Ghosts Beyond the Veil: Seven Horror Stories for Día de los Muertos

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Last night my spookies, Halloween took its final bow. But
here at Weekly Spooky, we don't pack away the pumpkins.
We keep the candles burning, because tonight on Dia delos Mertos,
the dead aren't gone. They're just waiting to be heard.

(00:24):
A small town waitress falls for a charming stranger and
learns some loves don't die. They linger. Two friends follow
a mysterious boy to a house that refuses to let
them leave. A first date turns into a race to
help a ghost child find peace after centuries of silence.

(00:47):
A scarred man makes a deal with a mischievous spirit,
but the living may be the ones in danger. A
group of boys summon something far darker than they ever
imagined at the quarry, and it's hungry. A Father's Day
seance calls up vengeance with a hatchet in hand, and

(01:12):
by the water's edge, a drowned girl rises again at
Langley Pond, and she's not done yet. Seven tales of love,
Death and what lies between. So light youer candles, my friends,
and welcome the spirits, because here at Weekly Spooky Halloween

(01:35):
never ends. So make sure you're subscribed. We'll have a
lot of fun, fear for the whole year, especially the holidays.
Enjoy echo echo echo by shame. I first met him

(01:57):
last week, though I'd heard about the new guy in
town before that. Castle, New York was the smallest of
small towns. Word travels fast when somebody knew moves to town.
Travis looked like he stepped out of one of those
fifties biker films. And last Thursday, when he walked into
the diner I work at, I couldn't take my eyes

(02:18):
off him, and he knew it. He caught me looking
at him and smiled that sly smile of his. My
eyes darted away and I tried to make it look
like I was working around the diner, but it was
too late. He strode over to me. Hello there, he said. Hey.
I tried to sound confident, like I didn't give a fuck,

(02:39):
but my voice cracked. He smiled at me. Can I
get a chocolate milkshake to go? Sure? I heard there,
like wow here. I started making the shake. As he
leaned on the counter, he looked at his reflection in
the glass case of doughnuts, adjusting his perfect hair. Yeah

(03:01):
they're really good, I said, unsuccessfully, thinking of something cool
to say, lived here all your life, he asked. Unfortunately,
ain't so bad. I've been to worse. I finished the
shake and brought it over to him. He gave me
a wink and took a sip. Before I could say anything,

(03:21):
he slid a ten dollar bill across the counter. A
large silver ring gleamed on his hand. He turned and
started to leave. Let me get your change. The rest
is for you, Dolly. I watched him go, Dolly. I
felt a bit offended, but at the same time I
was feeling something else, love lust, whatever it was, it

(03:46):
made me somewhat forgiving of the Dolly remark. So that's
the new guy, not bad. I turned and it was
my coworker and friend, Brenn. She adjusted her raven hair.
What did he say to you, Ron? He nothing much,
just wanted a milkshake, Yeah, yours. We both laughed. Brenn

(04:07):
has this obnoxious laugh that usually ends up making me
laugh even harder. The next day he didn't show up,
but the day after that he was there again, this
time wanting a milkshake and a burger. No matter who
waited on him, he always ended up talking to me,
usually asking me about some town idiosyncrasy. Or whatnot, always

(04:29):
coming in at the same time every other day. It
continued like this for a month. We'd small talk a little,
and then he'd leave. I never saw him outside of
the diner. Then one day he changed the routine. I
got off work one sunny Monday afternoon and Travis was
waiting for me. He was leaning ever so slightly against

(04:50):
the side of the diner. He smiled at me. Hey,
I said, hey, he answered. He flicked out a metal
lighter and lit a slim sick So what do you
do for a kick around here? There's the movie theater
or the bowling alley. No, no, you? He took a puff.

(05:12):
Me Uh, not much. Nah, dang, shame, pretty little girl
like you. Thanks. The flattery made me blush. Was he
hitting on me? I sucked at this kind of thing?
I wasn't sure if he wanted me to say anything.

(05:32):
I haven't found much in town to get excited about Dullsville. Really,
he took a long drag on his cigarette, so I
was wondering, if you want to hang? I thought for
a second, he's asking me out. I suck at dating.
He's good looking and seems nice, but there's no way

(05:52):
a date between us. Won't end an embarrassment for me
and perhaps him too. How can I talk him out
of it? It's kind of been a rough day, you know, mondays,
I just want to go back home and chill. It
don't have to be today. Oh cool? So want to

(06:15):
see a flick? He said, show the new guy the sights? Sure?
Am I really going to do this? Yeah? I guess
I was. Why not? I deserve some fun, right right?
You do? Brand was always trying to get me to
go out. This would really shocker tomorrow night. Good, I

(06:39):
thought about it. Did you know I didn't have to
work the day after? Sure? Aces, it's a date. Then
I'll let you pick the flick. Cool? Yeah, he looked
at me. You should always have your hair like that.
I touched my hair. I forgot I tied it back
at work. This was probably the first time he saw

(07:01):
it loose. It's so beautiful and red like a rose. Thanks.
My face lit up as I blushed. Great, got a run, babe,
be seeing you. He did a little point at me
and winked before leaving, the spurs on the back of
his cowboy boots jangling as he went. What had I

(07:24):
got myself into our first date went well, as did
the next three. Before I realized it, we were a
thing in town. I think Brenn was jealous. For our
fifth date, Travis wanted to take me on a picnic
to Harmony Lake. It would be our first date in
a less public space. I wasn't too worried. On every date.

(07:47):
Travis had been quite the gentleman. I was getting ready
in the apartment I share with bren I stood doing
my hair over and over again. You look good. Let
it go, she said. I turned from the mirror, presented myself.
You think, I said, twirling around in my new dress.
You're hideous, hilarious. Seriously, hun, you look a maze balls,

(08:10):
she hugged me. Have fun at the lake. Try not
to get too lucky. Hey, it's been a while, but
not that long. Travis picked me up in his nineteen
fifty seven Plymouth Fury. It was a convertible. The thing
looked like a shark that decided to crawl out of
the ocean and start looking for meals on land. He

(08:31):
tooted the horn as he pulled up. You look stunning, babe,
he said. Ever the gentleman, he wouldn't let me into
the car. Unless he got out and opened the door
for me. Some old song was playing on the car radio.
In fact, I don't think he ever listened to anything
after the fifties. We headed out of town as the
King sang on the radio. I can't get over your car, Travis,

(08:56):
I said, it looks so good for its age. Care
of this baby means a lot to me sentimental value.
I keep her cherry, try to get maximum performance. He
steps on the gas and we're moving a little too
fast through town. I look at him nervously as he
speeds up. Don't sweat it, Rose, I got this. Travis

(09:18):
had started calling me Rose. Honestly, I didn't mind. He
took my hand. I think today is gonna be special.
The lake looked beautiful in the summer sun as we
walked to a nice secluded spot under a large tree.
Travis left the car radio on. Down in the willow

(09:42):
garden where me and my love did meet, he set
down a large blanket. My dear, he said, ushering me
to the blanket. We brought quite the selection of food.
Travis popped open a bottle of wine. Was that weird
for a picnic? He caught me making a face. Don't

(10:02):
tell me you don't drink wine. No, just seems like
a bit much for an afternoon picnic. Well, it's a
celebration too, babe. It is what are we celebrating? Five dates?
I laugh, Okay, I'll drink to that, my love. She
did not know. The song played on as he poured

(10:25):
us each a glass of wine. We eat, and I
take a couple SIPs of wine. I haven't had much
in the way of wine, but this is really good.
I wonder where he dug it up around here. As
we eat, we talk mostly about me. He always has
so many questions. Every time I ask him something about him,
he seems sad, almost on the verge of tears. I

(10:49):
don't want to bring up any bad memories. As we talk,
my head starts to feel light, which was a dreadful sign.
What's up, Ronnie? Wow? Uh getting a head rush. I
try to stand up, but my legs feel like rubber.
Travis catches me as I come crashing back down on

(11:10):
the radio, the song keeps repeating a dreadful sign. He
brushes the hair out of my face and gives me
a sad smile. I'm so sorry, dull, What sorry about?
I stammer. My mouth doesn't want to move. I'm sorry.

(11:31):
You have to die. All beauty must die. It's my curse.
I summon up all my strength and push away from Travis.
He tries to grab me, and I scratch his face
with my nails. Trying to stand again, I fall to
my knees. The world begins shaking apart at the seams.
My eyelids feel heavy. Every time I blink, it feels

(11:53):
like it'll be my last. Maybe if I just sleep,
it'll be better. I'll wake up from this nightmare. No, oh,
fight it. I start crawling on all fours, dragging myself,
digging my nails into the ground. I have to get away,
have to fight, have to get to the car. A
dreadful sign. I see someone standing by Travis's car. I

(12:15):
can't make them out. Why won't they help? Please, Rose,
No one can help. I'm sorry. He grabs me by
the leg, pulling me back. Travis turns me over, glaring
at me. The scratches on his face aren't bleeding. I
like playing with you, Rose, he said, But my dear,

(12:37):
you're breaking my heart. Fuck you. I try to hit him,
but I have no strength left. Why won't that person
do something. He stands up, pulling a large knife from
his leather jacket. I could gut you, but that's no fun,
not anymore. He looks at his reflection on the knife

(12:58):
blade he had just his hair. I used to find
his vanity. Cute, bastard. The poison isn't killing you, just
making it hard for you to do anything. Why? Why not?
I tried to move my head to see if that
person was still standing. There a dreadful sign. Why is

(13:22):
that song repeating? Is that an effect from the drugs?
Travis notices me trying to look at the car. I
can hear him talking to somebody. I think, go away.
He says, you're not welcome here. He turns the radio off.
Who was that? Who was he talking to? After what

(13:42):
seems like hours, Travis comes back, holding a large cinder
block and rope. Comfortable, dull, go to hell. I manage
my mouth starting to fail me. Travis just laughs, be
right back. He walks off, carrying the cinder block and rope.
My mind races move, move, but I can't. It's physically impossible.

(14:06):
I try to will myself, picturing my spirit leaving my body,
flying over the trees, finding bread or my folks, telling
them what's happening here. If I want it strong enough,
I can make it happen. Run, flee, I will my
spirit to soar. He comes back, standing over me. He

(14:27):
reaches down and grabs my legs, going for a little trip,
my beautiful rose. He drags me across the ground. I
can see the grass ending as we go over a
rocky area, but I can't feel any of it. I
can't feel his hands on my legs, just a great numbness.
We go up a small hill near the beach. He

(14:49):
stops dragging me. We're here. We don't have much time
left together. He kneels down and touches my face, wiping
away my tears. He pulls out two coins and puts
one on each of my eyes. I blink my eyes
and they slide off. He gets frustrated, Why did you
do that? Therefore your journey over. He takes them and

(15:10):
sticks them in one of my hands, bawling it into
a fist. I see the cinder block with the rope
tied to it near my feet. He crawls over to
it and ties the rope to my legs. No, no, no,
he's going to drown. Me, you've been a blast. He
picks up the cinder block and walks to the edge
of the hill, overlooking the lake. I scream, but my

(15:32):
throat fails me. I can barely make more than a
crackling noise. He hefts the block up. He sighs, parting
sweet sorrow and whatnot. He throws the block over the side,
and I can hear the rope quickly chasing after it,
knowing that any second I'll be following it. And then
I'm falling, followed by the slam of hitting the water.

(15:57):
I sink my lungs quickly filling with water. I welcome it.
Please let there be peace. I feel so tired. I
just want it to be over. I can see the
sunlight trickling down through the water. Darkness starts to creep

(16:19):
into my vision until the light is swallowed by it.
I wake, unable to move, my heart racing where am I.
I'm in my room, laying on my bed. I hear

(16:40):
a noise, a crackling hiss, almost like static. My eyes
catch movement in the darkness. The thing nears the edge
of my bed. My heart pounds faster and faster. Am
I having a heart attack? A low whispering hiss comes
from the shade at the foot of my bed. Heed

(17:02):
the sign, and then the world went back to normal.
I could move again. I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
My heartbeat started to slow. I curled up in a
ball on the bed, pulling the blankets over me. For
the longest time, I didn't move, fearing that that thing

(17:22):
was waiting for me in the darkness. Eventually I drifted
off to sleep again. I woke and my room was
lit by the light of early morning. Had it just
been a dream? A nightmare? I get up, dangling my
legs over the side of the bed. Was this all
a nightmare brought on by being nervous over my big

(17:44):
date with Travis. I stand in the shower, almost in
a trance, as the water pours over me. I've taken
plenty of showers before, but this just seems weird. The
water feels like it's closing in on me. I hear
the jarring sound of static through the shower curtain. I
see a dark shape move the thing from my nightmare.

(18:08):
It's back for me. I back against the shower wall.
The wet tiles are cold against my back. I run
my hands over them, looking for escape. A voice snaps
me back to reality. You almost done, Brenn says, annoyance
in her voice. Water will be freaking cold. Sorry, almost done.

(18:31):
I hear the door slam shut. All dread is faded away,
and I just feel like a shit for hogging the shower.
I get out and dry off quick, trying not to
waste any more time. I leave the bathroom atawel wrapped
around me. Bren is waiting for me by the door.
You okay, Why what were you doing in the shower

(18:53):
so long? Daydreaming or a little pre date gratification? I
shoot her a look and Brenn does that laugh of hers.
I'm sorry, Ronnie, I know you're all stressed. She gives
me a kiss on the cheek and goes into the bathroom,
shutting the door behind her. I hear the lock click.

(19:14):
Guess I should have done that at work. It's no easier.
My mind drifts all day thinking about our date this afternoon,
The day moves in slow motion. What seemed like hours
were in fact minutes when I looked at the clock,
and everything I did at work seemed like the wrong thing,

(19:34):
giving people the wrong order, spilling drinks. I shouldn't be
this stressed over a date. No, it was that dream,
that nightmare. I consider calling the picnic off, but by
the time my shift is over, I've reconsidered maybe I
could turn this day around. When we get back to
the apartment, I strip out of my waitress uniform and

(19:57):
splash some water on my face. Seems to engulf the
room for the briefest of seconds, but the hallucination quickly fades.
Am I losing my mind? The lake looked beautiful in
the summer sun. We found a nice secluded spot under
a large tree. Travis left the car nearby. He had

(20:18):
the top down and the radio on. Down in the
willow garden where me and my love did meet, he
sat down a large basket. My dear, he said, ushering
me to the blanket with a wave of his hand.
We'd brought quite the selection of food. Travis popped open

(20:40):
a bottle of wine. Was that weird for a picnic?
He caught me, making a face. Have we done this before?
Don't tell me you don't drink wine. No, just seems
a bit much for a afternoon picnic. Well, it's a
celebration too, babe, My love, she did not know. I

(21:04):
put my hand up. I'm sorry, but I don't think
I should. I'm feeling a little sick, sick everything, okay,
I just had a rough night, bad nightmare. He touches
my hand. I don't know why this makes me flinch.
He looks at me, puzzled. What kind of nightmare? I

(21:26):
think I was drowning and there was this figure there
when I woke up. I swear it was still there,
you know. He starts pouring wine into the glasses. I
think you need a little nip of wine, my rose. No, really,
it's okay, it'll help your nerves. Okay, maybe just a little.

(21:46):
Travis hands me one of the glasses. There's the sound
of static cutting through the air, like someone's adjusting the radio.
A dreadful sign. I look over at Travis's car and
see it there, the thing from my nightmare. The glass
of wine falls from my hand. It hits the ground,

(22:07):
rolling and spilling all over the blanket. The song skips
or repeats a dreadful sign. Not a dream, it said,
heed the sign. At first, I don't realize I'm screaming
until I see Travis's face. He grimaces. He grabs me

(22:30):
clapping a hand over my mouth. He holds me so tight.
I start to tear up. Shut the fuck up, would you.
I try to pull away, but his hands are like
iron clamps. I can see the anger in his eyes.
He looks over to the thing standing next to the car,
A dreadful sign. That's not gonna help you, Ronnie dear,
he says, his voice never wavering. It's just an echo,

(22:54):
as if robbed of its power. The thing evaporates into
the air. He tightens his grip. Tears streamed down my cheeks,
soaking his hand. I see the wine bottle lying there,
just out of reach of my free hand. I could
hit him with it. Listen to yourself, you're gonna hit him.
This is nuts. It has to be a game, right, No,

(23:16):
it's not. I just need a weapon to get away.
I rake his face with my fingernails, scratching jagged lines
down his face. For all the world, it sounded like
running your nails over stone. He lets go of me,
and I lunge for the wine bottle. As I reach
for the bottle, he grabs me by the belt of
my jeans. The bottle slips from my hands as he

(23:36):
yanks me towards him, rolling just out of reach. I
dig my feet and hands into the ground, pulling myself
towards the bottle, the sun reflecting off of it like
some magical weapon. It beckoned to me. My arms and
legs burned as I strained, Almost my fingers brushed off
the smooth neck of the bottle. Why won't you let

(23:56):
me help you, Travis says, help me. I'm gonna free
you of all this bullshit. I manage a last bit
of strength and grab the goddamn bottle. I swing it
and hit him square in the side of the head.
Unlike in the movies, the bottle doesn't break. Travis lets
go of me. I hit him again, and again the

(24:20):
bottle doesn't break. He falls to the ground, momentarily stunned.
I bring the bottle down again on his head for
good measure. This time it shatters. I turn and run
for his car. As I reach the car, Travis appears,
pulling a large knife from his leather jacket. I didn't
want to make a mess, Rose. He touches the wounds
on his face. Gonna have to fix these. I slide

(24:43):
into the driver's seat. Yes, the keys are there. I
start the car. It roars to life. I hit the gas,
aiming right for Travis. This is insane, am I in
a never ending nightmare? I ram into him, sending his
body flying up onto the hood. He smashes through the windshield,
his face contorted in a wicked smile. Hold hands you,
love birds, he says. The car plunges into the lake.

