by HorseFeathers, age 16

I am Fauna Lyrie and this is my island. You may or may not have read many a tale of travelers stranded on some deserted island left there with no help to name. Well that is not the case with my journey. It involves a legend, a leaky submarine, and a path of no return.

It was 1934 and Papa was spirited up with rest of the Scottish population about the recent “Nessie” sightings. My papa is a Biologist by trade. He is not into crazy legends and myths but he does believe in possibilities. The monster was said to have a long neck, small head, and a serpent-like body. According to Papa and his fellow scientists, it might have been a surviving plesiosaur.

Being 14 years old I was still a carefree young lady and always eager for an adventure. So you can imagine what I thought when papa started talking about an exploration with his friend Professor Colin Macgregor. Of course, Mr. Colin’s bratty nephew had to be there…

Cody and I do not have the best history together. He thinks just because he’s one year older than me he can boss me the way he wants. He has blond hair and vain green eyes he thinks all the village girls admire him… he is wrong.

“I think we should start looking around Urquhart Bay,” said Papa.

“I don’t know for sure, it’s the deepest part of the loch but I’m not sure the Sub can go that far,” Mr. Macgregor replied.

“It’s the best underwater machine of its time Colin. Who knows what we might encounter down there!”

“I don’t know Ed,” My papa’s name was Edward, “We’ll see how she runs closer to the shore and make plans from there”.

Oh, my Scottish blood was boiling with ambition!

“Papa, oh you have to let me come, I could be your helper!”

“I’m sorry Fauna, dear but this is experimental research and I’m not about to risk you for it”.

Cody smirked at me. Oh, would I have liked to give him a licking; papa would not say it was lady like though.

I knew Papa was right though… in a sense. I still wanted to ride in that submarine… somehow… someway I would.

At about the same time the nessi sightings started up an unusual event had started in the past few months. Local ranchers, and yes we have those in Scotland, reported missing horse stock. It seems as though after a heavy rain the horses broke loose, headed to the loch, and disappeared into the mist.

I myself have never owned a horse but I cannot help admiring their strength as they help plow fields, and gallop in the valleys. In particular, a pink roan colored horse that was at our neighbor’s, Mr. McAlister’s farm. Now she too had mysteriously disappeared along with the rest of the missing horses.

I sat on the edge of a dock most days playing in the tide pools, glaring at Cody if he came near, while Papa worked with his assistants and made plans for the exploration.

Finally, the day had arrived! Papa and his crew had come to an agreement that they would cast off the sub at one of Urquhart Bay’s ancient castle’s because of the level ground and the open water. Most sightings of the loch beast were on a clear day in the afternoon so that is when the crew decided to start the project.

Do not get me wrong I usually am a respectful girl and mind my papa. Sometimes though the urge for exploration continues also in the younger generation; which was me in this case.

“Alright men, break for lunch. We start at directly noon. Professor Macgregor and I will control the two-man sub, record data, and retain pictures if possible.”

I had brought my lunch with me and I wanted one last look at that fancified machine before it disappeared under the deep waters. Cody had apparently already eaten his and was shuffling around on the beach.

“Papa may I stay by the shore please.”

“Sure Fauna. Come and get me up at the cottage if you need anything.”

Like I said before, Papa was a Biologist and he loved to share his ideas and facts with everyone. So even though he would not let me drive it; papa explained the submarine to me inside and out. Eating my watercress sandwich on the dock those past lessons with papa made me even more curious to hop inside and look. Of course, Cody had to urge me on.

“Too bad your papa doesn’t want you along.”

“He does too! He just wants me to stay safe.”

“Whatever you say… dare you to go inside the sub.”

The sub was strapped to the boat… it would not hurt going inside for just a minute.

So that is just what I did. I hopped right on board the boat and climbed my way down into the sub’s interior. The cushions where leather bound and it smelled of new metal. The boat began to shake and the hatch slammed shut. Darn that Cody. He was trying to play one of his stupid pranks on me by shaking the sub.

All of a sudden, the suspensions detached from the boat. I was starting to sink into the depths of the Loch and my father and his crew was about half a mile away! The last thing I saw was Cody’s white and frightened face as he screamed my name before the sub was entirely under water.

