everything was happening too fast
the countryside moved by like a mechanical backdrop
when will it stop? whispered kathy
i couldnt answer her
i didnt know and i was feeling too sick
we were travelling over mostly empty terrain
scrubby trees and sparse yellow grass
we saw a fox pass beneath us once
and an old man walking a dog
we saw a river suddenly loom
then snatched away by the distance
we collided with a hill
and both tumbled together
the breath knocked out of us
we sat up
looking around
gasping
we were engulfed in a juicy black night
out of nowhere
evening had ridden in
warm and spicy
are we in wales? kathy asked
i took her hand in mine
i squeezed her soft little fingers
i looked around at the palms softly moving
in the most delicious breezes
just over the ridge
the rolling surf gently pounded
we could hear exotic birds calling
in the falling darkness
yes
i said
this must be wales….
lanterns hung in the trees
the sound of a fiddle and laughter
we walked through the trees
kathy and i
magicked i supposed
someones put a spell on us she said
soon enough we came to a table of little men
they were sitting and drinking and arguing
all dressed in green and grey like the trees
one by one they became quiet as they saw us
and they sat still and wide eyed watching us carefully
kathy said
good evening little men
my name is kathy and this is my brother…
i bowed low
my lords….
the little men laughed at this
emboldened kathy went on
we believe we have been magicked here
and we were wondering if this is wales…
the little men talked among themselves briefly
and one of them stood up
his voice was rich and musical
he spoke with a strange lilted accent
no childe this is not wales
nor is it any land you have ever heard of
and yes childe
you must be magicked if you are standing there
as you surely are
because i can see you, cant i?
he sat down again
and the little men seemed to lose all interest in us
we wandered on reluctantly
kathy thought it was rude to linger any longer
she pulled me after her
we walked away among the trees
we thought of dad
waiting for us to come home
we thought how worried he would be
tiny tears shone in kathys eyes
dont be scared i told her
i’m just thinking about dad she said
we walked on
we felt we must
away from the sound of the rolling sea
away from the sound of the little men and the fiddle
into the trees
until we were deep
inside