group reports

(This story was read out over the radio to all the school kids in the Bush in Australia, by a pen-friend of Dennis. At the end of each lesson for the day she would finish by reading the kids a chapter over the radio.)

It was a fine summer evening, Mark Wilson and his friend Ross Hunter were out walking, after a little while Mark noticed it had gone quite dark and thinking it was going to rain suggested they turn back. Suddenly a distant roll of thunder and some heavy raindrops heralded a storm. The boys were only in shirt sleeves so they started to run. In a field just ahead of them they spotted a barn. "Lets head for the barn quick." said Ross.

Luckily it was open, and once inside they sat down on the hay exhausted. Mark said "Maybe it will ease off in a bit."

The next thing they remembered was waking up and it was really dark by this time. It had stopped raining so they decided to make their way back to the hostel where they were staying.

"I think we might be locked out for the night." Ross said "Well we will have to look for somewhere to stay the night."

After walking for about twenty minutes they saw a light in a field to their right. Perhaps it's a farm house maybe we can get bed and breakfast, lets go and see if we can stay the night.

As the two boys were walking towards the light it went out. "Oh well," said Mark "back to the open road."

Ross stopped and told Mark to listen. There was a strange humming noise coming from the direction where they had seen the light. Without warning the light came back on, this time it was much larger than before and was giving off an orange glow and pulsating. It was as if the boys were being drawn towards it, with no power to stop themselves.

As they got nearer the light they could make out a large cylindrical object. "It's a Space ship." said Mark. The light which was now about ten foot square suddenly stopped pulsating and what looked like a figure in the centre started to speak.

The boys were petrified. It was as if Zolta could sense that they were afraid. He told them they had nothing to fear from him. and he meant them no harm. "The people of my planet have been watching your planet for some time, we are very interested in what has been going on over the last decade. We have seen many rockets being sent up into the atmosphere by your scientists, if this is to try to contact the people of outer space then they must be very careful."

It was now that Mark plucked up enough courage to speak. "Why are you telling us all this? We are not scientists, just two students on a few weeks holiday. If we tell anybody about this they will only laugh at us."

"I will give you all the proof you need. If the two of you will enter my ship I can show you all you need to know."

Ross was all for entering the ship but Mark was still a little apprehensive. Zolta again told the boys that he meant them no harm. So they both entered through the large door. As they entered the large door closed behind them quietly without their knowledge.

The following morning Andy Blake a young boy who was staying at the hostel with Mark and Ross went to the Matron and reported that the boys had not returned to the hostel the night before. Mrs. Dunbar a pleasantly plump middle aged lady hurried off to the dormitory to find that their beds had not been slept in.

"The boys went out for a walk, yesterday evening." said Andy. "Perhaps they went into town to go to the cinema and missed the last bus, so they probably stayed somewhere the night."

Later that day Andy took the local bus to the main town but the boys were nowhere to be found. I'm sure something is wrong he thought.

Andy Blake was from Kent, and he was staying at the hostel while his father Professor James Blake was visiting a friend called Professor Karl Schuman. He was another scientist and had a laboratory in an old mansion about six miles away. Professor Blake arrived to collect Andy at 4 30 pm. He told his father that the two boys had disappeared and that he was getting quite worried about them.

The Professor thought there might be a simple explanation why the boys had not returned the night before. He said that to put Andy's mind at rest they would go along to the local police station to report it. They were shown into an office and they told the policeman on duty what had happened the night before. The policeman said he would make some enquiries around the area, and get back to them if he found out anything.

When they come out of the police station Andy asked his father if he could stay and see if the boys would turn up again. Professor Blake said he had forgotten to give Professor Schuman a document from the Astronomical Research Centre in London. This meant that he would have to return to the mansion, he told Andy that he could come along if he promised to keep out of the way.

They arrived at the mansion at about 6 30pm. Andy was shown into a large library while his father went to see Professor Schuman in his laboratory. While Andy was waiting he started looking around, the door suddenly opened and a butler came in.

"I have been told to tell you that you will be staying the night sir, your father will be with you presently."

Andy was quite excited at the thought of staying in a mansion that dated back to medieval times. The night was warm and Andy couldn't sleep, so he got up and went to the window for a breath of air. It was then that he heard a strange noise.

Opening the door very quietly he crept along the passage and down the stairs. The noise seemed to be coming from the direction of the laboratory. He stopped outside the door and knelt down to look through the keyhole. Inside he could see Professor Schuman looking at some large screen.

