Sicily isn’t the most exciting place to live in the world - even when you live on one of the world’s most active volcanoes like I do. You see, I work in a gift shop about half way up the active, lava spewing mountain. But that doesn’t happen very often. A regular day of mine isn’t dodging lava flows or trying to outrun Pyroclastic Flows in my Jeep, it’s pretty much the normal routine of any shopkeeper and goes a bit like this:

 

The problem is that there isn’t just one shop on Mt. Etna, there are like twelve. And the other problem? There is nothing to differentiate one shop from the other. We sell the same postcards, the same lumps of ash and rock and we buy and sell from the same local artist that fashions our bits of rock into crude representations of dogs, cats and bathing women. All at the same price! No matter how much effort I put into the shop I always end up with the same amount of business. Some days are better than others but it really is just luck whether they choose my store over the ones next to me. Come to think of it the last two weeks have been even quieter than usual. It might be because of the cute girl with raven black hair and a nice smile that’s started in the shop next door. Tourists would always pick being served by her instead of me!

28th October

The Mountain has rumbled a few times today. Not too sure if it’s a sign of bigger things to come but I’ve decided to give myself a few days off to head down to the coast and see my Aunt just in case. I’m not trying to justify my decision but It’s definitely been an even quieter week than normal and I don’t think that the end-of-the-month accounts would look any different if I closed up shop for three days or if I decided to stay open! Pity my brother let me down and couldn’t cover for me just in case. It would have been nice of him to finally repay me for that favour last year.

29th October

Aunt M. was really glad to see me. Sicily being the size it is it really didn’t take too long to get down off Etna and travel over to her. Even though the journey was little over 60KM my Jeep sounded like it was dying on several parts of the journey. Note to self. CHECK THE OIL BEFORE DRIVING BACK.

Aunt M. said I looked like I’d put on weight since she last saw me. I laughed it off at the time but come to think of it I really should get back to the gym. I haven’t been on a run for months now and I definitely need to! It’s strange how one throwaway comment can make you look at yourself differently in the mirror.

I’m not sure but it looks like I’m getting a few grey hairs already and I’m only twenty one. Not good! (No wonder the girl in the shop next door never says “Hi” unless I do when we’re putting our postcard stands out in the morning. She wouldn’t be seen dead with a guy like me.)

I had a missed call from an unknown number on my mobile earlier this afternoon but when I tried to call it back it just said “cannot connect, number unknown”. I must try to keep my phone on me tomorrow as I don’t get many calls and I’m kind of annoyed that I missed it. (Could have been Marcus)

Stopped out late drinking fine local wines with Aunt M. and her new ‘friend’. He seems like a nice guy and I’m glad she’s much happier than when I last saw her. Had the most amazing calzone this evening but remembered my reflection in the mirror just in time so I didn’t eat the entire thing! I shouldn’t have eaten that soufflé though.

Still haven’t decided if I’m heading back to the shop tomorrow or Saturday yet. I’ve got no plans for tomorrow with Aunt M. but she did say I was more than welcome to stay on until the weekend if I wanted to. Might check out the new book store in town and see if there is anything worth reading on the beach tomorrow, (Taormina’s weather forecast says it’s supposed to be 20 degrees tomorrow which beats the temperatures in my store with the front door wide open all day.)

Interestingly there were another couple of reported tremors on Etna on the evening news. Nothing big but worth keeping an eye on. Don’t want to end up dodging lava like last time.

30th October

Went to the shops this morning without waiting for Aunt M. to wake up. Found a great book in the new store and the weather has stayed dry and warm so off to the beach! Decided to stop on for one more day and head back tomorrow morning. (Even on a Sunday there are still coach loads of tourists heading up Etna so it should still be worth opening up the shop) Headed down to the beach front and sat drinking a beer and did some reading. Normally I pass the books I’ve finished onto the other shopkeepers but I’ve been instantly hooked with this one it might be worth keeping hold of.

By the time I got back to Aunt M’s house there were four missed calls on my mobile. All of them from withheld numbers so it was impossible to call them back. How frustrating! Very annoyed that I’d gone and left my phone at the house again. Who was calling me and what did they want so badly? Either way they’ll probably call back again if they’ve tried four times already. (Have I paid my credit card bill this month? MUST CHECK TOMORROW)

Aunt M. had the photo album out when I found her in the living room. Avoiding the most embarrassing pictures I thought I’d grab a copy of some of her visits to me at the shop over the years.

