Nov. 1, 2025

Ghosts Beyond the Veil: Seven Haunted Tales for Día de los Muertos

Ghosts Beyond the Veil: Seven Haunted Tales for Día de los Muertos
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💀 When Halloween fades and Día de los Muertos begins, Weekly Spooky keeps the candles burning for the restless dead. Join us this November 1st for seven chilling stories of ghosts, haunted places, and spirits that refuse to stay buried.

Each tale drifts between the worlds of the living and the departed — from cursed lovers and spectral revenge to drowned souls and haunted houses. If you thought Halloween was over, think again.
Inside this Día de los Muertos special:

• Echoes — by Shane Migliavacca
A lonely waitress falls for a man whose charm hides a sinister secret. Love doesn’t always die — sometimes it follows you home.
• Ghost Story — by A.N. Onimus
Two friends follow a mysterious boy to a decaying mansion and discover a ghost that never stopped waiting for company.
• First Date — by Rob Fields
A romantic evening turns terrifying inside Strickfield’s infamous Carnovasch Estate, where one lost soul still cries for her father.
• Lucien Greyshire and the Ghost from Applebee’s — by L.F. Falconer
A man who sees the dead takes in a mischievous spirit from a chain restaurant — but the living can be far more dangerous.
• Suffer the Little Children — by Dennis Freeman
When a group of kids dabble in a midnight séance, they awaken something ancient and vengeful from the quarry’s depths.
• Father’s Day — by Shane Migliavacca
Teenagers summon a father’s ghost — and unleash the fury of a man who refuses to rest until his daughter’s killer pays.
• The Spirit of Langley Pond — by Charles Campbell
Four friends uncover the bloody truth behind a local legend — a murdered girl’s ghost still haunts the water, and this time, she’s found who she’s been waiting for.

🕯️ Ghosts. Curses. Restless souls. This Día de los Muertos, remember the dead… and listen closely, before they remember you.


🎧 A Día de los Muertos event from Weekly Spooky — your home for scary stories all year long.

🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!

🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!
👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join

📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!


🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨‍💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
WEBVTT

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Last night my spookies, Halloween took its final bow. But

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here at Weekly Spooky, we don't pack away the pumpkins.

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We keep the candles burning, because tonight on Dia delos Mertos,

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the dead aren't gone. They're just waiting to be heard.

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A small town waitress falls for a charming stranger and

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learns some loves don't die. They linger. Two friends follow

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a mysterious boy to a house that refuses to let

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them leave. A first date turns into a race to

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help a ghost child find peace after centuries of silence.

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A scarred man makes a deal with a mischievous spirit,

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but the living may be the ones in danger. A

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group of boys summon something far darker than they ever

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imagined at the quarry, and it's hungry. A Father's Day

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seance calls up vengeance with a hatchet in hand, and

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by the water's edge, a drowned girl rises again at

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Langley Pond, and she's not done yet. Seven tales of love,

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Death and what lies between. So light youer candles, my friends,

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and welcome the spirits, because here at Weekly Spooky Halloween

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never ends. So make sure you're subscribed. We'll have a

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lot of fun, fear for the whole year, especially the holidays.

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Enjoy echo echo echo by shame. I first met him

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last week, though I'd heard about the new guy in

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town before that. Castle, New York was the smallest of

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small towns. Word travels fast when somebody knew moves to town.

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Travis looked like he stepped out of one of those

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fifties biker films. And last Thursday, when he walked into

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the diner I work at, I couldn't take my eyes

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off him, and he knew it. He caught me looking

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at him and smiled that sly smile of his. My

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eyes darted away and I tried to make it look

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like I was working around the diner, but it was

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too late. He strode over to me. Hello there, he said. Hey.

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I tried to sound confident, like I didn't give a fuck,

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but my voice cracked. He smiled at me. Can I

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get a chocolate milkshake to go? Sure? I heard there,

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like wow here. I started making the shake. As he

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leaned on the counter, he looked at his reflection in

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the glass case of doughnuts, adjusting his perfect hair. Yeah

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they're really good, I said, unsuccessfully, thinking of something cool

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to say, lived here all your life, he asked. Unfortunately,

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ain't so bad. I've been to worse. I finished the

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shake and brought it over to him. He gave me

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a wink and took a sip. Before I could say anything,

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he slid a ten dollar bill across the counter. A

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large silver ring gleamed on his hand. He turned and

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started to leave. Let me get your change. The rest

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is for you, Dolly. I watched him go, Dolly. I

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felt a bit offended, but at the same time I

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was feeling something else, love lust, whatever it was, it

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made me somewhat forgiving of the Dolly remark. So that's

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the new guy, not bad. I turned and it was

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my coworker and friend, Brenn. She adjusted her raven hair.

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What did he say to you, Ron? He nothing much,

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just wanted a milkshake, Yeah, yours. We both laughed. Brenn

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has this obnoxious laugh that usually ends up making me

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laugh even harder. The next day he didn't show up,

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but the day after that he was there again, this

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time wanting a milkshake and a burger. No matter who

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waited on him, he always ended up talking to me,

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usually asking me about some town idiosyncrasy. Or whatnot, always

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coming in at the same time every other day. It

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continued like this for a month. We'd small talk a little,

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and then he'd leave. I never saw him outside of

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the diner. Then one day he changed the routine. I

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got off work one sunny Monday afternoon and Travis was

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waiting for me. He was leaning ever so slightly against

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the side of the diner. He smiled at me. Hey,

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I said, hey, he answered. He flicked out a metal

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lighter and lit a slim sick So what do you

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do for a kick around here? There's the movie theater

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or the bowling alley. No, no, you? He took a puff.

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Me Uh, not much. Nah, dang, shame, pretty little girl

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like you. Thanks. The flattery made me blush. Was he

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hitting on me? I sucked at this kind of thing?

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I wasn't sure if he wanted me to say anything.

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I haven't found much in town to get excited about Dullsville. Really,

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he took a long drag on his cigarette, so I

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was wondering, if you want to hang? I thought for

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a second, he's asking me out. I suck at dating.

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He's good looking and seems nice, but there's no way

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a date between us. Won't end an embarrassment for me

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and perhaps him too. How can I talk him out

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of it? It's kind of been a rough day, you know, mondays,

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I just want to go back home and chill. It

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don't have to be today. Oh cool? So want to

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see a flick? He said, show the new guy the sights? Sure?

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Am I really going to do this? Yeah? I guess

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I was. Why not? I deserve some fun, right right?

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You do? Brand was always trying to get me to

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go out. This would really shocker tomorrow night. Good, I

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thought about it. Did you know I didn't have to

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work the day after? Sure? Aces, it's a date. Then

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I'll let you pick the flick. Cool? Yeah, he looked

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at me. You should always have your hair like that.

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I touched my hair. I forgot I tied it back

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at work. This was probably the first time he saw

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it loose. It's so beautiful and red like a rose. Thanks.

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My face lit up as I blushed. Great, got a run, babe,

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be seeing you. He did a little point at me

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and winked before leaving, the spurs on the back of

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his cowboy boots jangling as he went. What had I

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got myself into our first date went well, as did

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the next three. Before I realized it, we were a

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thing in town. I think Brenn was jealous. For our

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fifth date, Travis wanted to take me on a picnic

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to Harmony Lake. It would be our first date in

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a less public space. I wasn't too worried. On every date.

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Travis had been quite the gentleman. I was getting ready

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in the apartment I share with bren I stood doing

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my hair over and over again. You look good. Let

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it go, she said. I turned from the mirror, presented myself.

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You think, I said, twirling around in my new dress.

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You're hideous, hilarious. Seriously, hun, you look a maze balls,

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she hugged me. Have fun at the lake. Try not

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to get too lucky. Hey, it's been a while, but

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not that long. Travis picked me up in his nineteen

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fifty seven Plymouth Fury. It was a convertible. The thing

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looked like a shark that decided to crawl out of

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the ocean and start looking for meals on land. He

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tooted the horn as he pulled up. You look stunning, babe,

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he said. Ever the gentleman, he wouldn't let me into

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the car. Unless he got out and opened the door

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for me. Some old song was playing on the car radio.

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In fact, I don't think he ever listened to anything

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after the fifties. We headed out of town as the

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King sang on the radio. I can't get over your car, Travis,

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I said, it looks so good for its age. Care

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of this baby means a lot to me sentimental value.

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I keep her cherry, try to get maximum performance. He

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steps on the gas and we're moving a little too

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fast through town. I look at him nervously as he

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speeds up. Don't sweat it, Rose, I got this. Travis

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had started calling me Rose. Honestly, I didn't mind. He

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took my hand. I think today is gonna be special.

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The lake looked beautiful in the summer sun as we

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walked to a nice secluded spot under a large tree.

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Travis left the car radio on. Down in the willow

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garden where me and my love did meet, he set

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down a large blanket. My dear, he said, ushering me

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to the blanket. We brought quite the selection of food.

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Travis popped open a bottle of wine. Was that weird

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for a picnic? He caught me making a face. Don't

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tell me you don't drink wine. No, just seems like

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a bit much for an afternoon picnic. Well, it's a

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celebration too, babe. It is what are we celebrating? Five dates?

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I laugh, Okay, I'll drink to that, my love. She

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did not know. The song played on as he poured

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us each a glass of wine. We eat, and I

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take a couple SIPs of wine. I haven't had much

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in the way of wine, but this is really good.

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I wonder where he dug it up around here. As

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we eat, we talk mostly about me. He always has

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so many questions. Every time I ask him something about him,

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he seems sad, almost on the verge of tears. I

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don't want to bring up any bad memories. As we talk,

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my head starts to feel light, which was a dreadful sign.

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What's up, Ronnie? Wow? Uh getting a head rush. I

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try to stand up, but my legs feel like rubber.

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Travis catches me as I come crashing back down on

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the radio, the song keeps repeating a dreadful sign. He

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brushes the hair out of my face and gives me

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a sad smile. I'm so sorry, dull, What sorry about?

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I stammer. My mouth doesn't want to move. I'm sorry.

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You have to die. All beauty must die. It's my curse.

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I summon up all my strength and push away from Travis.

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He tries to grab me, and I scratch his face

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with my nails. Trying to stand again, I fall to

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my knees. The world begins shaking apart at the seams.

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My eyelids feel heavy. Every time I blink, it feels

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like it'll be my last. Maybe if I just sleep,

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it'll be better. I'll wake up from this nightmare. No, oh,

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fight it. I start crawling on all fours, dragging myself,

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digging my nails into the ground. I have to get away,

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have to fight, have to get to the car. A

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dreadful sign. I see someone standing by Travis's car. I

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can't make them out. Why won't they help? Please, Rose,

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No one can help. I'm sorry. He grabs me by

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the leg, pulling me back. Travis turns me over, glaring

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at me. The scratches on his face aren't bleeding. I

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like playing with you, Rose, he said, But my dear,

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you're breaking my heart. Fuck you. I try to hit him,

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but I have no strength left. Why won't that person

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do something. He stands up, pulling a large knife from

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his leather jacket. I could gut you, but that's no fun,

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not anymore. He looks at his reflection on the knife

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blade he had just his hair. I used to find

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his vanity. Cute, bastard. The poison isn't killing you, just

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making it hard for you to do anything. Why? Why not?

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I tried to move my head to see if that

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person was still standing. There a dreadful sign. Why is

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that song repeating? Is that an effect from the drugs?

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Travis notices me trying to look at the car. I

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can hear him talking to somebody. I think, go away.