(25:07):
Water rushes in as we sink the nightmare I'm going
to drown here with him. A shard of broken window
floats by me as we sink down. I grab it.
The jagged edges cut into my hand. I take it,
jabbing it into his eye. He lets go of me.
He smiles at me as I push him away. I

(25:30):
swim through the open top. For however long I live,
I don't think I'll ever forget that smile, the jagged
shard embedded in his eye. Travis and his car sinking
to the bottom. I pull myself onto the beach. I
think I pass out for a while, lying there in
the dirt, soaking wet. I wake with a start and

(25:52):
see a shadow fall across me. I look up and
see that thing, the thing from my nightmare, standing over me.
Its face and arms are blue and bloated, its face
vaguely feminine, Its remaining hair rotten, hangs down in long strands.

(26:13):
It wore a dress, my dress, ghost story by an
ominous I remember it as if it were yesterday. I
was young. I was young enough to taste the adventure,

(26:36):
but old enough to know better. I'm still not sure
how this was real. Too much happened and was seen
to be the fanciful imagination of being young. One thing
is for certain. I have not forgotten what happened that night,
and I am certain I never will. It was fall,

(26:59):
the leaves were just starting to turn. The days were
still warm, and the nights were getting cooler. The County
Fair had been in full swing and was the last
night it was open. I was there because a friend
had talked me into going, and I wanted to sample
some kettle corn and caramel apples there. I was waiting
in line for the popcorn when we saw him. He

(27:21):
was a boy about my age and my size. He
looked like any other boy there, except his clothes were funny.
He looked like he was dressed up in old time
movie clothes. He was looking at us. My friend nudged
me and nodded in his direction. We exchanged looks and
began to walk toward him. As we began to walk,

(27:45):
to my surprise, so did he directly for us without
looking away. When we were within speaking distance, I nodded
and said hey. He nodded back and said hello. My
name is Jonathan. I'm from here, but have been elsewhere
for a while. I don't know anyone here now. I

(28:05):
told him he could go with us if he wanted to.
He nodded. We spent the next couple of hours riding
the roller coaster, the ferris wheel, and the Tilte Whirl,
after which I thought I might hurl, but I managed
to keep things together. We had found a bench to sit.
Jonathan and my friend were working on some red vines
when he asked if we liked scary things. We looked

(28:28):
at each other and said of course, as if we
would reply any other way. He asked if we knew
where the house was down on Oak Street. He said
he knew the house that was spooky down there. I
was hesitant, but after some encouragement from Jack, we were
soon headed out the gates from the fair into the night.

(28:53):
As we made our way down through some neighborhood streets,
it really began to cool off, and there was definitely
a chill in the air. A breeze was picking up,
and a few leaves were blowing in between our feet
as we walked. We were beginning to get far enough
away from the fair now that I began to become
uncomfortable with the distance, even though I knew where we were.

(29:17):
It was just then when he said we're here. This
had startled me as I realized we had all been
walking in silence. A glance from Jack told me he
was no more at ease than I was. I had
this strange feeling of foreboding, and in retrospect, I know
now that my survival instinct was trying to warn me.

(29:41):
As I looked at him, he stood looking up at it.
The house was huge. I can't believe I had never
noticed it before. It was a sprawling, three story mansion
with what appeared to have been a large yard all
around it. It seemed to be well kept, but everything
about it RepA held me. I looked at Jack and

(30:02):
the other boy. Jack was looking around nervously. The boy,
though he had a radiant smile on his face, I noted,
he was actually breathing hard. I asked him if he
was all right. He snapped his head towards me instantly,
while taking a step toward me. Yes, he said, then

(30:23):
slowly retreated one step back again. What do you think,
he asked. Jack was barely audible when he answered, I
don't think we should go in. If that's what you mean,
of course we should go in. I know who lives here.
They aren't there yet, he said. I agreed with Jack

(30:43):
and voiced my concern with getting into trouble. There will
be no trouble. Let's just go, the boy said, and
with that he began to walk up the walkway to
the front door. I thought the walk to that front
door was the longest twenty five feet of my life.
Every step forward seemed to get colder, the darkness enveloped us,

(31:04):
and the air seemed to become still. The repulsion I
felt going forward was immense and progressive. I didn't know
why I felt like this. I didn't want to seem scared,
but I was, and I didn't know why, which made
me confused. On top of the anxiety, I seemed to
be becoming overwhelmed with I was following the new friend

(31:26):
of ours and Jack, the boy seemed to be bursting
with enthusiasm and excitement as Jack and I trudged along.
As we approached the steps up, I took hold of
the rail and realized my palms were sweating profusely. I
became aware of my own labored breathing. I looked to Jack,
who mouthed no at me. As we were almost to

(31:49):
the top step on the porch. My mouth was dry
as I thought of a hundred reasons not to open
the large front door, but couldn't utter a single word.
The boy stood in front of the door and turned
to look at me. He simultaneously reached for the knob
and turned it. I yelled no as he did, but
to no avail. As we heard the click and the

(32:11):
door began to swing open. The door creaked and groaned
in a way that sounded guttural as he swung it
open wide. I could see inside into the middle of
the room, but the darkness swallowed the perimeter beyond. Come in,

(32:32):
was all he said as he boldly stepped in without
looking back. Without a word, Jack and I followed him in.
The smell was overwhelming. As we stepped inside. It smelled musty, earthy,
and almost rotten, like a trunk that had been closed
for years. I thought the windows looked broken out in places,

(32:54):
but there was no air moving through the house. Now.
I don't remember the door showing, but I felt the
uncontrollable urge to run, and I backed right into the
shut door. Jack, in a panic, grabbed the handle and
wrenched on it, but it didn't budge. He pulled with
increased fervor, and I began to hit the door with

(33:16):
my closed fist, and my hands began to tingle. I
swung around to see the boy standing looking at us expressionless.
A smile began to creep into the corners of his mouth.
This twistedly sick look he began to have made the
terror well up even more. As I began to scream

(33:38):
at him, he suddenly turned and ran into the darkness,
laughing maniacally. I followed a few steps after him, instinctively,
until I realized that giggling he ran down the stairs.
Down the stairs seemed to be even blacker than the
darkness that already left navigating nearly impossible. I turned to

(34:00):
look at Jack, who was gone. I cried out in
fear and frustration at our stupidity. Why would you ever
go somewhere with someone you don't know? Yet? Here I am.
Jack stepped forward into my field of vision and grabbed
my arm. He began to sob What's going on? Where

(34:21):
did he go? Why is this place so scary? What's
going on? I pulled him in and put my arm
around his shoulder. Look at me, We are going to
get out of here, I said, in as calm of
a voice as I could muster. I looked to the
side to a window and ran to it. I ripped
the floor length velvet curtains open and gasped to see

(34:44):
a window. I looked next to me to see a
small table and picked it up and banged it on
the glass. I wasn't sure what was going on yet,
but I wasn't fully committed to breaking out a window
because I'm scared this could be a p done on
poor taste. Fear overwhelmed my rational thoughts, and I swung it.

(35:06):
It didn't budge, and I felt as though I were
hitting stone. I was even more scared at this abnormal response.
I backed up one step and swung as hard as
I could to have the table splinter apart, with pieces
smashing against the walls, floor, and into my head. I
felt the point of impact to reveal on my head

(35:27):
a spot of blood. On my hand, the window appeared unblemished.
As I frantically turned to see Jack crumple into a
pile on the floor, crying, I want to go home.
I grabbed his collar and pulled him to his feet.
I went into the first open door I saw aside
from the staircase that boy must be in on this.

(35:48):
I don't know why you would bring us here, but
you can be sure it's not good, I whispered as
I pulled Jack along, who was now regaining his composure.
The doorway opened into a large room. It appeared to
be a library, as books lined the walls to high
windows which must have been three stories tall. As there
were balconies with ladders circumnavigating the room. I pulled us

(36:11):
to one side as it seemed to offer a mirage
of protection versus being in the room center. I put
a hand against the shelf and looked at the books.
Most of the titles were in languages I didn't even
recognize some with what appeared to be symbols. Only breathing
hard and looking around for the next move, I noticed

(36:32):
there were mounted heads of animals surrounding the room. They
were high above the books on the walls. Deer, bear, cougar.
They did not have content looks on their faces, rather
anger or fear. I looked to the next and found
the animal to be beyond description. I stared at its

(36:53):
cavorted face and studied it for a moment. It was
unknown to me. I glanced ahead and found an another
unrecognizable head. Upon closer look, I gasped and nearly threw up.
It was the head of what looked to be a person,
but it had hair all over its face. Its simian

(37:14):
likeness was unmistakable, yet it seemed more human. Jack was
gasping at me, looking wildly in the direction I had
been staring, yelling what is it? He pulled at me
to follow him, and I stumbled along. We came to
a hallway with opposing doors. At the far end was
a door with windows on either side. Long velvet curtains

(37:36):
hung parted in the middle, showing the moonlight peeking through.
We took pensive steps towards the first door, and I
reached out to turn the knob. I cautiously edged the
door open and peeked inside. It was too dark to
make anything out visually, but I heard sounds. It sounded
like something some kind of animal, was stepping in something

(37:59):
wet and sludge like. Grunting and labored breaths intermixed with
ripping sounds came from somewhere within the room. A barely
audible whimper was immediately stopped by a low growl. It
was then Jack stepped back, and a squeak of the
floorboard suddenly alerted whatever was in there. There was a
rustling of something moving toward us, and I knew beyond

(38:22):
any doubt that I did not want to know what
was making that noise. I was able to get us
out and slam the door before the thing could get there.
Jack was whispering how badly he wanted to leave, and
clutching my arm in a near frantic manner. I was
unsure if we should look in any more rooms or
go try to escape from one of the windows at

(38:44):
the end of the hall. As I was gathering my wits,
I heard another moan. I thought it might have been
my imagination, but Jack's face registered that he had heard
it as well. Was that the other boy? He asked
in a whisper. I don't know, I replied, as my
voice broke. I had never and have not since, known

(39:07):
fear such as this. Sweat dripped off my nose, running
down my neck and back. I was shaking and could
barely speak. I had thrown up again after shutting that door.
It just hadn't registered until now. I wiped at my
face and it was apparent I had not been aware
enough to make any attempt to project it away from
my body. I had a sudden recall that I had

(39:30):
my cell phone. Funny how I had argued how I
wanted and needed one with my parents and used the
safety reason. How ironic I thought as I frantically dug
it from my pocket. No service, as I thought, my
spirit couldn't drop farther. The date under the time seemed
to be spinning like a dial. I had no idea

(39:54):
what had happened, but the realization it was broken almost
made me cry. If we made it out of there,
my parents would kill me for breaking it. I was
truly terrified as the tears began to run down my cheeks.
I was breathing fast and hard. My head was spinning
like I may pass out. Jack's sudden grip on my

(40:15):
arm again brought my attention back to reality. We must
have been moving the last few moments. As we were
standing in front of the next door, which unfortunately was open,
there was a shaft of moonlight coming from the window
across the room, and it fell on two of the dirtiest,
foulest dogs I had ever seen. My mouth fell open

(40:38):
in utter shock at the putrescence of them. They seemed
to have what looked like some rotting skin in places.
One looked like it was partially disemboweled, and something drug
on the floor a short distance behind it. The first
one lowered his head with a growl, and saliva or

(40:58):
something like it dripped from the large fangs it momentarily
glistened in the little light present. The smell coming from
them was nauseating. Sickly sweet, rotting stench with sulfuresque tones
burned my nose as I immediately recoiled from sight and smell.
The closer animal, if you could call it that, began

(41:20):
to growl, although the sound seemed to emanate from the
hole in its side. I pushed Jack ahead of me
as panic again rose in me like a wave, commanding
me to run. In spite of the pathetic creature's aberrant appearance,
they could move quickly, their claws dug to gain purchase
on the old floor, shredding with each foot strike. There

(41:42):
were snarling jaws snapping, making saliva fling and spray in
the moonlight. Our complete terror must have been adrenaline fueled enough,
as they were nearly to the end of the hall
before I realized it. There was a perpendicular haul at
the end by the windows, and as Jack was slowing
to make a turn, I heard the hounds had stopped

(42:03):
or slowed. I turned to look and they had stopped
twenty feet back and were crouching down with tails tucked
between their legs, whining, and were turning back as though
they were afraid of something. I called to Jack as
quietly as possible to get his attention without drawing further

(42:24):
alert to our presence. We were stopped by the windows,
and I looked out. My parents were walking down the street.
My heart soared as I hit the window, screaming their
names completely, throwing caution to the wind. They couldn't hear
and kept going as there was no way for them
to know I was here. I was supposed to be

(42:47):
at the fair. How sorry I was that I hadn't
done as I had said. I was going to die
in this house. I didn't know what this place was,
but it was so much worse than anything I had
conjured up as a haunted house in my head. I
would have given anything to be with my parents right now, safe,
not here in this terrible place, whatever this was. I

(43:10):
looked down the hall and at the far end was
what looked like an old servants staircase, narrow and steep,
going down. Wanting to go anywhere but down, I looked
the other way and saw a door at the far end,
and doors on opposing sides down the hall. More doors
made fear well up inside me again. The hare began

(43:31):
to stand up on my neck. There was a faint
crying sound that was slowly growing louder. Was it a child,
a woman? Was it the boy? I couldn't tell, But
as it grew louder and louder, it became more distorted.
It was a mixture of crying that was morphing from

(43:51):
a cry to laughter, with choking intermixed. I had never
heard a sound like that before, and if I never
do again, it would be a blessing. My fear was
already overcoming me, and this wretched cacophony was more than
I could take. I began to pull Jack to follow me,
and we began to run. We sprinted into the hallway

(44:12):
blindly in terror. I frantically grabbed at door knobs to
open one, any one of them, in hopes to get
refuge from this horror. The light was so low I
could barely make out the shapes of the doors. The
illumination was minimal, and the color of the walls and
doors appeared to be various shades of black. I scraped

(44:33):
and patted around what I thought was a door, and
scrambled along as I jabbed and reached. As I searched,
I felt my finger tip catch on something sharp, and
my skin hooked on to whatever nail or splinter protruded.
I felt the warm fluid spread and drip. As I
felt the casing for the knob, I felt my finger

(44:54):
nail pull off entirely. In my nearly crazed search for
a way out, the dark hall seemed to lighten slightly.
The sound was still screeching, crying, laughter, constantly escalating to
the point I thought my ears might burst. I felt
Jack hitting at me and looked where he was staring.
Coming down the hall was something I think no mortal

(45:16):
man was meant to see. It was distorted and terrible,
flowing with a jerking quality. Simultaneously, I was suddenly captivated
at the indescribable sight approaching It was sinister, abhorrent, and mesmerizing.
I knew if it reached us, all was lost. My

(45:38):
hand found the knob that was freezing cold. I turned
it as we fell back, with the door opening, I
turned quickly to survey and found we were trapped in
a closet. In a completely reactionary measure, I slammed the
door just as the specter reached us. It roared with
an intensity that seemed impossible. It slammed into the door

(45:59):
with such violence that shards of wood, dust and material
blew out of the wall, spraying down on us. For
an unknown but seemingly endless time, the torrent of anger
and pure rage continued to pound upon the door, and
I do not know how it did not breach it.
At some point it stopped, if possible, The sudden silence

(46:23):
was even more deafening. Jack continued to lay on the
floor next to me. As I lay curled in the
fetal position. After an indeterminate amount of time, I began
to notice a light coming from under the door. I
thought it looked like sunlight. I moved over and tried
to peer under. I could see what looked like daylight

