While everyone sleeps , Shams escapes through a portal to visit a magical garden full of wonders
The smell of bacon cooking from downstairs wafted up the stairs and awoke the Greenacres form their sleep . They could hear there was someone talking softly to Mrs McDermott downstairs.
“I’m not waiting for these to be returned any day soon and if they’d be kind enough to just leave in the storytellers cottage when they’re finished with them that would be great .Let him know , it was Tom who called . Have a good day Mrs McDermott “
The front door closed to the sound of her footsteps climbing the stairs . it was followed a gentle knock upon the two bedroom doors .
“Good morning now , breakfast is on the table and there’s a few things waiting for you in the hall downstairs .“
“We’ll be right there Mrs McDermott “
Mrs Greenacre opened the and went over to see how Sham was, She opened the door and there was sitting in his room with the biggest smile you could ever wish to see and then he jumped up and run into his Mothers arms and said .
“Good morning Mummy. I’m starving . What’s for breakfast ”
He said .
She give him a big hug said
“Good morning Sham We’ll be having Mrs Mc Dermott’s speciality , scrambled eggs on toast and , bacon and tomato . Lets go before Dad eats it all up”
Sham Dad came into the room laughing .
“ Some on you two , the times getting and we’ve things to do .“
They all went down to the dining room and in the hall stacked up against the wall were fishing rods , some nets and bags of other gear . Fold up chairs and umbrellas some hats .
Mrs McDermott handed a little note to Mr Greenacre that was wrote by Tom the gardener they had met the day before . The note said ,
“I thought if you’re going off to catch Cormac in the Silent lake you might find some of these useful . “
Mrs McDermott called out .
“Breakfast is ready folks oh and by the way, Tom wants you to know there’s no hurry to return these so when you’re finished just leave them in the cottage where he spoke to you all yesterday.”
They all went to the dining room and sat down at the table that was laid with a cooked breakfast and pot of tea . Mr Greenacre was still reading the note Tom wrote.
At table he read the contents of the note aloud as they were all having breakfast .
Good morning all , it’s a grand day for fishing , so go now then to the east end of the town and take the road to Greengate and not the road to the Lake . Then stay on the road until you see the crystal pools that cascade down from the top of the Groves Hill , and drive about a mile until you see the sign Grove Hill and the park there beside the oak tree where little white pebbles are scattered all around the ground . The take a walk around the bend that rises to the hill and make your way to the top with all you can carry in your arms for a days fishing . From the top of the hill you will find a view to Silent Lake . Then take the winding path that no one knows except for those who are serious about catching Cormac . For you see that for that wise old salmon occupies the shallow waters there on this side of the lake and not as most would think in the deeper waters . Most people take a boat but Cormac is not out there . Too many fishermen have wasted their time trying to capture that fish in the middle of the Lake but their hopes are shattered because he’s too smart for them and Cormac knows they are hungry for the knowledge he has held for as long as the hills have stood and is not going to give up the knowledge to anyone . I’ll tell you something now and then you’ might find him around the little pools basking in the sunlight . Now no knows how he ever gets from the lake into the crystal pools . Some have said he must have legs , others have said he must have wings , but still no one is the wiser . I’m thinking there must be an underground passage from the lake that goes to the crystal pools and if you ask me , I’d say that is the best place to capture Cormac . Good luck to you all and take as long as you like in returning the fishing gear to me . Be happy and enjoy your time here in Chapters End , your friend Mr Gardener , or Tom to you. “
After breakfast they loaded up the car . Before they left Mrs Mc Dermott handed over a picnic basket to Mrs Greenacre and said, .
“ I thought this might come in handy for you all . Nothing like fresh air to give you an appetite , isn’t that right .”
“That’s very thoughtful of you. “ said Mrs Greenacre opening up the basket .
There was fresh fruit , juice and some sandwiches and a few chocolate bars to enjoy on their fishing trip.”
.
