London, England

The Strand: A disused, broken red telephone box inexplicably starts to ring. A voice, a small girl, cries out for help. “He is coming…”

Whitechapel: A dark stranger approaches an elderly tour guide enjoying a post-show drink. He places a child’s necklace, twisted and broken, alongside the pint glass. “We have your granddaughter. You will do exactly as I command.”

Aldwych tube station: six school friends sneak away from a tedious field trip and discover a long abandoned underground platform. A loud, low whistle issues from the mouth of the tunnel.

“Special effects,” concludes Rose.

A massive nose of bronze and silver metal bursts from the tunnel, snorting steam from a single riveted chimney and pulsing with trails of purple lights along its length. The Shadow Kiss.

“Pretty convincing special effects,” admits Elliot, through his clouded glasses.

The steam clears and they are greeted by a nervous, wide-eyed face staring at them from the platform edge.

“Oh, my days,” exclaims the uniformed man as his jaw drops onto his impeccably starched white collar. “Customers!”

They step on board and Aldwych is transformed into The Emporium station, the central hub of The Wonderground, a subway system that services an alternate world long since forgotten by the ‘Upworlders’ of London. They are transported to a land of floating octopuses, giant elephants and sky pirates. But their arrival is no accident and danger lurks around every corner.

Personalities clash, fears are overcome, unbreakable bonds of friendship are forged and young love blossoms...

Magical Realism