Full Circle

Jane stepped through the door into the 16th century pub. Her red hair was frizzy from the drizzling rain. She paused to take in the ambience. There was a musty smell, entangled with ale that must be soaked into the very floor boards from the thousands of dropped mugs over the centuries.

Her eyes settled upon a table in the middle of the room. The closest available to the roaring fire. She floated over to the table. Put down her heavy bag, removed her half fingered gloves, and took off her woolen cap and coat. She settled into the chair as it creaked from her slight weight.

A waitress immediately came over.

"Would you like a menu dear," asked the fifty something woman.

Knowledge that Jane wasn't a local, became more evident when she spoke with a North American accent. "Yes, please. And can I have a pot of Earl Grey Tea as soon as possible." Jane said.

"Yes, darling," the waitress replied as she laid the menu before Jane.

Jane looked at the offerings and decided on a banger and mash with gravy and Yorkshire Pudding. She hoped there was also vegetables.

After the waitress, Carol was the name she gave, took her order, she placed a hot pot of tea and a mug. Jane poured herself a cup of steaming team and added some honey. Jane picked up her bag and started rummaging through it.

She pulled out her black soft leather Moleskine Journal and stroked the leather for a moment. She grabbed her pencil case and opened the journal to the next empty page. April 4, 2022 was the first thing she wrote at the top of the page. Visited local stone circle. Jane pulled out her phone and scrolled through recent pictures. She settled on one and took the needed coloured pencil crayons and began to draw the features of the most prominent stone.

As Carol walked by, she peered at Jane's work and stopped.

"Oh you've been to the circle. Quite the artist you are." Carol commented.

"Thank you," replied Jane.

Jane pondered a moment, then asked, "Is there any magical stories about the stones that you know of. Any folklore I could talk about in my travel blog?"

"Oh, you're one of those bloggers. Travel blogger, good for you."

"Yes, well after Covid, I just decided I needed to go for my dream of traveling and decided to make a career out of it."

"You have lots of followers on your blog?"

Jane blushed, "well just starting, mostly friends and family, but a few people are noticing."

"Good for you. Get out and do what you love. With your drawing there, you could make money on art as well."

Carol sat down beside Jane.

"Folklore, hey. Like fairy stuff, or what you looking for?"

"Anything, really to make my blog interesting."

"Well people say the stones bring luck. Women who have trouble with things like conceiving a child, a way word husband, or money problems often go to the stones to ask for help. Mixed response on results, but I noticed the more you believe the better you get. Look at me. Needed a job 20 years ago and here I am 20 years later still. Maybe I should go up there and ask again I think." Carol gave a laugh.

"Well there is old stories of people disappearing, but that's way before my time here." Carol paused. "You know, I'll go ask Old Joe over there if he knows of anything."

Carol got up and went across the room to a man curled up in the corner. He seemed almost half asleep and was startled when Carol touched his arm. Carol talked to him and pointed over to Jane. Joe seemed a bit stiff as he turned his body to look at Jane. He smiled and shook his head affirmatively to Carol.

In unison, Joe started to stand as Carol grabbed is mug and plate of a half eaten scone and brought it over to Jane's table.

"I could have come to him," said Jane.

"Oh, no. Getting him up and walking after a few hours sitting there is good for him, dear. We're afraid one day we'll find him there not moving at all, if you know what I mean."

Carol turned around to see Joe making his way slowly to the table with the help of his cane. Jane wondered his age as Carol seemed to instinctively hear her question.

"Old Joe is 98 this year. Our village elder and chief story teller. If you need to escape dear, just flag me down and ask for the washroom. I'll help you from there," Carol said quietly as she gave Jane a wink.

Carol pulled out the chair and helped Joe settle.

"I'll grab you some water Joe," Carol added as she walked away.

Jane looked at Joe and the lines on his face. He was busy finding a place for his cane and didn't even look at Jane until Carol had placed the glass of water down and he took a sip.