“Enjoy your day and make stay happy . I’ll have dinner ready about 6pm .“
They all waved walking goodbye to her and walked out the of the guest house to their car parked outside . Mrs Mc Dermott followed them and stood at the door . She stood there smiling as Mr Mc Dermott started the engine .
Mrs Greenacre rolled down the passenger and said ,
“Thanks Mrs McDermott . See you later on .“
“Right you are , enjoy your day “
She replied .
The lar made its way along the road and stopped outside the Everything Is Ok Store and Mr Greenacre went in to get yesterdays newspaper . Inside the store Mr Sean O’Kay was happy to see him and handed over the newspaper and said ,
“ It’s a beautiful morning Ted , now can I get you anything else today ?
“ Would you have a bucket of luck and some advice on how to catch a fish called Cormac. “
“All I can offer you is the treasure of a smile and the song from my heart to help you start the day with a friendly O’Kay and a message to take for the road .
And he started to sing in an unaccompanied way ,
“Oh there was happy salmon who lived in the Lake as happy as he could be swimming away with the ducks all day and playing hide and seek you see and he leapt and he slept and he said to the sun , thanks for all the warmth you bring and he sang as he swam the whole day long until the day was done ..
The happy salmon he saw out the famine and he thawed in the ice age too , sure it ain’t no surprise to tell you that’s he’s wiser than the likes of me and you .
Mr Greenacre smiled and clapped along with the little song and when it was sung he said to Sean .
“What a great song , has it got a name Mr O’Kay” .
And the answer came ,
“Well Ted , I’d give it a name if it had one but its just a little song that I made up in my head , I suppose you could call it the song of the Happy Salmon .”
“So you’re a song writer then ?
Mr Greenacre asked .
“Well I don’t know I’ve never actually written anything down you see I just sing them as they come to me Sean“
“You’re a natural Sean , that’s amazing. “
Mr O’Kay looked happy and proud and he reached out his hand and said ,
“‘Well now let me shake your hand and say thanks to you for that there compliment because I don’t often hear words like that said “.
They both shook hands and Mr Greenacre replied.
“Happiness is something you brought me today Sean and I couldn’t ask for anything more than . How much do I owe you ? “
“Happiness is something you brought me today Sean and I couldn’t ask for anything more than . How much do I owe you ? “
‘Owemne for what ?”
Sean asked .
For yesterdays paper and the song you just sang”?
Came the reply
“Well Ted the newspaper will cost you the smallest coin you have in your pocket and the song came to me free so why should I charge you for that .”
Ted put his hand in his pocket and left what coind he had there on the counter and left the shop with a laugh .
“I’ll pay you for the paper and the performance Mr O;Kay . Have a great day.”
When Ted got back in the car Sally handed him a little note that she found in the picnic basket . was from Mts McDermott and he reads it out .
“Take with you today this food with my blessing . Life is a journey filled with many experiences , may you time you spend with us here in Chapters End be well worth remembering in the years ahead . Love and happiness always , Mrs McDermott .
Everybody smiled and Ted drove off on the road through town :
He followed the instructions Tom had given and made their way to Greengate .
They drove down the road by the mountainside by a mossy Glen and then through a morning mist just around the bend to where they saw the sign Grove Hill , Then they say the water falling down into these sparkling little pools that transcended down the hill / They parked by the Oak Tree and began to get excited like children in an enchanted land . Gathering all they could they carried their fishing gear up the hill to the other side where Silent lake was awaiting in the sunlight of the day .
Somewhere there was a salmon with a wealth of knowledge for anyone who could catch him . Would it be the Greenacres who could catch that fish and taste the meat of an ancient salmon from a time and place mystifying than the one we know .