(46:48):
on the old red carpet. I looked and listened, and
could perceive nothing outside the door. I reached up and
turned the knob with a creak that was the defining
noise of every haunted house ever. The door opened, the
hallway was lit with the earliest rays of the beautiful

(47:09):
morning sun. It was such a welcome sight to the
soul sucking pitch black of the previous night. As I
took in the sunshine, movement in the hall caught my
attention and I recoiled back. The sunlight was just peeking
over the horizon through the windows, leaving shadows in between
each one. The far end of the hallway was bathed

(47:32):
in darkness. To the door and beyond, the terrible apparition
was hovering just at this boundary of light and dark.
It was almost too much for my mind, and I
thought I might pass out. It screamed and raged against
this boundary. Seething and pacing back and forth, it seemed
to strain with all its will, until the last bit

(47:54):
of darkness was abolished with the wonderful sunlight. There was
an implosion of sound with some sort of vapor or smoke,
and when it dissipated there was a single sheet with
two eye holes cut out, perched at the end of
the hall where it had been. It seemed almost comical,

(48:14):
a cruel and mocking reminder that it was not gone,
not truly. We eventually came to the realization that we
were able to escape the house only after we passed
by the classic ghost. I felt taunted and bullied by it.
I wanted to knock it over, but was so repelled
by it I couldn't bring myself to touch it. I

(48:36):
didn't and don't know what was under the sheet. We
made our way through the house. There was no resistance.
Windows were broken out, exterior doors left open absent in
some places. As we exited the house, we saw a
passing police car and waved it down. The officer listened
to both of us, trying to relay the story, and

(48:57):
he became suddenly very excited when he heard our names.
We fell silent as he told us that we had
been reported missing six days ago and the entire town
had been searching for us. Come to find out, the
authorities had actually presumed us dead. My parents were out

(49:17):
looking for me when I had seen them. My head
beginning to spin was the last thing I remember that day.
I'm not sure how many people believed us, if anyone.
Jack and I drifted apart, as I think both of
us couldn't bear the memories of that night. Although thankfully
I have never had another experience such as this, I

(49:40):
will never forget that ghost stories aren't always fun. First
Date by Fields Perspective Ariel Mirron. Who would have thought

(50:07):
that my life would have changed so drastically over the holidays.
I'm pretty good at keeping my feelings to myself, but
I'm still very angry and upset with my parents, mostly Mom.
I still can't believe that which offered me to Queen
Arcadia in exchange for her fame and fortune. Oh let

(50:28):
me tell you. I was so angry with Mom that
I screamed and threw everything at her that I could
get my hands on. I mean, I destroyed a lot
of stuff. My friends who were there with me had
to pull me off Mom when I finally attacked her myself.
I've had sufficient time now to calm down and assess
my current situation. I'm living with Madeline Donnerley and her

(50:52):
family now and actually have my own room. Mouse's parents
converted a spare bedroom just for me. Not only that,
I figured that, upon returning to Strickfield Junior High that
people would be jeering me about the whole fall from
Grace thing. No one said a word. In fact, I

(51:14):
continued on as if that whole blow up between Mom
and I had never happened. But something did happen at
school today. You probably know by now that Carter Cross
and I have always been polar opposites. Even now, he
still calls me Princess, but he's not making fun of
me because of my fall from Grace. I wasn't letting

(51:37):
him off so fast, though. I still managed to swipe
a few of his sodas, including at lunch period today today,
though it just it didn't feel right. Normally, Carter's on
me the minute I swipe a soda. In fact, we
both had the can ready to fight for it, then

(51:57):
he just let me have it. The truth is, I
haven't forgotten that he asked me out the first weekend
of December, when we were trapped in the Strickfield Town
Center mall overnight hanging Christmas decorations for cousin harmony. I
can't stop replaying that event in my mind over and over.
Carter hasn't asked me out again since, though, however, I

(52:21):
haven't really given him an answer. Then I remember that
Carter Cross actually lives next door to me. Now, I
go to my smartphone and text Carter to see if
he's home. I get a reply back almost immediately yes.
I get off my bed and head downstairs to go
to his house. He's right there at the back door

(52:43):
and invites me in. What's up, princess, he asks. I
take a deep breath and look at him. Yes, Carter,
I'm sorry I never answered you that night, but yes,
I will go out with you. Carter and I stare
at each other for a long moment. You sure, he
asks quietly. I nod quickly. We need to know for

(53:07):
sure if there's really something there between us. We can
know for sure in one date, right. We stare at
each other again. What do we do? He stammers, I
ain't never been on a date before me neither, I admit,

(53:27):
I guess we can just go hang out together, right,
Carter nods, Okay, Yeah, what time do you want to go?
Perspective Carter cross. Madeline Donnerley and me are playing video
games at Roth's Rings after losing a third straight game

(53:48):
of Cruise in USA Place in nearly last Madeline looks
at me. Let's go talk, buddy, she says in her
mousey voice. We grab our drinks and head outs. Then
I just tell her Ariel and me are going on
a date tonight. Her eyes are really wide. Now. Really,

(54:10):
I tell Madeline about when I asked Ariel out at
the mall during that overnight last month. I just kept
thinking about it. You've been giving me a hard time
about Ariel. I know Mona and Bailey give Ariel a
hard time too. Ariel said, we got to know if
there's something there, so we're gonna do one date tonight.

(54:31):
Now it's the same silence like at my place when
Ariel and I agreed to go out. Madeline breaks the silence,
told you you liked her, buddy, I sigh. What if
I mess things up with her? Madeline? This is our
first date. It ain't gonna be like when we hang out,
she smirks. Just talk to her Carter. The rest will

(54:54):
work itself out. I ain't never dated yet, but I
understand a few things based on movies. She gently slaps
my shoulder. Just talk to her, I nod quickly, Sorry
about what happened in here. I should have just talked
to you. It's all good, buddy, she replies. I put

(55:16):
my hand on her shoulder. I'm glad. I can always
talk to you, Madeline, and you always will, she promises me.
Feeling better, we go back inside and start playing again.
Now I can actually compete with Madeline when we start
racing again. Perspective Ariel Mirron. I enter Mouse's house she

(55:40):
calls it the mousehole, and see she's typing away on
her computer. A few minutes later, she's finally done. I
think she finished a paper for one of our classes.
Now she looks right at me. It's gonna be okay, Ariel,
she tells me. I sigh. Carter talked to you, didn't he.
She turns in her chair and waits for me to

(56:02):
sit on her lower bunk. He did, but you kind
of been fidgeting all day. You only ever do that
when you're really nervous, which don't happen often with you.
I sigh again, I hate you. Mouse. She comes and
sits beside me. It'll be okay. You and Carter are

(56:22):
gonna hang out, Just have fun and talk to him.
Suddenly the doorbell rings. It's Carter. Mouse tells me. I
give her an odd look. Carter usually just comes in.
Mouse smirks, Yeah, Carter and me usually walk into each
other's houses. But Carter ain't here to hang out with me.

(56:43):
He's here for you. Better go answer that. I look
at the Freddy Krueger clock next to the door. Seven
point thirty. Time sure flew since Carter and I arranged
our date. I see Mouse's smile and know everything's going
to be all right. I get up and make my
way down to the front door. Mouse is right when
Carter's standing outside. We look at each other for a

(57:06):
long moment, just like at his house earlier. Then I
finally put on my jacket and go out onto the porch,
with him closing the door behind me. Where officially on
our first date. Now perspective, Carter cross Ariel and me

(57:27):
are both pretty nervous. We're walking to downtown village together
in silence, glancing at each other at times. Finally, Ariel
says something, I'm just as scared as you, Carter. That
makes me feel better. What do you want to do?
We stop right outside the Strickfield Centennial Theater. There's only

(57:47):
two movies playing, including a special screening of Rad Yeah,
that bicycle movie from the nineteen eighties. Ariel surprises me
and wants to see it. I pay for our tickets
and buy us both cokes. Madeline and I had seen
this movie plenty of times after we became friends. Rad
got us into riding bikes the way we do, even

(58:08):
getting mongooses. Anyway, Ariel never got bored once. Later, we're
sitting in Big Ed's soda parlor after the movie and
talking about it. Madeline's right about just talking to Ariel. Also,
Ariel insisted on paying for our Sundays since I paid
it the movies. Suddenly, Ariel's eyes get wide, so do mine.

(58:33):
When Bailey Downs and Mona Abels approach our table, Ariel's
face goes red fast, and not because she's mad. Awe,
ain't you too cute? Mona teases. Bailey just gives Ariel
this weird smile now, Ariel does tough enough. Yes, I
am here with Carter Cross. Go tell the whole school.

(58:56):
When Bailey and Mona look at me, I just nod
Ariel's way what she said. Then Mona and Bailey smile
wickedly and giggle a little before they start singing, Ariel's
got a boy friend. Ariel's got a boy friend. Ariel
growls at them, I hate you both. Then they turn

(59:17):
and walk away, laughing. The last thing I hear before
they leave is Bailey telling Mona told you so. Ariel
takes a deep breath and looks at me. Now, I
really don't care Carter. I smile at Ariel. Me neither.
When we finish our ice cream, we leave and go
walking around. Then I decide to be a man and

(59:40):
take Ariel's hand. She gasps at first, and then relaxes.
She doesn't take her hand back. Then we get calm
and start talking again. Perspective, Ariel, Mirrahim, you just know
Bailey and are going to tell anyone who's willing to listen.

(01:00:03):
I meant what I said. I really don't care who
knows that I'm on a date with Carter Cross. I
decide to be honest with him. Maybe if I was
still living back in the gated community, I might have
denied it. But I'm out here with all of you now.
You ever miss being in there? Carter asks, no, I say,

(01:00:24):
without hesitation, my parents never once called Mouse's house asking
for me. They never stopped by either, not even anything
in the mail. I smile a little. Madeleine's parents are
good people, I know. Suddenly, Carter and I just stop dead.

(01:00:46):
How did we end up walking down this street? Carter?
I ask, we just did? Carter tells me we just
turned down this way. And well, Carter and I are
staring right at the old Carnivosh estate from outside the
high fence. When Carter and I squeeze hands, I admit

(01:01:07):
something to him. Mona Bailey and I dared Mouse to
go into this house when we walked by it in
early October. Mona asked her if she was chicken. Mouse
simply told us she was brave enough to go in there,
but not stupid enough. We didn't say anything more to
her about it after that. Okay, well, let's just keep walking,

(01:01:30):
Carter suggests, after a little bit. Yeah, let's I agree fast,
but neither of us move. It's not because we're both
scared of the house. It's because we're looking through the
main gate and seeing a little girl standing in one
of the windows, looking right out at us perspective, Carter Cross.

(01:02:00):
Ariel and I both agree we saw that little girl
in the house. We're both pretty sure nobody lives in
the Carnivosh estate, and not for a very long time
living in the village itself. It would be big news
fast if anyone actually moved in there. When the little
girl moves away from the window, Ariel and I look

(01:02:21):
at each other. Carter, we can't leave that little girl
in there, Ariel tells me. I gulp, I was afraid
you'd say that. Ariel and ME don't even gotta talk
about it. We climb the fence and go inside. The
property looks like this place ain't had yard work done
in years, even though it's early January. Weeds seem to

(01:02:42):
keep growing real good here. When we reach the front door,
one of them's wide open. Then I hear Ariel gulp.
She's breathing fast and giving me looks. I know I
gotta be looking scared too. Ariel and I are still
holding hands. When we slowly go inside. We hain't even
two steps past the door when Ariel and me both

(01:03:05):
cry out and turn around to see the doors are
both completely closed. We go to them and find we're
locked in. Ariel quickly pulls out her phone. No, she
looks at me. No signal you uh huh, I confirm.
Then I open my settings. No nearby Wi Fi either.

(01:03:28):
We put our phones away. Then Ariel points to the stairway.
I don't think she was upstairs, Ariel, I say, I
thought the little girl was in the room to the
left of the doors. Ariel points in the direction in there.
Ariel quickly grabs my hand. Don't you dare let go.
I'm not losing you, Carter Cross. I shake her hand

(01:03:50):
to assure her I'm holding it. Then we walk into
what looks like a living room. Little girl, I call out.
Then I point to the window. There's where we saw her. Right,
we moved to the window and look outside to see
where we were before we came in. We'll have to
keep looking around. Ariel says, she's not in here. Now.

(01:04:12):
I stop her fast, Ariel. She turns and sees I'm
pointing down a hallway where we see the little girl.
Stop Ariel calls out, please come this way. Ariel and
I run down the hallway as she turns away. When
we reach the end, we come into a conservatory. We
moved to the other entrance and go through it to

(01:04:32):
see the little girl again at the end of another hallway. Carter,
Ariel gasps, you seeing this, I nod fast. The little
girl's feet are pointing to the floor, but it's plain
as the noses on our faces. She's floating. Yeah, I
definitely think she's a ghost, Ariel, I hate you, Carter,

(01:04:55):
Ariel stutters. She really squeezes my hand. Now. Then we
looked down the hallway. I think she wants us to
follow her. I say, it's like she's trying to tell
us something. Ariel gulps again and turns me to look
at the wall. There's an old Carnivoche family portrait hanging there.
Now we see the little girl at the very center

(01:05:18):
in front of her family. Clearly she was the youngest.
The date is January fourth, eighteen twenty four. Perspective, Ariel Mirren,
that little Carnivosh girl is over two hundred years old.

(01:05:40):
Had she lived, we look to see her ghost is
still waiting for us. Come on, Carter, I stammer. The
two of us keep following the little girl until we're
at another door. No doubt, this one's going to lead
into the one place you would never want to go
in a creepy old mansion like this, the basement. The

(01:06:02):
door opens on its own, Then the little girl floats
down the stairway. She's giving off this eerie light to
show she's at the bottom and waiting for us. Since
she's lighting our way, we can easily follow her down
without tripping over our own feet. Carter insists on leading
the way like the gallant guy I know he is.

(01:06:24):
When we reach the bottom, the ghost moves again, the
basement still lit thanks to her. She takes us through
a few rooms and finally stops next to a big
brick wall. Then she points right at it. You want
us to break, Carter mumbles. The little girl keeps pointing
to the wall. Then I see something over there. Carter

(01:06:48):
grab that big hammer. Carter and I let go of
each other's hands. He finds the big sledgehammer on a
workbench and brings it over. It takes Carter a few
really big hits before he finally success and cracking the mortar.
He keeps swinging and hitting until he finally makes a
block come loose. Then he keeps hitting it until it

(01:07:08):
falls over on the inside. Carter has to take little
breaks to collect himself, but he finally manages to break
the wall in enough. I take out my smartphone and
shine my light through the hole Carter made. Carter and
I both scream when we see a couple of skeletons,
one big and one small, and then the little girl

(01:07:32):
smiles happily and points to both of us. Suddenly, this
huge flash of light washes over us. Epilogue perspective aerial mirran.
Later that night, Carter and I are in the mousehole
telling mouse about our experience at the Carnivosh estate. We

(01:07:54):
told her about finding the little girl and then her
leading us to where she and her dad were both
walled up in the basement. Two hundred years ago today,
a band of robbers came to the Carnivosh estate and
robbed it. Emilio Carnivoche tried to save and protect his
family from the robbers, but it was all in vain.

(01:08:15):
Emilio and little Rosemary were walled up within the basement
to cruelly separate the two of them from Margo, the mother,
and Rosemary's two older brothers, Waldo and Morton. Emilio was
badly hurt and weakened, and Rosemary was too little, unable
to free themselves from their tomb, they died of starvation.

