Prologue
We bought ourselves a new old house – a magical timber cottage
It made us feel most welcome – gave a sense of a loving home
It seemed we belonged here – soon making it into our own
We glimpsed a hidden story – deep buried and held fast
It told about a little girl who lived here in a century past
This child went off to school one day and never did come back
It seemed to all who looked so hard she’d vanished through a crack
For years and years her family searched, seeking her elusive soul
Emptiness was all they found – she’d vanished and left a hole
Loss carried on, down years and years, as generations passed
The memory slowly dwindled, fading out of view at last
We heard her voice call out one day seeking help for her return
We joined the search; it drew us in, new people in this place
Across a century of time and space a presence led us on
At last we found a vital clue, lost story of her grandmother
And as we walked on hidden steps her family became our own
Now, at last, after all that’s passed, we’ve safely brought her home
