B The Empty House

The empty house just off the main road was a magnet for kids. They
loved to climb its Stairs and explore its passageways.

It dated back to the 18 century. Three stores high, detached with a
large garden. It would have been magnificent in its day.

Now the garden was overgrown, its water fountain no longer worked and
grass grew inside. Outside, in big red letter was a sign saying:
'Danger! Keep out! This did not deter the kids of course.

One Thursday afternoon, 13 year old Peter Gregson was searching. He had
heard the house contained a secret passage, which run underground and
came out the other side of town. He was determined to find it.

Peter hunted high and low. He opened cupboards. Looked under the
staircase but after 3 hours had to admit defeat.

'There is not secret passage here' he said to himself, 'just an old
house with nothing to hide'

He was about to go when something made him turn to the wall facing the
garden. It seemed to giving of a powerful energy, which run through his
whole body.

Carefully he put out his hand to touch the wall and instead it passed
right through what should have been a solid wall.

The energy flowed through him more powerful that before. Taking a deep
breath he walked through the wall and found himself on the other
side.

Peter looked around. He should have been in the garden. Only he wasn't.
He was somewhere else entirely.

It was a place of great beauty, green and lush. A river flowed round
the side and Peter could see silver fish leaping in and out of the
water.

Peter looked behind him. The wall was still there. He knew that behind
the wall lay the empty house and his familiar world.

He decided to explore this new world. He followed a pathway going
between some trees. At the end of the path he saw four beautiful white
horses being rode by what looked like people.

Peter looked at them more closely. With a start he realised they were
elves. Then to his amazement he saw two unicorns being playing with a
group of elf children. They saw him and started laughing.

Suddenly a horse ridden by a beautiful lady with long flowing while
hair rode towards him.

'Hello' She said, as she stopped beside him.
'You must have some elf blood in you if you can breach the magic which
separate our world from yours'.
'Where am I?'
The lady smiled. 'You are in the same world you always were, only you
can see more of it'.
'Come' she said, offering her hand. 'Climb up and I will take you to my
father'.

Peter touched her hand and the next moment found himself on the horse
behind the lady.

Then the horse set off. When Peter looked down he saw that the horse
feet did not touch the ground. Sometime they would pass a group of
elves that would turn and wave.

They came to a town, which had beautiful stone houses.

'But they don't have any doors' said Peter.
'Why do we need doors?' smiled the lady. 'No on hear will harm another
or steal'.

They walked into one of the houses.
'I live here with my Father. The king'
'A real king?'
'Yes, but not like in your world. Here kings are chosen for their
wisdom and compassion.' Their motivation is to serve us'.

Peter looked around the house. It has lots of windows and was very
simple.

Through a window at the back Peter could see fountains and beyond that
lay a lake and mountains.
'Its so beautiful' said Peter.

The King come into the room.
'Welcome' he said he Peter.
In the middle of the room three chars and a table came up from the
floor.
They sat down and ate fresh fruit.
'It is not often we get visitor from your world' said the King 'Only
those who are pure in sprit can enter'.
'How long have you been here? Peter asked.
'Ahh that's a story; said the King.

Peter settled back in his chair to listen.

'At the dawn of time elves lived in your world along with men. We are a
cultured, compassionate people. We helped men in all sorts of ways,
with medicine, science and the arts.
But inside men lurks a great greed and a lust for power. I t consumes
them and men turned against us and a great war arose.
Many thousands were killed on both sides. Of course men could not hope
to triumph over elves. We were too clever and many magic powers.
But we did not wish to kill anymore of your kind so we created this
world by means of magic.
Our world physically exists in your world but cannot be seen, heard or
touched by men. It occupies the same space but in a different
dimension.
We still visit your world but in disguise. We offer teaching and
guidance interfere expect against the dark ones.

'Who are they?' asked Peter.
'The are a race of total evil. They know only hate. They live in
ignorance.
They lived on your world but we imprisoned them long ago. From time to
time some escape.
But for now Peter, it is time to return to your own world. But one day
you will return.'

Then the room melted and Peter found himself back in the empty
house,
'Did I really travel to another world?' He asked himself. He opened the
closed fist of his right hand. One side there was the head of the King
on the other the river.

It was proof that an ordinary Thursday afternoon Peter had visited
another world.

The empty house just off the main road was a magnet for kids. They
loved to climb its
Stairs and explore its passageways.

