Draft - The Secret of Tara -A Children's Story By Sandra Bunting
Tara's grandfather's house was enormous. The drive from the city had seemed endless. There was nothing to do in the car and outside there was only flat bog land with dark hills in the distance. Tara sat quietly in the back seat clutching Nibbles. The cat's green eyes sparkled from a ball of fluff every time a passing car shone lights through the window.
They came to a lake filled with reeds. The car followed the water, turned sharply and there on a small island in the middle of the lake was the house. Her mother had told her it was big but she just didn't have words for this. There were dozens of windows and a light shone from each of them.
A friend of her mother's had driven her there. They couldn't drive right up to the house because it was surrounded by water. So the car stopped and they gathered up Tara's things; Nibbles, her tiny doll Anabel, a bag with her coloured pencils and paper and a small suitcase. Her mother had told her she wouldn't need much because no one ever threw things out in the house. There would be toys to play with and even some of her mother's old clothes to dress up in.
In front of them stood a dark stone tunnel which led to the house. Finally, they came to the front door. On it was a large sign with the word 'Tara' written in ornate gold letters with colourful spirals all around. What was her name doing on the door?
A man opened the door. He was very old but had a bright smile on his face. She had not seen her grandfather for many years.
"Welcome Tara," the old man said.
After the driver had left, Grandfather told her to go in by the fire where he had made cocoa. Tara couldn’t help questions from forming in her head.
"Grandfather,"she said shyly, "Why do you have lights in all the rooms?"
"In your honour, of course," he answered. "Besides, the house is difficult to find and I wouldn't want you to have got lost trying to find me. No, I live here by myself and I usually have only a few lights on."
Tara was feeling warmer inside and outside now so she decided to ask another one of those ‘why’ questions that seemed to make her mother so tired. This one was about her grandfather living alone in such a big house.
"Well, this house has been in our family, and yours, for such a long time. I like it here. I hadn't planned to live alone. Your grandmother died and your mother left years ago."
He got up and gave the fire a poke as he continued.
" It suits me well enough,. I keep myself busy. I write and study. Now, I'll have you to keep me company."
Tara decided to chance one more question.
"Why is the name 'Tara' on the door?"
"That’s because the name of this house is Tara."
"But that's my name!"
"I know. You were called after the house. You mother always loved the name."
Tara didn't know if she liked being named after a house but it did make her feel more a part of it now.
"You must be tired after your long drive."
Her grandfather took her suitcases and led her up the stairs to her room.
When she was in bed and alone, she began to miss her mother and all the lively film friends who always seemed to be in her. Maude, her mother, had to go to California. She wanted to take Tara along but she would be working all the time and she thought Tara would be bored and lonely. Maude was an actress. She'd be back soon. Living with her grandfather at Tara House could be an adventure.
She turned off the light and was almost asleep when she saw a glowing light in the room. She hadn't noticed a moon tonight. But yawning, she thought no more of it and drifted off into a deep sleep.
The next day, Grandfather had breakfast with her. He told her he had to work in his library and asked if she could entertain herself. He said she could go wherever she wanted in the house but to wait until the week-end to go outside when he could show her the island and where it was safe to play.
Tara didn't really feel like exploring. The house was very big. So she stayed in her room, drawing and playing with Anabel.
"Time for dinner, Tara," called Grandfather from the bottom of the long stairway.
She must have been in her room for hours but it didn't seem to be a long time.
"We'll eat in the kitchen. Mrs. Browne left us out dinner ready."
"Does Mrs. Browne live here?" asked Tara.
"No", he chuckled. " She just comes in to do a spot of tidying and to cook the meals. You'll meet her tomorrow."
They were silent for a moment as they both realized how hungry they were.
"How'd you get on today?" asked Grandfather. "You weren't bored, were you?"
"No, Grandfather. I had work to do too. Mummy told me to tell her all my adventures. I'm writing everything in my diary so I won't forget. But mostly I am drawing pictures. They're easier,” she said.
"I work most days. There's something I have to finish."
“Oh, that's o.k. Grandfather. When I go to work with Mummy, I have to wait for hours and hours. I have to make up things to do."
"Well", said her grandfather, "We'll have to think of some more things or you won't have anything to put in that diary."
"Oh, with this house, I'll have a lot to say."
"Did you explore"? asked Grandfather.
"Not today", answered Tara. "I just wanted to get used to my room. I played with Nibbles. He likes it here. And I played with Anabel, my doll."
