‘Roger!’

The boy could hear his mother’s voice resonating among the trees in the backyard. He couldn’t answer her from the attic as he was busy moving the pieces of furniture and opening every box he found around them. The sound of her mother’s voice grew louder.

‘Roger!’ She called again.

‘Here!’ He shot back.

‘I’m coming!’

Roger stood up and walked to the top of stairs.

What on earth are you doing here? She asked, raising an eyebrow as she saw her son.

‘Hey, mum! I’m just looking for some books. I’m doing my homework with Sam and Lily today. They must be on their way. Do we have a book about places and legends?’

‘There used to be nice book about wonderful places that my father would read to me when I was a child. You’ll find it somewhere. Well, I just came to tell you that I’m going out for a while. Don’t go anywhere and finish your homework. I’ll be back in an hour or so. That’s around 5.00,’ his mother said and kissed him goodbye.

‘Of course, mum. I’ll be here when you come back. Scout’s honour,’ he said, holding up the three middle fingers of his right hand next to his head. When his mother was about to leave the room, the doorbell rang.

‘They seem to be here. I’ll tell your friends to come upstairs,’ she said.

‘Don’t worry, mum. I’ll get it.’ Roger said while he hurried downstairs and opened the door.

‘Hi, Roger! said Sam and Lily together.

‘Have you found anything for our homework?’ asked Sam.

‘Hi, guys! Not yet. I’m sure there is a book about the topic. Mum said she read it when she was a child. I know it’s an old book, but legends don’t change.’

‘It’s OK. We’ll help you find it,’ said Lily.

The three kids said goodbye Roger’s mum and went upstairs.

‘What is it like?’ asked Sam.

‘She didn’t say,’ answered Roger.

The three kids took every book out of the bookcase. Sam moved a few chairs and made room among the old objects. Lily opened a few boxes filled with toys, photos, and old documents. Roger picked up a small and flat box from behind an old armchair and opened it.

‘Hey, look! This must be the one,’ he said and took it out of the box.

It contained a leather cover with the title ‘Wonderful places’ and a small lock that hang on the right border of the pages.

‘Oh, no! It’s locked. I had never seen a book with a lock,’ said Lily.

‘Me neither. Has anybody seen a key somewhere?’ asked Roger.

‘Yes! I saw one on the bookcase. Let’s try that,’ said Sam and picked up the key.

Roger introduced the key and turned it right. The lock opened.

‘Bingo!’ He said.

Roger turned over the first of many yellowish pages, which contained a list of places. The kids tilted their bodies towards the book to look at it. The first place was titled ‘A magical island.’ Roger continued browsing the book and the picture of an island covered the next two pages. It labelled all the places and a mythological creature. On the following pages, there was nothing written -just more than fifty empty pages. In that very moment, the attic was full of magical energy and light. And the three children disappeared.