The Tarn

Dawn tickled Ebony’s eyelids. Swinging her feet off the bed she pushed her waves of red hair behind her ears and stared out of the window at the cobbled street just as the milkman's horse and cart rolled past. She almost felt sorry for the tourists who only got to enjoy Arbonshire's fresh untainted produce on their brief holidays here... almost. Ebony opened her wardrobe and cast her eyes left to right looking scornfully at the section holding the clothes of the strangers. Tight jeans, crop tops and other attire that was not befitting a lady of Arbonshire, but gently reminded herself that it was necessary to the herding process. She slipped out of her nighty and into a white frilly dress that was buttoned up to her neck and fastened her bonnet. She looked approvingly at herself in the mirror scanning the outfit with her emerald green eyes before shooting a glance up to the family portrait on her wall. She looked into her mothers steely blue eyes and knew that she would have been proud of her contribution to the tarn if she were still here. “Are you ready for your birthday breakfast?” Her father's voice echoed through the old cottage.

The smell of bacon was on the air as Ebony made her way to the kitchen, and was surprised that she wasn’t woken by the squeals of the pig. A smile came to Ebony's lips as she admired her fathers skill with a blade. "A life should be taken the same way as chores are completed. Without commotion, and with haste." She remembered her fathers words. Elijah smiled at her with a practiced warmth when she walked into the kitchen. The old mans mask that had won the trust of so many strangers over the years. He set her plate down in front of her and did the same for himself. “I can’t believe you’re 15 already” he said. “Just one more year and I’ll be able to make the journey to the tarn” Ebony replied. “Although judging by the lack of tourists this year perhaps none of us will have to go again. Maybe the mountain is finally full.” “Destruction hunts the complacent like the wolf does a wounded dear” Elijah scolded. Ebony stared at her plate ashamed. “When you and your mother turned up on my door step 15 years ago I promised myself that I would raise you to serve the town as if you were one of its own. Your mother had a questioning mind as well, and she abandoned us to join the strangers. Do not make my work for nothing by blurting heresy!” Elijah paused for a moment. “Despite my concerns the elders approached me a few days ago. For your impressive efforts over the years they wanted to allow you to make the journey a year earlier. Having said that, happy birthday” He placed a lantern on the table. “You’ll be needing this for the journey tonight.” Ebony jumped out of her seat and hugged Elijah. “Thankyou father” she beamed. “I take it then that you want me to heard the strangers in preparation for tonight?” “Nonsense! It’s your birthday” Elijah boomed. “Arrangements have already been made. Now go and enjoy yourself. I’ll meet you back here when the sun touches the ridge of the mountain” he pointed out the window of the kitchen at the peek on the other side of the town.

Ebony was thrilled. She finished her breakfast and made her way out onto the street strolling towards the town square. She could tell from the assuring nods and grins of the townspeople that the news about her had already spread. Ebony took in a deep breath of fresh air and gazed around the town square. She reflected on the strangers she had met there. Rolling in on their noxious metal monstrosities in hoards to gawk at the old ways as if they were a novelty. She remembered the teenage boy she flirted with, and his parents who jumped at the chance to do a sunset hike, the old man looking for a place to scatter his wife's ashes. How she had handed them the pamphlet with the time and meeting place. “Strangers are given so time is not taken” she muttered. Ebony crossed the town square and entered the bakery. Abraham the baker seemed to stare through her as she came in. If Ebony hadn’t have known him her whole life she would have been intimidated by the cold gaze of the hulking man. His apron barely covered his huge torso and his jet black beard and hair were dusted lightly with flour. “Are you not happy to see me?” Ebony asked. Abraham seemed to waken from his trance and he smiled gently at her. “I thought I’d come and pick up a custard tart to celebrate my first hike tonight” Ebony said. Abrahams smile faded again. “What’s wrong?” Ebony questioned. “Oh..” he hesitated. “We’re out of custard tarts” “Ill just take a chocolate éclair then” Ebony chirped. She handed over the change and took the éclair off the counter. “See you tonight Abraham!” she cheered as she turned and headed out of the bakery and back towards her cottage.

The sun touched the tip of the mountains casting shadows down the slope as if reaching for the silent and empty town. Ebony waited excitedly at the front door for her father fidgeting with her lantern. Already she could see lights starting to appear at the base of the mountain and slowly began to wind their way up like a snake made out of fireflies. Have I been forgotten? She thought. The sound of footsteps rapidly approaching distracted her from the mountain. Elijah came around the street corner brandishing his lit lantern. “It’s time to go” he said assuredly. “Light your lantern.” “Will we miss the ceremony?” she asked. “They will not start without us” Elijah replied flatly. Darkness had fallen when they reached the foot of the mountain. They made their way with controlled urgency up the dark track. The path was treacherous at night. Ebony had heard stories of strangers that had fallen and perished before reaching the tarn. They climbed higher and the cold air bit at her skin, but her excitement repelled it. They reached the crest of the mountain and Ebony looked down at what replaced the summit mystified. The black waters of the tarn frothed and surged in the nights wind as if it were still in pain from the glacier that cut its shape thousands of years ago. Its exquisite darkness emphasised by the ring of lanterns being held by the townspeople skirting its shores. The night itself seemed pale in contrast. Elijah and her made their way down to the shore. Ebony squinted in the dull glow of the lanterns trying to pick out the faces of the strangers chosen to be consumed. Suddenly strong arms constricted her in a bear hug. She screamed in shock and pain as the huge arms hoisted her off of the ground forcing the air from her lungs. She cried out to her father, but his gaze over the lake did not waver. “Don’t struggle child” the voice of the stranger that held her rumbled. She recognised it instantly as Abrahams. “You cannot not possibly offer me” Ebony pleaded. “I will be rejected and the strangers will surely inherit the town. The mountain is full! It has sent a plague to punish the strangers!” She screamed. “And it must be rewarded” she heard her fathers voice, low and steady. She stopped struggling at the realisation that they weren’t to be reasoned with. She had been herded just as she had done to countless before her. Her hands and legs were bound before Abraham started carrying her out into the water over his shoulder. The icy blackness devoured him up to his waste, the waves and wind berating them both. He seemed unbothered by the onslaught of the elements. His eyes staring straight ahead into the pitch black. He suddenly stopped with practiced precision like a blind person who had come to the edge of cliff they were aware of. Ebony looked down at the hungry water. She heard the voices of the towns people start of surge over the surface from the shoreline. “Strangers are given so time may not be taken.” Abraham joined in the same chant under his breath. The mantra crescendoed and for a moment time seemed to stand still. Ebony was soaring through the air. The blackness of the sky merging with that of the tarn. The freezing water wrapped itself around her like a blanket. She was sinking beneath the waves. The chant of the townspeople growing muffled as she descended into the belly of the mountain. Ebony did not writhe or squirm, but instead contemplated if her mother would still be proud of her.