The third world 5/10

"Any luck?" asked Mary.

"Not this time, but I think I know how to check if the alignment of the frame is correct without having to go through and check each time."
She went and had a word with one of the other witches, then came back and explained her plan.

"My colleague will raise the door frame just off the ground and move it according to my directions. When I can see burnt grass on either side then I'll know that must be the correct position for the world where Jennifer Jane has gone."

Everyone waited while Abigail and the other witch moved the active door very carefully, Abigail putting her head through at every new position to check for burn marks.

"Got it," she called at last and everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

"Have either of you got a photo of Jennifer Jane handy?" she asked.

Dave took out his wallet. "I keep her latest picture in here to show the chaps at work."

"That should save a lot of time asking questions," said Abigail and taking the photo she stepped through the door again.

This time the pond was about a hundred yards away and she could see a boy sailing a model yacht.

"Have you seen this young lady recently?" asked Abigail.

"No, you don't get many girls round here, they're all frightened of getting their frocks muddy or wet or something. Funny looking girl though, she's wearing trousers."

Abigail closed her eyes and thought hard about Jennifer Jane, but she couldn't feel her presence. Maybe her magic didn't work in this world either. She walked back through the door again.

"We must be in the right spot because of the burnt grass. I'm sure I'd know if Jennifer Jane was within a mile or so even if magic doesn't work on that side. I don't see what else we can do for the moment."

Dave came over and asked if the type of doorframe would make any difference to the strength of the door.

"Don't really see why it should," said Abigail, "what did you ladies use for a frame?"

"Three branches off a tree," replied Esmerelda, "you can see the post holes if you look"

"Yers " said Dulcibella.
Abigail went very red in the face, then she took a deep breath, "eight, nine, ten," she muttered slowly to herself.

Esmerelda and Dulcibella were sent into the woods and came back with three branches.

"They was a bit like this lot"

In the meantime Abigail had cancelled her nicely made doorframe and found the post holes.

"Try and do what you did before and I'll keep the wood from burning."

Dulcibella put the ends of two of the branches in the old post holes. Esmerelda balanced the third branch on top and then signed for the door. Abigail winced at her sloppy technique, but there was a pop and the branches started to crackle.

Abigail went through the door for the fourth time and walked across to the pond. It was just getting dark and she ran to catch a small boy who was packing up a rather unusual looking model yacht. She showed the boy the photograph of Jennifer Jane.

"Have you seen this girl recently?" she asked.

"Yes she was here this morning, typical girl, asked about my yacht and wouldn't believe me when I told her it was a model of the last America's Cup winner."

"Do you know where she went," asked Abigail after heaving a huge sigh of relief.

"Asked the way to Holmwood, just like a girl to get lost a couple of miles from home. Mind you she was dressed funny and didn't really seem to know what was going on. Lost her have you?"

"You may not believe this," said Abigail, "but that little girl had just passed through a warp in the space time continuum and was trying to find her way back to her home world."

"Garn, you're as potty as she was," replied the boy and tucking his model under his arm he ran off.

Abigail returned through the door with a big smile on her face.

"We've got the right world and I've found someone who's seen her. It's too dark to do any more now," she said just as Mary was about to ask a question, "I suggest we all go back to the Witches' Home and have a meal and a good nights rest, then we can start searching again first thing in the morning."