Synopsis: Kay goes to investigate a mysterious place in northern Scotland
Valley Girls
Fleet Street, London 1986
“So what is it you’re trying to tell me?” Fiona Collins said, “Because I don’t understand what you’ve presented so far..”
“What I’m saying” Kay Parker said to her editor “Is that all the evidence…”
“Fragments, really” Fiona interjected
“Yes, okay” Kay said, “But what I do have points to a really unusual set of occurrences”
“And what is the name of this place?”
“A ’tabhann” Kay said showing the map.
“Now if I remember ‘bh’ is ‘v’ in Gaelic, so that’s “The Tavan” ?
“Yes, that’s an approximation”
“And can I assume Tavan is Tavern?”
“Well… I don’t know if it is” Kay said, “But that’s neither here nor there…”
“You don’t think the name of the place you’re talking about is relevant?”
“No” Kay said “I’m saying it doesn’t matter if it’s called ‘the Tavern’. I think it has some other meaning.”
“So what’s the biggest mystery?”
“Well…” Kay said, flipping through her notes, “What I can make out is that there’s been regular disappearances of girls from the village—approximately ever ten years…”
“Sounds like you’re talking about that film “The Wicker Man” Fiona scoffed
“I’ve not seen it…”
“Maybe you should before you ask me to sign a cheque for your travel expenses to the north of Scotland!” Fiona said incredulously.
“But…”
“No… “ Fiona said, “I’m the editor. I have the blue pencil. What I say goes and this is not going into our paper…”
“But…”
“Look we’re already got the owner trying to crash this place down… ‘restructure’ he calls it”
“Fine!” Kay said, and left her editor’s office.
At 31 Kay Parker was a seasoned hack. She wasn’t going to let a good story go so easily.
Kay spent much of the rest of the day looking over the evidence she’d gathered. She checked her initial source, a hand-written letter sent to her personally, c/— The London Tribune.
She went home early. On the way home she called into Sanjay’s corner store. Sanjay also had a large collection of movies on VHS, and a couple even on LaserDisc. Times were changing!
“Sanjay?”
“Yes, Miss Parker…?” (he always called her “Miss” Parker… she hated it. She wasn’t that old!!!)
“Do you have “The Wicker Man” ?”
“Yes we do have it” Sanjay smiled, darting out from behind his counter he had it in the “COMEDY” section.
Kay decided to rent it and watch it.
Yes… the appeared to her some similarities in the story—of children going missing. But referring to the letter there was nothing about a ritual harvest, or even a yearly sacrifice -or of any ‘substitute’ sacrifice ever.
Kay returned the video the next morning on her way to the Tube station… despite having the movie rented for a week.
Kay put together her dossier. And she called up her friend Flora McTavish, a native from Lewis, who was now working in fashion in London making tweed and tartan items on demand.
“Oh, no…” Flora said on the phone… that’s not “The Tavern”, that’s “The Offering” On hearing the Gaelic, Fiona was able to give the correct translation
“Oh…?” Kay said
“Aye…”
“That changes some things”
“If it’s not a wee bother can I ask where are you travelling?”
“I’m going to this place, near Applecross”
“Aye, in Ross-shire” Flora said, “I’ve nay heard of “An Tabhann” though”
“Well, it’s where I’m going to go” Kay said
“You know that Applecross is A’ Chomraich, in the old language. Did you know it means ‘The Sanctuary” ?” Flora asked.
“No, I did not know that”
“Well I guess if you get into trouble, that sounds like a good place to run to…” Flora laughed.
Kay laughed too.
“You be careful… Ross-shire has some tricky roads” Flora added
“I’ve got a good map…” Kay said, “It’s from Ordinance Survey”
“Royal Ordinance?”
“No” Kay laughed “Royal Ordinance make our army’s guns…”
“Oh, aye?”
“This is from the Army’s surveyors”
“Oh?”
“Thanks for your help”
“No worries” Flora said. She had been help, especially with the language.
Kay had decided to take a leave of absence and go and pursue her story herself. She knew that if she got a good story her editor would retrospectively cover her, and pretend that it was her idea to send Kay.