It was at this moment that two hands caught him by the scruff and bundled him into the room. Andy's father looked very stern. "Where was the boy?" asked Professor Schuman to the butler who was the person who had caught hold of Andy. "Outside the door sir!" "Thank you Danvers that will be all, you may retire for the night." " Thank you sir, goodnight."

Danvers left the room, Andy was looking very sheepishly at his father who he could see was very displeased with him. Andy said he couldn't get to sleep as it was so warm and he was still worried about his friends. The noise didn't help either.

Professor Blake said that in the morning they would go back to the police station to see if anything had been found out regarding their disappearance.

Suddenly Professor Schuman pointed to a large cylindrical shape on the screen in front of them. "What is it?" asked Professor Blake. "I think it's some type of space craft." said Professor Schuman. It was at that moment that the object which seemed motionless in the stratosphere shot off in a flash and was gone off the screen.

Meanwhile Ross and Mark were being shown around the space craft by Zolta, and were unaware that they had even taken off from Earth, and were also being watched by the two Professors and Andy.

The boys were very interested in the workings of the ship and asked Zolta many questions. Zolta then pressed a button on a panel and a large portion of the ship slid open to reveal a sight that the boys just couldn't believe.

Before them they could see the Earth, it amazed them and also frightened them a little to think they were in space. "How long have we been in space?" asked Mark.

"Time is limitless in space. Do not be alarmed I will return you to your planet in a short while.

When I first met you I told you that we have been watching your planet for some time now. Your scientists keep sending up rockets into space. If you look out of the ship very closely you will see a reddish ring around the planet.

This is known as a radiation belt, which breaks up every time a rocket passes through it. It then starts a chain reaction in the atom molecules. If this keeps up the belt will break and all the planets in the solar system will be in danger.

"Why didn't your spaceship cause a chain reaction when you entered our atmosphere?" asked Ross.

Zolta explained that the ship was made of a special alloy which resisted all radiation. "I am now going to ask you a very serious question. Would you like to come to my planet of Xarbia, or return to Earth straight away?"

The two boys had a discussion and said they would go with Zolta, knowing he meant them no harm. It would be a chance of a lifetime.

Zolta was a very tall person about six foot eight inches and had very blonde hair. Ross asked him if all the people on Xarbia were as tall as he was? "Some are even taller." he replied.

After travelling for some time Mark said he was getting very warm. "It is alright," said Zolta, "we are passing through a heat barrier, it doesn't effect the ship much. It makes one a little uncomfortable for a short while." He gave the boys a cool drink and told them to try and get some sleep if they could. He would wake them when they were getting near to Xarbia.

Zolta woke the boys and told them to look out of the observation window. They could see a large planet straight ahead of them, it looked all orange and green, it didn't seem to have a lot of blue or water like on Earth. Zolta told the boys to strap themselves in as they would be landing very soon.

The ship landed and Zolta pressed a button on the control panel and the door opened to reveal a vast plain of fertile green land. It looks like very much like Earth. A large shape appeared on the horizon and Zolta said it was a vehicle coming to take them to the city.

When the vehicle stopped near the ship we could see it was a sort of hover craft about twenty feet long. The first person we saw was a man, very tall about fifty, he seemed much taller than Zolta. He came over to Zolta and said something to him in a language we didn't understand, he then walked over toward us. We were like midgets by the side of him, he smiled and bent down to shake our hands. He told us that he was Zerius the leader of the planet Xarbia. Zolta joined us and told us that we could get in the vehicle, this would take us all to the city.

It was a wonderful sight, all the buildings were made of a glass like substance and shone in the sunlight. We saw plenty of people, and the women were very tall as well, around six foot I should think. The vehicle stopped outside what looked like a large office building, but we found out that it was Zerius's home.

We entered and were told to lie down on what looked like a yellow carpet. Once everyone had got on the carpet we were all whisked off along a corridor at terrific speed. In a few minutes we stopped outside a room, as we entered it looked like a hospital it was all painted white and was spotlessly clean. Two young people came to meet us. They were about the same age as Mark and Ross. Zolta introduced us to them as Zarbia and Zanius his brother and sister. "Zerius is our father."

After a meal Zanius asked us if we would like to change into some clothes worn by Xarbians, then we wouldn't look so conspicuous. He took us into a small room where there were different coloured robes. They looked very similar to Roman Togas. On Zanius his looked very short and it was a bright orange colour.

