you have hatched...
Phelim is fourteen. He's standing by a patch of ground next to a main road, where a group of guerilla gardeners are clearing away rubbish and planting bulbs. It's very dark. Alexia, who is also fourteen, is with Phelim, but she's standing back a bit.
'Who were you looking for?' - asks a man in a hat who is turning the dirt to reveal fresh, rich brown soil. 'My father' - replies Phelim.
'He sleeps... near here, someone said, but he shouldn't be sleeping out, I mean, my sister should never have thrown him out... she thought he was mad, but he can't be. He's Jack. He should have been there when he was needed, but I had to do it instead, and I'm not Jack!'
The man smiles and looks up. Phelim recognises his face now, and his voice: 'See this here? It's going to be full of marigolds. Special kind of magic in a marigold.' Phelim stares at the man's face, glances at Alexia, then nods slowly. 'Yes. They're... protection.'
'That's right, son. So you did it then? The Worm, and everything?' Phelim nods. Alexia smiles. 'Well, well, well. Fancy that.'
Phelim splutters out, 'There's a bird somewhere with a gem in its chest, and it will get rid of madness...!" but the man interrupts him. 'I heard that too, but I come to the conculsion that it was just a way of talking about birdsong. Very easing, birdsong. And I'm a bit too busy planting these marigolds to be looking around for a bird with a gem in its chest.'
'So you're not coming home, then?' The gardener stops digging, and pats Phelim's arm comfortingly. 'Not today, son. Not yet. Nothing to stop you coming out with us, though, and doing a bit of digging, eh? Plenty of places could do with it.'
'I did the best I could, Dad, honest! They wanted you, but you weren't there so I had to do it! And Prudence... she called you names and something just came over me! I whistled up an ushtey and told it to take her to the far side of the farthest sea, so now she's gone! It's all gone, Dad! All the magic. I'm not Jack Green any more!'
'Of course you're not! That's me, isn't it? You're my Phee. My Phelim, my boy, and that's magic enough for anyone, God knows. You'll find out, son. You'll see. All in good time. Now, introduce me to your pretty lady friend and let's get to growing things, eh?'
