Lizzie Hayes' Magical Christmas Travels- Part 8

Here's Part 8 of Lizzie Hayes...finally!! Sorry for the delay once again...it's been a very busy, very exciting week (more on that later :-D). But for now, I hope you enjoy the latest of Lizzie's Christmas adventures...

Lizzie Hayes' Magical Christmas Travels

Chapter 8

Our heroine, young Lizzie Hayes

Had been at Granddad’s for six days-

Tomorrow would be New Year’s Eve,

The day after, they would leave Steve.

But our Lizzie was getting near,

As everything would become clear

When she read Granddad’s diary through-

Lizzie now knew what she must do.

So after breakfast, off she ran

To the library for her plan

Was the diary still in the spot

Where she’d left it? No, it was not-

Someone had moved while she dozed-

So that path to truth was now closed

(If Liz was honest, she would say,

She’d feel bad reading anyway.)

So Liz decided just to play

With her dollies another day,

Outside, the poor sky was crying

But Liz had a rain-defying

Present that let her explore

Even when skies outside would pour!

But as usual, she had to wait

‘Til day had gone and it was late

Making sure her mum was asleep

Before she could silently creep

Toward Granddad Steve’s study door

Where, with much relief, Liz saw

The door was open, letting light

Spill into the hallway that night.

‘Lizzie!  I’d hoped that you’d appear-

Come closer now, and sit down here.

I think you noticed something gone

From the library, once upon

That desk- that’s why you’re here tonight.’

Young Lizzie sighed and said ‘You’re right!

I’m sorry I had a look through-

That’s something that I shouldn’t do.’

‘You’re right, Lizzie, you shouldn’t peek-

But I know there’s something you seek,

You must be desperate to know

About my beaver friends, and so

Before revealing their magic,

I must tell you what is tragic.

Before that photo was taken

Something left Mum and I shaken-

My father sadly passed away

When he was chopping wood one day,

He was a carpenter, you see-

And his job always inspired me.’

‘How did he die?’ young Liz inquired,

‘Chopping one day, he was so tired

My poor father chopped off his hand-

And from that moment, I was banned

From following in my dad’s shoes.

To become a carpenter too.

Mum thought we both needed a break-

My dad’s family lived near a lake

In central Canada, so we

Went there to visit them, you see.

That’s when that photo was taken

As well as events that have shaken

How I, and now you, live our lives

For as long as that globe survives.’

Lizzie was dumbstruck by this tale

Granddad said ‘Why are you so pale?

I think we need a trip, don’t you?

Of course, we should bring our Chumps too.’

Before Steve could say any more,

Young Lizzie had run out the door

To fetch the globe and doggy friend,

And brought it back, ready to send

The three of them to somewhere new-

To where? Well, I don’t have a clue!

Let’s find out right now, as they land-

All around Liz could just see sand,

Like Africa- but Liz, somehow,

Knew they were not in Africa now.

‘Well, this is not what I had planned,’

Said Granddad Steve, ‘We’re in a land

That I have not been to for YEARS-

Oh well! Let us walk on, my dears!’

So off they walked, Chumps, Liz and Steve

In a heat Liz could not believe-

What country had they landed in?

Suddenly, Lizzie saw a grin

Rise up on Granddad’s wrinkled face-

The three of them slowed up their pace.

Granddad Steve said, ‘Well, what a shock!

Is this a mirage sent to mock

Or is this my old friend, King Kong?

Let’s move close to see if I’m wrong.’

What was Granddad talking about?

Liz didn’t know, then gave a SHOUT

As she saw, rippled in the heat,

A humped creature with four hoofed feet

Walking towards them- Lizzie knew

Just what this creature was- do you?

Young Liz had studied it at school

And thought that it was rather cool,

A CAMEL now was by their side

Poor Chumps whimpered and went to hide

Behind Steve’s legs. ‘Don’t be scared, Chumps,

Of King Kong here with his two humps.’

Then the camel bent to the floor-

Steve said ‘What are you waiting for?

Let’s all jump on King Kong’s back!

As our friend King Kong has the knack

Of carrying a heavy load-

No more chit-chat, let’s hit the road!’

Granddad sat in front of the humps,

Liz in between, holding poor Chumps,

As King Kong stood, Lizzie felt scared

Somehow, our girl had not prepared

For such a HIGH and bumpy trip-

All young Lizzie could do was grip

As tight as possible, and pray-

Then Granddad had something to say:

‘We are in INDIA, my sweet-

I hope you’re OK in this heat,

Rajastan state is hot and dry…’

Liz said ‘I feel like I might fry!

This definitely is something new-

Granddad, where are we headed to?’

‘A desert village over there‘-

Granddad Steve pointed it out- ‘where

There is a marvelous lagoon

Don’t worry dear, we’ll reach there soon!’

Not long after, the camel stopped

By a huge tree- off Lizzie hopped

To the lagoon she’s heard about-

When she peered in, she gave a shout-

What reflections did Lizzie see?