That night Kay had a fitful sleep. Then she had a strange dream. She was driving through heath along a narrow country road. Her yellow 2-door Ford Cortina zipping along merrily. Up ahead of her was a figure draped in black from head to foot.
Kay felt frightened—like approaching one of those caricatures of death. But as she went to drive past her foot slammed on the brakes. It was if her foot was compelled to do so.
The figure came up to the passengers door. The door opened, as if by itself. The figure moved closer and then the robe opened up. Kay could see a feminine figure underneath. She felt a sense of ease… no longer fearful she was facing the personification of the harbinger of death.
The figure slipped gracefully into the car beside her. She smiled. Kay smiled. “Hello” the woman said in a Scottish accent.
“Hello”
“Can you give me a lift?”
“Sure” Kay said
Next thing she realised is that they were now scooting along the same country road. Kay found herself glancing all the time at the figure.
She was beautiful.
She had alabaster white skin, A generous bust. Cool blue eyes. Raven hair. Kay was not a lesbian but she found herself slightly squirming in her seat uncomfortable. She was getting warm.
Next thing the woman reached out and put her hand on Kay’s knee. Kay felt it was soft, but cold. The woman smiled as if it were perfectly natural
Kay looked down to see her legs spread as if on command.
She looked again at the woman who smiled. Kay sighed. She felt so hot. Her nipples pressed so hard against her bra she felt it was going to break.
Kay glanced down and watched as the hand morphed into a penis with the ball of the fist becoming like a scrotum. Kay felt wet, excited.
Kay was about to say something when the penis shot between her legs and penetrated her.
She screamed in pleasure and then suddenly woke up. She sat bolt upright. Her heart racing.
“Fuck!” she gasped, panting… sweaty. She even checked between her legs. She was moist between her legs. She expected to find blood. None. Still, she relaxed into her bed again, and started to frig herself and came. When she orgasmed sleep soon washed over her
She woke only when her alarm went off at 7am the next morning
Her bags were already packed from the night before, but she still fritted about the flat not quite sure if she was missing anything.
It wasn’t till quarter after nine that she was on the road.
The drive to Scotland was one she did in stages. A long drive, along the M1, then the M6, to the M42 and finally on the A74 to Edinburgh to stay with friends… a little out of her way.
The next day she went by Perth, then to Inverness for another over-night stop, this time in a hotel. She enjoyed the pampering of a formal dinner in the restaurant.
At night she had the dream again… this time however the woman’s finger seemed long, and the nail at the end drew out to a claw-like appendage. The woman drew it down Kay’s inner thigh. Kay squirmed. She felt pain and watched as her skin was sliced, blood oozing. She looked into the woman’s face as if to ask to stop it, but the woman smiled and Kay felt compelled to allow this bloody assault to continue. The finger cut up towards Kay’s vagina—suddenly naked as if her panties had just vanished. The woman’s claw moved dangerously close to Kay’s clit. For a moment Kay thought the woman was going to slice it off with her razor sharp talon.
Kay watched in amazement as her clit grew. It protruded more and more till it jutted a good 2 inches out.
The woman’s claw hovered dangerously close to this exposed pink flesh. Just as she was about to touch it Kay woke up in a cold sweat.
She found herself masturbating again and fell asleep after she came.
Kay woke twelve minutes before her alarm went off. It always annoyed her when this happened… too short a time to get back to sleep. She got up and made her way to the bathroom for a shower
This time she was shocked. A red line ran up her inner thigh. Not a cut, but like a deep scratch. “Fuck” she found herself saying again. She touched it. It didn’t sting, but it concerned her how it had happened.
Maybe she had just injured herself—she tried to reason.
She showered, dressed and went her way the eighty miles from Inverness across the highlands to the west coast.
For a large part of the way stone walls formed close to the edge of the road, hemming it in. The road was like a funnel, and she thanked her luck that there was minimal traffic—especially coming the other way. Moving out of the way would be difficult within the narrow confines of wall-bounded country lane.
Near Loch Kishorn she stopped to consult her map. She realised she had probably missed her turn so she managed a three-point-turn on the narrow road—and then headed back till she found a small gap in the road-side wall.
