I was walking, stumbling through the undergrowth of the forest. Through the driving rain, a flash of scarlet appeared, then vanished just as quickly as it came. What was this? I stumbled through some bushes- their sharp branches tearing at my face. I tasted salt in my mouth; I must have been bleeding. As I emerged I saw a boy dressed in a scarlet cloak, with a large drum strapped to him. At first I thought he might be one of the schoolboys playing a practical joke, but the sombre look on his face and the clothes that he wore told me there was more to it than met the eye. He was walking towards the castle. I needed somewhere to shelter; so, surreptitiously I followed him, entering the blackness of the castle…
The rain had stopped. Rays of brilliant sunshine beat down on me. I could hear the babbling of voices. Where was I? I looked about me; I was still in the castle, but it wasn’t crumbling anymore. I was in its former majestic glory! I was in a market place; rows of stalls and tables lined it. People in rags shouted and cried, walking around the market place, buying food and other items. I was totally bemused. A minute ago I was in the poring rain, soaked to the skin and following a boy dressed in a scarlet cloak, and now I was here! It was as if I had travelled back in time, but dismissed the thought. Just then everyone stopped. Hundreds of wide eyes glared at me. What were the people looking at? I forced a glance at my clothes. Oh no! So that’s what they were looking at. I was wearing a pair of jeans, walking boots and an anorak. These people hadn’t even dreamt of wearing these clothes yet! Before I could say or do anything, a hand reached out and grasped my arm so tightly I thought it would crumble at any minute. I was yanked away from the confused onlookers, into a small, stone room. It was the boy in scarlet- the drummer boy. He shoved a bundle of rags into me. “Get changed.” I was not in a position to complain, so obeyed. Mumbling incomprehensibly, I asked him what the date was. “Don’t you know? It is Tuesday 16 April 1433.” 1433- not exactly the date I had expected. It was only then that the realisation that I had travelled back in time actually sunk in. My legs felt like twigs. What was I to do? This was turning out into a very bad day indeed.
Soon, the drummer boy and I became good friends, and that day he showed me round the castle, safely out of notice from the residents of the castle, and told me where to eat and sleep. Suddenly, a cry came from the battlements, “Rebels! Rebels!” A crescendo of screaming rose as women hurried down into the safety of the dungeons with their children, leaving the men to defend the castle. As I looked back, just before I entered into the dark dungeons, I caught a last glimpse of the brave drummer boy, standing on the battlements, silhouetted like an idol against the glow of the setting sun, beating his drum. Fighting back a tear, I descended the spiral staircase, into the depths of the dungeons…
Down in the gloomy, dank, repulsive dungeons I sat cowering in a corner surrounded by women and children. The wet, moss covered floors were toured by rats, scuttling about nervously. I had not been there long when casualties were being carted in, and a stale, rank smell of blood wafted up my nostrils. Severed arms, mutilated legs were just some of the vivid and horrific sights that met my eyes in the dungeons. I think it was a combination of all of these things that got to me, and I vomited violently. After that, I was too tired to be scared or do anything anymore, and I drifted into a deep, deep… sleep…
The piercing screams of women and children woke me from my slumber, and I was quickly alert. “FIRE! FIRE!” I looked up, and there, billowing through the door of the dungeons was thick, black smoke. Soon it had engulfed me, suffocating and choking my lungs. I couldn’t breathe, and the smoke blinded me. I realised with uncomprehending horror that I was going to die. Soon, I fell in to the open, welcoming arms of darkness.
I woke long before I opened my eyes, but did not open them, for I did not want to see where I was. I heard distant mumbling voices, and other noises, which confused me, and so I let myself fall back into the darkness.
“John? John? Can you hear me, wake up John? John?” A voice, this time much closer than before, and they knew my name. They knew my name! I opened my eyes, and looked about myself. It was dark, but blinding lights illuminated the area around me. I was back outside the castle again, and in the same spot where I had first spotted the drummer boy. The drummer boy! “The drummer boy, the people, where are they? Are they all right? What happened to the castle?”
“I think you must have had a bump on the head mate- it’s the year 2002, not something stupid like 1433 or sumin!” A fireman was standing over me. A feeling of complete relief washed over me. I was home at last.
After what seemed like centuries, and many questions later, I was carried by stretcher over to a waiting ambulance. Just before I was put inside, I noticed the minibus that had brought me here was still in the car park, and all the children, along with their rather stressed looking teacher were watching the scene that was taking place. One of the children, a small, timid looking boy, caught my attention. Our eyes met briefly, and a flicker of recognition appeared on his face. Then he was gone, back into the crowd of onlookers, vanished. It was only when the ambulance began its journey back through the misty forest, that I realised who the boy was. It was the drummer boy.