Jane smiled and said a little loudly, "Hi, I'm Jane. I'm traveling from Boston."

"I'm Joe. They call me Old Joe, cause there is 5 Joes in the area and I'm the oldest." He laughed. "Stating the obvious they are. A little simple some of these people, but they're all good people."

Taken a bit back by the comment, "Oh well, a ... thank you for talking to me. I was wondering if you knew any stories about the circle of stones on the hill outside of the village. Carol said some people have disappeared there."

"Oh, yes, many times. But none since I've had my feet on the ground. My father's twin brother was the last one we know of who disappeared. Of course he was 5 and way before I was born. I even saw my father cry on it at one time. Said they were playing up on the hill while their older sister was snogging a boy. They were running around playing tag. Dad ran out in front, he knew Henry was chasing behind. He was weaving through the stones and took him a moment to realize Henry wasn't chasing him anymore. Looked around and couldn't find him. POOF! GONE!" Joe exclaimed with a loud enough voice that a few of the people around looked over.

"His sister was beaten for not watching, or kissing, likely both. But after weeks of searching, he was never found. There actually is a reward for 15,000 pounds if anyone ever found out what happened to him."

Jane thought to herself, wow, 15,000 pounds, that be over $20,000 American. That would really help her get her new travel blog going.

Joe then leaned over and said, "Then 60 years later a boy of about 5 turned up walking into town saying his name was Henry"

"Really," said Jane with great surprise.

"No." Joe laughed. "Just joking on that part. Dad always thought he would just show up one day. He thought Henry walked through a time portal."

"Is there stories about that happening before?"

"Yes, fairy stories. My Mother always warned us to be good or the fairies would take us. She thought Henry and Dad were being too loud playing amongst the stones and the fairies were bothered and took Henry to quiet them. We were never to go up there. I was 33 before my wife Gerty convinced me to finally go up there. When I got there, the stones made the hair stand up on the back of my neck and I've never returned since."

"Really," said Jane. "You've only been up there once."

"Yes. Lived here all my life and from your picture there, I bet you've been longer there than me."

Joe leaned back slowly.

"You know, I figure that's why they help ladies get pregnant. Those fairy types that live there in some way or another. They felt bad they took a child, so they give children to others. Always thought scientists would figure it out. They can smash atoms into pieces, but can't open the gate to the fairy land."

"Wow, that's an incredible, but sad story. It must have bothered your father all his life."

"Yes. He'd go up there and talked to Henry. Tell him about his life and us. My father died of a heart attack at 63. My Mother said it was that circle. Between the grief of loosing his brother, never knowing what happened to him, and walking up that damn hill in his later years when his heart wasn't well. It was the only time she swore, you know, when she talked about Dad and the circle."

"Thank you for sharing Joe. I appreciate it."

"Yes, you mind me sitting here. My grandson will be by soon to pick me up."

"No. Please stay."

Jane picked up her phone and scolled through the photos of the circle as Joe sipped his tea and ate his scone. From what Carol had said, she thought Joe would go on longer, but he seemed to have been taken back in time after talking about it. He seemed distant."

She was looking at the pictures, wondering how a 5 year boy could disappear.

She had taken a video when she first arrived at the circle. She had panned around the full circle talking in the view from atop the hill. She gasped. Then re-watched the last bit of the video.

There it was for like 5 seconds. A man, maybe in his 20's in an brightly lit arch holding the hand of a younger child. She saw him speak as he waved. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out her ear buds. She listened to the faint sound and her eyes widened.

She said, "Joe watch this."

She set the video up for Joe and watched his eyes widden and him gasp as he brought his hand to his mouth. A tears weld up in his eyes

"I listened, Joe. He says, he is happy and this is his son Timothy."

Just then as tears came down Joe's face, a younger man came bouncing into the Pub, glanced around and walked over.

"Grand Pop are you ready to go?"

As Jane still in shock looked at Joe's Grandson, she saw the most similar face to the one in the video.