While we were changing we asked Zanius if he had been in space. He told us that he had been to Jupiter once which was the nearest planet to Xarbia. He said that he had not landed as the atmosphere was not able to sustain life.

We joined the others in the other room. Zarbia smiled when she saw us dressed in our new outfits. I suppose we did look rather odd. The clothes were made for for Zanius he was six foot four, We were only five foot six and five foot ten. Zolta was the first to start to laugh, and then they all started laughing, us included. Zanius said that if we were to meet the people of Xarbia, we should be at least dressed in the right size clothes.

As it is very late, Zolta said that it was time for us to get some sleep. We said goodnight to Zerius and then the yellow carpet took us along to another room. Zanius and Zarbia came with us, as their rooms were near to ours. The both of us must have gone to sleep straight away as we were very tired. What the next day would bring was anybody's question.

The following morning we awoke quite early so we asked Zonis where was the bathroom, he took us through an adjoining room across a small hall into the biggest bathroom we had ever seen. Zonis told us to take a bath and go back to the adjoining room where clean clothes would be laid out for us.

Mark took his bath first while I just had a little look around. I was having a good soak with my back towards the door, I heard someone coming in thinking it was Mark I turned around, it was a man who pointed toward the other room. He left and I dried and hurried into the room and I saw the clothes there waiting for me. I dressed quickly and then went to Zanius's room.

Mark was already dressed and eating breakfast. I was really hungry myself by this time. As I was just finishing my breakfast Zarbia entered. She said we looked quite smart in our clothes now that they were the correct size.

She told us that we were going with her and Zanius to see some of the sights of the main city of Xarbia.

We all went on the yellow carpet and it stopped at the front door, Marks clothes were bright blue in colour and mine were dark green. Zarbia said we both now looked like Xarbians now, but only smaller.When we got outside we walked down the street for a short while and then came to a large building, which Zanius said was the main mono rail station in the city.

The four of us went up in a lift three floors, we then were on the same level as the mono rail. We started our journey high above the city. It was a marvellous sight, we were up about sixty feet off the ground level and travelling at sixty miles an hour.

Mark asked if this was the fastest way of travelling around the city. Zanius said that there were some mono rails that went much faster, we were on a suburban line.

In an hour we came to a halt at a large station. Zarbia said that we would have to change cars because she wanted to take us to see the underground factories. We all caught another car which was slightly bigger that the first one. It held about twenty people.

In fact there were only about ten of us on board. There was a lady with a young child about five years old, an old man, and a middle aged couple, and a young boy around our own age.

The car started on its journey Zanius spoke to the young boy and said that we were visitors from another planet. He then told us that he had been on holiday to another planet a few years before.

The car entered a tunnel and we came out at another station which although it was underground was lit like daylight. The middle aged couple and the old man got off and the car continued on its journey. It was then that Ross said, "I'm sure there's something wrong with this car. It's rocking a lot more than before." I told him it was his imagination.

As I finished speaking there was a screech of brakes and a violent crash. All the lights went out. we seemed to be thrown towards the back of the car.

Zanius shouted if everyone was alright? The child was crying in the darkness ahead of me, I called Ross but there wasn't any reply. It was so dark, I moved forward slightly and came against someone. Then the lights came on and I discovered it was Ross. He had been thrown against the back of the seat behind us and was unconscious.

Zanius and Zarbia were Ok but as they went to help me with Ross, we noticed he had a nasty gash on his head where he must have hit the seat in the impact.

Zanius went to see how the lady and little boy were, Zarbia went to help the other boy in the car who seemed to be shaken up a little but ok. Zanius came back with the little boy and gave him to Zarbia to hold. He said he thought the lady was dead but couldn't really tell.

ut of us left in the car Ross seemed to be the worse off, the lady was either dead or in a very bad way. Zanius said we must have come off the rail, as the lights have come back on they must know there's been some sort of accident and if we keep calm a rescue party will soon come along.

We heard another car coming and eventually people arrived with first aid kits and walkie-talkies. We were transferred into the other car and brought back to the station. Zarbia told them who we were and asked if they could get in contact with her father.

Ross was still unconscious and they said he would be taken to a hospital in the city. The youth who was with us was taken to the hospital for a check up . The child was taken to a centre where he would stay until they could trace some relatives.

Zerius and Zolta came to take us home, we told them about Ross . Zerius said he was in good hands and that we would all go and see how he was later in the day. We were all given a sedative and told to go to bed. When we awoke Zolta said that we could go to see Ross that evening.

