“‘Are you the little girl who’s run away?’ the old lady asked.
“‘Yes,’ Klara faltered.
“‘And you want to live in the Kingdom of the Moon?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Enter then.’
“The old lady stepped aside and Klara marched across the threshold. She felt the door swinging to behind her. She heard a bang as it closed, shutting her out of the world and into the moon.
“And then—and then—what do you think happened?”
Billy stopped for a moment. Rosie and Maida rose to their knees.
“What happened?” they asked breathlessly.
“The garden vanished as utterly as if it were a broken soap-bubble. Gone were the trees and the flowers; gone were the fountains and the birds; gone, too, were the jewels, the candies and the fruits.