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He says, you're not welcome here. He turns the radio off.

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Who was that? Who was he talking to? After what

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seems like hours, Travis comes back, holding a large cinder

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block and rope. Comfortable, dull, go to hell. I manage

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my mouth starting to fail me. Travis just laughs, be

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right back. He walks off, carrying the cinder block and rope.

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My mind races move, move, but I can't. It's physically impossible.

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I try to will myself, picturing my spirit leaving my body,

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flying over the trees, finding bread or my folks, telling

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them what's happening here. If I want it strong enough,

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I can make it happen. Run, flee, I will my

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spirit to soar. He comes back, standing over me. He

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reaches down and grabs my legs, going for a little trip,

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my beautiful rose. He drags me across the ground. I

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can see the grass ending as we go over a

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rocky area, but I can't feel any of it. I

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can't feel his hands on my legs, just a great numbness.

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We go up a small hill near the beach. He

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stops dragging me. We're here. We don't have much time

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left together. He kneels down and touches my face, wiping

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away my tears. He pulls out two coins and puts

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one on each of my eyes. I blink my eyes

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and they slide off. He gets frustrated, Why did you

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00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:10.879
do that? Therefore your journey over. He takes them and

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00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:13.679
sticks them in one of my hands, bawling it into

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a fist. I see the cinder block with the rope

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00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:19.519
tied to it near my feet. He crawls over to

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it and ties the rope to my legs. No, no, no,

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he's going to drown. Me, you've been a blast. He

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picks up the cinder block and walks to the edge

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of the hill, overlooking the lake. I scream, but my

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throat fails me. I can barely make more than a

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crackling noise. He hefts the block up. He sighs, parting

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sweet sorrow and whatnot. He throws the block over the side,

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and I can hear the rope quickly chasing after it,

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knowing that any second I'll be following it. And then

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I'm falling, followed by the slam of hitting the water.

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I sink my lungs quickly filling with water. I welcome it.

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Please let there be peace. I feel so tired. I

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just want it to be over. I can see the

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sunlight trickling down through the water. Darkness starts to creep

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into my vision until the light is swallowed by it.

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I wake, unable to move, my heart racing where am I.

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I'm in my room, laying on my bed. I hear

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a noise, a crackling hiss, almost like static. My eyes

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00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:49.759
catch movement in the darkness. The thing nears the edge

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of my bed. My heart pounds faster and faster. Am

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I having a heart attack? A low whispering hiss comes

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from the shade at the foot of my bed. Heed

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the sign, and then the world went back to normal.

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I could move again. I wiped the sweat from my forehead.

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My heartbeat started to slow. I curled up in a

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ball on the bed, pulling the blankets over me. For

247
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the longest time, I didn't move, fearing that that thing

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was waiting for me in the darkness. Eventually I drifted

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off to sleep again. I woke and my room was

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lit by the light of early morning. Had it just

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00:17:33.319 --> 00:17:38.400
been a dream? A nightmare? I get up, dangling my

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legs over the side of the bed. Was this all

253
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a nightmare brought on by being nervous over my big

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date with Travis. I stand in the shower, almost in

255
00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:52.920
a trance, as the water pours over me. I've taken

256
00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:57.359
plenty of showers before, but this just seems weird. The

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00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:00.240
water feels like it's closing in on me. I hear

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00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:04.880
the jarring sound of static through the shower curtain. I

259
00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:08.119
see a dark shape move the thing from my nightmare.

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It's back for me. I back against the shower wall.

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The wet tiles are cold against my back. I run

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00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.240
my hands over them, looking for escape. A voice snaps

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me back to reality. You almost done, Brenn says, annoyance

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00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:30.680
in her voice. Water will be freaking cold. Sorry, almost done.

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I hear the door slam shut. All dread is faded away,

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and I just feel like a shit for hogging the shower.

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I get out and dry off quick, trying not to

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waste any more time. I leave the bathroom atawel wrapped

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00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:48.680
around me. Bren is waiting for me by the door.

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00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:53.880
You okay, Why what were you doing in the shower

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so long? Daydreaming or a little pre date gratification? I

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shoot her a look and Brenn does that laugh of hers.

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00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:07.440
I'm sorry, Ronnie, I know you're all stressed. She gives

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me a kiss on the cheek and goes into the bathroom,

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shutting the door behind her. I hear the lock click.

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00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:18.519
Guess I should have done that at work. It's no easier.

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00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:22.480
My mind drifts all day thinking about our date this afternoon,

278
00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:27.319
The day moves in slow motion. What seemed like hours

279
00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:30.400
were in fact minutes when I looked at the clock,

280
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and everything I did at work seemed like the wrong thing,

281
00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:39.720
giving people the wrong order, spilling drinks. I shouldn't be

282
00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:43.599
this stressed over a date. No, it was that dream,

283
00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:48.200
that nightmare. I consider calling the picnic off, but by

284
00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:51.880
the time my shift is over, I've reconsidered maybe I

285
00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:54.559
could turn this day around. When we get back to

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00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:57.359
the apartment, I strip out of my waitress uniform and

287
00:19:57.400 --> 00:20:01.079
splash some water on my face. Seems to engulf the

288
00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:05.839
room for the briefest of seconds, but the hallucination quickly fades.

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00:20:07.559 --> 00:20:11.960
Am I losing my mind? The lake looked beautiful in

290
00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:15.279
the summer sun. We found a nice secluded spot under

291
00:20:15.319 --> 00:20:18.920
a large tree. Travis left the car nearby. He had

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00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:23.599
the top down and the radio on. Down in the

293
00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:29.000
willow garden where me and my love did meet, he

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00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:33.680
sat down a large basket. My dear, he said, ushering

295
00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:35.640
me to the blanket with a wave of his hand.

296
00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:40.000
We'd brought quite the selection of food. Travis popped open

297
00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:42.759
a bottle of wine. Was that weird for a picnic?

298
00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:47.279
He caught me, making a face. Have we done this before?

299
00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:53.000
Don't tell me you don't drink wine. No, just seems

300
00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:58.119
a bit much for a afternoon picnic. Well, it's a

301
00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:04.079
celebration too, babe, My love, she did not know. I

302
00:21:04.119 --> 00:21:07.079
put my hand up. I'm sorry, but I don't think

303
00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:11.680
I should. I'm feeling a little sick, sick everything, okay,

304
00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:16.759
I just had a rough night, bad nightmare. He touches

305
00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:20.599
my hand. I don't know why this makes me flinch.

306
00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:25.960
He looks at me, puzzled. What kind of nightmare? I

307
00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:29.039
think I was drowning and there was this figure there

308
00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:32.400
when I woke up. I swear it was still there,

309
00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:36.599
you know. He starts pouring wine into the glasses. I

310
00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:41.079
think you need a little nip of wine, my rose. No, really,

311
00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:46.119
it's okay, it'll help your nerves. Okay, maybe just a little.

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00:21:46.839 --> 00:21:49.920
Travis hands me one of the glasses. There's the sound

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00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:53.400
of static cutting through the air, like someone's adjusting the radio.

314
00:21:54.559 --> 00:22:00.359
A dreadful sign. I look over at Travis's car and

315
00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:05.519
see it there, the thing from my nightmare. The glass

316
00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:07.519
of wine falls from my hand. It hits the ground,

317
00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:11.519
rolling and spilling all over the blanket. The song skips

318
00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:20.160
or repeats a dreadful sign. Not a dream, it said,

319
00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:25.759
heed the sign. At first, I don't realize I'm screaming

320
00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:30.319
until I see Travis's face. He grimaces. He grabs me

321
00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:33.119
clapping a hand over my mouth. He holds me so tight.

322
00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:36.079
I start to tear up. Shut the fuck up, would you.

323
00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:39.000
I try to pull away, but his hands are like

324
00:22:39.079 --> 00:22:41.799
iron clamps. I can see the anger in his eyes.

325
00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:44.359
He looks over to the thing standing next to the car,

326
00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:49.400
A dreadful sign. That's not gonna help you, Ronnie dear,

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00:22:49.880 --> 00:22:54.359
he says, his voice never wavering. It's just an echo,

328
00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:57.920
as if robbed of its power. The thing evaporates into

329
00:22:57.960 --> 00:23:01.759
the air. He tightens his grip. Tears streamed down my cheeks,

330
00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:05.000
soaking his hand. I see the wine bottle lying there,

331
00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:08.319
just out of reach of my free hand. I could

332
00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:11.680
hit him with it. Listen to yourself, you're gonna hit him.

333
00:23:12.039 --> 00:23:16.039
This is nuts. It has to be a game, right, No,

334
00:23:16.119 --> 00:23:19.880
it's not. I just need a weapon to get away.

335
00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:23.720
I rake his face with my fingernails, scratching jagged lines

336
00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:26.519
down his face. For all the world, it sounded like

337
00:23:26.599 --> 00:23:29.480
running your nails over stone. He lets go of me,

338
00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:32.200
and I lunge for the wine bottle. As I reach

339
00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:33.880
for the bottle, he grabs me by the belt of

340
00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:36.440
my jeans. The bottle slips from my hands as he

341
00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:40.039
yanks me towards him, rolling just out of reach. I

342
00:23:40.119 --> 00:23:42.519
dig my feet and hands into the ground, pulling myself

343
00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:45.480
towards the bottle, the sun reflecting off of it like

344
00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:49.079
some magical weapon. It beckoned to me. My arms and

345
00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:53.960
legs burned as I strained, Almost my fingers brushed off

346
00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:56.839
the smooth neck of the bottle. Why won't you let

347
00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:01.319
me help you, Travis says, help me. I'm gonna free

348
00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:05.200
you of all this bullshit. I manage a last bit

349
00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:10.279
of strength and grab the goddamn bottle. I swing it

350
00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:12.200
and hit him square in the side of the head.

351
00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:16.680
Unlike in the movies, the bottle doesn't break. Travis lets

352
00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:20.240
go of me. I hit him again, and again the

353
00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:24.359
bottle doesn't break. He falls to the ground, momentarily stunned.

354
00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:26.759
I bring the bottle down again on his head for

355
00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:31.039
good measure. This time it shatters. I turn and run

356
00:24:31.079 --> 00:24:34.039
for his car. As I reach the car, Travis appears,

357
00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:36.960
pulling a large knife from his leather jacket. I didn't

358
00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:40.039
want to make a mess, Rose. He touches the wounds

359
00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:43.759
on his face. Gonna have to fix these. I slide

360
00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:46.640
into the driver's seat. Yes, the keys are there. I

361
00:24:46.680 --> 00:24:49.079
start the car. It roars to life. I hit the gas,

362
00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:52.319
aiming right for Travis. This is insane, am I in

363
00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:55.680
a never ending nightmare? I ram into him, sending his

364
00:24:55.720 --> 00:24:59.000
body flying up onto the hood. He smashes through the windshield,

365
00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:03.200
his face contorted in a wicked smile. Hold hands you,

366
00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:07.160
love birds, he says. The car plunges into the lake.

367
00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:12.279
Water rushes in as we sink the nightmare I'm going

368
00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:16.519
to drown here with him. A shard of broken window

369
00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:19.519
floats by me as we sink down. I grab it.

370
00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:23.440
The jagged edges cut into my hand. I take it,

371
00:25:24.119 --> 00:25:27.000
jabbing it into his eye. He lets go of me.

