Peter and the Haunted Hut: 2nd in the series of The Book of Mirrors

By Penny Estlin

Five children. Jeremy, Lydia and Sam look after their two little ones, quiet Jubilee and her outspoken brother, Joel. One evening as they fall asleep, they drift into a dream of things that happened over two thousand years ago, where a rough fisherman called Peter met Jaycee, a man who heals sick people – by magic?  

Jeremy still has his magic sac of everlasting water. Sam’s stick from a cedar tree becomes a magic sword and is back in his belt. Lydia checks her pocket; her mirror of knowledge is still there, and the little ones carry two amazing gifts – a stone and the Book of Life.

Many strange creatures help them on their journey of discovery. Giant locusts fly them through time; Amos, a proud Pelican bird, is the wing commander of many bird divisions – on watch! Florrie, a nervous stork; Red, the clumsy navigator cockerel – who crows three times and flies them into a maze of planet worlds. Two young first-year student angels are sent to take care of them – to pass their exams!

The children witness the shape-shifting of Jaycee on a high mountain, where a mysterious hut leads to many rooms of life after death, but are the swirling grey ghostly dervishes waiting?  

High above them are the Zephier Comet bikers – shooting star angels – who come to save them in a great heavenly battle between Jaycee and the evil dragon prince of Persia who needs to stop Peter from being a great leader.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Nov 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781528995993

Penny Estlin

Penny was blessed with a happy childhood with her older brother and younger sister. Their home was filled with love and laughter, whilst living in both England and South Africa. Sadly, she had to leave school at 15 years to support her family, due to her father’s illness. She married and had two children, Jane and Martin. Penny’s adult life was tough, but through the years she persevered, starting many businesses, mainly in property development. Whilst living in Spain, Penny experienced a chance meeting with someone who changed her life. She was invited to a New Year’s Eve party on a private yacht in Puerto Banus, Costa del Sol. After admiring the owner’s magnificent yacht moored on pier one, he told her, “If God says I can have it, I will. If he says I can’t, I won’t.” Her ensuing discussions with him that evening changed her life. She never saw him again. No one else seemed to know him. In 2004, she met Keith, a retired Royal Naval officer, in Normandy, France, where she lived. They married in France in 2006. He became her rock. On 10 June 2007, Penny experienced a call from God. He told her, “You will be used.” Stunned, Penny argued. “Why now? It’s too late, I’m too old.” Yet she understood that she would have to study theology and achieve a degree! Impossible, as she had never studied academically. Many years later, Penny has completed her B.A in Theology with Honours at the London School of Theology and Middlesex University by distant learning. During the last three years she began writing this allegorical series called The Book of Mirrors. The first book is Magical Mysteries previously published as The Seven Signs.

Book preview

Prologue

The Three Brothers

and Their Two Sisters

0

Jeremy – their leader Lydia – the motherly one Sam – their warrior

The Little Ones – who can see angels.

1

Jeremy is the oldest, at nearly 16, and close to getting ready to go to university. He is quite tall, slim and musically gifted. Being naturally charming, he is gifted with excellent communication abilities, a natural leader with strong ideas. He is very protective of his family, tends not to be realistic or practical in his thinking – but he is determined to make a difference in the world.

Lydia is now 15, a second mother to the little ones. Sometimes called Lyd, she has strong protective motherly towards Jubilee and Joel. She is of medium height, with hazel eyes and thick sable brown hair. She has grown up with the ability to comprehend a situation immediately. Like her mother; she can summarise a situation in six words – while others around her are still trying to work out what’s going on; consequently, she is practical and sharp. However, she tends to be emotionally unsure.

Samuel is now 13 years old. He has a strong physique and loves street dancing. He is pure in mind and sees the good in everyone, which makes him vulnerable. He is always optimistic, helpful, charming and ‘boyish’ with amazing ideas with good intentions, but his spiritual side is more important to him, which overrides his earthly reality. He is now as tall as his mother and is always hungry.

