pretty. A real picture post card cottage, with what appeared to be roses growing round the door, although she wasn’t too sure because the light wasn’t all that good. Esme came across to the front windows and drew the curtains. Obviously that was all she would see for one night, but now she knew where they lived, she could come again when she wanted and have a better look.

She turned her broom round and slowly flew off. It was absolutely dark by now. There was no moon or any starlight under the trees.

She’d never really been in complete darkness before, there were always streetlights and passing cars if she had to go out at home and it was only a few seconds before she bumped into a tree.

Fortunately she held on to her broom as she fell, but when she got back on her feet she had no idea which way she was facing. She tried walking slowly with one hand held out in front of her and soon stumbled into a bush.

‘This is no good,’ she thought to herself, ‘stop and think for a moment, or you’ll be out here all night.’

Fortunately it didn’t take too long for her to remember her navigation lessons. ‘Get up high and find some landmarks.’ She looked up at the sky, which she could see fairly clearly through the tops of the trees above her head. She straddled her broom and very carefully went straight up. She had to push several branches to one side as she got higher but it didn’t take too long before she was through.

Once above the tree tops she looked round to see what she could recognise. It was even easier than she’d hoped. Not too far away, she could see the lights in the Witches’ Home castle.

Perhaps night flying wasn’t going to be quite so difficult after all. She had to call out to Martha to let down the drawbridge when she arrived but was soon trying to find Abigail in the mansion house half of the Home. Abigail wasn’t too pleased.

“The only way you’re going to get home in the dark, is if I take you. We’re playing charades in the refectory tonight and if I’m late I’ll miss my turn. Come on let’s get it over with but try and be a bit more considerate in future.”

Jennifer Jane followed quietly as Abigail hurried out to the broom shed. Ten minutes later she was dropped at the end of her garden. Abigail flew off again without waiting for a ‘thank you,’ as Jennifer Jane walked towards the house and her cold supper.