Never Whistle at the Northern Lights

It was a cool, crisp October evening and I just spent the last 2 hours studying for my physics exam tomorrow. I need a break, I'm tired and my eyes are sore. I'm already anxious because I'm not quite understanding physics and I always panic before a test. "I just need to stay calm and focused. Maybe a walk will help," I thought to myself. I grabbed my jacket and phone. "I'm just going for a walk, I'll be back soon!" I shouted to my mom as I opened the front door.

I set off through the park to the clearing by the baseball diamond. There's no one else around and it's eerily quiet. The northern lights were out. I was a bit surprised because they don't happen often and the conditions have to be just right. I watched the green lights dance across the sky in mesmerizing, shimmering ribbons. I found a bench to sit on so I could watch them for a while. They really are very beautiful.

I suddenly remembered my grandmother warning me not to whistle at the northern lights or the spirits would find me and take me away! Grandma was very superstitious and followed the old ways. I laughed to myself. "That's crazy! Nobody believes those stories," I said to myself. "I bet I can whistle and nothing will happen."

I look up into the sky and whistle softly; the green lights continue to move across the sky. Nothing happens. I whistle louder. Again, nothing happens. "I guess that's it. The stories were made up just to scare kids." I shrug my shoulders and give myself a little pat on the back for being right. That's when I looked up and noticed the lights were dancing a little faster in the sky and seemed to be moving closer. "I must be really tired...the lights are getting closer and closer," I said to myself. "Ok, maybe it's time to go home." I turn to walk away when the light suddenly charged toward me, knocking me to the ground. I get up and try to run away but it feels as though I'm caught in a spider's web. The lights swirled all around me, encasing me in a green blanket. It seemed to control my body, I couldn't move. I felt like nothing was coming out of my mouth when I tried to scream. I'm not sure I'm even breathing. I'm moving up, weightless, flying into the green sky. What's happening to me?

I suddenly stop and it feels like I am miles above ground! My stomach drops. I'm floating for a few minutes before I see orbs of green light coming toward me. I'm scared. I watch the orbs and once they're close enough I can see that they look like...people?? I suddenly remembered the stories the elders told us as children. They said the northern lights were souls travelling to the spirit world. Oh my god! "Am I dead?" My mind felt like it shattered into a million pieces. "What have I done?" I cry to myself.

The spirits seemed to gather around me, comforting me, embracing me. They're leading me away from earth, beckoning me to follow them. I feel calm, somehow, and I want to follow, but I can't. I find my voice. "I can't leave my family, they need me. I have so much I want to do!" I plead with them to let me go back. "I'm not ready! Please let me go, I'm not ready!"

I suddenly wake up, yelling, "I'm not ready!" Startled, I look around confused. "Wait, I'm still at my desk?" I must have fallen asleep. "It was all a dream?" I couldn't wrap my head around the whole thing; it felt so real. I finally fell back asleep.

My alarm goes off, I get dressed and go downstairs for breakfast. I still feel a bit shaken, but relieved. My mom walks into the kitchen. "What happened to you last night? I thought you were going for a short walk but you were gone for 2 hours!" I drop my spoon into my cereal bowl. "I really did go for a walk last night? I thought it was a dream!" "Yeah, you came home and went straight upstairs without saying a word," she replied. "Anyway, did you see the northern lights last night? I thought, maybe, you tried whistling to the lights and the spirits took you away! Haha, she laughs menacingly. If she only knew.

I won't be whistling at the northern lights again.