Down the hill they went with a dream to catch that salmon . They went to the edge of the shallows there any ran their eyes across the surface hoping to see something move . As the warm rays of the morning sun shone , a few dark clouds began to gather . The a soft sun shower fell and landed upon the grassy hills around that Lake and suddenly underneath the ripples there, a salmon leapt out . Sham ran into the lake and tried to grab the fish with his bare hands calling out ,
“Cormac would you let me help you there for the water is too shallow for you to swimming about ‘
He managed to grasp the salmon for a second but he lost his grip because the sleek silver salmon was too slippy to hold and he got away back into the water of the lake.”
." On no that was so close Sham. You nearly had him . “
His Dad said .
“ I know “
came the reply .
‘Well we’re not leaving until we catch him “:
Said Mrs Greenacre
“Do you think it was Cormac :
Sham asked .
His mother replied ;
‘That’s far too mystifying for me to know ."
“Well maybe it was but we’ll never know until we eat that flesh and see if we’ve got the knowledge .“
Sham child started crying and laughing at the same time .
His parents just looked at each other and smiled . The innocence of their little child was so lovely to see and something they hadn’t seen for a long time .
They spent a few hours there with nets and their fishing rods and one or twice that salmon leapt out to say hello . Sham stood there by the water’s edge waiting to snatch the salmon in his hand but the salmon was too smart for that and picked the right moment and the safest spot to leap out from the shallows of the lake.
“Seems like Cormac is playing a game with us . We don’t know where he is or where he will go . He has a plan and we don’t know what it is ."
.Said Shams Dad .
Sham smiled and looked out at the ripples of lake .
Shams mother said..
"See he’s too mystifying for us even if we keep on trying he’ll keep denying us the pleasure of catching him . I think we’re just wasting our time because he’s too mystifying for us “:
They all laughed and replied
“ Yeah , he’s too mystifying “
Mr Greenacre walked back to the car to bring the picnic basket and on his return they all sat there in the silence soaking up the sun and enjoying the food Mrs McDermott had made .. After lunch Mr Greenacre collected a few skimming stones and tossed them over the surface of the water watching the stone skip over the surface . Mrs Greengate said
‘”Isn’t it amazing how Cormac has evaded being captured for so long ?”
Sham noticed every now and then how the sleek silver salmon would swim around them there in the shallows as if it were listening to their conversation . He had an idea that the fish enjoyed hearing people talk about him and thought he would try something . So he baited the fish with his words .
“This salmon is so wise and wonderful . How clever he is never to be caught . I would love to tell all the world about the magic of this salmon .Maybe if I told stories of Cormac tit would bring fishermen from all over the word here to see if they could catch him but in my opinion I think that there would be no one good enough to outsmart him . Cormac is way too sleek and much to fast for them . “
Sham noticed how the salmon kept coming closer to him when he spoke . Then suddenly as the fish was floating close to the surface Sham made a lunge to grab him but at that very same moment in time the sun returned from behind a cloud and the bright sunlight reflected on the water that blinded Shams vison and he was unable to see where the salmon was then the fish was gone in a second . That was when they realised that even the sun was on the fish’s side . How could anybody capture a fish that is protected by the sun and even the lake itself did not want to give him up as all the reflections were diverted in different directions to hide the exact place where Cormac really was . The lake was the keeper of the fish and THE fish would remain there in a world of its own , keeping all the knowledge of the realm living between the known and unknown worlds . He was the resident of earth , sea and sky in a place where storytellers go , to gather inspiration in their mission to bring stories to the lives of others . In the half of the day the sky presented a picture perfect with pastel colours shimmering through the clouds and all around them they felt the presence of wonder and Sham and his parents took one last look out at the lake and said goodbye to Cormac the keeper of the lake who suddenly leapt out in the middle of the lake high into the air as if with a beckoning call of farewell to them . As he did they all applauded and cheered . Then they left the lake in a state of peace as the soft twilight fell around them .
When they returned to the guesthouse it was perfect timing as Mrs McDermott bringing the dinner plates to the table . Everyone was hungry after the day out and Mrs McDermott couldn’t help but laugh as she said .
