She was six when we left our village. It was a dangerous village filled with bandits and thieves, and murderers. It was a lawless land that took the lives of my father, Husband and oldest son. It was just my daughter, and I left, and we were not to have the same fate. We left early in the morning, so we were not to be seen. I was scared but stayed strong for my little one. It was a three-day trip. And we finally made it to the village of Loch Dorcha. As we looked around at all the shops and houses, we found the boarding house address where we would stay until I could get a job and a better place to live. We walked into the building and asked if they had any rooms available. The kind and frail older woman stood up from her chair and asked how old my daughter was. I said, "She is Six, ma'am. Are there any rooms available?" I wasn't trying to be ill-mannered, but I wanted to put my belongings away, and my little one needed rest. The woman looked at my daughter and said, "Ah, her hair is as dark as a raven's feather, and her eyes as blue as the lake." I said thank you. She said it cost 15 gold coins a month. I will have two beds and bedding, but I am responsible for it. I said thank you and paid her three months' rent. That was most of my money. I only had enough money for food and clothes. I then went to the closest dressmaking shop. I thought I was a good dressmaker; I made dresses for all four of my younger sisters their whole lives, so I thought this was an excellent place to work. I walked to the dressmaker's shop, and the sign said, "MISS ORLA'S DRESS SHOP." I went inside and rang the bell on the table. A beautiful woman came out from the back of the shop. She had pretty blonde hair and was wearing a lovely blue dress. We talked for 10 minutes about my qualifications for this job. She then asked to see samples of my work. She thought I had done well and hired me on the spot. She would pay me five gold coins weekly and three silver for each dress. She then introduced me to the other dressmakers. After all that was done, I went on my way. I needed to find the woman who recommended watching my little one while working. I walked down the road and out of the village to the blue house on the lake. I looked at my little girl and held her hand. She looked scared and was holding on to me tight. We walked to the door and knocked on it. A strange woman with gray hair answered the door. "Ah, you must be the girl sent here by the boarding house." She continued. "I am Miss Agatha. I am the owner of this home. I will be watching your precious child." I shook her hand and said, "Nice to meet you." She gave me a tour of the house. In the end, she took me down the hallway to a door with scratch marks. Not just regular scratch marks but like an animal was scratching at it. She opened the door, and this 11-year-old boy was in the room sitting at his desk drawing." This is my son Keir. He is an intelligent boy and will be a playmate with your little girl." I said," Hello, Kier. It's nice to meet you. What are you drawing?" He looked at me with his cold gray eyes, dark brown hat, and pale skin and said, "Loch Dorcha." Then she shut the door and shooed us out of the room. She closed the doors. "He's a special boy he is." She then said she charged two silver coins per week. We left the house, and I asked my little one how she liked Miss Agatha and her son Keir. She said, "I don't like Keeir ama. He scares me." I hugged my little girl and told her everything will be alright. The following week I started working at the shop and leaving my little one at Miss Agatha's. She said she had fun there and would like to go back. As weeks turned into months and months into years, I watched my girl grow into a beautiful young woman. She grew up and did not need to be watched by Miss Agatha, which upset her and threw Keir into a violent rage. He destroyed the inside of his house. He ran off into the woods of Loch Dorcha. As I walked into the village, I would hear the people whisper about us. I walked into the dress shop, and Miss Orla ran up to me and said, "Your daughter is in grave danger! Agatha's boy Keir has been heard saying he will make her the girl of Loch Dorcha!"
I gasped, I have heard rumors of The girl of Loch Dorcha, but I never knew that someone would be that callous and evil to try to take a girl and make her The Girl Of Loch Dorcha. I remember my grandmother telling me stories of how evil witches and warlocks would take young girls and sacrifice them to the Sprit of Dorcha. Miss Orla explains to me how Keir has always been obsessed with Loch Dorcha since his father mysteriously disappeared in the Loch. Miss Agatha has now come out with the truth about your daughter. Keir has been obsessed with her since she first came into town. He told his mother that he wanted to play with her. He would make comments about her dark hair and blue eyes. She went to the boarding house and told the woman at the front desk to offer her services to you. This has been a plan of Keir to sacrifice your daughter for years! I ran out of the dress shop and to the boarding house. My room was destroyed. The beds were tipped over. Dressers were ripped apart. I screamed for my daughter, and I fell to my knees crying. I heard someone behind me. It was a woman from the front desk. She said I didn't know what he was planning. I didn't realize this was a plan to get your child. I am so sorry, but it's too late. I ran through the village screaming for her. I ran to Loch Dorcha, and no one was there. I then saw something in the well at the end of Loch Dorcha. It was my daughter's ribbon that she wore in her hair. It was a pink ribbon with a blue jewel in the middle. I ran and looked into the well, and there she was, my little one. My sweet baby was gone and in the well under the water, looking like she was sleeping. I pulled her out and cried and wished I could change back time. Men from the village helped me get her out of the well and took her for her burial. People have come to my home and said they are sorry for my loss and are praying for her. Sometimes if I go to the lake, I can still see her running and playing. Her name was Deirdre, but most people now call her The Girl of Loch Dorcha.
Kathryn McGregor