372
00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:30.359
He smiles at me as I push him away. I

373
00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:33.680
swim through the open top. For however long I live,

374
00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:36.920
I don't think I'll ever forget that smile, the jagged

375
00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:41.839
shard embedded in his eye. Travis and his car sinking

376
00:25:41.880 --> 00:25:45.680
to the bottom. I pull myself onto the beach. I

377
00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:48.359
think I pass out for a while, lying there in

378
00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:52.880
the dirt, soaking wet. I wake with a start and

379
00:25:52.920 --> 00:25:57.039
see a shadow fall across me. I look up and

380
00:25:57.160 --> 00:26:00.839
see that thing, the thing from my nightmare, standing over me.

381
00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:05.599
Its face and arms are blue and bloated, its face

382
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:12.319
vaguely feminine, Its remaining hair rotten, hangs down in long strands.

383
00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:27.119
It wore a dress, my dress, ghost story by an

384
00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:32.960
ominous I remember it as if it were yesterday. I

385
00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:36.079
was young. I was young enough to taste the adventure,

386
00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:40.440
but old enough to know better. I'm still not sure

387
00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:44.240
how this was real. Too much happened and was seen

388
00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:48.480
to be the fanciful imagination of being young. One thing

389
00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:52.440
is for certain. I have not forgotten what happened that night,

390
00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:58.400
and I am certain I never will. It was fall,

391
00:26:59.079 --> 00:27:02.400
the leaves were just starting to turn. The days were

392
00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:05.799
still warm, and the nights were getting cooler. The County

393
00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:08.440
Fair had been in full swing and was the last

394
00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:11.759
night it was open. I was there because a friend

395
00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:14.519
had talked me into going, and I wanted to sample

396
00:27:14.599 --> 00:27:18.319
some kettle corn and caramel apples there. I was waiting

397
00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:21.559
in line for the popcorn when we saw him. He

398
00:27:21.720 --> 00:27:24.839
was a boy about my age and my size. He

399
00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:29.400
looked like any other boy there, except his clothes were funny.

400
00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:32.720
He looked like he was dressed up in old time

401
00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:37.400
movie clothes. He was looking at us. My friend nudged

402
00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:41.279
me and nodded in his direction. We exchanged looks and

403
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:44.680
began to walk toward him. As we began to walk,

404
00:27:45.079 --> 00:27:49.160
to my surprise, so did he directly for us without

405
00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:53.480
looking away. When we were within speaking distance, I nodded

406
00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:57.519
and said hey. He nodded back and said hello. My

407
00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:01.200
name is Jonathan. I'm from here, but have been elsewhere

408
00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:05.000
for a while. I don't know anyone here now. I

409
00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:07.279
told him he could go with us if he wanted to.

410
00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:11.640
He nodded. We spent the next couple of hours riding

411
00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:14.160
the roller coaster, the ferris wheel, and the Tilte Whirl,

412
00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:17.359
after which I thought I might hurl, but I managed

413
00:28:17.400 --> 00:28:20.480
to keep things together. We had found a bench to sit.

414
00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:23.920
Jonathan and my friend were working on some red vines

415
00:28:23.960 --> 00:28:28.759
when he asked if we liked scary things. We looked

416
00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:31.799
at each other and said of course, as if we

417
00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:35.319
would reply any other way. He asked if we knew

418
00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:40.240
where the house was down on Oak Street. He said

419
00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:44.279
he knew the house that was spooky down there. I

420
00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:48.519
was hesitant, but after some encouragement from Jack, we were

421
00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:52.160
soon headed out the gates from the fair into the night.

422
00:28:53.079 --> 00:28:55.960
As we made our way down through some neighborhood streets,

423
00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:59.480
it really began to cool off, and there was definitely

424
00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:02.680
a chill in the air. A breeze was picking up,

425
00:29:02.839 --> 00:29:05.440
and a few leaves were blowing in between our feet

426
00:29:05.480 --> 00:29:09.279
as we walked. We were beginning to get far enough

427
00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:12.000
away from the fair now that I began to become

428
00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:16.559
uncomfortable with the distance, even though I knew where we were.

429
00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:21.920
It was just then when he said we're here. This

430
00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:24.400
had startled me as I realized we had all been

431
00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:29.000
walking in silence. A glance from Jack told me he

432
00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:31.880
was no more at ease than I was. I had

433
00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:35.960
this strange feeling of foreboding, and in retrospect, I know

434
00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:39.880
now that my survival instinct was trying to warn me.

435
00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:44.160
As I looked at him, he stood looking up at it.

436
00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:47.960
The house was huge. I can't believe I had never

437
00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:52.039
noticed it before. It was a sprawling, three story mansion

438
00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:55.480
with what appeared to have been a large yard all

439
00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:59.240
around it. It seemed to be well kept, but everything

440
00:29:59.279 --> 00:30:02.200
about it RepA held me. I looked at Jack and

441
00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:06.599
the other boy. Jack was looking around nervously. The boy,

442
00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:11.359
though he had a radiant smile on his face, I noted,

443
00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:14.839
he was actually breathing hard. I asked him if he

444
00:30:14.920 --> 00:30:18.519
was all right. He snapped his head towards me instantly,

445
00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:22.880
while taking a step toward me. Yes, he said, then

446
00:30:23.079 --> 00:30:27.400
slowly retreated one step back again. What do you think,

447
00:30:27.880 --> 00:30:32.559
he asked. Jack was barely audible when he answered, I

448
00:30:32.599 --> 00:30:34.759
don't think we should go in. If that's what you mean,

449
00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:38.799
of course we should go in. I know who lives here.

450
00:30:39.480 --> 00:30:43.440
They aren't there yet, he said. I agreed with Jack

451
00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:47.039
and voiced my concern with getting into trouble. There will

452
00:30:47.079 --> 00:30:50.599
be no trouble. Let's just go, the boy said, and

453
00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:53.559
with that he began to walk up the walkway to

454
00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:56.799
the front door. I thought the walk to that front

455
00:30:56.799 --> 00:30:59.359
door was the longest twenty five feet of my life.

456
00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:04.319
Every step forward seemed to get colder, the darkness enveloped us,

457
00:31:04.599 --> 00:31:08.160
and the air seemed to become still. The repulsion I

458
00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:12.480
felt going forward was immense and progressive. I didn't know

459
00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:15.720
why I felt like this. I didn't want to seem scared,

460
00:31:15.799 --> 00:31:19.680
but I was, and I didn't know why, which made

461
00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:22.799
me confused. On top of the anxiety, I seemed to

462
00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:26.799
be becoming overwhelmed with I was following the new friend

463
00:31:26.839 --> 00:31:29.920
of ours and Jack, the boy seemed to be bursting

464
00:31:29.960 --> 00:31:33.240
with enthusiasm and excitement as Jack and I trudged along.

465
00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:37.119
As we approached the steps up, I took hold of

466
00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:41.119
the rail and realized my palms were sweating profusely. I

467
00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:44.960
became aware of my own labored breathing. I looked to Jack,

468
00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:49.079
who mouthed no at me. As we were almost to

469
00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:52.200
the top step on the porch. My mouth was dry

470
00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:54.720
as I thought of a hundred reasons not to open

471
00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:58.480
the large front door, but couldn't utter a single word.

472
00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:01.200
The boy stood in front of the door and turned

473
00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:04.519
to look at me. He simultaneously reached for the knob

474
00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:08.559
and turned it. I yelled no as he did, but

475
00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:11.599
to no avail. As we heard the click and the

476
00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:19.599
door began to swing open. The door creaked and groaned

477
00:32:19.640 --> 00:32:23.319
in a way that sounded guttural as he swung it

478
00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:27.000
open wide. I could see inside into the middle of

479
00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:31.599
the room, but the darkness swallowed the perimeter beyond. Come in,

480
00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:35.519
was all he said as he boldly stepped in without

481
00:32:35.559 --> 00:32:39.759
looking back. Without a word, Jack and I followed him in.

482
00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:46.240
The smell was overwhelming. As we stepped inside. It smelled musty, earthy,

483
00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:49.880
and almost rotten, like a trunk that had been closed

484
00:32:49.880 --> 00:32:54.200
for years. I thought the windows looked broken out in places,

485
00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:57.359
but there was no air moving through the house. Now.

486
00:32:58.519 --> 00:33:01.640
I don't remember the door showing, but I felt the

487
00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:05.440
uncontrollable urge to run, and I backed right into the

488
00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:09.440
shut door. Jack, in a panic, grabbed the handle and

489
00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:14.000
wrenched on it, but it didn't budge. He pulled with

490
00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:16.799
increased fervor, and I began to hit the door with

491
00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:20.519
my closed fist, and my hands began to tingle. I

492
00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:25.839
swung around to see the boy standing looking at us expressionless.

493
00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:29.880
A smile began to creep into the corners of his mouth.

494
00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:34.240
This twistedly sick look he began to have made the

495
00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:38.079
terror well up even more. As I began to scream

496
00:33:38.119 --> 00:33:42.359
at him, he suddenly turned and ran into the darkness,

497
00:33:43.160 --> 00:33:48.079
laughing maniacally. I followed a few steps after him, instinctively,

498
00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:52.039
until I realized that giggling he ran down the stairs.

499
00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:55.920
Down the stairs seemed to be even blacker than the

500
00:33:56.000 --> 00:34:00.720
darkness that already left navigating nearly impossible. I turned to

501
00:34:00.799 --> 00:34:05.039
look at Jack, who was gone. I cried out in

502
00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:08.480
fear and frustration at our stupidity. Why would you ever

503
00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:13.239
go somewhere with someone you don't know? Yet? Here I am.

504
00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:16.599
Jack stepped forward into my field of vision and grabbed

505
00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:21.320
my arm. He began to sob What's going on? Where

506
00:34:21.320 --> 00:34:24.920
did he go? Why is this place so scary? What's

507
00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:28.079
going on? I pulled him in and put my arm

508
00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:31.639
around his shoulder. Look at me, We are going to

509
00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:34.559
get out of here, I said, in as calm of

510
00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:37.639
a voice as I could muster. I looked to the

511
00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:40.920
side to a window and ran to it. I ripped

512
00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:44.920
the floor length velvet curtains open and gasped to see

513
00:34:44.920 --> 00:34:47.920
a window. I looked next to me to see a

514
00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:50.960
small table and picked it up and banged it on

515
00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:54.440
the glass. I wasn't sure what was going on yet,

516
00:34:54.440 --> 00:34:57.159
but I wasn't fully committed to breaking out a window

517
00:34:57.199 --> 00:35:00.679
because I'm scared this could be a p done on

518
00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:06.719
poor taste. Fear overwhelmed my rational thoughts, and I swung it.

519
00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:09.039
It didn't budge, and I felt as though I were

520
00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:13.280
hitting stone. I was even more scared at this abnormal response.

521
00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:16.840
I backed up one step and swung as hard as

522
00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:20.239
I could to have the table splinter apart, with pieces

523
00:35:20.280 --> 00:35:24.679
smashing against the walls, floor, and into my head. I

524
00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:27.360
felt the point of impact to reveal on my head

525
00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:32.719
a spot of blood. On my hand, the window appeared unblemished.

526
00:35:33.119 --> 00:35:35.840
As I frantically turned to see Jack crumple into a

527
00:35:35.840 --> 00:35:38.880
pile on the floor, crying, I want to go home.

528
00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:42.039
I grabbed his collar and pulled him to his feet.

529
00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:44.960
I went into the first open door I saw aside

530
00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:48.039
from the staircase that boy must be in on this.