After visiting Ross we all went to see the other youth involved in the crash, we found him in great spirits after his ordeal. He told us that his name was Zonis. He worked in the underground factories and was on his way to work when the accident happened.

We asked him if he would like to meet up with us after he left the hospital and we could all go around together. He said he would. The following day he was discharged but Ross had to stay in another day because his head wound needed some more treatment.

Zanius suggested we all go to see the mines on the other side of the city. "There are great crab creatures which do a lot of the hard work."

"Yes," said Zarbia, "it's a creature of great strength and size. It works in the mines under careful watch of guards."

We arrived at the mine and Zanius asked one ot the guards if the creatures were on the surface or in the mine. We were told that it was in a quarry about 500 yards to our left being fed.

It was about twenty feet long and had two very large claws, which the guard said it used for digging in the mine. All the entries to the mine were from the quarry so there was no need to worry about it getting out.

We left and returned to the city and went to see Ross in the hospital and to tell him about the crab creatures . He said he wished he could have been with us to see the monster. We said we would return another time when he was out of hospital and on the mend.

We left Ross and returned back home to Zeriu's house, I had a very strange feeling that something terrible was going to happen in the not too distant future. I slept very restless that night, and kept waking up after having nightmares about the crash and the crab creatures.

The following day was very warm and Zarbia asked if we would like to go on a picnic. We decided to visit Ross first and call in on Zonis to see if he was well enough to come with us.

When we arrived at the hospital the doctor told us that Ross was well enough to leave, but must take things easy for the next few days. Ross got dressed and Zanius suggested that he should come with us on the picnic and that some sun and fresh air might do him the world of good. We caught the mono rail again and Ross was a little apprehensive but we assured him that it was alright.

Zanius said we would have to get one of the hover craft type of vehicles to the other side of the city. When we arrived it was a wonderful resort on the edge of a lake. Mark said it was a bit like Ruislip Lido, but this was only meant for Ross.

There were boats, water ski ing and swimming. Zanius went into a building and returned with three swimming costumes for himself, Zonis and me. Zarbia then went in and got one for herself. We thought it best that Ross didn't swim, Zonis told us that if we hired a motor boat we could go over the far side of the lake and it would be much quieter for Ross.

Zonis went to hire the boat and we all went over to the far side of the lake. When we got there we collected wood for a fire and then changed into our swim suits and had a swim, Zarbia was very beautiful and looked much older in her swim suit.

The water was crystal clear and icy cold but very very refreshing on such a hot day. The fire had started to burn quite brightly and we all sat around listening to some music on a radio that Zarbia had brought with us.

Suddenly the music stopped and there was an announcement on the radio a news flash. Two of the Crab Creatures had escaped from the mine. Zanius said we had better pack up at once as the mine was only about five mile away.

We started the boat and as we were half way across the lake when the water became very choppy and there swimming toward us was one of the crab creatures. We tried to avoid it but the next thing we were all in the water swimming for our lives. I shouted to everyone to watch out for the claws. Zarbia and Zanius were near to me and helped me with Ross who was still quite weak.

The creature moved away from us and headed toward the shore. People were running and screaming wildly about the beach, not knowing which way to run. The crab creature started up the beach toward the people.

Suddenly the other crab creature came over the top of a hill and there were some people caught in between the two of them. It was at that moment that some helicopter type craft came over and dropped large nets over the creatures and sprayed them some liquid . This knocked them out and they were taken away.

Ross looked terrible, we all were shaken up, but no one was injured or killed. What had started out to be a peaceful picnic had turned into a disaster.

Ross was badly shaken and when we got back to the city we took him to the hospital for a check up. The doctor gave him a sedative and said he would sleep for quite a while. Since coming to Xarbia we had been in two frightening situations and we managed to come out alive.

After a good nights sleep Zolta told us that it was time for us to see the proof of what he had said about the radiation belt around the Earth.

We followed him on the yellow carpet to a large room at the top of the building. Zerius,Zanius and Zarbia were there when we entered Zerius told us that he was going to put us in a machine that would take us into the future. I told him that Ross wasn't well enough to be subjected to that sort of treatment.

Zanius offered to go with me. We were led across the room and told to sit. Zerius explained that we would be sent into the future on the planet Earth. We would be there for two hours, this should be enough time for me to see what Zolta meant about the radiation belt.

