11,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: Wordsworth Writing House
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
This story is a romantic fantasy. It's sheer escapism for all who are young at heart. But it's also a story with humans and talking animals, following the popular, winning combination in previous books and films, such as Anchors Aweigh, The Wizard of Oz, Winnie the Pooh, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and Paddington. There are witches (always bad!), genies: in all, a host of memorable characters, with exotic settings and realistic make-believe and nail-biting, cliff-hanging moments. Just read the first chapter... and I think you'll be hooked. You are in a new world.
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
Ähnliche
A RED ROSE
Written By
A.J. Guzwin
This author has also written 2 fairy stories, about a heroine called ‘Dark Rose’, over 750 poems, and a Shakespeare-style tragic drama. He also provides some illustrations.
Copyright © 2024
All Rights Reserved
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 11
THE PALACE OF DARKNESS1
Chapter 26
MISS LANGTON6
Chapter 311
MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND MEMORIES11
Chapter 416
A DAY OUT16
Chapter 520
RABBIT AND OTHER PROBLEMS20
Chapter 625
SPAWN’S REVENGE25
Chapter 729
LOSS OF A LEADER29
Chapter 832
MILITARY DISASTER32
Chapter 938
CAPTIVES AT SPAWN GRANGE38
Chapter 1044
FREEDOM!44
Chapter 1147
TED AND A HUNCHBACK47
Chapter 1249
A FIENDISH TRAP AND A STRANGE RESCUE49
Chapter 1356
A BOLD PLAN56
Chapter 1459
NATURE'S DEATH SENTENCE59
Chapter 1563
WALKING THE DOGS63
Chapter 1666
ON THE RUN66
Chapter 1769
IN TARGAH'S FOREST69
Chapter 1874
SEEKING JUSTICE74
Chapter 1978
NATURE’S PROPOSALS78
Chapter 2081
WELL MEANT BUT STUPID81
Chapter 2184
A RESCUE84
Chapter 2287
GOING HOME87
Chapter 2389
MEANWHILE -BACK AT THE BURROW89
Chapter 2491
KEEPER’S PROPOSAL91
Chapter 1
THE PALACE OFDARKNESS
A windswept bay looking out on a menacing dark storm-studded horizon….
Suddenly, from the shallow nearer waves, a seaweed-haired, rather blue-faced apparition emerged, spluttered … then spoke.
“Where the heck are we?”
From the struggling flotsam, another youthful shape arose, looked around, and mumbled, “Hector, old chap, I haven’t a clue.” He shook himself vigorously, then added, “Our ship was scheduled to arrive at Hobart in about two hours, and we were hit by a very strong northeaster; so; I’m guessing we’re somewhere in South Australia.”
A third damp youth was washed ashore, along with two cubs – the one a lion, the other a bear, and last to reach land was a small, very soggy rabbit.
Through a shimmer of salt water that was still stinging their eyes, there now appeared something extraordinary. Over the grass dunes at the top of the beach walked, very purposefully, a large black monkey wearing what looked like a magician’s cloak – deep blue satin with sparkles which, as he got nearer, were seen to be small gold stars, moons and planets.
“Ahem!” coughed the Monkey. “Would you care to come to my place for a warm bath, a change of clothes, and a bite to eat?”
“Wow! Sure!” cried the lion, who rarely refused the chance of any free food. “That’s OK, isn’t it, Keeper?” He spoke to the slightly freckled, tufty-haired geography ‘expert.’
“If that magic monk is on the level, it’s very kind of him, and we’re all desperately in need of a meal, but keep your eyes open,” replied Keeper, lowering his voice for the last comment, as hoping that he would not offend their prospective host. He then smiled at the monkey and said, “Thank you. That is extremely kind.”
After trudging through a patch of scrubland, they spotted a prominent hill in the near distance, surrounded by a quite thick dark mist. The Monkey led the still damp and sorry-looking strangers along a half-overgrown stony track ever closer to the mist, increasingly similar to a black thundercloud, within which loomed, even darker, a spire-turreted neo-gothic edifice.
“Looks as though we’re going to get soaked again,” muttered Hector.
“I don’t like mouthy little squirts,” said the lion, glancing down at the rabbit.
