

The Wicker Slippers

Jon Jacks

Other New Adult and Children's books by Jon Jacks

The Caught – The Rules – Chapter One – The Changes – Sleeping Ugly

The Barking Detective Agency – The Healing – The Lost Fairy Tale

A Horse for a Kingdom – Charity – The Most Beautiful Things – The Last Train

The Dream Swallowers – Nyx; Granddaughter of the Night – Jonah and the Alligator

Glastonbury Sirens – Dr Jekyll's Maid – The 500-Year Circus

P – The Endless Game – DoriaN A – Wyrd Girl

Heartache High (Vol I) – Heartache High: The Primer (Vol II) – Heartache High: The Wakening (Vol III)

Miss Terry Charm, Merry Kris Mouse & The Silver Egg – Seecrets

Coming Soon

The Cull

Text copyright© 2013 Jon Jacks

All rights reserved

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

He woke up, his nose tickling.

His eyes widened in surprise.

It was a fairy; a gorgeously multi-coloured fairy, cheekily perched on the end of his nose.

Flickering like the most beautiful Christmas tree lights he had ever seen.

He was young, not yet three – but he knew what a fairy was and looked like, oh yes.

He'd seen pictures of them in the books his mum and nan read to him on a night.

Seeing that he was awake, the fairy smiled.

She fluttered into the air, her delicate wings vibrating so rapidly they were almost invisible.

She swooped towards the open window overlooking the front garden.

Slipping out of bed, the boy followed.

The fairy slipped out of the window, hovering in the bright sunlight. Beyond her, the boy could see his mum unloading the car parked out on the road.

He remembered now; they had driven down to nan's old cottage. His mum had told nan he was sleepy. And so they had taken him upstairs to bed.

He wanted to shout out to his mum, but the fairy, sensing this, put a finger to her lips and shook her head.

She waved her hands, beckoning him to come with her.

'Come, come fly with me!' she said.

How could he resist?

He clambered up the small wall on to the window sill.

And then he jumped.

*

15 Years Later

# Chapter 1

The cottage's 'For Sale' sign was being taken down at last.

Janet was surprised; Apple Cottage had been up for sale for two years, ever since Lee and his mum had moved back into the city.

It was a bit of a mess, after being neglected for so long.

The garden was overgrown, the roses gone wild. The roses and wisteria climbing up the walls and around the porch had grown into the thatch.

Even so, this bright display of purples, reds, yellows and whites splayed across the roof only added to the small house's strange, beguiling beauty.

Janet smiled.

Any other house this beautiful should have sold quickly.

But its unfortunate history always seemed to put off any potential buyer in the end.

It was rumoured to have been a house of witches throughout the centuries it had existed.

Even Lee's gran, who had owned the house before he and his mum had moved in, had dabbled in Wicca. Perhaps she had been drawn to it by the house's infamous past. Rumour was, the explosion that had killed her was of her own causing, an experiment that had gone wrong.

Janet couldn't remember Lee's gran.

But she could remember Lee.

If Lee had picked up anything from the house, it was a way to bewitch the girls he met.

*

Within less than a day, a team of workers had descend on the house, tidying up the garden, stripping away the blooms and overgrown branches infesting the thatch.

Janet wasn't impressed.

Everything they did seemed too hurried. Everyone seemed to pitch into every task, rather than being specifically skilled at any job.

The repairs to the thatching was amateurish. She even caught them coating the new layers of straw they had laid down with a watery dye, just to make it blend in with the rest of the roof.

From what she could tell, the door and windows were only being given a swift brush of paint. Just enough to make them sparkle, but nowhere near enough to make up for all the months of neglect.

Most bizarre of all, though, was the placing of false, even plastic flowers around the windows, giving it back the colour they'd stripped away with their overenthusiastic cutting-back of the roses.

One day, even this lacklustre effort was scaled back.

The scaffolding that had been erected around the small cottage was dismantled and stacked off to one side of the garden. Although the workers continued to hang around, work came almost to a standstill.

It was little more than a clearing up of the mess and rubble they had created as they had gone about making Apple Cottage look more presentable.

Yes, thought the curious, observant Janet when she had come up with that insight; they hadn't been restoring the cottage, so much as making it look more presentable.

The workers frequently glanced at their watches. With a despondent shake of the head, they would turn to make a grumbling complaint to anyone nearby who would listen.

They often stepped out beyond the garden's high hedges, looking up the road as if expecting someone who was running late.

At least, Janet thought, they haven't destroyed the overall look of Apple Cottage.

But she feared how extensive the change might have been to the inside of the house.

Had they already ripped out the huge, old fireplace she and Lee used to sit and play by when they were children?

How had Lee's bedroom, with its exposed ceiling beams, its rickety floorboards, fared in the house's 'modernisation'?

And what of the kitchen, with the old Victorian range that looked like it had been directly ordered from a catalogue of essential Wicca equipment?

Lee's mum had hated it, almost as much as she'd hated the house. She would moan at the heavy lids, the stiff doors, the time it took to heat up, like they were all insurmountable problems getting in the way of making dinner.

Even so, she would manage to conjure up the crispiest yet most succulent chips Janet had ever tasted. All served up in cones of newspaper so that she and Lee could eat them as they played throughout the evening in the long rear garden.

Another treat Janet often remembered with a lick of her lips was the mashed potato and turnip, piled up like miniature volcanoes, a hole made in the top where tomato (or in Lee's case, brown) sauce could be poured, running down the sides like lava.

Of course, all that was in the days when she and Lee were younger. When they could happily play games with each other as friends, unaware of the changes to come in their bodies that would make them begin to look at each other in a completely different way.

Changes that would seek to draw them together in other ways; but in some ways would make them wary and even scared of each other. Uncontrollable, ever-changeable and bewildering emotions swept through them in a seemingly new and more puzzling form every day.

Of course, Janet wasn't keeping a twenty-four watch on the changes being made to Apple Cottage.

It was just that every time she passed, as she made her way to or back from the school bus, or made trips to the local shop, or caught the bus into town, or made her way to her friends, she would draw near to the cottage's gate to see how much the cottage had changed since she had last looked.

Chances are, then, that she would have missed the arrival of the gleaming BMW as it pulled up outside of the cottage. Fortunately, she was passing by, just out for a walk in the sun to celebrate the sense of freedom she felt now that school had broken for the summer holidays.

She stopped a distance away from the car, hoping no one would interpret her curiosity as nosiness.

The driver-side door opened. A woman slipped out of the driver's seat.

A beautiful woman. A woman who _knew_ she was beautiful.

She had that almost permanent smile of the knowingly beautiful woman. A smile that is slight, virtually invisible, because it has become so much a part of her perfect features.

Her eyes twinkled excitedly. Eyes that knew they could hold a man's attention for as long as they wanted to.

As she turned to get her first full view of the cottage, her long, dark hair swirled around her shoulders, copper tints sparkling like electric currents.

Could Janet see all this from so far away?

No, of course not; but she knew what such a woman looked like up close. At school, she had come across girls avidly studying the skills they would need to attain such a high level of expertise.

The car's passenger door opened.

A boy of around eighteen stepped out.

It was Lee.

*

# Chapter 2

Janet turned around and walked back the way she had come.

She didn't want to run any risk that Lee would see her.

Not like this; not while she was crying.

It was crazy, foolish, she knew that. How could she have ever clung to the foolish hope that, one day, she and Lee would get back together again?

Hadn't it been obvious that it was finally over the day he and his mum had left for a new life in the city? What other, more definite sign did she want that it was over between them?

Had there, in all honesty, ever really been _anything_ between her and Lee anyway?

It wasn't as if it had been a continual relationship, after all.

Just one moment on, one moment off, with nothing said between them to highlight the difference.

It was a relationship that could be incredibly intense one day, wavering and doubtful the next.

At times, their bond had been so weak and non-existent that other girls at school had blithely asked her what sort of things Lee liked. What type of girl he wanted. Where they should go to just sort of accidently bump into him. What they should do to make themselves attractive to him. Oh, and could she actually say something in their favour to him, please?

She never knew how to answer.

Even in those periods when she and Lee weren't going out with each other anymore, she still felt something for him, still hoped their feelings for each other would flare up once more.

She didn't want to help her friends (let alone those girls suddenly pretending to be her friend, purely because they'd developed an interest in Lee) to steal him from her.

Because yes, she saw Lee as 'hers'.

Long before the other girls had noticed Lee, she, knowing him so well, having been the friend he would call round for no matter what he had in mind to play, had liked him, been attracted to him.

Yes, even in the days when he was still gawky, thin, pale-skinned and as childish as only a boy can be.

As they'd grown, they had both noticed the awkwardness growing between them.

Were they just friends, or boyfriend and girlfriend?

Were they 'going out' with other, or was it just a childhood friendship that had lasted long after it should have naturally petered out?

There were uncertainties, a shyness, between them that hadn't existed before.

An embracement, too. Because neither one could work out where he or she stood with the other, no longer understood the true nature of their continuing relationship.

Should she ask him if he thought of her as being his girlfriend?

Would he ask her out?

Would asking destroy what already existed between them?

Would they just naturally gravitate towards being girlfriend and boyfriend, with nothing between them being said?

Such doubts, such uncertainties, had been put to rest when they had fallen close together while laughing over a game in the cottage garden.

Their cheeks lightly touching.

Their eyes locking.

Their lips tentatively brushing one against the other.

Yes, yes, they had been meant for each other.

They had drawn apart from their first kiss, surprised, a little ashamed, but also incredibly elated.

So, that was it then; they had moved on to a newer level.

They weren't just friends.

They were so much more.

But then Lee had – what?

Blossomed?

Was that the right word for a boy whose attractiveness suddenly began to improve on what seemed a daily basis?

Gone were the stupid comments on war, on soldiers, on guns and weapons.

Gone were the childhood games, the hop, skip and jumps, the weakness and awkwardness of an undeveloped boy.

Gone was the clumsy shyness and nervous lack of confidence that had made him look such a fool when he talked to other girls.

In their place was a cheeky grin that made every girl smile, the deep laugh of a boy assured that he was amusing, the lithe body that sailed over the sport field's high jump bar like it was there purely to show how beautiful he was.

Now at last, too, he could more accurately read and judge those previously unfathomable actions of the girls who increasingly collected around him, supposedly to hear his jokes, his stories of what he'd been up to the previous night, or over the weekend.

(And that included when they would scornfully declare that he wasn't as funny as he thought he was. Or suddenly and unreasonably begin to ignore or even snap angrily at him.)

Lee revelled in his newly-discovered popularity. How could he turn down the expertly and barely disguised flirtations of the school's most sought-after girls?

He effortlessly, carelessly, nonchalantly moved from girlfriend to girlfriend, like they were little more than casual friendships to him (much to the annoyance of the girls who wanted – who _expected_ – more).

Of course, Janet had to pretend she wasn't upset.

What could she do?

Say, Hey Lee, I thought we had something special going between us?

Like what? he'd say. Oh yeah, like when we were little, you mean?

Why broach it, when she knew what his response would be?

Besides, she wasn't unattractive; other boys acted strangely around her, signs that she herself began to correctly interpret as the nervousness these boys felt in her presence. They felt awkward, foolish; unsure how to let her know that they liked her without putting themselves in a position where they could be humiliatingly turned down.

Was her attractiveness on a similar level to Lee's however? She wasn't sure, could never be sure.

Because, of course, every now and again they would 'get back together'.

Usually after an argument in which Lee claimed she'd been ignoring him. That she was being childish, getting upset over his other girlfriends.

'You know they don't mean anything to me. Not like you do!'

Besides, what was he supposed to do when she'd been making it obvious to everyone that she 'fancied Jack/Ben/Paul' or whoever she'd made the mistake of going out with for a few days.

Perhaps that's why, when he'd moved away, she had still held on to the foolish belief that, just like so many other times before, they would somehow be drawn together once again.

Because _she_ thought it was _meant_ to be.

But, obviously, it wasn't.

It wasn't meant to be at all

*

# Chapter 3

'You were right Lee! It _is_ beautiful. I think it's _perfect_ for what we need!'

Max stood directly in front of the house, her hands pushed deep into the rear pockets of her skin-tight jeans.

She knew it was a pose that made the most of her slim figure. The way it both thrust out and left a clear view of her breasts. The way it drew attention to the flare of her hips and rear.

The workers who had subserviently moved off to one side of the garden certainly appreciated the view.

Most ogled her warily, ready to avert their eyes if it looked as if she were about to turn their way. Others were more confident, more daring, flattering themselves that she would be unable to avoid locking eyes with them. (As for that young guy with her; huh, why would someone like her be interested in someone so obviously inexperienced?)

Even though she didn't show it, Max was well aware of their hungering stares. She could probably guess, too, to a remarkable degree of accuracy, just what they were thinking.

She'd experienced longing looks like these since her early teens. She'd soon picked up what such stares meant, reading it in the men's faces when, suddenly whirling around, she'd caught them off guard.

Some had blushed, turned away in embarrassment.

Some had brazenly continued to stare, daring her to protest.

Most girls would be disgusted by these stares, frightened by them even.

They somehow made you feel dirtied, clammy, like you needed a shower.

Max, however, relished it all.

She could feel their looks burning on the back of her neck, her waist, her...she could feel it wherever they were looking, which was everywhere.

Max saw it all as another manifestation of her incredible power over stupid, pathetic men like these. She knew she could control anyone of them with nothing more than a warm smile, a lingering glance, or a delicate touch to an arm or shoulder. All of which she managed to fill with a promise she never had any intention of honouring.

Body language could reveal a person's secret desires, and so, when fully understood, fully mastered, it could imply whatever you wanted it to.

'Lee,' she said brightly, turning to him, rewarding him for his quick attention with a wide smile, 'would you be a dear and get my things from the car?'

Lee nodded. He spun around before he'd even had a chance to take in any of the changes to the cottage.

Behind him, the men gathered on the edges of the garden openly sniggered.

Lee rankled, but tried not to show it.

Max ignored them.

She continued to move gracefully around the outside of the cottage. Craning her long neck first this way then that. Standing on tiptoe to see more of the roof. Twirling around when she'd apparently changed her mind, wanting to see the house once again from back here after all.

She wasn't just ensuring the cottage had the potential to be as beautiful as she needed it to be. She was also saying to the watching men, Hey, aren't I just the most wonderful, desirable thing you've ever seen?

No, she wasn't one of those girls who constantly need a boost to their self-confidence. (Just how much more self-confidence could Max have?)

Rather, all this, as far as Max was concerned, was preparing for later.

She was setting the ground rules.

I am your goddess. You are my worshippers, my supplicants.

To win my pleasure, you must be prepared to do anything I ask.

Did they understand that?

To make sure they did, Max glanced back at her admiring audience.

Yes, they understood. She could see it in the way they continued to dreamily gaze at her.

