Up On Hickle Hill

Chapter 1 - An Introduction To Me

People have always told me that I need to be more careful of who I trust and that I should listen to the ones I know I can trust. I've never worked that way though. I was there, in that cage, surrounded by these freaks who were chanting something that was completely unknown to me. I was warned countless times to stay away from the old caves that called their home the hills. My mum told me not to go near them, that they seem dangerous somehow. I never listened to her. "Nonsense"  I would think every time she brought it up. "Just an old fairy tale that the villagers have spread among themselves." You see, I live in a small village in Northern Scotland named Auchtertay. It's a VERY small village so I won't be surprised if you've never heard of it. But the villagers here tell tales of such nonsense. Scarecrows coming to life at midnight for an hour or so every night, cats turning to old women as they hobble up the streets and my favourite of all, the moon turning pink for a fraction of a second every January, March and August the 15th. These people have had too much fresh air. Oh how I had wished we had never moved here. That way I'd never have been captured by those creatures.

I guess it was for the best though. After all, I did sort of save the world. Well, Scotland anyway. Well, Scotland's children to be precise. But I suppose, once they'd finished here, they'd move on to the next unsuspecting place. So really, I did everyone a big favour and everyone should thank me but who would even begin to believe me? It's been a year since that night. The night it all started. My curiosity had gotten the better of me and I had had enough of my mother's incessant, annoying whining so I left anyway. BIG mistake in some ways. But did I mention I saved the world? Well, Scotland... You get the picture. Anyway, I left my house to go to a "friends house" I told her but really I was going to do a spot of investigating. I didn't have any friends to be honest. I'm that "frigid little English bitch" that sits on her own in class and only speaks when spoken to. That all changed too.

I wrapped up in my warmest clothes, hat and scarf and left home. - Not that I actually liked to call it "home" back then. But it sure feels like it now. - I left at 7, just after tea and told my mum I'd be back in a couple of hours. Who knows how long I'd be? I started my journey as I walked out the front door into the bitter cold. It nibbled away at my ears, even through my thick woolly hat. How I hate the seaside sometimes. It took me twenty minutes to get the bottom of Hickle Hill. "What a silly name" I thought as I stood at the bottom and looked up towards the caves. I got halfway up, not after tripping over stones, splashing in puddles and walking into trees on the way there though. I stopped, I started to turn back. "What am I doing?" I thought "Who am I trying to prove?" I turned and headed back home.

I had only been gone for about an hour before returning home and putting this whole thing behind me.

"Hi mum, I'm home." I had said. No answer. "She must be sleeping. Probably best I do the same."  tried my best to keep quiet so I didn't wake her up, but tripped on my venture up the stairs.

"Ellie, is that you?" she whispered from the room.

"Yeah, mum. I'm home. Going to bed. You sound tired, get some rest."

"Good night Ellie."

"Night mum."

I continued up the hall to my bedroom. The door had been left open. I made my way into my very own cave. Who needs creepy caves on hills when I have my very own at home? I looked out my window and peered over at the caves that rest on the hills. I shrugged my shoulders, shook my head and turned away from the window. As I did so, I saw something. Out the corner of my eye, - peripheral vision, I think it's called - it was the faintest glow coming from the cave. I turned my head as quickly as it would go and another couple of lights appeared just in time for me to witness. The green glowing lights spun around each other. It was mesmerizing just to watch. I wanted to fly out my window and dance with the lights through the air Then the lights vanished just as quick as they had appeared. I was alone again. It got me thinking again. "I am going to those caves whether I like it or not."