The Magical Mystical Miracle Place Deep in the Forest

THE MAGICAL MYSTICAL MIRACLE PLACE DEEP IN THE FOREST

Iris Therese Smith Reid

ARTHUR H. STOCKWELL LTD

Torrs Park, Ilfracombe, Devon, EX34 8BA

Established 1898

www.ahstockwell.co.uk

Copyright © 2019 Iris Therese Smith Reid

First published in Great Britain, 2019

Iris Therese Smith Reid asserts the right to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is purely coincidental.

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By the same author:

Dementia Poems

Poems of Devotion and Commotion

Forever Take My Hand

Enhancing and Enchanting Poems

Prologue

The young couple had ridden deep into the middle of the forest when suddenly in front of them a cave appeared. It started raining. They tied up their horses to a tree, and taking hold of her hand he led her inside the entrance of the cave to shelter from the rain.

Once inside, they stood watching in disbelief as a silver light swirled around them. It stopped dead, shining on to a golden plaque that was upon the wall. It had writing on it. They both read what it said:

This is a magical mystical miracle place

Where wishes and dreams come true.

This cave opens only to a selected few

Great people who will live their life anew.

Once inside, they will lose their heart;

They join together no more to part.

For those who have ailments to cure,

Their ailments go, they will be no more.

For some, their love will travel in time.

This cave stays open from one year to nine.

Once wishes and dreams have come your way,

You will be banished; no more can you stay.

Chapter One

Faith and her brother, Fred, lived with their mother and father on the outskirts of Lincolnshire, in a bungalow. Living opposite, across the way, was Faith’s loyal friend, Jane, also living in a bungalow. She was adopted from birth because her biological parents at the time Jane was born were both only fifteen years old. They had no parents or family as they were killed in a world war, so they had nobody. When her biological parents turned seventeen, they married and bought a farm in Scotland. They traced Jane and tried getting her back, but by then it was too late - she was fully adopted. They also found out they couldn’t have any more children, which was so devastating for them, having lost Jane, their only child. When they told this to Jane’s adoptive parents, knowing how painful it was to be without children and not being able to have more, they allowed them to have Jane for two weeks’ holiday in Scotland once a year.

Jane loved it on their farm. She had her own pony and paddock to ride in. They spoilt her - she had everything she wanted.

After coming back to her adoptive parents, she would always tell Faith she loved it in Scotland, but, as she told her biological parents while she was there, she had no one to play with. They told her to bring a friend with her for a holiday. Jane and Faith asked Faith’s mother if she could go to Scotland. She told the girls that when Faith was older she would let her go.

The two friends were loyal to each other, going everywhere together. They were never apart, but as soon as they got the chance they would wander away from home and call it their great adventure. After their mothers had put them to bed at night, they would climb out of their bedroom windows and go to the park, which was just down the lane from their bungalows. They would play on the swings, climb the trees, then go back home to sneak back into their bedrooms through the windows with their mothers none the wiser, not even knowing they had been out. In the daytimes they would have picnics in their back gardens, walk on walls - proper tomboys, so their mothers would call them. Most of the time they would sit daydreaming of what they would do when they grew up and where they would live.

They went to the same school, were in the same class and liked the same things. Jane was one year older than Faith. She was the ringleader, the boss. One night, doing their usual climbing out of their windows and swinging on the swings in the park, Jane had a great idea: instead of going straight back home they would go on an enchanting adventure. Jane was eight and Faith seven at this time.

Faith was very excited, jumping up and down, saying, Oh, goody, goody, where are we going, then?

Jane said, To the shops in town. I have been there with my mother - it isn’t very far. There are lots of toyshops. You walk down the lane and you are there.

So, holding hands, they set off walking, walking and walking. It was a long way after all. Faith started moaning that she was cold - they were only in their nightwear.

Jane said, Oh, stop being a big baby - we are nearly there. We can skip along - that will keep us warm.

So they skipped along happily, singing and going on their merry way, until in the distance they spotted lights. When they finally reached them the town was deserted, with the shops closed. All the windows were lit up with bright lights showing all the goods on display. They saw pretty pink dresses in one shop. They both said their mothers would buy them for them, when they told them tomorrow. Then they reached the toyshop window. It was like a fairytale, packed full of wonderful toys of every description. They had the time of their lives picking out what they would like. They wanted everything, pointing and staring with amazement. Jane wanted the biggest toy in the window, which was a huge teddy bear.