She'd made it seem like an accidental glance their way, as she'd moved from one spot of the garden to another. She rewarded them with her long-practised smile, a wide, beaming grin that each man took to be for them alone.

They all grinned back, as if in a daze.

There's still a lot of work to be done here before we get what we want, Max thought.

'Excuse me,' she said, her voice a mix of helpless girl and knowing promise, 'who's in charge here? I wonder if you could just...'

*

Lee opened the car's boot.

He'd leave the main bags for now. He and Max needed to explore the place first before they decided if it was ready for any preliminary photographic work. Their mobile phones would suffice for now for sending back any pictures of the cottage.

Max just needed her work bag, containing the keys to the cottage and her notebooks.

He dragged her bag out from amongst the others more brusquely than he'd intended. The clasp came free, the bag's contents spilling across the tops of the larger bags.

Damn damn damn!

He was angry.

He'd seen those workers laughing at him.

He knew he was pathetic; just doing everything Max asked of him, like he was some sad little lap dog!

Well, they'd seen her! Wasn't she the most gorgeous woman they'd ever seen?

Wouldn't _they_ do anything for her, just to be rewarded by one of her wonderful, glorious smiles?

Wasn't she wonderful in every way?

Haahhhhh!

Why couldn't he just shake off this stupidity?

Because he was bewitched, of course!

Bewitched like...like he never knew it would be possible to be bewitched!

Because he'd never known love like the love he felt for Max.

It pulled him apart each night; the agony of being in love with her!

Then, on a morning, when he saw her, saw her smile, felt her touch, heard her giggle; he was whole in a way he'd never felt before. Like at last he knew who he really was, where his future lay, why he'd been put on this earth, what the most important thing in his life was.

The sheer joy, the _ecstasy_ of being in love with her!

Sometimes, if he dwelled too much on her (but how _couldn't_ he?), if he tried to hang around her too much, he'd be torn apart once more. Only slower this time, piece by tiny piece, as he watched other men receive the rewards he believed only he deserved.

Sometimes, yes, sometimes he actually wept with the sheer agony of it all; but sometimes, too, with the incredible _joy_ of it all!

God, his emotions were a _mess_!

How had he got himself into such a crazy state?

Where being with her was both paradise and hell at the same time.

Where being without her meant his life felt empty, meaningless.

Where, when she wasn't around, he had to try and find some way of bringing some piece of her back into his life. Even if it was just passing her empty desk to see her jacket hanging on its hook, or the mention of her name in a conversation – and if no one was going to mention her, then _he_ would!

How could they _not_ mention her? What was wrong with them? Wasn't the conversation so much better, so much more interesting, now we were talking about her?

How did she do this to him?

He shook his head, trying to clear it of all thoughts of Max. Trying to concentrate on the task in hand;

He carefully rummaged through the bags in the car's boot, seeking out the objects that had spilled from Max's bag.

Heady wafts of her musky scent rose up towards him.

He breathed it in, relished it.

It was one of those wonderful things that instantly conjured up images of her smile, her sparklingly eyes, her gorgeous body.

He found her notepad, opened on a page full of doodles and a reminder of a hairdresser's appointment.

Just the sight of her notes made him smile. Made him start thinking of how she was the most amusing girl he'd ever known.

How crazy was that?

Yes, it _was_ crazy.

Yet he still delicately ran a finger over the swirls she'd made. Like it somehow connected him to what she'd been thinking as she'd made them. Like he could feel her amusement, see her smiling, as she casually drew them.

Like it was a work of art, rather than someone's aimless doodling.

See, she didn't need to use her tricks on him; he played them on himself.

He was broken.

He was joyous.

And he deserved it, too, didn't he?

Deserved to be on the receiving end of this delicious pain he'd inflicted on others.

Hadn't he once played with girl's hearts too, like it was all just a game?

If only he'd known the agony it caused!

Yes, he would have treated those girls better, if he'd known. He was sure of it.

'Lee?'

Hearing his name being called from behind him, he spun around.

It was a girl. A pretty girl, fashionably dressed.

'Yes?' he said, unsure what else he should be saying.

'Lee, it's me. Don't you recognise me?' There was surprise, disappointment and hurt in her voice.

'Oh, er, yes, yes, of course, I recognise you...'

He was stalling for time, trying to search for her name.

'Janet,' he said with relief. 'It's been a long time Janet; how are you?'

*

# Chapter 4

It wasn't a sensible thing to do, she knew.

Yet Janet had turned around anyway, heading back towards Lee as he unloaded the car.

If he and his girlfriend were moving back into the village, it would be hard to avoid them.

She was going to have to meet him once again anyway, so it might as well be now.

She might as well get it over with, rather than letting the agony of not knowing how things stood between them burn away in her heart every night as she lay alone in bed.

Would he remember her?

Surely he would.

Would he want to rekindle their love for each other?

Hah, not likely! Not when he'd managed to hook such an incredibly gorgeous woman as his girlfriend!

(Fiancée? _Wife_? After all, they were moving in together. Moving back into the cottage where he'd lived for so long with his mum.)

And now that she stood facing him, she saw that Lee was as beautiful as ever.

The same eyes, with that constantly amused twinkle.

Same bemused yet utterly charming grin.

Same carelessly dressed hair, like he'd just got out of be–

(No! she didn't want to think of things like that! Not just yet; she couldn't handle it just yet!)

Seeing him like this, it all brought back so many memories, both good and atrociously bad.

Yet Lee; he'd struggled to even remember her name!

It was all so embarrassing!

*

She should haven't turned back; she should have headed on home.

And now, now she was here; she didn't know what else to say.

'I saw...saw...your...'

She couldn't say it; she couldn't say _girlfriend_.

'...the girl you were with.'

'Oh, Maxine; _Max_!'

Suddenly, Lee was standing up straighter, beaming.

'Yeah, something else isn't she, eh? Everybody thinks she's wonderful; do you want to meet her?'

'What? Oh no no, thanks! I was just passing, saw you...saw you coming back here, to the old cottage.'

'Oh, so you know I used to liv – wait a minute! Of course. How silly of me!'

His eyes lit up. For a moment, Janet hoped he was going to step forward and swirl her up in his arms.

Instead, he corrected himself, politely hanging back.

'Janet, _that_ Janet. We used to play here together, when we were little? I'm sorry Janet; how could I have forgotten? I'm _so_ sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind at the moment; what with the house and all.'

Yes, yes, Janet thought; you're busy moving in with your girlfriend. So you're bound to forget everything else that ever happened to you, things in your past.

'Yes, that's right,' she said, managing to hide her disappointment, 'we were friends when we were children.'

But we were _so_ much more when we were older Lee!

And you've forgotten, forgotten it all.

Or was it just me? Reading so much into what, after all, were just things we got up to as _older_ children.

'Well, I suppose I'll see you around...Janet.'

Lee pulled the boot lid down, slipping the bag he'd withdrawn from it under his arm.

It was like an end to the conversation.

Like, sure, it was nice meeting you Janet, but now I've got to get back to my gorgeous wife.

'Oh, yeah, yeah; see you later,' Janet replied.

Lee smiled.

Then he turned away, turned into the cottage's gate.

And, once again, he was gone.

*

# Chapter 5

Walking back into the garden holding the bag, Lee raised even more barely controlled sniggers amongst the workers.

He bent his head low, hiding his embarrassment and his irate scowl.

Okay, so laugh dimwits! But I'm the one that's with her, not you! _You'll_ never have a chance of getting _anywhere_ near her!

Max was on tiptoes, peering in through one of the cottage's windows as if she were Snow White or Goldilocks.

'Max; why didn't you just go in?' Drawing near, Lee handed her the bag she'd asked for. 'The workers have the door open.'

She turned to him, lightly touching his arm, lowering her head slightly so that she was looking up at him alluringly.

'Because I was waiting for _you_ silly! It's your house really, I suppose; so I thought it would be a bit of fun to cross the threshold together! You could even carry me, if you wanted.'

She giggled musically.

Lee knew her well enough to know she was teasing.

She knew that would be his dream, to carry her across the threshold as man and wife.

He laughed, like it was all a wonderful joke.

'Come on,' she said, excitedly taking his hand and drawing him towards the cottage's door, 'you know which room I'm most interested in; the _bed_ room!'

*

'Ah, so _this_ is the famous window is it?'

The window was open. Max leaned out, looking down for the bush that Lee had fallen into when he'd jumped out, ensuring he'd suffered nothing more than a few light bruises.

The bush wasn't there anymore. Lee had noticed that on his first glance at the house. The workers had removed it, replacing it with what looked like a plastic purple hydrangea.

Why was he letting them do this to the house? he'd wondered, seeing the way they had removed so many of the wonderful flowers he could remember gracing the garden.

Because it had remained unsold since he and his mum had moved out. And this was probably the only way of finally getting some money for it.

Because it was a worthwhile sacrifice if it excited Max. And if it helped draw them closer together.

Even so, he'd cringed at the destruction wracked by the workers downstairs.

As he and Max had entered, a half dozen or so workers had politely stood aside as they had manhandled huge pieces of the huge cast-iron stove out of the kitchen. He could hear the clangs and hammer blows of others working in the kitchen, no doubt breaking what remained of the old stove into more manageable pieces.

His mum had cooked all their meals on that stove.

Although nowhere near as old as the house itself, it was still incredibly old. Lee had always regarded it as being as much a part of the house as the walls were.

He couldn't see why it had had to be removed, rather than somehow utilised in some other way. Perhaps modernised. Perhaps used as a decorative feature.

From outside the window, Lee heard a few whistles, a few ribald catcalls of the workers who had noticed Max leaning out of the window.

With a trilling laugh, Max waved back before lithely turning back to face Lee.

'But I can't see any _fairy_ , Lee,' she said with mock admonishment.

He'd told her the story not long after first meeting her. He had hoped it would make him seem somehow different, somehow more exciting, more unusual.

Later he had realised it had simply made him look childish, stupid.

'Max, please; how many more times do I have to say I know it wasn't a _real_ fairy? I was _three_ , for Christ's sake. It was probably a butterfly; maybe even just something in my imagination, telling me to get out of the house.'

He couldn't be bothered going through the rest of the story yet again.

How the fairy, butterfly, or whatever it was, had saved his life.

There had been an explosion in the kitchen just below.

It had killed his gran. It would have killed him too, the explosion's force concentrated upwards, shredding the bed he had been in only moments before.

His mum, at the gate, had rushed back into the house fearing the worst. But he was giggling happily on the lawn just below the window,

His mum had still lost _her_ mum, of course. But she had still regarded it as a miracle that he had survived.

Lee didn't like Max seeing that he was angry with her.

It somehow made him feel that _he_ was the one in the wrong. That he was being immature, over-reacting to a joke, or to her teasing.

If she ever seemed surprised by his anger, he would apologise and say, yeah, sorry, he was being silly.

'Miss! Miss!' a harsh cry came up the stairs. 'Sir? Miss?'

Yeah, these guys instinctively know who's the one in control round here, Lee thought bitterly.

'Yes, what is it?' Max replied, stepping closer towards the bedroom's door.

'I think you should see this miss,' the voice came back. 'Something odd we've found.'

*

'Shoes?'

Max observed the old, soot-covered shoes being held up towards her with disgust.

'Who brought them in?' she asked irately.

'No one brought them in miss,' the man holding the shoes up said. 'Leastways, not recently anyway. These have been around for a good few centuries, you ask me.'

'Might be worth a bit then,' one of the men who had gathered around them said.

Max gave him a look that implied he must be a little crazed.

'I doubt it,' she said with a frown. 'Just throw them away!'

Lee reached for the shoes, taking them off the man holding them. With his fingers hooked in loops fixed to the rear of each shoe, he let them hang like dead fish. He was surprised how light they were.

'They seem to be made of straw,' he said. 'I'm surprised they've lasted this long, rather than just rotting away. And they look more like some sort of slipper than shoes.'

'You don't know about these then Lee?'

Max asked him the question like she held him responsible for having these ugly things waved around in front of her face.

'Never seen them before,' Lee admitted. He looked up at the workers grouped around them. 'Where were they? Where did you find them?'

'When we removed that old range from the fireplace,' one of the workers replied, nodding towards what was left of the old stove set off to one side of the kitchen.

'We started cleaning up the original fireplace it had been built into. When we knocked a couple of bricks out, we found these neatly parcelled up in some old leather bag that's just about had it.'

He nodded once again, this time towards the remnants of a rotted bag lying on the floor amongst the rest of the rubble.

'They were walled up?' Max said incredulously. 'Why would anyone wall up a pair of old shoes?'

'Well, they weren't so much as walled up as put in an alcove at the bottom of the chimney.'

Lee had managed to carefully dust off a great deal of the grimy soot with his fingers. His hands were now filthy, but he'd managed to begin to reveal what could have been small straw decorations attached to the top of each slipper.

'Well, whatever was done with them, we don't need them,' Max declared. 'Throw them away.'

'Ah, I'm not so sure throwing them away would be such a good idea, miss.'

As the man speaking pushed his way through the circling men to draw closer, Max almost jumped back. He could have been a ghost, with his white face and hair. But it was only a mix of plaster and dust coating his clothes, skin, beard and wild hair.

'Which is why, when we found 'em, I said we should let you know, like, miss.'

'Why bother me with these?' Max snapped irritably. 'Why would I want to know you've found an old pair of shoes?'

'Ah, see miss, it's on account of _where_ they were found, see?'

'No, I _don't_ see!'

'Well, they'll have been put there for a purpose, see? They're a charm miss, to keep the witches away; to stop them, or their spells, coming in down the chimney.'

Max instantly relaxed. Turning to Lee, she chuckled wickedly.

'So Lee, it's not just fairies,' she scoffed. 'You've got witches here too, eh?'

*

# Chapter 6

'Hello; what's going on here then?'

Hearing the voice at the doorway, everyone turned.

'Greg!' Max cried out excitedly.

She excitedly rushed over to Greg as, ducking to avoid the doorway's lintel, he strode into the kitchen.

'Greg! We weren't expecting you just yet!' Max trilled happily, slipping an arm around his waist and hugging him tightly.

I wasn't expecting you at _all_ , Lee thought bitterly.

He smiled grimly.

'Yeah, what're you doing here, Greg?'

'How could I resist seeing what this wonderful cottage looked like in reality?'

'Well, it's not finished yet; there's still a bit of work to be done.'

Lee glared at the surrounding workers, daring them to even so much as smile at the embarrassment he was suffering as Max adoringly looked up at Greg.

'It's a house of _witches_ Greg!' Max rested a hand on Greg's chest, winking at him conspiratorially.

'Witches? I thought it was fairies!'

Greg glanced at Lee with a wry grin.

Max slapped his chest playfully.

'Oh stop it Greg! Poor Lee!'

