chapter three The Long Way Home

CHAPTER THREE THE LONG WAY HOME

They had been lucky with the weather.It had stayed dry. It was dark even though it was only 6pm.
Sandra realised the journey was taking longer than usual.
"Ian why are we taking the long road" Ian winked at his wife and smiled. Ian looked down at the sleeping face of their son he knew what it was like to have nightmares most folk at one time or another have nightmares
"When I was a boy no older than Michael my grandad would take me hill walking said it would strengthen my legs." Sandra was baffled "I don't understand." Ian cut her off. "You will understand when I reach the place I'm looking for." "Believe me Sandra the detour will be worth it."
Just then Michael awoke it was dark the motorway was gone and in its place were mountains and trees.
Some trees where bare they'd lost their leaves as winter blew them away.
Michael had never seen the stars so bright and the moon so big... No street lights here it was twisting roads and huge trees.
"Ian lets stop for something to eat and stretch our legs." Good idea love my bum's went numb." Michael giggled at his dad...
It was only 6 o'clock and back in the village it would still be light... Here in rural Scotland Michael thought it was the middle of the night.... It felt like an adventure.
As the three of them sat eating Michael was looking up in bewilderment at the stars.
His dad saw the look in his sons eyes and he felt so bad at uprooting them but he knew that he couldn't pass up this opportunity to oversee the workings of the new nature reserve with a house added and what with the new baby they'd need the space and the money, and he was coming home.

Ian had grown up in the Highlands. He'd spent his childhood in Glen Thule forest with his father and his grandfather; they all worked for the forestry commission.
Ian had been different he had went to University and studied plants fauna and forest management.
Grandad McKenzie thought it a waste of time and money but Ian's mother had wanted him to better himself. Ian remembered the look on his fathers face when he graduated with full honours the pride was beaming all over them. The first McKenzie to go to University and graduate with full honours.
He knew his parents and grandparents were happy they were coming home.

Michael was glad his grandfather was still alive his grandmother had past away 10yrs ago but Old Cameron was still going strong he'd be 83 this year...Cameron said it was the good clean air, good food and a wee snifter that kept his bones from rusting.
When Ian told them he was getting married to an English girl they accepted it as granddad said times are changing and you had to admit Sandra was lovely, she had long soft shiny brown hair and the greenest eyes he'd ever seen

Ian winked at Sandra and turned to his son "Michael remember when we went on holiday we looked at the clouds and saw shapes in them mum saw a horse you saw a dragon and I saw a big dog." Michael remembered it was one of his favourite pastimes looking for animals in the clouds...
“Are you all sitting comfortable?" Asked Ian Michael and his mum nodded. "Right I'm going to tell you a story my grandfather Cameron told me when I was a wee boy, about your age Michael." Ian ruffled his son’s hair Michael beamed a smile at him Sandra looked curiously at her husband she wondered what he was up to but she trusted him. Ian winked at her and gave her a reassuring smile.

"See how bright the stars twinkle and how big the moon is well on nights like this the wise old man of the woods is known to appear, he lived here hundreds of years ago".
"Folk would come see him if they were ill or had a problem, he would fix it for them, if their cattle were ill the old man knew how to cure them it’s said he could work magic!"
Michael looked at his dad with a puzzled look. "Dad Jamie said magic was for babies it wasn't real." Ian laughed "Jamie knows nothing he's not lived long enough to know what is true and what is false." Sandra put her arms around Michael and cuddled him. "Let dad finish this sounds a good story." Ian smiled "Well thank you my dear."

" Some folk were afraid of the old man but he never harmed a living creature. He lived at the top of a mountain next to an old spreading acorn tree. He could be seen sitting under the tree for hours, some folk say he spoke to the tree and the tree spoke back." "He could be seen in the old forests planting new trees and talking to them he would sing a song in a strange language, no one knew what he was singing but the trees would appear to move their branches as if they were dancing to his tune." Pine. oak, chestnut, all types of trees were planted by him.
Michael giggled at the idea of trees dancing.
"In the mountains there are deep caves only the old man knew the safe passages he would come out with stones, plants and crystals he found deep in the heart of the mountain. He told the folk the crystals could cure certain ailments when applied properly, the crystals also gave off energies that were beneficial to our bodies." "He would make potions out of the flowers and crush the stones to make a powder for the land the farmers swore by it, their crops were always good and their soil was the best around.
"Dad how can a crystal help?" asked Michael Ian smiled down at his son "My Knowledge of chemistry isn't to great but I did read about "Crystals having a magnetic energy that comes from the Earth, and they have minerals Just as we have a magnetic energy that keeps us on the ground and not floating around, though floating around might be fun but we'd all be wearing spacesuits.”
Michael remembered the TV show about space the astronaut spoke about zero gravity at first Michael didn't understand he sort of got the gist of it. The earth has a huge magnet at its core, and everyone has a magnetic force in them so we are kept on ground by the earth's magnetic force." Michael was still a little puzzled but let his dad continue.