“Oh my goodness , I’ve never before seen food disappear as quick as that . You ate with it all up in such a frenzy . It was a wonderful sight to see . There a lot more in the pot if you want .“
They all had a laugh and thanked her before returning to their rooms for a little rest .
The fresh air and the walk around the Lake must have been the reason they felt so tired . All of them went into a deep sleep until Sham was awoke by the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and the sound of the wind that whistled in his ear to come away now for a while to the place that no one knows where no ever goes in the land where time doesn’t exist .
Sham put on his soft shoes and went quietly down the stairs and out to the street and up to the storytellers cottage . He went through the door to the room where the treasure chest sat and moved it away from the trapdoor .
Down the ladder he went to the bottom and then along a corridor to a door that he opened where a small train engine with a single carriage sat there on a track .
The train driver tooted the train whistle and said ,
“Welcome Sham . Get on board , we’re off to the Emperors Garden. “
Sham got on board and the train went along to a bend and around it went through a tunnel and up a hill and down the other side where it came to a stop outside a beautiful palace that stood beside the train station . The train driver came and handed a ticket to Sham .
“What’s this for. “
“This is your ticket to see the Emperors garden . Come back here when your visit is done and I’ll bring to back to where you came from .”
Sham took the ticket and got off the train and made his way up the path to the palace . A window in the sky opened up briefly as a golden light shone down followed by a shower of different coloured flower petals that scattered themselves along the path to the gate of the palace . At gates of the palace a lion rested on the ground and as Sham approached the lion stood up and said ,
“Welcome to the palace of the Emperor , Have you a ticket to enter ?“
Sham presented the ticket that was given to him and the lion walked over to a cage and got inside . As the lion roared an huge eagle soared down from the sky and lifted the lion inside the cage to the other side of the gate where the lion left the cage and climbed up the steps to the foot soldier who was asleep at his lookout post .
The lion roared again and the guard awoke with a wiggle and a poke and he spoke with a giggle a joke and uttered out ,
“ Knock knock “
“Who’s there ?. “ Said the lion .
“Boo. ” said the guard .
“Boo who .“ said the lion
“So it’s you , Boo who, the crying lion again . What do you want ? The guard asked .
“ I want you to open the gates to the palace ? said the lion
”For who ? the guard asked .
“For me to go out and the visitor to come in “ said the lion
“What’s the password .“ the guard asked .
“There is no password .“ the Lion said .
“ OK then just checking .“ said the guard ,
“What’s the visitor doing here ?” The guard asked
“He has a ticket for a walk through the Emperors garden “ said the lion .
“ Its is a guided tour ? The guard asked .
“No its an unaccompanied ticket .“ Said the lion ,
After all the information was shared the guard spoke into a loudspeaker with a frizzly grizzly voice for the gatekeeper .
“‘Open the gate , open the gate , for all of those here who have to stand and wait .“
The gatekeeper was a funny little fella who came running out from the cellar screaming with a squeaky cheeky voice ,
“All right , all right I’m coming , I’m coming .“
Then he took out a golden key and he slowly opened up the gate for the lion to get out and the visitor to come in . Once inside Sham walked to the door of the palace and the lion returned into the cage and the huge eagle lifted the cage back outside the gate where the lion got out and lay down on the ground .
Sham skipped over the cracks on the path to the palace door and he started to sing a little tune in his head .
The crying lion and funny little guard haven’t got it hard at all , living in the palace of the emperor waiting someone to call , with a ticket to get in where nobody has been in catch whatever could fall .
As he sung his song the birds sang along to the chorus of life everywhere with the bees humming and the cats meowing and purring with the laughter of donkeys somewhere . Beside the front door of the palace there was a balloon tied to a string that hung from a bell that swung on a breeze and on the ground he found a pin that burst the balloons skin and out pooped a key to the door .
Sham opened up the door and walked across the floor to a room where there were many items on display .
A soft voice called his name ,
“Take as long as you need Sham .“
The voice was from an old man sitting there in chair in the corner .
“Oh hello .“
Said Sham .