Lee realised he was still holding the filthy slippers. He threw them onto the pile of rubble, giving his hands a hard wipe to try and remove some of the grime he'd picked up off them.

'I think we should move outside,' he said, moving towards the door, 'and let these guys get on with their job, yeah?'

Max and Greg, their arms still wrapped around each other's waists, turned and stepped out of the kitchen.

'Get back to work,' Lee said with a scowl at the men, trying to reassert his authority as he shamefacedly followed Max and Greg outside.

*

They could have been the happy couple, looking on at the beautiful cottage they'd be moving into as soon as it had been adequately restored.

That's what Lee thought anyway as, from a suitable distance, he enviously watched Greg's easy manner with Max.

Greg still had his arm around her as, arms waving, Max explained how she thought the house should be dressed to get the best photos; some climbing roses strewn over the doorway, a purple clematis intermingling with the jasmine around the left window. A mix of plastic and cloth false flowers. Mature, potted plants bought from the nearest garden centre.

She'd done it a number of times now. Each time a picturesque cottage was purchased to serve as a prize in the biannual competition held by the newspaper they all worked for: _Win A Dream Cottage!_

Max had an ability to dress any house so it suddenly looked like everyone's idea of a dream cottage. The climbing roses were a must, the wisteria clinging to the gutters an even better touch. If necessary, she'd even construct a winding path leading to the door, lining it with colourful flower borders.

What's she going to do to my old house? Lee anxiously wondered once more.

It was his fault she was here, of course.

He'd suggested to her that Apple Cottage was a perfect contender as the next house to be offered in the competition.

As soon as she'd seen the photographs he had of the house, she'd excitedly agreed.

'Oh Lee, it's delightful, a delightful little house!' she'd said enthusiastically.

And that's what he'd wanted, of course. He'd wanted something they could both share an interest in.

Something that would be the perfect reason for them to have regular chats and meetings and, hopefully, draw them closer together.

Naturally, he'd told himself at the time that he'd mentioned the house as a way of finally getting it off his hands.

His mum had no longer wanted anything to do with it, she'd said.

It brought back too many painful memories.

His own memories of the house weren't painful however.

He'd been raised here, after all.

He couldn't remember anything about the explosion that had killed his gran. The damaged areas of the kitchen and bedroom above it had been completely rebuilt, so that there wasn't a single reminder of the destruction the explosion had caused.

That's how his mum had wanted it.

Well, she would have preferred to move out. But she couldn't afford it at the time, not after leaving Lee's dad.

And no one was prepared to buy a house with such an unfortunate history.

So if she was going to have to live there, she would only do it for as long as she had to. And only if any signs of the accident had been completely removed.

'Lee! Oh Lee!'

Max was shouting out to him. Waving to get his attention.

Greg wasn't with her anymore. While Lee had been daydreaming, Greg must have wandered off somewhere.

'Yes Max?' he said, drawing closer to her. 'What do you want?'

'Could you just help Greg unload the sleeping bags from his car please?'

'Sleeping bags? What's he brought sleeping bags for?

'So we can stay the weekend here of course! I thought we could make a holiday of it.'

'Holiday?' Lee said edgily. 'But...but the house isn't liveable in. It doesn't have water or elect–'

'Yes it does, silly! I told the workers to make sure it was all installed so me and Greg could try the house out.'

'You and Greg? But I thought you'd be going back to–'

'Oh, don't worry, Lee. Of course, _you_ can go back! Obviously, I wasn't expecting _you_ to stay!'

*

# Chapter 7

'Lee's going to give you a hand unloading the car before he goes,' Max said as Greg appeared in the garden once more, this time with two sleeping bags slung across his back and wheeling a travel bag behind him.

'This is more or less it,' Greg replied. 'I take it you've got your own travel bag?'

'It's in the back of Lee's car.' She turned to Lee, gently touching his shoulder as she gave him a beaming, pleading look. 'Lee, would you be a dear and–'

'Don't you think all this is just a little crazy?' Lee interrupted anxiously. 'You don't know anything about the village, or where the shops are. Perhaps I should stay as well to–'

'Oh don't be silly Lee! It's hardly the Outer Hebrides, is it?'

'But I mean I know the people here so–'

'So you could introduce me to the pretty little thing I saw walking away from this house as I drove here Lee.'

As Greg casually and lithely set his load down between them all, he seemed unaware of Max's irate glares.

'She was crying too, poor little thing.

'Crying?' Lee was concerned. Greg had pulled up outside the cottage not long after Janet had walked away. 'What did she look like?'

'Long red hair. Long legs. And as I say, very pretty. So, do you know her?'

'Janet; if it's who I think it was. It was Janet.'

'Ahh, so you _do_ know her! Perhaps you could invite her along for a fourso – ouch!'

An increasingly furious Max had finally jabbed him in his chest.

'Greg! You're supposed to be on this weekend break with _me_ , remember?'

Lee didn't know whether to be happy or upset that Greg didn't seem to be as attracted to Max as she was to him.

He was also too confused to bother trying to work out exactly how he felt.

Why had Janet been crying?

She had seemed okay when she had left him.

Janet.

Did she still live where she used to?

If she did could he...no, it would be too much to ask wouldn't it, with it being so long since they had last seen each other?

Then again – hadn't they seen each other only moments ago?

Yes, he'd ask her!

He'd ask her if she had a sleeping bag he could borrow.

*

'Lee, what did you do with the witch's slippers?'

'Witch's slippers?'

As Max had hoped, she had drawn Greg's interest away from this 'poor little Janet'.

'They're not _witch's_ slippers, Max!'

Lee was exasperated. He knew the slippers would just be another excuse for Max and Greg to make fun of him, like they did with the story of the fairy.

He turned to Greg, hoping he'd be more sensible and understanding.

'They were placed in the chimney breast to keep witches out.'

'Hmn, that sounds like witch's slippers to me. You are a surprise Lee; fairies _and_ witches! Let's have a look at them then!'

With a happy giggle, Max reached for and took Greg's hand. They rushed towards the house, an embarrassed Lee following on behind.

'No wonder you found them in the chimney!' Greg laughed when Max picked up and showed him the slippers. 'Someone was probably trying to burn them!'

'That's what I thought too!' Max giggled, playfully stroking Greg's chest as she handed the slippers to Lee. 'But they were even _worse_ before! Someone must have tried to clean them up!'

Lee studied the slippers curiously.

Yes, it _did_ look like someone had given them a clean.

Even stranger, they didn't appear anywhere near as threadbare as he remembered them either.

*

# Chapter 8

Even as he knocked on the door, Lee regretted coming here.

This was crazy!

How could he just turn up on her doorstep like this, asking if he could borrow a sleeping bag?

Thing was, though, it was either this or leave Greg and Max in the cottage together for the weekend.

He didn't have much of a choice, did he then, when you took that into account?

'Ohh, Lee! What are you doing here?' Janet said in surprise as she opened the door.

'Ohh, er, hi Janet!'

Lee put on what he believed was his most charming smile.

Hadn't Janet had a thing for him at one time?

He couldn't quite remember. Perhaps he was a little confused, mixing up the times when they used to play as friends at his house with the times they hung out together now and again as teenagers.

'Er, look, I know this is a bit odd, us only having just met again after so long, but, er...'

He was faltering as he realised how strange all this must look.

Janet smiled.

'Yes?' she said hopefully.

'Well, I, er, was wondering if you had, er, something like a sleeping bag I could borrow?'

'A sleeping bag?'

She couldn't hide either the disappointment or the annoyance in her voice.

'Yeah, I _know_ it's an odd thing to ask for, but, see, it looks like we're going to have to stay the night down at the cottage.'

'Really?'

She crossed her arms.

This wasn't going well, Lee realised.

Suddenly, he had an inspiration.

'And look, see, I was wondering if you'd like to join us down at the cottage for tea or something, you know? For old times' sake? See how the cottage looks, now we're doing it up again a little bit?'

'Well, I'm not sure, what with you and, you know, your girlfriend...'

'What? No, no, it will be fine, honest! Please come; I'd really like you there, Janet, I _really_ would!'

And he _really_ did want her there too.

Because that had been a major part of his inspiration.

Greg had been quite open about his interest in Janet.

And that had upset Max.

Either way, Janet's presence down at the cottage was bound to work to Lee's advantage, wouldn't it?

*

The workmen had left by the time Lee had arrived back at the house with Janet.

'Oh, the flowers...'

Janet looked at the plastic flowers strewn amongst the climbing roses with both surprise and distaste.

'Oh, yeah; it's to give it a bit of colour,' Lee explained, the sleeping bag he was carrying almost slipping out of his hands as they both stopped to look at the house. 'You know, for the shoot?'

'Shoot?'

'Win a dream cottage. Haven't you see the competition in our paper?'

'Oh, you work for a newspaper? I didn't know.'

'Course you didn't know. Sorry; I should have explained.'

Lee smiled.

It was the first time he had smiled so naturally, so happily, since she had come across him once more, Janet realised.

It reminded her of how Lee used to be.

How it used to be between them.

'Then...you're giving away the cottage?'

Lee chuckled, failing to notice the disappointment in Janet's voice.

'Hardly giving it away, Janet! I've managed to sell the useless old thing at last! Though, yeah, the newspaper will be giving it away I suppose.'

'But, I thought, when I saw you and the girl...'

'Max? Yeah, what did you think, Janet?' Lee asked curiously.

'That, you know, you and her were...well, moving in?'

'Moving in?'

Lee chuckled again, but bitterly this time.

'No, no; it's all business, I'm afraid. No, me and Max aren't moving in.'

Janet realised she could be reading too much into the way Lee spoke, but she could have sworn he seemed full of regret.

Like he would have given anything to be moving in here with Max.

'Then Max isn't your...sorry, that's none of my business, is it?'

Why had she gone and asked that?

What a stupid thing to say!

'No, she's not...not my girlfriend, if that's what you were going to ask.'

Once again, Janet noticed the hurt and regret in his voice.

Despite his continuous efforts to try and put on an air of ease and confidence, he seemed so much sadder than when she used to know him.

What had happened to him to make him like this?

*

'Hi, I've got a sleeping bag,' Lee said as they walked into the kitchen.

'Oh, well done Lee,' Max replied, ensuring her words were dripping with disappointment.

'And I've brought someone back with me,' Lee added, stepping forward so Janet could follow on behind him.

'Oh, hello,' Greg said happily, rising from his chair and, with a casual wave of an arm, indicating the opened bottle of wine on the table. 'Could I offer you a drink?'

'I think our guest is too young for that, Greg dear,' Max observed bitterly, draining her own glass without once taking her glaring eyes off Janet.

'A sausage roll then,' Greg persisted, waving his arm once again to draw Janet's attention to the snack food scattered around the wine bottle. 'Or a sandwich?'

'I'm not really hungry, thank you.'

Janet smiled gratefully as Lee dumped the sleeping bag in a corner.

Greg grinned back.

Max either scowled or smiled, Janet wasn't quite sure.

'I just came to take a look at the house; to see what sort of memories it might bring back.'

'Memories?' Max's face brightened, her eyes glinting mischievously. 'Such as memories of all the fairies that used to hang around here, eh?'

'Max, how many times do I have to say I was a three-year-old kid when I thought I saw a fairy here?' Lee was helping himself to a scotch egg on the table. 'How many times do I have to say I realise it must have just been a butterfly or something?'

'Lee, whatever it was, it saved your life remember?'

Janet frowned at Lee. How could he take something so important so lightly?

'It might not have been a fairy, but it could have been something to do with your mother's love for you: protecting you in some way, leading you to safety.'

'Do you believe in that sort of thing? That a love can be so strong, it can protect you almost magically?'

Greg sounded genuinely enchanted by Janet's heartfelt belief.

Max simmered with anger.

'Well, all I can say,' Max said cattily, 'it must have been pretty interesting living here, with all these visions of fairies and all these witches hanging around the place.'

'Witches?'

'Oh, didn't Lee tell you dear?' Max held out her empty glass to Lee with a nod to the bottle on the table. 'He found some witch's slippers here. I hope that doesn't scare you.'

'Scare me? No, no, of course not. It was always said that Apple Cottage was associated with witches. Even when I was child. But it didn't stop me coming here.'

_'Associated_ with witches?' Greg looked a little mystified. 'But weren't the slippers supposed to keep witches _out_?'

'Well, perhaps in this case they were put there to keep them _in_ , eh?' Max chuckled roguishly. 'You know, stop them or their spells flying _up_ the chimney? Greg, be a dear please and fetch the slippers for our guest to have a look at. I put them against the wall out in the hall.'

As Greg obediently headed off to the hallway, Max graciously accepted a refilled glass of wine from Lee's outstretched hand.

'We also found an old tarot pack tucked in the back of one of the cupboards while Lee was out,' Max continued, reaching for and producing a battered old tarot pack from amongst the food piled on the table. 'Witches galore here, eh? Didn't you ever notice anything weird or spooky going on here whenever you came round, Janet dear?'

'Well, with all the rumours of this being a witch's house going around at the time, and a child's imagination being pretty wild even at the best of times; well, whenever I was in Lee's bedroom, I used to run and jump on the bed, thinking a hand might reach out from underneath and grab my ankle.'

'Oh, in his bedroom, eh? Running and jumping on his bed?'

Max eyed Lee wickedly.

'Lee didn't tell me _anything_ about this, Janet!'

'You just ignore her Janet,' Greg said as he walked back into the kitchen with the slippers. 'She's knows full well that you meant when you were a kid and there wasn't anything going on between you.'

Janet grinned in embarrassment, glancing over at Lee in the vain hope that he would say something.

Even if he'd just say there _had_ been something between them later, when they were older, she would have felt happier.

She was regretting coming here.

This wasn't going at all well.

Max _really_ seemed to have something against her, though she couldn't understand why, seeing as how they had only just met.

'These slippers are cleaner than ever!'

Max took the slippers off Greg, twirling them on the ends of her fingers as she looked at them closely.

'And look at this!' she said in amazement. 'I'd never noticed _these_ before; there's a straw couple, a boy and a girl, on each slipper!'

*

# Chapter 9

'I can't remember those being there before,' Lee said, studying the cleverly constructed straw figures.

Although they were formed from only a few intertwining strands, it was easy to tell which was a boy and which a girl.

'Oh come on Lee!' Max said, aghast. 'The only reason why we can see them now is because you've cleaned them up!'

'I haven't cleaned them up! What would I clean them up for?'

'Well they _have_ been cleaned up,' Max persisted. 'Before I wouldn't even dare to handle them, they were so filthy.'

'Perhaps the soot was damp and grimy,' Greg pointed out, 'and now it's dried out, it's just fallen away.'

'But...is it just my eyes playing tricks, or are they in better condition than they were?'

