A Scottish ghost story

Posted on Friday October 28th, 2022 @ 1:32pm by

Mission: Shore Leave
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: During R&R

[ON]

-Holodeck-

Halloween. The old Earth festival where children and adults. Dressed up in fancy clothing and on the children's case. Consumed large amounts of sweats. Inducing a sugar rush and stomach distress. Even in this day and age the festival was still observed.

For some reason people always assumed. That because she was Scottish. Penny was good at telling a good scary ghost story or two. Which was true thanks to her uncle Alex. He was not really her uncle just a good friend of her late grandfather. But every year , despite warnings from Penny’s grandmother. That if the children had nightmares and peed their beds. She would make him do the washing. He would tell them a ghost story.

A few Ensigns had invited Penny. To a Halloween party on the main holodeck. Following Niali’s prompting that she should try and make new friends McTaggard agreed. So dressed as a Scottish women from the 18tg century she entered the holodeck.

The party was quite a good one and Penny was enjoying herself. They had all sorts of Halloween games and of course. A ghost telling competition.

This was the story Penny told. That her uncle Alex had once told her.

Young Jimmy McGovern had always been considered to be the runt of the litter. His three older brothers were big muscular scotsman.They hunted wild animals with their father. While young Jimmy tended to his family’s herd of sheep.

Now one day something started to kill lambs. Fearing it would be to dangerous. Jimmy was taken off looking after the herd.

“ I want to help yer hunt for the beastie that’s killing our lambs.” He told his oldest brother Sean.

Who just cuffed his ear and laughed.

A few days later the same brother was injured. When the creature who had been killing the lambs. Attacked the flock. It turned out to be a vicious boar. It gored Sean quite badly. But he managed to scar the creatures face. Making it easy to spot but because it was wounded. Making it more dangerous.

Jimmy wanted to show his brothers. That he could be just as brave as they where. So one early morning armed with his brother Sean’s hunting knife. He foolishly went to hunt the beast.

The terrain became quite treacherous but Jimmy. Kept his nerve , he was a McGovern. From the clan of McGovern. Fearless hunters and warriors. At a cross roads he came upon a young boy. Who was sitting on a rock.Jimmy was sure he knew most of the young people in the area. But he could not place this young man.

The boy put his finger on his lip and gestured along the path.Jimmy could see blood. He opened his mouth but the boy just shook his head. Putting his finger to his lip for quiet. So slowly they moved through the undergrowth.He could hear whimpering and looking ahead. He saw the boar curled up trying to lick his face. The child moved to pounce. But the silent young man stopped him.

Pointing to an area near by. Where a pair of watchful eyes and teeth. Guarded the leader if Jimmy had moved in. He would be dead by now. Instead they crept down wind through the undergrowth. The boy then gestured for him to stay. Then he ran into clearing where the wild boars had been laying. All but the scarred one chased after him.

Slowly Jimmy crept up from behind It. Then he drove his brothers hunting knife into the the back of the creatures skull. Killing him instantly. Then Jimmy started to dragged the corpse back home. He was a little worried for the other boy.

Jimmys father and brothers had gone searching for him. When it was discovered he had vanished. They expected to find the child dead. Not happily dragging the corpse of the boar along the path. To the child’s surprise his father grabbed him and hugged him. Declaring that now he had four huntsmen for sons.

He had been expecting to be punished. But his father and brothers treated him like a hero. It was after he returned home and got the usual ear twisting. All relieved mothers give their run away children. Later he discovered why his father and brothers.Acted they way they did.

Many years ago before he was born. He had another brother. He to was considered to young to go on the hunt. So like him he snuck out one night. But he was not so lucky and his remains. Were discovered the next day. His grandmother showed him a painting of his dead brother.

Jimmy stared. It was the boy he had met in the forest............


[OFF]

Ensign Penny McTaggard
Science/Medical
USS Oberon