“And I’m not too keen on bone-headed, muscle-bound show-offs,” quipped the rabbit, quickly and instinctively dodging towards the protection of the fair-complexioned, curly-haired blond lad.
“Bunny, will you stop provoking Jim!” He addressed the smaller animal while manually fending off the other.
“From here on,” said Monkey when they were almost alongside a black, standing rock and about two hundred metres from the sinister arched Gothic entrance, “you must, one behind another, follow my footsteps precisely, because there is only one safe route through my booby traps.”
“Booby traps….” A mighty whisper came from Bunny. “Why not a nice pathway, lots of flowers, and a normal stretch of lawn?”
Monkey explained patiently: “I’m afraid we have enemies not far away, and defensive measures are really necessary.”
Despite the light-hearted comment, the poor rabbit was on the verge of hysterics.
“Hey, Targah, he really does look forlorn!” Jim punned, trying to cheer the Bunny with a dreadful joke.
Targah, the third youth, did not answer but promptly lifted up the rabbit and then carefully stepped onwards, mimicking Monkey’s every movement.
“Isn’t Targah brave!” said Keeper as he encouraged the little bear to follow.
“Or stupid – like me:” the lion cub grinned and softly padded behind them.
“Concentrate,” ordered Monkey, “or your life-span will be very short.”
To everyone’s relief, they entered the Palace of Darkness, as their host called it, without any casualties.
“Who are the enemies you spoke of?” asked Hector.
Monkey answered quietly, “Witches and wizards. Some came from Europe when they knew they weren’t wanted, but the weirder ones are said to be from the planet Pluto.
“On a more positive note, the nearby town, Barleybag, is a friendly place. Several businesses there, including a chain of garages, a rather daunting private medical service, and a wholesale cut rubies outlet, are run by our local Branston-style entrepreneur and ultra-capitalist whom you will get to know simply as ‘Ducky. ‘He lives in a cavern (about two miles outside the town), which holds his ruby mine and is guarded by a multi-headed snaky monster that he calls ‘chief of the serpents.’”
It was a weird new experience to partake of Monkey’s hospitality. A ghostly gong sounded along an arched corridor, and they entered a hexagonal room boasting a magnificent circular, brightly variegated, and somewhat Turkish-looking chandelier.
“Do sit down and relax,” said their host.
“?” thought Jim… “But there aren’t any chairs!
Monkey, as if guessing the dilemma, gracefully indicated the carpet and sat there, picnic-style, then clapped his hands together in an authoritative way.
Bunny yelped as two wraith-like light green shapes glided forward: the foremost had a mustached and bearded face, tight green and yellow cap, large round earrings, and three gold necklaces, each of a different length. What started as head, chest and arms became, when one glanced down, a narrow column of greenish, half-luminous smoke. He also carried what looked like a slim firework, that is, a wand from which sparks flew like a demented gas lighter.
“Supper, please, for the assembled guests and myself,” ordered Monkey.
A vivid green flash was directed at one of the six walls. A hidden doorway appeared, and a long table slid out, containing a veritable feast.
“Wow!” said Ted. Bunny and Keeper just stared; Hector’s eyebrows rose; Targah looked dumbfounded.
“It’s a buffet,” explained Monkey, “so stretch or starve.”
The young lion was first to fill his plate and glass, trying everything – a Bitter Banana, mango pop, tropical cheesecake, and so on: in fact, he enjoyed it all, except for Monkey’s own favourite drink, a foul-tasting bright green juice.
“Um… upside down pudding,” said Targah. “Is that to welcome us to Australia?”
Hector groaned.
“Talking of welcome, I’m considering a sort of housewarming party here,” said Monkey. “I haven’t really had more than one or two guests since living here… and the place does look rather menacing from the outside.”
“Isn’t this place warm enough?” asked Jim, who was now full of calories and sitting on a radiator. “Some of it is scary on the inside,” whispered Bunny to Ted, thinking of genies and booby traps.
“Some female company would no doubt be appreciated,” Monkey continued.
Targah’s eyes lit up, and he nodded.
“But no painted squaws!” muttered Hector.
“Nor ghastly, very dumb blondes,” added Keeper emphatically.
Monkey smiled. “I think you can trust my judgment.”
He appeared to have already determined the guest list.
