posted on Jul, 6 2003 @ 03:40 PM
It was that time of year when you feel the need to see the world around you. The end of spring and the beginning of summer. I was going to enjoy such
a galore of the nature by going to a small town far away from the city, where people still follow the old fashioned life. Where there are fields, cows
grazing and beautiful mountain tops covered with green belts.
I had read about a quiet place called the "Silent Valley".
I guess the name says it all. So I decided to go camping with all the esstenial tools for survival and my fishing rod. Just to be completely in tune
with nuture, so no more canned foods for a while, only the best which nature provides.
The walk was on a narrow path away from the main highway. Enjoying the view through the mountain I saw the Silent Valley, magnificent as the book had
stated. In the centre was the huge lake with houses all around, some areas very densely vegetated, rest barren. Well I was tired and needed a place to
stay, or should I set up my camping gear? I thought.
I wanted to know if there was any fear of wild animals. but the strangest thing I noticed was the place was very quiet. Of course its going to be
quiet, it is called Silent Valley, how can I be so foolish? I said to myself. But there was this stillness around me. I started walking fast with a
bit of extra energy and I founf a small inn, called Silent Inn.
An old man standing in front of an old TV set and drinking. The transmission was por but he stared at the screen very intently.
"Good morning, my man. Got any places where I can stay. Pretty tired from the walk"
The man grinned.
"You are at the wrong time of the year, this is fishing season, no rooms here, all booked this season"
"Can I camp out by the lake?"
"Yes, if you dont mind being eaten by the alligators, wild animals. And you should not be staying alone Sir, they are ghosts here."
"Oh! I understand the wild beasts in this terrain but ghosts? That's very strange. The travel guide did not say that there was a haunted house
here!"
"Only at night Sir, he grinned with all the yellowing in his teeth."
"But you have to give me a place to stay. I am all prepared for a fishing trip, I dont want to go back".
He scratched his grizzly head for a while and said you go and stay in my house. It's not very good, but comfortable as a body in a coffin, very snug.
It's a mile down by the lake. Just follow the road you cannot miss it. But it will cost you extra.
It was fine by me, all I wanted was a holiday.
Sure thing, no problem.
"You carry on, he said I will catch up with later, I have lots of customers coming."
So I was on my way to this guy's house. I did not catch his name, but hey no problem, he was a kind of a guy you can't miss. I walked by the lake,
selected a shady spot and relaxed in the afternoon sun. I wondered why I saw no one at the lake, I thought it was fishing season? I guessed the
fishing is at the crack of dawn. I was so tired that I fell asleep under the tree and woke up thirsty.
It was all dreary and bleak. The moon was hidden in the clouds, the lake looked magnificent. It was all silent and peaceful. I decided to be on my way
to that inn keepers house. I followed the road behind the lake and found an old house. It was not illuminated, looked all deserted, I guess he wasnt
home yet. Maybe someone else at home would let me in. I knock and the door was opened by a young lady. I was taken aback, the house illuminated, with
a welcoming smile.
"Yes, have you lost your way"? she said in a melodious voice.
"The owner of Silent Inn said it was ok for me to stay with him for a while".
"Please do, care for some soup? I am sorry that's all I have".
I sat and hungrily ate all that was in the bowl. I could not make out what soup it was, pea or cabbage. But it was fine with me. It was a beautiful
house, very old and dusty, but I wasnt really going to complain about housekeeping sevices. I guess the lady was his wife. She did not speak much just
kept staring at me. After the meal, she guided me to a room in the corner. Wished me good night and left. I felt very drowsy and fell asleep on the
bed.
All of sudden I woke up, someone was calling out. Who was it? I did not know but it was a sound of distress. I ran out of the room and rushed towards
the sound. It led me through a room, then a passage, each turn into a darker hole with the voice growing louder.
A sudden gust of wind blew, from the other side. Was there an open door? But from where?
The voice od distress had now turned into a sinister laughter, I turned back and ran. I didnt know in which direction, just ran as far as my legs
would carry me. One wall to another, the voice was chasing me, I never looked back. Knocked down unknown odjects, ran through the bushes, the shrubs,
for how long I don't remember, and fell into the lake.
I woke up at the edge of the lake, a group of campers were looking down at me. I described to them everything, the inn, the house. They said they had
been in Silent Valley over a week but had not seen abything of what I had described.
Maybe I was in that part of the valley which had been closed to the tourists for a long time for reasons still unknown.
I don't know what to gather from this. I know what I saw, I remember everything, the winding passage, the sinister laughter calling me towards a
door. What was behind that open door? There was a gust of wind coming from there, was it a fall deep down? As I was pondering these questions in my
mind, I reached the highway and saw a bus coming. I took a window seat. As I was adjusting the curtain I saw the Inn keeper standing, gazing at me,
smiling with all the yellowing in his teeth!
[Edited on 16-7-2003 by blackwidow666]