Boy on the Bike: A Haunted Horror Story for the Spooky Season

0:00 A boy rides past the same stop sign every night, then vanishes. Emmett is trying to stay sober, be a good dad, and ignore the shadows in his own house. But the truth about the bad lady you can never unsee. There's a hill in the air, must befall. Join me for a tale of Halloween. You will experience tales of over ghosts. It is not recommended for the week at heart.

0:56 Join me for a tale of foul Weekly Spooky. Hello, my spookies, It's Wednesday, and you know what that means. It's time for a little spooky in your weekly. Of course, in October, every day you get a little something spooky, and tonight is no exception. We are bringing you a very very creepy novella to do our part to keep you in the Halloween spirit. I'm your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto, and thank you so much for joining me, and I hope i'll earn your subscription if you haven't already on your favorite podcasting app, And if you're looking for a spooky place to hang out and share me scary stories and just get a little of that scary camaraderie, you can head over to Facebook and type in Weekly Spooky's Tomb of Terror. It's a little spot on the Internet for Spooky's authors and myself to hang out and enjoy ourselves, so make sure to check that out at Weekly Spooky's Tomb of Terror on Facebook. We would love to hear from you, and you can also send us an email at Weekly Spooky at gmail dot com. Whether

2:30 it's a story, suggestion, a comment, a question, anything on your mind, send it to Weekly Spooky at gmail dot com. And if you want to support us in a very direct way, you can head to Weekly Spooky dot com slash join and for as little as one dollar a month, get bonus episodes and so much more at Weeklyspooky dot com slash join. But now, as for tonight, the street is quiet. A single bike tire squeaks through the fog, circling the same stop sign every night. Neighbors say it's just tricks of the mind. The tracks on the pavement tell another story, because some ghosts don't fade away, They just keep riding and riding. Boy on the Bike by Travis van House. Now that Emmitt Perry was a father, he was delighted with the neighborhood. He elected to call home.

3:47 He had purchased his first house six years ago, and in the first year he hadn't had a child to call his own. That all changed after a one night stand and resulted in the creation of his perfect son, Nathan. Though Emmett and the child's mother were unable to establish a healthy romantic relationship, they had a fantastic friendship and excelled at co parenting, so much so that most of Emmett's drinking buddies were both impressed and openly jealous. I don't get it, man, You don't even fucking pay child support.

4:30 Can you still get to see your kid? Bobby Franks was two shades to the wind downing his fifth jack and coke of the night. He was one of Emmett's most jealous friends. He had four children with four different women, and jumped at every opportunity to complain about how much he paid in child support. When you don't treat every woman you date like shit, there are all types of benefits, Emmett shot back at his friend. It was true. Emmett didn't pay child support. When he and his son's mother, Renea, decided to give co parenting a shot, they had agreed to split all expenses surrounding Nathan. Renea was a strong willed and independent woman. She already had an eight year old child when she got pregnant with Emmett's son. She refused to go after the child's father for support. She believed that too many women took advantage of the system and knew that claiming assistance would result in having to interact with her other child's father, whom she despised. From the moment Nathan was born, the child was showered with love from his parents, and he was all the better for it. Nathan was such a loving and caring child.

5:59 When around either of his parents, the look in his eyes showed you exactly how happy he was. Emmett got an excellent deal when he purchased his house in Enigma Springs, Ohio. He had been living in a crummy apartment, which was all he could afford working as a bar tender, but a hundred thousand dollar inheritance allowed him to acquire a house and to start working on his drinking problem, which he knew was getting the best of him. Randomly, driving around the general area he had hoped to find a house in, he saw a little old man hammering a home maid for sale by owner sign into the lawn of a decent looking brick home. The man had to have been in his seventies. He wore a button up, long sleeved shirt covered in old jeans and overalls. Country to the core, em It thought to himself as he pulled up before the house and started a conversation with the man. Emme it learned that the house at two seventeen Callie Place had been empty for over a year.

7:16 The old man's daughter, who owned the house, had unexpectedly passed away from a rare blood disease. She had died sitting in her favorite chair in the living room with a fresh glass of sun tea still in her hand when she was found. After his daughter's death, a lengthy legal process began to claim the deed to the home. During that time, the old man, who introduced himself as Jerry, had spent nearly every waking day working on remodeling the house. He and his wife planned to sell their home and their daughters and moved to Florida. They were longing for a quiet life after retirement. Too many strange things happen in this damned town. Jerry whispered to Emmett. It's time for us to part ways and seek out greener pastures.

8:15 Emmett laughed, but he knew the man's words to be true. Enigma Springs was unlike other towns. It was a special place with a dark history, riddled with bloodshed and horrifying legends. Still, he called it home. Jerry gave Emmett a tour of the house, and he was immediately impressed with all the hard work the old man had done on the interior. All the wood floors had been refurbished, the walls were freshly painted, and the kitchen cabinets had recently been replaced. New tiling and appliances had also been added to the kitchen.

9:00 There were three small bedrooms on the first floor, a bathroom, and a living room that opened into the kitchen with the small makings of a dining room. The basement was unfinished but clean, and Emmett saw no sign of water damage or mold. Jerry was asking ninety eight thousand dollars for the house, but Emmett could tell the old man would most likely come down on the price if he pushed hard enough. Jerry told him they had just sold their own house and had to be out in a month, so Emmett knew he had some wiggle room. He also had an offer in mind. He didn't think the old man would refuse. Think we can come down on the price if I can hand you a cashier's check in the morning. Emmett watched Jerry's eyes light up. In the end, Emmett offered Jerry eighty eight thousand dollars in cash. They could bypass legal fees with lawyers and realtors, execute a quick deed and call it a day. There would be no closing costs, and both men would walk away all the better for it. Jerry said he'd have to talk to his wife about it, but Emmett knew the answer would be yes. He had been right, as Jerry had phoned him a little over an hour later to say he'd accept the offer. A week later, Emmett moved into the house along with one of his drinking buddies, Gareth Long.

10:34 Garrett worked as a bouncer at Bert's Brewery, the same bar Emmett bartended at. Like Emmett, he was just shy of forty, but their looks couldn't have been any different. Garrett was six inches taller than Emmett and had broad shoulders with muscular arms covered in tattoos. His legs were huge, and he had the beginnings of a beer gut. Even though he worked out six days a week. He was a fighter at heart, which served him well as a bouncer. Even when a fight wasn't brewing, he would stir one up so he could lay hands on someone. It annoyed Emmett to no end, but he had a soft spot for the guy who had lost both his parents and his fiancee within a week of one another. All three had been in separate car accidents when they met their end.

11:35 Another thing Emmett liked about Gareth is that he wasn't needy. Even though they lived under the same roof, they didn't spend much time together. They had lives outside the house and were content to chill in their rooms and didn't need to speak daily. They were both loners, so the living situation was perfect. They were great friends, but didn't constantly need to remind one another of that fact. A month after moving into two one seven Callie Place, the distance between the two men grew, though neither acknowledged it.

12:23 Emmett had decided to quit the bar business. He needed to get away from the bar scene. He knew it would be a struggle, but he was committed to it for the sake of his son. Drinking and blow were the two main things Emmett and Gareth had in common, and now that Emmett had removed himself from the central place they partied, they didn't see one another that much. Emmett's idea was to quit hard liquor, cold turkey and avoid all drugs apart from a bit of marijuana here and there. Hard liquor and cocaine were his central vices, and he knew if he didn't cut them out immediately, he would end up being a sad bar fly for the rest of his life. He also knew he could save a shit ton of money by drinking a few beers at home as opposed to at the bar, where they were double priced and required to tip. He had a slight gambling addiction and would play pull taps or make bets in pool or darts, which he rarely won.

13:35 Once he quit his job, he and Gareth didn't see much of one another, except for passing in the house or the rare occasion where Gareth decided to spend a night at home rather than chasing tail at the bar. The first Friday em that was alone in the house was his most challenging. He craved social interaction and had to fight every impulse. He had to start his transformation the following day instead of right then. By six in the evening, he was squirming on the couch, unable to focus on the TV show he was watching. He needed to get up and move around. He decided to walk to a gas station down the street to grab a case of beer. He chose not to drive, thinking that the walk would help rid himself of some of his nervous energy. I'm going stir crazy and it's only been one fucking night, and it shook his head in disgust.

14:41 He couldn't believe he had allowed his addiction and lifestyle to get him to this point. He repeatedly reminded himself that he was doing it for little Nathan. He wanted to be a good father, that his son would be proud of. Walking through the neighborhood, Emmett smiled ear to ear. Many of his neighbors sat on their porches, having drinks or spending time with one another. They each raised a hand and waved as Emmett passed by. Others played with their kids on their lawns, trying to wear them out before bedtime. A group of teenage boys rode their skateboards up and down a concrete slope at the end of the street and tried to act older than they were. God, I feel old, Emmett laughed as he watched the boys dicking around. He missed those carefree times from his youth, when he felt invincible and had his whole life ahead of him. It was a nice night out, not too hot, with a light breeze. When Emmett returned to his house with a fresh case of cold ones, he decided to sit on his porch and enjoy the fresh air. The walls inside the house seemed to be closing in on him, and he thought the fresh air would help him relax.

16:13 He placed the case in the refrigerator, pulled out two beers, and went to the front porch, where two chairs and a small glass table waited. He put the beers on the table, pulled his cigarettes and lighter from his pocket and set them aside the bottles. He then pulled out his cell phone, opened his favorite music app, and pulled up a nineties alternative playlist. He pushed play, set the phone aside, lit a cigarette, and cracked open a beer. He downed half the bottle in a single gulp, looked out over his porch railing and surveyed the neighborhood. You're going to be happy here, and thought, everything will fall into place and you'll finally be at peace. It was nearly ten at night and Emmett had a good buzz.

17:16 He wasn't as shitfaced as usual at that hour, but he had only been drinking beer and not liquor. He decided that in order to get a good night's sleep, he'd need to increase his buzz. He had some weed in his room, which he retrieved and brought to the porch along with his orange glass bowl. He packed the bowl, sparked the weed, and took a couple of deep hits. He chased the smoke back with another chug of beer. Something caught his attention from his line of vision to the right. He exhaled another cloud of smoke and looked to the corner, where he saw a young kid riding a bike. The kid stopped at the stop sign on the corner, turned the bike around and sped back in the opposite direction. A coldness ran through Emmittt's bones. It was Emmett's first sighting of the boy on the bike, but it wouldn't be the last. The boy on the bike was about to impact Emmett's life significantly, an impact that would stick with him for the rest of his days.