Jubilee is nearly 7 years of age, sometimes called Juby. She is a cute child, who will become a beautiful woman, similar to her sister, though maybe a little taller. She is calmer than Lydia; shy, thoughtful and a deep thinker weighing up everything in her heart and would be the first one to see what the cause of someone’s problem was. Although she is delightful in her manner, her fragile appearance hides a healthy and robust character. She has a good sense of humour and desires to please everyone; this means her innocence needs to be protected, probably by the more adventurous Lydia.

Joel is nearly 6 years of age. His sharp wit delights in questioning everything, even if it’s embarrassing to others. He sees the obvious, doesn’t understand sarcasm and translates everything literally. He’s cute, often needs to be told to be quiet, probably because his mind goes straight from A to B without any deviation; this makes everyone laugh at his innocent comments – which he finds puzzling. He might build an empire one day.

Chapter 1

Back to the Hall of Writings

And Floating Slabs of Treacle

Jane and Stuart were busy putting the finishing touches to the barbecue in their back garden, to celebrate their mother’s birthday. Joel and Jubilee had been allowed to stay up to join in with the family celebrations. The soft evening breeze brushed their faces as the leaves on the trees rustled with excitement. They were all laughing at Sam who couldn’t stop talking excitedly about getting a motorbike when he would become 16 years old.

His mother, Jane, heard this, I’m still not sure about that, Sam, she called over her shoulder. They are dangerous things, I don’t want you having accidents, you know you are a bit, well, clumsy!

The others laughed again at this, it was true, he did seem to ‘bump’ into things or fall off them. He shrugged his broadening teenage shoulders and grinned. He loved his mother; she only wanted the best for him. Slowly, the children walked down to the bottom of the garden, where the swings still hung from when Sam and Lydia were little. Now Joel and Jubilee enjoyed them.

Come on, you two, Jeremy called to the little ones, We’ll give you a push. But just then, the first swing began to move on its own? Jeremy hesitated for a moment. Surely, he was seeing things. Lydia was now by his side. They glanced at one another in surprise. Then, the second swing began to move…forward and back…forward and…

Sam glanced over as he heard their quiet words of surprise. What going on?

Jubilee and Joel also stopped in their tracks, though Joel seemed somehow to accept what was happening. Pointing up at the whispering leaves he said, Look, look, I saw two pink streaks? I did. I did, he said, squealing, flapping his arms up and down to his sides in excitement.

Jeremy and Sam both squeezed their eyes to slits, to concentrate on what Joel thought he had seen. Behind the darkening branches, the dying yellow sun sank below the pink-tinged clouds, which seemed to blossom and spread like candy floss floating over the treetops.

Look, shooting stars! yelled Sam, pointing up through the branches of the trees.

The all saw them. Five shooting stars streamed across the sky lit stage as if they were deliberately drawing the curtains of the day to a close, and so, dividing the light of the day from the heavens.

The swings were still swinging on their own. They stood in a circle staring up as if trying to remember something… But what?

Golly, said Joel, forgetting for the moment about the pink streaks. He spotted the comets and squealed, I can see them. I can see them!

Then, as if his memories were coming back to him, he remembered what the pink streaks were. He suddenly turned on his heels and fled back into the house.

Now what? asked Jeremy, as he watched his little brother dash past him. The swings stopped swinging. Sam’s curiosity made him go over to take a closer look.

What is going on? asked Lydia. I have a funny feeling that Joel has gone back into the house for…

She was right. The four children waited, and sure enough, he came running out of the house through the bright beam of light coming from the dining room window into the semi-darkness where the others still stood in confusion.

I’ve got it. We can go now, called Joel.

Got what? asked Jubilee.

His stone with seven eyes, what else, said Lydia laughing.

Then, they all heard the giggling. They each began to see the colourful force fields of their brothers and sisters. Startled, yet conscious of what they had to do, they instinctively moved into a circle and held hands.

Jubilee was struck by the beauty of Lydia’s changing aura. Lyd, there are purple and pink sparks all around you! They are beautiful. They look like firefly’s grandma talks of.

