It only dawned on me how remote we were when I was given my room. A plain wooden floor is given over almost entirely to a single bed and chest of drawers. A small fireplace and metal mantlepiece dominate the wall closest to the door. There's no electricity, we have to boil water and filter it before we can drink it. We are miles from the mainland on an island comprising one small hill, a few beaches and scattered farm houses and fields. In the far south stands a lighthouse from 1891. This is the most modern landmark. Sheep and cows roam where they will and dusty tracks connect the small number of dwellings.
Some people would give a lot to be in this state of isolation. The modern world far behind them and only their minds and fellow humans for company and entertainment. I had mixed feelings about it. Being here with only my family reminded me how lonesome I was back home. And it was the kind of longing that couldn't be resolved with a week spent with kin. I wanted a girlfriend but I was useless with women.
With us was my family, being my parents, my younger brother and my grandfather. My Aunt Susan's family were also along which included her 21 year old daughter Jenny, and her 29 year old son. What I hadn't expected was for Jenny to bring her friend, Shannon along. Shannon wasn't kin to me so I could potentially practice some harmless flirting. She was a pretty girl, quite a firm figure from her love of swimming, with short boyish black hair. She had an easy smile and beautiful white teeth. Her eyes were brown and big and although usually she wouldn't be my idea of my "type", she looked attractive to me.
The first few days were spent in the sunshine outside the house. We swam in the sea, cooked big meals and ate together outside. I hoped, as I always do, that Shannon would notice me and I wouldn't have to do the talking. But my stony, yet polite and abrupt dealings weren't giving her much to go on. I was hopeless, I'd give up for now.
I went to bed in the true darkness that the isolation of the island affords. The old Victorian house creaked itself cool in the still evening air. In a sad mood, I pulled the covers over and fell into a restless sleep.
I was awoken by creaking footsteps and whispering voices. Seeing the curtains still showing only moonlight, I knew morning hadn't come yet. I listened intently from my bed and heard Shannon and Jenny talking together. One would shush the other as they moved down the corridor as quietly as an old house allows.
"Jen, don't come" I heard whispered harshly by Shannon.
"I want to see it" came the reply.
"I don't know if I can control it though" Shannon whispered urgently.
There was more whispering but I couldn't hear it over the creaking and banging of the floorboards. They were at the base of the stairs and slipping out the front door.
I quietly got out of bed and pulled a dressing gown over my naked body and two slippers on my bare feet.
I followed them downstairs, by now they were outside and could be anywhere. The air was cold outside and it swirled up my gown. I felt my ballsack tighten and my willy shrivel in the wind. I thought about turning back and getting a coat but there was no time.
With a full moon lighting the landscape the two girls were easy to make out. I hid behind drystone walls and hedges as I followed them across the island to the north end where there was a ruined 11th century chapel. The grave yard had continued to be used up until the 1920s so I had a lot of places I could hide. With my back to a tombstone I could turn around and secretly watch Shannon and Jenny who stood motionless in the centre of the ruins. The only sound was the bleeting of the sheep and the buffeting of the wind.
The wind made my dressing gown flap and I felt a shiver run down me. I began to question my plan. Why didn't I just ask them in the morning? I could be in my warm bed right now. These thoughts were interrupted by a large blue flash. It lit the entire hillside for a moment and then all was dark again.
I peeked around the gravestone and one of the girls, I think it was Shannon, was muttering and dancing around in a circle. Jenny was watching from a distance. What was that flash? It was brighter than any torch light I'd ever seen. I cursed myself that I hadn't been watching when it happened.
The wind began to blow harder and I heard a distant rumbling of thunder. A midsummer storm was brewing and I could imagine myself getting soaked as well as cold. I decided to wander back to the house and leave those two to do their religious ceremony or whatever it was they were doing.
As I stood up to leave a sheep resting nearby was startled by my presence and got up to leave. A few of them panicked and began to run away except a ram which are the notoriously aggressive male sheep that do anything to protect their female flock. Oh shit, I thought, this'll completely give the game away. I looked over to Shannon and Jenny who hadn't noticed and were now both walking in circles and chanting.
The ram let out a snort and began to charge at me just as a huge flash of lightning illuminated the entire island. It was as if time stood still. I could see the ram charging madly towards me and I could see its golden eyes staring at me angrily in the blue flash.
I felt a peculiar change come over me, as if the ram was looking right into my soul. I could feel its anger and power. I also wanted to protect my sheep from this strange human interloper. It was as if he was taking over my mind and I was being pushed back into my brain, deeper and deeper. I felt control of my limbs ebb away. I couldn't move, I was rooted to the spot and this ram was replacing me. I wanted to shout for help but no sound came out.
The flash ended and we were back in darkness but the feeling of helplessness remained. My body felt electric and full of energy but none of it was within my control. I was just a passenger as I watched myself involuntary blink and look at my hands in the moonlight. The ram that was charging at me had fallen on its side. Its tongue hung out the side of its mouth and it twitched. I could feel a new part of my brain and it was foreign. It was the ram. It had transported into my brain and now had control of all the levers.
I watched in horror as the ram turned me towards Shannon and Jenny and began walking towards them. I couldn't just walk up to them! In the middle of the night. I tried to wrestle control but I was helpless. I was just watching and could feel every sensation and sense every thought. The ram was thinking that Shannon was sexy and that was as far as the thinking went.