18:50 Emmett had been out of work for three days and struggled to keep busy. The days were the easiest. His child's mother worked the day shift and would drop their son, Nathan off at eight in the morning. Emmett would get to spend the next nine hours with his son. Nathan was five and full of life. Emmett would spend the day playing with his son, inside and outside if the weather permitted. Just being around Nathan filled Emmett with strength. He knew he could get his sobriety under control. Every time he heard Nathan laugh or saw a smile cross his face. Renea would usually pick Nathan up a little after five, unless Emmett needed to run errands, in which case he would meet Renea in the parking lot of her place of employment to hand Nathan off. This was always the worst part of the day, the part where he had to say goodbye to his son. Some days, Nathan would cry and throw a fit, breaking Emmett's On those days, he wished he and Renea could have worked things out. Emmett's problem was how to occupy his time once Nathan was gone for the day. Most of Emmett's friends were people he had met at the bar. He wasn't strong enough to go out and hang with his

20:21 friends in that type of setting, at least not yet. He still longed for that burning sensation he got when he sipped whiskey or tequila. He also longed for the social aspect of sitting around and bullshitting with other bar patrons, but he knew he had to stay strong. The longer he did it, the easier it would be. He truly believed that acquiring a job in the evening was something Emmett was also working on. He knew he couldn't rely on his inheritance long term to figure out what he wanted to do now that he wasn't bartending. His only passion was writing, but he didn't think he could honestly make a career out of that. He planned to get a mind numbing night job to occupy his time when he didn't have Nathan. He believed that would allow him to genuinely lay off the bottle. Everyone handles addiction in their own way and at their own pace. This is something Emmett believed with his whole heart. Most of his old drinking buddies didn't understand why he thought he had a problem. They didn't understand because he was still drinking beer at home. They'd ask why he couldn't at least

21:55 come out and have a beer with them, even if he wasn't going to indulge in shots. Emmett would try to explain that that was the problem. He would not stop taking shots if he went to the bar and got a good beer buzz em It was sure that if he spoke to a specialist, they would tell him he would never be able to obtain sobriety unless he completely cut out drinking altogether. He understood this method of thinking, but he truly believed with his whole heart that it wouldn't work for him. He felt that after drinking beer in the evenings after five, he would slowly curve and control his addiction. He'd give it a month or two, and if he still deemed it to be a problem, he would consider joining AA or an outpatient rehab. If Emmett had gotten a night job the moment he began his self treatment, he would never have seen the boy on the bike. He would have never experienced all the terrifying things that were about to unravel his life. Each day, after Nathan returned home with his mother, Emmett would grab a case of beer and sit on his front porch,

23:26 listen to music, browse the Internet, and engage in friendly chatter with his neighbors, with whom he was slowly making connections. He also began to work on his lawn like an obsessive anything to keep his mind busy without thinking about drinking, drugs or gambling. It was a struggle, but he was managing himself well. Directly across the street lived a nice man, Levi, who had custody of his two tear teen age sons. They were both well behaved and spent most of their time indoors playing video games. Levi was in his mid forties and was recently engaged to a sweet woman who had moved in with him. Levi had introduced himself. On the third day, he saw Emmett smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer on his porch. I see you're a miller guy. Levi came walking across the street with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

24:32 I'm Levi. Emmett stood and shook the man's hand when he arrived at his porch. Nice to meet you, Levi. I'm Emmett. How are you liking the neighborhood so far? It's not too bad. Lots of kids around seem safe. Yeah, we never have any problems around here. Nothing like Lake Shore Drive, Levi laughed. Lake Shore Drive was a very troubled street in Enigma Springs, Ohio. There were rumors of murder, rampant domestic violence, and cannibalism. A few months before moving into his home on Cawley Place, the street had been blown to pieces. It was now nothing more than a giant hole in the ground that the town was trying to figure out what to do with. Levi and Emmett hid it off. Levi liked to drink, but he didn't like the bar scene. Nearly every night he would join Levi on his porch and put down drink. After drink, Levi would call it a night around nine or ten.

25:45 As he worked the early shift at a factory, but Emmett would keep going until well past midnight, even knowing he would have Nathan to deal with in the morning. Spending time with Levi allowed Emma to acquire the socialization he craved without going to the bar. The third night that Levi and Emmett hung out and put back some drinks was a Friday. Levi could stay up well past his bedtime as he was off on Saturdays. He had also brought his fiance Surely over to join in on the fun. Emmett and Levi were shooting the shit and Shirley was scrolling through her phone when the boy on the bike appeared. Emmett's porch was one house away from the corner of Cawley Place and Gratis Drive. The boy on the bike appeared on Gratis, approaching the stop sign.

26:52 No street light was on the corner, so Emmett could only see the child from the few porch lights his neighbors had left on after dark. Look Levi. Shirley was the first to notice the boy. It's that weird kid on a bike again. Emmett and Levi stopped mid conversation and looked toward the corner. Where the boy on the bike had just turned around, heading back up gratis. What's the story, Emmett asked as he lit a cigarette. That kid rode his bike up and down the street till midnight the other night. Beats the hell out of us.

27:34 LEVI took a chug of his beer. We used to see him do this every night when he moved in three years ago. He rides back and forth for hours on end. I never see the kid out during the day, only at night. It makes no sense to us. Do you know where the kid lives? Emmett's curiosity had peaked. If the kid only came out at night, maybe his parents homeschooled him and didn't want him around the other kids on the street. He had read books and watched movies with over protective parents who would do things just like that. Maybe they sat on their porch, watched the kid ride his bike, and then ushered them back into their house. Thinking about it, he pictured them dressed in traditional Amish attire and had to stifle a laugh. We'll see him for like a week, then it'll be months later, maybe a year, and he'll reappear. Shirley said she was already bored with the conversation and returned to scrolling on her phone. He could be visiting his grandparents for the summer.

28:48 Emmett thought, maybe that's why they only see him one week out of the year. That still didn't explain why the kid only rode his bike late at night. Emmett didn't know why he thought about the boy on the bike so much. He had no clue why it had become such a mystery to him, a mystery he wanted to solve. Because you're going nuts from not drinking, really drinking, Emmett's mind pondered. One beer later, the boy on the bike had stopped traveling back and forth on gratis. Two beers later, Levi and Shirley decided to call it a night.

29:36 If I don't fuck this one once or twice before bed, I won't hear the end of it, Levi remarked with a wink as he took Shirley by the hand. She punched him on the shoulder playfully, but Emmett believed Levi was telling the truth. The couple talked about sex NonStop and weren't shy to share the secrets of what went on behind closed doors. Emmett also considered retiring for the night, but he still had another three beers in the fridge that he planned to put back. He didn't have Nathan in the morning. It was Shirley's day off and she was taking him to visit her mother an hour away.

30:21 With no responsibility, Emmett decided to get as drunk and stoned as he could from the skunk weed he had left. He quickly reminded himself to go to the dispensary to get more potent stuff. I've got to get a job, Emmett told himself as he sparked a bowl and took a few deep pits. I have way too much fucking time on my hands. The boy on the bike appeared again. He rode to the stop sign, turned around, and rode back into the shadows of Gratis. Looks like an old huffy.

31:04 Emmett focused his full stoned attention on the corner, like the one I had as a kid. I bet it has one of those banana boat seats. It was a red bike, that much Emmett was sure of. From what he could make out of the boy, he knew he was Caucasian and probably around seven years old. That was why Emmett thought it was so strange that the boy on the bike was out riding in the dark. He couldn't imagine letting Nathan out alone at night at that age. He didn't plan on being an over protective father, but he also didn't plan on being a stupid one either.

31:51 Emmett knew you always had to keep your eye on your children no matter where you lived, but he also knew you had to be extra careful. In a place like Enigma Springs. People went missing all too often for his liking, which was startling for a town with just over two thousand residents. There were only two thousand and seventeen registered residents the last time he heard. He would be damned to hell if his kid became one of the missing. Maybe it's a good thing you sit out here at night. If that kid's parents or caregivers aren't watching out for him, you can. He knew the kid was not his responsibility, but ever since Nathan came into his life, he noticed that he started paying attention more to other kids around him. He saw other people in his neighborhood doing the same thing. They were all watching out for one another's children, which is one reason why Emmett was happy, he chose to move to Callie Place.

33:03 Emmett's thoughts were broken when he heard a thud metal and flesh hitting the pavement, followed by a child's cries. He turned and looked to the corner of Gratis and Callie Place, where he saw the boy on the bike lying in the middle of the street, curled in a ball with his bicycle on top of him. Emmett jumped to his feet and immediately ran toward the boy on the bike. He could see him hunched over on the ground. It looked like he was holding his knee. Emmet hoped the kid hadn't broken a bone or crushed his skull.

33:50 Emmett had noticed the boy wasn't wearing a helmet, not that many of the kids in the neighborhood did. Just as he was about to cross from Cawley Place to Grottis, a red car came speeding down the road with blinding headlights. There was no stop sign in the car's direction, and it was going too fast to stop before crushing the little boy beneath its tires. Emm It's face went ashen white and his eyes widened. Jesus Christ, stop, he screamed, lifting one hand to his eyes to shield himself from watching the unthinkable. The car slammed on its brakes, but it was too late. The vehicle ran over the crumpled form of the boy in the middle of the road.

34:47 Em It didn't hear a thud, but he knew it had happened. He was momentarily frozen in fear and sure he could feel a splash of hot urine running down his li left leg. What the fuck is the matter with you, asshole? A large man came bounding out of the red car. You nearly gave me a heart attack running up on me like that. The boy, Emmett began running toward the man and the red car. You hit a kid, the fuck I did. The large man had a look of concern on his face and lifted a hand to his chest. He was on guard, not knowing Emmett, the crazy man who had yelled so loud that he could hear him from inside his car while speeding down the road. He noticed that Emmett's eyes were wide and crazy.

35:46 Emmett ran to the front of the man's car, panting with tears. He looked down, but there was no sign of the little boy or his bike. He fell on his stomach, lowering his face to the road and looking under the car, Still no sign of the boy. His heart was beating so hard he could feel it pounding in his neck, and a nervous sweat covered him. Where the hell is he? He was here? I saw him on the road. Everett's mind was in overdrive. What the hell is the matter with you? The owner of the car moved forward, staring down at Emmett. He maintained a reasonable distance, unsure if Emmett was crazy or on drugs.

36:39 I I Emmett slowly stood, His legs were shaking. He looked from one side of the street to the other. I'm sorry, I I thought I saw a kid in the street. I'm sorry, man, I'm sorry. He began to back away from the car and head toward his house. You're fucking crazy, man. The driver of the car returned to his vehicle, got in, slammed the door, and sped off. Once back on his porch, Emmett nervously lit a cigarette and stood staring at the corner of the street where he was sure he had witnessed the boy on the bike being hit by the red car. The street was quiet and empty, and there was no sign that the boy had been there at all. Sleep did not come easy for Emmett that night. He knew with certainty that he had seen the boy on the bike, crumpled in the middle of the street. He had heard his cries.