There was no signs. No indication, other than a partially over-grown track leading off.
Looking at the map again she supposed that this was it. And she drove through—her tiny Cortina had room to spare.
Up through a treeless field she slowed down as she came to the top of the rise. She got out, not wanting to drive into a ravine, or off a cliff that she could not see beyond the sharp ridge—for as she approached the ground was lost under the front of her car.
She walked to the edge and looked over.
She saw houses in the distance; the appearance of a village. Near-by she saw two figures; male and female. The female was wearing a white dress—almost akin to a bridal dress.
Kay thought that this was odd -for someone to be walking about on a gloomy hillside in such apparel.
They saw her. The boy turned to run but the girl waved. The boy stopped. He was clearly urging her to follow but she ignored him and made her way up towards Kay
“Hallo” she said in Gaelic. Fortunately “Hallo” is so close to “Hello” that Kay understood it.
“Hello” Kay replied.
“Oh, you be a Sassanach?”
Kay’s accent gave it away. And, Kay knew this word in Gaelic too.
“Yes, I’m English” she smiled
“And you come here for the Choosing?”
“The Choosing?”
“Aye”
“Ah, yes…” Kay bluffed
“Do you have a place to stay?” the girl asked
“No…” Kay said, “I might take a room in the hotel if they have one”
“We don’t have a hotel” the girl laughed with a snort.
“What about a pub?”
“Oh, aye” the girl smiled, “This wouldn’t be Scotland without a pub”
“An taigh-seinnse” the girl continued, “It means the chanting house”
“Can I give you a lift into town?” Kay said
“Thank you” the girl said
“My name is Kay Parker, I’m a journalist from London”
“I’m Madb Nic Coinnich—Maeve MacKenzie” she said as they walked back to the car
“Can I ask… how old are you?”
“Sixteen” Maeve said
“And…?” she continued as they got in the car “Why, if you don’t mind me asking are you wearing white?”
“I’m for the Choosing” Maeve smiled
“Ah…”
“You don’t really know what it is… do you?”
“I have to admit I don’t” Kay said as they drove down the hill
“Every ten or so years one girl in the village is chosen… “ Maeve explained. “Those to be chosen wear white to show we are ready… to be chosen”
“Who chooses you?”
Maeve ignored the question
“I would like to know… who choose…? Kay began when she saw that the question was making Maeve uncomfortable
As they drove along the track and started passing small thatched roofed, white-wall houses Kay saw a number of other girls in white… and then two in red.
“Who are the girls in red?”
“They’ve been chosen” Maeve said, “I hope to wear red soon”
“I see…” Kay said, although she didn’t quite see. But, that there were girls in red meant that having been ‘chosen’ they hadn’t been ritually sacrificed. She now regretted having watched that movie—the silly ideas that it had put in her head!
She remembered her dream. She needed to ask…“And…,” Kay began “Who wears black….?”
“I…” Maeve began “I ought to get out here…” she said as she tried the door
“No wait”
“Stop the car!” she screamed
Kay braked and before she could fully stop Maeve had leapt out. “Have you seen the woman in black?” the girl asked
“Yes”
“Where?”
“Last night… in a dream”
Maeve slammed the car door shut “You should turn around and leave here” she said
“But…”
“Leave!” Maeve insisted and turned and left for a group of young people near a grey house.
Two were in white. Kay noticed none of the boys were in white.
Kay waved when Maeve looked back at her but Maeve ignored her.
Kay decided to press on….
She parked outside what appeared to be a pub. She noticed that hers was the only car. All the other people were on foot, or a few on horse, or horse-drawn carts
No one seemed concerned about her. She saw another woman wearing red. “Excuse me” she called out but the woman ignored her.
Kay ran after her
“Excuse me!” she called
The woman continued to ignore her so Kay caught up with her and grabbed her arm
The woman turned around
“Sorry to trouble you” Kay said, “I’m Kay Parker, a reporter from the London Tribune”
“Ay?” the woman said
“Can I ask you a few questions?”
