The Magic Swing.

THE MAGIC SWING

MICHAEL DAVID LONG.

The day was long for single dad of two Jake. He thought long and hard what to do with his children Michael aged six and Hazel aged four. The three of them had a close relationship and they did every thing together. Little did they know what this day would bring to them and to the rest of the world and change the way we all live forever. Jake was trying to think of something to do with the children and itched his head. Would it be backing,rock pooling or making a rope swing to cross alligator infested rivers to find the pirates treasure. Then the children asked if they could just go to the park to go on the swings. Jake agreed and they rushed to put there shoes on. They both rushed to the door to be the first one out. “ Wait shouted Dad”. They both waited patiently at the door for there dad to open the door. The three of them ran up towards the park which was on the estate where they lived. The estate was new and they had only lived there for a few months. It bordered farm land and had amazing views over the countryside. Jake always told his children he was a little upset to live there as this is where he used to play when he was a boy. They had just reached the corner of the hedge which bordered the park. They stopped to cross the road and that is when the day that changed the world began. The hedge behind them started shaking they all watched in astonishment as the boulders where sucked back into the hedge appearing to implode on itself. The dust settled and they walked towards the hedge cautiously. The dust settled and the could see a large tunnel before. The tunnel was boarded by trees on either side with the tops of the trees kissing each other on each side making it into a large tree tunnel. As they looked down towards the end of the tunnel it appeared as though a swarm of insects where coming up through the tunnel towards them. The children hide behind there dads legs. They stood there in fear as to what was coming as it was travelling so fast the buzzing noise grew loader and hazel put her hands over her ears. The swarm burst out of the hedge and flew around the three of them. There hair flapped around there faces and there eyes it was a second or two before they realised it was not insects but the most beautiful things they had ever seen. It was a massive collection of fairies and they mad the most beautiful sound. One fairy flew up to hazel and pulled her hands away from her ears and kissed her on her cheek and smiled. Hazel went red in the cheeks and smiled back and looked for reassurance from her dad. Jake was laughing uncontrollably by now and the children soon joined in. One fairy flew forward more colourful than the other fairies and gestured with her tiny finger to follow her up the tree tunnel. Jake looked to his children and put out his hand and both Michael and Hazel embraced there dad and followed the fairy up through the tunnel. The other fairies where still curious following up behind whispering to each other as they all travelled the sunlight tunnel of trees. At the end of the tunnel they were all dazzled by the sunlight at the end. They walked in to a field and the fairy was half way across the field and beckoned them to still follow. The field was luscious green and the grass was very long so long in fact that little Hazel kept falling over. This was amusing for them as every time Hazel fell over fifty fairies all held on to her t-shirt and pulled her back onto her feet. Dad had to in the end say “your falling over on purpose now”. Hazel and Michael laughed uncontrollably. “Look”, said Dad,. They all stopped and looked up. At the top of the field was a light shining really brightly. They got closer still and the fairy was waiting next to a gold swing . The swing had three seats on and they all sat in a seat of there own. The fairies all now began to push them all on the swing they rose higher and higher. They all giggled as they where having lots of fun. Suddenly Hazels swing broke free and Hazel was travelling high up in the sky. Hazel screamed and the look of dis-pear went over dads face then Michaels swing broke free and went up then dads swing went up as well. The fairies pulled them up higher and higher they all eventually reached each other and all hugged each other and dad held on to them tightly. They soared even more higher and the world below grew smaller and smaller. The clouds came before them and they where in the clouds before they knew it. They burst out the top of the clouds and up above them the sun was shining down. The fairies turned them away from the bright sunlight and towards a huge forest up in the sky. The roots of the forest all twisted and entangled one another all hugging each other to hold on to one another each tree protecting the next. The trees dwarfed them all, They parted as they got closer. Michael hazel and dad looking around and