37:58 He had listened to the fleshy, metallic thud when the incident occurred. He had seen the kid hunched over, holding on to his knee, crying out in pain. People can hallucinate when they are having withdrawals, em It thought to himself. But he was still drinking beer every day. He would get the shakes now and then, and night sweats, signs that his body was adapting to not having the hard liquor and cocaine it desired. He would have considered hallucinations a possibility if he hadn't been drinking beer nightly. But the boy had been there, even the neighbors had seen him, so he knew he was real. Maybe it's stress, emme it considered, you've been worried about getting a job. Maybe you fell asleep and dreamed the boy fell in the street.

39:00 You know it's dark in that direction without street lights. No matter how many theories and excuses crossed, his mind. He didn't believe a single one of them. The boy had been there, he had fallen to the street, crying out in pain. Then he had vanished, vanished into the night. Emm It woke far too early the next day. He figured he had slept an hour to an hour and a half. Every time he shut his eyes, the boy being hit by the red car would cross his mind, and he'd open them back up in a panic. He also kept getting up and peeking through the bay window curtains in his living room to see if the child was still there on the ground. When he did sleep, it was restless. He dreamed he was on a busy street, perhaps in New York, and had taken Nathan for a walk.

40:11 He had been distracted by two guys arguing, and Nathan was nowhere to be seen. When he turned around, he had been taken. Emmett scrambled in the crowd, screaming his son's name. He had an empty and terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach and his heart that he would never that he would never see him again. Emmet woke covered in a blanket of sweat. The dream was still thick in his mind, and he ran straight to the bathroom and vomited. By one that afternoon, Emmett was craving a drink, a strong one. He knew beer wouldn't satisfy his needs. He was mentally and emotionally battling himself for a good hour. At one point, he grabbed his car keys, headed outside, got into his car, revved up the engine, and prepared to head to the bar. He knew what he was about to do was wrong and would most likely spiral out of control, but he needed a drink in a bad way. Wrapped around his rear view mirror were the first pair of Chuck Taylor's emm It had bought Nathan. When he turned too, the shoes immediately reminded him of why he was trying to embrace sobriety.

41:42 He shut off the engine and headed back inside. Get a fucking grip, man, he told himself. You can't lose yourself now, or or you'll lose Nathan. Emmitt went to his room and packed a bowl. He took a few hits, holding the smoke in to obtain a quicker high. Within minutes, he was good and stoned. He thought about taking a nap, but was afraid he'd have terrible nightmares about Nathan going missing again. Stepping outside, he decided to take a walk to clear his mind. He rarely exercised and thought the fresh air and physical activity might do him some good.

42:31 The moment he stepped foot outside the door, his feet started walking toward the corner where he was sure he had spotted the boy on the bike the night before. He couldn't help himself as he walked over to where he was confident the little boy had fallen. His eyes dropped to the ground, looking for any sign that he had been there, Scrapes from the bike hitting the ground, blood from a scraped knee, anything you trying to get yourself killed. A man in a Ford pickup truck had stopped his vehicle in the middle of the street. Luckily, it was early afternoon and he had seen Emmett standing there and had been able to slow down. Emme It spun around and stared blankly at the truck. His mind had been consumed with the boy, and he hadn't even heard it pull up. He lifted a hand in acknowledgment and felt his face grow red with embarrassment. Sorry about that, Emmett tried to fake a smile. Must have been day dreaming, no harm, but you might want to reconsider daydreaming if you plan on walking in the middle of the street.

43:52 The man laughed as Emmett stepped out of the way, allowing the truck to pass. Stick to the sidewalks. Dumbass, Emmett told himself as he stepped up and over the curb and on to the sidewalk. He then started walking up Gratis, still lost in his thoughts. Thirty minutes later, emme it was pleased to discover that his mind was growing clearer, his nerves had calmed, and his thoughts weren't consumed by the bottle or the boy on the bike.

44:35 With each step he took, the worries of the previous night began to fade. He smiled when he found himself humming under his breath. You've been under a lot of stress. It would be best if you got away for a few days. Maybe rent a cabin by a lake and go fishing. Take Nathan with you, he considered. His California sobriety was not working out as he intended. He knew he should really stop drinking altogether, but it was such a large part of his life that. He wasn't sure how he would adjust. He'd already lost most of his friends and couldn't imagine how lonely he would become without a bottle in his hand. Apart from Nathan and his roommate, Emmtt's only friend was a cold drink. He smiled as a group of kids came speeding by on their bikes.

45:36 They were around ten years old, and he could see the joy in their faces as they rode up and down the road. Two of the boys were even attempting to pop wheelies. One of them, wearing a red baseball cap, gave him a wave. It was nearing five and Emmett suddenly realized how hungry he was. He hadn't been hungry all day, but now he was ravenous. He turned around and started heading back down Gratis toward his own house. He was considering firing up the grill and putting on a few burghers. He had some hamburger meet in the refrigerator and needed to use it before it spoiled. As Emmett continued walking up the street with great determination, he saw an old lady sitting in a chair on her porch.

46:33 The porch was covered with hundreds of colorful flowers. She stood, walked to the edge of her porch and waved at him. Emmett raised a hand and waved in return. You look like a man with many things on his mind, she remarked. It shows huh very much, so she stepped off the porch. My name is Milly. He stopped walking and focused all his attention on the lady. Emmett. I'm pretty new to the neighborhood. Yes, you live on Cawley Place. Milly smiled, looking down the street in the direction. Emmett resided, I see you as sitting on your porch enjoying drinks at night. Yeah, that's me. You tried to save my grandson last night.

47:27 Great seriousness rose in Milly's eyes. He rides his bike up and down the street late at night. Emmett felt a lump rise in his throat. He didn't know if he was about to vomit or scream. He felt sweat break out beneath his arms and on his forehead. He could feel himself trembling and was afraid he would pass out. Is is and It. Tried to speak, but could only stutter. He stepped forward on wobbly legs, and walked toward Milly.

48:08 He needed answers. Is is the boy okay? I was sure he got hit by a car last night. I've never been so scared in my life. Please tell me is he okay? Milly frowned and motioned for him to approach her. He did so quickly until he was standing less than a foot from her. That is when she said the words that would haunt Emmt for days. I'm afraid to say my grandson is not okay, Emmett. He died two years ago. Milly was sure Emmett was about to pass out. She placed a comforting hand on his left arm and directed him to follow her into the shelter of her porch. She made him sit in a chair and rushed into her house to grab him a glass of water. If nothing else. Milly was a caretaker, and she could tell he needed a little motherly love.

49:18 Emmittt's mind clattered, Milly's words kept ringing between his ears. He died two years ago. He knew the lady was not pulling his leg. She didn't seem like the type to indulge in pranks. Suddenly, the mysterious accident from the night before made sense. The boy hadn't been hit by the car on the road because he hadn't really been there, just the fragments of his prior existence had been on the road. Ghosts are real, Emmittt's mind questioned. He had never frowned upon those who believed that they existed. He didn't fully understand the logistics of the afterlife, and he did believe in the possibility of life after death. Did I really see a ghost? What the fuck is going on?

50:16 Emmett's heart continued to beat high up in his neck. Oh, Emmett. Milly's face was filled with great sympathy. Steady your hands and take this glass what He turned to Milly. For a moment, his eyes blurred and he was unsure where he was water, it will do you good. Try to take a few small SIPs. Milly leaned over, passing the glass of ice water to Emmett. Careful now, you don't want to spill it all over yourself. Emmett's hands were still shaking, but not as bad as before. He managed to get a good grip on the glass and moved it to his mouth, taking a small sip. The water was satisfying. He could feel every cell of his body jumping for joy when the first sip entered his mouth.

51:16 He sat the glass on a small table beside him and looked about the porch. It was riddled with hundreds of colorful flowers. He saw a few bees and butterflies dancing among the blossoms. Milly moved a chair beside him and sat down nervously. Smiling, She reached out one hand and reassuringly padded Emmett on the knee. I want you to know if I heard you right. Emmett struggled to speak. He was careful to whisper so as not to be heard by any passing neighbors. Your grandson, the boy on the bike. He's not real, oh dear, Milly leaned back in her chair. He's very real, just not flesh and blood no more. He's not passed from this world to the next. He's trapped here for reasons I'm unsure of.

52:21 But he revealed himself to you, which means the world to me. The neighbors across the street from me have seen him too, but they've never interacted with him. He allowed you to see his fall. He's never done that before. Others have seen him pass up and down, the street. But something about you made him feel vulnerable enough to show you his fall, even in the afterlife. I don't understand, Emmett's eyes begged for answers. He had never needed a drink more in his intent higher life. Let me start from the beginning, Emmet. I'll tell you what I know the best way I know how to say it. You have to understand that this is tough for me to speak about, as he was my only grandchild and he died under my care. Would you allow me to tell it?

53:29 Emmet shook his head yes, as he sipped the ice cold water. This time he nearly chugged it and felt a cold tinge of shock in his temples. Still, it was refreshing. He hadn't realized how much his body needed it. Danny was the sweetest child. Milly's eyes were wet, but no tears had yet to grace her cheeks. His mother, my daughter, was an addict, not only with the bottle, but also with pills. I understand the struggle with the bottle, emm It thought to himself. It was a long hard road to convince her to seek help, but she knew if she didn't she would lose Danny. She loved Danny, but she loved her vices even more. She was a single mother, and it was a long, rough road. Danny's father was never in the picture. I'm not even sure my daughter knew who his birth father was. I hate to say it, but she was easy in those days.

54:47 If you get what I'm saying, she would do anything to obtain drugs. I hate to be so crude, I understand. Emmet nodded. He knew many women from the bars that would give you a handy or even a blowjob, for another round of drinks or a couple of lines of cocaine. Danny was six when his mother entered rehab. My husband, Martin was still alive. Then he and I volunteered to take Danny into our care while she attended to her health. It was a great joy having a child in our home again. It had been several years since the walls of our home had that type of youthful joy. Each day was a blessing. I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your husband, Emmitt said, with complete sincerity. Emmett didn't want to interrupt Milly, as he wanted to hear the rest of the story. But he also wanted to show Milly he was listening intently. Thank you, looked over her lawn and continued her tale. It was Martin who bought Danny the bike. Danny never had a male role model, and Martin went out of his way to spend every waking moment with the child, playing catch in the backyard,

56:18 taking him fishing, showing him how to throw a football, and of course, how to ride a bike. Something Martin had done with Danny was exactly what Emmett hoped to do with his own son. He smiled, imagining how much fun Danny had had with his grandfather. He was also considering how much joy Martin must have obtained from teaching his grandson these things. Martin spent two days teaching Danny how to ride the bike and of course bike safety. He always wore a helmet. Martin was very strict when it came to protecting Danny's head, his sweet little head.