Then Faith pointed to a big Pedigree doll’s pram saying, That’s mine - I’m having that!

Jane said, Oh no, you cannot have that because my mother is buying it for me. It belongs to me! I’m the oldest and I should have it. You’re not allowed to have it - you’re not old enough, Faith.

Faith started crying. She said she wanted to go home as Jane wouldn’t let her have anything at all. Then headlights startled them as they drew towards them in the darkness. There was a big empty brown box in the doorway.

They both jumped into it, saying to each other, Quick - hide! Then, pulling down the lid over themselves, they said to each other, When that car goes we will run all the way back home before our mothers find out we are not in our beds.

But while waiting they both snuggled up together, trying to keep warm from the cold night air, and fell fast asleep, sleeping for the rest of the night.

Prior to that, their mothers had found out they were missing and had called the police, who, with their fathers, had been searching for them in the night while their mothers stayed at home hoping they would return. But they did not, causing their families great pain.

As soon as it started getting light, the two girls awoke immediately.

Faith cried out, I want my mother. I want to go home. I’m frightened. I’m lost. Where am I?

Then they heard voices. It was two women talking to each other. One of them opened up the box lid and said, Oh my goodness! Look - these two little girls must be the ones the police are looking for. They have been missing all night long. Their parents must be sick with worry by now. You phone the police while I see to them. She took them inside the shop and put a warm blanket round each of them, then gave them a drink and a biscuit, telling them, It’s OK - you are safe now. Your mothers will be coming to take you home soon.

A policewoman and a policeman came into the shop with the girls’ parents, who ran up to the girls, cuddling them and crying out with happiness, saying, Thank goodness you have been found! We have been so worried. You put yourselves in danger wandering around alone in the dark at night. Please don’t ever do it again because one day you might not be found and we will never see you again.

The girls said they were sorry and the policewoman said as they were both fit and well they could go back home with their parents after they promised her that they wouldn’t sneak out again at night or they would be in trouble with the police. The girls promised her they wouldn’t, so their parents took them home.

After putting them to bed that night, their mothers locked their bedroom windows so they couldn’t sneak out that way again without them knowing.

So that was the end of their night-time adventures for a few years. That would come about again when they were ten and nine.

One day Jane said to Faith while they were playing in the park, I spied on my mother yesterday. I was being a famous detective. I found out where she hid the key after she locked my bedroom window, so now you have to be my famous helper and spy on your mother to find out where she has hidden your key.

Faith said, OK, I will, but I’m big enough now, like you, so I don’t want to be your famous helper. I’m going to be a famous detective also, and we can both be the boss.

Jane said, We cannot have two bosses. I am the oldest, so it’s my job to be it. Next time I will let you be the detective.

Faith was happy with that.

The next day she told Jane, I was a good famous helper. I spied on my mother - she didn’t see me at all. I just pretended to go to the toilet, but I watched her put the key into the knife drawer in the kitchen.

Jane said, Good work, famous helper. Now we can go on a completely secret adventure. Tonight, after my family go to sleep, I shall get the key, creep silently and get my coat, open the window and climb out. Then I will knock on your window and you have to do the same as me. And don’t forget your coat, as we don’t want to be cold this time, do we?

That night after Faith fell asleep a knocking on her window woke her up. It was Jane. She pulled the curtains open and waved to her, nodding her head. Then she went silently into the kitchen. Everything was quiet. All she could hear was her own heart thumping. It was dark, but she dared not turn the light on as it would wake her family up. She made it to the kitchen drawer and opened it as quietly as she could, feeling around among the spoons. She found the key - just what she wanted. She closed the drawer and crept back to her bedroom, taking her coat from the hallway. Reaching her bedroom window, she opened it and climbed out to where Jane was waiting for her, giving a sigh of relief because she had got away with it.

They both sneaked away from their bungalows, heading for the park.

When they reached it, Faith said to Jane, This isn’t a great adventure. We always come here - it’s so boring. I’m going back home.

Jane said, Our adventure is over there, pointing across the park to some lights shining across the way. It’s a big swimming pool - we’re going there. It is only for famous detectives with their helpers, just like we are right now.

Faith said, Yes, but I will be the detective next time. You said - you promised.

Jane said, OK, I know. I promise - cross my heart and hope to die.

