Wirl's End Chapter 11.

Chapter Eleven.

Endings or perhaps beginnings.

          The following day, Peter Keeper got off the 'bus at the stop nearest to Wirl's' end. It was a short walk from there to his old home. He hesitated, but before he could begin walking, a familiar voice said. "Well, hello Peter. It has been a long time."

          Peter turned round. A man was just paying a taxi. When he turned round, Peter recognised his old neighbour, William Custos.

          "Hello," said Peter.

          "Are you heading for Wirl's' End? " asked William.

          "I don't know," said Peter. "It's odd. I feel I have to go back. It is almost as if something is dragging me back there."

          William nodded. "That is the way I feel too," he said.

          "The problem is," went on Peter. "I am not sure that I will be welcome. After all, I did walk out on the family and they have had no news of me since then."

          "Well," said William. "I did not walk out on my family, but like you, they have had no news for the last two years either. They may have forgotten me."

          He picked up his suitcase. "But there is no point standing here. The only way to find out is to go and see what the ladies want us to do."

          Together they walked to Wirl's End.

          Brian did not want to go to school if his father was coming home, as the man had said, but his mother insisted. "You can see him when you come home," his mother said. "That is if I let him stay. Don't get your hopes up. "She sighed.  "It is not going to be easy."

          He met Lexa at her garden gate. "Mum says I have to go to school," she grumbled.

          "It is going to be a long day," said Brian.

          There is very little else to say. There were tears, long explanations, and awkward silences. Peter Keeper was allowed to stop. William Custos promised that his seafaring days were over.

          They agreed to use the money that they had to repair the houses at Wirl's End.

          They also promised  to repair the road itself.

          A week later Brian and Lexa sat on Brian's garden wall, as they often did.

          "I often wonder who the clipboard man was." said Brian. "He seems to have been responsible for all of this." He pointed to Lexa's father, who was busy painting the outside of Number Three for James.                    

 "Not that I am complaining. My father is falling over backwards to be allowed to stay. My mother says that she is getting him to do all the things that need doing while he is still on his best behaviour."

          He laughed. "It is quite funny in many ways to see just how eager to please he is."

          Lexa giggled. "My mother says much the same thing. It is nice to have my father at home, though. He has promised me a kitten."

          Brian gave a nod. "Mum seems a lot happier with Dad home. I heard her singing this morning. I have never heard her do that before."

          "That's nice," said Lexa. "Mum said it was lovely not to have to go into work any more."

          She giggled. "This morning Mum and Dad were dancing around the Living room after breakfast."

          They sat in silence for a few minutes.

          "I think I know who he is," said Lexa slowly.

          Brian's father was busy digging the garden of Number Four for Verity.

          "Who?" asked Brian.

          "The man with the clipboard, silly," said Lexa "There was a witch who found the World's End on the other side of the Door. It was her hate and fear that were the Evil things. The Court Historian said that there were Evil things in this world too."

          "You saw them when we came back," nodded Brian.

          "So, I wonder if there was a wizard in our world rather than a witch, and he had these houses built to guard the Door, like the witch in the other world did," said Lexa

          "It cannot be the same one now," protested Brian. "He would have to be incredibly old."

          "It was a different witch than the one who started all this," said Lexa, waving her hand to show she meant all of Wirl's End. "So perhaps there is still a wizard in this world and he is keeping an eye on the place."

          "I would not be at all surprised," said Brian. "Not surprised at all."

          The End (or the beginning!)

          A Quick note!

          There are many places with names like World’s End or ones that sound like that, but unless there are four old houses, a Wall with a Door and four families, called Keeper, Warder, Turnkey and Custos, then they are not the REAL World’s End.