“Aye” the woman said relenting
“Can I ask you your name?” Kay asked
“Eilidh”
“Hayley?” Kay asked not hearing it correctly
“No…” Eilidh said “ae-lee”
“Oh, sorry” Kay said… “You… you’re wearing red”
“That I am” the woman said annoyed by the obvious statement
“Can you tell me what that means”
“That means I was chosen”
“I see” Kay said
“What does that mean”
“That means I was chosen” Eilidh said again, as if it were self-explanatory
“Ah…” Kay said “Can I ask when you were chosen?”
“1956” Eilidh said
“What? Thirty-years ago!” Kay gasped, “You don’t look more than 25”
“Are you saying I’m a liar?” Eillidh got defensive.
“No… no… noooo” Kay said
“Look” Eilidh said, “The Choosing is happening soon… you’re here… enjoy yourself” She then turned and left
Kay was no closer to working out what was happening. She tuned around and went back to the pub.
She went inside.
A number of people now turned to look at her, but then ignored her. The pub had a mixed bag of people including girls in white
Kay made her way over to an elderly lady behind the bar
“Excuse me” she said
“How can I help?” the woman asked
“I was wondering if I could get a room”
“Ah, sure” the woman said, “Would you like to see it now?”
“Yes”
The woman turned “Catilin!” she called. (Caitlin is pronounced Kathleen, not Kate-lin.)
A young woman pushed past some patrons. “Aye, màthair?”
“Can you show this young Sassanach a room?”
“Which one?”
“Number Five, perhaps”
“Okay” she said. She turned to Kay “Would you come this way, please?” she said
Kay followed her upstairs. Rooms had numbers on the doors, but didn’t appear to be numbered in order. Number Five was down the end of the corridor
There was no key used to open it up.
“How long will you be staying? Caitlin asked, “Just here for the Choosing?”
“Yes, I’m doing a story on it”
“Oh, Aye?” she smiled
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure” Caitlin said
“Why aren’t you in white?”
“It’s not my time”
“You mean you’re too young?”
“No… just not my time. Some girls chose are much younger than me. Some older”
Kay settled in to her room. It was comfortable, a little spartan. There was no bathroom.
She took a towel and in her dressing gown made her way down the hall to the bathroom.
Like her own room it was not locked and she opened the door. There in the shower was a beautiful woman. She had long black hair and alabaster white skin.
Kay stood there for a moment transfixed
The shower was simply a hose in the bath. The woman stood in the bath and now bent over to turn the water off
She was clean-shaven
Now Kay did blush
She turned around and saw Kay there
“I’ll be done in a moment” she said, not at all embarrassed by Kay standing there looking at her.
“I…” Kay began
The woman stepped out of the bath and up to Kay, then she leaned forward. Kay thought the woman was going to touch her, but she grabbed a towel that was hanging near by
Kay felt embarrassed again
“Are you in town for the Choosing?” the woman asked as she casually dried herself.
“Y…Y…Yes” Kay stammered nervously
The woman smiled. Her smile was so warm. Her blue eyes though was cold as ice.
There was a familiarity about her, though Kay had never met her before.
“My name is Lilith” she said holding out her hand
“Kay” Kay said as she took it. She noticed the hand was cool, but soft. She held it too long
“Why don’t you wear white?” Lilith said
“Excuse me?”
“You want to be chosen” Lilith said
“I…”
Lilith seemed to gaze into her eyes
“I…”
“You want to be chosen”
“I want to…” Kay hesitated “I want to be chosen…”
“Then you will wear white”
“I will wear white…” Kay said
“Good” Lilith smiled
Kay stepped into the bath, still warm from the previous showering. She turned to see Lilith watching her. Kay trembled at the woman watching her shower.
Lilith laughed and turned and left
“What…What the fuck!” Kay said. She was still in her clothes.
She wondered what had just happened.
She threw off her damp clothes and showered before returning to her room.
There, on the bed was a white dress laid out. Kay smiled when she saw it. She put it on. In front of the long mirror there she admired her body, in the white dress “I want to be chosen” she said to herself without fully, consciously realising what she was saying.
A number of those in white stood around the town square. Others stood back, forming a circle.
