The Forest

Journey on through ages gone, to the centre of the earth Past rocks of quartz and granite, which gave mother nature birth Burial ground of ancient man, his life no more is seen, A journey through his time unknown, I wonder where he's been Wonder where he's been, wonder where he's been, wonder where he's been The shore now gone behind the hills, a forest in our sight, Rocks and distant mountains, bathed in waves of blinding light Forests from far gone time, no living man has seen, A private prehistoric world, for you and I a dream Brownish hue dicates my eye, no colour hides their fear, Flowers faded, dull and cold, now bleached by atmosphere Creatures twisting under trees, huge monsters soaked with rage Hidden deep below our earth, a frightening, bygone age Their shepherd came, now long extinct, a huge primeval man The three men filled with disbelief, just turned as one and ran NARRATION Narration 8 Dumb with astonishment and amazement which bordered on stupefaction, they fled the forest. Instinctively, they made towards the Lidenbrook Sea. Discovering a rusty dagger on the beach, and the carved initials of the explorer before them on a slab of granite, they realised that thay were once again treading the route of Arne Saknussemm. Following a short sea journey around a cape, they came ashore where a dark tunnel plunged deep into rock. Venturing down, their progress was halted by a piece of rock blocking their way. After deciding to blow their way through, and setting the charge, they put out to sea for safety. With the explosion, the rocks before them opened like a curtain, and a bottomless pit appeared in the shore. The explosion had caused an earthquake, the abyss had opened up, and the sea was pouring into it. Down and down they plunged into the huge gallery, but on regaining their senses found their raft rising at tremendous speed. Trapped in the shaft of an active volcano they rose through the ages of man to be finally expelled out on a mountain-side riddled with tiny lava streams. Their journey was completed and they found themselves 3000 miles from their original starting point in Iceland. They had entered by one volcano and they had come out by another. With the blue mountains of Calabria in the east they walked away from the mountain that had returned them. The frightening Mount Etna.