My First Novel: Chapter 1

1

The howl of the wolves, faraway in the valley of the distant hills, woke me up. It was still night. The silvery beams of the full moon flowed through the window of my bedroom.

I sat up on my bed staring out at the street beneath my window. The small cottages lined the streets on both sides. The streetlights were dim, flickering like a candle caught in a breeze. One end of the road rose up onto a hill while the other end sloped down towards the valley.

The howl was the only noise, which rent through the silent night. Soon the howling stopped and the soft gurgling of a rushing stream overtook it.

Everyone was asleep. But I could not get back to sleep again. The howl had really awoken me. I decided to go for a small walk; perhaps I would feel sleepy; better than sitting and doing nothing. I slowly crept out of the house unseen.

We were still new to the town; we had shifted there that day in the evening. I still hadn’t ‘inspected’ the town simply because I didn’t get anytime. I was busy helping my mother around in arranging the house for our very first night. That night was a result of a series of changes in my father’s office a few months back. We used to live in a far-off city. A new branch of the company had been opened here. My father, due to his competence, was selected as the officer-in-charge of this new branch. His main job was to start the work of the branch and to supervise its working till it had gained a suitable pace.

But leaving my city was not easy; I had lived there for thirteen years of my life. It was very difficult to leave my friends. My friends…my neighbourhood…my house…my city! I could feel the tears reappearing in my eyes as it had - when I saw my house for the last time from the departing car window - when I saw my city being hidden behind the clouds from the aeroplane. I brushed it off my eyes.

I walked up the road towards the hill until I reached a bridge, which joined the nearby hill and the town. Standing there, I looked around. Far away the full moon light illuminated the spooky hills. The distant hills enclosed a dark valley, which could be seen from the bridge. A swift-flowing stream cut across the valley, covered with a thick covering of green coniferous forests, and ran under the bridge to the other side where it got lost in between the surrounding hills.

The night was cool and pleasant. A breeze brushed against my face. It made me shiver for a while. Above my head the moon shone brightly and a halo could be seen encircling the silvery disc. I walked up and down the road wide-awake.

The summer breeze again brushed against my face only to ruffle my hair. It was the middle of May. The surrounding hills created a mysterious appearance. The far away valley looked even spookier than the hills. A cloud had suddenly appeared and hidden the moon behind itself. The breeze stopped. All this suddenly caused an eerie atmosphere. I felt a shiver run down my spine. I did not want to be outside now.

I ran down the road towards my house, which was distinguishable from other houses because of its bright blue door. I entered the living room carefully, trying my best not to make any noise. I was cordially invited by the grandfather clock, which struck three.

I slowly crept back to bed, still awake. The moon reappeared from behind the cloud again filling up my room with its eerie silvery light.

Next: Chapter 2