Murky Miasmas...
When Pollyanna and Arthur returned from their afternoon walk, Dear Readers, it was later than usual and the rain was just starting to fall. It seems they managed to get home just in Time to escape the downpour which had threatened all day. The dark had fallen earlier than even was to be expected at this time of year and it felt good to be inside where it was warm and dry. But it seems the Weather's fitful mood had followed them home anyway, no-one was agreeing about what to do for All Hallows Eve!
"But I have heard it is going to rain...!" said Helen to her daughter Joanna.
"I am sure I will not want to go out if it is raining hard..." she added.
"It will be dark and what if it turns to snow and
we are all trapped at the Castle...?" she said querulously.
Joanna tried to reassure her.
"It is really unlikely to snow, Mother..." she said calmly,
"and really, we just need to plan what to do if it is not raining
so we can be prepared either way!"
"We will choose our costumes,
and we can decide when the time comes
whether to go or not..." she added.
"And I will understand if you really don't want to
go out in the bad weather..." she added gently.
"But, I am sure your father will feel that we ought to go
no matter what..." said Helen fretfully.
"He is very noble and doesn't like anyone to feel upset!"
"That is just the thing," said Joanna soothingly..
"he never want's to upset you at all!"
"And it might not rain after all ..." she added hopefully.
And in the kitchen, Charles and Victor were having the same conversation.
Victor was listening with a sympathetic ear to Charles' concerns.
"As I am sure you can imagine," Charles said calmly,
"Helen is concerned about the weather forecast for Halloween."
"They are predicting rain and wind and a chilly wind at that," he added.
"I am not at all sure she will want to go out in that weather."
"I share your concerns for her health," said Victor,
"I would not expect her to want to go out either."
"But we don't want to ruin anybody else's plans!" said Charles hastily.
"You all must feel free to go if you want to...
no matter what we decide to do!"
"Of course!" replied Victor easily.
"I am sure none of us would want her to feel responsible
for our decisions... " he added.
"And it might not even be raining
when the time comes!" he added cheerfully.
And as for the Little Dreamer Beth, who had run out to the Briar Moors
in spite of the dreary weather because she had just felt the need to go outdoors,
the weather only got drearier as she went along.
Instead of clearing off, the farther she went, the mistier it became...
At first she thought it was beautiful...
It changed how the whole world looked...
hiding parts... drifting over the moors.....
At one point she thought she saw her friend, the Pony "Whisper"
running ahead through the swirling air....
but then she wasn't sure...
perhaps she had just imagined it...?
And then the mist seemed to be wafting and dancing around her....
Until it circled her entirely and stole her vision....
and she could see nothing around her....
no matter which way she looked...!
Then suddenly....
The Little Dreamer Beth had disappeared!
Into thin air...!
Meanwhile, you might recall, Dear Readers, that her sister Amy
had refused to come with her to play on the Briar Moors
because she was reading and didn't want to stop.
She had found an old copy of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'
and was very interested in what was happening...
and what might happen next.....
It was all so amusing... if a bit confusing....
you could never tell what would happen next!
She had just read about the Cheshire Cat
on the branches of the tree...
who could disappear a little bit at a time...
and she thought that would be very strange to see....!
And just then she started to feel strange...
as though everything around her was getting blurry....
And swirly...
and sparkly....
and then......
She was gone!
Just like that!
The only thing left was the book
and the sparkly mist.....!
And you might Imagine, Dear Readers,
that their disappearance had not gone unremarked!
The Wizard had spent long nights watching the Heavens
and had seen the great number of Falling Stars cascading from the sky...
and sensed that all was not as it should be!
The Times were Dark indeed!
Little children were not safe on the streets
and sometimes not even in their homes...
if they were fortunate enough to have one...!
Evil ones were on the loose
and walked with stolen authority
through the lands, raiding where they would!
Yes, Evil Times had come before
and probably would again....
but Now...
Now, the innocent needed help!
The Little Dreamers must be found!
The Wizard went to his cave....
he would need the help of their brother Perry,
who had strayed to distant Times.
He would send the Owls to summon help
wherever it could be found....
whether on the moors, the clouds, or at sea....
he was sure they would spread the message.
The Little Dreamers needed help!
And I hope you are not surprised, Dear Readers,
to return to those very Briar Moors
and find an entirely different atmosphere!
Certainly it is gloomy and perhaps Darker than ever...
but there is no trace of threatening mists....
and the only travelers abroad at the moment
are enjoying an afternoon of their favorite kind....
hunting for wild seeds and strange herbs
as they ramble peacefully across the Moors...
The Fairy Bears, Sweet Pea and Brother Beorn
have not a care in the world as they wander along!
But suddenly their attention is caught
by the hooting of owls in the trees nearby....
"What have we here...?" says Sweet Pea
as she looks up into the tree branches.... "Owls...?"
Then suddenly they flew hooting down to the ground....
clearly the Owls had a message for them!
The Owls were quite agitated and had much to tell them...
hooting and clacking and pipping and flapping....
"Oh Dear!" said Sweet Pea...
(she could understand 'Owlish'.... it was closely related to
the northern forms of 'Bearish' which she grew up speaking)...
"It is the Little Dreamers..." she said....
"it seems they have gone missing..." she added
"and their brother Perry needs to be brought to the Wizard
to help rescue them....!" she translated, thoroughly shocked by the news!
"We should head for The Cloud Palace right away" said Brother Beorn
(he could also understand 'Owlish', but was not as good
at hooting replies as Sweet Pea seemed to be...)
"I am sure Blue will want to know!" he declared.
"And possibly Sir Orion will want to help find Perry too!"
And where was Perry, I hear you ask?
He was not too far away,
but in another Time altogether...
hanging out at Hardwick Hall,
studying the Stars,
learning the wisdom of the ancients...
Learning from the Stars themselves....
And becoming Lost in the Skies above!
as the witching hour draws near and the darkness descends,
Party preparations have been advancing apace....
A few "atmospheric fellows" have arrived
to spread some haunted phantasms around...
High above in the Minstrels Gallery,
the "Deadly Nightshades" are testing the spotlights
and refining their repertoire.....
And Kendall is just about ready for the Dancing to begin...!
Well, Dear Readers, whether it is the Mystery of Mists
or the Murky Miasmas that cloud the air... and steal children away....
Or the Rocking of the Rafters and Howling of the Horns,
that keeps you enthralled.....
I hope you will Find Time to Visit again
On All Hallows Eve!
(To be continued....!)
