When I come online, I have a set number of sites that open automatically so all I need to do is click on whichever tab I want to view. Iām sure Iām not the only one to do that, but it does save me a couple of milliseconds each time. Well, time is of the essence, is it not?
Occasionally ā more often than not ā one of the sites breaks down, and instead of seeing the name of the site on the tab, I see another message. Usually āErrorā and sometimes a timeout message. Today, I saw the words ābad gatewayā, and they set my mind off on an incredible journey.
Out in the Grinds, down at the far end quite close to the lake where the plesiosaur lives, is an old stone wall. Itās about two metres tall and covered in ivy and other creeping plants and moss. I think the wall probably circled the whole Mansion and Grinds back in the day, but part of the wall has collapsed. Some of the stones have stayed where they fell, some being reclaimed by Earth herself, with grasses and flowers growing around them. And one of the stones, for some reason, seems to be a hotspot for mushrooms and toadstools.
The toadstools are the fascinating part. Yellow and white; red and white; and one is blue and white! Iāve never seen anything like it before in my life! Theyāre huge as well ā well, the sizes range from apple-sized to pumpkin-sized.
Around the toadstools, and the stones, appears to be a path of some kind. Only tiny, I have to add, as though whatever creatures visit the area follow the same path and donāt veer from it.
I followed this tiny path to a part of the wall that hadnāt collapsed, and, at the bottom, was a small hole covered by a tatty square piece of wood.
Beyond the wall is The Rest Of The World, or the Extended Grinds, leading to towns, cities and the rest of England. Quite special in its own right, but nothing too spectacular ā itās just there.
Curiosity, and an overactive imagination, got the better of me, and I crouched down to move the piece of wood and have a look into the hole.
I wasnāt expecting what I found next. The piece of wood was a door, connected to the wall with a tiny hinge. It was in a bad state, as the rest of the wall, and hence I knew there was a hole. The door opened outwards, so towards meā¦ and I peered within the hole; expecting just to see the world beyond.
And I did see that. Not our world though, a completely different ā almost alien – world. Glass buildings and skyscrapers gave that away. I couldnāt see any movement, but I could only see a small glimpse through the hole ā thereās no way Iād fit through it, even if I lost a little weight. Iād actually need to lose a lot of height to be able to get through. Iād need to get down to one inch!
So, at the very far end of the Grinds is a ānewā gateway. A bad gateway, for I cannot get through it to explore that different place beyond, although already my mind is working overtime conjuring up all kinds of images as to what could actually be there.
I may try to see if thereās another way through one day, but for now it will have to remain a realm within the imagination. Thereās always something, isnāt there?
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