Mt. Etna Shops

When the coaches disappear and the shops close it really is just me and this huge volcano. When I’m up there I always feel like I’m waiting for something to happen. Glad to be away for a few days.

Had a fantastic light lunch in the café with Aunt M. She asked on how Marcus was doing but did my best to keep him out of trouble and answer all potentially incriminating questions as vaguely as possible. If I was being honest with myself I didn’t really know what he was up to either. I finished my beer and my salad and walked back up the steps to the house.

Still no return calls on my mobile. It’s bugging me a little now.

Sat in the house for a while reading more of my book. I suppose I really should be sat in the shop doing this but it was just nice being somewhere a little warmer and significantly less draughty! Aunt M. seemed to be pleased that I’d decided to stop on for one more night. She’s even tried to cancel her book group this evening to spend more time with me but I made her promise not to. Feel like I should recommend this page turner to them but I’m only on the sixth chapter.

I kept my mobile on me all night but never had any more calls. I even tried to call Marcus for the first time in months but he didn’t answer. It still might be him that has been trying to contact me; I just hope he isn’t in trouble again.

After a great evening with Aunt M’s friends I’ve got a list of ten books written down that I need to read before Christmas when I’ll see her next. I’ll check the book store in the morning before I set off back and see if they have any of them.

Watched the evening news as I lay in bed and they’ve confirmed that there seems to be no more activity on Mt. Etna. Looks like the volcano is going to behave itself for Halloween. Fingers crossed.

31st October – 10am

Said goodbye to Aunt M. and paid a visit to the book store and it was closed. Will have to check on the internet when I’m back at the shop. (Amazon even deliver to volcanoes)

Finally got the withheld number calling me again but when I answered I still couldn’t tell who it was. I could barely hear what the person on the line said as the signal was so bad. It was either “hello” or “hell” before the line cut. It definitely wasn’t the banks (Sunday) and it sounded like a girl. Their persistent calling is a little disturbing.

31st October – 11.45

Drove for nearly an hour before the loud metallic grinding noise of my Jeep’s engine reminded me to check my oil. After pulling over onto the most level stretch of road I could find I determined that the oil was fine. Not good. It meant that something else was killing my Jeep! Will need to get it back down off the mountain at some point next week for a check up. Could be costly...

31st October – 12.20

The Jeep made it back alive OK, but only just. When I pulled up at the back of the store there was a plume of grey smoke spilling out from under the bonnet that put Etna’s most recent efforts to shame. Luckily it was going to be all downhill back to the garage!

31st October – 13.40

Something weird is going on here at the shopping village. I am literally the only shop open and business has been pretty amazing for a half day opening on a Sunday! I’ve had all of the coach loads in to my store and am nearly sold out of postcards.

31st October – 15.35

The last of the coach loads have left for the day and the car park is nearly empty. Can’t believe that it’s almost dark already. As I was closing up shop I noticed that one of the shops had a boarded up front window. When did that happen? I never noticed it on my way in but seems a little strange. Whilst I’m thinking about it, just why are all the other shops closed? It is normal for a few not to be open on a Sunday but all of them closed at once seems like a little more than a coincidence. I was so paranoid I triple checked the Etna activity paper but there weren’t any alerts. Even though I should be fine to stop here tonight I’m not used to being the only one.

31st October – 17.15

The last car has left the car park from the shopping village and I’m all alone in the shop. I’ve done the accounts and organised the shelves. Could do with a stock-take again next week to fill the place back up after my busy day.

Strangely I’ve noticed that the normally quite busy Hotel Corsaro doesn’t have many lights on this evening. Why is everything so quiet?

31st October – 21.40

No chance of trick or treaters up here tonight, looks like it’s going to be a quiet secluded Halloween in my bedroom above the store. The cable car station which takes all of the tourists up to the summit is blanketed in darkness and looks eerie this evening. During the day when I get tired of reading I stand out the front and watch the tiny cable cars coming and going. Tonight they just hang there, their outlines barely visible in the darkness.

31st October - 22.05

No more missed calls from my mobile and with no other distractions I’m hitting the diary hard again this evening. I’m not sure why I’m writing so much today but I do feel a general sense of foreboding and unease. When I feel like this writing does help me not to panic and helps take my mind off the stupid scenarios that I conjure up. I’m tired and I feel nervous for no reason. What can I do to chill out?

Might go up to the hotel in a bit and have a drink. Would be nice to have some company this evening even if it is only for an hour.