pointing out things to one another. They where all a little less worried now but where still wondering what they where doing a mile up in the sky in a forest in the clouds. Singing now greeted them a chorus of pure delight they entered the great forest and the singing got loader and now thousands if not millions of fairies all came out to witness three strange figures on a swing coming from and alien place. Families of fairies came to greet them and bring little baby fairies for the children to look at. More came out to Michael and Hazel and kissed there cheeks. They where so friendly the path to where they where going grew bright and at the end of the trail was the biggest tree they had ever seen. To the side of the tree two figures stood with armour on and the group where put down in front of them. They looked around and looked back from where they had come and in shock to see how many fairies had come to see them. A huge chorus bellowed behind them and they turned back where they where originally standing . In front of them now stood two small but beautiful fairies. “Hello spoke the fairies we are the king and queen of the fairies and we have brought here before the kingdom of the oak to spread a message to all man kind”,. “Why us? Asked dad. “We have been watching you all for some time now and have chosen you as you look after nature and tell others to look after nature so well”, Jake smiled as he really did love nature and always told others to look after the nature that lived around us all. “ We would like for you to take back this seed and plant it in your garden for us and on the next full moon we will return to earth”,. Some fairies bought out a green box and handed it to the dad and he opened it. Inside the box was a gold acorn that shone as bright as the sun . Jake had to shut the box as it was to bright . “Go now”,. The fairies guided them back to the swing and pushed them all high the fairies all cheered when the swings all broke free. They all waved to them all as they went on the journey home. “Remember we will return on the next full moon”,. Jake held tight to his children knowing that the task before was one that he had never had been set in his life and how would anyone believe him how would he spread this message of fairies coming to the earth on the next full moon? They travelled back along the forest the singing grew quieter as they flew out and back into the clouds. They popped out of the bottom of the clouds and and the world was below them. The world now grew bigger and bigger and they could now see the estate where they lived. The swings hooked back into the frame on the swing and the slowed to a stop. Once again they travelled across the field, this time running across the field and the fairies just carried Hazel across. Which she enjoyed very much the ran up the wooded tunnel and back out onto the pavement. They all stood there and waved to the fairies and the hedge re- assembled itself. They ran back to the house and into the back garden. “Get the watering can” said dad. Dad anded Michael the spade and instructed him to dig a good sized hole. Hazel came out with the watering can and dad gave the box to Michael and told him to plant it and cover it with soil. “Now Hazel give it plenty of water. Hazel tipped the watering can and watered it like her dad had told her to. They stood there and looked and nothing happened,as Michael looked around he couldn't believe what he was seeing. “Dad look”,. As he looked up the whole garden around him was surrounded by creatures of all sizes bugs all sat on the fence looking, insects flying about trying to get a good place to see the marvel which was before them. Foxes looking threw the gate way. All where in amazement as the ground began to shake and the soil on top began to crack open. Out of the crack came a small shoot with two leaves that sprouted out towards the sun. As soon as that had happened it was over. The three of them sat there for hours until the sun was nearly down. The neighbours had all shown an interest in what was going on now as the interest from all of the animals had not gone unnoticed. They popped there heads over the fence and dad couldn't take his eyes off the small shoot coming out of the ground all he said was “The fairies are coming”,. To which they looked at each other and went back into there homes. “Right time to go in”,said dad. The children moaned as they where just as interested to see what would happen. “ We can come and see in the morning”, He closed the door and got the children ready for bed. Dad was so tired he went straight to bed himself as the day had been so full of excitement. Dad awoke in the morning thinking it had all been a dream until he heard the children screaming with excitement to come and look . Dad put on his slippers and went down the stairs to look what the shouting was about. When he went out of the back door He fell over backwards.

