2.Footprints On The Sands Of Time

It was a cold winter night in Wycliffe, and two little girls were in bed, talking in hushed tones. "Agatha, oh how boring you are." Agnes muttered as she rolled over to her side of the bed, not at all interested in Agatha's book. "What's a book without pictures, and limericks ?" She groaned as she lined up her teddies and her porcelain dolls. Agatha scoffed."You stay with your dollies, Ness. " 

Suddenly, the silent mansion came to life, interrupting their conversation. Thud ..thud.. .thud. A series of footsteps followed the gong of the grandfather clock in their room. "Agatha, did you hear that?" murmured Agnes, as she clutched her teddy. Agatha put her finger to her lips. "Perhaps it's Mama, coming to check if we're asleep. Keep shut, and pretend to be asleep." But the footsteps continued. Thud.. thud.. thud. They heard it going up the staircase, through the corridor, and up to their room, where it disappeared. "Agatha, mustn't we call Nanny Pott ?" Agnes whispered hiding under the covers. "Oh don't be a scaredy cat now.. I'll see who it is." Agatha said, shaking her head at her sister. Agatha wasn't less scared of the invisible force outside their mahogany purple door, but she had mustered up enough courage to discover the source of the peculiar footsteps. She tiptoed to their locked door, and there was a slight click as she pulled on the golden knob, to open the door.

But... there was no one there. A gentle breeze caressed her cheeks and the oil lamp flickered in the corridor. The gentle snores of Nanny Pott could be heard from the next room, and the sharp whistle of the watchman outside. The full moon shone its light on glass window panes, and a distant barking of a street dog could be made out, from the whooshing of the heavy winds. Agatha frowned thinking it might have been a figment of her imagination, and just as she was about the close the door, she noticed an old, battered envelope on their marble floor, tied up with a red ribbon which was frayed at the ends. Her impatient sister called out to Agatha," Well, who is it ?" Agatha picked up the envelope, untied the string, and unfurled the paper inside it. The words were written in black ink, although hasty.. but prominent.

"Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

   Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

   And things are not what they seem."

Agatha read the words carefully, before folding the crusty paper into the envelope and tying it with the same red ribbon, as she placed it in her silver casket. "What did you find ?" Agnes asked again eagerly. Agatha smiled, as she replied, " Priceless, but nothing that concerns you, Ness." 

The next day, the footsteps arrived again. Agatha waited for them to pause in front of their door, and raced to the door. She unlocked the door and found another similar envelope, with a red ribbon around it. Agatha snatched it from the floor, before the wind could pick it up and quickly opened the note. It was of the same handwriting, but there were different words this time.

"Life is real! Life is earnest!

   And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

   Was not spoken of the soul."

The following morning, the breakfast table buzzed with Agnes' chattering. "I tell you, Mama ! It's like one of the ghost tales from Agatha's book ! And the footsteps go thud..thud..thud." The nine year old exclaimed. Her mother chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Very funny, Nessie. Alright, I believe you. Why don't I come sleep with you girls, tonight ?" Their mother added, with an all too knowing smile. As she left the room, Agatha glared at her sister, saying,"Must you always tattle ?" 

That night, they all waited for the grandfather clock to strike twelve, for the mystery footsteps to come up the stairs. They narrated stories of kings and queens, sang lullabies, talked for hours, but the footsteps never came. "Now girls, I've had quite enough of your fibbing." Their mother said firmly, as she put the sisters to bed.

For the next few days, there was no sign of the arrival of the peculiar envelopes, and Agatha felt as if, perhaps they had stopped coming. On that night, Agatha decided to talk to her mother. "Mama, I'd like to sleep alone tonight, please. I'd like it very much, to complete my schoolwork." She said. Her mother agreed. Soon, the clock struck twelve, and Agatha was awakened by thud..thud..thud. The sounds stopped , once reaching her door and vanished. She raced to the door and opened it. 

On the floor lay another envelope, tied with some red ribbon that had frayed at both ends. She picked it up, and read the note enclosed in it. 

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labour and wait."

That was the last Agatha ever heard of the mysterious messenger, for the envelopes never returned. And perhaps, the midnight traveller, had hidden away in the folds of the dark and starry skies.