With that they held hands and ran towards the shining lights. When they reached the swimming pool it was closed. They couldn’t get in, but alongside it was an open-air paddling pool, so they took off their slippers and started paddling in it. After a while that was boring, so they started deliberately splashing each other and running away from each other, trying not to get wet. Faith grabbed hold of Jane’s coat to stop her getting away, and she stooped down to get a handful of water to wet her. As Jane tried to get away, she slipped and fell down, banging her head on the side of the pool. Faith stopped laughing as Jane lay there in silence and quite still. Faith started crying out in panic and fright. She was terrified because Jane wouldn’t speak.

She screamed out, Jane, wake up!

Jane didn’t answer her. She would not wake up. She looked like she was asleep. Faith stooped down beside her, shaking her, but she wouldn’t open her eyes. Then she could see blood on Jane’s forehead.

Jumping up with fright, she started screaming and ran towards the other side of the park, which would take her back to her bungalow, heading straight for the lights.

She shouted back at Jane, I will tell your mother. She will come. She will wake you up.

As she got near Jane’s bungalow, she shouted out loud, screaming hysterically, Jane won’t wake up! I think she is dead. She’s bleeding on her head - she won’t talk to me.

Just as she reached the bungalows, Jane’s door flew open and Jane’s father came out.

Whatever has happened? Where is Jane?

Faith’s mother opened her door at the same time, white-faced.

Faith ran into her arms, crying out, It’s Jane. She fell down into the paddling pool and she’s bleeding and won’t wake up.

Jane’s father shouted out, Phone for an ambulance. Tell them where Jane is and that she is unconscious.

With that he started running across the park towards the pool.

With all the commotion, Faith’s father had also come out. He had heard what was going on and had rung for an ambulance. Then he ran after Jane’s father, heading across the park to the pool.

Faith’s mother said to her, Oh, my goodness! Whatever have the two of you been up to this time? I only hope for your sake Jane will be all right. Look at the state of you - you’re drenched. She took Faith inside and made her put dry clothes on. She then locked the window, saying, You see this key? Look at it, because you will never see it again or open your window with it. I am throwing it into the sea, so if you ever want it again you will have to swim for it.

She was so mad with Faith - not only her, because she and Jane were both to blame, though, after all, they were still only children, doing what some children do. But she was devastated by it all and deeply worried.

Faith kept asking her, Is Jane all right? I’m so sorry, Mummy, but it’s not my fault Jane slipped. We were only playing paddling. Is she going to die?

Faith’s mother said, You want to be sorry and you want to pray Jane doesn’t die. That is the last thing we want to happen. Now you get to bed and sleep. There is nothing we can do but wait and see.

Faith went to bed, but she couldn’t go to sleep, wondering if she would ever see her loyal friend again. She saw flashes of Jane lying on the ground, lifeless. She prayed she would be all right.

Later that night Faith’s mother woke her up and told her, Jane is going to be all right. She is awake and talking but will have to stay in hospital for a while. She has been scanned and has bad concussion. She has been very lucky this time, so let it be a lesson to you.

After a couple of days Jane came back home, telling Faith she could not and would not be going on any more adventures at night-time in the future because her mother had thrown her bedroom window key into the sea.

Faith said, I know - so has my mother. Now we are prisoners in our own homes.

So that was the end of the night-time escapades. They had to be happy with sitting in the park talking about their dreams and wishes.

Faith’s wish when she grew up and went to work was that she would be a nurse and one day she would nurse a handsome young man who was so badly wounded he wouldn’t be expected to live. He would be a hero, fighting for her and Jane and all the country. She would bandage his wounds and she would help him to live by soothing his brow with sterilised water day and night. She would not sleep for days until he recovered. Then they would fall madly in love and marry. They would have two children - a boy and a girl - and live happily ever after.

Jane’s wish was that when she grew up she would be a posh model lady and a handsome posh young man would fall in love with her. He would be the top man in the navy, giving out orders. They would go out to posh hotels, and he would be in his uniform. They would have the biggest ever posh wedding and four children - two boys and two girls. They would sail round the world on a massive liner and he would build a big mansion on a desert island and live on fruit off the trees because there would be no shops there. They would bathe and swim in the sea and live happily ever after amen. She always finished with ‘amen’ after her wishes because it made her feel she was the best and her life would be far better than anyone else’s. No one was going to beat her - she was the tops. She was the superior, the one and only, the boss.