57:06 He had the most beautiful green eyes and jet black hair that made them really stand out. He had the sweetest dimples and a smile that could melt your heart. I shit you not, Millie began to laugh. Danny was a very independent kid. He had to be with a mother like my daughter. We didn't know it at the time, but she had left him home alone constantly. Danny knew how to cook and provide for himself. He knew when it was time to take a bath and when it was time to brush his teeth, and he knew how to clean up after himself. He had an old soul.

57:50 You could see sadness and tiredness in his eyes. Who knows what else that child saw when he was in the care of his How is your daughter now? Emmett told himself to stop asking questions. We'll get to that. Emmett saw a flicker of sadness in Millie's eyes when she responded, perhaps the same type of sadness that had been in Danny's eyes. Once Danny learned how to ride the bike, demanding his training wheels be removed after only a few hours, his independence again came into play. Within days, he was riding up and down the sidewalk without assistance.

58:37 Martin was so proud as I was. He would go up and down the street beeping the horn on his bike. I didn't see a horn on his bike, Emmett thought to himself. He also kept wanting to go further and further on his own, but we would only let him go as far as the stop sign where Coullie Place meets Gradis. Where you saw him fall in the middle of the street. Milly turned her face toward Emmett and looked at him thoughtfully. I didn't want Danny to ride in the street, but Martin convinced me that Danny was responsible, which he was. He never crossed the street without looking both ways and was always aware of his surroundings. As I said, Danny was wise beyond his years and very responsible.

59:36 We allowed him to ride in the street only when we were sitting here on the porch, and each time he left the house we would remind him of the importance of bike safety and being aware of drivers on the road. Emmett was thinking about how protective he was when it came to his own son, and knew it would be a hard decision to let him ride up and down the street without his supervision, let alone venturing into the road. He had already witnessed several older kids in his neighborhood who would often pull out in front of a car during their playful excitement. Luckily, he had not seen an accident yet. The first time Danny fell in the street and hurt his knee, I was terrified, just like you saw the other night. I didn't want Danny to ride that blasted bike any more, but Martin insisted that boys would be boys and he would learn from each fall he had. I gave in. Danny continued riding his bike, and soon he wanted to venture further.

1:00:51 He had made a friend in the house next to yours, a little boy named Billy. After meeting his mother and father, he agreed that Danny could ride his bike to the house to play with the boy, But the moment the street lights came on, he had to return home. Milly stopped talking and looked at Emmett again, Sorry, I'm rambling. You want to get to the nitty gritty of it all. Milly nervously smiled, then looked down at her hands resting in her lap. She nervously rubbed them together. One evening, I came outside to wait for Danny to return home.

1:01:41 The street lights had just come on. I sat outside on the porch waiting for him to arrive, and that's when I heard the most terrible sound I've ever heard. It was the sound of crashing metal. I heard tires squeal. I heard a terrible thud. Milly started crying. Emmett placed his hand on Milly's leg, letting her know he was sympathetic. I still hear those sounds in my dreams. I'm afraid they'll haunt me until the day I die, a reminder of those last minutes with my sweet little Danny. If it's too hard to continue, I understand. Emmett tried to be comforting, but he hoped she would continue. He had to know what happened to Danny, and he needed to understand why he was seeing him ride his bike up and down the street at night. Why was Danny haunting him?

1:02:49 This question he needed answers to above all else. No, it's just I miss him so much. Milly now had tears flowing down her cheeks. I heard Danny scream. I heard him cry. I got to my feet and I ran until it hurt. I have knee and back problems, you see. When I got to the street, I saw Danny crumpled in a ball, covered in blood. He had been crushed beneath the tires of a car. I ran to his tiny body and pulled him into my arms.

1:03:31 I got there just in time to see the confusion in his eyes, and a. Moment later I watched as all the light vanished from him. My Danny's gone. That's horrible. Emmett had tears in his own eyes. His mind kept thinking about Nathan and how he didn't know if he'd survive if he had seen something like that happened to him. If Nathan died, em it was sure he would as well. Milly wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. She still had more to tell him. Martin died a week later. I believe it was from a broken heart. He destroyed what remained of Danny's bike and blamed himself for teaching him how to ride.

1:04:29 His mother. My daughter cut her wrists in the rehab facility after she heard what happened. She blamed me and Martin, but I think she blamed herself even more. Danny wouldn't have been with us if she hadn't been in rehab, and he would have still been alive. Grief, Emmett replied, yes. Milly wiped tears from her eyes and again focussed them. A week later, was the first time I saw Danny riding his bike up and down the sidewalk again. Danny was dead and buried, but there he was, riding his bike, smiling and waving. He was dead, but his spirit was still here on this street where it remains. You are not going crazy, Emmett. You are seeing my dear Danny.

1:05:33 You are seeing him, and I believe he is trying to reach out and tell you something, something he's unable to say to me. Emmett was speechless. His hand had started shaking again. He didn't notice it until he reached to grab the glass of water Milly had given him. She also took notice of his shaking head had she fully understood why he was shaking. She couldn't imagine what was going through his mind, but she knew he believed her. It's a lot to take in, Milly said, Believe me, I thought I was going crazy the first time I saw Danny riding up and down the sidewalk. You and me both Emmett laughed and it came out in a stutter.

1:06:31 He took a small sip of the water and placed the glass back on the table. It was the first time I was alone here in the house that I saw Danny. Milly revealed I was having trouble sleeping. I hadn't slept alone since I was eighteen and married Martin. Trying to lay there in the bedroom without my Martin was impossible. I tried drinking warm milk, reading a book, anything to make myself tired, but nothing worked. So I came outside to sit on the porch. I thought the night's fresh air would help me fall asleep. Instead, I heard the sounds of a bike pedaling, and the next thing I knew, Danny was riding right in front of the house. He had a smile on his face, and he waved one hand at me and laughed. Emmett couldn't imagine what had to be going through Milly's mind when she saw him. He imagined how terrified she must have been.

1:07:46 When I saw Danny on the bike, I was initially scared. A deep kind of terror crept up on me. I thought I was going mad. I thought I was sleeping and it had been ad But when I stood to run off the porch and chase after him, I felt pain in my knees and hip and knew I wasn't dreaming. When I stepped off the porch, I saw him hit the corner of Cawley Place and Gratis, and then Danny and his bike vanished into thin air. One moment he was there and the next he wasn't. Has he ever spoken to you? Emmett's voice was shaking just as much as his hands were. Only once, Milly shot Emmett a warm smile. I don't believe Danny is here to speak to me. I believe he's here to comfort me, to let me see him at his happiest, riding his bike and having the time of his life. At first, seeing him did nothing but sadden me. I missed holding him in my arms and brushing his black hair from his eyes.

1:09:11 I missed him everything about him. What did he say to you? Emmett was both curious and nervous at the same time. He said. Milly's voice broke and the tears in her eyes poured down. He said, I'm fine, Grandma, I love you. Milly placed her face into her hands and caught her tears and sobs. Emmett again placed his hand on her leg to comfort her. Do you think Danny is trying to communicate with me? Emmett asked. Once Milly had composed herself I believe Dan, he is reaching out to you. She nodded. I'm not sure why, but he allowed you to see him getting hit by that car.

1:10:10 He's never done that before, that I'm aware of. Millie and Emmett sat talking for a few more minutes. They agreed to keep in touch with one another. She made Emmett promise that if Danny did speak to him, he would tell him how much she loved him and let her know what his message was. Emmett agreed. Stepping off Milly's porch and heading home, he noticed how late it had gotten and how much time had slipped away. While speaking to Milly, He pulled his phone out of his pocket and saw it was already six. He was starving.

1:10:53 His appetite had returned, even though his nerves were still shot. He was unsay certain that Danny was a true spirit with a message for him. Emmittt wasn't as scared as he had been the night before, but he was still uneasy, wondering what it could be that the boy might want to say to him, and questioning why Gareth had just gotten out of the shower. When Emmett returned home. You look like shit, he jokingly, mumbled, feeling like shit too.

1:11:37 Emmittt said, if you've come down with a bug, stay the fuck away from me. He said, as he headed towards his room. I can't afford to get sick. Just haven't been sleeping well, man, Emmett explained, nothing, a few shots down at the bar. Can't care. Gareth mocked his roommate, knowing how hard he had been working on his sobriety, but not believing it would stick. He thought Emmett would be a boozer until the day he died, and kept hoping and praying he'd fall off the wagon so they could go back to their nightly antics at the bar.

1:12:22 He missed working alongside his roommate and hoped he'd return and start bartending again. Emmett decided against making hamburgers and instead made a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches and ate half a bag of potato chips and two dill pickles. He then drove to a carry out next to his house to grab a case of beer. If that kid wants to communicate, let's fucking do it, Emmett thought. He planned to sit out on the porch, get a good buzz and look out for Danny. He was nervous, but didn't think Danny was trying to hurt him, at least he hoped not. After cracking open his first beer of the night and plopping down in a chair on his porch, Emmett called Nathan. They only spoke for a few minutes, with Nathan detailing what he had done throughout the day and how much fun he had had. The call ended with them both saying I love you. Emmett always had mixed feelings when getting off the phone with his son.

1:13:43 There was always a feeling of sadness. He missed his son and wished he was with him. The second feeling was overwhelming love. He had never loved anyone as much as he loved his son. He thought about him all throughout the day. After hanging up with Nathan, he started thinking about his life without his son. He couldn't begin to imagine what Milly Martin and their daughter had gone through when they had lost Danny. His mind again went to dark places, thinking how he knew he would never survive if anything tragic happened to Nathan. He just hoped and prayed that he would meet his own death before his son ever did. He knew he wouldn't be able to take it if it were the other way around.

1:14:47 Emmett didn't know it, but he was caught in the world of dreams. In the dream, he sat on the front porch, watching Nathan kick a small black and white soccer ball around and laughing as he played in the water sprinkler. Emmett reached to the table next to his chair to retrieve his cigarettes and realized he had left them on the counter in the kitchen. Stay there, Buddy, Emmett called out, daddy's grabbing his smokes. Emmett returned to the house, leaving the front door open, and approached the kitchen counter less than ten steps from the front door.

