Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits

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Ellie came into the story very late on. It happened because she was oddly fascinated by the wood. Not that it was very different to look at from any of the several patches of woodland in the enormous grounds of the great country house, some of them really big—forests almost—others no more than a couple of dozen trees. This one was in between, lying in a wide dip in the rolling parkland, on one side of the picnic area, with the house itself in a similar dip on the other side.

Ellie, as usual, finished her lunch long before the others, and rose.

ʺWhere are you off to?ʺ said her mother.

ʺCan I go and have a look at that wood?ʺ

ʺWhat about it?ʺ

Her brothers glanced up from their Game Boys.

ʺIt’s a wood,ʺ said Jim. ʺThat’s enough for Ellie.ʺ

ʺLots of mouldy old trees,ʺ said Bob.

ʺIt looks interesting,ʺ said Ellie. ʺI want to know what it is. I think there’s a notice board by the gate.ʺ

ʺOh, all right,ʺ said her mother. ʺStay in sight. Don’t be too long. I’ll wait for you here.ʺ

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