531
00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:50.320
I don't know why you would bring us here, but

532
00:35:50.400 --> 00:35:53.480
you can be sure it's not good, I whispered as

533
00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:56.960
I pulled Jack along, who was now regaining his composure.

534
00:35:57.920 --> 00:36:01.079
The doorway opened into a large room. It appeared to

535
00:36:01.079 --> 00:36:04.679
be a library, as books lined the walls to high

536
00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:07.519
windows which must have been three stories tall. As there

537
00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:11.960
were balconies with ladders circumnavigating the room. I pulled us

538
00:36:11.960 --> 00:36:14.719
to one side as it seemed to offer a mirage

539
00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:18.800
of protection versus being in the room center. I put

540
00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:21.320
a hand against the shelf and looked at the books.

541
00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:24.639
Most of the titles were in languages I didn't even

542
00:36:24.679 --> 00:36:29.639
recognize some with what appeared to be symbols. Only breathing

543
00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:32.400
hard and looking around for the next move, I noticed

544
00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:36.880
there were mounted heads of animals surrounding the room. They

545
00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:41.960
were high above the books on the walls. Deer, bear, cougar.

546
00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:45.840
They did not have content looks on their faces, rather

547
00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:49.280
anger or fear. I looked to the next and found

548
00:36:49.320 --> 00:36:53.679
the animal to be beyond description. I stared at its

549
00:36:53.719 --> 00:36:57.199
cavorted face and studied it for a moment. It was

550
00:36:57.280 --> 00:37:00.199
unknown to me. I glanced ahead and found an another

551
00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:06.360
unrecognizable head. Upon closer look, I gasped and nearly threw up.

552
00:37:06.599 --> 00:37:10.000
It was the head of what looked to be a person,

553
00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:14.679
but it had hair all over its face. Its simian

554
00:37:14.880 --> 00:37:19.320
likeness was unmistakable, yet it seemed more human. Jack was

555
00:37:19.400 --> 00:37:22.119
gasping at me, looking wildly in the direction I had

556
00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:26.159
been staring, yelling what is it? He pulled at me

557
00:37:26.239 --> 00:37:29.360
to follow him, and I stumbled along. We came to

558
00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:32.360
a hallway with opposing doors. At the far end was

559
00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:36.320
a door with windows on either side. Long velvet curtains

560
00:37:36.360 --> 00:37:39.800
hung parted in the middle, showing the moonlight peeking through.

561
00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:43.440
We took pensive steps towards the first door, and I

562
00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:46.880
reached out to turn the knob. I cautiously edged the

563
00:37:46.880 --> 00:37:50.360
door open and peeked inside. It was too dark to

564
00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:55.480
make anything out visually, but I heard sounds. It sounded

565
00:37:55.519 --> 00:37:59.400
like something some kind of animal, was stepping in something

566
00:37:59.480 --> 00:38:03.639
wet and sludge like. Grunting and labored breaths intermixed with

567
00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:07.920
ripping sounds came from somewhere within the room. A barely

568
00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:12.920
audible whimper was immediately stopped by a low growl. It

569
00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:15.599
was then Jack stepped back, and a squeak of the

570
00:38:15.639 --> 00:38:19.239
floorboard suddenly alerted whatever was in there. There was a

571
00:38:19.320 --> 00:38:22.119
rustling of something moving toward us, and I knew beyond

572
00:38:22.159 --> 00:38:24.079
any doubt that I did not want to know what

573
00:38:24.280 --> 00:38:27.760
was making that noise. I was able to get us

574
00:38:27.800 --> 00:38:30.719
out and slam the door before the thing could get there.

575
00:38:31.559 --> 00:38:35.079
Jack was whispering how badly he wanted to leave, and

576
00:38:35.159 --> 00:38:38.800
clutching my arm in a near frantic manner. I was

577
00:38:38.880 --> 00:38:42.039
unsure if we should look in any more rooms or

578
00:38:42.119 --> 00:38:44.239
go try to escape from one of the windows at

579
00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:47.239
the end of the hall. As I was gathering my wits,

580
00:38:47.840 --> 00:38:50.880
I heard another moan. I thought it might have been

581
00:38:50.920 --> 00:38:54.559
my imagination, but Jack's face registered that he had heard

582
00:38:54.599 --> 00:38:59.000
it as well. Was that the other boy? He asked

583
00:38:59.000 --> 00:39:03.119
in a whisper. I don't know, I replied, as my

584
00:39:03.239 --> 00:39:06.960
voice broke. I had never and have not since, known

585
00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:10.880
fear such as this. Sweat dripped off my nose, running

586
00:39:10.920 --> 00:39:13.800
down my neck and back. I was shaking and could

587
00:39:13.840 --> 00:39:17.519
barely speak. I had thrown up again after shutting that door.

588
00:39:18.079 --> 00:39:21.679
It just hadn't registered until now. I wiped at my

589
00:39:21.800 --> 00:39:24.280
face and it was apparent I had not been aware

590
00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:26.800
enough to make any attempt to project it away from

591
00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:30.840
my body. I had a sudden recall that I had

592
00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:34.159
my cell phone. Funny how I had argued how I

593
00:39:34.239 --> 00:39:37.039
wanted and needed one with my parents and used the

594
00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:41.519
safety reason. How ironic I thought as I frantically dug

595
00:39:41.559 --> 00:39:46.320
it from my pocket. No service, as I thought, my

596
00:39:46.440 --> 00:39:50.199
spirit couldn't drop farther. The date under the time seemed

597
00:39:50.199 --> 00:39:54.480
to be spinning like a dial. I had no idea

598
00:39:54.519 --> 00:39:58.119
what had happened, but the realization it was broken almost

599
00:39:58.119 --> 00:40:01.159
made me cry. If we made it out of there,

600
00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:04.679
my parents would kill me for breaking it. I was

601
00:40:04.760 --> 00:40:08.199
truly terrified as the tears began to run down my cheeks.

602
00:40:08.679 --> 00:40:11.880
I was breathing fast and hard. My head was spinning

603
00:40:11.960 --> 00:40:15.400
like I may pass out. Jack's sudden grip on my

604
00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:19.320
arm again brought my attention back to reality. We must

605
00:40:19.320 --> 00:40:21.440
have been moving the last few moments. As we were

606
00:40:21.440 --> 00:40:26.440
standing in front of the next door, which unfortunately was open,

607
00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:30.559
there was a shaft of moonlight coming from the window

608
00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:33.679
across the room, and it fell on two of the dirtiest,

609
00:40:34.280 --> 00:40:38.320
foulest dogs I had ever seen. My mouth fell open

610
00:40:38.360 --> 00:40:42.880
in utter shock at the putrescence of them. They seemed

611
00:40:42.920 --> 00:40:46.280
to have what looked like some rotting skin in places.

612
00:40:46.880 --> 00:40:51.679
One looked like it was partially disemboweled, and something drug

613
00:40:51.760 --> 00:40:55.280
on the floor a short distance behind it. The first

614
00:40:55.280 --> 00:40:58.719
one lowered his head with a growl, and saliva or

615
00:40:58.840 --> 00:41:03.119
something like it dripped from the large fangs it momentarily

616
00:41:03.159 --> 00:41:06.920
glistened in the little light present. The smell coming from

617
00:41:06.960 --> 00:41:12.440
them was nauseating. Sickly sweet, rotting stench with sulfuresque tones

618
00:41:12.719 --> 00:41:16.800
burned my nose as I immediately recoiled from sight and smell.

619
00:41:17.760 --> 00:41:20.719
The closer animal, if you could call it that, began

620
00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:23.760
to growl, although the sound seemed to emanate from the

621
00:41:23.840 --> 00:41:27.000
hole in its side. I pushed Jack ahead of me

622
00:41:27.079 --> 00:41:30.360
as panic again rose in me like a wave, commanding

623
00:41:30.360 --> 00:41:34.360
me to run. In spite of the pathetic creature's aberrant appearance,

624
00:41:34.840 --> 00:41:38.920
they could move quickly, their claws dug to gain purchase

625
00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:42.880
on the old floor, shredding with each foot strike. There

626
00:41:42.920 --> 00:41:47.320
were snarling jaws snapping, making saliva fling and spray in

627
00:41:47.360 --> 00:41:51.639
the moonlight. Our complete terror must have been adrenaline fueled enough,

628
00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:53.800
as they were nearly to the end of the hall

629
00:41:53.880 --> 00:41:57.559
before I realized it. There was a perpendicular haul at

630
00:41:57.599 --> 00:42:00.360
the end by the windows, and as Jack was slowing

631
00:42:00.440 --> 00:42:03.280
to make a turn, I heard the hounds had stopped

632
00:42:03.920 --> 00:42:08.159
or slowed. I turned to look and they had stopped

633
00:42:08.159 --> 00:42:11.800
twenty feet back and were crouching down with tails tucked

634
00:42:11.840 --> 00:42:16.039
between their legs, whining, and were turning back as though

635
00:42:16.079 --> 00:42:20.559
they were afraid of something. I called to Jack as

636
00:42:20.639 --> 00:42:24.000
quietly as possible to get his attention without drawing further

637
00:42:24.079 --> 00:42:27.960
alert to our presence. We were stopped by the windows,

638
00:42:27.960 --> 00:42:32.519
and I looked out. My parents were walking down the street.

639
00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:35.719
My heart soared as I hit the window, screaming their

640
00:42:35.800 --> 00:42:40.559
names completely, throwing caution to the wind. They couldn't hear

641
00:42:41.360 --> 00:42:43.639
and kept going as there was no way for them

642
00:42:43.679 --> 00:42:47.119
to know I was here. I was supposed to be

643
00:42:47.199 --> 00:42:50.639
at the fair. How sorry I was that I hadn't

644
00:42:50.679 --> 00:42:53.440
done as I had said. I was going to die

645
00:42:53.519 --> 00:42:57.079
in this house. I didn't know what this place was,

646
00:42:57.280 --> 00:42:59.360
but it was so much worse than anything I had

647
00:42:59.400 --> 00:43:02.000
conjured up as a haunted house in my head. I

648
00:43:02.000 --> 00:43:05.920
would have given anything to be with my parents right now, safe,

649
00:43:06.480 --> 00:43:10.719
not here in this terrible place, whatever this was. I

650
00:43:10.760 --> 00:43:12.840
looked down the hall and at the far end was

651
00:43:12.880 --> 00:43:16.880
what looked like an old servants staircase, narrow and steep,

652
00:43:17.000 --> 00:43:20.559
going down. Wanting to go anywhere but down, I looked

653
00:43:20.559 --> 00:43:23.039
the other way and saw a door at the far end,

654
00:43:23.800 --> 00:43:28.159
and doors on opposing sides down the hall. More doors

655
00:43:28.199 --> 00:43:31.599
made fear well up inside me again. The hare began

656
00:43:31.679 --> 00:43:34.719
to stand up on my neck. There was a faint

657
00:43:34.800 --> 00:43:39.400
crying sound that was slowly growing louder. Was it a child,

658
00:43:40.199 --> 00:43:44.599
a woman? Was it the boy? I couldn't tell, But

659
00:43:44.719 --> 00:43:48.880
as it grew louder and louder, it became more distorted.

