The Castle
Ashley opened her eyes and way the morning sun shine through the little holes in her families tent. She laid her hand on her forehead to realize she was burning up.
Uhhhh! I’m losing my mind! she grumbled as she turned over in her sleeping bag.
“What is wrong with me,” she thought.
“Good morning kids! Time to role out of those sacks,” Ashley’s dad declared ecstatically. All he got in return was a chorus of moons and grumbles.
“Come on, young-ins your gona miss breakfast!” he said his face beaming as he took a sniff of the many intoxicating smells.
“Ahhh come on you lazy bums we don’t want to me late for our trip to day. By then there was some movement in the tent. Ashley sleepily walked out of the tent to get a start on the new day.
As the morning progressed the family enjoyed a good breakfast of eggs and sausage over the fire. Then they began preparations for their trip to the castle. Soon the family was making their way to the ferry at the edge of the lake. They boarded as the rest of there extended family followed. It wasn’t long before they found a place to sit near the back of the ferry. Somehow Ashley ended up at the window showing the castle in clear view.
“Why was this place giving her all these weird dreams,” she thought.
“What was up with her, Ash had been acting weird ever since yesterday.” Wondered Hiro as he saw his sister gaze out the window.
“She should be exited, she loves things like this.”
“Hey Zack, did something happen last night?” asked Hiro.
“ Hu, what?” studded Zack.
“Ash, look at her. Doesn’t she look, I don’t know odd?”
“Yeah, she does look a little down. I hope Uncle John, and them didn’t give her nightmares. But knowing her she doesn’t let that kinda stuff bother her for long. She should be ok Hiro, she just got a scare last night. No need to worry dude.” Zack assured. Even with that, Hiro still felt that something else was up. She just seemed troubled, and Ash was barely ever troubled.
HOOOONK!!
“AH, Hiro jumped at the sound. He had never been on a ferry boat before so the monstrous sound nearly scared him out of his seat.
"Its ok bro, it scared me the first time too," said Zack.
"I’m not scared it just spooked me," said Hiro defensively. Then stole a curious glance at Ash who had also had been knocked out of whatever was on her mind as well. She was looking about like the ship might me sinking. Hero laughed, for that moment she looked like her goofy old self. Hearing the sound of laughter she turned his way, and joined him.
To Hiro she had always been his favorite sibling. She could be the perfect eight year old. Just so she could play with him whenever he was upset. It wasn’t long before she came over and asked what I was laughing about. At first I thought of how she could be so simple some times. What in the world would she became when she grew up, or would she?
“Oh you just looked so ridicules looking for the sky falling back there. Its ok, its just the horn.” Hiro answered sarcastically.
"I know! I’m not stupid. I was just pondering, and it startled me.” she answered. If my eyes didn’t deceive me you looked scared too there for a second."
“No, it was just really loud.” stated Hiro.
“Whatever." she said as she rolled her eyes. "So Hiro, what are you going to do at the castle? Are you going to go swimming at the pool aria, or are you going to take the tour?" she asked.
“Hm, I’m not sure, what are you taking Ash?”
“Me, I’m going take the tour. I want to see all the cool designs, and see if there was any truth to that stupid story last night. She gave a little chuckle at that. Then her face went solemn again. As if the answer had brought up something else in its wake.
“Ok I’ll go with you then,” I said. Trying to cheer her up again.
“Mom, Dad what are you going to do?”
"Oh we are going to got relax at the pool honey. If you two go on the tour I want you to stay together, and stay with the group. Ash take care of your brother! answered mom. Dad was talking with one of his brothers.
“Zack, what are you going to do?
"Me I am going to try out the Jet Ski’s. Girls love the jet ski’s, he said his eyes gleaming.
“Cool” said Hiro. The more time I get to spend with Ash. I really hope I can help her get her emotions in order, she seems a mess, he thought. He watched her go back to the window, and sit back down and stare again. What could possibly be eating her up from the inside that it affected her countenance so much? Hiro didn’t know, but he was going to find out.
The short trip across the channel to the Island to Hiro seemed to last hours in anticipation. Though every one else it felt like minutes. Ash hadn’t moved a muscle throughout the whole trip like a statue among a seine filled with life and activity. As soon as the horn sounded Ashley began watching the crowd seep through the boat to the door.
“Are you ready Ash? asked Hiro who had seemed to appear out of no where.
“Yeah I’m good,” answered Ash. Taking her brothers hand. She definitely didn’t want to get separated in this crowd.
It wasn’t long before they were, off the ferry, and at a counter getting tickets for the tour of the castle. They waited by the wall not far from where the tour began. The wall towered above them like a guardian that wouldn’t budge. It was so much bigger up close. Ashley thought as she stared up the thirty foot outer wall.
“Well the guy who built that, defiantly didn’t want somebody in. But for one man to build this thing is out of the question. That story is missing some explanations,” said Ashley.
“What story?” asked Hiro with a bit of confusion on his face. “Oh nothing, just Uncle John told all the teens a scary story last night about the man who built this place. The story said that the man built this castle with his wife. But seeing it up close. I can see there is no way they did all this with two people.”