It dated back to the 18 century. Three stores high, detached with a
large garden. It would have been magnificent in its day.

Now the garden was overgrown, its water fountain no longer worked and
grass grew inside. Outside, in big red letter was a sign saying:
'Danger! Keep out! This did not deter the kids of course.

One Thursday afternoon, 13 year old Peter Gregson was searching. He had
heard the house contained a secret passage, which run underground and
came out the other side of town. He was determined to find it.

Peter hunted high and low. He opened cupboards. Looked under the
staircase but after 3 hours had to admit defeat.

'There is not secret passage here' he said to himself, 'just an old
house with nothing to hide'

He was about to go when something made him turn to the wall facing the
garden. It seemed to giving of a powerful energy, which run through his
whole body.

Carefully he put out his hand to touch the wall and instead it passed
right through what should have been a solid wall.

The energy flowed through him more powerful that before. Taking a deep
breath he walked through the wall and found himself on the other
side.

Peter looked around. He should have been in the garden. Only he wasn't.
He was somewhere else entirely.

It was a place of great beauty, green and lush. A river flowed round
the side and Peter could see silver fish leaping in and out of the
water.

Peter looked behind him. The wall was still there. He knew that behind
the wall lay the empty house and his familiar world.

He decided to explore this new world. He followed a pathway going
between some trees. At the end of the path he saw four beautiful white
horses being rode by what looked like people.

Peter looked at them more closely. With a start he realised they were
elves. Then to his amazement he saw two unicorns being playing with a
group of elf children. They saw him and started laughing.

Suddenly a horse ridden by a beautiful lady with long flowing while
hair rode towards him.

'Hello' She said, as she stopped beside him.
'You must have some elf blood in you if you can breach the magic which
separate our world from yours'.
'Where am I?'
The lady smiled. 'You are in the same world you always were, only you
can see more of it'.
'Come' she said, offering her hand. 'Climb up and I will take you to my
father'.

Peter touched her hand and the next moment found himself on the horse
behind the lady.

Then the horse set off. When Peter looked down he saw that the horse
feet did not touch the ground. Sometime they would pass a group of
elves that would turn and wave.

They came to a town, which had beautiful stone houses.

'But they don't have any doors' said Peter.
'Why do we need doors?' smiled the lady. 'No on hear will harm another
or steal'.

They walked into one of the houses.
'I live here with my Father. The king'
'A real king?'
'Yes, but not like in your world. Here kings are chosen for their
wisdom and compassion.' Their motivation is to serve us'.

Peter looked around the house. It has lots of windows and was very
simple.

Through a window at the back Peter could see fountains and beyond that
lay a lake and mountains.
'Its so beautiful' said Peter.

The King come into the room.
'Welcome' he said he Peter.
In the middle of the room three chars and a table came up from the
floor.
They sat down and ate fresh fruit.
'It is not often we get visitor from your world' said the King 'Only
those who are pure in sprit can enter'.
'How long have you been here? Peter asked.
'Ahh that's a story; said the King.

Peter settled back in his chair to listen.

'At the dawn of time elves lived in your world along with men. We are a
cultured, compassionate people. We helped men in all sorts of ways,
with medicine, science and the arts.
But inside men lurks a great greed and a lust for power. I t consumes
them and men turned against us and a great war arose.
Many thousands were killed on both sides. Of course men could not hope
to triumph over elves. We were too clever and many magic powers.
But we did not wish to kill anymore of your kind so we created this
world by means of magic.
Our world physically exists in your world but cannot be seen, heard or
touched by men. It occupies the same space but in a different
dimension.
We still visit your world but in disguise. We offer teaching and
guidance interfere expect against the dark ones.

'Who are they?' asked Peter.
'The are a race of total evil. They know only hate. They live in
ignorance.
They lived on your world but we imprisoned them long ago. From time to
time some escape.
But for now Peter, it is time to return to your own world. But one day
you will return.'

The King handed Peter a coin with a picture of the King on it. 'Take
this with you, it will remind you of your visit here and one day you
will use it to return here

Then the room melted and Peter found himself back in the empty
house,
'Did I really travel to another world?' He asked himself. He opened the
closed fist of his right hand. Inside there the coin with the picture
of the King.

It was proof that an ordinary Thursday afternoon Peter had visited
another world.