“Well the old man was happy he had his animals to keep him company he preferred animals to humans."
“He had rabbits, reindeer, mountain cats, eagles, Kestrels; they all came to visit his cave .They say he could talk to them."
Michael smiled "Like Dr Doolittle." Ian smiled at his son "Yes just like Dr Doolittle."
"One day a giant eagle landed at his cave with a broken wing the old man healed the eagle’s wing and they became friends when you saw the eagle circling you could be sure the old man was near."
"Then the old man disappeared no one could find him. A team of young men decided to climb to the top of his mountain for that's where the huge tree stood outside his cave."
"They never got to the top a landslide started and they had to go back huge chunks came tumbling down the mountain." When they looked up the tree had lost all its leaves. Its huge bare branches reached out to the heavens... It never grew leaves or flowered again even to this day it's said it's still there." "Just then the giant Eagle swooped out of the night and screeched at them and started diving at them, the men quickly got down the mountain, the eagle had warned them off."
"Then the stories started going around the old man had been seen on the mountain and in the woods but only on special times of the year “Michael asked his dad "What special times?" "New year Christmas, Easter he was seen around at these times."
Someone said the old man had left a note pinned to an old pine tree in the forest it said "if you need me and your life is in peril look to the trees I will follow."
Michael looked around him he'd heard of wizards but never seen one James Harrington said there were no such things as wizards but Michael remembered the stories about King Arthur. Lynsey had a book about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, Her uncle Russell taught History at the local High school, he would read them stories when he visited Lynsey's.
He said Merlin the Wizard did live all those years ago and Magic was real. He told them not to listen to Jamie Harrington Merlin was a wizard and he helped Arthur so maybe Jamie wasn't right after all. Magic might really be here.

Mum got the blankets out and Michael sat between them under a beautiful winter sky... sipping his hot chocolate.
"Right are we all comfy and snug...” Michael cuddled between the both of them... "I’m telling you a true story handed down to me by my grandfather"
Sandra was just as curious as Michael.

“As I told you in these mountains lived a very old man some called him a Wizard others call him a wise man." "His shape can only be seen by special folk, and can only be seen on certain nights" Ian paused to let it sink in.
"Dad can the wizard beat monsters." This was the first time Michael had mentioned monsters to him he had told mum but he didn't want his dad to think he was afraid.
Sandra looked at her husband he gave her a reassuring smile and a wink.
"Well let me tell you it helped me fight my monsters when I was little just like you." Michael couldn't believe his ears; his dad had nightmares like his.
"Were they huge big hairy monsters with big green teeth and red eyes and was there a witch that chased you.”
Ian looked down at his son’s face his eyes were bulging and a look of hope was there. Ian felt a lump rise in his throat and tears were filling behind his eyes. He pulled himself together and gave his son a hug.
Michael felt the grip and warmth of his father and for the first time in ages he felt safe.
"How did you do it daddy?" Michael felt hope and excitement rising.
If his dad could beat the monsters then maybe he could to.

“When I was little I had bad nightmares getting chased into the forest and not being able to get out I would wake up trembling and crying...” Michael tried to imagine his daddy being frightened he cuddled closer to him
"My grandfather told me a story about believing in magic and the power of the crystals, how they can protect you when you sleep but not just any crystals it has to be one of the wizards.”
"This is a true story son I'm not making it up." Sandra looked at her husband he never ceased to amaze her. He'd never told her about his nightmares as a child or this story she was intrigued and wanted to hear more.
"I asked my granddad how I could see the wizard."
"Well boy you'll see him, it could be in the trees or the top of a mountain" "And when you see him you make a wish." "Then you write it down on a piece of paper and take it as far up the mountain as you can climb."
“Our Granddad was always telling us stories of the Glens and how they held the history of their folk, and how strange things happened up in the mists of the mountains."


"My grandma would scold him and tell him to stop filling our heads with silly nonsense." "We all loved his stories."
"My dad would take me through the forests and tell me tales of the people that once lived there and how they used the magic of the earth to heal the sick and injured." Anyway back to the story." Michael and mum smiled at each other and huddled closer under the big warm blanket Michael had his favourite drink hot chocolate was warming his toes.