And you have little blue flowers dancing around, what’s happening? replied Lydia.

The boys weren’t interested in their colours, flashing sparks and rainbow auras, they were looking around in wonder.

We’re off again, yelled Jeremy, as the two pink streaks slowed down. The cherubs – Thumper and Bumper – laughed as they darted around the children, ready to protect and guide them once again. Hold on tight, everyone, and you two, Bumper and Thumper, just make sure you are around when we land – wherever that is.

Yes, yelled Sam, Thank goodness you two are here again. But where are we go…in…g…?

They managed to stay together as they soared higher and higher in a blue beam of light that seemed to be transporting them through the purple sky, whizzing through pink clouds, streaming through trails of light from the comets they had seen towards advancing bright stars, that were growing bigger and bigger… They landed with a thump and puffs of dust!

Oh no, not here again, cried Lydia, looking around as she attempted to brush off the dust of yesterday, which then immediately sparkled and came back to life with brilliant specks of light.

The boys sat quietly looking around. We are back in the Hall of Writings, said Jeremy quietly.

Joel was thrilled, And I’m sitting on the treacle stones again. I wonder if they will start floating when I run on them. He jumped up to see if he was right. He stood up, ready to leap from stone to stone as he wanted to run down the long corridor of shelves of books, knowing that the floating stones would move to fit beneath his feet as he ran. But before anyone could say anything, the stones they weren’t sitting on began to spin over and over and over. Joel immediately stopped in surprise.

Don’t move, yelled Jeremy. This looks dangerous, but why?

Now what? asked Lydia. I don’t think I am going to be able to cope with this, it really does look dangerous.

Sam said with a frown, There must be a reason for this!

Yes, agreed Jeremy, "But what? The first thing is that no one moves until we sort out what is happening." At this, his stone began to float up above the others, carrying him high above their heads in silence as the others remained very still, as they each turned to look up to watch him.

Sam stood up in readiness to fight off anything unexpected. Hold on, Sam, wait, we don’t need you falling off a stone either, called Lydia. Joel, NO running around, do you hear me? She finished frowning at him as if to say ‘don’t you dare!’

Jubilee began to grin, then wondered if the Book of Mirrors would come back to her again. She tried. Nothing happened.

Then, Lydia remembered that she had been given the looking glass and that now might be a good time to see if she still had it. Was it still working? She desperately needed to ask it some questions. Making sure not to move on her stone, she turned to look at her younger sister, who was still watching Jeremy floating overhead. Then, Lydia felt something moving slowly in her hip pocket. Oh! Oooooooh…there’s something small in my pocket. I hate spiders! Ahhh, groaning, she screwed up her face in fear.

Don’t panic, I think it’s just your looking glass, called Jubilee. We need it. Take it out, you can ask it what is going on!

Lydia fixed her eyes on her little sister as she slowly put her hand down to feel what was still wriggling. With a sigh of relief, she felt the familiar shape of the compact looking glass. She pushed her fingers deep into her pocket and pulled out the glass. Phew, thank goodness for that.

By now, Jeremy was almost out of sight, still floating down the darkened corridor as the books on the shelves watched and stirred, looking at what was happening. They began to nudge each other in anticipation.

Look, look, said a grand looking book of major prophets. They are back.

A minor book of prophets nearby on a shelf below croaked, Yes, having been woken by their conversations in the semi-dark and then, How exciting.

Don’t shout, said another book from the major prophets. We don’t want to scare them, do we? Dust began to sparkle, lighting up the corridors as the freshness of the children in their darkness seemed to bring new life to the Hall of Writings.

It’s started again, said one ancient and lonely book quietly, nodding as he nudged the book next to him, who had fallen over a long time ago and was still fast asleep. He stirred in the dust that had piled up on him like a silk blanket.

I can’t see properly from here, said the half-awake book, who began wriggling to get a better view. You knocked me over last time, I don’t like lying down, it makes me stiff and creaky. What else is happening? Are any of the other books awake?

