Feminism,
or Name It What You Will
Dani
continued, "And we're not sharing any of that with them either." She
thought her friend's planning was impressive. She felt more assured, as if the
walk to Hollow Hill wasn't that difficult. It was past time they went outside
because Sheila's house was so nearby. Yes, there was some rule-breaking
involved, but so what? This held great significance. This was feminism, sort
of. or whatever name it was called. "Girls, lunchtime!" Her mother gave her a call.
After the girls had eaten lunch and run downstairs, it was time.
Are You
Ready?
Dani and
Sheila waited until the E.R. theme music started playing after hearing the
living room armchair sigh and creak. The girls were out in a flash once that
tinny sounds filled the air. Sheila was riding her own bike, but Dani was using
the family's spare. Maggie, Sheila's sister, used to own it. Maggie was a high
school student who was sometimes kind to them. Are you ready for it? Sheila questioned Dani, her eyes
brimming.
Helmets
on
Dani nodded
anxiously. While Sheila put on her helmet, she put on Maggie's, which was a
little too big. They were breaking the rules about the woods, for sure, but not
wearing helmets? That was going too far. They started pedalling into the forest, their bikes providing
the necessary power to propel them over the scattered pebbles and roots that
scattered the otherwise level terrain.
For How
Long?
How much was
a half-mile?
Dani thought
they had been riding for days. Sheila exclaimed, "We're getting
closer!" after about ten minutes of pedalling. She claimed to be following a map she
had discovered at the library, but Maggie had most likely assisted her. Dani
wasn't concerned about getting lost because they hadn't taken many detours yet.
To exit the forests, all they needed to do was move eastward.
Rockier
The ground
eventually became slightly more rugged. "Can I see the map?" Dani
asked Sheila as they came to a halt. Thanks to Maggie, I was able to print out
the map from Windsor High School, and it appeared that the Hill was nearby.
Hollow Hill was not too far ahead because they had just passed a marked shallow
brook that was rushing quickly. "Let's walk instead of riding our bikes," Sheila
said. After giving their motorcycles a final glance, the girls continued into
the woods.
Was She
the Only One?
Naturally,
walking was more leisurely than riding a bike. To get to their destination, the
girls had to navigate over rocks carefully. As they passed a massive, nearly
out-of-place oak tree, Sheila nodded and looked down at her now-crinkled map.
Nervously, Dani swallowed. She hoped Sheila understood her intended
destination. Was it only
her, or was there more darkness in the forest?
Darker
When they
initially entered the forest, it was a pale green colour, full of moss with
vibrant colours and dappled sunshine. It was considerably darker now, and the
sun seemed to be fighting tooth and nail just to shine through. It would be nighttime during the day
if the trees continued to grow. As they strolled along, Dani kept an eye on Sheila's red head
and hoped they would arrive at Hollow Hill soon.
Are We
Getting Close?
"Are we
getting close now?" Hating the high-pitched quiver in her voice, Dani
asked. They had gone into the woods for half a mile. How much time was left to
them? Dani would be grounded and the girls would not be allowed to play
together for at least a week or longer if Sheila's mother found them. Sheila
took another glance at the map, muttered something nonsensical, and continued
to walk. They located it
just before Dani gave in and suggested they turn around.
A Strange Sight
It was
strange to see Hollow Hill.
Dani didn't
feel any better despite being in the centre of an open clearing that separated
them from the shadowy jungle. Like a decaying tooth, Hollow Hill protruded from
the surrounding terrain, rising twenty feet into the sky. Dani noted that the area surrounding
Hollow Hill was devoid of the leaves, moss, roots, and boulders that had
covered the forest floor behind it.
It Appear
Strange
Above all,
Hollow Hill didn't look right.
It didn't
appear to be a "butt," as Mike had naively described it. It resembled
the sharp scales of a monster in a sleep, one that would rise and tower over
the trees for hundreds of feet. Dani had no desire to ascend Hollow Hill. Her
desire was to return home. "It seems strange," she remarked to Sheila, but her companion
didn't appear to agree with her assessment of wrongness.
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