When I woke up, I was lying in the long grass behind Shane’s house. It was still dark. I looked around in terror, expecting to see those spooks looming again. But there was nobody. Was it over? Was I dead? I kicked at a rock, expecting my foot to go through it. It didn’t.
‘What did you do that for?’ It was Mister Lewis. He floated towards me, still a spook.
‘I thought I might be dead,’ I replied.
‘Dead?’ he laughed. ‘Not at all, my dear friend.’
‘But what happened?’ I asked. ‘What about Shane and Big Ella?’
‘They’re back at the house,’ said Mister Lewis. ‘They’re safe. Look, my dear, brave Master Milo Ferdinand, I don’t have much time. I just want to thank you.’
‘Huh?’
‘For getting me away from this dreary place. Shush, listen,’ he went on as I started to ask questions. ‘You want to know what happened out here? I’ll tell you. I can only stay a few moments.’
‘Why?’ I asked.
‘Because I have a ticket to go somewhere better than this stony dump,’ he said with a smile. ‘When you pushed the big lady on to her grandson, it was the best move you’ll ever make in your life.’
‘But wasn’t Amergin very angry with me?’ I said.
Mister Lewis shook his head. ‘I thought so too,’ he admitted. ‘But then I heard a sound that I thought I’d never, ever hear.’ He paused, smiling at whatever he was remembering.
‘Yeah? Go on.’
‘It was the sound of Amergin laughing,’ he said. ‘Can you imagine? A powerful Celtic druid laughing. His whole body − at least his whole ghostly body − was shaking with laughter at the sight of Big Ella flattening her grandson. I haven’t laughed so much myself since … since … oh, to tell the truth, I just never, ever laughed like that.’
‘Really?’ I said. ‘He actually laughed? The great Amergin?’
‘It really was amusing,’ said Mister Lewis. ‘And then he sent away the circle of druids and indicated to Big Ella to haul the lad back to the house.’
‘So, Shane never saw what went on?’ I asked.
‘No. He won’t remember any of this. You must not tell him.’
I didn’t quite agree. What was the point in going through all this stuff and not being able to chat to Shane about it? And make sure he’d always be grateful to me for the rest of time? But I nodded. I’d have agreed to anything because I was alive, and so were my best mate and his gran.
‘I must go now,’ went on Mister Lewis. He smiled again and rubbed his spooky hands together. ‘I’m all done here,’ he said. ‘My stone-guarding duties are over. The stone halves have been joined together and buried and,’ he smiled, ‘Amergin has freed me.’
‘To go where?’ I asked again.
Mister Lewis winked and shrugged his dusty shoulders. ‘That’s what I have to find out. But it has to be a better place than this dreary wasteland. It’s been great to meet you. So, goodbye, Milo, my friend.’
He held out his hand and I took it. It was surprisingly warm. At least, it left a warm feeling in my own hand and in my heart. In an instant, Mister Lewis was gone.
‘Goodbye, you old spook,’ I whispered. ‘I hope you’ll find harps and sunshine and get to dance on fluffy clouds.’
There were lights downstairs in Shane’s house. I pushed open the back door. Big Ella was in the kitchen. She was painting a huge canvas. At this hour? How mad was this?
‘Milo!’ she said. ‘Mister Lewis told me to leave you alone, that he’d look after you.’
‘What are you doing?’ I asked. This was getting even crazier.
‘I’m doing what Amergin asked me to do,’ she laughed as she splashed on another swish with her paintbrush. ‘I’m painting a picture of the stone. That’s what he wants. He said it was so that people will never forget our ancient history.’
‘Where did he go, him and those other guys in frocks?’ I asked.
‘Amergin took the stones, still wrapped in whatever you’d put around them,’ said Big Ella. ‘And they all simply disappeared. Just me and that nice Mister Lewis left. What a pity he didn’t call years ago. We could have chatted over tea and muffins …’
‘Where is Shane?’ I put in.
She nodded towards the ceiling. ‘He’s upstairs, asleep. Wow, he’s some weight!’
She suddenly looked serious. ‘He mustn’t know about tonight’s events, Milo,’ she said. ‘He couldn’t cope with all that’s happened. Mister Lewis promised me that Shane won’t remember any of it. You and I are the only ones who know what went on here tonight. Now, how’s about a warm muffin to help you get back to normal before you go home, eh?
‘Normal?’ I said. ‘What’s normal, Big Ella?’ Could I ever be normal after all this?