Chapter Two

When Jane reached fourteen and Faith was thirteen two boys from their school walked with them to and from school, always pestering them to be their girlfriends. Faith said no - her mother would never let her go out with boys until she had left school. Jane said yes, and every night when he walked her home he would kiss her goodnight on her doorstep, not even caring if they were seen. His friend always asked Faith for a kiss goodnight, but she never did and had no intention of kissing him until she was old enough.

After months went by, Faith asked Jane one day while they were at school, Why don’t you come around to my place at night to do our homework together like you used to? It’s at least six months since you did. Why don’t you? I miss you. Should I come to yours instead?

Jane said, I have a big secret tell you that you have to promise me you will tell no one. You must cross your heart and hope to die if you do.

Faith said what she always did: OK, tell me quick - I cannot wait. I cross my heart I will tell no one.

If they had secrets to tell each other they would both have to cross their hearts before telling each other what they were hiding.

Jane said, I’m having a baby. I am six months pregnant. I have been sneaking out every night to meet my boyfriend in the park. We are in love and he’s going to marry me.

Faith told her, When your mother finds out you won’t be able to ever see him again. I bet you told her you were round here doing homework with me. You cannot have a baby - you are too young and you are not old enough to be married. It’s against the law. You are too young to have a baby properly - they will cut it out of you.

Jane said, No they won’t. Lots of girls at school younger than me have babies properly and they are OK, so don’t talk silly. I am old enough.

Faith said, You cannot marry until you leave school, so who will look after your baby? And how will you know what to do until then?

Jane told her, If my adoptive parents won’t help me and tell me what to do, I shall run away to my biological parents in Scotland. They won’t ever turn me away. They love me and they will help me. They have always told me if I want anything, I must always go to them. They are there for me whenever I want or need them.

A full week went by and Jane never went to school. Every time Faith called for her to go, her mother would say she was ill and wouldn’t be going for a couple of weeks.

After Jane hadn’t been to school for a full two months, Faith called for her again.

Jane’s mother told her, It’s no good calling for her to go to school any more because Jane isn’t going back there. She is on holiday for two months, and when she returns she will be fifteen and leaving to go to work. She has a job to come back home to, so she will catch up with you when she returns home.

So Faith told herself Jane must have had her baby, and as she wasn’t living there with her adoptive parents she must have had it at her biological parents’ home in Scotland, so she would be coming back home with it soon. Faith wondered what would it be, a boy or a girl? Or, knowing Jane, it might even be twins.

Faith was excited, thinking, ‘I will see it soon and me and Jane can push the baby to the park.’

It was four months later when Jane came back home. Faith couldn’t help noticing she was on her own - she did not have her baby with her. When she went around to Faith’s house to see her and she wasn’t smiling, Faith could see she was sad and trying not to show it.

One night she told Faith what had happened to her and how they found out she was to have the baby. One morning, after getting up to go to school, she was so sick her parents let her stay at home, but she was tired and sick again the next day. That’s when they brought in the Doctor. After examining her he told her parents she was six months pregnant.

They wanted her to have an abortion, but the Doctor told them that it was too late for anything like that, so it was best to have it adopted. Jane tried her best to talk them round by saying her boyfriend wanted to marry her when they were old enough. Jane’s adoptive parents called a meeting with the boy and his parents as he was only fourteen - the same as Jane - and they were going around together. His parents said it would ruin his chances if he was to wait and marry her, because he was travelling that very next week down south to train as a doctor of medicine; so if she did keep the baby he wouldn’t be able to help to support it for at least four years as he was at college and his parents wouldn’t be able to contribute in any way. Jane’s parents said they were in the same situation. They couldn’t afford to keep it and they were too old to be minding babies, so there was no alternative: it had to be adopted. They arranged for Jane to go to a convent when her baby was born, and then it would be adopted. That was the best for everyone, including Jane, they said. But Jane told them nobody would take her baby from her - she would run away to her biological parents, and they would take her and her baby in.

On the way to the convent she managed to get away, but when trying to reach Scotland she was caught and taken to the convent. The police told her she was wasting her time by going to her biological parents, because they could not keep her. They would be in trouble as she was too young and still under her adoptive parents. If she tried running away again, she would be put in a home, they told her.

