Echo Hill

Echo Hill: A Short Story

Echo Hill, everyone who lives in Duskwood knows the legends. They all thought it was a ghost story meant to be brushed off. "Oh, it's just a stupid little story!" They said, A story that was meant to scare kids at night, but was it? Was it really a myth? Or was it reality? The legend went like this: it all began with a girl, just one girl named Eleanor. According to the legend, Eleanor was a curious one. 

She was loved by the villagers for her kindness, curiosity, and her love for exploring. She loved chasing stories, finding new things, and treasure hunts. This exact thing that everybody in the town loved about her so much, her hunger for discovery that would come to be her demise. Eleanor would be the first one taken by Echo Hill. After the disappearance of Eleanor, more and more kids would be taken by Echo Hill one by one, little by little. The strangest part? Everyone had one thing in common: they were grieving.

Over a loved one, maybe over regret, things they'd never done. After this, Echo Hill was considered sacred ground by the town's early settlers, who believed it to be a place where reality and reflection met. They believed it to be a place no one should ever go near. 

Ever. At twilight, the wind would carry back your voice not as an echo, but as a twisted version of yourself. Locals called it "the Mirror Echo," a spirit said to be born of grief, regret, and longing. Nobody knew exactly how this spirit was born, but it was. It was said If someone stood on the hill and called out with deep emotion, especially grief, the spirit would answer... and sometimes, it would take something in return. 

Eight years ago, my grandmother died of old age, which made my entire family upset. Nobody, however, was more upset than my older sister, Sydney, who was extremely close to my grandmother. Given that, when her friends asked her if she'd like to go to Echo Hill at night to "test out the legend," Sydney stupidly said yes.

Night came, it was around 1 am, and I heard a thumping noise coming from my sister's room. Being a little detective that I was at 8, I decided to investigate. I got out of bed and walked toward my sister's room, and my sister was sneaking out the window. I scratched the back of my head. 

"Syd, what are you doing?" I asked her while fidgeting with my teddy bear in my hand nervously. She turned around, spotting me. Then, she put her foot back inside the house from the window and put her finger over her mouth, asking me to be quiet, which confused me, probably because I was so young. 

Syd put her hand on my shoulders. "Layla, I'm going to hang out with my friends, we're going to go do something fun! We're going to Echo Hill," I smiled widely. "Can I come!?" I asked too loudly. "Layla, quiet down!" Sydney said before shaking her head. 

"No, Layla, you can't. It's for big kids only! I promise if you don't tell Mom, I'll give you candy from my secret stash, sound good?" My eyes lit up. "Deal!" She shook my hand. "Alright." She patted my shoulders, letting go. "I have to go now, but I'll see you later." I waved. That was the last time I ever saw Sydney and the start to the horror show that was the next 8 years of my life. Later that night, around 4 am, we heard a knock at the door. I ran downstairs, wondering if my sister was back, but instead, it was a group of people.

I recognized them; it was Sydney's friends who looked like they saw a ghost. "Ms. Wren... I'm so sorry we went to Echo Hill, and Sydney was with us, and she vanished! We have no idea where she went. One minute she was next to us, the next she was gone. We're so sorry." My mother stood there; I couldn't see her face. I think I was too young to understand what this meant, but my mother clearly did. 

She immediately asked the kids to come inside and called the police. The police came by and got the kids' testimony. I walked up to my mom. "Mommy... where's Sydney?" My mother looked at me with tears in her eyes and said with her voice cracking. "Sydney's coming home soon, I promise!" I smiled. "Good, cuz she owes me candy!" My mom looked at me, raising an eyebrow.