1:15:32 That is when he heard a terrible thud and tires screeching from the front of the house. Emmett dropped his cigarettes, turned and ran through the open door. All the air had left his lungs and his heart was brutally pounding. Nay. Then Emmett felt himself scream, but he didn't hear it. Truck had stopped in the middle of the road outside his house. In the middle of the street, he could see little Nathan crumpled in a ball in his swimming trunks in the gutter. He saw Nathan's soccer ball. He screamed again, running by the truck driver who had just exited his vehicle. The man was pale white and had a pained and terrified expression. I didn't see him, the man cried out. He came out of nowhere, and it ran to Nathan's crumpled body. He grabbed him and pulled him into his arms. He bled from every orifice and was not moving in the slightest. The man from the truck pulled his phone from his pocket, calling for help.

1:16:54 Multiple neighbors had moved from their porches to their front lawns and watched the scene with curious and horrified eyes. Emmett screamed again, shaking his tiny limp body and holding him tighter to his chest. He cried and moaned a sound that was terrifying and skin crawling. Wake up Emmett, a child's voice said. Emmett felt a cold, yet comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned around and young Danny stood beside him on a bike. He smiled, and when he did, a grotesque river of squiggling maggots fell from his mouth. Wake up Danny. Screamed. Emmett lurched forward on his seat. It was night He could see the moon and stars in the sky as he stood on his shaking feet. He was sweating and his heart was pounding.

1:18:12 He was recovering from the terrible dream he had just escaped from. It wasn't a dream, it was a fucking nightmare, his mind corrected him. A fucking nightmare, Emmett mumbled as he slowly sat back in his chair. Next to him were eleven empty beer bottles. He ignored those and grabbed his cigarettes, quickly lighting one. He needed to calm down before he lost his shit. He was having difficulty shaking the image of Nathan's crumpled and bloody body in his arms and the maggots spilling from Danny's mouth. Danny, Emmett whispered as he turned to the corner of Cawley Place and Gratis, where the boy on the bike always presented himself.

1:19:10 The street was quiet and there was no sign of Danny. A set of headlights appeared on the corner, and a second later, Gareth pulled into the driveway. Emmett immediately picked up his phone and checked the time. It was three thirty in the morning. Emmett couldn't believe he had been so out of it that he had slept that long. On the front porch, Gareth was getting off work. What's up, fuck face, Gareth called out as he came staggering out of his vehicle. Emmett could tell he was shitface drunk and probably fucked up on cocaine. God, I miss cocaine.

1:19:57 You missed a hell of a time tonight. Man. Gareth stumbled onto the porch and sat in the chair beside him. He placed two fingers to his lips, motioning for Emmett to give him a cigarette. He was a social smoker and never bought his own. He was well known for bumming them. Emmett slid his pack over on the table between them. Gareth drunkenly pulled out a cigarette and lit it. I bet I did, Emmett replied, with not much emotion. What the fuck are you doing out here so late? Gareth blew a cloud of smoke in his direction. Told you, man, haven't been sleeping too well. Nightmares, bad ones, Emmett answered, as something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Listen, man, Gareth began, I know I've been giving you a hard time about not drinking, and we haven't had the chance to hang out and talk lately. But if there is something on your mind, if you just need to vent, I'm here for you, buddy. But right now I've got to take a wicked piss. Gareth stood and walked by Emmett, entering the house and slamming the door. Emmett looked to the corner of Cawley Place and Gratis, where he watched Danny riding his bike back and forth in the darkness

1:21:31 of night. His heart once again attempted to claw its way out of his chest. Danny was on the corner once again. Emmett saw that he was wearing a tiny helmet, and this time he noticed a little horn connected to the handlebars of his bike. Danny stopped on the corner, turned his bike around, and sped back up the road, disappearing from Emmett's line of vision. Should I go after him? What does Danny want with me? He knew. Milly believed Danny was trying to reach out for some mysterious reason.

1:22:17 Why did he choose me? He stood, stepped off his porch and began walking toward the corner. His legs felt heavy beneath his frame. Emmett could feel sweat building on his forehead. He moved closer to the corner and felt flush with heat. When he saw Danny speeding down the street toward him, Emmett stopped walking, frozen to his spot in the middle of the two streets. Danny waved a hand at him. This is fucking insane, he thought to himself, as he slowly lifted his hand and returned the gesture.

1:23:05 Danny laughed and beaped the horn on his bike. He stopped on the corner and stared Emmett in the eyes. He could feel them penetrating his soul. His skin was pale and nearly sparkling in the moonlight. Danny dropped his face and Emmett watched in terror as a stream of maggots began running from the corner of the boy's eyes. He was crying, a river of maggots. Emmett held his hand to his mouth, sure he was about to vomit. Billy.

1:23:50 Danny opened his mouth and the word filled the air. But it wasn't coming directly from his mouth. It was coming from all around. Emmett. Pounding in his ears talk to Billy. Danny's hand lifted and pointed beyond Emmett toward his house, or at least in that general direction. Beware the bad lady. Danny's mouth shut. He stopped pointing, snapped his fingers, and suddenly vanished. Another restless night lay ahead of Emmett. He couldn't get Danny out of his mind.

1:24:46 He didn't understand why, out of all people, he had chosen to reveal himself and reach out to him. I'm a loser, Emmett thought as he stared at the sea in the darkness of his room, wishing he could fall asleep. At the same time, he was sure that even in sleep, he wouldn't obtain rest. He'd been having terrible nightmares for days now. Billy was the little boy that Danny had been friends with before his death. Emmett was sure he knew who the little boy was. He had seen him a few times in his backyard while mowing the grass.

1:25:35 He had a habit of kicking his soccer ball over the small fence into the back yard, but he never once tried to venture into Emmett's yard to retrieve it. Emmett would toss it over the fence each time he discovered it, but he wouldn't have minded if the kid had crossed on to his property to retrieve his belongings. Who is the bad lady? This was the final thought Emmitt had before his eyes finally grew heavy and he was instantly transported into the realm of nightmares. Emm It jerked in his sleep. He could hear crying coming from the other side of his bedroom door. It was Nathan.

1:26:29 Goosebumps covered Emmit's skin, and a nervousness flowed through his blood to the point that he was sure he would be sick. Emmet knew Nathan was not at his house that night, but he knew the crying came from his son, Nathan. Emmett called out, pulling himself out of bed and rushing into the hall, Nathan, where are you? He heard the crying again and ran toward the living room, positive that that was where the sound came from. The moment he entered the room, he stopped frozen in place. The living room had changed. It was not how Emmett remembered it.

1:27:19 It was almost from another time, even though it was his living room. There was a large oriental rug that covered much of the hardwood floor. An old brown recliner sat in the corner beside the bay window. The curtains were open, but they were not curtains that Emmett recognized from his home. The curtains were yellow with orange and blue butterflies. It was dark outside. There was a small table next to the recliner where he saw a glass of urine or light colored tea. Next to it were three open baby jars. Each one looked like they were filled with blood. It was dripping from the sides of the jars, running on to the table. What terrified Emmett the most was the forty something woman sitting in the chair.

1:28:23 Her face was jaunt with dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was thinning to the point that he could see bald patches. She wore an old white cotton nightgown covered in dry food and multiple stains. There were holes in it as well as if moths had been feeding on it. She reminded Emmett of some one in the final stages of cancer. On the woman's lap sat Nathan, not really sat, more like a held prisoner. She gripped Nathan's arm and Emmett could see his son squirming in her grasp. Her other hand had a large spoon in it.

1:29:11 She moved it to the table, dipped it in one of the bloody jars, and then pulled it out, moving it back to Nathan. Nathan screamed, and Emmett could see his lips and face stained red. He was sure the creepy woman had been feeding him what was in the jars. He looked at the spoon she was moving toward his son's mouth and saw an eyeball on it. Veins hung off the spoon, and drops of blood were falling like rain. The woman quickly shoved the spoon into Nathan's screaming mouth.

1:29:55 No Emmett bound forward. He was no l longer frozen in place, but the moment he took his first step to rescue his son, he awoke in the real world and fell off his bed, hitting the hardwood floor with a thud. Shit Emmett called out in pain. Sunlight was creeping in through the sides of the curtains in his bedroom window. His heart was still racing from the realness of the nightmare. He looked over at the clock and saw that it was already noon. What the hell am I going to do. After showering, Emmett was pleased to discover he had energy. He had felt drained ever since seeing Danny for the first time, even though he had experienced the terrible dream the night before. He had also gotten enough sleep to feel like a new person. He also discovered that his appetite was coming back. He made some crispy bacon and a large four egg omelet. He devoured every bit of it. While eating breakfast, Emmett decided

1:31:27 his first order of business would be to see if he could find Billy outside playing so he could speak with him. Emmett was nervous about doing this, knowing how it could look if his neighbors saw him conversing deeply with a little boy in the neighborhood. It didn't seem appropriate, but Emmett knew he had to do it. Danny had directed him to do so, and he was curious to see what the boy would say, not that he had any idea of how to start a conversation about Danny with him. Emmett considered walking down to Milly's and telling her about the words Danny had spoken to him, but he decided against it. He would only talk to her when he had something more substantial to tell her. Plus, he didn't want to worry the lady. She had enough going on in her life already. Emmett pushed his mower into the backyard. His grass didn't need cutting, but he felt he would look less creepy if he at least appeared to be doing something in his yard. When he

1:32:59 conversed with Billy, he noticed that the boy always played in his backyard. He seemed like a loaner. He spotted Billy's black and white soccer ball to the left of his fence line. He didn't approach it. He'd wait for Billy to appear first. That way he could quickly start a conversation with the boy. He didn't have to wait too long. Billy came running out of the back door of his house and went to the wooden shed. Moving to the side of it, he watched as the little boy pulled out a small soccer goal and moved it to the corner of his yard where he always set it up. He waved at Emmett, Sorry, mister, Billy called out, I kicked my ball into your yard again. The boy smiled, but it wasn't a happy one. Was an apologetic one.

1:34:03 Not a problem, buddy. Emmett stopped pretending to pick weeds and went to the soccer ball. He retrieved it and walked over to the fence, where Billy awaited. Here you go. He tossed the ball to the boy. Thanks. I'm trying to get better with my high kicks, but I keep losing control of the ball. Billy explained, do you play soccer in school? Emmett pushed forward, trying to show the kid he was friendly. Not in school. Billy shook his head. I play at the YMCA, though I'm the second best player on the team. I reckon. Emmett laughed and then smiled.

1:34:47 He liked the confidence the kid displayed. What position do you play? Center forward? You must be good if you're a forward. Billy dropped the ball to his feet, and Emmett thought he was about to display some footwork to impress him. Instead, he moved closer to Emmett and the fence. He looked back over his shoulder as if he was checking to see if his parents were around or if anyone was listening. Then he whispered, did Danny send you?