“That’s it, that doesn’t sound scary.” said Hiro.
“It was a little creepy, but the story wasn’t the only thing that happened last night. The uncles tried to spook all of us too. One of them put on a black blanket, and jumped into the middle of the group when everyone was tense from the story. The girls were running in circles, it was crazy.” Ashley said with a laugh.
“What did you do? Asked Hiro as the images from her story danced across his imagination.
“Me, I got knock to the ground in the chaos.”
“ So, it didn’t scare you at all,” asked Hiro.
“Oh, it definitely scared me for a little bit, but I got over it when I saw the uncles laughing their heads off,” Ashley answered.
“So what has been bothering you lately? Asked Hiro rather bluntly. Ashley stared at him in shock for a moment before answering.
“Uh, I guess I have just had some really weird dreams lately... I don’t know.” Hiro looked at her examining her face as it returned to its lifeless expression.
“Stupid hu. I know, but…” Ashley started but was stopped by the announcer declaring the tour was about to begin.
“But what?” asked Hiro.
“Its nothing, so don’t worry about it,” said Ash, but her face clearly showing another story. It tore Hiro to see his sister like this, and now she flat out turned down his help. He felt so worthless. He stood there like a child completely drained of all hope.
“Come on Hiro, the tour is starting,” Ashley said with a tad of life returning to her glazed eyes. Soon they were at the front of the crowd. The tour guide was a middle aged women with dirty blond hair that flowed from her head to gently rested on her agile shoulders. She welcomed the anticipating crowd with a gleaming sincere smile. It wasn’t long before she was leading them through the main entrance. The courtyard opened before them like a red carpet welcoming its newest visitors. Ashley stared at the gardens that were elaborately prepared to perfection. Hiro stood by her examining the seine. As beautiful as the courtyard was it didn’t inspire a any joy from her. Plus the weight of her last conversation was pressing on her mind now knowing that others were noticing her sudden change of character.
“I have to get my act together” she told herself. As she tightened her grip she smiled for Hiro and stared pointing out the things that looked uneek in their surroundings, Hiro stared at the sight.
“What is she doing?” he thought her face was giving the weirdest expression he had ever seen etched across her face. It was a odd forced smile that was so alien to him he almost laughed. But he just returned to gesture and started pointing out a few things himself. They continued to do this for most of the tour. When they got inside there were so many things that caught their attention. The castle was huge, and elaborately decorated with all sorts of expensive embroideries. Hiro became the main pointer after that. Ashley ended up mostly looking, and then nodding in reclaetion. Hiro ended up being so lost in the wonder that surrounded him he almost didn’t notice Ashley’s hand slip through his fingers. He looked over to see her drifting though the croud away from him. He instantly snapped out of the glamour, and ran after her.
“Ash?!” he yelled as she vanished from his view. He was in shock, but he still ran. Just as she disapered behind the door. The crowd moved on as the two children disappeared behind the door. Hiro skidded through the door his eyes searching eventually resting on a abnormal gap in the far wall. Ashely was standing at its center about to enter. Hiro bolted across the room. He didn’t have a good feeling about were she was. Something wasn’t right, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. As Hiro sped into to small gap he could see Ash not 10ft from where he now stood. But not a second later the wall began to close in on him. Hiro panicked and sped his way to Ashley’s side. Just as the wall shifted back into placed.
“A secrete door!!” Hiro thought. Normally he would have been really exited if it weren’t for the fact that it had almost killed him. And that now they were both locked in some unknown hallway that was pitch black except for a few beams of light that came through the walls. How in the world had Ashley found a secrete door? Thought Hiro. He then looked about him to realize that his sister had continued down the hall. Just when he had just caught up with her, and now she had put a new gap in-between them.
“What!! Oh come on!”, he yelled as he started making his way after her again.
“Ashley, seriously what in the world is up with you today?”
No response.
“Ok, Ash who turned you into a zombie, because I really want to beat them up right now!!
Ashley stopped in her tracks then. Hiro seeing his chance closed the rest of the distance between them. He grabbed her arm so he wouldn’t lose her again. Hiro then looked at her face almost scared of what he might see. Her face was expressionless, and all he could see from her eyes were the reflections’s of the little light there was.
“Ashley? Whimpered Hiro. By now he was really confused.
“Hiro… Look, said Ash. Hiro looked up in amazement. Ashley still has the same emotionless expression, but she did seem to be looking at something of importance. Hiro’s eyes looked ahead of them to see a old ancient statue that had the form of a dragon holing an egg. It wasn’t a foot from them. Its eyes pierced his soul with fear. Hiro clutched his sister even more.
“Ash come on lets go back,” Hiro said. It was then that Ashley reached out her hand, and rested it upon the dragon’s head. Hiro couldn’t believe it.
“What are yo…” The dragons eyes began to glow bright white blinding him. Hiro closed his eyes, and buried his face in Ashley’s side. Then the feeling of the ground beneath his feet vanished.