"Dolls", he said, sounding far away. "Yes. Your mother used to play with dolls. Had a lot of them. In fact, she had a little doll's house which was exactly like 'Tara', only smaller of course. I can't remember where it is now. It just seemed to vanish."
He looked like he was thinking hard so Tara didn't say anything. If only she could find the little ‘Tara House’!
Before she knew it, it was time for bed again. Her eyes were just closing when she
thought she saw some light in the room. This time it was definitely not from the moon. She had checked. Then she heard a noise.
“In and out Out and in Get there first And you will win.”
e light became brighter. There seemed to be a gauze-like floating creature with a bluish light shining from it's middle. Tara opened her eyes wide but she wasn't scared.
"Who are you ?" she whispered almost to herself.
"Nightlight,"responded the creature.
"Are you a ghost ?" she asked.
"You can call me that if you like. We are here because you need us. There's no one to play with. We love to play."
At that, two other forms appeared. Each one had a different light shining from it's tummy. One had a bright yellow star with rays circling it and the other had an orangey crescent.
"And who are you?" asked Tara with a smile.
"Oh, they can't talk!" explained Nightlight. "Only the one who wins the race can talk. And tonight that is me."
The other two fluttered and shone in the air but they didn't say a word.
"I'd like you to meet Starbright and Moonbreeze."
The two bowed when Tara said hello.
"I like to play too," said Tara. "What I'd really like to play with is a dollhouse my grandfather told me my mother used to have! Do you know where it is?"
"We might," said Nightlight. "But there are a lot of things to do in such a big house as this."
He looked at Moonbreeze who was flickering her light and making a buzzing sound.
"That's right, Moonbreeze,." he said. "We have the whole island to play on too. Moonbreeze loves the outdoors."
Then he looked closely at Tara with her curly red hair and pale skin. Her hair was real red, not orange and looked lovely in the light shining on it.
"We have known about you for a long time, Tara.." he said slowly. It is right you have come here."
"All I have is Mommy and Grandfather and Nibbles, of course."
"Not at all, Tara. We all come from a long line of people. And even if we never know anything about them, they are with us. They are part of us. You know, you remind me of someone."
He looked at her for a long time and then suddenly said: "We must go now. We can stay longer tomorrow."
And with that they disappeared.
“In and out Out and in Get there first And you will win.”
Tara didn't feel so lonely in the big house. She knew she had friends no matter how strange. She has also discovered a secret -the secret of Tara House. And she had a feeling there was still a secret or two to find.
To be continued
Copyright Sandra Bunting
They came to a lake filled with reeds. The car followed the water, turned sharply and there on a small island in the middle of the lake was the house. Her mother had told her it was big but she just didn't have words for this. There were dozens of windows and a light shone from each of them.
A friend of her mother's had driven her there. They couldn't drive right up to the house because it was surrounded by water. So the car stopped and they gathered up Tara's things; Nibbles, her tiny doll Anabel, a bag with her coloured pencils and paper and a small suitcase. Her mother had told her she wouldn't need much because no one ever threw things out in the house. There would be toys to play with and even some of her mother's old clothes to dress up in.
In front of them stood a dark stone tunnel which led to the house. Finally, they came to the front door. On it was a large sign with the word 'Tara' written in ornate gold letters with colourful spirals all around. What was her name doing on the door?
A man opened the door. He was very old but had a bright smile on his face. She had not seen her grandfather for many years.
"Welcome Tara," the old man said.
After the driver had left, Grandfather told her to go in by the fire where he had made cocoa. Tara couldn’t help questions from forming in her head.
"Grandfather,"she said shyly, "Why do you have lights in all the rooms?"
"In your honour, of course," he answered. "Besides, the house is difficult to find and I wouldn't want you to have got lost trying to find me. No, I live here by myself and I usually have only a few lights on."
Tara was feeling warmer inside and outside now so she decided to ask another one of those ‘why’ questions that seemed to make her mother so tired. This one was about her grandfather living alone in such a big house.
"Well, this house has been in our family, and yours, for such a long time. I like it here. I hadn't planned to live alone. Your grandmother died and your mother left years ago."
He got up and gave the fire a poke as he continued.
" It suits me well enough,. I keep myself busy. I write and study. Now, I'll have you to keep me company."
Tara decided to chance one more question.
"Why is the name 'Tara' on the door?"
"That’s because the name of this house is Tara."
"But that's my name!"
"I know. You were called after the house. You mother always loved the name."
Tara didn't know if she liked being named after a house but it did make her feel more a part of it now.
"You must be tired after your long drive."
Her grandfather took her suitcases and led her up the stairs to her room.