In front of him was the biggest oak tree he had ever seen. It was one hundred and fifty feet tall and six foot wide all the leaves where fully grown and acorns where dropping off the tree like rain. The children danced around the garden throwing the acorns into the air. “Right said dad lets collect them”,. He hurried the children back into the house got them washed and dressed and had a quick breakfast. “We need lots of buckets,pans anything we can put the acorns into”, They all rushed into the kitchen and clattered and bang the cupboards they had all the pots and pans out and ran out into the garden to begin collecting them.

There was a knock at the door and Dad opened it and it was the neighbour from next door. “Where did that tree come from? “ Uh it came from the fairies”, That was his reply, “ Is everything OK”, Yes fine replied dad,. He told the neighbour that every thing was fine and there was a lot to do before the next full-moon and all would soon be clear. The dad rushed out to the garden picked up some acorns rushed back and gave them to the neighbour. “Plant these in your garden please”,. He wished the neighbour a good day and closed the door. He returned to the garden and it was a hive of activity. The children busy collecting as many acorns as they could fit into there tiny pockets and all the pans where beginning to fill up quickly now. The Animals in the garden where all sitting about and all watching what was happening. “ We need to start giving out these acorns now”, said dad . The children now went from house to house giving the people the acorns and telling them to plant them. One neighbour came out of his house just as six squirrels stooped in his front garden and dug up some nice flowers he had planted and started to bury acorns in front of him. The man was left speechless and agreed to plant them in his back garden. The children went from door to door handing out acorns all day. Dad collected them and handed them to them. They rushed off very keen to hand them out to everyone. It was now evening again and the three of them sat there under the tree exhausted. They had some tea together and discussed that they would have to go further in the morning to get more trees out into the town. They went up to bed and fell asleep almost instantly. Dad stood out in the back garden and watched the fire flies and glow worms all dancing around the thick branches of the tree.

He awoke in the morning wrapped in a sleeping bag that he had got into the previous evening so he could sit and watch all the insects flying about in a beautiful magical way. He rubbed his eyes and looked about. He went up stairs and woke the children. This was a rare occasion as usually the children where the ones to wake him. “Look out side”,. The children rushed up and looked out of the window at the estate and “gasped”,. “ You see its working”,. In front of them the once bare and new estate was now covered with oak trees all sprouting from every area. One had even grown under a shed and it was now a hundred feet in the air balanced right on top. The sight was amazing . The trees where not as big as the one in there garden but where all equally impressive. The children got dressed and rushed once again out into the garden. They started right away collecting acorns . Hurrying them into the pots and pans. The neighbours had all come out of there house and could not believe there eyes. Soon the door was knocking at there house non stop, people asking what had happened and once again the dad telling them all that the fairies where coming. They had now set up a table out side the house with a sign which said, Free trees please plant. It had now come to the attention of the press and they where interviewing the three of them in the garden under the tree. A nice lady from the press camped out on the street where there was space as now the trees where taking over and spreading out across the whole town. People flocked to the estate and walked around admiring the great oak trees and taking acorns off with them.

It was now the eve of the full moon and word had spread across the globe of the amazing oak trees and news crews from had come from around the world to see what would be happening on the full moon. Dad sat with the children totally at ease with the children looking threw some of the magazines which they where now in explaining to them that the world needed trees to survive and that what they where doing was very important. “ I want to see the fairies again”, said Hazel, “Me too”,said Michael. “ Tomorrow”, said dad,.

The day that would change the world forever had finally arrived. The press coverage was huge and dad kept the door closed for most of the day to avoid the glare of all the cameras, they sat in side a lot of the day watching all the news unfold about the day there where even helicopters flying over head filming the house from above. It was only then, what they realised what they as a family had achieved as they could see hardly any houses any more the town had turned into a huge forest. People where camped out in tents in peoples gardens and buses bought large numbers of people to the town to see what was happening. “What's going to happen Daddy”? Asked Hazel. “Well the fairies are going to come back this evening and I am not sure after that. We will have to wait and see”,. The evening grew dark and the evening was clear the glare of the full moon could be seen over the horizon. Up in the trees animals where all scurrying along the branches quickly to get into position to see the spectacle unfold. Dad went to the front door and opened it to a flash of pictures being taken and news reporters shoving there microphones towards him. Dad spotted the nice news lady and asked her to come in with her camera man and closed the door to every one else. As she relayed to the rest of the world what was happening dad and Michael and Hazel walked out into the back garden to lots of animals parting the way down to the tree. The tree was now turning a golden colour and around the trunk of the tree steps could be seen winding there way around the trunk to the very top of the tree. One of the news people tried to step on one of the steps and his foot went straight threw it. The moon was now in sight for all to see and a cloud covered it for a moment. Michael and Hazel both pointed up with the glare of the moon shining off there small faces. Up in the sky small sparkles appeared and started making there way down towards the tree. As they grew nearer fire flies and glow worms took off to meet them on there journey the sky was dancing with lights of every colour. Then the singing of the fairies could be heard and it grew loader as they approached the tree. Cries of amazement where coming from the crowd of people gathered out side ,When the brightest light could be seen coming from the sky where the full moon was constant ,The party travelled with such elegance and grace and made there way down to the giant oak tree. Fairies of all sort now flew around the garden greeting Michael,Hazel and dad, One fairy stopping to say that they had done a great job and blew Hazel a kiss