(01:08:39):
We weren't shown what happened to the rest of the
Carnivoche family. I can feel like deep down that both
the father and the little girl are resting in peace now.
I finish. Yeah, We got out of the house and
went to Roth's rings to call the police. Anonymously, Carter ads.
Carter and I both Pinky promised Mouse that we we

(01:09:00):
weren't making up the story. Ah, I believe you both,
she said, Come on, we survived Abigail Tomlin, a big
vampire woman, and Queen Arcadia. Right, good point, Madeline, Carter agrees.
When we finish talking, Carter and I leave the house.
We find ourselves holding hands again. As we walk onto

(01:09:20):
Carter's back porch. Carter and I both look like we
want to say something to each other, but we just
look at each other again. Carter leans in a little.
He's hesitating. I'm hesitating, and then I barely feel it.
When we come apart, but Carter and I shared our
first kiss. We don't even have to say anything to

(01:09:43):
each other, but we know mutually we're not going to
be just one and done on dating. Carter and I
say goodbye, and I watch him go into his house.
I return to the Donnerly home and go back in.
I head to my room and lay on my bed,
knowing I have a lot to think about. And that's
where this particular adventure ends. But I can promise you

(01:10:06):
we'll be back again very soon. Lucian Grayshire and the
Ghost from Applebee's by L. F. Falconer. The three young
girls in the corner booth continued to stare, not due

(01:10:28):
to rudeness, Lucian determined merely out of morbid curiosity. Their
parents attempted to be more furative in their sidelong glances
and struggled with useless, hushed commands to curtail their daughter's
blatant surveillance. Lucian no longer cared. With three quarters of

(01:10:50):
his body severely scarred from a house fire he'd survived
as a child forty years ago, he'd grown hardened to
the horrified scrutiny of others. Thereative glimpses the whispers behind
his back. At one time his disfigurements brought him shame.
Now he wore these scars with honor, deeming his outer

(01:11:12):
grotesqueness more valuable than his business card. A man no
one truly wanted to see, yet one not so easily forgotten.
If he caused anyone nightmares along his journey through life,
he lost no sleep over it. Harried to the point
of distraction by their children, the two adults in the

(01:11:34):
corner booth remained oblivious to the fact that half their
current troubles were caused by the antics of the youthful poltergeist.
Hovering above their table, a spilled glass of milk, the
forks fallen to the floor, the plate of French fries
toppled onto the youngest girl's lap. Had nothing to do
with the carelessness of rambunctious children, and at this moment

(01:11:57):
the ghost was ever so slowly unscrewing the cap on
the salt shaker. Lucian savored the final bite of his
lemon chicken, then dabbed his napkin over the thin lips
below the cartoliginous remnants of his nose. He rose to
his feet and placed enough cash on his meal check
to cover his lunch, as well as a generous tip.

(01:12:20):
In response to his appearance, the server had neither bulked
nor over compensated. Shrugging on his wool jacket, he took
pity on the beleaguered parents in their challenge to maintain
a sense of decorum amid the chaos, especially as the
children's father had just ruined his own meal with a
full shaker of salt spilled upon it. The poltergeist above

(01:12:43):
the table glowed in rapid pulses of jade green. Leaving
his table, Lucian limped directly to the booth the family occupied.
Everyone at the table fell transfixed, as if they'd all
just been caught with their hands in the till Lucian
greeted them with a courteous bow, good afternoon. He raised

(01:13:07):
his one good eye to acknowledge the ghost hovering above. Bemusedly.
The ghost cocked an eyebrow, then darted to the left
side of the table, taking refuge behind a potted imitation philodendron.
Lucian straightened his gaunt frame and withdrew a business card
from his inner jacket pocket. Allow me to introduce myself.

(01:13:29):
I am Lucian, Greyshire, and I have a business proposal,
if you'd be interested. He handed his card to the father,
then glanced over at the ghost, who peeked through the
kelly green leaves, giving the young shade a polite nod.
The man at the table seemed hesitant to accept the card,
but once he took it into his possession, he scanned

(01:13:52):
it out loud. Let the dead bring your party to life.
Grayshire Incorporated Unique Halloween Entered Attainment Services. He looked up
at Lucian with knitted brows. What's this about. I'm in
need of an assistant events coordinator. Lucian glanced back over
at the ghost. If you're interested, meet me in the

(01:14:14):
park across the street within the hour. He kept his
one eyed gaze on the ghost. I already have a job.
The man at the table tried to hand the business
card back, but Lucian stepped away from the table and
gave another slight bow. I'll be waiting, should you be interested.
His papery lips smiled at the ghost before he turned

(01:14:37):
and departed the restaurant. A somber sky loomed above gray
with pewter clouds. Billowing like dust. Lucian breathed deeply of
the air, still wet from last night's tempest and laced
with faint hints of pine, damp, bark, and blight. Dying
boughs and limbs, ripped from their hosts and tossed hap

(01:14:59):
hat dezardly by the uncarrying gale littered the park's greensward.
Lucian blessed the previous night's storm. The howling winds had
covered every muffled scream. The man's name had been Daniel.
He was sixty seven years old, and now he was dead.

(01:15:21):
October leaves in persimmon amber and blood crunched beneath Lucian's feet,
while crisp, lake eerie air nipped at his exposed, disfigured flesh.
He settled onto a park bench, his muscles aching strained
from last night's activities. Out of his jacket pocket, he

(01:15:41):
removed a well used paperback copy of Peter Nichols A
Day in the Death of Joe Egg. He'd barely read
three pages when an adolescent apparition tentatively drifted near. Lucian
looked up from his book, though little more than a
train loocent shadow The ghost featured a clinging, wet T shirt,

(01:16:04):
dark jeans, and high top athletic shoes. He looked to
have been maybe fifteen or sixteen at the time of
his death, his dark, damp ribbons of hair plastered against
his skull. Last night's events flickered through Lucian's mind in
high speed clips. Cold waters whipped to a frenzy by
boisterous wind, Daniel's hand clawing at Lucian's own as he

(01:16:29):
gurgled within the spume, The young shades scooted swiftly to
the left with a steady gaze. Lucian's good eye trailed
the movement. The shade darted back to the right, Still
fixed beneath Lucian's magnetic stare, the ghost took a minor
step closer. You can really say, may Lucian closed his book? Indeed,

(01:16:55):
was this job offer really for me? Or for him?
The goat jerked his head in the direction of the
restaurant across the street. For you, of course, I thought
I'd made that pretty clear. You was a bit fuzzy, mate.
I believe it would have been awkward to speak to
you directly when it's only I who am aware of

(01:17:16):
your presence. I'm not certain why you're trying to pull
off a phony accent. I happen to know you're an American.
The ghost took a step back, crossing his arms. And
what makes you so smart? Huh, Lucian winked his sighted eye.
I know many things. It's what I do. The ghost

(01:17:38):
jutted his chin forward. But I guess you don't know
my mum's Canadian. Lucian flipped his jacket collar up to
keep the lake chilled air off his neck. Point taken.
But that's neither here nor there. The important thing is
that you've come. You may call me Lucian, and what
may I call you? Anything you like? I suppose in

(01:18:02):
another life I believe they called me Patrick, but can't
recall the last time I heard the name. Could just
be a name I like. I don't know. There's not
much about life I can remember. He relaxed, looking Lucian
directly in the eye. It's kind of like a shattered
mirror life, I mean, my life, and I'm afraid if
I try to put the pieces back together, I might

(01:18:24):
not like what I see. Other than looking like a
drowned rat, You're not a bad looking fellow. The ghost
faded slightly. It's not about my looks. I'm invisible unlike you,
meaning no offense. But dude, really, Lucian shook his head.
No offense taken, and there's no need to pick up
the pieces. It could do you no good. Now, he

(01:18:47):
swiftly caught a wayward breeze blown newspaper page beneath his foot,
anchoring it to the ground. Patrick, it is then the
name suits you, so tell me Patrick, would you like
the job? Patrick settled onto the seat beside him. What's
in it for me? I'm free to come and go
as I please and don't have to answer to anyone.

(01:19:10):
I dare say. You're rather bored and lonely, Lucian thought,
a feeling he knew too well, being little more than
a living wraith himself. But what a pitiful way to
spend eternity tormenting children in a restaurant and an Applebee's
no less Ah, that's where you're wrong, mate, I've no

(01:19:31):
ties to the restaurant, and I wasn't tormenting the children.
I was tormenting the parents. You hold a grudge against parents,
do you? It would seem that way now, wouldn't it,
but I can't say for share. Could just be something
I do for kicks, you know, probably one of those
broken pieces. Patrick leaned forward, elbows on his knees. So

(01:19:52):
how come you can see me and hear me when
no one else can. The crackle of flames and the
smell of charle wood inundated Lucian's memory, smoke billowing beneath
the locked bedroom door. On the other side, his father
shouts heavy footfalls, leaving help me, Daddy. Lucian's frantic cries,

(01:20:15):
eyes burning throat, constricting, hot smoke wrapping him in a shroud.
I was dead once myself, he admitted, glancing over at
the ghost beside him. A fireman resuscitated me. He had
been brought back to life. His mother and brother had
been more fortunate, not having to live the ordeal over

(01:20:36):
and over and over again. The nightmares had long ago disappeared,
making way for vivid, waking memories. Patrick straightened in his seat.
That's how you got all them scars. Eh, that's rough, man,
But that don't explain much. Other folks have been resuscitated,
but no one's ever seen me before. So why you?

(01:20:59):
For nearly a year during my recovery. I remained in
a state of flux, or half life, if you will.
Forced against his will into a world of forgotten shadows,
Lucian continued to keep one foot in reality and the
other foot in the grave. A part of me still
dwells in the realm of lost souls. Some people might

(01:21:19):
consider that a curse, but I view it as a
unique gift, for I am in a position to offer
those in limbo some comfort. Limbo sucks, especially if you're invisible.
Patrick's voice broke upon his words. It was impossible to
give the boy a hug. Lucian had to rely on speech.

(01:21:40):
That's why you feel compelled to cause chaos. It's the
only way you can validate your dismal existence. Patrick leaned back,
clasped his hands, and twiddled his thumbs, staring up at
the steely, cloud studded sky. A pair of starlings roosted,
chattering quietly in the bare tree tops above. Patrick shot

(01:22:01):
up like a rocket and thumped the branch, startling the
birds into flight. As Patrick settled back onto the bench
beside him, Lucian stowed his book away in his pocket.
What I'm offering you, Patrick, is a chance to do
something productive with your existence. I could use a man
of your talents. I have no talent, but you do.

(01:22:23):
Very few spirits have the ability to move objects. I
can only do it if they're not too heavy. I
can't budge anything over a couple of pounds. And I
don't know why you'd want a limbo ghost anyway, where
a pathetic bunch nowhere to go, nothing to do, bored
like you said, and boring to boot. I can do

(01:22:44):
nothing about whatever is holding you here, but I can
offer you a sense of purpose. After tomorrow, I'll be
moving on. This is an opportunity you may never come
across again. Patrick kicked at the leaves below his feet,
swirling them a colorful dance upon the sidewalk, doing what exactly?

(01:23:05):
Helping me and my endeavors, that's all? What kind of endeavors?
What do you do besides no? Many things? Well? For one,
I throw parties, huge Halloween parties for the filthy rich,
excruciating extravaganzas. Really, but I always deliver on my client's
contracts and they're willing to pay me quite well. Parties, huh,

(01:23:29):
I think there's more to it than that, you said.
For one, so what's for two? Talented and attentive? Even better,
Lucian thought, allowing his good eye to wander the immediate
vicinity for a moment. The threat of more stormy weather
kept the park relatively deserted. Ensured there was no one nearby,

(01:23:50):
he quietly confided, for two, I kill people. Patrick sprang
from the bench. Hold a minute, He raised his hand
and stop action and took a step back. Tormenting folks
is one thing, but I want no part in killing innocence. Unapologetically,
Lucian stared up at him. Only children are innocent. The

(01:24:12):
rest of us are all guilty of something. Think of
me as an extension of justice. Are you like some
kind of hit man? Or do people only pay you
for parties? Lucian hesitated momentarily. I do get paid for
hosting parties quite well, in fact, Yet there are some
clients who request an extra dash of pepper on their salad.

(01:24:35):
So to speak. Patrick paced the concrete, stirring the leaves
beneath his feet, back into action. I dunno, mite, I
start doing real harm to folks. The next thing you know,
I'm yanked straight into hell. Lucian folded his gnarled hands
his sightless eye gleaming dully in the muted daylight. I
would never ask you to harm anyone. That pleasure is

(01:24:58):
reserved for me and me alone. I simply need help
in orchestrating my events, hence the job title of assistant
events coordinator. Your soul and conscience remain unsullied. A young
couple holding hands strolled by, giving Lucian a wide berth.
They passed through Patrick, causing him to fade in and out.

(01:25:22):
He stopped pacing and lunged towards Lucian. Ripping the newspaper
page from beneath his foot, he swatted the couple with
it on the back of their heads before setting the
page free in the breeze. His bone colored face distorted
by deep thought, he swept back to Lucian's side. I'm
still not sure this is something I should be taking

(01:25:43):
pot in, if you know what I mean, he muttered,
the killing pot. I understand your concerns, Patrick, yet you
seem to enjoy tormenting the living, and that's all I
would ever expect you to do during the party. Would
you be willing to give it a trial? I have
an event scheduled tomorrow night at Gates Hotel a party

(01:26:04):
at the Gates, Patrick snorted and took a step back.
While that should be a hoot. Those two snobby sisters
there don't much care for company, dead or alive, carrying
on like the world belongs to only them. That's odd,
Lucian said. I found them to be rather charming. It
had been those sisters who'd led him to Patrick, who

(01:26:26):
told him of the boy's talent and revealed the details
of his untimely death. And since the hotel is slated
to be raised before Christmas, Jasmine and Ruby have graciously
agreed to help me host this year's event. One last
hurrah for them. So to speak with them, two, you've
already got the best. What do you need me for,

(01:26:48):
Lucian spoke with a smile. The sisters may be capable
of vivid manifestation and bone chilling audio, but they cannot
move things. The party guests will be expecting a magnificent
haunted experience. I prefer to give them a night to
truly remember. A green aura glowed from within, and Patrick smiled.

(01:27:11):
Most of these people at parents right, I would assume so,
And I don't have to take part in no killing
Lucian nodded, rest assured that contract has already been completed.
A small white lie. Sometimes a party was simply a
party and a target, a deliciously convenient coincidence. Patrick gusted

(01:27:33):
across the sidewalk, knocking the hat off the woman pushing
a baby carriage, then sidled back to Lucian's side. Can
I ask who it was? No, you may not not
even a clue. Lucian ran a ragged finger across the
thinly stretched skin of his missing lips, as if zipping
them shut. There was no need to tell the lad

(01:27:56):
it had been his father. Lucian's own father may have
been a successful but Patrick's had seen the deed through.
For thirty years, Patrick has wandered in the realm of
lost souls, and last night, the father, like the son,
unwillingly surrendered his life within the cold, dark waters of
Lake Erie. He wondered, had Patrick fought as hard to

(01:28:20):
survive as Daniel had. Lucian rose from the bench, stick
with me, Patrick, and I promise you will never be
forced to carry the burdens of my sin. Now shall
we go. There's a pair of fine nineteenth century sisters.
I'd like you to meet Lucian limped down the walkway,

(01:28:41):
the leaves beside him swirling in a kaleidoscopic dance. Suffer
the little children by Dennis Free. You're not goddamn going,
Anthony said, trying his father's favorite epithep on for sign.
He was only twelve, but thanks to Jacob Anderson, he

(01:29:03):
had quite a colorful vocabulary for his age. He surveyed
his little brother's face and saw no sign of shock
at the use of the GD word, but only a solemn,
pouting lower lip. Greg was eleven, and even though both
went to middle school, there was an unspoken but well
defined higherchy. Anthony hung out with kids from his class

(01:29:24):
who were mostly twelve and thirteen, and despite being only
a year and nineteen days older than Greg, he knew
his little brother would be categorized as a baby big
kid by his friend James. Come on, Tony, Greg whined,
all my friends are gone for Thanksgiving break, let me
hang out with you guys. Can't do it. Sprat, I'll

(01:29:45):
tell mom you and your friends were playing at the quarry,
Greg exclaimed. Tony was momentarily worried by this threat, but
let it slide. He knew Greg would be upset he
couldn't go, but he'd never endanger his own well being
by telling their mother's something that would surely land Anthony
in his room with no Xbox one and the cable
disconnected for no less than two weeks. Do that, and

(01:30:09):
you'll never get to hang out with us, Anthony said,
what am I supposed to do? Tony? Stop whining for starters.
He said it much more harshly than he intended. Greg
cast his eyes down at his feet, and Anthony sighed.
He put his arm around Greg after checking around the
street to make sure nobody was watching, and tried to

(01:30:30):
comfort his brother. If you get hurt playing at the
quarry with us, mom would shit a bird. Greg giggled
at this, like Anthony knew he would. The mental image
of their mother's shitting feathers tickled Greg, and the first
time Anthony had said it, his little brother had nearly died. Laughing.
I guess I'll just play Xbox. You better be home

(01:30:50):
by five, though, Mom and Dad will be asking where
you are, and I hate pretending like I don't know,
Greg said, promise. Anthony raised a three finger scout salute. Look,
I'll talk to James and the guys and see if
I can't get them to let you come with us
next time. Okay, Greg smiled and nodded. Anthony would probably
mention it to the guys, but he knew he wouldn't

(01:31:12):
put up much of a fight if they said no.
Anthony wasn't a mean brother by any means, but he
was a follower by nature. Greg knew this, even if
he didn't know exactly how to articulate it. He watched
as Anthony mounted his big red mongoose and took off
down the street to meet the rest of the James Gang,
as they called themselves. Once his brother was out of sight,

(01:31:33):
Greg sighed and went inside to get a soda and
retired to his room to play Xbox. Greg sat on
the floor by his bed, surrounded by a plethora of
empty soda cans and candy wrappers. Had his mother walked
in at that exact moment, she would have shit a
bird at the site. He turned off his console and
began to stuff the rappers into his already overflowing wastebasket.

