Up ahead, something peeked out of the ivy wrapped around an old oak tree. The object appeared to be metallic, and as Jude got closer, it revealed itself to be an old sign, faded and covered in moss. Only a part of it was visible, and it contained the letters ‘RESPAS’. It only took a moment to work out.
NO TRESPASSING.
“What do you think this place used to be?” Jude asked.
Ashley shrugged. “Nothing. It’s a big hole in the ground in the middle of the woods. How could it have ever been anything else?”
“I suppose you’re right, but why put a sign out here if there’s nothing? Maybe there’s a World War Two bunker or an old burial ground like the one they found when they extended the Tesco car park. That would be well cool.”
“The sign’s probably just to keep idiots like us from breaking their necks down here.” She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I still can’t believe we’re down here.”
Jude realised she was still seething after her encounter with Lily. If she didn’t calm down soon, she’d end up with one of her headaches. Once that happened, she would become unbearable.
“Just chill out, Ash. Everything’s fine. We’re just having a mooch about, aren’t we? Another ten minutes, and we’ll try to get out of here. I just don’t want another run-in with Ricky.”
“I don’t know how you can be so calm after he hit you.”
“It’s not exactly the first time.”
“That’s my point. When is enough enough?”
Jude sighed. “Just… let it go. It’s over now.”
But Ashley didn’t let it go. In fact, she found a rock, bent to pick it up, and flung it at the sign so hard that she almost went after it. It was an impressive shot, the rock bouncing off the metal sign and ricocheting ten feet into the air. “Now that felt better,” she said. “Just wish it was Lily’s face.”
“The warrior princess let loose her sling and struck the evil sorcerer’s power stone. The sorcerer’s energy ran dry, and with no other option, the wicked monster fled, defeated.” He grinned, knowing how much his improvised narratives annoyed her – and yet amused her at the same time. “With her trusted mage by her side, the warrior princess continued on through the enchanted woods, knowing she could not stop until her destiny was fulfilled.”
Ashley rolled her eyes and groaned. “Oh please, don’t start with your fantasy crap. Not now.”
Jude chuckled. One day, he would write an awesome fantasy novel, but for now he was happy just to annoy Ashley, as she always annoyed him with her constant street dance. “The warrior princess thanked her trusted mage for his enduring spirit and unwavering positivity. Without it, she would certainly turn to the dark side.”
Ashley grinned, despite her obvious efforts to fight it. “You’re such a dork. Perhaps Ricky was right. I can do better.” It was only a joke, but it pricked Jude’s emotions, and the sudden twinge of upset must have crossed his face because Ashley reached over and gave him a playful shove on the arm. “Hey, I’m just kidding. It’s me and you, right? It’s always me and you.”
“Yeah, I know.” He knelt and picked up a withered old branch, whacking it against a tree like a sword and sending vibrations up his wrist. He liked the weight of it but decided not to keep hold of it.
I’m not a ten-year-old anymore.
“Come on, let’s see what’s over there,” said Ashley. She cut left through a gap in the bushes and hopped over a fallen tree trunk. Something scuttled nearby in the undergrowth – a rat or squirrel – and the fact they weren’t alone sent shivers along Jude’s spine. He followed Ashley, looking around and watching his step, and once again he was in awe of the undiscovered grotto. Based on the overgrown NO TRESPASSING sign, they might have been the first people here in years. The remnants of a barbwire fence snaked through the bushes nearby, but the posts had long ago rotted. Odd bits of concrete lay scattered and pressed into the earth – echoes of the past. It really did make Jude feel like an adventurer on some quest.
“Hey,” said Ashley, catching his eye and pointing. “It opens up over here. We might find a way out onto the golf course.”
“I think we headed away from the golf course, not towards it. I’m not sure what this place backs up onto.”
They pushed their way through a few more bushes, tripping several times on hidden roots and catching their clothes on hidden thorns. Then they made it out into a clearing. What they found was unexpected.
Jude put his hands on his hips and whistled. “Can you believe this? There’s something here, after all. How old do you think this place is?”
Ashley moved up alongside him, and they studied the old house together. The building was made of brick, but a third of it had crumbled into dust. Wooden trusses formed its roof, yet only a handful of ancient tiles remained in place. Moss and ivy enveloped the structure, and twisted, intermingling branches made it appear as though the building had grown out of the ground itself.
“It must have been abandoned for decades,” said Ashley. “Fifty years, maybe?”
“Try a hundred,” said Jude. “I bet this was here before they built the housing estate. It was probably a farm or something.”
“It’s fucking spooky. I say we get out of here before it gets dark.”
Jude moved closer to the farmhouse, stepping through the weeds. “I thought I was the cowardly one. You’re not gunna wet yourself, are you?”
Ashley rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Dick.”
The old farmhouse intrigued Jude. Again he thought of how the two of them might be the first people to set foot here in years. It excited him. None of the local kids knew about this place, so in a way, it belonged to him and Ashley. It could be