'Better condition?' Max scoffed. 'Lee, you really do believe in all this magic nonsense, don't you?

'No I don't! I'm just saying they look almost wearable now, whereas before they just looked worn! As Greg says, it must just be because the grime's fallen away.'

'Wearable? Who'd wear them?'

Max pulled a disgusted face.

'They don't look too bad to me,' Janet said breezily. 'I bet they were quite comfortable when they were new.'

'Hah, hear that boys? Our little guest fancies herself in a pair of witch's slippers.'

'Max, don't be so rude,' Greg said irritably.

Lee noticed that Janet had been upset by Max's comment.

Shouldn't he have been the one who defended her?

Yes, he should.

He had invited her here.

He was the one who knew her.

Perhaps some of the hurt on Janet's face reflected the fact that he'd left it up to Greg to admonish Max.

But...he didn't want to offend Max.

'I'm sorry,' Max said. 'I didn't mean that to sound as awful as it did. I think she really _would_ look delightful in these slippers, don't you Greg?'

'Oh, I didn't mean that I really wanted to try them–'

'Oh go on Janet,' Greg urged, taking one of the slippers and giving it a vigorous wipe with his handkerchief.

He dropped to his knee in front of Janet, holding up the slipper to her in Prince Charming style.

'Like Cinderella, you know?'

'Ohhh yes, let's see if the slipper fits!'

It was hard for anyone to tell if Max was being mischievous again or simply enthusiastic.

'Bring a chair for the Princess, my good page Lee,' Max added with a theatrical flourish of her arms.

Although both embarrassed and angry that he was being ordered around again, Lee quickly slipped a chair behind Janet.

As a slightly bewildered Janet sat down, Greg reached for her foot and slipped off her shoe.

In a move so smooth it could have been regularly practiced, he slipped on the slipper.

Janet giggled, both from the tickling of the straw and the ludicrousness of the situation.

'Perfect! It fits perfectly!' Greg announced happily.

'So it does,' Max said curiously. 'I thought it would be too large; I'd thought they'd seemed like a larger size.'

Seeing the way Janet seemed to enjoy the way Greg gently caressed her foot as he slipped on the other slipper, Lee felt a strange twinge of jealously.

Wasn't it enough that he could have Max without also taking his friend away from him?

'Go on then Janet; let's see how you look walking around in them!'

Greg rose to his feet, offering his hand to help Janet stand.

'How do they feel? Comfortable?

'Very, strangely enough!'

'Greg, you sound like some shoe-shop assistant!'

Max tried to sound like she was making a joke, but there was an unmistakable edge to her voice.

Somehow, Lee noticed, the shoes seemed to grant Janet a poise and confidence she'd lacked until now.

Then again, it was probably just Greg's flattering attentions that had brought that out in her.

Whatever it was that Janet had gained, Max appeared to have noticed it too.

She was seething.

'Me too,' she managed to say light-heartedly, deftly slipping her own shoes off. 'My turn to try them on now!'

'But I thought you said you weren't bothered?'

There was a hint of disappointment in Greg's voice, as if he would have preferred to continue watching Janet daintily walking round in the slippers.

Janet remained unaware of this however. Sitting back down on the chair, she slipped off the slippers, handing them to the waiting Lee.

'A woman's prerogative, Greg; I've changed my mind, of course.'

Max twirled a bared foot in the air as Lee moved towards and knelt down in front of her.

'If they fit Janet so well, Max,' Greg scoffed, 'I don't think they'll fit you, will they?'

'Are you saying I've got bigger feet that Janet?' Max demanded petulantly

Taking one of her bared feet in his hands, Lee carefully placed and smoothed one of the slippers onto it.

'There! It fits _perfectly_ ,' Lee declared triumphantly.

'So it does!' Max said happily, twirling her foot as high as she could in the air in front of Greg. 'See Greg! So whose feet are too big for their boots now, eh?'

'It must be the lattice work of straw,' Greg replied, unimpressed. 'It stretches to fit anybody.'

By now, Lee had placed the other slipper onto Max's other foot.

'Let's see what you look like when you walk around in them,' he said to Max, standing back and helping her to her feet.

Unlike Janet, who had simply walked across the floor as if she were trying out the shoes for comfort and fit, Max immediately rose up on to her tiptoes, as if she were putting new ballet slippers through their paces.

As an extra touch, she waved her arms about her as if she were Snow White giving the Dwarves' kitchen a clean.

'How does that song Snow White sings go?' she asked.

'What, _Someday my Prince will come_?' Lee said.

'No, no, silly! I mean when she's cleaning the kitchen with the help of the birds and squirrels and things.'

Greg laughed.

'Oh sure, Max! I can just see you cleaning a kitchen!'

'If the birds and squirrels were prepared to help me, I would!' she retorted. 'Oh, if only these _were_ witch's slippers, eh? Then I _could_ get the animals to clean the place up!'

'Then you'd really be able to bewitch everyone.'

As soon as he'd said it, Lee wished he hadn't. Everyone but Janet knew that Max didn't need any witch's slippers to bewitch him.

'Don't I already do that Lee?' Max asked with a playfully hurt voice.

'Some are immune to your charms, Max,' Greg chuckled.

'Ahh, but not forever, not forever Greg!'

Max turned her Snow White-style traipsing into the twirl of the White Witch from Oz.

'Not now that these magical slippers have granted me all the powers of a witch!'

She halted right before Greg, as if about to bring down an invisible wand upon his head.

'Would that be the witch of the east or the west?' Greg asked nonchalantly.

'Oh Greg!' Max irately pulled away from him, dropping down from her tiptoes onto the flats of her feet. 'You're such a spoilsport, you know that?'

Her eyes widened as, turning around, she spotted the old tarot pack lying on the table.

'The tarot! With my new found powers, I shall divulge what awaits us all in the near and farthest future!'

'Oh Max, give it a rest,' Greg complained.

'It can be dangerous playing around with things like the tarot!'

It was the first time Janet had spoken for a while now. She blurted it out urgently, as if it were a warning.

Max observed her unease with undisguised delight.

'Oh Janet, where we're from, we don't get scared of silly little things like that.'

Lee was embarrassed.

Why was Janet acting like this, like a silly little girl?

Her naivety would reflect on him too.

Hadn't he brought her here? Hadn't he said she was an old friend? Hadn't he been raised in the same village?

A village that Max was increasingly ridiculing because of its belief in spells, magic, witchcraft.

'What harm could it be Janet?' Lee said. 'They're only cards.'

'Only cards?' Janet's eyes widened in surprise. 'Lee, you know how people who remembered your grandma used to say how good she was with them. That her predictions always came true.'

'Your grandma, Lee?' Max's eyes twinkled with mischief. 'You didn't tell us _this_ – that your _grandma_ was a witch!'

'She _wasn't_ a witch Max, that's why! Sure, she may have played around with these cards – don't a lot of people? It's just guesswork, stating the obvious, isn't it, when people pretend to read these cards?'

'Everyone said she was incredibly accurate, Lee!' Janet persisted. 'It was quite scary, some said.'

'Everyone said this house used to have witches living here too, Janet!' Lee snapped. 'Ridiculous! Some people living in this village are still living in the dark ages!'

'Like me you mean, Lee?'

Janet looked close to tears.

'I think it's time I left.'

'No, no; please don't go Janet!' Greg smoothly placed himself between Janet and the door. ' _I_ believe you. Don't go getting upset by these two simply because they've got closed minds!'

'Closed minds?' Max frowned petulantly. She held up the tarot pack. 'I was the one who said we should use the tarot, remember? How's that supposed to mean that I've got a closed mind?'

'You know full well you meant to do it only as a joke, Max!'

'Oh, so _you_ wanted to do it, Greg, because you really want to know your future, is that right?'

'It was Lee's gran who told my mum and dad they'd have me.' Janet raised her head defiantly. 'They'd been trying for years for a baby, and they'd begun to believe it was hopeless. So here I am; proof that the cards work.'

'And you can't get more delightful proof than that, can you eh Max?' Greg grinned.

'Actually, I should get back home anyway,' Janet said, 'as my mum and dad weren't in when Lee called. I'd just left a note saying I wouldn't be long.'

'But you've hardly been here long!' Greg pointed out.

'Oh let her go Greg! She's obviously scared about these things, bless her.'

'But I mean I really should–'

'We know what you mean dear.'

Max smiled, but it was pitying smile.

Once again, Lee saw Janet glance his way, like she wanted him to leap to her defence.

Why was she looking at him like that?

She'd got herself into this situation.

By dragging him into it, she'd only humiliate him even more, wouldn't she?

'Don't listen to Max, Janet.' Greg glared irately at Max. 'If anyone here knows about witches, it's Max!'

'Well, if that's the case, Greg, then I really will be able to tell everyone their futures, won't I?' Max replied coolly. 'And so there's not much point Janet staying, as she's not going to be appearing in anyone else's future, is she?'

'I think that's an easy prediction to make!' Janet frowned at Lee. 'I doubt I'll be seeing any of you ever again, thank you very much.'

'Janet, please; I can understand you being angry with these two for their incredible rudeness, but surely _I_ haven't done anything to upset you?'

'Yes, you're right, you haven't Greg. But I just meant that Max is right on that point; there's no real reasons why our paths should cross again, is there?'

'Personally, I think there are plenty of rea–'

'Greg!' Max almost stamped her foot, her face creasing in fury over Greg's continual flirting with Janet. 'Can't you get into your head that even _she's_ telling you there's no future involving you and her?'

'I should go.'

'Then I'll give you a lift,' Greg said with a resigned sigh as he glowered back at Max.

Suddenly, Lee felt that odd twinge of jealously he'd suffered earlier.

It didn't make any sense to be jealous, he knew; yet, strangely, it cursed through him much as he felt jealous whenever he saw Greg with Max.

Perhaps that was it; perhaps it was because it was Greg.

Handsome, charming Greg, saying the right things once more, doing the right things, as he always did.

Offering a lift to the girl Lee knew and had brought here.

How petulant and childish did that make Lee look?

'No, I'll take her home Greg,' he said. 'She's my friend after all.'

Even as he said it, he silently cursed himself.

Leaving with Janet would mean leaving Greg alone with Max once more.

They'd be together again; and all because of Janet.

All because of her childishness, wanting to leave after only being here less than half an hour.

'No, no; she _can't_ go!'

Max's voice was strained yet urgent. She was speaking with her back to them all as she leant over the table.

Everyone was amazed, particularly Greg.

'What? Max, one minute you can't wait to get rid of–'

'The _cards_ say she can't go!'

It was said once again as if it were an urgent warning Max was saying under duress.

She was dealing the tarot cards out across the table at incredible speed.

'Wow Max,' Greg exclaimed, 'I didn't know you could deal like a card sharp!'

'I couldn't,' Max almost wailed. 'I've never, _ever_ dealt out cards at this speed before!'

*

# Chapter 10

'They don't make any sense!'

Max wailed again, almost as if she were in agony.

Yet she continued to not only deal out the cards in an elaborate pattern across the table top but also, once she appeared to be finished, scoop them all up and deal them all out once more.

'Of course they don't make any sense,' Greg said, watching her rapid movements in awe. 'You have to know the card's meanings to interpret them.'

'But I _do_ know what they mean! I shouldn't – I mean I never did _before_! – but now I _do_! And each time I deal, they're coming out with different results, different futures!'

Seeing Max's pained expression, everyone wondered if they should try and stop her dealing out the cards. Yet her actions were so smooth, so rapid, that they each feared that doing so might be like waking up a sleepwalker.

'Of course they're going to come out with different meanings.' Lee frowned in confusion. 'They're different cards each time, just as you'd expect!'

'But that's just it; _most_ of the meaning _is_ the same! But there's a subtle change each time, like the future is changing all the time!'

'Er, Max, you know, perhaps the future's always changing because it hasn't been decided yet!'

Both Greg and Lee laughed. Only Janet remained serious as she watched the cards spinning out of Max's hands.

'No no; I know what she means! The future _has_ been decided! But there are two futures – and, as Max says, that really _doesn't_ make sense!'

'Two futures?' Lee smirked. 'How can there be _two_ futures?'

'Couples. We form couples!'

Max's face was more pained than ever.

'Max, stop this!' Greg cried. 'You don't have to keep doing this! Do you want me to stop you?'

'No, no, leave her Greg!' Lee said desperately, his eyes fixed on the cards. 'Let's hear what she has to say! Couples? What couples Max?'

'This is nonsense! Stop it no–'

'Leave her Greg!' Lee spat. 'What couples Max?'

'Me and you Lee! Me and _you_!'

Lee grinned excitedly. If he noticed the pain in Max's comment, he put it down to her frenzied motions.

'And Janet and Greg!'

There was even more pain in her voice and pain as she said this.

But Lee only smiled all the more.

Greg smiled too.

'Hey, perhaps Max has got a knack for this after all, don't you thin–'

'But there's the other future; Janet and Lee!'

Although her face remained strained and pained, Max held her head triumphantly high in front of Greg.

'And you and Greg?' Lee sneered. ' _You're_ together in this new future, right?'

Janet was shocked by Lee's anger. Disappointed, too, in the way he had dismissed their possible future together as if it were just an annoyance.

But Lee's irate question had had an even more profound effect on Max. She was abruptly crestfallen.

'No, there's no me and Greg! In this future, it's just you and Janet!'

'Hey Max,' Greg chuckled, 'I'm beginning to believe you really are reading these cards if yo–'

'Which future, which future will it be?' Lee demanded desperately.

Greg was amazed by Lee's obvious desperation.

'Lee, they're just a set of stupid cards–'

'Which future Max?'

'I don't know!' Max wailed.

'Oh this is getting ridiculous!' Greg snapped. 'Max can't read the tarot–'

'Yes I _can_!'

Max's eyes were wild as she glared at Greg for doubting her.

'It's ridiculous, I know! There _has_ to be a me and you! I've felt so sure of it since I met you! But the cards say no – we won't _ever_ be together. And I don't want to believe it, but I have to! Because I _know_ the cards aren't lying!'

'Well if it comes to proving those stupid cards are wrong, how about _this_ Max!'

Stepping forward, Greg swung his arms tightly around Max's waist and back.

He moved his lips towards hers – and kissed her.

Suddenly, he was struck by a massive blow to his side.

He was sent flying ungainly across the floor, the tarot cards falling around him like a colourful snowstorm.

'The cards said you wouldn't be together!' Lee snarled, hovering over him, his fists clenched, his teeth bared.

'What? Lee?' Greg was dazed, confused.

Had Lee just barged into him?

'Lee!' Janet was aghast. 'What's got into you?'

Max flew to Greg's side, crouching down beside him as she glared back at Lee.

'How dare you Lee? What gives' you the right to break me and Greg apart like that?'

'The cards, the cards said...'

He trailed off, embarrassed by such a weak attempt to explain his crazy behaviour.