When she was in bed and alone, she began to miss her mother and all the lively film friends who always seemed to be in her. Maude, her mother, had to go to California. She wanted to take Tara along but she would be working all the time and she thought Tara would be bored and lonely. Maude was an actress. She'd be back soon. Living with her grandfather at Tara House could be an adventure.
She turned off the light and was almost asleep when she saw a glowing light in the room. She hadn't noticed a moon tonight. But yawning, she thought no more of it and drifted off into a deep sleep.
The next day, Grandfather had breakfast with her. He told her he had to work in his library and asked if she could entertain herself. He said she could go wherever she wanted in the house but to wait until the week-end to go outside when he could show her the island and where it was safe to play.
Tara didn't really feel like exploring. The house was very big. So she stayed in her room, drawing and playing with Anabel.
"Time for dinner, Tara," called Grandfather from the bottom of the long stairway.
She must have been in her room for hours but it didn't seem to be a long time.
"We'll eat in the kitchen. Mrs. Browne left us out dinner ready."
"Does Mrs. Browne live here?" asked Tara.
"No", he chuckled. " She just comes in to do a spot of tidying and to cook the meals. You'll meet her tomorrow."
They were silent for a moment as they both realized how hungry they were.
"How'd you get on today?" asked Grandfather. "You weren't bored, were you?"
"No, Grandfather. I had work to do too. Mummy told me to tell her all my adventures. I'm writing everything in my diary so I won't forget. But mostly I am drawing pictures. They're easier,” she said.
"I work most days. There's something I have to finish."
“Oh, that's o.k. Grandfather. When I go to work with Mummy, I have to wait for hours and hours. I have to make up things to do."
"Well", said her grandfather, "We'll have to think of some more things or you won't have anything to put in that diary."
"Oh, with this house, I'll have a lot to say."
"Did you explore"? asked Grandfather.
"Not today", answered Tara. "I just wanted to get used to my room. I played with Nibbles. He likes it here. And I played with Anabel, my doll."
"Dolls", he said, sounding far away. "Yes. Your mother used to play with dolls. Had a lot of them. In fact, she had a little doll's house which was exactly like 'Tara', only smaller of course. I can't remember where it is now. It just seemed to vanish."
He looked like he was thinking hard so Tara didn't say anything. If only she could find the little ‘Tara House’!
Before she knew it, it was time for bed again. Her eyes were just closing when she
thought she saw some light in the room. This time it was definitely not from the moon. She had checked. Then she heard a noise.
“In and out Out and in Get there first And you will win.”
e light became brighter. There seemed to be a gauze-like floating creature with a bluish light shining from it's middle. Tara opened her eyes wide but she wasn't scared.
"Who are you ?" she whispered almost to herself.
"Nightlight,"responded the creature.
"Are you a ghost ?" she asked.
"You can call me that if you like. We are here because you need us. There's no one to play with. We love to play."
At that, two other forms appeared. Each one had a different light shining from it's tummy. One had a bright yellow star with rays circling it and the other had an orangey crescent.
"And who are you?" asked Tara with a smile.
"Oh, they can't talk!" explained Nightlight. "Only the one who wins the race can talk. And tonight that is me."
The other two fluttered and shone in the air but they didn't say a word.
"I'd like you to meet Starbright and Moonbreeze."
The two bowed when Tara said hello.
"I like to play too," said Tara. "What I'd really like to play with is a dollhouse my grandfather told me my mother used to have! Do you know where it is?"
"We might," said Nightlight. "But there are a lot of things to do in such a big house as this."
He looked at Moonbreeze who was flickering her light and making a buzzing sound.
"That's right, Moonbreeze,." he said. "We have the whole island to play on too. Moonbreeze loves the outdoors."
Then he looked closely at Tara with her curly red hair and pale skin. Her hair was real red, not orange and looked lovely in the light shining on it.
"We have known about you for a long time, Tara.." he said slowly. It is right you have come here."
"All I have is Mommy and Grandfather and Nibbles, of course."
"Not at all, Tara. We all come from a long line of people. And even if we never know anything about them, they are with us. They are part of us. You know, you remind me of someone."
He looked at her for a long time and then suddenly said: "We must go now. We can stay longer tomorrow."
And with that they disappeared.
“In and out Out and in Get there first And you will win.”
Tara didn't feel so lonely in the big house. She knew she had friends no matter how strange. She has also discovered a secret -the secret of Tara House. And she had a feeling there was still a secret or two to find.
To be continued
Copyright Sandra Bunting
posted by sandbunting @ 2:48 PM
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