“Welcome to my palace , stay as long as you like but I’d really like you take a wlk through my garden while you’re here .“
Said the old man with the long grey beard .
“I like walking and I like talking too. Are you the Emperor ?”
“Well actually , yes .“
The old man said .
Sham was pulling through some items on a table
“ What is this thing called Emperor ? .“
“What have you found there Sham ,can I see .”
He got out of his chair and walked over to Sham who held up some paint brushes and a set of paints .
“My now as you see , they are magic colours and you can have them all for free .“
He said .
“All for me , Emperor , are you sure ?”
He asked .
“I’ve always liked to think I could encourage artists . Please use the paints and brushes . The are very special and you will soon see what I mean . “
Sham continued to pull things out of some baskets and boxes and he held up a coloured stone in the shape of a heart and asked .
“Could you please tell me Emperor , sir what this stone might be for ?”
”Well now that is a hopscotch stone and you must take it please and there are some instructions for you later when you’re out in the garden , on how to play the hopscotch game . Its easy you see when you know what to do . ”
Sham continued to look through all of the things that were in the room on display”.
The Emperor smiled and he said .
”Let me put those things into a bag little Sham .“
The old man went over and took a backpack from a cupboard and placed all the items inside . He looked over at Sham as this old tin box fell out of the backpack on to the floor and out of the tin box a gold key fell out onto the floor .’
Sham went over to pick the key up and he handed it back to the old man .
“Congratulations my child . You have been selected now and so you must go out that door into the emperors garden . “
The old man said as he pointed his finger to a door on the other side of the room and continued ,
“You have been chosen my child . Don’t question just follow your feelings to what awaits . you in the garden there . Inside the backpack you have everything that you will need for the journey . Trust your innocence my child and experience a magical land that’s awaits you beyond the doorway .”
The Emperor put the key into Shams hand and he danced his way to the door where he placed the golden key into the lock and the door opened up . Sham looked back to say goodbye but the old man was gone .
The door closed behind him and on the other side he discovered a beautiful garden with hedged pathways and water fountains . Right around the edge of the garden was a high wall . Some statues of winged creatures lined a pathway to a gate in the wall . A large bird flew down from a tree . It landed on his shoulder and walked along his arm . Sham lifted his arm and looked at the bird . It looked like a peacock but it shook with shock like a bird with fear , It had no colour anywhere on its tail .’
“Can you paint my tail ?” Said the bird .
“I amazed at how sweet you talk but how can I paint your tail ?
Sham replied and the bord said as he bowed down his head .
“Well thank and if its ok with you , I’ll tell you what to do so you know , See now would you please just paint some colours on my tail with the magic colours in your bag .”
Then Sham remembered about the paint set and the brushes he had been given by the old man in the room . So he opened up the bag and got busy working . He swished the brushes back and forth from the paint set along the birds tail touching every feather with different colours and when he had finished , the bird was so proud of its tail . Each and every feather had a different colour and the bird lifted up its tail and started to sing .
The song was the sweetest sound that any bird had every sung and it echoed all around the garden . Over the high wall a pony jumped over landing there at Shams feet .
The bird flew away into the air thanking Sham as he went .
Wow , what strokes , and hey I must say what colour’s you chose . Tell me would you be able to paint my tail too .?”
The pony asked and Sham replied .
“Why sure thing little pony .“
Sham began to paint the ponies tail with colours from the magic paint set that sparkled like a rainbow when he was finished . The pony knelt down on his two front legs in front of little Sham and asked him to climb up on to its back . Sham gave a scream of delight and did the same and the pony galloped off then he jumped over the high wall to the other side of the garden where fruit trees stood with their branches all weighed down with every kind of fruit imaginable .
“Help yourself .“
Said the pony as it took Sham all around the orchard .
Sham plucked a pear here and there and shared it with the bear who lived up in the tree , and then he ate some plums and nuts as well as a mandarin . Content and happy the pony let Sham climb down to the ground where a large white swan came gliding down to where he stood .