22:15

I’ve just decided against heading up to the Corsaro bar. I had my jacket and scarf on, I was outside and I was locking up the back door. I hadn’t even made it around to the car park at the front and the road up to the hotel when it happened.
Even now, sheltered back in my room at the shop, I am still out of breath from shock. I was making my way around to the front of the store and the communal car park at the Silvestri Crater. In the distance above me I heard a thunderous rumbling which made me stop in my tracks. Any kind of loud noises and activity makes people stop and pay attention around here and I was no different. The sound only lasted a few seconds but was undoubtedly a large land movement from nearer the summit. Maybe Etna was beginning to wake up again? Thankfully the sky wasn’t glowing orange so I didn’t have to full on panic just yet. I had just managed to calm down and continue my walk up to the hotel when suddenly the ground beneath me shook violently.

I instantly hit the deck whilst the entire car park seemed to rise and fall. Some of the shop windows began to smash and a lamppost in the car park fell, cracking on impact and plunging where I lay into darkness. Thankfully the tremor/earthquake (whatever it was) didn’t last more than about 15 seconds. I looked back to my shop where thankfully all my windows were all still intact. I didn’t want to be outside any longer than I had to be and dashed back to the relative safety of my wooden hut.

22:35

It’s been about twenty minutes since the quake and I’m seriously considering heading back down to Aunt M’s. The hotel does still have some lights on from what I can see but apart from that up there in the distance I’m surrounded by darkness. To make matters worse I swear I can hear movement outside but whenever I look out of the windows there’s nothing but darkness.

22:55

I’ve just spent the last twenty minutes trying to regain my composure and read some more of my book but without much success. There’s an incessant howling from a dog in the distance. It must be up at the hotel but I’ve never heard it before and It really is beginning to wind me up. The quakes and the werewolf imitating dog are beginning to make this feel like a real life horror film.

23:00

My mobile just rang but was on silent. It made me jump a mile because it vibrated loudly on the table top. Because I’m always honest in my diary I have to admit that it scared the hell out of me and made me duck on the floor again before I realised what it was! I answered just in time, and to begin with I thought it was the mystery withheld number calling.

“Jus- -een news... – Etna shocks –n TV. –ou ok?”

It was Aunt M. On a really bad signal. In the end I had to text her as she couldn’t hear me at all. Let her know that I was OK. In her reply she asked me to head back down to her on the coast and the safety of Taormina. Wish it wasn’t so late and I wasn’t so tired otherwise I probably would have.

23:12

More shakes. BIG ONES. The whole shop was thundering, ornaments were flinging everywhere and the shelves are practically empty. Everything is on the floor. The shop is a mess and I want to get out of here right now.

23:20

My Jeep won’t start. I can’t leave. The engine was just turning over and over and whining but it just wouldn’t start up. To make matters worse I think the crazy incessant howling dog from the hotel has escaped. I could have sworn that I’d seen it flash past a couple of times when I was trying to get the car started. It’s just so damn dark up here and there’s no way of telling where it’s got to. The tremors have stopped again for the moment but I didn’t waste any time running back inside. Tonight has been pretty weird so far and I wouldn’t want it capped off by being bitten by a rabid dog. I’m in no mood to check the hotel for a lift back down. Looks like I’m here for the night whether I like it or not.

23:25

I’m not imagining things. There is definitely a lot of howling going on outside. I’ve never heard so much noise up here before. What’s really concerning me is that not only is there clearly more than one dog, they sound like they’re getting closer.

23:30

I can’t relax, if it’s not a tremor then it’s a group of dogs that just won’t leave the car park out the front. Up to now whenever I’d tried to look outside through the glass windows I’d not been able to see anything at all. Then about five minutes ago the clouds relented and thanks to the moonlight I definitely saw four or five shapes darting into the shadows. From the quick glimpse I had they certainly looked bigger than the average dog. Maybe the tremors broke a gap in their pen? Does the hotel even have a dog pen?

23.33

All the lights in the shop went out. A quick look out the window and I can’t even see the hotel anymore. The power’s out on the entire mountain.

There’s no chance of me getting to sleep just yet. I’m just sat looking nervously out of the window at nothing but blackness. The clouds have returned and the only source of light is a couple of novelty candles I’ve lit and my flashlight – that helps the creepy atmosphere a fat lot. Thankfully the howling has stopped and the tremors look to have finished. I’m going to have a tea and try to calm my nerves. I need daylight and a fixed car before I’ll fully relax again.