660
00:43:49.440 --> 00:43:51.880
It was a mixture of crying that was morphing from

661
00:43:51.880 --> 00:43:56.480
a cry to laughter, with choking intermixed. I had never

662
00:43:56.519 --> 00:43:58.679
heard a sound like that before, and if I never

663
00:43:58.800 --> 00:44:02.320
do again, it would be a blessing. My fear was

664
00:44:02.360 --> 00:44:06.039
already overcoming me, and this wretched cacophony was more than

665
00:44:06.039 --> 00:44:09.039
I could take. I began to pull Jack to follow me,

666
00:44:09.079 --> 00:44:12.119
and we began to run. We sprinted into the hallway

667
00:44:12.199 --> 00:44:15.599
blindly in terror. I frantically grabbed at door knobs to

668
00:44:15.639 --> 00:44:18.159
open one, any one of them, in hopes to get

669
00:44:18.199 --> 00:44:21.719
refuge from this horror. The light was so low I

670
00:44:21.760 --> 00:44:25.079
could barely make out the shapes of the doors. The

671
00:44:25.159 --> 00:44:28.199
illumination was minimal, and the color of the walls and

672
00:44:28.280 --> 00:44:33.519
doors appeared to be various shades of black. I scraped

673
00:44:33.519 --> 00:44:36.400
and patted around what I thought was a door, and

674
00:44:36.519 --> 00:44:40.039
scrambled along as I jabbed and reached. As I searched,

675
00:44:40.039 --> 00:44:42.760
I felt my finger tip catch on something sharp, and

676
00:44:42.840 --> 00:44:46.559
my skin hooked on to whatever nail or splinter protruded.

677
00:44:47.480 --> 00:44:51.159
I felt the warm fluid spread and drip. As I

678
00:44:51.199 --> 00:44:54.360
felt the casing for the knob, I felt my finger

679
00:44:54.440 --> 00:44:58.800
nail pull off entirely. In my nearly crazed search for

680
00:44:58.880 --> 00:45:02.480
a way out, the dark hall seemed to lighten slightly.

681
00:45:03.159 --> 00:45:07.280
The sound was still screeching, crying, laughter, constantly escalating to

682
00:45:07.280 --> 00:45:10.800
the point I thought my ears might burst. I felt

683
00:45:10.840 --> 00:45:13.079
Jack hitting at me and looked where he was staring.

684
00:45:14.079 --> 00:45:16.800
Coming down the hall was something I think no mortal

685
00:45:16.880 --> 00:45:20.920
man was meant to see. It was distorted and terrible,

686
00:45:21.519 --> 00:45:26.920
flowing with a jerking quality. Simultaneously, I was suddenly captivated

687
00:45:26.920 --> 00:45:33.239
at the indescribable sight approaching It was sinister, abhorrent, and mesmerizing.

688
00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:38.119
I knew if it reached us, all was lost. My

689
00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:40.960
hand found the knob that was freezing cold. I turned

690
00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:43.880
it as we fell back, with the door opening, I

691
00:45:43.960 --> 00:45:47.800
turned quickly to survey and found we were trapped in

692
00:45:47.880 --> 00:45:52.199
a closet. In a completely reactionary measure, I slammed the

693
00:45:52.239 --> 00:45:56.079
door just as the specter reached us. It roared with

694
00:45:56.159 --> 00:45:59.719
an intensity that seemed impossible. It slammed into the door

695
00:45:59.760 --> 00:46:03.760
with such violence that shards of wood, dust and material

696
00:46:04.039 --> 00:46:08.079
blew out of the wall, spraying down on us. For

697
00:46:08.159 --> 00:46:12.000
an unknown but seemingly endless time, the torrent of anger

698
00:46:12.039 --> 00:46:15.440
and pure rage continued to pound upon the door, and

699
00:46:15.519 --> 00:46:17.760
I do not know how it did not breach it.

700
00:46:18.480 --> 00:46:23.280
At some point it stopped, if possible, The sudden silence

701
00:46:23.360 --> 00:46:27.960
was even more deafening. Jack continued to lay on the

702
00:46:27.960 --> 00:46:30.519
floor next to me. As I lay curled in the

703
00:46:30.559 --> 00:46:35.079
fetal position. After an indeterminate amount of time, I began

704
00:46:35.159 --> 00:46:38.239
to notice a light coming from under the door. I

705
00:46:38.320 --> 00:46:42.920
thought it looked like sunlight. I moved over and tried

706
00:46:42.960 --> 00:46:47.480
to peer under. I could see what looked like daylight

707
00:46:48.039 --> 00:46:52.400
on the old red carpet. I looked and listened, and

708
00:46:52.519 --> 00:46:57.599
could perceive nothing outside the door. I reached up and

709
00:46:57.679 --> 00:47:00.960
turned the knob with a creak that was the defining

710
00:47:01.039 --> 00:47:05.639
noise of every haunted house ever. The door opened, the

711
00:47:05.719 --> 00:47:09.000
hallway was lit with the earliest rays of the beautiful

712
00:47:09.039 --> 00:47:12.800
morning sun. It was such a welcome sight to the

713
00:47:12.800 --> 00:47:17.559
soul sucking pitch black of the previous night. As I

714
00:47:17.599 --> 00:47:20.760
took in the sunshine, movement in the hall caught my

715
00:47:20.840 --> 00:47:25.239
attention and I recoiled back. The sunlight was just peeking

716
00:47:25.280 --> 00:47:28.519
over the horizon through the windows, leaving shadows in between

717
00:47:28.519 --> 00:47:32.239
each one. The far end of the hallway was bathed

718
00:47:32.280 --> 00:47:36.320
in darkness. To the door and beyond, the terrible apparition

719
00:47:36.559 --> 00:47:39.880
was hovering just at this boundary of light and dark.

720
00:47:40.679 --> 00:47:42.679
It was almost too much for my mind, and I

721
00:47:42.719 --> 00:47:46.519
thought I might pass out. It screamed and raged against

722
00:47:46.519 --> 00:47:51.079
this boundary. Seething and pacing back and forth, it seemed

723
00:47:51.079 --> 00:47:54.280
to strain with all its will, until the last bit

724
00:47:54.320 --> 00:47:58.800
of darkness was abolished with the wonderful sunlight. There was

725
00:47:58.840 --> 00:48:02.280
an implosion of sound with some sort of vapor or smoke,

726
00:48:02.320 --> 00:48:05.679
and when it dissipated there was a single sheet with

727
00:48:05.800 --> 00:48:09.840
two eye holes cut out, perched at the end of

728
00:48:09.880 --> 00:48:14.199
the hall where it had been. It seemed almost comical,

729
00:48:14.599 --> 00:48:17.480
a cruel and mocking reminder that it was not gone,

730
00:48:18.079 --> 00:48:21.880
not truly. We eventually came to the realization that we

731
00:48:21.880 --> 00:48:25.039
were able to escape the house only after we passed

732
00:48:25.079 --> 00:48:29.639
by the classic ghost. I felt taunted and bullied by it.

733
00:48:30.039 --> 00:48:32.559
I wanted to knock it over, but was so repelled

734
00:48:32.559 --> 00:48:35.880
by it I couldn't bring myself to touch it. I

735
00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:40.360
didn't and don't know what was under the sheet. We

736
00:48:40.400 --> 00:48:43.519
made our way through the house. There was no resistance.

737
00:48:44.039 --> 00:48:47.599
Windows were broken out, exterior doors left open absent in

738
00:48:47.679 --> 00:48:50.599
some places. As we exited the house, we saw a

739
00:48:50.719 --> 00:48:54.679
passing police car and waved it down. The officer listened

740
00:48:54.679 --> 00:48:57.000
to both of us, trying to relay the story, and

741
00:48:57.119 --> 00:49:00.719
he became suddenly very excited when he heard our names.

742
00:49:02.000 --> 00:49:04.679
We fell silent as he told us that we had

743
00:49:04.719 --> 00:49:09.440
been reported missing six days ago and the entire town

744
00:49:09.480 --> 00:49:12.719
had been searching for us. Come to find out, the

745
00:49:12.800 --> 00:49:17.360
authorities had actually presumed us dead. My parents were out

746
00:49:17.400 --> 00:49:20.800
looking for me when I had seen them. My head

747
00:49:20.880 --> 00:49:24.000
beginning to spin was the last thing I remember that day.

748
00:49:25.079 --> 00:49:28.679
I'm not sure how many people believed us, if anyone.

749
00:49:28.840 --> 00:49:31.039
Jack and I drifted apart, as I think both of

750
00:49:31.119 --> 00:49:35.800
us couldn't bear the memories of that night. Although thankfully

751
00:49:36.360 --> 00:49:40.719
I have never had another experience such as this, I

752
00:49:40.760 --> 00:49:58.559
will never forget that ghost stories aren't always fun. First

753
00:49:58.679 --> 00:50:07.000
Date by Fields Perspective Ariel Mirron. Who would have thought

754
00:50:07.039 --> 00:50:10.519
that my life would have changed so drastically over the holidays.

755
00:50:11.119 --> 00:50:14.519
I'm pretty good at keeping my feelings to myself, but

756
00:50:14.599 --> 00:50:19.519
I'm still very angry and upset with my parents, mostly Mom.

757
00:50:20.199 --> 00:50:23.960
I still can't believe that which offered me to Queen

758
00:50:24.079 --> 00:50:28.719
Arcadia in exchange for her fame and fortune. Oh let

759
00:50:28.760 --> 00:50:31.360
me tell you. I was so angry with Mom that

760
00:50:31.440 --> 00:50:34.119
I screamed and threw everything at her that I could

761
00:50:34.159 --> 00:50:38.199
get my hands on. I mean, I destroyed a lot

762
00:50:38.239 --> 00:50:41.000
of stuff. My friends who were there with me had

763
00:50:41.039 --> 00:50:44.039
to pull me off Mom when I finally attacked her myself.

764
00:50:45.159 --> 00:50:48.519
I've had sufficient time now to calm down and assess

765
00:50:48.559 --> 00:50:52.559
my current situation. I'm living with Madeline Donnerley and her

766
00:50:52.599 --> 00:50:57.360
family now and actually have my own room. Mouse's parents

767
00:50:57.400 --> 00:51:01.079
converted a spare bedroom just for me. Not only that,

768
00:51:01.280 --> 00:51:05.119
I figured that, upon returning to Strickfield Junior High that

769
00:51:05.239 --> 00:51:08.800
people would be jeering me about the whole fall from

770
00:51:08.920 --> 00:51:14.239
Grace thing. No one said a word. In fact, I

771
00:51:14.320 --> 00:51:17.199
continued on as if that whole blow up between Mom

772
00:51:17.239 --> 00:51:22.039
and I had never happened. But something did happen at

773
00:51:22.039 --> 00:51:25.719
school today. You probably know by now that Carter Cross

774
00:51:25.760 --> 00:51:29.519
and I have always been polar opposites. Even now, he

775
00:51:29.639 --> 00:51:33.599
still calls me Princess, but he's not making fun of

776
00:51:33.639 --> 00:51:36.960
me because of my fall from Grace. I wasn't letting

777
00:51:37.039 --> 00:51:40.199
him off so fast, though. I still managed to swipe

778
00:51:40.199 --> 00:51:45.119
a few of his sodas, including at lunch period today today,

779
00:51:45.159 --> 00:51:50.079
though it just it didn't feel right. Normally, Carter's on

780
00:51:50.199 --> 00:51:53.440
me the minute I swipe a soda. In fact, we

781
00:51:53.519 --> 00:51:56.760
both had the can ready to fight for it, then

782
00:51:57.559 --> 00:52:00.599
he just let me have it. The truth is, I

783
00:52:00.679 --> 00:52:03.480
haven't forgotten that he asked me out the first weekend

784
00:52:03.480 --> 00:52:07.400
of December, when we were trapped in the Strickfield Town

785
00:52:07.480 --> 00:52:12.960
Center mall overnight hanging Christmas decorations for cousin harmony. I

786
00:52:13.000 --> 00:52:16.280
can't stop replaying that event in my mind over and over.