'The cards are _wrong_!' Max said sternly, as if she had finally broken free of the spell-like trance she had seemed to be in while dealing out the tarot.

'Look, I really think I should go,' Janet said, moving towards the kitchen's back door. 'This isn't at all what I expected it to be.'

'Janet, no, please!' A shamefaced Lee stepped towards Janet. He held out his hand in a conciliatory gesture. 'I've been acting odd, I know. I don't know wha–'

_'Odd_?' Janet glowered back at him. 'Lee, you're _nothing_ like the person I remember! I don't know what's got into you since you left here. I think we can dismiss one of those futures Max saw; there won't _ever_ be a Lee and Janet! Which is what you wanted anyway, isn't it Lee? I hope you and Max will be happy together.'

'Max?' Lee said it drowsily as if, like Max, he was waking from a dream-filled sleep.

'I'll give you a lift Janet,' Greg offered as he nimbly rose to his feet.

'Oh thanks Greg,' Max scowled. 'So it's okay to leave me here with crazy Lee, right, but poor little Janet needs seeing home?'

'Janet, look, please; I know I've been acting stupidly!' Lee sheepishly apologised once more. 'I really don't know what came over me. I've treated you badly, I know that now; please forgive me.'

His eyes were pleading for forgiveness, Janet could see that.

What had happened to him over the past few years?

Sure, when they'd been younger, he'd managed to remain blissfully unaware of the feelings she had for him; but he'd never been deliberately unkind to her.

He'd just been so full of life that there hadn't been as much time for her in his social whirl as she would have preferred.

'Lee, let's face it; you obviously didn't really want me here,' she said, reaching for the door's handle. 'I should leave.'

She tried to twist the door handle, but it was too stiff for her to turn.

'Here, I'll do it,' Greg said, gently removing her hand and trying the handle himself.

The handle still refused to move.

'Damn! Those workmen must have damaged it!'

'I suppose we've only used the front door up until now,' Lee pointed out, nodding towards the hallway leading to the front door.

'I'll get the workmen to look at that lock when they're back on Monday,' Max said to Greg as he and Janet strode past her into the hallway.

But the handle on the front door was just as stiff and unmovable as the one on the back door.

'This is _ridiculous_!' Greg growled in frustration as he strained hard against the handle. 'What have they done? Put some super-strength glue in here?'

'Looks like you're going to have to clamber out of the window I'm afraid Janet,' Max declared gleefully.

When they all moved to the living room's main window, however, they soon found that that wouldn't open either.

'Max!' Greg stormed. 'I know you just dress these houses up to look nice for the competition, but they _are_ supposed to be liveable in!'

'The front door was fine earlier!' Max protested. 'That's how we got in here, remember?'

'This window won't open either,' Lee shouted back from the rear of the room, where he'd gone to try one of the other windows.

'This is all getting a bit weird, don't you think?' Janet said worriedly.

'Oh nonsense, Janet!' Max scoffed dismissively. 'It's just the workmen messing up yet again! They've probably gone overboard with the glue, as Greg says, rather than using screws and nails like they're supposed to.'

'Well this window's firmly shut too!' Greg said flatly as he vainly tried to open yet another window. 'So just how much glue do you think your guy's have been using, eh Max? These are old window frames too; there's no real reason why they should have touched them, other than just putting a lick of fresh paint on the outside.'

'It's the house.'

Janet glanced about her at the house's confining walls, her eyes bulbous with fear.

'The house is trapping us inside.'

*

# Chapter 11

'The house? Hah! Ridiculous!'

Max appraised Janet disdainfully.

'You just don't know my workmen, my dear,' she added. 'Incompetence comes as standard.'

'Well none of the windows I've tried open.' Greg rubbed the dirt off his hands as he pulled away from the last of the windows he'd tried.

'Me too,' Lee agreed, striding back into the room after quickly trying the kitchen windows.

'Upstairs,' Max said brightly. 'Knowing my workmen, they're far too lazy to have even touched the upstairs windows.'

'Upstairs?'

Janet said it doubtfully, even fearfully.

'Yes, upstairs dear.' Max eyed Janet scornfully. 'I take it you have an upstairs in your house, right?'

'Yes, yes, of course; but, I just mean _here_.'

'Oh yes, yes, I forgot, didn't I? The monsters under the bed?'

'I can't get a signal on my phone.' Greg was slipping his mobile back into his pocket as he spoke.

'Me neither; it must be a dead spot.' Lee, his phone clamped to his ear, shook his head in disappointment.

'I'll use the landline,' Greg said, looking around the room for the phone. 'What's the number for the head of your workmen, Max?'

'Ah, we haven't had the phone connected yet.'

'That's it then; I'm going to smash a window,' Greg said resolutely, now looking around the room for something he could use to break the pane. 'They can repair it when they're back.'

The workmen had swept a pile of rubbish into a corner of the room. It included bits of the materials they had been using or replacing while making their repairs, such as off cuts of wood and odd pieces of brick.

Grasping a crumbling piece of brick, and shading his eyes with his other hand, Greg threw it at the window.

The brick bounced back, painfully striking Greg on his leg.

'Ooucch! What the? What are these windows made of? Plastic?'

'I told you it's the house,' Janet said blankly.

'The house! Can you stop going on about the house, like it's alive or something?'

Max made the most of her growing anger, smashing a long piece of wood she'd picked up against one of the larger window panes, striking it with all the force she could muster.

'Arrrgghh! God, that hurt!' she screamed.

The window once again remained firm, reflecting the energy back down the beam into Max's hands as a jarring vibration.

Lee flung a cannonball-sized section of stone against the window, only for this to be also successfully rebuffed by the window.

'This...this is crazy!' Greg exclaimed in awe. 'Just what did they use to make windows when this place was built?'

*

# Chapter 12

'Upstairs; we haven't tried upstairs,' Max pointed out. 'My workmen won't have bothered fixing _anything_ up there they didn't have to.'

'We'll have to jump down,' Greg said. 'I know it's not exactly a tall house, but you could still injure yourself pretty badly.'

'I could do it,' Lee said. 'I'll climb down some of the climbing plants–'

'Have you seen the thorns on those things?' Max grimaced as if she were imagining the thorns cutting into her. 'Would they hold your weight anyway?'

'What about the bush that saved you when you jumped out of your window?' Janet said. 'Is that still there?'

'Nope, it's some sort of plastic bush now,' Greg said. 'Besides, what saved a three-year-old isn't necessarily going to save a grown boy like Lee.'

'Blankets then; we'll use blankets to make a rope.'

Max wasn't waiting for any more comments. She headed for the steep flight of boxed-in wooden stairs that, rising up from the rear of the short hallway, used the broad chimney breast as support.

'We haven't got any blankets–'

'That's enough negative thinking thank you Greg!'

The stairs sharply angled back on themselves. Max found herself on the small landing offering a choice of two doors.

'We'll try your room first Lee, right?' Max asked, pushing the door open and entering the room without bothering to wait for any reply.

The others quickly followed her. The room's floors were uneven, bared floorboards that creaked under their slightest movement.

'I can't open this window either,' Max said miserably, turning back from the room's rear window to face the others as they filed into the room. 'So, unless we can get the other windows open, the fact we haven't got any blankets is pretty irrelevant, eh Greg?'

Greg ignored her. He'd quickly moved to the window at the front of the house.

He shook his head; no, this window wasn't going to open either.

'Just what the heck's going on in this bloody house Lee?' Max stormed. 'Is this some kind of trick you've arranged so– Janet? Are you all right?'

Janet had been the last to enter the room. She was still standing by the door, her face frozen in fear.

'Janet?' Lee turned back to her

'Can't you see?'

'See what?'

She pointed to a spot just by Max and the rear window.

'The boy; a ghost!'

*

Max glanced worriedly towards the spot Janet was pointing to.

'Ghost? There's nothing there!'

Even though she sounded both certain and irritated, she backed away from where she was standing.

'Yes, yes there is,' Janet insisted.

She was drawing closer towards where she said the ghost boy was standing. Her face was no longer filled with fear. Instead, her eyes were now wide with amazement and curiosity.

'I know him! I recognise him, recognise the boy!'

'Oh this is ridiculous Janet!' Max snapped. 'Are you making out that this is some other power the witch's slippers have granted you? That now you can see ghosts we can't see?'

'You're the one who's still got the slippers on Max,' Greg pointed out with an amused grin. 'Does this mean you're beginning to believe in witchcraft after all?'

'I mean, I don't even feel cold!' Max persisted. 'Aren't you supposed to feel cold when a ghost's around?'

'Who is he?' Lee asked Janet curiously.

'It you Lee,' Janet answered. 'You as a young boy.'

*

# Chapter 13

'This is _totally_ ridiculous!'

Max glared at Janet.

'Lee's here, in the room with us! So how can it possibly be _his_ ghost? And that's even if there _is_ a ghost there, rather than it just being one of your country-bumpkin tricks or silly beliefs!'

Janet ignored her. She stared instead, open mouthed, towards Lee.

'It's you as I remember you, only, perhaps, even younger. An age before I'd first met you.'

'So it's your imagination playing tricks, you mean?' Max scoffed. 'How come you're the only one who can see him?'

'But how Janet?' Lee said sympathetically. 'As Max said, I'm here; I'm alive. I didn't die here.'

'But you could _have_ done, Lee, remember? If you hadn't been saved?'

She swung around to face Max, a possible answer dawning on her.

'It's like your reading of the tarot, Max! Where you were seeing different futures?'

'They were just a pack of silly old cards Janet!'

'You didn't seem to think of them that way when you were reading them Max!' Greg said irritably.

'Don't you see Lee?' Janet turned to face Lee once more. 'In one version of your life, in one possible future, you _didn't_ survive; you _died_ in the explosion!'

*

Max stormed past Janet and strode out of the room.

'There is _no_ ghost, Lee!' she cried back over her shoulder. 'I've had it with all this mumbo-jumbo! This house isn't haunted, or plagued with witchcraft! It's just plagued with incompetent workers, who have left me with a house like this before!'

'Before?' Greg followed on behind Max. 'You mean they've ended up gluing everything shut before? When was that?'

'Oh, I can't remember _exactly_ when!' Max shouted as she angrily descended the stairs. 'But they've left me with plenty of cockups like this to sort out, believe you me!'

'Even if we can't get out, someone will be here soon to help us,' Lee yelled out after them both, making his way to the top of the stairs.

At the doorway, he halted briefly to anxiously glance back at Janet.

'Janet; are you coming? Are you all right?'

'Yes, yes,' she replied, shaking her head as if waking up from a dream. 'He's gone now; the boy's gone.'

'What do you mean, someone will be here to help us soon?' Max demanded, having spun around at the bottom of the stairs.

'I mean Janet's mum and dad will read the note Janet left them, and come looking for her.'

'So there we are then,' Max said triumphantly. 'Even if this bloody house is haunted, Janet's mum and dad will be coming to the rescue any second now; so can we all just please relax, and forget all this childish nonsense about witchcraft?'

'Max, I don't think any of us had seriously thought this house was cursed or anything!' Greg edged his way past Max. 'It's just bad workmanship trapping us here; we all know that. And Janet's just remembering Lee as he used to be when she used to play in that room with him, that's all.'

'That's not true, thank you Greg!' Janet said, making her way down the stairs just behind Lee. 'I really think it _was_ Lee's _ghost_.'

'Janet, I'm _here_ , remember?' Lee chuckled in exasperation.

'Oh, but aren't you forgetting that our resident teenage witch has already come up with an explanation for that, Lee?' Max sneered, peering back up the stairs. 'It's just one of the possible _futures_ awaiting you. Though as all that's actually way back in the past, I've absolutely _no_ idea how that's supposed to work, have you?'

'Neither do I Max!' Janet retorted irately. 'It was just a feeling, a sense I got that that was the explanation. I'm sorry, but I really can't explain it any more than that, thank you!'

'Well naturally Janet, you don't have to explain it any more than that, do you?'

As Janet reached the bottom of the stairs, Max glowered at her.

'If it's a "feeling", a "sense', why shouldn't we believe you that you've seen the ghost of someone who we all know is alive and well, eh?'

'Look, can't you two just stop all this?' Lee said. 'If we've got to stay here until Janet's mum and dad raise the alarm, we might as well all try and get on, okay?'

Lee cringed as both Max and Janet angrily whirled on him.

He was only saved by Greg excitedly shouting out from the kitchen.

'Hey, would you all come and look at _this_!'

*

# Chapter 14

Leading the way as they filed into the kitchen, Max gasped when she saw Greg on his knees on the floor, aggressively wrenching at and pulling back a loose floorboard.

'Hey, we're supposed to be repairing this place, not pulling it apart, remember?'

'Oh sure Max; that's why I almost broke my neck tripping over this loose floorboard, right?'

He pushed the floorboard aside with a satisfied grunt.

'That's doesn't mean you have to _wreck_ the place!' Max wailed.

'Not even for this you mean?'

Reaching into the dark space beneath the house he'd revealed, he proudly pulled out an ancient, filthy book.'

'Oh my God?' Max said. 'What is it?'

'Don't tell me it's a book of spells!' Lee laughed.

'I'm not sure,' Greg admitted, flicking through the mouldy pages with a disappointed frown. 'I just knew there was something odd in here when I looked back to see what had tripped me up. I saw something glinting in the gap.'

With the touch of a finger, he indicated the book's brass corners.

'But I wasn't expecting a book.'

'Let me have a look at it Greg,' Max said, holding out a hand for the book.

'There's something else in there,' Lee said, crouching down beside Greg. He pointed off to one side of the gap, where he could see something else dully glinting in the dim light.

Taking the book off Greg, Max opened it up to a random page.

She couldn't understand why Greg couldn't make any sense of it.

It was perfectly easy to read.

'It's not a book of spells,' she said. 'It's a book of _potions_.'

*

# Chapter 15

'And here's the eye of newt and what have you to go with it,' Lee said with undisguised satisfaction, pulling out of the hole a worn leather pouch full of small glass and ceramic bottles.

'There's at least another bag in there too,' Greg said, crouching lower so he could peer deeper into the crevice.

He reached into the darkness, his fingers scrabbling around for purchase on the pouch's grimy leather.

'Yurrgggghhhh!' Greg moaned in disgust. 'There's something odd in there– arrghhh!'

As he pulled the bag through the gloomy gap towards him, it briefly seemed to glitter darkly, its surface moving as if were alive.

'Urrghh, God! What is it?'

Max grimaced, revolted by the writhing black mass. Greg urgently pulled his hand away, leaving it lying in the dark gap.

Lee stared at the bag, trying to make out what was making it glitter like a rolling, oil-covered sea.

'It's covered in something that looks like it's moving–'

'Beetles! Cockroaches!'

As Janet cried out her warning, everyone suddenly realised she was right.