(01:31:55):
He took the cans downstairs and put them in the
recycling and plopped down onto one of the barstools in
the kitchen. It was only eleven thirty and Greg had
already exhausted his patients at the new Madden game. It's
going to be exactly the same as the last three,
Anthony had said one day when Greg had excitedly described
the commercial to him as usual. His brother had been

(01:32:15):
correct in his assumption. Great graphics aside the Xbox wasn't
keeping Greg's attention, and he started to think about what
Anthony and his friends could be doing down at the quarry.
Anthony was only a year older than he was, and
Greg couldn't imagine that he and his friends were doing
anything that he himself couldn't do. Fuck it, Greg muttered

(01:32:35):
under his breath. His cheeks flushed hot at the vocalization
of what his mother called the really bad word, and
he went into the garage to grab his bike. He
would ride down to the quarry and see just what
his brother's friends were up to. He would go what
his father called incognito and watch from afar. At first,
he grabbed the backpack his parents had bought him for

(01:32:57):
hiking trips and put on his khakis, which clouds with
the black athletic shorts and the orange basketball jersey. But
he wasn't out to win any fashion contests. He pulled
his curly locks back out of his face and put
them into a ponytail. He had had long hair since
he was a baby, and with the exception of a
handful of trims, he'd always worn his hair long. The

(01:33:17):
older he got, the less serious the teasing about his
hair got, and now he even received a few compliments,
mostly from girls. Greg mounted his blue Huffy and started
off down the street. He rode down Alberta Street and
took a detour between a pair of houses on Jackson.
The trip itself only took about ten minutes, but it
felt like forever to Greg, whose mind wouldn't stop speculating

(01:33:40):
as to what he'd see when he got there. He
wondered if James Gang would be doing dangerous stunts on
their bikes, or perhaps they were wrestling by the scummy
pond that was in the pit left over from the
rainy weather they'd had. They may be hanging out with girls,
he thought. This brought a fresh flush to his cheek.
He was eleven and his girls are icky. Stage had

(01:34:03):
been over for almost a year, but he still wasn't
sure about the fairer sex He had a basic grasp
on what boys and girls did together when they were older,
but the thought of it still caused a weird mix
of emotions he wasn't able to understand. He felt his
pants begin to tighten in the crotch and forced himself
to think of something else. The last thing he needed

(01:34:23):
was to run into his brother and his friends with
a raging heart on He would live that down, not
in this lifetime the next one either, for that matter.
Gregg dropped his foot down and drug it through the
gravel as he decelerated. He approached the edge of the
quarry warily. He saw Anthony's bike parked by some bushes
among four others, and left his own a few feet away.

(01:34:45):
He adjusted his backpack and crouch walked down the narrow
path beaten down by adolescent foot traffic, and made his
way to the edge of the pit. He looked down
and saw the five boys who made up the James
Gang laid out on the rocks by the water that
pooled down there. He didn't see any girls, but he
did see that two of them were smoking cigarettes. He

(01:35:07):
did a double take when he realized that his brother
was one of the ones smoking a cigarette. Hung lackadaisically
from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes squinted
against the smoke as he skipped rocks across the surface
of the water. Mom would shit a bird, he grinned
maniacally at this. Two of the kids looked like they
were playing a board game Checkers, it looked like, and

(01:35:29):
James and another boy that Greg didn't recognize were talking
next to Anthony. Not talking, Greg thought, arguing. A little
shoving match broke out between James and the other boy,
and Anthony moved in between them to break it up.
He took the cigarette out of his mouth and moved
it nimbly between his fingers. As he did this, Greg
noted that it probably wasn't the first time his brother

(01:35:51):
had smoked. Greg couldn't tell what the boys were arguing about,
so he decided he was going to try and sneak
to a pile of broken stones about ten feet away
from the boys. He once again began to crouch walk,
but avoided the path. You're a fucking liar, Charles exclaimed.
James regarded him menacingly, but Anthony held him back to

(01:36:12):
avoid a full on fistfight. I am not, my dad
told me. The story himself. You're calling my dad a liar,
fat ass, James shouted indignantly. Charles cast his eyes down,
not wanting to meet james angry gaze. He was thirteen,
and although the gibe about his weight hurt, he was
still young enough to believe that everything their parents told
them was the truth. He was okay with calling James

(01:36:34):
a liar, but to call his father, an adult a
liar was an entirely different animal. Sorry, James, Charles said,
his face glowing red. James blinked at the sudden shift
the conversation had taken. Me too. His face softened a bit.
I'm sorry I called you a fat ass. It's okay. Anthony,

(01:36:56):
sensing the drama was over, moved back over by the water.
He flicked his cigarette into the scummy pond and went
back to skipping rocks. He told me that back then
the water was a lot higher, and kids would jump
off the rocks and into the water, James said. He said,
after a couple of guys died, they closed the place up.

(01:37:17):
Some of the kids that did sneak in said they
saw ghosts or some shit, if that makes sense. Charles said,
it's the other part that sounds weird. Maybe it's true, though,
like a horror movie or something, Anthony added. Dad said,
some of the kids kept coming down here even after
they closed it up. They saw things like weird things,

(01:37:39):
James said. Anthony nodded, as if this were to be expected.
The idea of ghosts was not unfathomable for his twelve
year old mind. If they died suddenly, like broke their
necks when they dove in or drown or whatever, they
probably stuck around unfinished business or to try to keep
other people from Anthony offered. He spoke in a scholarly tone,

(01:38:04):
like a professor teaching the ways of the world to
his pupils. Even Eddie and Tim had stopped playing checkers
to regard Anthony with intense wide eyes. Anthony looked up
and saw that all his friends were staring at him. Now.
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled, that's what I think anyways.
James nodded in agreement. This minor gesture made Anthony swell

(01:38:26):
with pride. Jame was their de facto leader, after all,
in any praise spoken or not, was bragworthy. Eddie and
Tim went back to their game, Eddie squinting in concentration.
Want to all meet back up here tonight? James asked, sure, Hey, James, yeah,

(01:38:46):
I was thinking about something. Can my little brother come
with us? I know he's a little younger, but he
isn't a spaz or anything. You want to bring your
little brother, James asked with a chuckle. Well, yeah, I mean,
if you guys don't mind. He looked over towards the
other three for confirmation. They shrugged. I guess, James said,

(01:39:09):
I'll bring my sister's Ouiji board. Everybody meet me up
here at nine thirty. I gotta go and make sure
I don't miss dinner. Our mom will never let us
out after nine. Well, then don't come, James said. His
tone was dismissive, but his eyes were sharp and predatory.
We'll we'll figure it out. Greg's grin was wide and

(01:39:31):
toothy as he rode back to the house. Anthony had
done what he said he would. He stood up and
asked that Greg be included. He wouldn't let on that
he had been there, and he knew he'd need to
act surprised when Anthony asked him if he wanted to
sneak out with him tonight. In most cases, he would
never even consider sneaking out after curfew, but he knew

(01:39:52):
he'd never get another chance like this one if he
chickened out. His brother had stuck his neck out. The
ride back felt a lot faster than to the quarry
because he felt like he was floating. That night, the
two of them snuck out of the front door. Anthony
had been adamant about Greg and himself bringing their keys.
It wouldn't do to get home, only to find out

(01:40:13):
that they had locked themselves out. Greg double checked the
pocket of his jeans and assured Anthony he was ready.
The two of them had left their bikes in the
yard to keep from having to open the garage, and
pushed them halfway down the street before mounting up. They
made their way down the various streets cautiously. The street
lights illuminated the way for most of the trip, but
the last half mile was on the outskirts where the

(01:40:35):
lights were fewer and far between. Anthony narrowly avoided a
pothole that would have sent him ass over tea kettle
and ended the night in the emergency room instead of
the quarry, calling his parents from the er to tell
them he and Greg had snuck out and landed in
the hospital would be a surefire way to end up
in the morgue. Shortly thereafter, they parked their bikes where

(01:40:57):
they had stashed them earlier that day, and Greg hit
the button on the side of his watch to illuminate
the time. It was a quarter to ten, and the
two of them moved as quickly as they could without
falling down the pit where the rest of the James
gang was waiting. They were sitting in a semicircle with
candles and the Ouiji boards sitting in the center. After
perfunctory introductions of the newest member of the gang, Anthony

(01:41:18):
and Greg took their place, completing the circle. Are we
all ready, James asked. Nobody said anything at first, They
only stared at each other. Ready, Greg said, James acknowledged
him with a smile, and soon the others followed suit
Ready James, Charles said ready, Anthony said ready, Eddie and

(01:41:40):
Tim said in unison. James nodded again and beckoned them
to touch the planchet with him, and of course they obliged.
The second Greg's fingers made contact with the light wood
of the planchet, he felt an unnatural chill run up
his spine. His balls started to draw up into his
body as the first real fear of the night began
to sink in. Greg had been nervous when they snuck

(01:42:02):
out of the house because if they were to get caught,
his mother would do far more than shit a bird.
She was bound to shit a flock of them. This
felt different, somehow, it was more unnatural. Greg surveyed the
rest of the boys. Their faces were a plethora of
silhouetted features, and each of them took on the appearance
of skulls. Even Charles's unusually pudgy face appeared gaunt. In

(01:42:26):
the candlelight, the pit's pull of water lay stagnant, and
the smell of the sludge and algae hung in the air.
He was vaguely aware that Anthony's breath was coming out
in hitches and jerks. Are there any spirits here, James asked. Suddenly.
Greg looked up at him, and even in the low candlelight,

(01:42:47):
he could see that he was going pale. Nothing happened
at first, and everyone, Greg included let out a sigh
of relief. He hadn't really expected anything to happen, but
the unknown had terrified Greg. Before he could get far
into his own inner monologue, the wooden plan chet moved
slowly to the yes on the board. What in the

(01:43:11):
actual fuck, Anthony said. Greg looked over at his brother,
who was now ghostly white. At a glance, he could
see that everyone else was two pale, but with a
creepy smile that had been plastered to his face, and
his eyes appeared to glaze over. What is your name?
Greg asked? It was out of his mouth before he

(01:43:33):
could stop the compulsion, and Anthony stared at him mouth agape.
Greg opened his mouth to apologize when the planchet once
again began to move until it came to rest on
the letter, and they watched in fascination as the word
nrgall was spelled out before him. Greg was about to
ask it another question when it suddenly started to move again,

(01:43:55):
this time it spelled out jagon. I guess there's two
two of them, James said, I'm done. Charles pulled his
hand back from the planchet and started to get to
his feet. James looked at him pointedly annoyed and rolled
his eyes. Don't be such a baby. I'm not being
a baby. I'm just done with this shit, this is creepy.

(01:44:16):
Just sit down. Fuck you, James, I said, I'm fucking
done with Charles was silenced mid sentence as a shadow
coming from the pond wrapped itself around his throat. His
hands flew up to his neck as his air was
cut off. Greg screamed and jumped back as he saw
tentacles reaching for him. They appeared to be made up
of the shadows. Charles's face was turning purple when he
fell to the ground, still clutching his throat, as the

(01:44:38):
shade dragged him back towards the water. Gregg sprung to
his feet and turned toward his brother, who was already
up and backing away from the tentacles. Eddie and Tim
were both fighting against the shadows that had grabbed them
by their legs, and James was being dragged by his
arm into the water. His screams were ear piercing at first,
but were soon cut short into a gurgle as his
face was pulled under water. Greg would have continued to

(01:45:01):
sit and stare at James as a tentacle wrapped itself
around his leg, had he not felt someone yank him
by the back of his shirt. His collar tightened around
his throat as he had a moment of panic. It
has me, he thought, as he pulled forward towards the
pool to escape the force pulling him. Anthony spun him
around and leaned down into his face. His lips were moving,
but Greg couldn't hear him over the sound of guttural

(01:45:23):
inhuman screaming. Terror was taking over. When Anthony brought his
hand across his face, Greg blinked wildly and tears began
to well up in the corner of his eyes. Anthony
had never hit him like that, but suddenly the sound
coming out of his mouth was audible. Run Greg, Anthony screamed.
Greg didn't need to be told twice. He took off
in a sprint past Anthony, who followed closely behind him.

(01:45:44):
As they beat up the path toward their bikes. Greg
was too terrified to look over his shoulder to see
if they were being followed, and mounted his bike. After
a running start. He could hear Anthony peddling behind him.
He felt his heart beating out of his chest as
he pedaled like a mad bastard trying to beat the devil.
When he had cleared the first two streets, he snuck
a glance behind him and saw that Anthony was at
least fifteen feet back. He slowed a bit and allowed

(01:46:07):
him to catch up. As they pulled up to their house,
Gregg's bike struck the curb and he was thrown from it.
He landed hard on his shoulder and rolled onto his back.
Anthony came up next to him and bailed off his
bike without stopping. He ran to Greg and pulled him
up into his lap. They were both breathing hard and
tears were flowing freely. As Greg crawled up his brother's
body to embrace him. Anthony hugged him back, and soon

(01:46:29):
they were both sobbing and screaming into each other's shoulder.
Thank you so much, Greg said, between sobs. Thank you
for grabbing me. I love you, Anthony said, it seemed
to be the only thing he could say. He was
still saying it when a black tentacle reached out from
the darkness and wrapped them both into a cold embrace.

(01:46:55):
Father's Day by Shane Migliavanca. This section of the path
scared Matt shitless, not that he'd admit it to anyone,
especially to Greg and Jenny, his two best friends. Walking
a little ways in front of him. Last year, there
had been a stabbing. A few years before that, a
man's body had been discovered face down in Pierce Creek,

(01:47:18):
not that far from here. Matt didn't believe in curses
or bad luck, but there was a feeling he got
in his gut whenever he passed through the area. He'd
rather be at home playing video games today. His parents
were visiting Matt's grandfather for Father's Day, and he'd have
the whole house to himself instead, here he was. Matt

(01:47:40):
blamed Jenny, specifically her tight blue jeans and nice smile.
The three of them had been friends for years. Matt
was fairly certain that Jenny had a thing for Greg,
but Greg was oblivious to it, but it was only
a matter of time before he noticed. Matt could feel
his chance with Jenny slipping away if he didn't speak

(01:48:00):
up soon. He winced as the two laughed about the
same joke. So where the hell are we going, Matt
blurted out. Gregg looked back over his shoulder. Don't have
a cow, dude, We're almost there, Jenny laughed, making Matt
feel a bit annoyed. He kicked a stone off the path,
watching it shoot off into the grass. The three walked

(01:48:20):
in silence for a few minutes until Greg stopped them,
and here we are, He pointed towards the left side
of the trail. Matt's gaze followed his friend's gesture. There
through the trees, the roof of a house could be seen,
its tiled roof weathered from age and the elements there.

(01:48:41):
Jenny asked, yep, Greg said proudly. They followed him off
the path, pushing through some brush to get to the house.
As they emerged into the house's overgrown backyard, its ramshackle
condition became more apparent. What a dump, Jenny observed, We're not,
Greg cut her off. Sure as shit, we are. Why,

(01:49:03):
asked Matt, wishing he'd stayed home because Greg answered, as
he walked up the steps to the back door, don't
you want to have some fun instead of jacking off
to save by the bell all day? Horror? Horror? Matt responded.
He felt a bit of anger boil through from his
friend's consent prodding. He surprised himself when he flipped Greg off.

(01:49:26):
I didn't think you had it in you, somebody said, clapping. Besides,
I see you stroking it more to power Rangers. They
turned to see Dave Stover standing by the side of
the house. A girl dressed in black stepped out from
behind him. Her short brown hair was slicked straight back,
and a black choker encircled her neck. What are you

(01:49:47):
doing here, Stover? Matt asked. There was something about that
smug shit eating grin that made Matt want to punch
Stover's teeth in. Greg and Stover went way back. Why
his friend would hang out with that ass was beyond Matt.
He's the reason we're here, Greg answered. Matt sighed great.

(01:50:09):
Stover introduced the girl. This is Ember. She's gonna help
us play a little game. They followed Stover into the house.
The back door opened easily. The smell of stale cat
eirine greeted them as they stepped into a bare kitchen.
Jenny whispered in Matt's ear, Ember, that's bullshit. Her name's

(01:50:29):
Tracy Hollis. She's in my English Lit class. The two
softly chuckled. Stover took them down a musty hallway. The
plaster walls were chipped and marked with graffiti. Chunks of
broken plaster crunched underfoot. Matt wondered who'd lived here, there
was nothing left to mark their time here. The hall

(01:50:50):
opened up in a large room. At the room center
was a large circle of candles. Strange symbols were written
on the floor within the circle. Matt felt strangely uneasy
as he entered the room. He didn't believe in magic,
but it didn't mean you went messing around with the shit.
What the hell, Matt said, I don't think we should

(01:51:10):
fuck around with this stupid shit. Relax man, Greg reassured
his friend. Wait till you hear the story. Let's find
out first, Jenny added, I want to find out what's up.
Damn it. Matt didn't want to walk out with Jenny
staying behind, partly because he'd looked like a whimp and

(01:51:31):
partly because he worried about her. Then let's get on
with it, Matt grumbled, What have we got to do?
Ember sat them around the circle, all holding hands, with
him and Stover on either side of Ember. Matt felt
a little nervous and shy. Taking the girl's pale hand.