787
00:52:16.920 --> 00:52:21.519
Carter hasn't asked me out again since, though, however, I

788
00:52:21.599 --> 00:52:25.719
haven't really given him an answer. Then I remember that

789
00:52:25.760 --> 00:52:30.159
Carter Cross actually lives next door to me. Now, I

790
00:52:30.280 --> 00:52:32.920
go to my smartphone and text Carter to see if

791
00:52:32.920 --> 00:52:37.400
he's home. I get a reply back almost immediately yes.

792
00:52:38.159 --> 00:52:40.360
I get off my bed and head downstairs to go

793
00:52:40.400 --> 00:52:42.960
to his house. He's right there at the back door

794
00:52:43.000 --> 00:52:47.719
and invites me in. What's up, princess, he asks. I

795
00:52:47.840 --> 00:52:50.840
take a deep breath and look at him. Yes, Carter,

796
00:52:51.480 --> 00:52:54.119
I'm sorry I never answered you that night, but yes,

797
00:52:54.639 --> 00:52:57.840
I will go out with you. Carter and I stare

798
00:52:57.880 --> 00:53:02.039
at each other for a long moment. You sure, he

799
00:53:02.199 --> 00:53:06.960
asks quietly. I nod quickly. We need to know for

800
00:53:07.000 --> 00:53:10.480
sure if there's really something there between us. We can

801
00:53:10.519 --> 00:53:13.760
know for sure in one date, right. We stare at

802
00:53:13.800 --> 00:53:21.480
each other again. What do we do? He stammers, I

803
00:53:21.519 --> 00:53:25.559
ain't never been on a date before me neither, I admit,

804
00:53:27.199 --> 00:53:30.199
I guess we can just go hang out together, right,

805
00:53:30.920 --> 00:53:35.320
Carter nods, Okay, Yeah, what time do you want to go?

806
00:53:39.239 --> 00:53:44.679
Perspective Carter cross. Madeline Donnerley and me are playing video

807
00:53:44.760 --> 00:53:48.679
games at Roth's Rings after losing a third straight game

808
00:53:48.719 --> 00:53:52.920
of Cruise in USA Place in nearly last Madeline looks

809
00:53:52.920 --> 00:53:56.880
at me. Let's go talk, buddy, she says in her

810
00:53:56.920 --> 00:54:01.239
mousey voice. We grab our drinks and head outs. Then

811
00:54:01.320 --> 00:54:04.760
I just tell her Ariel and me are going on

812
00:54:04.800 --> 00:54:09.199
a date tonight. Her eyes are really wide. Now. Really,

813
00:54:10.159 --> 00:54:12.639
I tell Madeline about when I asked Ariel out at

814
00:54:12.679 --> 00:54:16.800
the mall during that overnight last month. I just kept

815
00:54:16.800 --> 00:54:19.920
thinking about it. You've been giving me a hard time

816
00:54:19.960 --> 00:54:23.079
about Ariel. I know Mona and Bailey give Ariel a

817
00:54:23.079 --> 00:54:26.199
hard time too. Ariel said, we got to know if

818
00:54:26.239 --> 00:54:30.599
there's something there, so we're gonna do one date tonight.

819
00:54:31.559 --> 00:54:34.199
Now it's the same silence like at my place when

820
00:54:34.239 --> 00:54:38.639
Ariel and I agreed to go out. Madeline breaks the silence,

821
00:54:39.400 --> 00:54:43.679
told you you liked her, buddy, I sigh. What if

822
00:54:43.679 --> 00:54:46.800
I mess things up with her? Madeline? This is our

823
00:54:46.840 --> 00:54:50.000
first date. It ain't gonna be like when we hang out,

824
00:54:50.599 --> 00:54:54.679
she smirks. Just talk to her Carter. The rest will

825
00:54:54.679 --> 00:54:57.920
work itself out. I ain't never dated yet, but I

826
00:54:58.000 --> 00:55:02.800
understand a few things based on movies. She gently slaps

827
00:55:02.800 --> 00:55:08.400
my shoulder. Just talk to her, I nod quickly, Sorry

828
00:55:08.440 --> 00:55:11.519
about what happened in here. I should have just talked

829
00:55:11.519 --> 00:55:15.960
to you. It's all good, buddy, she replies. I put

830
00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:19.039
my hand on her shoulder. I'm glad. I can always

831
00:55:19.079 --> 00:55:23.400
talk to you, Madeline, and you always will, she promises me.

832
00:55:24.360 --> 00:55:27.320
Feeling better, we go back inside and start playing again.

833
00:55:28.039 --> 00:55:30.719
Now I can actually compete with Madeline when we start

834
00:55:30.800 --> 00:55:40.760
racing again. Perspective Ariel Mirron. I enter Mouse's house she

835
00:55:40.920 --> 00:55:44.320
calls it the mousehole, and see she's typing away on

836
00:55:44.360 --> 00:55:48.159
her computer. A few minutes later, she's finally done. I

837
00:55:48.199 --> 00:55:50.639
think she finished a paper for one of our classes.

838
00:55:51.159 --> 00:55:55.119
Now she looks right at me. It's gonna be okay, Ariel,

839
00:55:55.599 --> 00:55:59.800
she tells me. I sigh. Carter talked to you, didn't he.

840
00:56:00.719 --> 00:56:02.760
She turns in her chair and waits for me to

841
00:56:02.800 --> 00:56:06.360
sit on her lower bunk. He did, but you kind

842
00:56:06.360 --> 00:56:09.400
of been fidgeting all day. You only ever do that

843
00:56:09.440 --> 00:56:12.719
when you're really nervous, which don't happen often with you.

844
00:56:13.679 --> 00:56:18.559
I sigh again, I hate you. Mouse. She comes and

845
00:56:18.599 --> 00:56:22.920
sits beside me. It'll be okay. You and Carter are

846
00:56:22.920 --> 00:56:26.199
gonna hang out, Just have fun and talk to him.

847
00:56:26.599 --> 00:56:32.360
Suddenly the doorbell rings. It's Carter. Mouse tells me. I

848
00:56:32.440 --> 00:56:35.840
give her an odd look. Carter usually just comes in.

849
00:56:36.519 --> 00:56:40.159
Mouse smirks, Yeah, Carter and me usually walk into each

850
00:56:40.159 --> 00:56:42.960
other's houses. But Carter ain't here to hang out with me.

851
00:56:43.639 --> 00:56:47.599
He's here for you. Better go answer that. I look

852
00:56:47.599 --> 00:56:50.480
at the Freddy Krueger clock next to the door. Seven

853
00:56:50.480 --> 00:56:53.920
point thirty. Time sure flew since Carter and I arranged

854
00:56:53.920 --> 00:56:58.199
our date. I see Mouse's smile and know everything's going

855
00:56:58.239 --> 00:57:00.480
to be all right. I get up and make my

856
00:57:00.559 --> 00:57:03.159
way down to the front door. Mouse is right when

857
00:57:03.199 --> 00:57:06.280
Carter's standing outside. We look at each other for a

858
00:57:06.320 --> 00:57:10.440
long moment, just like at his house earlier. Then I

859
00:57:10.480 --> 00:57:12.880
finally put on my jacket and go out onto the porch,

860
00:57:12.920 --> 00:57:17.480
with him closing the door behind me. Where officially on

861
00:57:17.559 --> 00:57:27.239
our first date. Now perspective, Carter cross Ariel and me

862
00:57:27.320 --> 00:57:31.679
are both pretty nervous. We're walking to downtown village together

863
00:57:31.760 --> 00:57:35.679
in silence, glancing at each other at times. Finally, Ariel

864
00:57:35.719 --> 00:57:40.280
says something, I'm just as scared as you, Carter. That

865
00:57:40.440 --> 00:57:43.079
makes me feel better. What do you want to do?

866
00:57:44.119 --> 00:57:47.920
We stop right outside the Strickfield Centennial Theater. There's only

867
00:57:47.920 --> 00:57:52.119
two movies playing, including a special screening of Rad Yeah,

868
00:57:52.159 --> 00:57:56.480
that bicycle movie from the nineteen eighties. Ariel surprises me

869
00:57:56.559 --> 00:57:59.400
and wants to see it. I pay for our tickets

870
00:57:59.400 --> 00:58:02.599
and buy us both cokes. Madeline and I had seen

871
00:58:02.599 --> 00:58:05.800
this movie plenty of times after we became friends. Rad

872
00:58:05.840 --> 00:58:08.599
got us into riding bikes the way we do, even

873
00:58:08.599 --> 00:58:16.599
getting mongooses. Anyway, Ariel never got bored once. Later, we're

874
00:58:16.639 --> 00:58:19.159
sitting in Big Ed's soda parlor after the movie and

875
00:58:19.239 --> 00:58:24.119
talking about it. Madeline's right about just talking to Ariel. Also,

876
00:58:24.239 --> 00:58:27.639
Ariel insisted on paying for our Sundays since I paid

877
00:58:27.639 --> 00:58:33.079
it the movies. Suddenly, Ariel's eyes get wide, so do mine.

878
00:58:33.199 --> 00:58:37.719
When Bailey Downs and Mona Abels approach our table, Ariel's

879
00:58:37.719 --> 00:58:42.320
face goes red fast, and not because she's mad. Awe,

880
00:58:42.480 --> 00:58:46.880
ain't you too cute? Mona teases. Bailey just gives Ariel

881
00:58:46.920 --> 00:58:52.880
this weird smile now, Ariel does tough enough. Yes, I

882
00:58:52.960 --> 00:58:55.880
am here with Carter Cross. Go tell the whole school.

883
00:58:56.440 --> 00:58:58.920
When Bailey and Mona look at me, I just nod

884
00:58:59.079 --> 00:59:04.159
Ariel's way what she said. Then Mona and Bailey smile

885
00:59:04.239 --> 00:59:08.159
wickedly and giggle a little before they start singing, Ariel's

886
00:59:08.199 --> 00:59:13.199
got a boy friend. Ariel's got a boy friend. Ariel

887
00:59:13.239 --> 00:59:17.280
growls at them, I hate you both. Then they turn

888
00:59:17.320 --> 00:59:20.679
and walk away, laughing. The last thing I hear before

889
00:59:20.679 --> 00:59:25.480
they leave is Bailey telling Mona told you so. Ariel

890
00:59:25.519 --> 00:59:28.559
takes a deep breath and looks at me. Now, I

891
00:59:28.639 --> 00:59:33.360
really don't care Carter. I smile at Ariel. Me neither.

892
00:59:34.400 --> 00:59:36.559
When we finish our ice cream, we leave and go

893
00:59:36.679 --> 00:59:40.000
walking around. Then I decide to be a man and

894
00:59:40.079 --> 00:59:45.480
take Ariel's hand. She gasps at first, and then relaxes.

895
00:59:46.119 --> 00:59:49.519
She doesn't take her hand back. Then we get calm

896
00:59:49.599 --> 00:59:59.239
and start talking again. Perspective, Ariel, Mirrahim, you just know

897
00:59:59.480 --> 01:00:02.599
Bailey and are going to tell anyone who's willing to listen.