We both sat quite still, then a hissing noise started, it became unbearable, then just as I thought I was going mad a ray of light passed over me and we were gone. The last thing I remember was a lovely warm feeling all over bathed in the light and the hissing noise completely gone.

I must have passed out because when I came to I was beside Zanius in what looked like a sand dune. He told me that he had come around earlier and had gone to see where we were. It was very stange he said but I could see no signs of life at all.

On investigating I discovered we were in a dessert maybe Africa or Australia I thought. Then suddenly the whole dessert started to shake. I told Zanius that it must be an Earthquake.

In a second it stopped, I was very relieved. We started to walk for some time then what looked like some buildings started to appear on the horizon. As we got nearer I could make out what looked like Blackpool Tower or the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

I thought to myself this is ridiculous, it can't be. Then as if by chance we stumbled on some old boxes with some newspapers inside one of the buildings .

The story told of space ship crashes and of a radiation belt that surrounded the Earth being broken and this had made the radiation spread. I put the paper in my pocket and told Zanius that I had the proof we needed.

He then took out of his pocket a small device which he pressed twice. In a few moments the hissing noise started again and we were both bathed in the light. The next thing I remember was waking up in the chairs as if we had only been asleep.

On our return Ross was very glad to see me. He told me that Zerius had said that once we had the proof of what was going to happen on Earth in the future, we could both return to our own planet in our own time.

We asked Zolta how long it had been since we left Earth? "It would be about three weeks in your time."

I said it seemed like months since we first came to Xarbia. All that had happened seemed like a bad dream.

Zanius and Zarbia had been given permission to to with Zolta when he returned to Earth. It was now very late so we all went to bed, although I was very tired I couldn't sleep thinking about the paper I found, and where we had gone in the time machine.

I did fall asleep eventually and so heavily that I slept until the early afternoon the next day. I was told that we would be leaving later that day. Ross was fully recovered from his accident and was looking forward to returning home.

We left in the hovercraft transport for the rocket site and Zerius came with us to see us off. Our own clothes had been returned to us washed and nice and clean for us to wear on the homeward journey. Zarbia said that we could keep the clothes that were made for us while we were on Xarabia, as a keepsake and also as proof of our visit.

After we said our goodbyes to Zerius we all boarded the spacecraft. Ross and I were not afraid this time in fact we were like two well travelled astronauts. We all strapped ourselves in for the take off, and were back in space in no time. On our way back home to Earth.

We had been in space for about five hours, Zolta told us he had seen something on the radascope which had disturbed him. He said that in the distance there were meteorites which could damage the ship if we were hit and they were large enough.

Zanius asked if we could go around them? Zolta said he didn't think they were that large to be dangerous to harm us but with meteorites you could never tell.

It wasn't long before we could see the meteorites coming towards us at terrific speed. Zolta pressed a switch on the panel and a greenish glow came on around the ship. This is a protective ray and is used as a shield against meteorites.

This gave us a much safer feeling knowing that at least we had some protection from the danger. It was at that moment the green ray went off.

The meteorites were all around us and Zolta had no idea what had made the ray go off. Then as quickly as they had come they disappeared. We all breathed more easily now.

The next few hours passed uneventful, then at last we came in sight of Earth. It still looked very small in the blackness of space, but was a wonderful sight. As we came nearer we couuld distinguish quite a few countries through the haze of the clouds, the oceans were quite clear.

Zolta told us that he would not be landing his ship this time, Zanius would take us in a smaller craft which was inside the spaceship. We said our goodbyes and transferred to the smaller craft with Zanius. Everything was going great and we could see the Earth getting larger and larger as we came into its gravity pull.

Suddenly the ship started to spin and was falling towards the Earth at a terrific speed. Ross and I must have blacked out. The last thing I remember was Zanius fighting with the controls, and we were falling,falling, falling.

When we came around we were in a field at the far end was a barn just like the one we had hid in from the storm. I thought it must have been a dream, going into space and visiting another planet called Xarbia.

I put my hand in my pocket and found the newspaper with the story about the radiation belt explosion in the future. There besides us were the clothes made by Zarbia and a note which said:

Sorry about the rough trip. The two of you had blacked out so I landed and put you in the field. I hope you will tell all your leaders about us on Xarbia. Show them the paper we found about what will happen in the future on your planet.

Perhaps when your people have conquered space you might visit our planet again, If not, I am sure we will be visiting you from time to time.

Goodbye dear Earth friends, you are now safely back home.