She had no choice. She stayed in the convent to have her baby, hoping her parents would change their minds when it was born and let her keep her baby, but that wasn’t to be. Before her due time, she went into labour, having a terrible time and being in pain for two days, and when her baby was born it was stillborn. She wasn’t even allowed to see it - they whipped it away on a tray covered by a cloth and the convent dealt with its burial. One of the nuns told her it was a boy. She cried for a couple of weeks, especially when she saw the other girls with their babies, but she knew they wouldn’t have them for long because they would be taken from them and adopted. She felt sorry for them.

Faith said, Oh, I’m so sorry you lost your baby. I thought we might be pushing it around together.

Jane told her, I’m sorry I lost it. It was a boy. But now all I want is to get on with my life. I’m well over it now and I’m looking forward to going to work. I’ve got a job as a typist and can’t wait. I’m well out of tears, and to tell you the truth I don’t want another baby or a boyfriend as long as I live. Boys are nothing but liars and I hate them all. They only cause you pain and cheat on you as soon as your back is turned.

That week Jane started work, telling Faith she really enjoyed it and with her wages she would take Faith out for lunch and shopping, which she did.

Faith said she couldn’t wait to leave school. She still had six months left to do and her mother was making sure she did every day of it, but all she wanted to do was go to work and earn money so she could buy pretty clothes like Jane.

Jane said to her, It won’t be all that long now, and when you do leave school you should try for a job in our offices. They are always looking for typists. There are fifty offices in our building, and we have to type for most of them because they are short of typists.

Jane started going out every night with her workmates, dancing and clubbing. Before going out she would often call on Faith to show off her new clothes. Faith was feeling so lonely now as they used to go everywhere together. Now she went nowhere as she was still at school and Jane was at work and out with her workmates at night.

She told Jane, I hate having to stay in and wear nothing but school clothes. When I see you dressed so nice and ladylike I feel like a little girl. I cannot wait to have some clothes like yours and go out dancing. I don’t know why you still bother with me or come to see me at all as I cannot even go out. I feel like running away.

Jane said, I bother with you because I am your friend and always will be. It won’t be long now. Pass your exams, then you might get a job in our firm.

Faith’s brother said to her one day, I tried to take Jane out last night, just to the pictures. When I asked her if she wanted to, she said to me, ‘Why should I go out with someone like you!’ I felt so insulted by what she said to me, I was shocked by it. I got the impression she hated me. I cannot understand it because she was always running after me before she left school and began working. I used to have a job trying to get rid of her. She wouldn’t leave me alone now she doesn’t want to know and just throws insults at me. Well, it’s her loss, not mine - I won’t ask her again.

Faith never said anything to him, but she thought to herself, ‘It’s not only you she hates - it’s everybody. She has turned herself against them because of what happened to her and losing her baby.’

And it wasn’t up to Faith to tell anyone why - that was Jane’s business and she thought it was best for it to stay that way.

Jane came around to Faith early one Sunday morning, saying, Let’s go on a bike ride into the countryside. It will be a good scenic adventure. We haven’t had a ride on our bikes since we were at school.

Faith said, "Are you forgetting something? I am still at school. But I think it’s a good idea. I would love to go. It’s a lovely sunny day - we can wear shorts and I have a new T-shirt and we can take a picnic with us."

Faith was so happy and excited. It had been a long time since she and Jane had spent a day out together.

Jane said, I can take my new camera I’ve just bought. I can take photographs on the way.

Faith’s brother checked their bikes and pumped up their tyres and they set off. They had never gone any further on them than to the park before.

Jane said, If we keep riding straight ahead and don’t turn off, we won’t get lost and we will know our way back home.

Faith agreed with her, saying, Good idea! Because we don’t know the area I don’t think we should go too far. She wasn’t too confident.

Jane said, Don’t worry - we will be OK. We will have a wonderful time going somewhere we have never been.

So they went on their way, happy and excited. They were going on a brand-new adventure, well away from home this time. They rode along for quite a way, taking in the sights and smells of the countryside, stopping from time to time to take photographs of anything and everything they thought worthwhile. They came to a field with two beautiful white horses. They were snow-white - not one mark on them. They spent a long time clicking away with the camera, they were so cute.

Travelling on their way again, another field had six tiny Shetland ponies in it. Faith could not believe how tiny they were. She had never seen ponies so small before. She thought she would love to pick them up and cuddle them. They were lovely.

The next field was even more unbelievable to both of