The Stranger At Brown Hill

I was a happy girl who had just turned 13, doted on by parents, favourite of teachers at school, loved by my friends and my brother 6 years younger than me.

My life was perfect.

At least until that fateful Sunday. It was the last Sunday before my school opened after a long summer vacation, and the day just after my birthday.

I woke up happy that morning. I was pleasantly surprised by my parents with the red and white bicycle that I’d always wanted. We'd planned to spend the day out at Brown Hill, a popular and the only picnic spot our small town boasted of. It was in the edge of the town.

We reached the place late in the morning, just in time to grab an empty spot. We had a leisurely lunch as we watched the other children play. After lunch, we wanted to walk up the hill to the view point at the top of it, sit and look at the town from up there and return before dusk.

We started, as planned, to walk up the narrow road that zigzagged up the hill. The hill itself was very brown, rocky and bouldered, and devoid of much vegetation apart from a few trees with sparse leaves, scattered here and there. It was a hot day, and the sun started to take its toll on the climbers.

After walking halfway up, I suddenly sprained my ankle. Not so much for the pain, but for the chance it afforded to sit and rest a while, I asked the others to walk on. I intended to join them on their way down and homewards.

“Are you sure?” Mother looked concerned.

“Of course! Don’t worry about me. I shall be fine.”

They walked on, while I chose a sturdy boulder beside a leafless tree to sit on, for whatever shade the tree offered.

Minutes, which seemed like hours, passed. I might have been lost in thought or in a daze, in the hot summer sun, because I didn’t hear the approach of the girl. I was suddenly aware of her sitting on another boulder a few feet away from me, looking at me. She didn’t seem like she was desirous of any conversation. She just looked at me, and this made me feel very uncomfortable. I chose to ignore her.

After a few minutes, curiosity got the better of me.

“Are you lost?”

“No.”

“Then? Why do you sit here all by yourself?”

Though she looked as old as me, her skin was very brown, as if sunburnt, her short hair was course and disheveled, and she was wearing khaki shorts and a very dirty white top with a graphic design of a big red mouth in the front.

Her clear blue eyes were fixed on my face.

“I’m waiting for my family to return and take me home along with them.”

“Where have they gone?” I thought I knew the answer.

“Up, to the view point. They’ll be back in some time.”

I looked away. The big mouth on her top was unnerving. Something about her appearance was very disconcerting.

*******

I woke up with a violent start. I might have dozed off. I looked around and it took some time for me to realise where I was. I was lying flat on my back on the boulder, facing the sky. I got up and my back hurt. The girl was nowhere in sight. She might have gone home with her family.

Family!

I looked down at the car parking area and found it deserted, as expected at this time of the day. The hill closed for visitors at 6 pm.

Where is my family? Even our car was not there in the car parking area!

I couldn't believe this! Had they all left for home? Had they all forgotten me? How could they!

It was getting dark and one by one the stars have begun to appear in the sky. I decided to waste no time, and quickly descended the narrow path down the hill. A feeling of eerie uneasiness was creeping up my spine.

I walked up to the telephone booth beside the parking area.

Ring ring ring. The telephone was ringing at the other end, my home. After many rings, it was finally answered.

“Hello” floated mother’s voice from the other end of the connection.

“Hello mom, this is Myra! Mom you all went home and forgot to pick me up!” I was in tears.

“What! Okay, this must be a prank. Who’s this?”

“Mom, this is me! Your Myra!”

“What nonsense! Myra is at home. Please do not play such silly pranks.”

“Who’s that on the line, mom?” came ‘my voice’ from a distance, at the other end.

“God knows who! Must be one of your silly friends playing a silly prank.”

“Let me talk.” said my voice.

My heart was beating fast. I waited with bated breath.

“Hello”

“Who are you?!!!”

“I am Myra, now.” The voice was mine, but it sounded steely and menacing. “I am at home. Go find your home now. All you have to do is wait. Wait for your turn.”

The phone call got disconnected with a click.

I replaced the receiver. As I did so, my eyes fell on my hand, and my heart leapt to my mouth.

My skin was very brown. I touched my hair, half expecting what I’d find, and my fingers met course short hair, instead of the smooth long tresses. I knew my eyes were blue, although tears were streaming from them. I looked with disgust at my khaki shorts and the top with the big red mouth.

I hated to look at my reflection on the glass of the telephone booth. The girl in the reflection was staring back at me, her mouth stretched in an evil smile, and the mouth on her white top seemed to be jeering at me.

I walked across the parking lot in the moonlight, waiting for the day. Waiting for visitors to come. Waiting for another girl of my age, any age, to come.

Waiting for my turn. My turn to find a home.