898
01:00:03.320 --> 01:00:05.400
I meant what I said. I really don't care who

899
01:00:05.519 --> 01:00:09.039
knows that I'm on a date with Carter Cross. I

900
01:00:09.119 --> 01:00:12.400
decide to be honest with him. Maybe if I was

901
01:00:12.480 --> 01:00:15.039
still living back in the gated community, I might have

902
01:00:15.119 --> 01:00:18.639
denied it. But I'm out here with all of you now.

903
01:00:19.800 --> 01:00:24.800
You ever miss being in there? Carter asks, no, I say,

904
01:00:24.840 --> 01:00:29.239
without hesitation, my parents never once called Mouse's house asking

905
01:00:29.320 --> 01:00:33.079
for me. They never stopped by either, not even anything

906
01:00:33.079 --> 01:00:38.320
in the mail. I smile a little. Madeleine's parents are

907
01:00:38.320 --> 01:00:43.920
good people, I know. Suddenly, Carter and I just stop dead.

908
01:00:46.119 --> 01:00:48.679
How did we end up walking down this street? Carter?

909
01:00:49.280 --> 01:00:55.159
I ask, we just did? Carter tells me we just

910
01:00:55.280 --> 01:00:59.119
turned down this way. And well, Carter and I are

911
01:00:59.159 --> 01:01:03.360
staring right at the old Carnivosh estate from outside the

912
01:01:03.400 --> 01:01:07.039
high fence. When Carter and I squeeze hands, I admit

913
01:01:07.119 --> 01:01:10.880
something to him. Mona Bailey and I dared Mouse to

914
01:01:10.880 --> 01:01:13.119
go into this house when we walked by it in

915
01:01:13.159 --> 01:01:17.599
early October. Mona asked her if she was chicken. Mouse

916
01:01:17.639 --> 01:01:20.119
simply told us she was brave enough to go in there,

917
01:01:20.679 --> 01:01:24.519
but not stupid enough. We didn't say anything more to

918
01:01:24.599 --> 01:01:29.639
her about it after that. Okay, well, let's just keep walking,

919
01:01:30.159 --> 01:01:35.440
Carter suggests, after a little bit. Yeah, let's I agree fast,

920
01:01:36.280 --> 01:01:39.840
but neither of us move. It's not because we're both

921
01:01:39.880 --> 01:01:42.920
scared of the house. It's because we're looking through the

922
01:01:42.960 --> 01:01:47.639
main gate and seeing a little girl standing in one

923
01:01:47.639 --> 01:01:59.280
of the windows, looking right out at us perspective, Carter Cross.

924
01:02:00.800 --> 01:02:03.400
Ariel and I both agree we saw that little girl

925
01:02:03.400 --> 01:02:06.800
in the house. We're both pretty sure nobody lives in

926
01:02:06.840 --> 01:02:10.599
the Carnivosh estate, and not for a very long time

927
01:02:11.679 --> 01:02:14.159
living in the village itself. It would be big news

928
01:02:14.199 --> 01:02:18.679
fast if anyone actually moved in there. When the little

929
01:02:18.679 --> 01:02:21.119
girl moves away from the window, Ariel and I look

930
01:02:21.199 --> 01:02:25.559
at each other. Carter, we can't leave that little girl

931
01:02:25.559 --> 01:02:29.920
in there, Ariel tells me. I gulp, I was afraid

932
01:02:29.960 --> 01:02:33.239
you'd say that. Ariel and ME don't even gotta talk

933
01:02:33.280 --> 01:02:35.599
about it. We climb the fence and go inside. The

934
01:02:35.639 --> 01:02:38.880
property looks like this place ain't had yard work done

935
01:02:38.960 --> 01:02:42.719
in years, even though it's early January. Weeds seem to

936
01:02:42.800 --> 01:02:46.599
keep growing real good here. When we reach the front door,

937
01:02:46.719 --> 01:02:50.280
one of them's wide open. Then I hear Ariel gulp.

938
01:02:50.760 --> 01:02:54.360
She's breathing fast and giving me looks. I know I

939
01:02:54.400 --> 01:02:57.679
gotta be looking scared too. Ariel and I are still

940
01:02:57.719 --> 01:03:01.480
holding hands. When we slowly go inside. We hain't even

941
01:03:01.519 --> 01:03:05.360
two steps past the door when Ariel and me both

942
01:03:05.440 --> 01:03:08.159
cry out and turn around to see the doors are

943
01:03:08.199 --> 01:03:13.639
both completely closed. We go to them and find we're

944
01:03:13.679 --> 01:03:18.519
locked in. Ariel quickly pulls out her phone. No, she

945
01:03:18.559 --> 01:03:23.400
looks at me. No signal you uh huh, I confirm.

946
01:03:23.760 --> 01:03:27.400
Then I open my settings. No nearby Wi Fi either.

947
01:03:28.239 --> 01:03:31.480
We put our phones away. Then Ariel points to the stairway.

948
01:03:32.679 --> 01:03:35.800
I don't think she was upstairs, Ariel, I say, I

949
01:03:35.800 --> 01:03:37.559
thought the little girl was in the room to the

950
01:03:37.639 --> 01:03:42.000
left of the doors. Ariel points in the direction in there.

951
01:03:42.760 --> 01:03:46.480
Ariel quickly grabs my hand. Don't you dare let go.

952
01:03:46.599 --> 01:03:50.159
I'm not losing you, Carter Cross. I shake her hand

953
01:03:50.199 --> 01:03:53.199
to assure her I'm holding it. Then we walk into

954
01:03:53.239 --> 01:03:58.000
what looks like a living room. Little girl, I call out.

955
01:03:58.559 --> 01:04:02.039
Then I point to the window. There's where we saw her. Right,

956
01:04:02.800 --> 01:04:05.039
we moved to the window and look outside to see

957
01:04:05.079 --> 01:04:08.119
where we were before we came in. We'll have to

958
01:04:08.199 --> 01:04:11.519
keep looking around. Ariel says, she's not in here. Now.

959
01:04:12.360 --> 01:04:16.119
I stop her fast, Ariel. She turns and sees I'm

960
01:04:16.159 --> 01:04:19.199
pointing down a hallway where we see the little girl.

961
01:04:20.159 --> 01:04:24.599
Stop Ariel calls out, please come this way. Ariel and

962
01:04:24.639 --> 01:04:27.559
I run down the hallway as she turns away. When

963
01:04:27.559 --> 01:04:30.639
we reach the end, we come into a conservatory. We

964
01:04:30.719 --> 01:04:32.760
moved to the other entrance and go through it to

965
01:04:32.800 --> 01:04:37.119
see the little girl again at the end of another hallway. Carter,

966
01:04:37.639 --> 01:04:42.599
Ariel gasps, you seeing this, I nod fast. The little

967
01:04:42.599 --> 01:04:45.679
girl's feet are pointing to the floor, but it's plain

968
01:04:45.800 --> 01:04:50.559
as the noses on our faces. She's floating. Yeah, I

969
01:04:50.639 --> 01:04:54.840
definitely think she's a ghost, Ariel, I hate you, Carter,

970
01:04:55.320 --> 01:04:59.639
Ariel stutters. She really squeezes my hand. Now. Then we

971
01:04:59.639 --> 01:05:02.639
looked down the hallway. I think she wants us to

972
01:05:02.719 --> 01:05:06.079
follow her. I say, it's like she's trying to tell

973
01:05:06.159 --> 01:05:09.840
us something. Ariel gulps again and turns me to look

974
01:05:09.880 --> 01:05:14.039
at the wall. There's an old Carnivoche family portrait hanging there.

975
01:05:15.239 --> 01:05:17.679
Now we see the little girl at the very center

976
01:05:18.320 --> 01:05:23.559
in front of her family. Clearly she was the youngest.

977
01:05:24.239 --> 01:05:34.679
The date is January fourth, eighteen twenty four. Perspective, Ariel Mirren,

978
01:05:35.880 --> 01:05:39.199
that little Carnivosh girl is over two hundred years old.

979
01:05:40.079 --> 01:05:43.480
Had she lived, we look to see her ghost is

980
01:05:43.559 --> 01:05:48.400
still waiting for us. Come on, Carter, I stammer. The

981
01:05:48.440 --> 01:05:51.000
two of us keep following the little girl until we're

982
01:05:51.039 --> 01:05:54.679
at another door. No doubt, this one's going to lead

983
01:05:54.719 --> 01:05:57.320
into the one place you would never want to go

984
01:05:57.400 --> 01:06:02.280
in a creepy old mansion like this, the basement. The

985
01:06:02.360 --> 01:06:05.519
door opens on its own, Then the little girl floats

986
01:06:05.559 --> 01:06:08.880
down the stairway. She's giving off this eerie light to

987
01:06:08.960 --> 01:06:12.920
show she's at the bottom and waiting for us. Since

988
01:06:12.960 --> 01:06:16.239
she's lighting our way, we can easily follow her down

989
01:06:16.360 --> 01:06:20.480
without tripping over our own feet. Carter insists on leading

990
01:06:20.519 --> 01:06:23.159
the way like the gallant guy I know he is.

991
01:06:24.000 --> 01:06:27.639
When we reach the bottom, the ghost moves again, the

992
01:06:27.679 --> 01:06:31.119
basement still lit thanks to her. She takes us through

993
01:06:31.159 --> 01:06:33.679
a few rooms and finally stops next to a big

994
01:06:33.719 --> 01:06:38.400
brick wall. Then she points right at it. You want

995
01:06:38.480 --> 01:06:43.679
us to break, Carter mumbles. The little girl keeps pointing

996
01:06:43.719 --> 01:06:47.639
to the wall. Then I see something over there. Carter

997
01:06:48.039 --> 01:06:50.840
grab that big hammer. Carter and I let go of

998
01:06:50.880 --> 01:06:54.000
each other's hands. He finds the big sledgehammer on a

999
01:06:54.000 --> 01:06:57.199
workbench and brings it over. It takes Carter a few

1000
01:06:57.320 --> 01:07:01.440
really big hits before he finally success and cracking the mortar.

1001
01:07:02.159 --> 01:07:05.000
He keeps swinging and hitting until he finally makes a

1002
01:07:05.000 --> 01:07:08.320
block come loose. Then he keeps hitting it until it

1003
01:07:08.360 --> 01:07:12.039
falls over on the inside. Carter has to take little

1004
01:07:12.079 --> 01:07:15.559
breaks to collect himself, but he finally manages to break

1005
01:07:15.599 --> 01:07:18.639
the wall in enough. I take out my smartphone and

1006
01:07:18.679 --> 01:07:23.239
shine my light through the hole Carter made. Carter and

1007
01:07:23.280 --> 01:07:26.800
I both scream when we see a couple of skeletons,

1008
01:07:27.519 --> 01:07:32.239
one big and one small, and then the little girl

1009
01:07:32.320 --> 01:07:36.920
smiles happily and points to both of us. Suddenly, this

1010
01:07:37.119 --> 01:07:45.480
huge flash of light washes over us. Epilogue perspective aerial mirran.