(01:51:52):
She smelled like sage and her lips were black as midnight.
Staring into her eyes for a second, he forgot about Jenny.
Stover cleared his throat before starting. Man got home from
the war and bought this house for him and his
pregnant wife. They wanted to start a future here. Greg interrupted,
which war? What? Stover stammered which war? Stover's brow furrowed.

(01:52:18):
That one a long time ago, in the seventies Korea.
Jenny asked, No, not that one from Rambo, ma'am. Wasn't
that in the eighties, Greg said, unsure. Frustrated, Stover grumbled,
does it fucking matter? Well, context, Greg said, help set

(01:52:40):
the scene better, man, It was the fucking seventies, Okay,
Can I get on with the story? Nobody said anything.
So the dude and his wife bought this house. A
couple of years later, they have a daughter. The three
have a happy life for a bunch of years. Then
the mom gets sick and dies. Aw that blows, Jenny said.

(01:53:01):
Stover ignored her, continuing on with the story. The father
was left to raise the girl by himself, and he
did the best he could, got a second job, and shit.
Stover leaned forward. Then one day the father came home
worn out from a tough day. The daughter, fifteen at
the time, told him to take a nap in his

(01:53:23):
favorite chair. Stover smiled, right over there, indicating a corner
of the room. She wanted to surprise him, make him
some dinner, so she decided to walk to the convenience
store down the path. What, Greg asked, I don't remember
any store around here, Stover sighed. The vacant lot on

(01:53:45):
Rathburn used to be a store there. They closed it
because it was getting robbed too much. Oh, Greg nodded,
mulling it over anyway. The father wakes up, Stover continued.
He finds the house all dark. He calls for his
daughter and there's no answer. Jenny shifted nervously on the floor.

(01:54:05):
Before he can go out to find her, there's a
knock at the door. It's the police. The cops ask
if she's there. The clerk at the shop called the
cops after the girl was getting harassed by some boys.
Well days passed and there was no trace of the girl.
The father grew desperate. Matt glanced at Ember, who had

(01:54:27):
her eyes closed. Was she meditating? Finally, one day they
found one of the girl's shoes near the hangout of
a bunch of boys, the ones that had been giving
the girl a hard time. That night, trouble is, there's
no other evidence. The cops couldn't do shit. Matt looked

(01:54:47):
over at Jenny, who was enjoying the story. His mind
wandered as he briefly thought of Jenny Ember and him
all alone together. The thought was a little too much
for his hormones. He could feel things stirring that shouldn't
be right now. He quickly turned his attention back to
the story, trying to focus on Stover's words. This wasn't

(01:55:09):
good enough for the father, so one by one he
captured and tortured the boys, killing every one of them
with a hatchet he'd had in the war, save for
one boy he let live. Why the one boy, nobody knows.
After the deed, he came home and hung himself in
this very room. Stover laughed like a maniac. Did he

(01:55:34):
find her, Jenny blurted out. Stover shrugged. Nobody knows. The
father killed himself before anybody found out. The boy he
let live was a nutcase. They have him locked away
up in Walton. He's never uttered a word since. That
was quite a story, Matt said, a real bummer. Jenny added,

(01:55:58):
what's it got to do with us? Matt asked, since
it's Father's day, Stover smiled. I thought we'd try to
contact the daughter's spirit with the help of Ember. Here,
maybe we can find out what happened to her. Really,
Matt asked sarcastically. For sure, Stover replied. Suddenly, Ember tightened

(01:56:20):
her grip on their hands. Without thinking, Matt tightened his
grip in response. The girl opened her eyes, making brief
contact with him. Suddenly Matt felt his face become warm,
his chest tightened, and he found it hard to breathe.
And then it passed. I'm ready, the girl said, her
gaze passed over each and every one of them in turn.

(01:56:42):
It's important to remain in a circle holding hands. We're safe.
You don't want to be pulled away into the spirit world.
Ember took a deep breath. I call upon the four
elements Earth, water, fire, and air. Give me strength. The

(01:57:02):
girl started to rock back and forth. Guide us over
the bridge between this world and the next. The candles
seemed to flicker briefly as a gust of wind passed
through the room. I call upon the spirit of Samantha Swain.

(01:57:23):
A low, warbling moan started up from somewhere in the house.
Matt felt the hairs on his arms. Stand up. The
air felt charged. There's a presence here, Ember said. There
was an unearthly moan from above the group. A loud
bang sounded, making them all jump. Ember warned them don't

(01:57:44):
break contact. The otherworldly moan grew louder. The house itself
creaked and groaned, as if in pain. Spirit speak. Ember commanded,
tell us your name. There was another unearthly wail of pain.
My name is a voice spoke. My name is Harry, reams.

(01:58:10):
Stover burst out into laughter. The fuck Greg looked at
the other's dumb struck son of a bitch. Matt shook
his head. Stover fell backwards, laughing, Oh, I got you fucks.
He wiped a tear from his eye. I had Ernie
and Chad help me set it up. Between laughs, Stover
told them how he and his two buddies rigged the

(01:58:30):
house for sound so the two could provide sounds and
spooky voices from a hiding spot upstairs. You son of
a bitch, Jenny scolded him. Ember looked around, perplexed. No,
this isn't right. There was something I felt it. The
others Angered paid no attention to the girl. Stover called

(01:58:53):
to his buddies. The pair trudged down the stairs, laughing
loudly at the three's expense. It's not that funny, assholes,
Greg said, dejected, Oh oh it is, Chad snickered. Aaron laughed,
should see the looks on your dumb faces. Ember followed
the three friends as they left the house. Wait, she

(01:59:16):
called after them. I didn't know there was something wrong.
She could feel it. There had been something there with them,
something had slipped into their world. Guys, listen, she pleaded.
I didn't know. Matt stepped onto the path before turning around,

(01:59:38):
so you got duped to join the club. Please listen,
something did come through. Ember looked into Matt's eyes. Greg
and Jenny had already started down the path. Greg turned
and called to Matt, coming, man, I've had enough spooky
shit for today. I didn't even want to be here.
Matt turned and walked towards his friends. Shit. Ember whispered

(02:00:00):
to herself, Feeling somebody watching her, she turned towards the house.
Standing next to the house was a dark figure. Was
that Stover or one of his pals. Feeling fear creeping
up her spine, Ever, turned and hurried down the opposite direction.
Of the path. Matt woke in a chair, his eyes blurry.

(02:00:25):
When he tried to move, he realized he was being
held in place by duct tape. As his vision focused,
he could make out a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.
It swung back and forth, stopping from time to time
in midswing, just hanging there. The room appeared to be

(02:00:46):
a basement. Somewhere in the darkness. Water dripped, hitting the
floor in a steady rhythm. He'd fallen asleep on the
couch watching TV, so how the hell had he gotten here?
Before he could call out, he heard the scraping noise
coming from the corner of the basement. He strained his neck,

(02:01:06):
turning as far as he could to see a man
sitting in the dark corner. The man appeared to be
working on something. A red baseball cap covered the man's
face in shadow. Matt tried to talk ask the man
what was going on. His mouth moved, but no words
came out. The man stood and Matt could make out

(02:01:28):
what the man was working on. In his hands. He
held a hatchet and a sharpening stone. The man raised
his head up. Where his eyes and mouth should be
were black holes. Gray mist seeped from the openings. Have
you seen my daughter? The man asked, his voice garbled

(02:01:50):
and hollow. Matt tried to answer, but still his voice
failed him. The man spoke again, have you seen He
took one of Matt's hands, prying his fingers free from
the arm of the chair. He brought down the hatchet
on outstretched fingers and lopped them off. Matt sat up,

(02:02:10):
a scream on his lips. He was on the couch
back at home. Outside it was dark. His parents should
be home soon, which was fine by him. That dream
had been too freaky. That man with the hatchet was
that the guy from Stover's story. Feeling suddenly vulnerable, Matt

(02:02:31):
locked the front door. God He hoped his parents got
home soon. Ember sat in her room. She'd been quiet
since getting home. She wanted to tell her folks how
scared she was what she feared had happened, but they
wouldn't understand. After supper, she'd gone straight to her room.

(02:02:54):
Ember sat on her bed, hoping she was wrong and
preparing to be right. She ripped sheets of blank paper
from a notebook. Pricking her thumb with a pin, she
wrote runic symbols on the paper strips viail drop TNN.
She repeated, putting a strip up in each corner of

(02:03:16):
her room. Taking a glass jar from her desk, Ember
made a circle of salt around her bed, making sure
not to break the line when she stepped over it.
Sitting cross legged on her bed, the girl waited. The
clock struck one am. A blue shimmering on the edge

(02:03:36):
of her room woke the girl. A dark figure stood
in the corner, pushing against the barrier. She had created, fire, water, earth,
and air. Give me strength, she chanted. The spirit strained
the barrier as it tried to force its way through.
She could make out its features, black slit eyes on

(02:03:59):
a head covered by a red baseball cap, a hatchet
clutched in one of the spirit's hands. Ember continued chanting
till finally, forty five minutes later, the entity left, just
as sudden as it had come. Exhausted, Ember fell back

(02:04:20):
on her bed and slept till morning. She'd never been
more relieved to see her parents than when she went
down for breakfast. The spirit had only come for her
last night, for she was the only one that could
send it back. At school, something felt off. She looked
for the others, but they weren't there. After chemistry, Ember

(02:04:42):
overheard the cheerleaders Becky, Carly and Tony Lynn talking near
the stairs. I heard he never got home last night. Yeah,
his parents are wicked freaked. Working up the courage, Ember
approached the two girls, who she stammered Becky eyes narrowed,
what do you want? Freaked Zella? Who didn't show up?

(02:05:06):
What's it to you? Mortitia? Tony smirked a little angry now.
Ember spat out the question, who fucking didn't show up?
The girls looked at her a little shocked before answering Stover, Okay,
take it easy, bitch. Ember walked away without another word.
She ditched the rest of her classes for the day.

(02:05:27):
She had to find the other three to save them
from it. Why had she done it to be popular? Accepted,
screw it. She couldn't sit here feeling sorry for herself.
That thing needed to be sent back. When lunch period came,
Ember snuck out. Ember found the three sitting outside under

(02:05:47):
a big tree. Did they know? Had they heard about Stover?
Out of breath, she walked towards them. Greg was the
first to notice her. Here comes your girlfriend, he said
to Matt, Please, guys, I need your help. Jenny took
a bite of her sandwich. We're not interested, she said, dismissively.
Did you hear about Stover? Greg shrugged. He didn't show

(02:06:10):
up today. He's always skipping. He never got home. Ember exclaimed,
it got him the entity. We summoned the spirit of
that girl's father. Greg laughed, bullshit, No, it's not. Last night,
it came for me. I saw its black eyes. Ember

(02:06:31):
almost sobbed. Matt had sat silent as Ember had talked,
but he finally spoke up. Did you say black eyes?
Nervous and a little embarrassed, Matt told them his dream,
how real it had felt, and how the description matched
with what Ember had seen in her room. I think

(02:06:52):
you two are both high, Greg joked, been hitting the glue.
It'll come for us, one by one because our energy
called it and we can send it back. Why do
you think Stover is missing? I told you he's just
goofing off, Greg said, I don't know, Jenny said. Milly
said she saw a couple of cops talking to the
principal when she passed the office this morning. I'm not

(02:07:15):
saying I believe in this magic shit, Matt said, but
if it's true, What do we do? We have to
go back to the house tonight and send it back.
Ember waited by the basketball court on Madison Street, just
a little ways from the entrance of the path. She

(02:07:35):
was scared. It was getting dark and that thing could
show up at any time. Where the hell were they?
Then she heard a familiar voice bitching and moaning, and
saw them coming down the street. Why do we all
have to go? Greg asked Ember and Matt's eyes met
and they shared a little smile. Well we're here, Matt said,

(02:07:55):
Now what, We've got to get to the house. There's
not much time. They made their way to the house,
with Gregg bitching most of the way and Jenny needling him.
Matt nervously looked around. He looked scared. To Ember good
he'd be on his toes. She'd sent something about Matt
during the summoning. He didn't believe in magic, but still

(02:08:16):
had a healthy respect for it. That energy would be
vital for sending it back. His negative charge and her
positive should repel the thing. Reaching the house, they flicked
on a pair of flashlights. Ember felt relieved when she
saw the runic cymbals were still on the floor where
she'd drawn them. Taking the same glass jar from her bag,

(02:08:37):
Ember created a circle of salt around the symbols, big
enough so they could sit inside it and be protected.
Matt and Jenny lit candles, placing one in front of
each of them. They all held hands again. As they
sat there, Ember started to chant, calling upon the elements
to aid them. Fire, water, earth, and air give us strength.

(02:09:01):
A low rumbling began somewhere in the bowels of the house.
The candles flickered as a cold wind blew through the room.
A door slammed open and closed in another room, followed
by heavy, deliberate footfalls. As something approached them. Ember looked
at the others, don't break the circle no matter what.

(02:09:22):
She rocked back and forth, feeling the energy of the
others flowing through her veil. Drop Tienn, send this malignant
being back to the nether realm from which it came.
Jenny screamed, almost bolting from where she sat. Matt and
Greg had to keep hold of her. The badly mutilated

(02:09:42):
body of Stovers stood in the door frame. The corpse
stumbled towards them. Stay calm, Elmer advised them. It can't
hurt us. The spirit is trying to scare us. Stover's
corpse stopped inches from the circle, its dead eyes fixed
on them. Mission fucking accomplished, Greg said, get out of

(02:10:07):
this fouse. An unnatural voice commanded from Stover's dead lips.
The walls of the room cracked and blistered as a
blinding white light emanated from within them. Ember could feel
she was losing them to the spectacle going on around them.
Focus your thoughts, Ember warned them. Close your eyes, pay
it no heed. Imagine pushing it away in your mind's eye.

(02:10:29):
Ember closed her eyes, imagining their energy flowing from them
like tendrils, striking the malignant evil they'd brought into the world.
The floor seemed to fall away, stopping Suddenly. Ember felt
the wind expelled from her lungs. Holy shit, Matt gasped.
Her eyes flung open. Ember gaped in awe at what

(02:10:50):
she saw. A blue vortex had formed above them. She
opened them just in time to see Stover's body pulled
into the maw above. The house started to rock as
bits of it were pulled into the spinning mass of energy.
The floorboards beneath them creaked as the board strained from
the pole of the vortex. Let's get the fuck out

(02:11:10):
of here, Greg hollered. Ember had to agree. As the
house fell apart around them. The four held hands, forming
a chain, with Greg in the lead. They inched their
way along the hallway. The poll lessened the further they
got away from it. When they reached the foyer, they
ran from the house, screaming their heads off, not stopping
till they reached the path. The four turned and watched

(02:11:30):
in silence as the house came apart until only the
vortex remained. It too soon disappeared, collapsing in on itself.
Fuck me, Greg said, panting, don't see that every day,
Matt added. A couple of weeks later, they were out

(02:11:53):
of school for the summer. Matt was over at Ember's house.
The two sat on her bed making out while her
parents were at a party. The pair had started dating
soon after. That night, his infatuation with Jenny a distant memory.
Matt came up for air. I wish summer could be
like this the whole time. Ember smiled, who says it can't.

(02:12:15):
Matt had noticed her deck of tarot cards on the
nightstand earlier. He took them and started shuffling them. What
are you doing? Ember asked, consulting the cards. Matt smiled
as he drew the first card, showing it to her.
It was the Lover's How did you do that? Ember asked.

