Time Spins Onward....

 

 

Dancing For Evermore....

All Hallows Eve is a Tricky time to be wandering abroad, Dear Readers, and not just because of the Treats to be had at many a doorstep. It is Tricky because the Spirits are nearer at hand than at other Times... and they can be both helpful and not...! It is best to be prepared Early, and that was the case at The Lovely Old Dollhouse on this chilly Autumn Evening. They were not expecting to see very many "guests" because of the Pandemic... but they had set up outside in the yard with the treats and everybody was keeping a "social distance" and wearing their masks! Sally May and Annabelle and Chip were the first to arrive. It was still not dark although the sun had set. Annabelle is too young to stay out late.

Annabelle is feeling a bit shy...

 nobody looks like she remembered them! 

And she is not sure she wants any treats!

"Go ahead, Honey..." says Sally May...

"That's just your Aunt Pollyanna and Grandma!"

"They got dressed up just like we did!"

 

And before they left they needed to go inside 

for just a minute to see Helen and Charles.

Annabelle is their only Great-grandchild!

Fleur and Daniel and their daughter Juliet arrived shortly after.

They were not planning to stop at many houses...

 only the ones where they knew the families.

"It's so hard to know what is the right thing to do!" said Fleur.

They did stop by The Folly because Juliet wanted to see Gabrielle!

Gabrielle was so excited to have some Trick-or-treaters... 

she was very glad to see them!

Meanwhile, Dear Readers, 

A long Time Ago, but not very far away, 

The Gypsy Rowena had brought Tommy to the Castle

 and told him to find the Wizard.

The Little Dreamer Beth had been just leaving the Castle when they arrived.

She took Tommy to the Wizard's cave.

Tommy had seen the Wizard.... 

but had never been to the cave before.

Tommy thought that he must be Dreaming....

The Wizard was telling him he must go find

 that other boy.... Perry...

who was stuck in another cave...

And bring him back...!

He gave him a lantern and told him

 to stay in the narrow crevice....

 it would wind downward...

until he came to another cave.

He would find the boy there.

It was dark.... and farther than he thought....

Until suddenly a space opened up before him.

He had a brief glimpse of the dragon...

 

But then he tripped and fell...

and the lantern rolled away from him...

And went out!

It was pitch dark.

He could see nothing.

And he wasn't sure which direction

 he had come in from...

And somewhere over there was a Dragon!

He decided to sit very very still.

He was sure he was Dreaming... 

he would wake up any minute!

But I am sure you are wondering, Dear Readers, 

what was the Little Dreamer Amy going to think

 when Beth did not return home?

She had waited until the sun went down....

surely Beth should be back by now she thought.

Perhaps she should go look for her... 

she was sure Beth had gone to the Castle.

Just then the Fairy Bearey Sir Orion appeared beside her.

"You look like you could use some help..." he said helpfully.

"Especially if you need to go to the Castle" he added.

"We'd better call the ponies!"

In no Time at all the whole herd of ponies came galloping up!

It seemed that Prince had found them too.

Before she knew it they were all galloping 

over the Briar Moors toward the Castle!

Meanwhile, deep in the Wizard's cave, 

the Wizard and The Little Dreamer Beth

 waited for Tommy to return with Perry.

"It is as I feared..." said the Wizard at last... 

"You will have to go after them."

"The crevice is too small for me to pass through...

 but you can fit easily."

"Alas... there is no other lantern.... 

but you can take this Guiding Star... 

it will shed enough light....

 as long as you Believe it will..." he added.

And suddenly there was a glowing star in her hand!

"Go quickly...." he said... "Time is running...."

Beth gathered her Courage and held the Star before her....

She didn't like caves....

And she didn't like the dark...

But she didn't want Perry to die alone in the Dragon's Cave!

It seemed like a long time before she felt the cave open up before her...

She saw Tommy sitting beside a pile of bones.... 

but where was Perry...?

"Perry...?" she whispered....

Her voice hissed and echoed in the dark...

And then she spotted Perry.... lying on the ground....

"Perry..! she said again....

Perry sat up.... 

"Is that you, Beth?" he said.

 "What are you doing here...."

"Are we dead....?" he added.

"The Wizard sent me..." she said. 

"We must hurry and leave before the Dragon wakes up!"

"I'm not asleep...." hissed Slitherwing from his corner....

"But I don't like little children...."

"You better leave now...."

"before I change my mind..." he said slyly...

Beth's light dimmed a little bit....

"We must hurry..." she whispered.

And she turned back the way she came.

Perry and Tommy followed closely.

She led them back through the Wizard's Cave...

 And out onto the cliffs.

Where they found the Fairy Bearey Sir Orion

 and The Little Dreamer Amy... 

and all the ponies had come to bring them home!

Tommy had never been so glad to see Prince!

It only took a Minute for them all to climb onto the ponies....

and then they were headed home!

Sir Orion would make sure Tommy found his way into the right Time!

And lest you think it has gotten Too Late, Dear Readers...

 and that there might be No party at the Castle tonight....

 as they rode away they could hear an eeerie shrieking

 and a high pitched wailing coming from the Castle....

And if you happened to look into The Great Hall.... 

you might have been surprised...

Unpleasantly so....!

Shadows were flitting around overhead...

And you might not be able to make out the Melody or the Lyrics....

but Somebody was Howling.... "AaaWooooo...... aaaaWhoooooo...!"

Could that be our Favorite Band.....

"The Dead of Night Shades".....?

Or did we cross over to the "Blissful Dead".....?

I'll let you be the judge, Dear Readers...

If you can hear them at all....

And if you want to Hang out...

Be my Guest!

It seems there's been a lot of "Rockin'" 

going on around here after all!

As Time Spins on....!

I hope you enjoy the Party!

Happy All Hallows Eve!

(And don't forget that the Time will change tonight!)