They soon will be, with all of you talking so loudly. Shush…! said the first book of prophets.

This sudden excitement of the lost time brought the rest of the sleeping books all along the shelves to wake up from their deep slumber. As they did so, more eager nudging began making each of them stretch their covers, struggling to get a better view down the long dark corridor, which was beginning to fill with snowy white light. Puffs of fine dust were floating about like icing sugar being shaken on a cake, ready to serve.

This is going to be exciting, continued the ancient book with a huge grin on his face.

"You mean it’s beginning to happen, at last!" cried the flat book angrily, as he still struggled to open his pages, whilst attempting to right himself, but collapsed again, making even more dust puff off the shelf.

A smaller book, further down the shelf, couldn’t help getting excited. Look, look, she’s going to open her glass. Oh, this so thrilling. At last.

Shhhh, whispered the ancient books irritably, You’ll spoil everything. We can watch what is going to happen here, so just be quiet. All of you.

Flicking the small glass compact open, Lydia saw the familiar mirror which wasn’t broken or cracked. Sighing with relief, she stuttered, What…what do we have to do? And why are the stones rolling over and over?

The words came across the screen,

You have to find the books and put the ones you need in the right order. The stones stop spinning.

But, but, where do we look? replied Lydia.

At the beginning, before the recording of the age when the time was counted, the screen answered.

Oh crumbs, and when is THAT! she spluttered. The looking glass snapped shut. By now, Jeremy had almost disappeared, yet, the stone he was sitting on, was now glowing, giving him a dim light in the darkness. Then they heard Jeremy shouting from the distance,

I’ve got it. I’ve got it.

Looking up, they saw him floating on the black-looking gravestone, coming back to them and the light it gave off was getting stronger. He was now standing as if riding a surfboard. He was waving something above his head. Slowly, the stone glided into place, as if coming to rest in shallow water on a sandy beach. The book in his hand said on the cover, ‘Before the Rock.’

At this, some of the spinning stones slowed down, some even stopped altogether. The children were surprised as they watched the changing stone arrangements. They soon realised that a narrow pathway was forming in the spinning stone floor where some stones had stopped spinning.

Can we walk on those stones now? asked Jubilee, who was still sitting down.

Well, it certainly seems to be that way, said Sam, as he watched the shining liquorice-black stones forming a pathway, away down the corridor and back into the darkness.

Perhaps this pathway will lead us to find the other books we’ll probably need to start our journey of discovery about Peter, said Sam. He looked at Jeremy to see if he agreed.

Ok, but I’ll go first, said Jeremy. You stay at the back Sam, just in case there is a problem. I don’t want any of you falling between the rolling stones and getting stuck, or worse!

Joel jumped up saying, Me next, me next, I want to follow Jeremy. Please, Lydia, can I? he said pouting his lips and putting his head to one side and trying to grin up at her.

It’s no good looking at me like that, young man, Jeremy is our leader and Sam guards us. You will hold Sam’s hand and there will be no arguing about it. Jubilee will follow Jeremy. Sam smiled and held out his hand to his little brother. Slowly and very carefully, they stepped onto the still black slab path which had formed. One by one, led by Jeremy, they began to walk down into the gloomy past of yesterday, where many ghostly writers, of hundreds of years ago, nodded and grinned at them as they floated past. Lydia shivered. Jubilee grinned back as she had always liked writing stories, even when she was a little girl. Sam flexed his muscles placing his feet apart – ready for action. Jeremy was frowning as he concentrated and Joel couldn’t stop jumping up and down on his shiny stone – not noticing that the words on his stone began to pass along beneath his feet, as if time had started to move forward.

Lydia noticed this as she was about to shout at him to behave himself, Uh, ho! Something is happening! she yelled to the others. "For goodness sake, Joel, stand still, please."

It…it’s beginning to get brighter, said Jubilee quietly, as if not wanting to disturb the living spirits who seemed to be there, wondering what they were doing? Glancing around, the boys felt quite sure they could see shadows waking up from years and years of waiting, and the shadows were watching them curiously and with complete surprise.