(02:12:35):
It was easy, he said, drawing another card and handing
it to her. Ember looked at it, her eyes wide
with terror. The card depicted a collapsing tower. His voice
crackled with energy as his eyes turned black. As easy
as finding a new hole. The Spirit of Langley Pond

(02:13:05):
by Charles Campbell, Summer nineteen eighty one. Elena Anne Sanders
swam for all she was worth. She could hear the
echo of her mother's sentiment in her mind. Don't get
into any trouble. Call me if you need me to
come get you. No questions asked. Elena wished she had

(02:13:28):
listened to her mother instead. It was nearly midnight and
she was swimming for her life to shore. Elena was
beginning to think she was going to make it. She
was going to see her mother again. The crack of
a gunshot was the last sound Elena heard before the

(02:13:49):
darkness of the water claimed her. Langley Pond was going
to be her grave. Summer two thousand and twenty one,
Langley pond had changed quite a bit in the last

(02:14:10):
forty years, being billed as the largest pond in North America.
It was nearly the size of a lake. No longer
were clay mudslides used as makeshift boat ramps. Now there
were full fledged, paved boat ramps descending into the water.
There were designated picnic areas spread around the shoreline, along

(02:14:33):
with a few cabins that were rented nearly every weekend.
It was almost ten o'clock at night and the humidity
of the day still hung in the air. Brianna Turner
glanced at her cell phone. It was eighty two degrees. Ugh,
I can't believe how hot it is, Brianna said. She

(02:14:54):
peeled a strand of sweat stuck hair from her forehead
and grinned at her boyfriend, Andy Spy. Andy smiled back
and said, yeah, it was over a hundred today. Thought
we might get a little relief by being near the
water and all guess not. At least we have the
cabin with the window unit. That's a plus. You're right,

(02:15:17):
that's a plus, Brianna agreed. They both turned toward the
woods when they heard snapping twigs and shuffling feet. Hey, Frog,
y'all catch anything, Andy asked when he saw Frog Spradley
and his girl of the week, Jenny Coggins clear the
tree line into their sight. Had a few nibbles, but

(02:15:39):
nothing big threw them all back, Frog said, Jenny smiled,
but she didn't look all that happy to be trapesing
through the woods. Good thing we brought beanie weenies, then,
Andy said. Jenny gave him the you can't be serious look,
and Frog replied, damn, man, you are a life. Beanie

(02:16:01):
weenies are the shit. I thought I'd have to break
out the vienna sausages and saltine crackers. Hey, Jenny, you
want to go in the cabin and cool off? Brianna
asked yes, Jenny shouted it was hot, she was sticky,
and if this excursion with Frog taught her anything, she
was definitely an inside girl. The boys watched as the

(02:16:24):
girls walked into the cabin. Okay, Frog, where'd you find
that one? Andy asked. Frog gave him a sneaky smile,
and sheepishly shrugged his shoulders. Come on, man, I don't
recognize her. She ain't one of your usual Valley honeys.
She's from Martinez. Frog whispered, Why are you whispering? She

(02:16:47):
can't hear us out here. What in the world were
you doing in Martinez? And how'd you get her? She
looks too sophisticated to be stomping around Langley Pond, especially
with you the prints of the valley. She don't know
nothing about the valley, does she? Andy asked, Well she

(02:17:08):
does now. I told her about the spirit of Langley Pond.
Frog replied, you didn't, and she hasn't left screaming, not yet.
Maybe it's because her phone died while we were fishing.
She seemed more interested in whatever was on Instagram or
Facebook than catching a catfish inside the cabin. Oh my god,

(02:17:31):
that ac feels fantastic, Jenny said, and stuck her face
in front of the window unit. It was turned all
the way up and Jenny's sandy blonde hair blue behind
her like she was riding on the back of a motorcycle. Yeah,
it's the only cabin out here with one. Andy sprang
for the extra sixty bucks, said it would be worth

(02:17:52):
it to sleep in comfort, and he ain't wrong. It's
sticky as hell outside. How long you and Frog been
seeing each other? Oh? I just met him yesterday. Where
are you from? You ain't from the valley valley? What's
the valley, Jenny asked, You're in it, Brianna answered and continued.

(02:18:14):
You know that main road you took to get here,
the one that went through a bunch of little bitty towns. Yeah,
Jenny replied and turned to face Brianna. Brianna was grinning
and her brown eyes were gleaming. Jenny really paid attention
to Brianna for the first time. And she had this
country girl pretty thing going for. She looked like she

(02:18:36):
could be fun in the sack, but could kick your
ass out of it if necessary. Well, that road is
four twenty one and for twenty one is the valley
Rednecks for as far as the eye can see. And
you got yourself what we call a valley prince? That right?
Why is he a valley prince? He's a Spradley have

(02:19:00):
been around the valley for as long as anybody can remember.
Everybody calls him Frog. I don't even know if that's
his given name, but I know his daddy was called Frog,
and his daddy's daddy was called Frog. They owned several
businesses in the valley. His brother, Ricky owns Valley Video.
His other brother, Johnny, owns Spradley's Filling Station in Langley.

(02:19:21):
His sister, Darnell Well, she owns a beauty shop in
Gloverville named Can you guess Spradley's Beauty Shop? Jenny asked
as she shrugged her shoulders. Yep, nailed it. So if
you're from the valley, you know who the Spradleys are. Oh, really,
that's good to know. So what do you know about

(02:19:43):
this spirit he was telling me about while we were fishing?
He didn't tell you about the spirit of Langley Pond.
Please tell me he didn't try to scare you with
that story. Brianna suppressed a chuckle. He did, and it
did freak me out a bit. Is there any truth
behind it? From what I've heard, these local legends start

(02:20:04):
with a grain of truth somewhere, and that grain grows
and gets exaggerated over the years. That's kind of what
I'm thinking. Am I wrong? Should I be afraid of
a ghost in the pond? Jenny asked. Brianna smiled and
motioned for Jenny to take a seat in the living room. Yeah,
I know about the grain that started the story. It

(02:20:27):
was something that really happened about forty years ago. It
went something like this, summer nineteen eighty one. It was
Friday morning and Elena bit her mother farewell for the weekend.
Her mother's voice issued a lifeline as Elena walked out

(02:20:50):
the door to meet her boyfriend, Dustin Hines. Don't get
into any trouble. Call me if you need me to
come get you. No questions asked. Elena told her mother
not to worry and that she would be home on
Sunday night. Hey babe, Dustin said. As Elena hopped into
his forward pickup, she leaned over and gave Dustin a

(02:21:13):
quick kiss before she pounded the dashboard, which meant it
was time to burn rubber. Dustin pulled out of the
driveway and be lined to Belvideer Clearwater Road. Finally, Elena
shouted she was ready to have a weekend alone with Dustin.

(02:21:35):
They had been talking about it for the better part
of six months. Elena leaned her head out of the
open window to feel the wind in her face. Hey babe,
watch out for telephone polls. You don't want to get
your head knocked off. Who would really put a damper
on the weekend, Dustin said, as he tugged on Elena's arm. Okay, okay,

(02:21:57):
I'm just excited, that's all I know. It's just Langley Pond,
Just Langley Pond, Just Langley Pond. You know, what's the
pride of the valley? Dustin said. He looked at Elena
with his blue eyes, and he could see her melt
just a little. You're laying on a little thick there,
ain't you. Everybody knows Richardson's Lake is the pride of

(02:22:20):
the valley, she said, enamored with her man. I beg
to differ. You can't put a boat on Richardson's Lake,
and I really don't know how they can call that
tiny mud puddle a lake anyway. Langley Pond should be
a lake. I mean it's as big as one. Speaking
of boats, Elena interrupted, does your daddy still have that

(02:22:42):
John boat at Langley Pond? He does, Dustin smiled, trolling
motor in the back of the truck, Dustin answered sweet,
Elena replied. The pair rowed in silence for the next
nine minutes. Elena hopped out of the truck as soon
as it rolled to a stop just inside the confines

(02:23:03):
of Langley Pond. I can't wait to jump in the water.
Elena screamed and shed her clothing as fast as she could,
revealing her bathing suit underneath. Dang, girl, you ain't gonna
wait for me to put up the tent, Dustin asked
the air. Elena was already splashing in the water. Dustin
set up the two person tent and pulled the trolling

(02:23:25):
motor from the back of the truck. Elena swam to
shore when she saw the tent was all set up
and the trolling motor was attached to the john boat.
Hey babe, we gonna do some night fishing. The bass
should be poppin' top water plugs tonight, Elena said, as
she took a seat in the lawn chair set outside
the tent. I reckon, we can do that. Mama packed

(02:23:48):
up some ham sandwiches and the small cooler, and I
got papst in the biggin. I love you, Dustin. Shut up,
you do not. You just want me for my money,
Dustin joked. The couple ate sandwiches, drank beer, let their
food and drink settle before they made clumsy love. In
the tent, Elena fell asleep with Dustin's arms wrapped around her.

(02:24:11):
She woke up five hours later alone. Dustin you outside,
Elena asked as she rubbed her eyes and stretched. She
shuffled out of the tent and heard the frogs croaking
their night tunes. The crickets returned to symphony of their own. Dustin,

(02:24:34):
where are you at? You know you can pee in
front of me, Elena shouted. She looked around and was
comforted that the truck was still parked in the same spot,
so Dustin didn't decide to go on a midnight snack
run and leave her out here all alone. But he
didn't answer her, and that was a reason for concern

(02:24:56):
until she saw the light from the flashlight out in
the middle of the pond. The John boat Wasn't there
that sorry sack of potatoes. Elena shouted, Dustin, get your
ass back over here and pick me up. She hollered
into the night toward the light of the boat. The
light flashed in her direction, but the boat didn't move.

(02:25:21):
Don't make me swim out there, Dustin, I swear I will,
and I'll make so much noise that no fish is
gonna bite for the rest of the night. Don't test me.
Elena was leaving, playful and moving into piste off. The
light flashed in her direction once more, but the boat
still did not move. Okay, I'm coming, Elena sloshed into

(02:25:43):
the pond and began swimming toward the boat. The boat
still didn't move. The longer she swam, the angrier she became.
He better not dare ask for sex the rest of
the trip, is what she was thinking, not even a
hand job. The light still shined like a beacon from
a lonely lighthouse. Elena was about thirty yards away from

(02:26:06):
the john boat when she realized something was very, very wrong.
There was a figure standing in the center of the boat,
a figure that was a mite bit shorter than her boyfriend.
That was their john boat, but that wasn't dustin. Elena
swam a little closer to see if she could make

(02:26:28):
out who it was standing in the boat, and screamed
in horror when she saw what the man was holding
in his left hand. It couldn't be real. It had
to be some kind of joke, her mind was telling
her someone was just pranking her. The man in the
boat swung his left arm up around and launched the

(02:26:50):
severed head of dustin hinds in Elena's direction. She waited
what seemed like hours on the sound of the splash,
and when the sound came, Elena turned around and swam
for all she was worth. Elena felt as if bricks
were weighing her down. The burning in her lungs felt

(02:27:10):
like she inhaled gasoline. She could hear the echo of
her mother's sentiment in her mind, don't get into any trouble.
Call me if you need me to come get you.
No questions asked. Elena wished that she had listened to
her mother instead. She was swimming for her life to shore.
Elena was beginning to think she was going to make it.

(02:27:33):
She was going to see her mother again. The crack
of a gunshot was the last sound Elena heard before
the darkness of the water claimed her. Langley Pond was
going to be her grave. Summer twoenty twenty one. Jenny's

(02:27:58):
face was flush when Brionneana finished the story. Was that
true what you told me? She asked pretty much. I
don't know if that's exactly how the conversations went down,
but the facts are. Elena and Dustin went to Langley Pond.
Dustin's head was chopped off. They found the body in

(02:28:19):
the boat and Elena had been shot in the head.
It took them a while to find her body, though
longer than it probably should have. They say her body
was in the pond long enough for her spirit to
be trapped here. Some people say they can hear splashing
around and hollering. Sometimes me, I think it's just the

(02:28:40):
bass having their late night snacks. They can make quite
a ruckus when they're attacking frogs, lizards and whatnot. I
wouldn't let it scare you too much, though. Brianna finished
and patted Jenny on her hands. Did they ever catch
the guy that did it? Jenny asked, Well, that's the
thing they did. That's how we got this story that's

(02:29:03):
been passed down for forty years. But he was shot
in the head with a long range rifle as he
was escorted to the courthouse. Let's just say the police
didn't spend a lot of time looking for the killer
of Billy Jean Morris. From what's been passed down. A
lot of folks think it was set up that way.
The police can turn a blind eye sometimes when it
comes to Valley justice, especially when it's a couple of

(02:29:27):
local kids that were killed. Kids that everybody knew kids
that everybody loved. There were some rumors that it was
Elene's daddy or even Dustin's daddy. They were both avid
hunters with rifles to do the job. They weren't even questioned.
I don't blame either one of them. If they killed
Billy Jean, he deserved it, Brianna finished. Jinny looked at

(02:29:52):
her in all seriousness and said, what if Billy Jean
didn't kill them? What if someone else did? And what
if that's some some one else is still around? Jenny asked,
clearly working herself up into something that Brianna thought was silly.
Calm down, girl, it was Billy Jean. I know it
was Billy Jean. It's a valley thing. He wouldn't understand.

(02:30:14):
Now let's go see what those boys are up to.
Frog was grinning from ear to ear as he saw
the girl's approach. Andy was downing another PBR. I was
beginning to worry about you too. You get your girl
talk in, Frog asked, as he grabbed his own PBR. Yeah,
something like that, Brianna replied, and winked at Jenny to

(02:30:35):
let her know it was okay. It was just a
stupid local legend. Nothing to worry about, Frog, Are we
really having Beanie Weenies for dinner? I mean, I'd rather
go to the store and grab some sandwich stuff. Maybe
Brianna and I could run to the grocery store real quick.
We'll get a bag of ice and some more of
that beer, y'all. Like, Frog was all set to disagree

(02:30:58):
and force the Beanie Weenie supper, but when the bee
word came up, he changed his course of thinking. I
think that'd be okay. What do you think Andy? The
girls can go get the sandwich stuff in another case
of beer. I'll contribute ten bucks for the cause, Frog said,
and pulled a crinkled bill from his well weathered leather wallet. Yeah,

(02:31:19):
I reckon that'll be okay. Brianna. Take her to the
bilo where Jimmy works. He'll let you buy the beer
with no id. Brianna rolled her eyes at Andy like
she didn't already know that she had bought beer at
that bilo since she was fourteen years old. The Valley
kids knew where to go without being ripped off. There
was always the quick shop option, where the owner would

(02:31:41):
only sell the swill known as Milwaukee's best for triple
the labeled price to desperate teens. That's the only way
he could get rid of the crap, and he had
to carry it because it was such an under the
table money maker for him. Any Way he can stick
it to the government and help raise the next generation
of Valley rats, the better for his ay, pride and

(02:32:01):
his pockets. Andy tossed the truck keys to Brianna. Be careful, babe,
don't wreck my truck, and don't get caught with that beer.
Brianna gave him another eye roll and trotted to the
driver's side. Jenny felt a wave of relief when Brianna
started the engine and the cool lair from the ac
kissed her face. Andy Frog said with a wicked grin, Yeah,

(02:32:26):
I had Jenny going pretty good with the spirit of
Langley Pond. You want to have some fun and scare
the girls when they get back, more Jenny than Brianna.
I know she's tough to scare. I don't know, man,
that new girl might go off the deep end. I mean,
you don't know her all that well, and it'll severely
reduce your chances of playing hide the snake. If you

(02:32:48):
catch my drift, it'll be more like a whack a mole,
Andy replied and smiled. I don't care. Frog began, I
don't think she's gonna give it up anyway. We'll have
some fun with her. She's creeped out over the ghost
of Elena Sanders. First, what did you have in mind?
And second, if Brianna gets pissed, it's on you. Andy replied, Look,

(02:33:14):
while they're gone, I'm gonna go to the edge of
the woods over yonder. Frog pointed to the shoreline at
his left. You see that cluster of trees over there. Yeah, well,
I'm gonna go over there behind them trees and start
tossing some of the red bricks that Ricky put over
in that clearing into the pond. He'll never miss him.
He done forgot he put them out there. And check

(02:33:35):
this out real quick, give me a second. Frog ran
to his car, and Andy could hear him rustling before
he came trotting back with a palm sized speaker. It's
a bluetooth, man, I'm gonna place some Halloween screams out
of this bad boy. It works right off my phone.
And while you're doing all this shit, where am I
supposed to tell them? You are? Tell them? I went

(02:33:57):
to the other side of the pond to go giggin.
Brianna will believe that she knows how much I love
to go giggin, and when she finds out that's a lie,
then me and my right hand are going to be
best friends for the rest of the trip. I don't
think so, Andy replied, you have to take the fun
out of everything. Man. Look, I will tell you that

(02:34:18):
I was going giggin and I'm going to disappear for
a little while. Then you won't be lying, and you
can act like you're just as pissed as the girls.
I suspect I'll be taking Jenny home after this stunt,
and you and Brianna will be all alone in the cabin.
Frog grinned and poked his finger through the hole he
made with his other hand. A smile ran across Andy's face.