23:38

LOTS of noise outside and even though I can’t see what’s causing it I can take a good guess.

It started with a loud smash in the distance, something really big being hit really hard. I guess it was one of the shop windows. This was followed by lots of noise from the animals. Howling and yelping. I tried to look through the windows again but it’s hopeless. I can’t see anything. I can only hear them.

Another loud smash.

It sounds like they’re getting closer. It sounds like they’re hunting for something. Me?

23:50

I’m now in the stock cupboard at the back of the shop. I’m writing this by torchlight. I was sat at the counter in the main store when it happened. I wanted to be close to the exits but also see what was going on outside if I could so the ground floor of the shop seemed like a sensible idea. It wasn’t.

The hut right next door to mine was attacked by the unseen animals outside. The window had been smashed with a crazy loud bang and I could hear the animals clawing at the floor and sniffing loudly. There sounded like a lot of them. They’re close. I quickly blew out the candles and grabbed a souvenir lump of molten rock – the biggest I could find. I sat there in the store silently waiting. It seemed inevitable, these dogs, animals, whatever they were; they weren’t going to stop. They were hunting and they’d already smashed their way into the entire row of shops. Only mine was left.

It came without warning. The window had erupted with a face full of glass shards blasting into the shop. I had to duck and run. I threw the lump of rock in the general direction of the beast that had just flown through my window and ran straight to the cupboard, locking myself in.

I could hear it searching. Then it was joined by others. They sounded big. Bigger than dogs. Definitely bigger. I held my breath. I couldn’t move. They were right on the other side of the door. Sniffing and scratching. They had claws. Long claws that they were using now, scratching at the door repeatedly. I was trapped. They were trying to get in. Suddenly I felt helpless. The store room was a very bad idea.

00.15

A lot has happened since the storeroom. I feel it is increasingly important to record these events now as I may not make it through the night to provide a first-hand account of what just happened...

Back in the cupboard I was trapped. They were still outside the door and I could hear more of them joining in. Standing on the other side, sniffing enthusiastically at the crack under the door and clawing at the floor. Every now and again claws would appear – long black claws sneaking under the door. Trying to get at me.

My mobile phone rang, vibrating loudly (another missed call). It was still on the counter in the main shop. The noise was soon drowned out by loud howls and clambering claws bounding towards where my mobile had smashed noisily onto the floor.

That was my chance. They were distracted.

I ran and grabbed the handle of the cupboard door and yanked it open. I sprinted to my left with my full focus on the shiny silver key in the back door lock. I knew I had to turn it before I could escape.

I didn’t look back. I’d opened the door but didn’t waste time trying to lock it behind me. I’d seen how they could smash through things without much effort.

I remember looking at my surroundings once I’d made it outside into the cold black night. Directly below me was unstable – difficult to navigate – lava flows. I had two choices. Either try to outrun them over the difficult terrain or try to drive away in the Jeep. The loud crashes from within the shop made me act without thinking. I went for the Jeep.

Of course it didn’t start straight away. It was never going to. I’m not ashamed to say I was in tears pleading the engine to start. I could still hear the howling from within my shop. I could hear it being torn apart – being utterly destroyed by those creatures. I had to get out of there. I didn’t have much time. I gave my engine one last chance and if it didn’t start I’d make a run for it.

The back door of the shop blasted off its hinges and crashed onto the ground beside my car just as the engine stammered into life. I cranked it into reverse and gave it as much revs as I could to desperately try and keep the engine alive. The outline of one of the creatures was in the doorway, I could see its glowing red eyes. It was staring straight at me. I found first gear and shot down the road to the front of the car park. I was about to head down the mountain when I noticed a light above me and to the left. It was coming from the Hotel Corsaro, flashing on and off. Trying to get attention? Someone in need of help? It must have been a torch because the power was out; it had to be a person. I couldn’t leave the mountain without finding out. I reasoned that the Jeep probably wouldn’t make it all the way down itself. Maybe they had a car we could escape in?

I headed left and straight for the hotel. Behind me in my rear view mirrors I saw five or maybe six shapes come tumbling outside from around the back of my shop. They were getting closer. They looked massive, like lions, but they were running far quicker.

I made it to the car park of the hotel. There were no longer any lights inside but it had only been a couple of minutes. I grabbed my torch from my dashboard. From inside, I scanned the blackness that enveloped my car. I thought I had outrun the creatures. I couldn’t spot any running towards me.

