Prologue

There are some places where no one goes. The secret emporium was like that.

Even though, there lay a chest full of jewellery that had gold and diamonds. Even though, the chocolate and the cakes in the window looked like they were begging to be eaten. Even though, there was a shelf filled with rare and exotic collectibles from different countries. Even though, you could smell crunchy crisps and chocolate brownies being baked.

But no one ever entered. The doorway was too heavy and too dark. It was as if the emporium to enter any cost and but no one ever did. No one until, John.

Chapter 1-Into the Emporium

John had always been nosy and wanted to see what is inside the emporium. His parents had often warned him that it could lead into a problem. One bright and dry afternoon, he was casually walking down mystery road when he noticed something strange about the emporium. After it being closed for a while, the door was wide open and without thinking about it, he stepped inside.

Everywhere he looked, it was packed with wonders and things that he wanted to touch. John gazed at a treasure chest filled with gems and jewellery, the glistening making the room bright up. In one side, there was a shelf holding a collection of old, chipped and broken masks which were painted with bright colours. On a counter, there was a plate with brownies oozing with chocolate and caramel waiting to be eaten. A towering cabinet filled with china tea sets, a group of rare and exotic items and parts of ancient artefacts that where around the Bronze Age. Near the corner, there stood a grandfather clock made out of wood and metal ticking as time passes by. Next to a door, there was a glass case that had an old and dingy doll that’s eye seemed to follow you as you walk through the hallway. There were several types of futuristic technology that would fly and light up when near. A brilliant throne made out of glistening gold and green emeralds sat in the middle of the room

But what interested John most of all was an old leather bound book. He turned through the pages, the writing seemed to be changing colours and moving.

“I see you have found my book of wonders,” hissed a voice. John gasped as he turned around and quickly closed the book. He was the owner of the emporium and looked like he was at least 25. On his shoulder perched a red and blue parrot. It shook its head at him, disapprovingly.

Chapter 2- A Warning Disobeyed

“My name is Mr Griffin Bronze,” he exclaimed gazing at John until he looked down to the floor, nervously. “This is my Emporium do you like it?” John couldn’t think about anything to say so he slowly nodded his head. “Here is my book of wonders. You are free to look around my shop but do NOT touch or read the book.”

A few seconds later, Mr Griffin Bronze had disappeared with a swirl of his black and red suit, behind a curtain and John was alone. He realized that he had been standing still and was staring at the floor for 5 minutes. He had meant to continue looking round the shop but there was something about the book that called him. He longed to look inside the mysterious, leather book and see secrets it could hold. He glanced around the curtain and could just make out a long empty corridor which had what appeared to be at least a hundred doors. Where do they lead, he wondered?

Turning back, he opened the book. Each page contained a different idea of something amazing or something mysterious. There where drawings and notes about animals, cities, towns, mythical creatures, ancient artefacts, futuristic technology and more. In each place there were wonders beyond imagining. The next thing John Knew, There was a pen in his hand ad was drawing a valley filled with mythical beings that were told in a variety of stories, He also sketched a tall treehouse. “Follow me” squawked a parrot. John closed the book and without thinking, followed.

The parrot flew down the corridor until it came to one door that had been freshly painted. It stood on the floor, put it’s beak on one side and tapped on the door. John knew exactly what he was supposed to do.

He opened the door and entered. He stepped, not into a room, but into a valley. He paused and listened. It was quite still, except the sound of dragons peacefully fly. A cobblestone road appeared in front of John towards a treehouse. The strangest thing was that it all looked exactly as he drawn inside Mr Griffin’s book. Without concern John ran down the path whilst the door behind him slowly closed.

Chapter 3- Through the Door

It was an amazing wooden treehouse, with different kinds of flowers and plants surrounding the trunk. The ladder was down and the door was open, so without thinking about it, John slowly climbed up and stepped inside. His heart pumping excitedly. The treehouse had everything that you might need: A cosy bedroom with fluffy warm blankets; a year’s supply of foods and drinks so you don’t get hungry; a lot of toys and games to create entertainment when bored; a variety of clothes made out of soft wool and other materials; a little wooden box filled with gems and rare items like diamonds, emeralds and rubies.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” Exclaimed John. But nobody answered it was just awkward silence. He had made his way to the kitchen to find something strange. There was no one there though there were some pancakes on a plate which looked freshly made. For a moment, he wondered if someone was waiting for him or watching him.

He had thrown into his drawing his heart’s desire and it didn’t seem as if that was going to come true. There were no sign of his sister living there. He hadn’t seen his sister for 5 years. It didn’t feel right. Then that, he heard it.

Something upstairs; something moving and it weren’t really using its footsteps. It was an unusual scratching sound accompanied by a large growl. John stared up the stairs, plucked up courage and slowly climbed up, step-by-step, trying to keep dead silent. He paused and peered round the door into the bedroom. Nothing moved. The only movement was the hands of a clock. A moment later, he heard the sound again. Turning around, he slammed the bedroom door open. It was then he saw it: a dark silhouette rushed towards him; crimson eyes stared at John as it scraped its razor, sharp claws on the floor boards. There was no hesitation this time. John pushed the treehouse door open and quickly climbed down the ladder as fast as he could. He sprinted back up the cobblestone pathway, through the valley where the door had been.

But nothing was there. Nothing except hills and rivers, stretching endlessly on, dark shadows and outlines of creatures that sprinted across the land. “Come back!” hissed a voice behind him.

Chapter 4-The return

Trying to ignore the creepy voice that rang in his ears, John paused where he was sure that the door must have roughly been standing. There was no door but the there was a hole that lead to a huge mineshaft that was underneath the hill John was standing on. He looked down and it had broken railways with carts next to them. Peering into the mineshaft, he could just see what looked like the shape of a circular door. Immediately, he climbed down the hole using the rocks on the sides. John expected it to be icy cold but it was actually warm. Luckily, last summer, he did rock climbing with his friends and was quite good at it. John’s dad liked his talent so he took him daily. He could hear footsteps approaching fast. So he quickly jumped down onto the floor.

Step-by-step, through the mineshaft towards the outline of the door at the very end of the hallway. His heart was pumping in his chest. Suddenly he needed to breathe, it seemed that there wasn’t that much oxygen but he held his breath and ran faster. Grasping the door handle he pulled. In a blink of an eye, the mineshaft was starting to disappear; he shot through the door and in to the corridor.

Exhausted, he lay the breathing heavily. The door was shut. The corridor was completely fine with no hills, no treehouse or mineshaft. He was back in the emporium but really none wiser. What had happened?

Feeling ashamed, he crept back, tiptoed through the curtains and stepped into the shop, Mr Griffin Bronze turned around to see John,

“Ah I see you have come back to us. Did you find what you were looking for?” John shook his head. “The thing is,” Mr Griffin Bronze explained “You can visit many wonders but the past cannot be undone so we do not always find what we expect. Still, there is always another day.” He put down a book that he was reading and smiled.

“Come again another day,” he said, holding the door open. John stepped out into the pavement and then, wanting to discover more, looked back. But Mr Griffin Bronze and the shop had vanished into thin air. It had pretty much disappeared like it never existed. He felt a shiver of magic and shuddered. Maybe tomorrow, he thought to himself as he trudged home, maybe tomorrow. What he did not notice was that he was being followed by a parrot. It lay on a branch on tree in his garden and watched him walk inside his house. The parrot chirped and sighed.