How far are you willing to go for a story? Part 2

Castle Hill: Street to the right leads to Edinburgh Castle, street to the left leads to GrassmarketThe Gothic structure to the right used to be Tolbooth Kirk now known as The Hub

The Hub

I made my way up the Royal Mile to Castlehill, the statues of Adam Smith and David Hume the only witnesses to my trek. It took me five minutes to get to the Esplanade not because it was far, but because even before the crack of dawn, the mystery of Edinburgh seeps through the cobblestones and the cracks of the facades of old buildings that line the Royal Mile. I was initially joined by two joggers who arrived at the Esplanade (where the Edinburgh Military Tatoo is performed every year) ahead of me. A few minutes later, they left the area and I was left alone, in the middle of the huge lot. To my right stood Celtic Cross monuments to the fallen, the statue of Earl Haig, and the tomb of Ensign Ewart, the most illustrious of the Scot Greys for having taken the Eagle of Napoleon's French 45th Regiment. To my left was the view of the city sprawled below the Castle.
The place was quite eerie even though I knew that dawn was fast approaching. I took pictures of the place from all angles, where the sun rose, imagined how it felt to be the only one in this vast place or what it would be like unable to see the sun because you've been damned to remain a creature of the night.
The castle was dark. In the early evening, the castle is often lit up; but this time it wasn't save for a solitary light in one of the windows.
Castle window on the right
Part of the Esplanade
And that's when I felt the warmth in my back again. I knew that behind me was the Witches Well Wall Fountain, a marker close to where women accused of witchcraft were burned at the stake. Right! I made my way out of the Esplanade putting a respectful distance between the font and myself and continued walking down Castle Hill.  The warmth in my back didn't dissipate until I was several meters away from the Esplanade. With my back to the Castle, I continued walking until I reached the Witchery by the Castle. It's been said that the ghost of one of those burned at the stake haunts the place.  I wanted to take a picture of the place but something was stopping me from doing so, no matter what I did. Heat centered on my nape and my hands felt heavy. So yeah, I took the hint and continued on. As I moved away, I heard clanging against the grills, louder than when I stepped on Dorothy's bench. The farther I was from that area on Castle Hill and as soon as I left the area of Tolbooth Kirk (The Hub), the lighter I felt.
So how far will I go for a story?
Quite far from my comfort zone. I think.

The Royal MileOct. 19, 2013