My mind was frozen with fear for a few minutes but I had to think fast and pilot the sub! Remember now that I was only 14 so this sub looked huge with its hundreds of switches and controls. I pulled up on the steering lever and pushed forward into gear. The sub was moving but not rising… in fact it was still sinking and what’s more, the loch currents were pushing me further out into the water!

50 feet… I had to hurry but I could do almost nothing. A half hour went by. 78 feet — I was getting my adventure all right! I could accomplish nothing except to move the sub forward as the currents drifted me onward through the murky gloom of the loch.

Time went on….

It was so quiet and I felt a little sleepy… I drifted off.

A drop of water splashed on my face. Immediately I rose to my feet. I was standing in about an inch of water! The intense pressure down here must have been too much for the sub! “Best underwater machine of its time” indeed!

I had no idea where the sub was going and what’s worse it was leaking!! All of a sudden, the blasted machine started to creak. I was going faster… it could not be the currents… something was pushing the sub I was sure of it.

Could it be the beast!? I didn’t know and I don’t think I ever will. At that moment I took a picture from the sub’s water-proof camera. Later on I would develop that picture but all I could make out was a fuzzy, long fin-like structure.

Then there was silence and the sub was still. I was sure it had landed somewhere. But how could it have rose to the surface so quickly? Taking my chances, I turned the port and opened the hatch. As I climbed out of the sub, I stared at my surroundings

So I had not reached the surface. I was on a small beach, in a sort of cave. I remember my papa telling me about places like this. It was called a grotto; an underwater cavern that separates the land from sea and connects them at the same time. Whatever or whoever had brought me here I was grateful for… but scared out of my Scottish wits too. The cave walls were tarnished with seaweed, wet and molding with age. I had to go on, not sit here and whimper like a long lost puppy.

There was light streaming in from somewhere… but how? I traced my way through the cave with my fingers following the walls. Wait a second, there were trails that lead back and through the depths of the cavern. I bet they could go on forever! I ultimately chose to stay with the lighted path as it reached higher and higher levels of earth as I climbed. After about half an hour, if I can remember right, I reached the end of my trail. When I shielded my eyes from the blinding light that streamed in from the opening… I could not believe what I saw!

In front of me was a forest green, lush, and more fragrant than you can imagine. Who, what, how?? Yes, I was just as confused as any normal human being would have been. I looked up. There was the radiant Sun… at least something was familiar, and that comforted me. Looking behind me, I saw the trail from the cave I had taken along with hundreds of other entrances. I would later call this the cave of trails… for that is exactly what it was.

Being in that sub for hours on end made me hungry. I had to find something to eat, and hoped nothing would want to eat me too. I stayed along the edge of the forest looking for something, anything that might be recognizable. I came to what my mind would not normally believe… tropical fruit. Bananas, coconuts, and a bright red furry fruit I cannot name. Poison or not I had to take the chance or starve. I climbed a tree and picked a bunch to chow down on.

As I sat enjoying my luscious meal and thinking how in the world I would get home and off this strange land, I heard a sound in the foliage behind me. My chest was heaving and my heartbeat increased to the ultimate. I prayed to God that what was in the forest behind me was not a predator. Believe it or not, I was kind of missing Cody and his corny jokes. I grabbed a stick and slowly advanced into the greenery. Pulling aside some humongous ferns, I saw the unbelievable.

Before me were the missing horses of the Scottish mainland! They were grazing greedily. Some of the mares had foals that were kicking up their heals in mock play fight. There was my adored pink, rose roan filly. She was even more beautiful in this enchanted place. She nickered when she saw me and trotted up to my side.

When she stood over me and placed her graceful, soft neck over my shoulder I knew something at once. I was not alone… we would find a way.

How the horses had arrived here was probably the same way I had… through the cave of trails. They had traveled through entrances, for unknown reasons, that could exist all over Scotland and perhaps even beyond.

Well there you have it. My beginning and how I found this mystical island. How do I know it is an island? Well, in the days past I had explored my way around — ALL around — on the back of Rose my prink roan. The island is enclosed on all sides in a massive mountain wall; closed off to the world except through the entrances to the cave of trails. For now, the island belongs to the horses and me and it will stay that way for a long time. How I will find my journey home and discovering the future mysteries of the island is another story I have yet to discover. Until then, I am Fauna Lyrie and this is the island of the Loch Herd.