That’s when the whole mountain shuddered again. The sky above me filled with orange light and the whole Jeep shook and filled with noise. That was it. Etna had joined in the fight. With an ear splitting metallic crunch the roof of the car behind me collapsed. Another loud smash and the windscreen exploded, covering me in tiny marbles of safety glass. One of those beasts had LANDED on top of the bonnet. It had wings. It flew. WHAT THE HELL WAS IT?

I sprinted out the car and towards the hotel. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see.

00.30

I’m still in hiding but had to stop writing for a while to turn my torch off. They’re moving about and they sound like they’re getting closer again. They haven’t found me yet but I feel it’s only a matter of time.

I was on the steps to the hotel and was about to dart through the front doors when my Jeep exploded in a giant fireball. The force of the explosion pushed me forwards into the doors.

As I turned for a split second I saw three of them. One was on the bonnet pulling at the steering wheel with its huge jaws and teeth. Its head was long and angular, and it used its massive legs and claws to grab through the gaping hole that once held my windscreen. Another was flying above the car before it smashed down on to the roof. The back window exploded outwards from the impact, the shower of glass had surprised and angered one of the creatures that had been approaching. It reacted instantly with a jet of fire from its mouth. The flames engulfed the entire back of the Jeep until the petrol tank submitted and the whole car went up.

If anyone ever reads this you have to believe me. They could breathe fire. The orange glow in the sky; it wasn’t Etna erupting. It was the creatures!

I didn’t stop to see what had become of the animals following the explosion. I headed straight into the hotel and switched the torch on.

The hotel was a wreck.

They’d already been in here.

There were tables overturned and the chairs were ripped to shreds, the white stuffing spilling out of them like guts. Broken glass was cracking under my feet as I walked quickly through the reception area.

I shouted for help. Desperate for someone to hear me. The bar was completely empty and in ruins. It was filled with smoke from the cloth on the pool table that was still alight. I shouted again but no one answered.

It’s impossible to get down on paper how I felt – how I feel – but it’s not good.

I ran upstairs. I heard more howling and sounds from outside. Another loud smash. I had to move quickly.

The light I had spotted earlier had come from somewhere on this floor as far as I could tell.

The confirmation was gruesome. The walls of the corridor were covered in claw marks and not a single painting was hanging straight on the walls anymore. Ahead of me in an open doorway I saw a torch on the floor. It was next to a hand that wasn’t moving. The cream carpet was stained heavily. I didn’t need to check, no one had answered me. No one had responded to my cries for help. They were gone. It wasn’t safe here.

A crash from below me confirmed the worst. The creatures were back inside. Where could I hide? Where was safe? I couldn’t go back downstairs. The roof wasn’t an option – they could fly – where could I go? I sprinted ahead and past an open doorway. The door had been smashed in from the outside, and as I ran past I saw more dark shapes slumped across the floor. I knew the doors of the rooms wouldn’t be strong enough. I had to find somewhere else. As I ran down the corridor I heard growling and a loud roar. Surely there wasn’t much left to smash apart downstairs? I was running out of time.

00.45

I’ve been hiding, writing by torchlight. I’m alone. I’ve found no one else. They’re getting closer. I have no idea what they are but I’ve seen enough to know that they’re out to get me and I don’t have much chance. They can fly, they can blast fire, there are a lot of them and they seem unstoppable.

I’m in the lift.

I ended up at the end of the corridor with nothing but rooms to hide in. I got in the lift and pressed the button for the ground floor. After about five seconds I hit the emergency stop button. I’m now hanging here, somewhere between floors. I can hear them. They’re above me. They’re below me. They’re smashing at the doors that lead to the lift shaft.

I can hear loud cracks and bits of material hitting the top of the lift that I’m in. I’m suspended, powerless, like one of those cable cars on the mountain. It’s too late now. I might have survived if I’d got inside one of those. Now they’ve surrounded me. They’re in the lift shaft. The whole lift has just shaken violently. Something’s directly above me. It’s on top of the lift.

There’s no one on the other end of the intercom for the elevator’s alarm button. I’ve tried repeatedly. There’s no hope. There’s nothing left. All I have is my pen, my torch and my diary. Someone said the pen is mightier than the sword - can’t remember who - well I wish I had a sword right now. I’m writing because I can’t do anything else, because I’m scared and because soon I think I won’t be able to do anything ever again.

Diary Sketch of The Prowler - Dragon Zoo Halloween Special

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