A mass of insects were streaming out of the hole, turning the floor a glistening black as they rushed across it in their hundreds and thousands.

*

# Chapter 16

'Yaargghhh!'

'Run, run; get out of here!'

Everyone instinctively jumped back.

Lee and Greg, who were still crouching by the hole, had to almost throw themselves aside to stop themselves being covered by the onrushing horde.

'God, how many of them are there?' Max shrieked, glancing back in terror as she dashed out of the door.

Janet was close behind her. But Greg and Lee, who had both ended up farther from the door, had to crunch their way across the spreading black mass.

Lee slammed the door shut behind them. But not only had a large mass of the spreading insects come through into the hall with them, but others were also continuing to stream through the larger gaps beneath the door.

Quickly, Lee pulled his shirt up over his head. Kneeling down amongst the flowing river of insects, he swiftly stuffed the shirt into the gaps between the door's base and the floor, ignoring the black waves rises up his legs and arms.

Having stemmed the worst of the oncoming flow, Lee sprang back to his feet, brushing off the insects scrambling over his body with brisk swipes of his hands and violent shakes of his legs.

For good measure, he made sure he was stamping on as many of the insects as he could.

Watching his frantic antics from the doorway of the living room where she, Max and Greg had fled to, Janet laughed.

'Why aren't you helping him?' Max castigated Greg.

'Insects! I can't stand insects!'

Greg shuddered, as if he rather than Lee was the one having to rid himself of a covering of rapidly moving beetles.

'Pathetic!' Max sneered in disgust.

Janet dashed back towards Lee, helping him stamp on and crush the remaining insects. With a vibrant laugh, she helped him brush off those still crawling over him.

'Turn around, turn around,' she said urgently. 'They're scrabbling up your back, into your hair.'

'Urggh, they tickle! Get them off, get them off,' Lee chuckled.

Janet rapidly swept her hands across his bared back, scattering the crawling insects, sending them flying back to the floor.

'They're gone, they're gone from here,' she said triumphantly. 'What are they like on your front? Turn around again, quick!'

'Almost all gone here too!'

Lee spun around, his hands a frantic whirl as he tried to cast aside the insects still scampering across his chest and arms.

'There's a few heading up your neck!'

Janet quickly yet gently swept the insects away from Lee's neck, giggling at the craziness of it all.

'Where did they all _come_ from?'

'We must have disturbed a nest,' Lee answered, laughing along with her.

He looked down to dash away the last of the insects on his left arm.

Janet looked up to pull away an insect crawling in his hair.

Her eyes swept across his.

Her eyes swept back

Lee's eyes swept back.

Their eyes met.

*

There's still kindness there, Janet realised.

A softness.

Humour too. The fun for life that she remembered Lee having in spades.

But now there was also hurt.

And humiliation.

How could she read so much in someone's eyes?

She didn't know.

Maybe because they were Lee's eyes.

Eyes she had looked into many times before, seeking the signs of love. Seeking a love on the same level that she felt for him.

If Max looked into these eyes like she was doing now, what would _she_ see?

Love, surely.

Because yes, it was obvious that Lee loved Max.

Loved Max in a way that he had never loved her.

In the case of Max and Lee, it was Lee who was the lovelorn, Max the one who didn't really care.

But no; that wasn't completely true, was it?

Max _did_ care.

She liked the way Lee continually chased after her.

Liked the way he would always be there for her.

A fall-back for her whenever her own love-life had gone wrong.

That was why she kept him dangling. Always giving him hope that _someday_ , maybe, all his dreams would come true.

It was a boost to her confidence, wasn't it, having someone like Lee always hanging on?

And as a form of self-protection, Lee had developed a hard skin. A hardness he took out on others.

Like her, like Janet.

But that hardness – it isn't permanent.

She can see it melting even now. Softening once again.

Like he's recovering from his bewitchment.

'Oi, get a room you two!'

Max's cry had broken the spell.

Their eyes flicked away from each other.

Lee grinned stupidly.

So Janet grinned too.

And giggled.

What else could she do?

*

# Chapter 17

When Lee bent down towards the floor and pulled a small section of his crumpled shirt away from the space beneath the door, nothing squirmed through the gap.

'Perhaps they've all gone,' he said hopefully.

'Gone? Gone where?' Greg sounded doubtful.

Lee shrugged.

'There are plenty of cracks in an old house like this. They could have crawled through them–'

'They could be in the walls you mean!'

Greg backed away from the hallway's wall, clearly terrified.

'No, no,' Lee said quickly, hoping to reassure him. 'I mean, once we'd disturbed their nest, they probably all scattered off outside. You know, looking for somewhere safer to build a new nest.'

'Or they could have all gone back to their nest,' Max pointed out. 'Meaning they're all still waiting there for us underneath the floorboards!'

'Only way we're going to find out is to check,' Janet said, inching open the door and peering through the gap.

'Watch out in case they come in past your feet!' Greg warned with a shiver.

'Nothing; there's nothing there,' Janet said, confidently pushing the door open wider.

'Yep, they've all gone,' Lee agreed, closely following her back into the kitchen.

The only sign that the rapidly spreading infestation had really happened were the crushed bodies of the insects that Lee and Greg had stepped on earlier as they'd run towards the door. Otherwise, the floorboards were totally clear once more.

'Like Max says, they might have just gone back to their nest,' Greg said, cautiously scrutinising the kitchen from the hallway.

'Oh Greg!' Max gave Greg a hard push on his back, sending him stumbling into the kitchen. 'Just get in there, you big scaredy cat! Honestly.'

'If we can find some long stick or something,' Lee offered, 'I'll probe around inside the gap under the floorboards to see if they are still down there.'

'Good idea,' Max said breezily. 'And while you're down there, bring out the rest of those herbs and things will you? I'm going to have a crack at making some of these potions!'

*

# Chapter 18

The workmen had left behind a broom that, once the handle had been unscrewed from the brush head, gave Lee a long enough reach to probe and dig around for any remaining insects in the nest below the floorboards.

It was also ideal for dislodging and dragging towards him four more leather pouches, each one containing yet more small bottles.

'Here are your herbs and God-only-knows whatever else is in them.' Lee distastefully placed the pouches on the table alongside Max.

'Right, so I just need some vinegar!' Max excitedly skimmed through the book of potions she'd opened up on the table. 'We did bring some vinegar with us, didn't we?'

'Sure we brought some vinegar; but you're not serious about making up some potions are you Max?'

As Greg finished speaking, he handed Lee one of the spare shirts he'd dug out of the bags he'd brought along with him for the weekend.

'It gives me something to keep me occupied until Janet's parents raise the alarm and send someone along to get us out of this dump,' Max said, searching for the vinegar amongst their supplies of food.

After giving his bared chest a final rub down with his own heavily creased and dirty shirt, Lee slipped into the fresh shirt Greg had handed him. It was much too large for him, hanging loosely off his shoulders.

'Lee! You look like a ten-year-old trying on his dad's shirt!' Max scoffed.

'Yeah, great, thanks Max.'

Lee felt embarrassed, humiliated.

The sleeves hid his hands. He realised he must look really ridiculous.

'Just tuck it in your trousers and roll up your sleeves and you'll look fine.'

Janet tried to suppress her own giggles.

'I'm not the one who's scared of insects, right?' Lee snapped defensively.

With a confident grin, Greg raised his hands in submission.

'Hey, look, I admit it's crazy, yeah? Childish even. But what about Indiana Jones? He was scared of them too, wasn't he?'

'Yeah, that would be the Indiana Jones who's a fictional character, right?' Max sounded unimpressed.

'Wasn't it snakes he was scared of?' Janet said.

'Snakes, insects; same thing, really,' Greg said. 'Squirming all over you!'

'Personally, I'd rather face an angry wasp than an easy-going cobra any day, thanks!'

Even though Lee had rolled up his shirt sleeves and tucked the tails into his jeans, he was still dwarfed by its loosely hanging folds. He wondered if Greg had deliberately given him the largest shirt he had.

'Yeah, I suppose Lee has got a point there, Greg.'

Max said it with little interest or conviction. She was focused on reading the opened book and picking out the ingredients she needed.

'Thanks for staunchly defending my little quirk, Samantha,' Greg replied with a chuckle.

'Samantha?'

Janet pulled a puzzled frown.

'You know; on _Bewitched_? The TV programme.'

'Oh yeah, of course! With the twitching nose you mean?'

She twitched her nose.

'Hey, you can really do it!' Greg was impressed.

'Well, I can _twitch_ it, but there aren't any spells unfortunately!' Janet laughed.

'Ah, that's because _Max_ is our resident witch! Hubble bubble, toil–'

'And there'd be real trouble for you, Greg Smithson, if I could twitch _my_ nose!'

Max tweaked her nose with her fingers as she glared theatrically at Greg.

'Perhaps,' she added, 'as _I've_ got the book of spells, the ingredients and the slippers, I don't need to have to twitch my nose! Have you thought of that, eh, Mr Indiana-scared-of-insects-Jones?'

'You're not really taking all this seriously, Max?' Greg raised his eyebrows quizzically. 'The girl who didn't believe in Lee's tales of fairies–'

'A _butterfly_ , it was a _butterfly_ ,' Lee sighed in exasperation.

'Oh, sorry Lee; you know what I meant! Max was the great disbeliever, and now here she is mixing potions!'

'Hey, no looking!'

Max elbowed Greg away as he tried to peek over her shoulder to see which potion she was making.

'The book still doesn't make any sense to me anyway,' Greg admitted. 'How can you read it?'

'Because it's in _English_ , Greg. You know, that ancient, mystical language no one but a few billion speak anymore?'

Greg shook his head, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

'Okay, so what potion is it? Not a love potion, I hope?'

'You kidding me?'

Max scowled, but her attention was still fully on mixing the ingredients into the vinegar she'd poured into a glass.

'You really think _I_ need a love potion?'

'Well, what other type of potion is there?' Greg asked.

'Hundreds of kinds, according to this book. Including this one.'

Max raised the glass containing the potion she'd made.

'I'm not drinking that–' Greg began to protest, eyeing the swirling powders and plant-like flakes floating around in the yellow liquid.

'Of course you're not! _I_ am!'

And with that proud declaration, Max glugged back the potion in one easy motion.

*

# Chapter 19

Lee had secretly cringed when he'd heard the mention of a love potion.

Wouldn't that be just typical of Max? Adding a love potion to all the charms she already had at her disposal?

Not that she'd give it to him, he'd realised.

No; it would be for Greg.

She was having difficulty landing Greg.

It narked her, seeing her charms being resisted.

As for him, well, he was already well and truly hooked, wasn't he?

She didn't need to mix up any love potion for him.

All she had to do, in fact, to have him hanging on her every word, to have him burning with envy, to set his mind into overdrive, was to write out in her diary that she had an appointment at the dentists.

Yep; that was it.

That's all she had to do.

He'd seen the entry in her diary when she'd opened it to check dates and timings for the photographer to take pictures of the house.

An innocent enough thing to see, you'd think.

But for Lee, it instantly conjured all sorts of possible scenarios.

Max smiling, laughing gaily, as she talked to the receptionist.

Max rewarding the dentist with one of her tinkling laughs when he said anything remotely funny.

Max reaching out, touching his shoulder delicately, suggestively. Her eyes fluttering invitingly.

He was a dentist, after all.

Professional.

Well paid.

Mature.

Sensible.

Everything he, Lee, wasn't.

And Max would be able to charm the dentist just like she charmed Lee.

Just like she charmed every man she met.

Yes, even Greg would fall eventually.

He was just playing hard to get, wasn't he?

Which made him all the more intriguing, all the more attractive, to Max.

Yeah, Lee realised that that was the way to charm Max.

But it was too late for him now.

Max knew he was hers for the taking.

Hers for the playing around with and humiliating.

How the heck had he ever let himself get into this position?'

*

'Max, are you crazy?' Lee screeched anxiously when he saw her drink the potion she'd made. 'You don't know how old all those ingredients are!'

'Oh, most of the stuff in it's perfectly okay, I reckon,' she replied calmly, licking her lips as if she'd just finished off a delicious drink.

'Max!' Greg laughed. 'What's it supposed to do? When will begin to see the effects?'

'Ah ah, that would be telling, wouldn't it?' Max wagged a finger as if she were telling off a naughty boy. 'You'll have to tell me if you think it's working.'

'So what are we supposed to be looking out for?' Lee asked.

'Oh, you'll know, I'm sure. You'll see soon enough. And then I'll know for sure it's working, won't I?'

'You believe it?' Janet sounded both incredulous and amused. 'You really believe it will work?'

'Well, let's face it, Janet dear, there have been some rather odd things happening around here, haven't there?'

'All of which could be put down to our imagination playing tric–'

Greg was interrupted by a loud creak coming from somewhere out in the hall.

'What was that?'

Max's head whirled towards the door.

'I'll check.'

Lee dashed to the door, quickly swinging it open and peering out into the hall.

'It's the front door!' he cried back excitedly. 'It's open!'

*

# Chapter 20

Everyone rushed into the hall.

They gaped at the open door like it was the most amazing sight they'd ever seen.

'It _is_ open!' Greg breathed with relief.

'So come on! What are we waiting for?'

As Janet began to sprint along the hall, Greg broke into a run with her.

'Wait!' Lee screamed urgently.

Janet and Greg both stopped short of the door, wondering if they'd missed some danger that Lee had spotted just in time.

'What? What is it?' Greg demanded irritably, turning back to see that neither Lee nor Max had moved from their spot by the kitchen door.

'It's Max,' Lee replied nervously. 'She can't move!'

'Can't move? What do you mean, can't move?'

Janet sounded as irritated as Greg.

'He means I can't _move_!' Max wailed, her arms flailing as if she were about to fall as she unsuccessfully tried to raise her feet from the floor. 'I'm rooted to the spot!'

'Max, you can't be roote–'

Greg was interrupted yet again by yet another loud creak, this time coming from just behind him.

He spun around.

'The door! The door's closing!'

Both he and Janet lunged for the door, trying to catch it before it swung completely shut.

But they were too late.

The door slipped from their urgently grasping hands like it was covered in thick oil.

It slipped back into the closed position smoothly and securely.

Greg whirled around, his face red with anger.

'Max!'

*

'I tell you! I honestly couldn't move!'

'Well you can move around well enough now Max!'

'Yes, but I couldn't! I really don't know why, honestly.'

'It's true.' Lee came to her defence. 'When she said she couldn't move, I tried to pull her along with me. But it was like her feet had been glued to the floor.'

'That will be the feet that don't seem to be stuck to the floor anymore, right?' Greg snarled sarcastically.

'The slippers; it must be the slippers!' Janet pointed at the wicker slippers that Max was still wearing.

'Yes, yes, of course!' Max cried.

