The village was in state of flux:
After the disappearance of Alderman Klaus the conservatives lost majority in council, the progressives started proposing to allow modern ideas like a bus stop and a shopping mall while the old leaders objected the influx of outsiders.
Teenagers running away from Hickstown before their thirteenth birthday was considered an early rumspringa…but now several started quiet early.
At the end of last summer Geoffrey and Stacy acquired a cheque worth a substantial amount of money….
Stacys mother traveled on her own to the great city to cash in the check, but during travel she came down with a stroke.
Geoffrey and Stacy were just in time at the hospital to hear the last breath, but the cheque had disappeared!
After the funeral Stacy disappeared from the farm, leaving many debts unpaid but taking her price pig with her.
Geoffrey felt lost without his best friend and decided to run away from home…
On the road he joined some other runaway kids: Moss the butchers son, Zeke the teachers son and Eli the marrano son..
They camped in the wood under the full moon…
Suddenly the moon was darkened by a large cloud, it seemed an eclips!
They heard sounds of a hunting horn, dogs, running feet…
Somebody crashed into Moss who immediately reacted with a punch!
The moon reappeared, the scuffle ended as soon as the kids discovered a girl confronting them…
It was Maggy, the cousin of village beautyqueen Daisy!
When the sound of the hunt came nearby, Maggy ran away, leaving the kids confused…
The hunt passed away, and after a while they heard Maggy screaming in the distance.
The kids decided to investigate…after an hour walking they found Maggy hanging from a tree!
Immediately they released her from her precarious position…
Maggy recovered quickly, getting up and starting a brisk walk away when she heard the hunt returning!
Quickly the kids followed her when she found a cave in a hill…
The corridor in the cave led them to the other side of the hill to a very different landscape in the distance:
On their left hand a castle
On their right hand a fortified abbey
Straight ahead a wood
At the end of the day they arrived at the castle where they were received for bed and breakfast according the laws of hospitality.
They were told that Lady Margaret passed by to travel to the abbey!
The next day the kids went to the abbey in search for Maggy…
Arriving at the abbey, they saw two guardian dog statues flanking the gate.
Above the gate: DOMINI CANES
The abbot said Lady Margaret passed by to go to the Maze in the Woods…
After some rest the kids followed the directions to the Woods that surrounded the Spiral Castle
Entering the Castle, they saw a spiral staircase going up and down…
Downwards they went…
Arriving at the bottom of the staircase, they saw the room of rituals…
Maggy chanting in a magick circle!
The kids ran into the circle to grab Maggy, but as soon as they touched her they were transported!
How will they survive in this strange city?
Ping: Tales from the Loop: interesting times in the countryside – Dreamquest
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