“There is someone here who would like to see you now .“
Said the swan .
“Who . Me ?”
Sham asked .
“Yes right away now so we must go now . Get on my back and grab tightly around my neck .“
Sham did as she was told and the white swan flew over a lake that stretched across the garden to a small island where a cottage stood cradled within the boundaries of the garden and the hills in between .
“Who lives in there ?
Sham asked .
“ That is where the storyteller lives .“
The Swan replied .
He open the door of the cottage and waved .
“Little Sham , please come inside. “ The storyteller said
“I remember you now , Pogue O’Loan . Isn’t it ?”
he asked .
“This is where I have to leave you now ?”
Said the Swan who left Saham outside the cottage door ,.
Sham remembered the storyteller and went inside the cottage as the swan flapped its huge wings and flew off into the sky .
“Tell me little Sham where you able to catch the wise old salmon ?”
The storyteller asked .
:”No he was too happy in the lake so we left him be there ?
“Well done then.”
The storyteller said .
‘Its best to be where you’re happy . Isn’t that true Pogue ?“
The storyteller smiled and he said ,
“ That’s the truth now little Sham have you time for a story while you’re here?”
‘Yes of course . I’ve always lots of time to spare. “ Sham replied .
Then I’ll tell you the tale of the hopscotch path that leads to a train on a track . Listen now to the sound of my voice and I’ll tell you of the walk you must do .
The storytellers voice was deep and hypnotic and put little Sham in a trace . Every word was heard and the story he shared was of a walk through the door of time.
Onwards he went from to the door of time on a path with a game to play and every step of the way he had to throw the heart stone on a number that would have a total of 67 at the end . The magic number of 67 will open the door . With every number where the heart stone lands it must add up to 67 and no more and no less for the door to open and along the path every red stepping stone has a number on top and every green stepping stone is where you must hop . So hopscotch your way back to the train that will take you back to where you come from ‘
The storyteller took little Sham from the cottage to the hopscotch path and said ,
“Go now little Sham for time is not your own , Go home to the place where you’re from , but come any back anytime you want .“
Sham already had the instructions in his head and knew exactly what to do .At the start of the path he took out the heart stone from the back pack and threw it on a red stone with the number 7 and now he hopped on the green stone where he threw the heart stone on another red stepping stone counting the numbers in his head as he went , From the beginning to the end of the path he had calculated the right number to be thrown at the end . Then with his final throw the stone landed on the number and the door of time opened up , Little Sham walked through the door and on the other side was a train that sat on a track and the train driver said .
‘Welcome back Sham now its time to get on board . We going back to the place where you came from “
Sham got on into the carriage and with a whistle and a toot the little train rolled away down the track , through the tunnel and around the bend right of the end of the journey .
He got off the train and waved goodbye to the train driver who said ,
“Goodbye Sham “
As Sham made his way from the train station down the long corridor, he remembered he left his backpack on the train , nut it was too late now as the train was gone . so he just carried on to the door that he opened up and climbed up the ladder that was there right to the top he went and back through the trapdoor into the Storytellers cottage at Chapters End . Then he moved the treasure chest back on top of the trapdoor and left the cottage . Walking down the street he returned to the guest house where not a minute of time had passed since he left .
He quietly walked the stairs and into his bedroom where he lay down in the bed and drifted off to sleep .
This is the long-awaited 4th book of The Chronicles of Henry Roach-Dairier, a future world without people. Think Planet of the Ants, not Planet of the Apes, for young adults and adults.
Hovering in the Otherworld above a dystopian land called the Dregs is a place where humans, dwarves, and all the creatures of fae gather once a year to wager fortunes and celebrate the spirit of competition. The place is called Sky Island, for the dr
The first book in the series takes place on Klairn, a post apocalyptic, yet provincial world where an elite core of Protectors keep watch over those who would cause harm. Becoming a Protector of Klairn is about as hard as making the Olympics on Earth