1:35:27 The seriousness and the tone of Billy's whispers sent chills running through Emmett's body. Yes, Emmett whispered, how did you know that? Billy looked over his shoulder again, then returned his gaze to Emmett. He comes to me in my dreams sometimes, only I don't think I'm dreaming. I think he's really here, and he's sad. Why is he said, Because he's dead and he told you I was going to talk to you. He wants me to tell you about the the bad Lady. Billy's face filled with concern, and his whisper lowered even more. Who is the bad lady?

1:36:21 Emmett asked the question, not knowing if he wanted the answer. Even in the light of day, he felt terror she Billy started to speak when his mother stepped out the back door. She had a nervous look on her face. Billy, the woman called out. He jumped at the sound of her voice. Hey mom, Billy faked a smile. This is our neighbor. I kicked my ball into his yard. Emmett raised a hand in greeting, i'mm it nice to meet you, ma'am. The woman stared him up and down. He could tell she was sizing him up to see if he was a friend. Or foe. She was looking out for her little boy. I'm Missus Smith. Emmett could tell by the expression on her face that she was not happy that he had been talking to her son. Even though he needed answers about the bad lady, he decided not to press his luck anyway. I better get back to work.

1:37:33 Emmett turned, starting away from his fence. This lawn isn't going to mow itself. He moved to his mower and noticed that Missus Smith was still staring at him. He didn't plan on mowing the lawn, but now he had no choice. He had to put on a show or Missus Smith would think he was a threat. Had already returned to his ball and goal. Emmett started the mower and began cutting his grass, wondering how he would find out who the bad lady was. Was it the woman from his nightmare the night before? She certainly looked like a bad lady feeding his son eyeballs? Did the bad lady hurt Billy or Danny? Does the bad lady want to hurt Nathan? Emmittt wondered, and a shudder ran down his spine. That night, Emmett found himself once again sitting on the porch of his house. His eyes were directed toward the corner of Cawley Place and Gradis, eagerly waiting for an appearance of Danny. He had met with Bill like Danny wanted, but did not receive much information. All

1:39:05 he knew was Billy knew who the bad lady was. Emmett was half way through a case of beer and was good and stoned. He had gone through more weed in three days than he usually went through in a month. He realized that was partly to replace his alcohol consumption with another vice. He really could go for a jack and coke, maybe a double or a triple. He had also gone from smoking one pack of cigarettes daily to two to two and a half packs. He could feel his lungs burning each night he crawled into bed and he would hack for a good hour after he first awoke.

1:39:51 In the morning, there was no sign of Danny and he was starting to think he would not be appearing that night. Part of Emmett wanted to see him, while another part hoped he wouldn't show up. He just wanted the whole situation to end before he was forced to open a bottle of whiskey or snort an entire bag of cocaine. Time to break the seal. Emmett's bladder was screaming for release. He stood up, moved to the door, and placed his feet on the doormat when he noticed something near his foot. There was a piece of paper poking out from under the doormat. Emmett stepped back, lowered himself to the ground, and pulled the paper from under the doormat. It was a folded piece of notebook paper.

1:40:48 Emmett opened it and saw youthful writing in black. It was all written in large print, with a few misspellings. Emmett looked at the bottom of the paper and saw it was signed Billy. The little neighbor boy had left him a note. Emmet forgot about the need to release his bladder as he sat back in his chair and began reading the letter. In the dim light above his head, two moths flew around the light bulb near the door. My mom doesn't like you. She doesn't like your house.

1:41:28 That is where the bad lady lived. She says you could be a bad man. I don't believe her. You are nice. The bad lady gave us cookies. They made me sick. The bad Lady didn't like us playing ball or making noise. The bad Lady hurt Danny. I still see her sometimes in the windows of your house. Be careful, signed Billy. Hand shook and he dropped the note on to his lap. He slowly turned his head, looking to the bay window. He had the uncanny feeling that he was being watched, not by Danny, but by someone inside his house. He felt like the bad Lady was watching him.

1:42:26 Danny did not make an appearance that night. Sleep did not come easy for Emmett. That night. He lay on his bed reading the letter from Billy over and over again. The bad Lady was the lady who lived in the house before he moved in. He was sure of that now. It was just hard for him to believe. After meeting her father, whom he purchased the home from, he couldn't imagine his daughter being bad, let alone a person who could hurt a child. You never know what types of secrets people hide. Just because her father was nice doesn't mean she was. She could have been a truly terrible person.

1:43:26 People can lead two very different lives without being discovered. Emmett knew that for a fact. If she was a bad lady. What did she do to Danny? Was she responsible for his death? Is that what Danny is trying to tell me? Billy said he sometimes saw the bad Lady in the windows of his house. That chilled Emmett to the bone. He told himself the little boy could have imagined things, seeing things that weren't there. But at the same time, he wondered if maybe her soul was attached to the house the same way Danny seemed to be connected to his bike and the street corner. Emmett fell asleep thinking about the bad lady and how she could have hurt Danny, and if she was attached to the house, would she be capable of hurting Nathan. The following morning, Emmett found himself watching Nathan like a hawk.

1:44:39 He would not let his son out of sight as they played in the living room. The house was small, and from the living room he could see into the dining room and down the hall. The only place he couldn't see was the bathroom. Nathan was potty trained and drank so much juice that he ran to the bathroom every twenty minutes. Emmittt grew nervous each time he was in the bathroom. He kept waiting to hear Nathan scream. If he did, Emmett knew it would be because the bad lady had her grip on him and would be feeding him eyeballs. He was so distracted by his thoughts that he couldn't even enjoy himself with his son. He felt terrible when he dropped him off at his mother's work.

1:45:32 He felt like he had wasted the day thinking about the boy on the bike and the bad lady when he should have focused entirely on living in the moment and making memories with his son. On his way home, Emmett stopped at the liquor store. He went inside and grabbed the largest bottle of whiskey he could find. He didn't want to do it, but couldn't help himself. He needed to get fucked up. He needed to get as shit faced as possible to escape the world around him. Emmt also stopped at the bar he used to work at, had two beers and waited for one of the local dealers to show up. When they did, he approached them and secured some cocaine. He knew what he was doing was wrong. He had been doing so well with avoiding hard liquor and drugs, but the idea that there may be a bad lady lurking behind the walls of his home was pushing him over the edge. Tears were in Emmett's eyes as he made the drive back to his house.

1:46:46 He was disappointed in himself, but was incapable of stopping. Gareth was sitting on the couch when Emmett walked through the front door. He eyed the bottle of whiskey in Emmett's hand. He figured it was just a matter of time before Emmett would return to the bottle. He had also received a text from the bartender at work letting him know that Emmett had shown up. He was finally going to get his friend back and they could go bar hopping and chasing tail again. Rough day, he asked, rough week. Emmett responded as he moved to the kitchen and placed the bottle on the counter. He returned to his car and retrieved a case of beer, a two liter of coke, and a bag of hamburger meat. Gareth curiously watched Emmett season hamburger meat in the kitchen. He had already cracked open two beers and smoked one cigarette after another. Seriously man, Gareth began as he turned down the television set where he had been watching an old war movie. You need to talk, I'm good man, Emmet lied.

1:48:10 He would have liked to sit down and tell Gareth everything about the boy on the bike and the bad lady. He would have loved to tell him about Milly, the story she told him about Danny, and how he was terrified Nathan could be in danger in the house. He had not seen or heard anything in the house other than that feeling of being watched that one night. No bumps in the night, no apparitions. He also knew Gareth would not believe a single word. He figured he himself wouldn't have believed them if he had been on the opposite side of the events. He was now part of working tonight. Yeah, picked up a shift, Gareth answered emm It grilled out some burghers, and he and Gareth devoured them. Afterward, Gareth headed off to work and Emmett headed to the porch with a beer, a bottle of whisky and a glass full of ice with a splash of coke and sat down. He was ready to confront Danny. It was just beginning to grow dark outside, but Emmett was already shifting in his seat. He shifted from side to side and kept looking at the corner. He kept expecting Danny

1:49:44 to appear, but he knew it wasn't dark enough. Danny only appeared when darkness fully engulfed the neighborhood. The glass of ice with a splash of coke had melted entirely. The whiskey bottle had yet to be opened, but Emmett kept eyeing it, fighting the urge to pour himself a hearty glass. He had one hand in his pocket, fingering the small bag of cocaine he had acquired. He had yet to partake, but he was getting close to running inside and spreading a few lines out on the kitchen counter to truly gain the focus he needed to confront Danny.

1:50:28 Emmett decided he'd do whatever it took to get Danny to tell him what exactly he wanted so he could end the nightmare he was living. He just wanted to be done with Danny and the bad Lady. He needed to return his focus to getting a job and being an upstanding father to Nathan. I want you to stay away from my son, Missus Smith stood three feet from Emmett's front porch. He didn't even see her walk up his lawn. He had been consumed with his thoughts about Danny and the bad lady. Hello, Missus Smith. Emmett's voice was shaking. He could see Missus Smith's eyes judgmentally looking at all the empty beer cans and the bottle of whiskey sitting next to him. I didn't think I did anything wrong. We were just talking about soccer. You were doing more than that, Emmett. Missus Smith moved a step closer to the porch. You were talking to him about Danny.

1:51:38 He told me you asked about him, and he told me he told you about the lady who used to live in this house. Billy told me she was a bad lady, Emmett revealed. Everyone that has lived in your house has been a bad person, but she was the worst of all. I'm sure she poisoned and Billy and Danny the night that poor sweet child was hit by a car. I couldn't prove it, and at this point it's moot now that the bitch got what she deserved, Missus Smith said, with a crooked smile playing across her face. Listen, no, you listen to me, Missus Smith stepped back. Billy is finally getting over what happened with Danny and this house.

1:52:26 You stay the fuck away from him, or I'll send my husband here next time. And he is nowhere near as nice as I am. Emmett didn't even need to verbalize a response. He nodded as she quickly turned and walked away from the house. She stopped halfway down the sidewalk, looked over her shoulder and shot Emmett the middle finger. The sound of a horn filled Emmett's ears. It wasn't the horn from a car, it was the horn from a bike. Emmett turned his head and looked to the corner of Cawley Place and Gratis. There in the middle of the street was Danny. He was looking at Emmett, waving at him with one dead and clammy hand. The bizarre interaction between Emmett and Missus Smith was no longer on his mind. Emmett's eyes were focused on Danny standing in the street waving at him. He didn't turn his bike and ride back into the shadows of the street as he usually did. This is it the moment of truth, Emmett thought, as he walked across the lawn, heading directly to the corner where Danny stood. His legs were wobbly,

1:53:56 just like the night he had witnessed the ghost boy hit by a car. Danny stopped waving his hand and dropped it to his side. He had a serious expression on his face. His eyes were wholly transfixed on Emmett. I talked to Billy. He told me the bad lady lived in my house, Emmett began before he even made it to Danny. He didn't even care that one of the neighbors might see him talking to himself, because they most likely wouldn't have seen Danny standing in the road.

