Can you keep a secret?

“Can you keep a secret?”

These were the words which will haunt me forever. I have tried to tell people and friends but no one listens. And, why should they.

“Yes, of coarse.” I said, grabbing the football.

“ I lived here all my life and they decided to invite me to the village. “ expressed Mikey.

He grabbed the pigskin walking around me throwing the football up and down. Then threw it to the porch and hit the barbecue pit.

“This is and honor. They don’t let many children enter the compound. “ he looked straight at me and said, “You can come to. I want you to come. I want you to be there for my, “Introduction”.

I had never seen someone so determine in my life. Coming into the town, there were not lot of neighbors willing to be friends because of the city about 20 miles away. You see, our school was only 10 miles away from us the suburbs and the city was 10 miles away from the school. So, they shared the school, to save money. Since I was new, I really did not understand the rules….but it was recognized very quickly, the city kids were where you want to belong. The popular kids with the exciting life. The girls always want to be around them so they would make excuses about having to share notes for homework which allow them to go hang out in the city. In rare occasions, we would see them and talk. Mostly, they would come around 8pm when it was dark, not enough time to know each other because of bed time.

The point is easy. There were no friends here.

We did the best to enjoy our self with outdoor enjoyment , fishing, even some hunting so when Mikey was talking about introducing himself and little people, a village, a new way of thinking; it was almost impossible to tell an adult about fantasy talk. Over thinking the process, or just children being kids, would be the thought. I did feel a fear not known to me but it was quickly turn to being too late. I was to tired to even think about him or talk.

Besides, we hang together all the time and he wanted me there. So, I really doubt he was going to just leave. I did my best to keep my mind off his words. But I couldn’t until I just forgot in deep sleep or doing basic chores.

The next couple of days were school days so we were just students until Thursday. The teacher said we were going to have Friday off and Mikey lid up.

“Yes” he repeated again “Yes! You know what this means. I can do the “Introduction “ this weekend. It surprise me how easy he went into speaking about the village.

Thou I was not to excited to hear him talk about his introduction for the hundredth time, I did recognize in my heart, I knew nothing about this village. I tried to speak to him but time caught up with us. Soon, we were running from classroom to lab tech. Trying to stay awake in a subject about math. I suddenly notice this was going to be the of the day and had mention nothing to him.

It was during English room. We had 30 minutes for ourselves for relaxing so I decided to spend it in the library. I text my mom the location which she knew by heart and knew she would not complain because it was easier to pick me up. I asked the teacher for permission which I knew by heart it would be a yes because it was down time. The time was really to relax. Some, students would go-to the big oak tree and hang until pickup.

I Google for information about little people and was getting nowhere. Then. I decide to look under, Native little people and the whole aspect of thought changed. There were fables, myths, and real documentation film. Many considered them real. Many fear them. There was a story about a girl who was taken by them. This started making me crazy….I had to talk to Mikey. They all said the same….they are evil.

I walked out to meet Mikey in his room; he was not there.(Had been pickup.) I walked outside to see my mom honking.

“Come on, we got a very busy afternoon.” Before I could answer, she waved me in and said, “Sarah is coming with us.”

This was a surprise. As my mother explained the situation I was trying to calm down. I was excited. So, as soon as, I saw her, I jump into the back seat. I really want to see her beauty all the way to the supermarket. She opened the back door and my mom said, “You can seat up front.”

“Oh, I have homework…but thank you for everything.” She expressed as I help with her books. She sat down and said her hi.

Sara was actually a really good guest. We spend so much time together, even when we didn’t have to.(Like standing in line) I had forgotten about Mikey until I got home. As soon as we reached Sara’s house, her mother immediately told us to go home and watch the news.

It was here the flood of information went crazy. (10 children went missing that night.) Six were from the city and four from our area. (The Suburbs)

They say it was a game. A game called Ommena. They really didn’t know anything about it. A book was found in Mikey’s room; it spoke about an introduction and how they could become part of a fantasy world. I guess, he was the leader for having the book because all the others only had small floppy books. Another boy they talked about in the news, had strange letters which explain when to do the ceremony. The problem was the size of the paper, it was small pages written in his own handwriting. There were two girls, who made these fairy fantasy dresses; the problem the size of them they looked like doll size. They took pictures of the clothing. Later, discovered some of the dresses were missing

Their was so much information in TV and when I went to school everyone had an opinion but the facts were there in front of them. The little people had taken them away but nobody believed. They all went with sacrifice and drownings. I talk to my father and mother about it but no one would believe me. Many advise me to forget and with time I did. They did too.

They always said it was a game and we were lucky not to be caught up in the imagination. Thou it did not explain anything except 10 children had disappeared from a city and rural place. And it only took six months to stop. No more talk. No more whispers.

It became a legend. A myth.