Leaning on Lee's shoulder for support, she lifted a foot clear of the floor and reached down to take off the slipper.

'It's stuck!'

'Stuck? What do you mean, stuck?'

'Are you having trouble with English these days, Greg?' Max snapped angrily. 'I mean I get the damned things off my foot!'

'Oh this is ridiculous!'

Kneeling down by Max's raised foot, Greg took a hold of and pulled aggressively on the slipper.

It wouldn't move. It stayed firmly welded to Max's foot.

'You must have wedged them on, just to make sure it looked like they fitted you,' Greg said accusingly.

'I didn't wedge it on! They fitted perfectly!'

'I think she's telling the truth,' Janet said, moving one of her own feet so that it was alongside one of Max's. 'See, her feet are actually smaller than mine.'

'Smaller?' Lee's face creased in puzzlement. 'But weren't Max's feet–'

_'I'm_ smaller than you!' Max suddenly wailed, noticing that Janet seemed slightly taller than her. 'And look at the sleeves of my blouse! I'm _shrinking_!'

Even though she held out an arm, her hand almost disappeared beneath the long sleeve.

Everyone swapped bewildered, worried glances.

'The potion!' Max wailed once more, rushing towards and up the stairs as if she urgently wanted to get away from everyone. 'The potion wasn't supposed to work like this!'

*

# Chapter 21

Greg bounded up the stairs after Max.

'Stay here,' he said to Janet and Lee. 'She just needs calming down.'

Lee was incensed that Greg had assumed that he should be the one to help Max. Then again, he couldn't really think what he would say to her, so there wasn't much point arguing about it.

Even though Lee managed to quickly suppress his anger, it simmered beneath the surface, showing up in the tightness of his face, the slight bugling of his eyes.

'You know Lee, you've changed since I knew you; and I think I know why you've changed.'

'Oh?'

He didn't say it as if he were curious to know what she meant. He said it harder, blunter, as if it were a warning to stay out of his private life.

Janet ignored the warning.

'I've seen this sort of thing before, you know? How someone you fancy keeps you hanging on? Every time they think you're finally getting over them, they give you hope again. They like having someone they can fall back on, someone who can boost their confidence when they're feeling low.'

'And who's this someone you're referring to, I wonder?' Lee said bitterly, nastily. 'I mean, you being such an expert and everything, who is it that you think is keeping me hanging on, eh?'

'I think it's obvious,' Janet said.

'Obvious? Yeah, it's obvious all right. It's obvious that, deep down, she's just a little girl, right? A little girl who craves security, who isn't anywhere near as confident as she makes out she is. So she drags me down just so she can always feel good about herself.'

'If you know that, why are you still chasing her?'

'Because I _know_ the real Max! No one else does, see? Everyone else, including Greg, thinks she's this overly-confident, ridiculous flirt, who you can kick back at without it hurting her. But she hurts all right, hurts badly. And I'm the one who's here to help her when she's hurt.'

'If you put it like that, I suppose–'

Lee whirled on her.

'Yeah, I put it like that Janet, thanks!'

Even as he said it, he regretted his anger, his bitterness.

Why should he be angry with her for speaking the truth?

Because although he knew it was true, he didn't want anyone else knowing it.

But then, how many people knew it?

Everyone, that's who.

'I'm...I'm sorry Janet. If you must know, I just can't give her up. It's like...like how she was rooted to the spot just then, right? That's me. Rooted. She's everything I ever wanted.'

*

'Go away! I don't want you seeing me like this!'

As Greg entered the main bedroom, Max swiftly turned her back on him. But he could still tell that she was crying.

'Look, Max, I don't know what the problem is, but we both know it's no use crying like a little girl–'

'A little girl?'

She spun around to face him, her face wet with tears, her brow furrowed in anger.

'Is that what you think I look like Greg? A little girl?'

'What? No, of course not! I meant–'

'You meant you've noticed my breasts have shrunk, right?' she spat furiously, pushing her chest forwards and using her hands to mould her breasts. 'You've noticed I'm getting younger and younger!'

Her anger had transformed into a frightened wail.

'Oh Greg! When will it stop? I just wanted to be a little bit younger, not keep on getting younger!'

'Getting younger? Max, I don't know what you mean–'

'The potion Greg! The potion was supposed to make me look eighteen again! Not fifteen or whatever age I'm going to end up at!'

'Why would you mix a potion to make you look younger? You looked fine–'

'Looked fine? Don't give me that, Greg! I've seen the way you're enamoured by that little flirt! What's she got that I haven't got, eh?'

'Janet? That's not because she's younger than you Max! She's just so sweet and innocen–'

'Sweet? So you're saying what, Greg? That I'm not "sweet"? That I'm what – bitter, eh?'

'You know what I mean.'

'No, I _don't_ know what you mean!'

'Look, I get it, Max! You're upset because you think your potion's gone a bit wrong, yeah? But look at Lee, how he looks like a little kid just because he's got my shirt–'

_'I_ haven't changed clothes Gre–'

'Er, everything okay up here?' Lee said as he and Janet sauntered into the room.

'No, everything _isn't_ okay, thanks Lee, if you mus – arrgh! What's that?'

Something had dropped onto Max's shoulder. It bounced off, then fell to the floor.

'It's one of the straw figures,' Janet said, peering at it more closely. 'Like one of those on the slippers.'

Lee looked up towards the ceiling where the figure had fallen from.

'So where did it come from – watch out, there's another one!'

The new straw figure fell straight to the floor. A third seemed to emerge from out of the many shadows created between the ceiling's crisscrossing wooden beams. Then a fourth, a fifth, a sixth.

'Where are they all coming from?' Greg wondered uneasily as more and more straw figures tumbled around them.

'Let's just get out of here, can't we?'

Covering her head, Max dashed through the raining straw figures towards the bedroom's doorway.

'It's a pity these damned things weren't falling when that door opened,' Greg growled as they all followed Max through the doorway. 'Maybe then she'd have managed to run rather than just standing there!'

*

# Chapter 22

'That's it!' Max breathed heavily. 'We need to get out, no matter how we do it!'

'That's a bit rich, coming from someone who refused to use an open door!'

'That wasn't me!' Max insisted. 'That was these godforsaken slippers.'

'The slippers you've _still_ got on, right?' Greg refused to let up on his taunting.

'Yeah, because I _still_ can't get them off, Greg!'

'What do all these straw figures mean?'

Janet had picked up one of the fallen figures as they'd fled the room. Now she twirled it around in her fingers thoughtfully.

'They're just the same as the ones on the slippers.'

'Who knows?' Greg said reaching for the figure and taking it off Janet. 'Perhaps they're, you know, the souls of people who've been trapped in this house before, and they're still alive!'

He prodded the figure in its stomach.

It sighed.

Everyone jumped back in surprise.

'Wait, wait! It was probably just trapped air,' Greg quickly pointed out. 'I was only kidding about them being real people! I was just trying to point out how ridiculous we're getting here, letting our imaginations run wild!'

'So the front door opening, that was just our imaginations, right Greg?' Max hissed, glowering at Greg.

'Sure, sure it was...' Greg sounded like he was stalling for time, trying to work out an explanation for the way the door had opened them closed. 'Yeah, yeah, of course! The oil! The door slipped out of our hands because it was covered in oil, right?'

Janet nodded in agreement.

'Sure, but I don't see how that explains the way the door opened and shut on its own!'

'The workmen, right? They'll have come across all these wooden doors and windows in the house that haven't been looked after right for years, right? So what do you do to wood that's dried out? You oil it right! More or less drench it in linseed oil or whatever it is they use, so the wood can soak it all up!'

'And that makes it magically open does it?' Max sounded unconvinced.

'The wood will expand, which is why the doors and windows are stiff and won't open!'

'But it _did_ open Greg!'

'But we've got wood that's probably completely dried out! The soaking up of the oil isn't uniform; it's still soaking into the wood, making some areas it moves into swell, areas it's briefly flowing out of shrink again. It's like the wood's alive, really. It's moving; so _that's_ why it opened then shut fast again!'

'It's possible I suppose.'

Even though he seemed to be agreeing with Greg, Lee pulled a sceptical face.

'And the figures? The figures falling from the ceiling?' Max still wasn't convinced by Greg's explanation.

'Oh Max! What's wrong with you? They were prob–'

'What's wrong with me? Look at me Greg! I'm sixteen heading on twelve!'

'You're imagining it Max! You've got it into your head your potion's going to work, so you're just pulling yourself in, shrugging up, making yourself look smaller without realising you're doing it.'

He scrunched his neck and pulled in his arms so that his shirt suddenly seemed too large for him.

'I most certainly am not "shrugging up"! I'm–'

'Getting hysterical Max! The figures, right? They were probably just fixed to the ceiling's beams, using string that's gradually rotted until it wasn't strong enough to hold them all.'

'Erm, I can't remember mum ever putting them up there,' Lee said doubtfully.

'They were probably good luck charms, or something,' Greg persisted.

'What sort of crazy house have you got here Lee?' Max turned on Lee. 'All these bloody fairies, these bloody witches!'

'The house has always been fine!' Lee said defensively. 'I lived here for years, remember? It's the slippers; it's only since we discovered the slippers that all these weird things have started happening!'

He pointed down at the slippers on Max's feet.

'We could burn them,' he suggested. 'Then we might be able to get out of here.'

'There are four figures on the slippers.' Janet indicated the slippers' straw figures. 'What if they represent _us_?'

'Yeah, what if we still can't get out?' Greg pursed his lips, an expression that seemed to signify that he didn't fancy taking the risk. 'We might end up burning with them.'

'Well I'll certainly end up burning with them, won't I? Max stormed. 'Because I still can't get the damned things off, can I?'

*

'Look, it might be for the best if we don't try and leave just yet anyway.'

'And just how did you come up with that idea Lee?' Janet asked incredulously.

'Well, your mum and dad's bound to raise the alarm pretty soon, right? And it gives Max time to have another look at her potions and see if she can figure out how to reverse whatever it is that's happened to her.'

Lee wasn't quite sure if Max had got younger or if, as Greg had suggested, she was just so bewildered by everything that was happening to them that she'd lost her poise, her confidence. She seemed diminished, somehow, like Greg's continual rebuffs to her advances had really brought her low, sapping her self-belief.

Even as Lee mentioned the potions, Max appeared to instantly brighten up.

'That's right! There must be _something_ in that book that will reverse everything!'

'Oh Max! Come on!' Greg scoffed. 'You're not really falling for all this mumbo-jumbo?'

'I suppose we've got to wait until help comes anyway,' Janet said. 'So where's the harm in Max continuing to mix her potions if she believes it can help her?'

'Hah, so when did we all start believing in potions, in witches' spells?' Greg laughed bitterly.

Max was already opening the book and moving her ingredients around the table.

'Well I might as well get _some_ benefit from these bloody slippers!'

*

# Chapter 23

Max whisked through the book, looking for the potions she needed.

This time, she thought, I'll make sure it's a potion with a _real_ benefit.

Here's the reversal potion; yes, I need that of course.

But here's another I need.

One I should have mixed right from the start!

The thing is, who should I use it on?

Greg's enamoured with that innocent little minx, isn't he?

Fool!

Can't she see she's only got eyes for Lee!

God knows why.

And Lee, he's still holding out for me, bless him!

Some hopes!

Hah!

Sooo...

Should I get Lee to drink it?

Making sure, of course, that the next person he sees is sweet little Janet.

Not _me_ , of course!

Oh no; that would only make things _worse_ , wouldn't it?

Or should I just use it on Greg?

Then make sure, naturally, that the first person he sees is _me_!

I'll have to work on that one! Come up with an answer while I'm mixing the potion.

Yes, yes; I'll go for the _powerful_ love potion, thank you very much!

*

'So, do you think it's the house? Or the slippers?'

'Probably _neither_ , Janet,' Greg replied confidently. 'It's our imaginations, playing tricks with us.'

'Well, if that's the case, I've got to give full credit to our imaginations for coming up with all these things.'

Lee raised the bottle of beer he was drinking in a mock toast.

'Max certainly seems to think it's either the house or the slippers, Greg.'

Janet glanced back towards the kitchen, where they'd left Max happily mixing her potions. They were sitting on the sleeping bags they'd laid out across the living room floor.

'Look, even if it is the house, or the slippers, it's not like they're really causing any harm, are they?'

Greg handed out some of the pie he'd been cutting into.

'I mean, it's more like a child, just playing with us, isn't it?'

'Yeah? Like a child plays with a fly? You know, once he's bored, he starts pulling its wings off?'

Lee accepted the paper plate of food with a worried scowl.

'Lee!'

The shout came from the kitchen.

'Lee, could you just come and help me please?'

*

'Sure Max; what do you want?'

Lee eyed the herbs and potions laid out across the table suspiciously.

'Could you just try a potion for me?'

She gave him the wide, imploring eyes. The gentle touch on the shoulder.

It usually worked.

He would do just about anything for her.

But drink a potion?

A potion that was supposed to do what exactly?

'Er, drink it you mean?'

'Of course I mean drink it, silly! They're perfectly safe; look, I'll prove it!'

Picking up one of the potions, she drunk it quickly and smoothly.

'There. See? Now I want you to drink this one, but not just yet; drink it when you – what? No no no!'

'Max? What's wrong?'

'The potions. I've drunk the wrong bloody potion!'

*

# Chapter 24

'What do you mean? The wrong potion?'

'The love potion! I've drunk the love potion!'

'Love potion?'

Reaching for the remaining potion, Lee quickly, eagerly slaked it back.

'No no, you fool! Not that one! That's my – oh God! I've just got to get out of here before it starts working!'

Max rushed out of the door, heading for the stairs.

'Max, what's happening, what's wro–'

'Don't follow me!' Max yelled back down the stairs as she hurtled up them. ' _No_ one must follow me, understand?'

'Sure, sure, I understand!' Lee cried back.

He felt strange.

A little drunk.

He pulled up a chair, sat down.

A love potion!

How cool was that?

And Max had drunk one!

And he'd drunk one!

Perfect.

How perfect could life be?

*

'Max?'

Janet tried to call Max back as, entering the hall, she caught a glimpse of the older girl's feet hurriedly pounding up the stairs. But Max didn't seem to hear her.

Janet made her way towards the kitchen, but stopped at the door when she heard Lee drunkenly mumbling to himself.

She peered past the slightly open door.

Yeah, he looked drunk sure enough, the way he was dazedly slumped in his chair.

She could also here a slight buzzing, like the vibration of air across a bottle neck.

Is that what he was doing?

Whistling tunes on his beer bottle?

*

Lee's eyes widened in surprise.

Just what the heck had Max put in that damned potion?

It was the fairy.

She'd stepped out from behind the bottles and food still stacked on the table.

She was bigger than he remembered her.

But it was the fairy right enough.