1:54:37 He believed that Danny had appeared that night to speak to him, to see if he talked to Billy or not. See. Danny's voice was monotone, his eyes were nearly black, but Emmett could feel them eyeing him. See what. Emmett yelled. He was now closer to Danny than he had ever been before. Danny dropped his hands from the handlebars of his bike and reached them toward Emmett as if he were requesting a hug. See Danny repeated the moment he did maggots began pouring out from the corners of his eyes like tears. Again, what do you want me to see?

1:55:30 Danny stepped right before the bike. He was sure it would vanish into thin air if he reached out to touch it. See Danny screamed as he pulled Emmett down until they were staring one another in the eyes. Emmett's skin crawled as he watched the larvae roll out of the corners of his eyes. See Danny placed both hand on the side of Emmett's head and put his thumbs over Emmett's eyes. Emmett immediately closed his eyelids, and a second later he saw things as he had never seen them before. Emmett was more disoriented than he could ever remember being. He was even more disoriented than he had ever been when he was nearing blackout, drunk or stoned out of his gourd. At first, he could barely get his eyes to focus. He knew he was standing on grass and it was daytime, but everything was moving fast.

1:56:50 Kick it to me, Danny, A young voice called out. Emmett immediately recognized it as the voice of the neighbor boy, Billy. Emmett's vision lifted and he was staring directly at Billy, who was a few yards away. He looked down and saw a soccer ball between his tiny feet. Emmett was not looking through his own eyes. He was looking through Danny's eyes. Danny had taken control of him and was showing him things just as he had seen them in the past before he was killed. Emmett watched Danny's little foot pull back and kick the soccer ball to Billy.

1:57:38 He began to dribble the ball and went to kick it into the goal. He pulled his leg back and kicked with a vengeance. The ball went high into the air, flew over the goal, and crossed over the fence into the back yard of the house Emmett now lived in. However, it did not live in the house. Now. The bad Lady lived in the house. This was a vision from the past. What did I tell you, little shits? The voice was crude and high pitched. Danny turned toward the sound of the voice, and Emmett caught a glimpse of the bad Lady for the first time. The woman was five feet tall with a hunched back. She was wearing a pink bathroom that had seen better days. She had long, scraggly, sandy blonde hair that needed to be washed. She had an oxygen tank with tubes running to her nose. Her teeth were stained brown, and Emmett assumed it was from the tea stains. As he had been told, she died in her chair drinking tea. Sorry, ma'am. Billy's voice called out, there was an accident. It's always an accident, the bad lady lashed out. If it happens again, I'll keep the damn ball. Anything on my property is mine. Danny shuffled

1:59:13 his feet and his eyes dropped to the ground. Get your ball and scoot, the bad lady called out. Danny lifted his eyes and Emmett watched as Danny climbed over the fence, retrieved the ball, and retreated to his yard. The bad lady cussed under her breath. Danny's eyes lifted and he watched as she vanished back into her house. A shudder of brilliant white light flashed before Danny and Emmett's eyes. It reminded him of the bright flash from a camera. A second later, he was transported to a new scene. He was once again looking through Danny's eyes.

2:00:06 He could instantly tell that he was climbing onto his bike. Danny began to pedal the bike quickly. He was outside Billy's house and the street lights had just come on. Danny waved goodbye to Billy as he sped away. He turned his bike and rode by the house Emmett now lived in. He heard a crunching sound and watched Danny hit the brakes on his bike, bringing it to a halt. Oh no, Danny's voice called out as he dropped his eyes, and Emmett saw what Danny was seeing. The sidewalk outside the house was covered in broken glass. Danny had just ridden over it and popped his tire. That'll teach you, little shits. The bad lady stood on the front porch.

2:01:03 She had a beer bottle in her hand that matched the same glass on the sidewalk. This sidewalk is mine, now, shoe get going. Emmett heard Danny crying. He was upset about his tire popping and was scared of the bad lady. She was a cruel woman. Who the fuck does she think she is? Emmett thought to himself, She doesn't own the fucking sidewalk. In front of the damn house. Danny was just a kid, and she flattened his tire for no reason. The strange visions continued for what seemed like hours to Emmett. He saw Danny's grandpa help him fix the tire on his bike. He watched as Danny's Grandma, Millie, tucked him into bed. Emmett felt nothing but love when he captured vision of Danny and his grandparents. Whenever the visions would switch to Danny playing with Billy and seeing the Bad Lady, Emmitt felt nothing but nervousness and fear.

2:02:15 There was no love other than when Danny and Billy were playing in Billy's front yard or within the protection of Billy's house. The visions grew confusing when they seemed to slow down to a single moment, a moment Emmett knew was critical. He could feel it in his bones. Hey, boys, it was the voice of the Bad Lady. But she was not screaming or scolding Danny and Billy. Emmet saw her through Danny's eyes. She was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a floral shirt. Her hair was fixed, but her smile was still brown. She was smiling at the boys. You can get your ball. I can see it by my flowers. Danny's eyes looked to Billy's, and Emmett could see confusion in Billy's eyes. The bad Lady had never spoken to the boys with any sort of politeness.

2:03:22 It was very unsettling. Okay, Billy said, as he crossed the fence to retrieve the ball. Do you like sunflowers, the bad Lady questioned, yeah, they are pretty. Billy stuttered, thank you. I work hard to keep them looking this way. They make me happy. The bad Lady spoke, do you like cookies. Danny's eyes focused on Billy again, Yes, ma'am. Billy answered, well, I just made some fresh chocolate chip cookies and sun tea. The bad Lady said, why don't you boys join me in the sunroom and we can have some. Billy and Danny's eyes once again met. Both of them were nervous, but the idea of chocolate chip cookies delighted them both. The Bad Lady's sunroom was quaint.

2:04:36 There were hundreds of flowers, a small flowing fountain in the corner, and numerous comfy seats with floral patterns. There was also a small glass table where Emmett saw a plate of fresh cookies and a picture of sun tea. The bad Lady poured the boys a glass of iced tea each as both boys eagerly ate the cookies. Danny's eyes surveyed every inch of the sunroom, and Emmett could see how beautiful it really was. Back in his reality, there were only a few old lawn chairs and trash bags filled with empty beer bottles. He wished the sunroom looked like the bad Ladies. He imagined that Nathan would enjoy sitting out there and playing. Another flash of light moved the scene to Billy's backyard, where the soccer ball was being passed around again. It was growing dark and Emmett knew the street lights would come on soon, beckoning Danny back to his grandparents house. Billy suddenly stopped dribbling the ball and looked at Danny with a pained expression, I feel sick. Danny ran to the corner of the yard where the sh the shed was set. He leaned over and began vomiting. Though Emmett was looking through Danny's eyes,

2:06:08 he could also feel what Danny was feeling. He felt his stomach rumble and then a tiny stab of pain. He could tell that Danny was about to be sick too. The street lights were coming on, and Emmett could hear Billy's mom calling the puking kid inside. I don't feel so good, Danny said, with a shaking voice. I'm going home. Danny stumbled to Billy's front yard and got on his bike. Emmett started to see that Danny's vision was blurring. He got to his bike and had a hard time getting onto it and getting it going. When he did, he swerved back and forth on the sidewalk as he rode to the corner, turned and rode by the Bad Lady's house.

2:07:05 He looked at it, but his vision kept going in and out. He could see Danny peddling faster on the bike, crossing the street to pass over from Cawley Place to Gratis. Emtt next saw the headlights of a car barreling down on Danny. He watched in horror through Danny's eyes as his little body was hit and thrown through the air. He felt the wind go out of Danny. He heard his bones crunch and crack on the pavement. He felt tears and blood forming in Danny's eyes. And rolling from his mouth. He listened to the cries of Milly screaming.

2:07:52 He then watched her come to Billy and hold his dying body in her arms. Another camera flash of light filled Emmett's mind, and he was back standing on the street corner. He was staring directly into the eyes of the boy on the bike, who had removed his hands and fingers from Emmett's head and face. See Danny, cried out, See see what? Emmett was crying. He had witnessed the death of Danny first hand and couldn't stop thinking what if that had been Nathan? See Danny hissed one final time before he vanished into a vapor of smoke. Emmett stood from his hunched position in the street and stared at the spot where Danny had been Moments earlier. A horn honked and brakes squealed. Emmett looked up and saw that a car had stopped just feet from him. He had nearly been hit again in the same spot where Danny had been killed. Three days later, Emmett gathered Milly

2:09:27 and Billy's parents, Mister and Missus Smith, into his living room. He waited to arrange the gathering when Gareth would not be home. He didn't want him to know anything about the boy on the bike, and it was certain he would think he had lost his mind. It had been a near impossible task for Emmett to convince mister and Missus Smith to come to his home. Missus Smith had already shown great disdain for him. Only after Emmett revealed that he could prove the previous tenant of two seventeen Callie Place poisoned both her son and Danny did they agree.

2:10:12 Missus Smith was skeptical but acquiesced. However, she threatened Emmett that if we were fucking around with them, she would take action. If Jerry, the father of the Bad Lady and his wife were still in Ohio, he would have invited them as well, but they had already relocated to Florida. He planned to send them what he uncovered only after he showed it to the Smiths and Milly. Milly was the easiest to convince to stop by Emmett told her he had spoken to Danny and knew what he wanted him to see. She smiled with tears in her eyes and told Emmett she would be there Emmett had connected his laptop to the flat screen TV mounted on the living room wall and purchased a couple of bottles of wine.

2:11:10 He wasn't sure if the Smiths or Milly would be interested in drinking, but he figured it would at least be a polite gesture when hosting house guests. The Smiths arrived a few minutes before eight that night. Billy was with them. He shyly waved at Emmett and sat beside his mother on the couch. Mister Smith introduced himself and shook Emmett's hand. He had a firm handshake when speaking to him. He looked Emmett directly in the eyes, and Emmett could tell that mister Smith did not trust him. Milly arrived at seven thirty. She was anxious to discover what Emmett had to say, and was more than curious why Emmett had invited the Smiths. What is this all about, missus Smith questioned. She had crossed her legs and was anxiously shaking her foot. She was eyeing the room up and down judgmentally. Well, we are all here for Danny, Emmett began. You didn't even know the kid mister Smith said, you weren't here when the accident happened. I know. Emmett began again. Then explain to us why we are here.