Kay stepped forward, the crowd parted to let her through. She wore white. She joined the others.
She was there, as if in a dream. The town’s mayor (actually called the Provost) stood there giving a speech. Kay smiled as if in a daze and only heard the speech like it were a background buzz
Lilith stepped forward through the crowd. She wore a dress identical to Kay’s only it was red.
Kay felt her nippled harden as Lilith looked her over. Lilith felt Kay’s breasts through the dress. She inspected her like she would a horse. She even checked Kay’s teeth.
Lilith was given a chalice and she pouted its red connects out onto two girls heads, and then, onto Kay’s
Kay felt the hot liquid run down over the back of her neck, and her face… staining the pure white linen of her dress
There were cheers
Kay was lead away.
She had been chosen.
Kay was taken to a cave. Lead through by previously chosen in their red outfits, leading Kay and two others by flaming torch-light
The cave looked barren but as they went inside the atmosphere changed. It grew warm. It wasn’t dank. And, mysteriously there was light. The torches were doused. Soft light broke through from all quarters of the cave
And then, deeper, it went—there was a garden.
“Welcome my lovelies” Lilith said, appearing from nowhere
“Maebh, Eilís, Kay” Lilith smiled, welcoming her three chosen ones.
She kissed each softly on the lips.
Kay suddenly felt like a haze lifted from her eyes. “Wha…?” she stammered “What am I doing here?”
“You have been chosen”
“Chosen?”
“Yes, I will bestow upon you my great gift”
“What are you talking about?”
“I offer you the gift of freedom”
“What?”
“The gift from freedom is a gift of freedom”
“What are you talking about?” Kay said
“You will become my chosen, my slave, and you will never have to worry about anything ever again—except serving me”
“I will not!” she protested
“It’s too late, I’ve already decided you, Maebh, and Eilís will join me”
Kay looked at the other two, one was quite young, the other older than Kay was. But the two of them smiled like dopes, still in the haze of whatever had been over Kay
“Did you drug us, you sick…” she began
“Shush” Lilith said
“Mm-mm-mmm” Kay cried as her lips pressed together. She was unable to open her mouth.
She looked again at the other two girls. They stood there smiling, happily doped up.
“It’s not drugs” Lilith laughed “What a small mind you have…”
“Mmm-nnn-mmm!” Kay cried. She tried to prize her lips apart with her fingers
“I am your goddess” Lilith said. And she threw her head back to make a large guffaw and as she did her upper canines extended into fangs.
Kay saw this happen. She couldn’t believe it
“Nnn-nnnn!” she screamed to no avail
“I have lived for millennia in this valley… trapped by a curse. But, I can have companions.” she said, “And I have chosen you”
“Nnn” Kay cried
“There! There!” Lilith whispered.
She went to touch Kay but Kay flailed her arms around to say “Get off me!” except it sounded like “Nnn-mmm-mmm”
Lilith tried again. Kay went to slap her arm away again, only this time Lilith caught it. With no effort at all she snapped Kay’s wrist, breaking her hand
Kay screamed a muffled scream in pain
Lilith laughed
She drew Kay into her arms and bit into Kay’s neck.
“Nnn! Nnn!” she cried
Kay’s blood welled up into Lilith’s mouth.
Kay’s cries melted away
She felt a burning at her neck. She shivered
Lilith emptied her
Kay came. It was as if her essence was emptied out of her and she became like an empty vessel. And that empty vessel knew only love for her mistress…
Two weeks later Flora MacTavish drove along a very small track in the highlands of Scotland. She was searching for her missing friend.
She was surprised to see a woman walking along the track, coming in the opposite direction, wearing a red dress, looking something like a bridal dress.
Flora stopped her car and wound down the window to ask for directions.
“Excuse me?” me she asked “Gabh mo leisgeul?” she repeated in Gaelic.
The woman stopped
“Tha?” the woman said
“My goodness!” Flora cried, “Kay?”
Kay looked at her with a smile
“Flora!”
“Kay?” Flora cried, “What’s happened?”
“I’ve found peace”
“Everyone’s been looking for you… what happened?”
“I was chosen…” she said before walking on…