"One night, on a night like this we were travelling home late, I was seven yrs old; we were passing Ben Tara k the mountain the home of the wizard." It was night like this, a full moon and all the stars where out."
Granddad stopped and told me to close my eyes he took me out of the car and turned me round. There it was Ben Tar ak
“I looked up and there at the very top of the mountain looked like a person with a long cloak."
“He was holding a staff a long stick like the shepherds use."
"I was so excited I yelled at granddad “I see the figure Granddad smiled at me."
"Didn't I tell you he came here but only on special nights dinny go telling your grandma her disnay understands about these things and he gave me a wink."
“He took my hand and said "You see boy there he stands awaiting your wish." "Remember you canny tell anyone else this is our wee secret."

Sarah smiled at her husband...
"Well that night I wrote my wish down on a piece of paper and next day Granddad took me to the mountain where I was to leave my wish”.” It was a big mountain, we only reached halfway up but Granddad told me that was far enough."
"I placed my wish under a big rock next to an old tree."
"Did you see the wizard again?" Asked Michael
"Well no son because granddad told me he'd only come that once and that I was to think myself lucky I had seen him once and was getting my wish granted." "Only special folk got to see him."

"The next day we went back to the old tree and next to it was the big stone and sitting next to it was a bright crystal that shone with every colour you could imagine and under the rock was a note."
"Was it from the wizard daddy?" Ian smiled at his son and said "All will be revealed."
“Yes it was from the wizard and he said because I had seen him he would grant my wish. But I had to believe in him and all he stood for".
“On the note was a message from the wizard" Here is a magic crystal that will protect you from monsters because it is pure and from the earth core where no human man has been. It has the power to shield you from harm." "But you must not run away you must stand and face the monsters believe in the crystal and it will protect you. You have to face these demons and tell them to be off where they belong." “Remember I will be with you even though you cannot see me I will be there if you believe in me"
Michael was hanging on every word his dad was saying.

"Once you do this the monsters will never come back and if they do, use the crystal. At all times keep it under your pillow.
"Here is the word you must say every night."
Powers of the light protect me in the night.
As I sleep keep me safe from harm
Let the crystal work its charm.
Surround me in light and let the monsters be banished into the night."

Michael was so excited "Did it work daddy?" His dad lifted him high and smiled "Yes it did I never got chased again I stood and faced those baddies." "When I held up my crystal and the light poured from it the monsters changed they became little mice and furry rabbits and even though I couldn't see the Wizard I felt him near me. His power and goodness helped me to stop running and face the monsters”

“My Granddad said everybody has to face their demons sometimes."
"At the time I didn't know what he meant, I do now." Michael was puzzled "What did he mean daddy?"
"Well son monsters can take the shape of almost anything that we afraid of they could be giant spiders or big green giants." Or have big teeth thought Michael.
"There comes a time in every ones life when they must stop running and stand up to these bullies that's what monsters do they bully and frighten folk especially little folk."
“Daddy Do you think I'll see the wizard tonight."
Sandra felt a bit wary she didn't want Michael to be disappointed.
"If not tonight then another night I promise you." Ian winked at her...
On the long drive they played their game of making out shapes usually it was cloud, being it was dark it was the shadows of the trees on the mountains, what odd shapes they saw.
Michael saw two horses and mum saw a soldier they saw all sorts of shapes in the trees and the hillsides.

Michael was no longer tired his eager eyes scanned the surrounding landscape.
As they approached a very steep climb towering over them was a mountain one that Ian knew well. Just then Michael jumped "Daddy stop look up there, it’s the wizard it's the wizard."
He was jumping with excitement "Calm down Michael ". Said mum and then she looked to where Michael was pointing she had to admit the figure looked real. It was a tall figure with a cone hat and flowing cape it looked as if he was holding a long stick. "Close your eyes son and wish." Said his dad. Just then An Eagle flew over the tree and settled on a branch.
"Oh look dad it's the wizard’s friend.
Michael closed his eyes and made his wish. "Daddy you'll have to take me up the mountain I have to leave my wish." His face was alight with wonder and hope. "I will son just as soon as we reach our new home we'll climb that mountain together."

Sandra felt a tear sting her eyes for the first time in months their little boy looked happy and hopeful his inner light had been switched back on... Sandra whispered a silent thank you to her husband he winked back...Michael was so excited he didn't want to sleep but soon his eyes closed. She nestled her son in her arms as he slept with his head on her stomach.
She turned to her husband "You never told me that story." he smiled "Remember my granddad said tell no one." She smiled "Ian did it work? Or are you setting him up for a big downfall?" Ian reassured her "Darling don't worry it will work." "This is the same place my granddad brought me to." He winked "Hence the detour."
Sandra was imaging Ian as a small boy if it had worked for him please please let it work for Michael... “Ian where will you get a crystal?” He looked at her sheepishly “I still have the one my grandfather gave me.” He never ceased to amaze her. She closed her eyes and slept for the rest of the journey.