2:12:33 Missus Smith said, in the most condescending tone, how about we let the young man say what he has to say instead of interrupting him. Let's give him a little respect like mature adults. Milly sat forward in the recliner and shot fire from her eyes as she spoke to mister and Missus Smith directly. Billy smiled when she did so, and Emmett a imagine this was the first time someone had ever talked to his parents with disrespect in his presence. He figured the kid was happy to see someone take a stand against them. Mister and Missus Smith looked shocked, but fell silent and sat back on the couch, returning their gaze to Emmett. When I first moved here, I began seeing a small boy on a bike. He would ride up and down the street and then vanish. At first, I didn't think much about it, but then one night I believed I saw this little boy being hit by a car in the intersection. But when I got to the corner, the boy he wasn't there. This went on for weeks until one day I took a walk and ran into Milly. Emmett quickly described his first experiences with Danny.

2:13:59 Milly leaned forward and directed her attention to the Smiths again. I invited Emmett here to sit with me on my porch. I could tell he was troubled and had many things on his mind. I also knew he had seen Danny riding his bike up and down the street. Milly explained, with all due respect, Milly, your grandson is dead. He isn't riding his bike up and down the street any longer. Mister Smith spoke gently. Milly chuckled, I may be older, but I can confidently tell you I have seen Danny riding his bike up and down the street. I've been seeing him do this since his funeral, and to this very day. Others have also seen him, but he's only directly interacted with me and emmittt here. He interacted with me because of our closeness, but I was never certain why he had revealed himself to Emmett and showed him the accident he was in. I don't believe in ghosts, missus Smith replied, Mommy, I see Danny too. He tells me things. Billy spoke for the first time since arriving at Emmett's house. We don't tell lies in this family, Billy.

2:15:24 Mister Smith sternly spoke to his son, I'm not telling lies, Billy solemnly swore. Mister and missus Smith both looked from Billy then to one another. Billy was a good kid, and he had never once lied to them as far as they were concerned. Still, neither one of them believed in ghosts, whether you believe it or not. I want to show you something on my TV. It'll only take a few seconds, but I want you to know this first. Danny spoke to me about the bad lady who lived in this house, and he wanted me to see something from the final day of his life. Em It shook.

2:16:09 He hadn't had a single drink all day. He wanted to be completely sober when he revealed what he had discovered. Danny showed me that the bad lady may have poisoned him and Billy here. Emmett continued, but of course there has never been any proof until now. Emm It turned from his visitors. He switched on the TV and clicked a few keys on his laptop. A few seconds later, the screen came to life, and the Smiths and Milly discovered the truth. Three days earlier, after having the strange experience with Danny in the street where he saw through his eyes, Emmett had returned to his house and had a one person party. He consumed the entire bottle of whisky and half the bag of cocaine he had acquired to hell with sobriety, he thought to himself he needed to get the images of Danny's accident from his mind and the feelings he experienced whenever he was around the Bad Lady. He blacked out drunk and woke up in a pool of vomit and urine in the upstairs bathroom of his house, dry heaving with the worst headache of his life. Emm It was in and out of consciousness

2:17:43 the rest of the day in his bedroom with the curtains tightly closed. He took small SIPs of water and nibbled on crackers. He took it slowly, certain he would throw up. Plus, whenever he opened his eyes and came into contact with direct light, he felt like he was about to pass out. See Danny's voice kept popping into Emmett's mind. What the fuck do you want me to see? Emmett whispered into the emptiness and darkness of his bedroom. Emmett started to recall that one memory Danny showed him involved the sun room of his new home. He remembered thinking Danny wanted him to pay attention. He remembered all the beautiful flowers, the comfy chairs, and the table. He also remembered the fountain, cookies and tea. He knew he was supposed to remember something else, but could not figure out what it was. For his life, white flashes of light had taken him from one scene to the next.

2:18:57 As Danny showed him memory after me, Emmett recalled thinking that it reminded him of flashes from a camera. Emmett's eyes opened wide. He suddenly remembered something from the sun room of his house when he bought the place. He remembered the wireless, battery powered security camera installed in the sun room. He remembered asking Jerry, the father of the Bad Lady, about the cameras, and he told them they came with the house, but he didn't know if they worked. When Emmett opened the camera in the sunroom. He found. The batteries were acid covered and smelled metallic. The cameras were cheap, and Emmett didn't think he needed them. The neighborhood was safe and he didn't think anyone would dare fuck with him or his roommate. He removed all four cameras.

2:19:53 He found two on the front of the house, one on the back, and the one in the sun room, the one Danny wanted him to see. Emmett found the hard drive for the cameras, placed it and the cameras in a box, and put them in the attic. When he moved into the house, he stored them away, thinking maybe he could sell them on Facebook or eBay. The fucking hard drive. Emmett needed to retrieve the hard drive and see if it had anything from the sun room on it. His headache and stomach issues were no longer a concern. He retrieved the hard drive from the attic and attempted to figure out how to operate it. When he couldn't, he got in his car and headed to the bar he used to work at. Peter was a computer technician who spent most of his time at the bar when he wasn't working Emmet had shown him the hard drive and asked if he could pull the contents from the device and place them on his lap. Peter agreed to do so if Emmett would pay off his tab at the bar, which was nearing two hundred dollars.

2:21:09 Emmett didn't want to spend that type of money, but he knew if he didn't, he'd most likely be haunted by Danny until the day he died. All three Smiths and Milly leaned forward, watching the security camera footage playing on the screen. The footage was from the sunroom, and it was also from the night that Danny died. Milly held her hand to her mouth as she saw Billy and Danny enter the sunroom and devour cookies and tea. She had tears in her eyes seeing Danny smiling and joking around with his best friend. They watched the footage until Billy and Danny left the sun room, leaving the bad Lady alone. She waved at the boys and flipped them off when their backs were to her. The footage stopped and Emmett looked at his guests. Did you notice that she didn't drink tea or cookies with Danny and Billy that day. He asked, now that you mention it, yes, but that doesn't prove that she did anything illegal. Missus Smith answered with curious eyes. She felt like Emmett had more to say or to share with them. That day.

2:22:39 You got sick, Billy, right, I did. I couldn't get off the toilet all night, and I puked for two days. Mom thought I had the flu, Billy explained. Danny and Billy were poisoned by the lady that lived here. I don't know if she was trying to kill them or just make them sick. Billy, did you get dizzy and have blurred vision? Emmett continued, I did. He staggered around like a drunk. Mister Smith revealed. We just assured him it was from his fever and sickness. I have one more thing to show you, Everett moved to the laptop.

2:23:22 I went back on the footage to before the boys arrived, and that's when I found this. He pushed another key and then stood back and allowed the others to watch as the bad Lady entered the sun room with her plate of cookies and a pitcher of tea. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bottle of pills. She placed a few into her mouth and appeared to begin them. She then leaned over the pitcher and spat them into the tea. She seemed to be laughing. There was no audio on the video, so no one could be sure. She then stirred the tea and placed the bottle of pills back into her pocket, before going to the back door and entering her yard. On her way to invite Danny and Billy inside for cookies and tea, the video stopped and everyone sat in stunned silence. I don't know what she put in the tea, but her father told me she died of a blood disease, so so I assumed she put some of her medication in there.

2:24:50 I don't know what it is, but I believe it affected Danny like it did Billy. I believe he was disoriented when he left your house. Emmett motioned toward the Smiths. I bet he didn't even see the car coming when he was hit by it. My Danny was always so safe. Tears streamed down Milly's cheeks. Emmett and his visitors spoke for upwards of an hour about his discovery. They believed the bad lady had drugged the young boys, but with her dead, they didn't think they could do anything about it.

2:25:31 I think Danny just wanted us to know what happened, Milly said toward the end of the conversation. Mister and Missus Smith still didn't believe in ghosts. Later that night, they both agreed that Emmett must have been bored and had been going through the footage left on the hard drive and discovered the drugging of the boys. They didn't know what his angle was, but decided to watch him closely. Milly hugged Emmett on the front porch as she headed toward the street. Before leaving, she told him she loved him and thanked him, telling him that she believed Danny would be at peace now that the truth had been revealed.

2:26:23 Emmett sat on his porch that night with a smile on his face. He didn't even feel the need to drink. He enjoyed a few cigarettes and thought about everything he would do the next day when Nathan came to the house. He was ready to be the very best father he could be, right before heading inside for the night, where he would have the best sleep in years. Something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. He looked over and saw Danny standing in the middle of the street.

2:27:10 His bike was gone, and he wasn't wearing a helmet. His eyes were clear, nearly glowing from a distance. Emmett stood to his feet, lifted one hand and waved at Danny. The little kid raised his hand and waved back at Emmett with a smile. Emmett then heard Danny laugh the most youthful and joyful laugh he had ever heard, and the next second he vanished into the night, and that my spookies was Boy on the Bike by Travis van Hoofs.

2:28:03 But don't put the flashlight away just yet, because tomorrow we're taking a ride you won't forget. We're heading to Pendleton, where a Haunted hay Ride promises screams, thrills, and maybe a few broken rules. It's Halloween Haunted hay Ride by Rob Fields, a night full of laughter, scares, and a few rules you might not want to break. So grab your caramel apple, bundle up and join us for another tale where Halloween fun turns deliciously dark tomorrow, So make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting app and while you're at it, leave us a five star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It really does help the show.

2:28:54 And if you want to support us in a very direct way, you can head to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join, where for as little as one dollar a month you get two bonus episodes every single month and over five years of bonus content like creepypasta readings and audiobooks. And speaking of I want to say an extra special thank you to our podcast boosters. Folks would pay just a little bit more to hear their names at the end of the show, and they are Johnny Nix, Kate and Lulu, Jessica Fuller, Mike Escuey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansford, Karen we Met, Jack Kerr, and Craig Cohen. Thank you, guys, and if you want to hear your name at the end of every episode of Weekly Spooky, just head to Weeklyspooky dot Com slash join and sign up at the fifteen dollar a month or higher tier. You'll get to hear your name.

2:29:41 Come out of my spooky, silky voice and get my undying gratitude at Weeklyspooky dot Com slash Join. But now I need to get back to work because there is so much more to do before Halloween gets here. So for myself, for my executive producers Rob Fields and Babbletopia dot Com, my producer Dan Wilder, and my creepy composer Ray Maddis, I'll talk at you tomorrow. Thank you for listening. Make sure to find your way back next week, but for now you are safe. Trust me,