'You!' he said.

'Me,' she replied.

'You're bigger than I remember.'

'Bigger?'

She said it as if she were surprised. She looked down at herself, checking herself over.

'You're right,' she agreed. 'I am.'

'It's...it's not possible. You shouldn't exist. Fairies don't exist! It's impossible!'

'Yeah, impossible – but here I am!'

She opened her arms wide, shrugged her shoulders.

'Your wings; they looked damaged. Was that the explosion? All that time ago? So all that time ago – I didn't imagine you?'

'No, you didn't imagine me, obviously. And I'm here to help you again. If I could grant you a wish, what would you wish for?'

'To be with M–'

'I don't need to know! It's _best_ if I don't know! You mean, you want to be with whoever you love most, yes?'

'Yes, the one I love most!'

The fairy seemed surprisingly overcome by Lee's comment.

Lee wasn't quite sure, but he wondered if he could actually see tears in her eyes.

Then again, he was drunk.

He could be imagining it.

Just as he could be imagining this whole thing!

'Janet is the one!'

'Huh?'

It wasn't the fairy who had spoken. In fact, he wasn't even sure if he had heard it at all.

It was more like it was just his conscience nagging him.

Like he'd imagined it.

'Then,' the fairy said, 'let's see what happens, shall we?'

*

# Chapter 25

Janet turned.

She ran up the stairs.

The boy was waiting for her.

Lee as a boy was waiting for her at the top of the stairs.

Janet looked down by her feet.

The slippers.

Max had somehow finally slipped out of the slippers, leaving them on the stairs.

Calmly taking off her own shoes, Janet slipped on the wicker slippers.

She thought she understood how the slippers worked.

The intertwined straws were like life itself.

Pull on one thread, and the other threads have to move with it.

Like Max pulled her threads and Lee came running.

*

Lee's head whirled, distracted by a noise at the door.

When he turned back to the table, the fairy had gone.

Would she make everything turn out as he wanted it all to be, as she'd promised?

Would the love potion work anyway?

It didn't seem right, winning her by magic, by trickery.

But then – it was better than not winning her.

She could never have won over Greg anyway.

Greg was far more interested in Janet.

Janet.

Yes, she was wonderful, wasn't she?

Calmer, more intelligent, more thoughtful than Max.

More trustworthy, too.

Maybe, just maybe, if they'd both handled things differently when they were younger, who knows what might have happened between them?

They'd gone out a few times together, he remembered.

Yeah, almost dated a couple of times too.

But Janet had never _really_ been serious.

They were friends. Close friends.

If they'd gone out together, then fallen out over something – well, then all that friendship would have been destroyed too, wouldn't it?

They couldn't risk destroying that, could they?

Besides, they'd been friends for so long, it would have been odd, going out together.

Well, not _that_ odd, really.

Perhaps they _should_ have given it a go, eh?

Who knows what might have happened?

*

Janet woke up in the corner of what had been Lee's bedroom.

She felt exhausted, bedraggled, dazed.

She sensed that someone was in the room with her.

Heard his heavy breathing.

Felt that he was drawing closer.

Felt his touch on her shoulder.

She should have been petrified.

But she wasn't.

She rose to her feet, feeling his arms wrap around her. Help her.

Standing so close to him, in his warm embrace, she could now feel his breathing on her neck.

He pulled her tighter, closer. Like he was never going to let her go.

He kissed her.

She felt the warmth, the softness, the moistness, of his lips.

She felt the hardness and strength of his need.

His need for her.

She responded with all the need she had for him.

*

'The doors!' Greg shouted excitedly up the stairs. 'The doors are open!'

*

15 Years Later

# Chapter 26

'How do you do it Lee? How do you manage to look like you gave up aging when you reached eighteen?'

Of all the things Max resented Lee most for, this one was the worst.

'The potion, remember?' He always used this excuse to try and placate her. 'The one you made, the one you finally admitted wasn't a love potion after all.'

'Huh! If my potions had actually worked, Lee, you should be an ancient, wizened old man by now!'

'Well, the love potion worked, didn't it?' he said, hoping to raise a chuckle from her.

But the days when it would have worked had long gone.

'All I know is _something_ crazy in that house happened to me, Lee! Something made me marry you, and I still don't know what!'

'You were in love with me, you said, if you rem–'

'Of course I remember! But if it _was_ the bloody potion, it's finally wearing off, thank God.'

*

Maybe if we could have had children, things would have been different.

Maybe if we hadn't got married, at least we'd still be friends, rather than constantly at each other's throats.

Maybe maybe maybe...

Life's full of 'maybes'.

Lee switched on his computer.

He clicked on the internet, browsing the 'houses for sale' sites.

They couldn't go on much longer living like this.

He would have to move out.

*

'Well I never!' he chuckled.

It was the house.

Apple Cottage.

Up for sale.

In the photograph they'd used on the site, it still looked the same.

Perhaps they'd used an old photo.

He clicked on a few more buttons.

Yes, he'd be interested in viewing the house.

*

# Chapter 27

'...original features, inglenook fireplace and–'

The agent's mobile rang.

'Oh, sorry,' he said, checking who the caller was on the screen. 'Er, this is an important call. Do you mind if I...'

With a wave of his hand, he indicated to Lee that he wanted to leave the kitchen to take the call.

'Sure, that's okay,' Lee said. 'I'll just wander around, if that's okay?'

'Sure, sure! Help yourself,' the agent replied gratefully, hurrying off towards the living room.

Lee glanced around the kitchen.

It was strange being here again after all this time.

It was even the same table, the one that had been offered as part of the house in the competition.

In fact, the overall structure of the place was all pretty much as he remembered it.

Last time he'd been here, he'd been sitting at this very table.

Dazed.

Drunk on whatever gunk Max had mixed into that damned potion!

Imagining that he was talking to that fairy once again!

He laughed at his foolishness.

And then he saw the fairy standing on the table.

*

# Chapter 28

'What? No! Not again!'

The fairy didn't respond to his surprised wail.

In fact she didn't seem to realise that he was there.

Like _he_ was a figment of _her_ imagination.

If she really is there, he realised, she can't see me for some reason.

She was acting strangely.

She wasn't staring at him. She was looking off to one side.

She was also standing oddly, like she was leaning on something that he couldn't see.

She moved oddly, too, as if she were trying to avoid being seen by someone standing to the side of the table.

But, of course, there wasn't anyone standing there.

Suddenly, her actions changed, like she was moving out from her hiding place behind the invisible objects.

Like she was revealing herself to someone seated at the table.

'Me,' she said confidently, then, after a brief pause, 'Bigger?'

She looked down at herself. She gave herself a quick check.

'You're right. I am,' she said to the invisible man in the chair.

Wait a minute!

He recognised this conversation!

'Yeah, impossible – but here I am!' the fairy declared, flinging her arms wide and shrugging her shoulders.

No, he didn't just recognise the conversation!

He remembered it!

This was the conversation he'd had with the fairy all those years ago!

'No, you didn't imagine me, obviously. And I'm here to help you again. If I could grant you a wish, what would you wish for?'

She paused. Lee couldn't remember exactly what he'd said.

'I don't need to know!' the fairy said. 'It's best if I don't know! You mean, you want to be with whoever you love most, yes?'

Lee couldn't hold back any more.

He cried out what he should have cried out all those years ago.

_'Janet_ is the one!'

*

'Huh?'

Lee was seated at the table.

But hadn't he been standing by the–?

He shook his head.

He felt a little dazed.

A little drunk.

He was directly facing the little fairy.

She was standing before him on the table.

Her eyes were full of tears.

But she was smiling.

They were tears of happiness.

'Then,' the fairy said, 'let's see what happens, shall we?'

*

# Chapter 29

There was a noise at the door.

Lee whirled around, expecting to see the agent coming back into the kitchen.

But there wasn't anyone there.

He turned back towards the fairy – but she'd gone.

*

Janet rushed away from the door.

She rushed up the stairs.

Lee was at the top of the stairs; Lee as a boy.

Lee as the ghost he would become unless she did something to help him.

The slippers had been left for her.

She slipped them on.

*

The table in front of Lee was piled with shopping.

And bottles of herbs.

And an opened book of potions.

How had all these got here?

He still felt a bit dazed, drunk.

He reached out and picked up a glass of oily, yellowish liquid.

This looks just like the remains of the love potion Max drunk.

Bewildered, Lee went out into the hall, looking for the agent.

'Hello? Mr...'

Damn! He couldn't remember the guy's name.

The guy?

What guy?

_Greg_!

Of course! That was his name!

How could he have forgotten that?

'Yeah? You all right Lee?' Greg shouted back, emerging from the living room.

'Yeah, yeah, fine thanks Greg,' Lee answered. 'Have you seen Janet?'

'Upstairs, Lee; I think she must be upstairs.'

Lee realised he was still holding the glass of love potion.

He handed it to Greg, like he was handing him a beer. As he'd hoped, Greg was drunk enough to slake it back with nothing more than a shocked, disgusted grimace.

'Max is upstairs, Greg; a bit upset,' Lee said, turning around. 'Could you go and see her? I need to find Janet.'

*

Janet stood by the bedroom window, her arm cradled around the boy's shoulders.

They looked out through the window, across the lawn.

'I have to go back to save you,' she said.

A speck of pollen drifted past her nose, making it twitch.

It tickled.

She laughed.

And then she was gone.

*

# Chapter 30

He woke up, his nose tickling.

His eyes widened in surprise.

Janet laughed.

Lee looked so cute. So amazed.

She was smaller than she thought she'd be.

Even though she'd heard Lee's story of the fairy, she hadn't realised that she would really end up this small. This light.

So light, that she drifted on the breeze.

It must be with having to travel back in time so far, she realised.

She'd never tried it before.

Never had the power of the slippers to help her.

The farther back in time you went, it seemed, the smaller you became.

She seemed almost transparent too, the light passing through her like she was some iridescent gem.

'Lee! You have to leave–'

She stopped.

Lee couldn't hear her. Her voice was too small, too tinny.

What could she do to get him out of the room?

With a few rapid flaps of her arms, she rose up into the air slightly on a passing breeze.

Of course; she had to _lead_ him towards the window!

She swooped across to the open window overlooking the front garden.

Lee slipped out of bed, following her.

Janet slipped out of the window, hovering in the bright sunlight.

Lee's attention suddenly shifted. He stared past her, looking towards the front gate.

Janet glanced behind her.

It was Lee's mum. Unloading the car parked out on the road.

Janet looked back at Lee. He looked like he was about to shout out to his mum.

'Shussssh!' Janet placed a finger against her lips.

Janet couldn't risk his mum seeing her. She couldn't risk his mum seeing Lee, and yelling at him to stand back from the window.

She waved her hands, urging Lee to climb out of the window.

She shouted as loudly as she could, 'Come, come fly with me!'

How could Lee resist?

He clambered up the small wall, clambered onto the window sill.

And then he jumped.

*

Janet watched Lee land safely in the bush.

She smiled, knowing he was safe, as he lightly tumbled down onto the surrounding soil.

Picking himself up, he ran towards his mum.

'Mum, mum, I've just seen a fair–'

Janet prepared to throw herself forward in time.

And then the explosion hit her hard from behind.

*

Janet shook her head, dazed, wondering where she was, how she'd got here.

'What do you mean? The wrong potion?'

It was Lee's voice, but booming, like he was speaking through a megaphone.

'The love potion! I've drunk the love potion!' Max wailed in an equally thunderous voice.

Janet glanced urgently about herself. She was surrounded by gigantic packs of food.

No, not _gigantic_ packs of food; _she_ was still tiny! Still translucent and vibrating.

The explosion had knocked her off course, altered the spell!

'Love potion?'

She could see Lee towering over her. He reached for a potion on the table. He eagerly slaked it back.

Janet ducked behind the shopping, hoping no one would see her.

'No no, you fool! Not that one!' Max screamed. 'That's my – oh God! I've just got to get out of here before it starts working!'

Max rushed out of the door, Lee shouting after her, 'Max, what's happening, what's wro–'

Why was she still so tiny, Janet wondered, when she was back in the present?

Hah, because she hadn't moved back to the _exact_ time when she'd left, of course!

Which meant there was another version of herself in the next room.

Which meant there was someone else she'd have to make sure she avoided while she got back enough strength to move forward through time once more.

'Don't follow me!' Max screamed down the stairs. 'No one must follow me, understand?'

'Sure, sure, I understand!'

Lee looked a little drunk as he pulled up a chair and slumped into it.

Good!

She needed to move to a spot where she wouldn't knock over the shopping when she jumped forward in time.

And if he was drunk, he wouldn't notice her–

'You!' Lee exclaimed loudly.

Oh oh!

'Me,' she replied, wondering how she'd get out of this one.

*

The noise at the door gave Janet all the time she needed to throw herself forward through time.

It had been a much easier conversation than she'd imagined it would be.

If a very hurtful one, if she'd guessed correctly what Lee had wished for.

But, whatever it was he'd wished for, she'd grant it.

That was the rule of the slippers; you couldn't use them for personal gain.

That wouldn't be fair, would it?

*

# Chapter 31

This time Janet woke up where she was supposed to; in the corner of the bedroom, from where she'd originally set off.

The boy wasn't there anymore.

She felt exhausted, bedraggled, dazed.

The door slowly opened.

'Janet?'

Lee walked into the room.

'Janet! What's happened to you?'

He rushed across the floor towards her, breathing anxiously.

'Are...are you all right?' he asked worriedly, touching her tenderly on her shoulder.

She rose to her feet, feeling his arms wrap around her. Help her.

Standing so close to him, in his warm embrace, she could now feel his breathing on her neck.

He pulled her tighter, closer. Like he was never going to let her go.

He kissed her.

She felt the warmth, the softness, the moistness, of his lips.

She felt the hardness and strength of his need.

His need for her.

She responded with all the need she had for him.

*

'The doors!' Greg shouted excitedly up the stairs. 'The doors are open!'

End

If you enjoyed reading this book, please remember to click that you liked it on the Kindle Rating icon.

You may also enjoy (or you may know someone else who might enjoy) these other books by Jon Jacks.

The Caught – The Rules – Chapter One – The Changes – Sleeping Ugly

The Barking Detective Agency – The Healing – The Lost Fairy Tale

A Horse for a Kingdom – Charity – The Most Beautiful Things – The Last Train

The Dream Swallowers – Nyx; Granddaughter of the Night – Jonah and the Alligator

Glastonbury Sirens – Dr Jekyll's Maid – The 500-Year Circus

P – The Endless Game – DoriaN A – Wyrd Girl

Heartache High (Vol I) – Heartache High: The Primer (Vol II) – Heartache High: The Wakening (Vol III)

Miss Terry Charm, Merry Kris Mouse & The Silver Egg – Seecrets

Coming Soon

The Cull

