Extract from Squidgy Bod goes to Church

'Cor,' whispered Squidgy as they eased open another giant door and glanced inside. 'It really is old, dark and scary.'

The boys kept close together as they wandered around. There was a large washbasin with a jug but no tap.

There were rows of hard wooden seats but no cushions and no carpets;

and there was a collection of metal pipes on one side that looked like a giant pack of cigarettes.

'Thats the organ the monster plays,' announced Podgy sounding knowledgeable. 'Raves from the graves.'

Just as their eyes were beginning to adjust to the dark and gloomy atmosphere the sun broke through the clouds outside and lit up the pretty pictures on the windows.

'What can you see in the glass?' asked Podgy.

'A snake, and apple and a lady with no clothes on,' replied Squidgy.

'Shame about the bushes,' commented Podgy.

As they wandered to the front they saw a life-sized figure nailed to a carved wooden screen, hanging above an archway and looking down on a large golden eagle made of brass. Squidgy couldn't unerstand why the semi-naked man had barbed wire on his head but he did like looking into his kind, sad face. While he was still looking up, Podgy crept behind him and tapped his little brother on the shoulder.

'Look on the floor,' whispered Podgy in an excited way.

There, arranged carefully but piled very high, was food of every kind, enough to feed an army.

'Wow!' exclaimed Squidgy.

'Wow!' repeated Podgy.

As they gazed in wonder at the variety and amount of food which lay at their feet, far-away heavenly voices suddenly floated through the air above and around them.

'We thank you Lord for your goodness,' they sang and then stopped abruptly.

'Did you hear that?' asked Podgy.

'Angels,' said Squidgy. 'Angels like at Christmas.'

'But did you get the words?' questioned an enthusiastic Podgy.

'Yes! It sounded like grace before a meal,' said Squidgy.

'That's what I thought,' continued Podgy. 'I think they want us to eat it. You start at that end and I'll start at this.'

So they did.