Of CHILDREN- at LEAST thirty three!

She looked up at them, as they stared:

Granddad Steve said ‘Lizzie, don’t be scared!

They’ve never see a girl like you-

I bet that you’re curious too!’

Liz had to admit that she was:

‘Lizzie, we have to go, because

There’s someone we must see today-

When we come back, you all can play.’

The staring children started to smile-

Liz said ‘I’ll be back in a while!’

It was clear Chumps wanted to stay,

To run with the children and play,

‘He’ll be OK...’ said Granddad Steve,

‘But Lizzie, you and I must leave.’

Next to the lagoon, Liz saw

Something she had not seen before:

Ladies wearing bright blue, purple and red

Carried water pots on their head,

To do that while so beautifully dressed:

Young Lizzie was really impressed!

‘We must follow that lady in blue,’

Said Steve, ‘For she’ll take us to who

We need to see.’ So they pursued

The path of the lady in blue

Right to her house, where she turned round,

Put down her pot, then with no sound

She swept her arm towards the door,

With the prettiest smile Liz ever saw.

Steve nodded and said ‘Dhanevat’

Took his shoes off on the doormat

And walked inside; Liz had bare feet

So followed Steve, ready to meet

Whoever Granddad had brought her for,

Relieved to have a wooden floor

After the roasting desert sand-

Suddenly she saw a hand.

‘Lizzie, this is a very good friend,

Pranish, and he was kind to send

King Kong to bring all of us here,

You see, he KNOWS when we appear.’

‘Really?’ said Liz, ‘So he can track

Our trips around the world and back?’

‘Yes,’ said Steve, ‘for you see

He knows the magic of the tree

In the lagoon- just he alone,

Even to his wife it’s unknown.’

Poor Lizzie felt a little dense

As none of this made any sense

So studied her new friend instead

While all this whirled round in her head.

Pranish had flowing, thick black hair

With sprinkles of grey here and there,

Lizzie had never seen before

The diaper-type thing Pranish wore.

Granddad, catching Lizzie staring,

Said ‘That’s a dhoti he’s wearing.

That loose shirt he wears just above

The dhoti is a kurta, love.

I will have to explain for Pranish

As he’s does not know much English.

But first, let us all take a seat

As Shee’s prepared something to eat.’

Then, the lovely lady in blue

Came in with tea, and dishes too

All filled with food Liz had not seen

Of many shades of brown and green.

‘Liz, this tea is masala chai-

It’s sweet, it’s spicy, and I won’t lie

It’s my favourite type of tea!

Now, this green dish is a curry

Palak paneer- spinach and cheese,

It’s certainly a dish to please!

These flat breads are called rotis, dear.’

Liz said ‘What is this brown one here?’

‘That’s chicken curry- very nice,

But watch out it has lots of SPICE!’

Said Granddad Steve, ‘But where was I?

First, let me have a sip of chai…

Now let me start. This magic tree

Allows Pranish alone to see

The worldwide trips you and I make,

And even the NEXT trip we’ll take!’

‘Where does he see all this?’ said Liz,

‘And how do you know all of this?’

‘When the globe brought me to this place,

Pranish met me, smile on his face,

And he gestured for me to ride

King Kong, as he walked alongside.

It seemed like a long trip, but soon

We came to that famous lagoon-

Pranish took me to the waterside

Asked me to look in, then he cried-

‘I SEE you in there! I SEE you!’

Well, I didn’t know what to do-

This strange man was telling me

It’s MY reflection he could see?

It sounded crazy and untrue,

I was disbelieving like you,

What was it that made me believe?

I’ll tell you, Liz…’ said Granddad Steve,

‘Pranish and I cannot converse,

His English- bad, my Hindi- worse,

But he had DRAWN pictures of me

Based on everything he could see,

Pictures of things he COULDN’T know-

Like me in Nepal in the snow,

Like me in Canada with Bert

And of the time that I got hurt

When a bear and I had a fight-

So Liz, you get the picture, right?

For many years I’ve had a think,

My conclusion is there’s a link

Between our globe and this strange tree-

That allows our Pranish to see

Our every move in the lagoon.’

Was Granddad actually a loon?

Could two countries so far apart

Both beat with the same magic heart?

It was crazy, but then she knew

A magic GLOBE was crazy too!

‘Liz, I know that’s an overload

Of info, so let’s hit the road.

But I think we can have one chai

Before we have to say goodbye.’

One tea was given to Lizzie,

She drank it down, then felt dizzy

As into the study she fell,

And of course, Granddad Steve as well.

‘We forgot Chumps!’ cried young Lizzie,

‘Don’t worry, he will be busy

Playing, running and having fun

Under the hot Indian sun.

I’ll go back and get him very soon

From the desert’s magic lagoon.

So Lizzie, off to bed with you!’

Reader, off to bed with you too!

So you and Liz can dream of trees

And more of the globe’s mysteries,

Just two more days ‘til Lizzie's home-

So where's the NEXT place she will roam?...