The search for Merlin Homes 3/15

While Morwenna struggled to pull back the rusty bolt securing the door, Jennifer Jane walked back a few feet and picked up her scooter from where she’d left it the first time she’d gone into Morwenna’s back garden.

“I’m jolly glad I’ve got this back again. Broomsticks are all very well, but this is a lot more comfortable. You can strap your broom on to the side of the footboard and ride pillion if you like. Moggy can sit on the floor between my legs and then we can all fly together without getting separated.”

Moggy hopped up onto the scooter and Jennifer Jane pushed it through the door that Morwenna was now holding open. She was rather surprised to find out that the wall was at least four feet thick. She supposed it had to be very strong in case wild animals in the magic world tried to break through at any time. She remembered the horrible looking thing she’d seen once before, when she’d looked out through the spy hole in the back wall of Esmerelda’s cottage. Thankfully there didn’t seem to be anything like that about this time.

She sat on her seat and watched Morwenna close the door behind her and turn a key in the lock. From this side the back garden wall looked rather like a ruin with a door that wasn’t doing anything. It seemed as if anyone could walk round the heap of old bricks with no effort, she supposed it was a similar sort of arrangement to the Witches’ Home manor house and castle sides.

“Gosh that really is comfy!” said Morwenna as she settled herself on the pillion.

The scooter went up to a height of two hundred feet or so, then both riders had a good look round to memorise the landmarks that would enable them to find their way back again. Jennifer Jane noticed that even though the transporting part of the spell wasn’t working properly, the silvery magic sheen covering the cottage was easily visible from their height.

Then the witch, the apprentice and Moggy took off into the unknown to do some exploring. Jennifer Jane flew the scooter using the standard navigational pattern of going round in ever-increasing circles, until at last a village could be seen on the horizon. They flew rapidly towards it, then landed beside the nearest wood on the side furthest away from the buildings and fields.

“You never know how the locals are going to react to strangers,” said Jennifer Jane, “if there’s one thing I’ve found out in my travels it’s always make sure that you’re welcome before you make yourself known!”

Morwenna agreed wholeheartedly, as they found a track leading in the right direction and bumped across the ground towards the village on the scooter’s wheels.