Instinctively, each of the children kept as quiet as possible. This was an eerie place no one had ever, ever seen. They just knew this and that it was a great honour for them to be there. They began to see visions which reminded them of old brown movies from the past, which they had seen on television back home. Battles long past, of horses, covered in sweat, eyes bulging with snorting nostrils of – what looked like – fire! Jeremy and Sam recognised great men and women watching – smiling at them, of forests, men digging and women weeping holding babies in their arms. The air was cold, damp, the ground groaning at so many lost chances, as if mostly in vain and yet, somehow there was a pattern to it all, like a field of rocks and boulders, freshly dug over thousands of years ago by a giant farmer who saw no hope. There seemed to be no water, just endless boulders where nothing grew. Suddenly, they began to see magnificent flowers, growing between the barren rocks, each one giving off their own individual perfumes of love, compassion and grace. The air was heady with joy and anticipation.

Has anyone been down here before? whispered Lydia. She felt Jubilee’s hand slip into hers as they crept forward, following Jeremy. Without realizing it, the corridor had become much brighter, the visions stopped as if someone knew they needed comforting.

Look, said Joel pointing up, We can see all the shelves now. Golly, what a lot of scrolls and papers.

Yes, agreed Jubilee, There is even writing carved in the stones, where have they all come from and why are they here?

The book in Jeremy’s hand leapt from his grasp. The great cave burst into light as the children saw all its glory. A strong deep voice from above them said solemnly, "This is where all thoughts and actions are recorded, both on earth and in heaven. ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven’ Amen."¹

The children’s minds swirled with awe and shock. For several moments, they couldn’t respond. Jubilee was the thinker of things like these. She was the one who dared to speak.

Err, do you mean, she hesitated, That our thoughts are things recorded, and if we aren’t careful – they could become our actions – good or bad?

A deep, yet gentle roar of joy came from above them, "Yes. Prayers from a pure heart become ‘things’ in Heaven that can be used by the angels to do good works on Earth. Evil thoughts are also recorded – but used by Satan. Guard your souls carefully for you carry within you the treasure of God, ²your souls are a gift of life from the breath of ‘I AM’." At this, the gigantic room burst wide open, with a great crashing sound as the skies opened to the stars of the universe, which seemed huge and so very close, and the voices of the angels themselves filled the air.

---

¹ Matthew 6:10- 15, Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; John 1:4.↩︎

² 2 Corinthians,Treasures in Jars of Clay. 4: 7-10↩︎

Chapter 2

The Mystery of JMML

And Green Fireflies

As if they had been asleep, they found themselves wandering back down the dark corridor, which was becoming brighter and brighter as they moved forward, further and further away from the deep past.

Lydia realised that the brightness was coming from tiny green fireflies, which had joined them, flying together making a torch of light in front of them, to guide their way back.

Isn’t this amazing, she whispered to Joel behind her. At this, the others realised what was happening.

Then all at once, the fireflies became red as if it was a warning! Lydia shouted to Jeremy, "Something is wrong, we have to stop, NOW." So, they did.

There was a very loud ‘clunk’! Joel had stepped back onto the spinning rocks as he tried to look up at the fireflies. He let out a piercing howl as he screamed through the shadows.

AHAAAAAA… Lydia and the others spun around to look towards him, then, they rushed over to the terrible grinding noise as he continued to scream.

Stop it. Stop it, yelled Lydia, frantically pulling at his foot. Jeremy jammed the book he held into the stones. There was a frightening flash of light. All the stones stopped spinning. Darkness fell, except for the green fireflies. And the book was damaged.

Joel squealed, My foot, my foot! the green fireflies had turned red as they completely covered his foot, still jammed in between the black stone slabs that looked like cracked treacle.

What are they doing? screamed Lydia.

Jubilee closed her eyes, Please, Jaycee, please, help him. He’s my little brother, she sobbed. I don’t want… Just save his foot, Please!

The stones around Joel’s foot began to get warm and shiny, then, the stones