George Adamson Lives with Apes

Back in time

George looked down at his body but he didn't seem to have one, he was completely invisible. All that seemed to remain of him were thoughts, he imagined himself as a floating mind. Hovering beside him in this abstract place were two cloud companions. They were not one colour at once but made up of rapidly changing colours that seemed to shift and alter uncomfortably and consistently. They were all the putrid colours of the world and George thought that he did not once see a colour within them that he actually liked. The clouds seemed to float around him for a few moments before they burst apart. Flying through this bizarre place like a thousand insects scattering from each other until they completely disappeared. George was now floating a little above a rainbow, beyond that everywhere else was complete blackness. The young boy saw a pinpoint of light in front of him, somewhere over the rainbow and he moved towards it. The pinpoint got bigger, it was warm and bright and it beckoned him in. There were celestial voices singing in his mind and a sense of well being came over him. George was just about to enter the warm golden glow when he heard a scream, it was a tortured howl of heart wrenching sorrow and it came from behind him. Ruby! He imagined the word in his weird floating mind and then the young elf remembered an image of his friend, the small girl's deathly pale face as she lay in the woods.

I have to go back for Ruby.

George tried to wrench his mind from the warm light, it had instantly engulfed him and he needed to use all of his determination to pull it back. Eventually he succeeded and was now floating backwards, the light was a pinpoint again and the rainbow bridge stretched in front of him. George gave a final push in reverse and was consumed by blackness. This time when he opened his eyes he was back in the woods, standing by the large tree outside Conan's cottage. From the position of the sun the young boy guessed that it was about midday, good I haven't travelled too far into the future this time he thought.

George tried to unscramble his frazzled thoughts, he began to walk forwards but it was almost as if he had forgotten how. The young elf's legs were shaky so he was slow and careful as he headed in the direction of the castle. Halfway there George stopped to rest. His balance had fully recovered but it was very hot under the fierce sun in the sky and the intense heat was sapping his strength and slowing him down, the young elf took off his jumper and tied it around his waist.

Eventually George reached the clearing, he stopped still for a long time. Slaven castle was in front of him in exactly the same position it had always been, the front door, the West Wing, the number of windows all remained exactly as they had been when he had left them five minutes ago.
Everything else was different.

The large gates were no longer there, instead a foot high wall encircled the grounds. There was also a playground. It was a fantastic playground with climbing frames, slides, swings and a huge replica pirate ship. Confusion clouded George's mind, he could not understand what was going on. Jumping over the barrier he made his way cautiously to the front of the castle. Reaching the front door the young elf gingerly pushed it open. Inside things looked the same but also different. The walls and corridors were alive with colourful drawings and displays. Some had been painted hundreds of years ago by famous artists and hung in gold frames, others were scribbled on tatty bits of paper and were stuck to the walls with glue. George saw the suit of armour he had knocked over in Grimm's room, it had been returned to the corridor. So had all the other things she had taken.

The confused elf realised that he could hear children in the main hall, they were noisy, and there was laughter! What was going on? Moving cautiously along the empty corridor towards the noise, George peeped around the door. What was happening inside nearly knocked him off his feet. The children were all seated in rows, they were noisy, giggly and they were talking freely. Most shocking of all the children were tucking into red jelly and ice cream! George looked around the room but he didn't recognise anyone. Then he saw them. At the back of the hall on a raised table, sat with six other adults George had never seen before. Ulva and Violet, they looked happy, what on earth was going on? George staggered into the room, his hair was a mess tangled into clumps with twigs and leaves sticking out of it at angles. The young boy's face was red and scratched, his trousers were torn and dirty and he was without his shirt. Ulva looked up and gasped, she nudged Violet and both adults made their way quickly to the back of the room. Ulva moved with the grace of a queen, her back straight and her head held high. Violets limp seemed more pronounced in comparison. The young boy slumped against the wall, he was beginning to attract attention from some of the children, they had stopped eating their desserts to stare. Violet and Ulva grabbed George beneath his arms and half carried him into the infirmary. Once he was comfortable in one of the beds, Ulva instructed the school nurse to fetch some water and she sat down beside George's bed. The graceful Ulva mopped the exhausted boy's brow with a cool cloth, Violet paced the length of the bed wringing her hands and looking very concerned.