(02:34:39):
Now that sounds like a better plan, my man. I
know nothing, I see nothing, I hear nothing but the
spirit of Elena Ann Sanders splashing and screaming in the water.
That's the spirit, Frog replied, without realizing the pun. Darkness

(02:34:59):
was closing in on the valley when Andy saw the
lights of his truck coming down the path. They're back,
he shouted, which sent Frog scurrying for the tree line.
Brianna and Jenny were still laughing from their conversation on
the trip back. Hey, girls, need a hand, Andy walked
toward them. Where's Frog was the first question from Jenny's lips,

(02:35:21):
and Brianna already had her doubting eyes looking around for
the mischievous valley prints. He'll be back directly, he went,
Gigan on the other side of the pond. What's gigin,
Jenny asked, thinking it was some made up thing by
these valley people. He went to kill his namesake. Brianna answered.
Gigin is when you basically take a three prong metal

(02:35:42):
spear and go stab frogs with them. Don't worry, though,
Frog isn't killing them entirely for fun. He'll cut the
legs off and fry them up. Ew he's going to
eat their legs. Jenny couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yeah,
I'll probably eat some too. Andy. Oh, he's not much
on frog legs, are you, babe? Brianna asked, y'all can

(02:36:04):
have that. If I eat a fried leg, you better
have belonged to a chicken. That's all I'll say. Did
he say when he's coming back? Jenny asked, Well, with frog,
you never can tell. If he starts sticking them left
and right, it might be a while. But if he
can't catch him, then he might not be gone so long.
Is he good at catching them? Jenny asked, best in

(02:36:27):
the valley? Brianna replied, oh. Jenny said she thought that
was a hell of a way to treat your date.
Send her off to get your beer while you go
kill frogs around the pond. Jenny made up her mind
that Frog would have to take her home as soon
as he got back. Here's your beer, Brianna said, and
pulled the case from the bed of the pickup. It's

(02:36:47):
still cold, Jenny and I are going to make ourselves
a couple of sandwiches. You want a ham and cheese,
you know I do? Can you bring it back out here?
I'm gonna start a fire in the pit. It's eighty
something de grease out andy. Do you really want to
make it any hotter? I like to see the people
in the flames, Babe. I won't keep it lit all night, alrighty,

(02:37:08):
then go see your flame people. Come on, Jenny, I'm
starving the girls went into the cabin. Andy lit up
the fire pit and waited to hear the first splash.
Brianna came out ten minutes later with Andy sandwich wrapped
in a paper towel. Did Frog really go giggin, Brian asked.
Andy truthfully answered, that's where he told me he was going.

(02:37:29):
But you never know with Frog. He added that just
to cover his ass for when the shit went down.
All right, it's pretty dark out here, now, you coming
in soon? Yeah, I'll be in in a little bit.
I was trying to wait on Frog to get back.
I'm surprised he didn't come running when he heard the
beer truck, Andy said, already thinking of how fake mad
he was going to be with Frog when the prank unfolded.

(02:37:52):
Andy wondered if Frog would let him get a punch in,
just to completely exonerate himself from any involvement in his
childish ploy. Just put that fire out before you come in.
We don't want to be the ones to burn down
the cabins. Roger that. Andy smiled and pursed his lips
for a kiss. Brianna gave him a quick pack. Fifteen

(02:38:13):
minutes passed and there was no splash, no sound from
the area in which Frog disappeared. Andy was getting a
little antsy as he stood from his chair, took another
gulp of PBR, and turned toward the cabin. He could
see the outline of the girls standing near the ac unit.
Andy began walking toward the cabin when the first splash

(02:38:34):
finally came. Ah, so it begins, Andy thought to himself.
The girls didn't hear it, or if they did, it
wasn't enough ruckus yet to make them come outside. Then
there was a second splash, much louder than the first.

(02:38:54):
He saw Brianna's head turn, but she didn't come outside.
I guess third times a child, is what Andy thought.
The third splash came, and it was much louder than
the first two. This time he saw Brianna move toward
the door. Then came the scream. It was loud, shrill,

(02:39:18):
and brief, almost inhuman. It was a scream of severe pain.
Brianna came bursting out the door. All right, Andy, tell
Frog to cut the shit. Jenny's freaking the hell out
in there. She's afraid to come out. Frog, cut the shit,
Brianna hollered in the direction of the commotion. There were

(02:39:39):
more splashes. They got louder and closer, louder and closer.
Then the second scream. It was so loud. Andy was
thinking that was one hell of a speaker. Frog had
brought Andy and Brianna heard running, and it was coming
toward them very quickly. Frog emerged from the darkness and

(02:40:05):
his face was white as a sheet. Frog, You son
of a bit, Brianna began and then stopped. Her heart
felt like it was going baboom out of her chest
when she heard the next scream. This was no bluetooth speaker.
This was menacing and so full of pain. Damn Frog,

(02:40:26):
how are you doing that, Andy asked, still not getting it,
actually impressed with his friend's skill. It's not me, Andy,
it's a Lena and I pissed her off. Stop at Frog,
take me home. I'm done with this shit, Jenny yelled.
Her entire body was shaking. The poor girl was scared

(02:40:47):
out of her mind. I think we all need to leave,
Andy said, as he realized his buddy wasn't joking. Andy
kept calm. Let's just go. We'll come clean up our
crap in the morning. There was another tremendous splash, and
it was closer than any of the others. The rhythm
was almost like thunder followed by lightning. A few seconds

(02:41:10):
after the splash, the screech came. It was a sound
of unmitigated pain. The four of them froze in place,
and their mouths fell open, almost in unison at what
they saw next. The apparition of Elena was floating above
the water, just past the shoreline. The front of her

(02:41:31):
head was busted wide open, and her eyes were contorted
black pools that looked in opposite directions. She fell into
the water with a loud, cursed splash, and slowly rose again.
Her mouth opened wide, and this time the scream pierced them.

(02:41:52):
The ear drums of all four of them were on
the verge of exploding in their skulls. Hands went to
cover ears on instinct, but it didn't matter. This scream
moved through flesh and bone, through space and time. This
was the scream of the dead, the dead trapped in
her watery grave. It was a macabre dance of the

(02:42:15):
dead in which Elena was forever trapped. Jenny was the
first to speak when the screaming stopped. She's not gonna
let us leave. Brianna looked at Andy, and they felt
the same apprehension that Jenny spoke aloud, but Andy simply said,
let's get the hell out of here. Andy and Brianna

(02:42:36):
ran to the truck, while Frog and Jenny ran to
Frog's mustang. Andy turned the key and heard the clicking
sound associated with a dead battery. Frog did the same.
Jenny was shaking in her seat. Brianna was already thinking
that they would just book it to four twenty one
on foot. It wasn't that far away, and once they

(02:42:57):
were on that stretch of road they would be home free.
The wind suddenly picked up and the temperature dropped. The
four of them got out of the vehicles and moved
closer to one another. Brianna wanted to scream, wanted to
tell them to run, but something in her gut warned
her that would be a big mistake. Jenny's lips were

(02:43:18):
quivering with fear, and Frog didn't look like a prince
at all. For the first time in his life, Frog
truly felt fear rush up his spine. The calmness that
Andy displayed just moments before was replaced with a feeling
of despair. They all felt like Brianna felt as if
they should run but couldn't. Not that anyone or anything

(02:43:42):
was stopping them, but it just felt like a very
bad idea. There was another screech, and the four of
them turned toward the pond. The apparition was floating above
the water, just at the shoreline. Her dark hair was
flowing behind her, and she wasn't falling this time. Her

(02:44:02):
mouth was contorted as if she were about to release
another screech, but this time she didn't. The spirit of
Elena looked directly at Frog with a face of recognition.
The spirit began shaking above the water. What the fuck, frog,
Andy whispered, I don't know, man, Frog whispered back, she's

(02:44:28):
pointing at you, Jenny said, on the verge of sobbing. No,
she's not. She's pointing at us. She don't want us
to be here, and I think we should give her
what she wants. Frog whispered back. Andy, Jenny, and Brianna
slowly stepped away from Frog. Elena's spirit kept pointing to
the valley Prince. It was recognition and it wasn't coincidence.

(02:44:54):
What the hell, man, what did I ever do to her?
I don't know, man, but I wouldn't make any sudden
movements if I why were you? Summer nineteen eighty one.
He had seen Elena come in his store through the years.
He longed for her, but she was taken. Dustin Hines

(02:45:14):
was her man, and it didn't sit well with him,
not one bit. He heard it through the grapevine that
they were going to Langley Pond for a romantic getaway
this weekend, and today was Friday. Elena wouldn't give him
the time of day, would barely utter a word when
she came in to pick out a movie. Sometimes Dustin

(02:45:35):
would be with her. She would come in with her beautiful,
long black hair and perfect smile, teasing him. Elena had
to know that he was in love with her, but
she would come in with Dustin, flaunting her love for
him and in a sense, a disdain for Frog Spradley.
He didn't understand why Valley Video was going to be

(02:45:56):
his outright In another year he would be a reput
suitable business owner. Frog was sure that the video rental
business would be a necessity for generations to come. But
she would come and go, tease him, taunt him, show
him what he can't have, show him who was getting
her love? This wasn't going to work for Frog. He

(02:46:20):
would be at that pond tonight, just like the song said,
bang bang, he shot me down, Bang bang, I hit
the ground, Bang bang. That awful sound bang bang. My
baby shot me down. And that's exactly what Frog would do.

(02:46:42):
He would go to the pond. He would hear them
making love in the tent. He would take his machete
and get Dustin to come outside. While Elena was sleeping,
he'd hack him up and chop off his head. He'd
take the john boat out late he heard them talking
about their late night fishing trip. She would come out.

(02:47:03):
She would see the light. She would think that her
lover was fishing without her. She'd see the man that
she scorned, see what she could have had. He would
toss the head of her betrothed. She would see him.
All she had to do was keep swimming to the boat,
and she would have lived. But she turned and swam away,

(02:47:25):
afraid of the man that was truly meant for her.
He'd line her up with his deer rifle. Frog was
a dead shot. He wasn't going to miss. He'd let
her feel as if she may get away before the
shot would zip through the back of her skull. It
was pure luck that they pinned it on Billy Jean.

(02:47:46):
He always had a short fuse, and that was all
very well and good with Frog. He'd find another love,
one that would love him. They'd have a baby boy,
and he would keep the name of Frog alive. Frog
was the spitting image of his father and his grandfather.
He'd grow up as a valley prince. Frog Senior wouldn't

(02:48:07):
think of Elena again until he took his final breath
in twenty fifteen, when the song floated through his mind
for the first time since that day. Bang bang, he
shot me down. Bang bang, I hit the ground, Bang

(02:48:28):
bang that awful sound Bang bang, My baby shot me down.
Frog died with his loved ones around him and tears
in his eyes. His family didn't know the tears weren't
for them, but for Elena, the spirit of Langley Pond.

(02:48:54):
Summer twoenty twenty one. The specter was transfixed on Frog,
and he was in turn locked onto her lifeless eyes.
Her mouth curled in pain, and it was as if
she were the one seeing a ghost. Frog couldn't move.
It was as if he were stuck knees deep in

(02:49:17):
mud and the air around him was infused with a
coldness that chilled him to his soul. The spirit of
Langley Pond seemed to know him, and she didn't seem
all that thrilled that he was looking at her. Oh
my god, Brianna screamed in Frog's direction, she knows you.

(02:49:39):
Andy turned away from the ghost and saw the angst
in Frog's face before he said, that's impossible. There's no
way she knows Frog. The ghost floated closer to them
and seemed to put her feet on the ground. The
entire shoreline got much colder, and the others felt it.

(02:49:59):
Every one was stuck in their spot, afraid to make
any sudden movement. The four of them formed somewhat of
a straight line, and they all faced the spirit of Elena,
But that spirit was only focused on one of them,
and she changed The life came back into her eyes.
They turned from black pools to light brown. The distortion

(02:50:24):
in her face also melted away. The ghostly apparition that
the four of them witnessed floating above the pond changed
into healed flesh and blood. She no longer floated, but
walked toward Frog. He managed to utter the first words
to break the silence. Hey, look, what do you want

(02:50:46):
from us? The young woman smiled at him and held
out her hands. Frog wanted to believe this was just
a dream, that he had drank five too many PBRs
and would wake up any minute, but he knew that
he was in the here and now take my hand.
You were there. You killed my boyfriend, you chopped off

(02:51:10):
his head, and you shot me, Elena said, and continued,
take my hand so I can leave this god forsaken place.
Frog trembled. His brain was trying to fight the overwhelming
compulsion to grab Elena's hand. If he did, he thought
it might be the last thing that he ever did.

(02:51:33):
Brianna found her courage and spoke Elena. The girl turned
to face her. He couldn't have killed your boyfriend or
you please just listen to me. Elena placed her hands
at her side and gave Brianna a sense of relief.
She was going to listen to her. Good, good, Look.

(02:51:56):
The year is twenty twenty one. They were killed in
nineteen eighty one by Billy Jean Morris. It was in
all the papers. My mama told me about it. The
whole town knew it was Billy Jean. He was shot dead, Elena,
they got the man that killed you and your boyfriend.
Elena turned her attention away from Frog for just a

(02:52:18):
moment and walked to Brianna. Jenny ran to Andy and
stuck her head in the crook of his arm, like
she was trying to shield herself from seeing a kill
in a horror movie. Elena walked toward Brianna. She seemed
to admire the beauty of the girl. They were close
to the same age. Billy Jean Morris did not kill me.

(02:52:40):
Billy Jean Morris never talked to me. I know who
I saw, and it was his face, she said, and
pointed back at Frog. Shit, woman, I wasn't even born yet.
Please Frog pleaded, It was him, Elena said and started
to turn away from Brianna. Brianna lunged forward and grabbed

(02:53:03):
Elena around her wrist. She was surprised that she didn't
pass through her. Brianna really had a grip on the
young woman. Elena spun around and Brianna's backwards hug like
a slippery eel, and placed her hands on Brianna's head.
The memory of that night and her death filled Brianna's

(02:53:24):
mind in what felt like a wave of electricity. Brianna
blinked rapidly. Andy pushed Jenny away and started to run
toward his girlfriend. No, Brianna screamed, stop. Andy stopped in
his tracks. Elena looked into Brianna's eyes, looking for understanding.

(02:53:46):
You see it was him, You see that now right.
Elena broke Brianna's grip around her waist and turned back
to Frog. What the hell, man, I wasn't even on
the planet. Then it was his daddy, Brianna shouted. This
made Elena pause. It is twenty twenty one. His daddy's

(02:54:09):
name was Frog, and his name is Frog. He looks
just like his daddy. He didn't have anything to do
with it. Andy rushed to his girlfriend's side, and Jenny
was right behind him. The three of them stood together.
Frog was still frozen in place. Elena moved closer to Frog.
She could see the man that chopped off Dustin's head.

(02:54:31):
She could almost feel the bullet break open the back
of her skull all over again. He put his hands
out in front of him, hoping this would keep her
at arm's length. She touched his hand and it was
colder than anything he had ever felt in his young life.
You have his blood and a penance has to be paid,

(02:54:53):
Elena said as she grabbed the Valley Prince by the hand.
I will not stay here any longer. I was waiting
on him to return, and he never did. He did,
but his son will do. You carry the blood of
the man that killed me. You should have never been born,
Elena said, and pulled Frog closer to her. Brienna and

(02:55:17):
Andy started to run toward them. Jenny was a blubbering
mess to save their friend, but it was too late.
Alena had a firm grip on both of Frog's arms
and she morphed back into the specter. Frog was lifted
straight up into the sky, his legs kicking and his
lungs screaming into the night. Brienna and Andy shouted Frog's name.

(02:55:41):
As he disappeared into the sky, his screams went silent.
Andy and Brianna looked at one another, waiting for another sound,
another sign of life from the Valley Prince. What they
heard in the far distance of the pond was a splash,

(02:56:02):
a cackle, and then silence. The spirit of Elena Anne
Sanders was now free. It was replaced by the son
of the man that killed her and Dustin. This would
be the penance that set her free. Brianna, Andy and

(02:56:26):
Jenny would never be able to explain what they witnessed.
They just said Frog went giggin and never came back.
What else could they say? And there you have it,

(02:56:50):
my Spookies, six ghostly tales to carry us through the
quiet after Halloween. Marigolds will fade, the candles will go out,
but the spirits never really leave, do they No, they

(02:57:12):
just get hungry. And speaking of hunger, Monday on Terrifying
and True, We're diving deep into one of the darkest
chapters of American history, a story of desperation, madness, and
survival against the frozen unknown. We'll be covering the Donner Party,

(02:57:35):
and trust me, my friends, you'll want to eat before
you listen. So until then, keep your candles burning, your
windows closed tight, and remember here at Weekly Spooky the
stories may end, but the spirits never go anywhere. Make

(02:58:01):
sure you subscribe. It might just save your life.

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