1011
01:07:46.840 --> 01:07:49.480
Later that night, Carter and I are in the mousehole

1012
01:07:49.880 --> 01:07:53.920
telling mouse about our experience at the Carnivosh estate. We

1013
01:07:54.039 --> 01:07:56.760
told her about finding the little girl and then her

1014
01:07:56.880 --> 01:07:59.559
leading us to where she and her dad were both

1015
01:07:59.599 --> 01:08:04.239
walled up in the basement. Two hundred years ago today,

1016
01:08:04.679 --> 01:08:07.800
a band of robbers came to the Carnivosh estate and

1017
01:08:07.920 --> 01:08:12.079
robbed it. Emilio Carnivoche tried to save and protect his

1018
01:08:12.199 --> 01:08:15.239
family from the robbers, but it was all in vain.

1019
01:08:15.840 --> 01:08:19.159
Emilio and little Rosemary were walled up within the basement

1020
01:08:19.479 --> 01:08:23.199
to cruelly separate the two of them from Margo, the mother,

1021
01:08:23.760 --> 01:08:28.640
and Rosemary's two older brothers, Waldo and Morton. Emilio was

1022
01:08:28.680 --> 01:08:33.680
badly hurt and weakened, and Rosemary was too little, unable

1023
01:08:33.720 --> 01:08:38.079
to free themselves from their tomb, they died of starvation.

1024
01:08:39.279 --> 01:08:41.239
We weren't shown what happened to the rest of the

1025
01:08:41.279 --> 01:08:46.119
Carnivoche family. I can feel like deep down that both

1026
01:08:46.159 --> 01:08:48.880
the father and the little girl are resting in peace now.

1027
01:08:49.279 --> 01:08:52.800
I finish. Yeah, We got out of the house and

1028
01:08:52.840 --> 01:08:56.560
went to Roth's rings to call the police. Anonymously, Carter ads.

1029
01:08:57.319 --> 01:09:00.119
Carter and I both Pinky promised Mouse that we we

1030
01:09:00.119 --> 01:09:03.479
weren't making up the story. Ah, I believe you both,

1031
01:09:03.760 --> 01:09:07.640
she said, Come on, we survived Abigail Tomlin, a big

1032
01:09:07.760 --> 01:09:13.600
vampire woman, and Queen Arcadia. Right, good point, Madeline, Carter agrees.

1033
01:09:14.279 --> 01:09:16.880
When we finish talking, Carter and I leave the house.

1034
01:09:17.319 --> 01:09:20.920
We find ourselves holding hands again. As we walk onto

1035
01:09:20.960 --> 01:09:24.520
Carter's back porch. Carter and I both look like we

1036
01:09:24.600 --> 01:09:27.319
want to say something to each other, but we just

1037
01:09:27.399 --> 01:09:30.720
look at each other again. Carter leans in a little.

1038
01:09:31.720 --> 01:09:37.640
He's hesitating. I'm hesitating, and then I barely feel it.

1039
01:09:37.680 --> 01:09:40.560
When we come apart, but Carter and I shared our

1040
01:09:40.600 --> 01:09:43.560
first kiss. We don't even have to say anything to

1041
01:09:43.600 --> 01:09:46.600
each other, but we know mutually we're not going to

1042
01:09:46.640 --> 01:09:49.960
be just one and done on dating. Carter and I

1043
01:09:50.000 --> 01:09:52.359
say goodbye, and I watch him go into his house.

1044
01:09:53.000 --> 01:09:55.359
I return to the Donnerly home and go back in.

1045
01:09:56.520 --> 01:09:58.479
I head to my room and lay on my bed,

1046
01:09:58.600 --> 01:10:02.039
knowing I have a lot to think about. And that's

1047
01:10:02.039 --> 01:10:05.840
where this particular adventure ends. But I can promise you

1048
01:10:06.479 --> 01:10:16.840
we'll be back again very soon. Lucian Grayshire and the

1049
01:10:16.880 --> 01:10:24.279
Ghost from Applebee's by L. F. Falconer. The three young

1050
01:10:24.399 --> 01:10:28.840
girls in the corner booth continued to stare, not due

1051
01:10:28.840 --> 01:10:35.680
to rudeness, Lucian determined merely out of morbid curiosity. Their

1052
01:10:35.760 --> 01:10:39.880
parents attempted to be more furative in their sidelong glances

1053
01:10:39.920 --> 01:10:44.239
and struggled with useless, hushed commands to curtail their daughter's

1054
01:10:44.680 --> 01:10:50.000
blatant surveillance. Lucian no longer cared. With three quarters of

1055
01:10:50.000 --> 01:10:53.760
his body severely scarred from a house fire he'd survived

1056
01:10:53.800 --> 01:10:57.239
as a child forty years ago, he'd grown hardened to

1057
01:10:57.319 --> 01:11:02.960
the horrified scrutiny of others. Thereative glimpses the whispers behind

1058
01:11:03.000 --> 01:11:07.039
his back. At one time his disfigurements brought him shame.

1059
01:11:07.800 --> 01:11:12.039
Now he wore these scars with honor, deeming his outer

1060
01:11:12.159 --> 01:11:17.680
grotesqueness more valuable than his business card. A man no

1061
01:11:17.760 --> 01:11:22.319
one truly wanted to see, yet one not so easily forgotten.

1062
01:11:23.039 --> 01:11:26.560
If he caused anyone nightmares along his journey through life,

1063
01:11:27.359 --> 01:11:31.079
he lost no sleep over it. Harried to the point

1064
01:11:31.119 --> 01:11:34.560
of distraction by their children, the two adults in the

1065
01:11:34.600 --> 01:11:38.159
corner booth remained oblivious to the fact that half their

1066
01:11:38.239 --> 01:11:42.199
current troubles were caused by the antics of the youthful poltergeist.

1067
01:11:42.600 --> 01:11:46.880
Hovering above their table, a spilled glass of milk, the

1068
01:11:46.960 --> 01:11:49.760
forks fallen to the floor, the plate of French fries

1069
01:11:49.800 --> 01:11:52.720
toppled onto the youngest girl's lap. Had nothing to do

1070
01:11:52.800 --> 01:11:56.960
with the carelessness of rambunctious children, and at this moment

1071
01:11:57.479 --> 01:12:01.119
the ghost was ever so slowly unscrewing the cap on

1072
01:12:01.239 --> 01:12:05.640
the salt shaker. Lucian savored the final bite of his

1073
01:12:05.800 --> 01:12:09.760
lemon chicken, then dabbed his napkin over the thin lips

1074
01:12:09.840 --> 01:12:13.800
below the cartoliginous remnants of his nose. He rose to

1075
01:12:13.840 --> 01:12:16.560
his feet and placed enough cash on his meal check

1076
01:12:16.720 --> 01:12:19.319
to cover his lunch, as well as a generous tip.

1077
01:12:20.159 --> 01:12:23.800
In response to his appearance, the server had neither bulked

1078
01:12:23.840 --> 01:12:28.279
nor over compensated. Shrugging on his wool jacket, he took

1079
01:12:28.359 --> 01:12:31.600
pity on the beleaguered parents in their challenge to maintain

1080
01:12:31.640 --> 01:12:35.720
a sense of decorum amid the chaos, especially as the

1081
01:12:35.800 --> 01:12:38.600
children's father had just ruined his own meal with a

1082
01:12:38.640 --> 01:12:43.800
full shaker of salt spilled upon it. The poltergeist above

1083
01:12:43.880 --> 01:12:49.960
the table glowed in rapid pulses of jade green. Leaving

1084
01:12:50.000 --> 01:12:54.199
his table, Lucian limped directly to the booth the family occupied.

1085
01:12:55.039 --> 01:12:58.680
Everyone at the table fell transfixed, as if they'd all

1086
01:12:58.920 --> 01:13:02.279
just been caught with their hands in the till Lucian

1087
01:13:02.359 --> 01:13:07.000
greeted them with a courteous bow, good afternoon. He raised

1088
01:13:07.000 --> 01:13:12.239
his one good eye to acknowledge the ghost hovering above. Bemusedly.

1089
01:13:12.359 --> 01:13:15.840
The ghost cocked an eyebrow, then darted to the left

1090
01:13:15.880 --> 01:13:20.199
side of the table, taking refuge behind a potted imitation philodendron.

1091
01:13:21.000 --> 01:13:25.640
Lucian straightened his gaunt frame and withdrew a business card

1092
01:13:25.680 --> 01:13:29.399
from his inner jacket pocket. Allow me to introduce myself.

1093
01:13:29.960 --> 01:13:33.720
I am Lucian, Greyshire, and I have a business proposal,

1094
01:13:33.720 --> 01:13:37.279
if you'd be interested. He handed his card to the father,

1095
01:13:37.920 --> 01:13:40.760
then glanced over at the ghost, who peeked through the

1096
01:13:40.840 --> 01:13:44.359
kelly green leaves, giving the young shade a polite nod.

1097
01:13:45.439 --> 01:13:48.600
The man at the table seemed hesitant to accept the card,

1098
01:13:49.199 --> 01:13:52.319
but once he took it into his possession, he scanned

1099
01:13:52.359 --> 01:13:55.960
it out loud. Let the dead bring your party to life.

1100
01:13:56.600 --> 01:14:02.439
Grayshire Incorporated Unique Halloween Entered Attainment Services. He looked up

1101
01:14:02.439 --> 01:14:07.760
at Lucian with knitted brows. What's this about. I'm in

1102
01:14:07.800 --> 01:14:11.720
need of an assistant events coordinator. Lucian glanced back over

1103
01:14:11.800 --> 01:14:14.840
at the ghost. If you're interested, meet me in the

1104
01:14:14.880 --> 01:14:17.920
park across the street within the hour. He kept his

1105
01:14:18.000 --> 01:14:21.720
one eyed gaze on the ghost. I already have a job.

1106
01:14:22.079 --> 01:14:24.439
The man at the table tried to hand the business

1107
01:14:24.479 --> 01:14:27.960
card back, but Lucian stepped away from the table and

1108
01:14:28.119 --> 01:14:32.159
gave another slight bow. I'll be waiting, should you be interested.

1109
01:14:32.880 --> 01:14:36.840
His papery lips smiled at the ghost before he turned

1110
01:14:37.199 --> 01:14:42.399
and departed the restaurant. A somber sky loomed above gray

1111
01:14:42.479 --> 01:14:47.279
with pewter clouds. Billowing like dust. Lucian breathed deeply of

1112
01:14:47.359 --> 01:14:51.439
the air, still wet from last night's tempest and laced

1113
01:14:51.479 --> 01:14:56.399
with faint hints of pine, damp, bark, and blight. Dying

1114
01:14:56.479 --> 01:14:59.760
boughs and limbs, ripped from their hosts and tossed hap

1115
01:14:59.760 --> 01:15:03.880
hat dezardly by the uncarrying gale littered the park's greensward.

1116
01:15:04.520 --> 01:15:08.840
Lucian blessed the previous night's storm. The howling winds had

1117
01:15:08.880 --> 01:15:15.399
covered every muffled scream. The man's name had been Daniel.

1118
01:15:16.000 --> 01:15:20.600
He was sixty seven years old, and now he was dead.

1119
01:15:21.359 --> 01:15:27.600
October leaves in persimmon amber and blood crunched beneath Lucian's feet,

1120
01:15:27.800 --> 01:15:33.000
while crisp, lake eerie air nipped at his exposed, disfigured flesh.

1121
01:15:33.680 --> 01:15:37.600
He settled onto a park bench, his muscles aching strained

1122
01:15:37.600 --> 01:15:41.880
from last night's activities. Out of his jacket pocket, he

1123
01:15:41.960 --> 01:15:46.399
removed a well used paperback copy of Peter Nichols A

1124
01:15:46.520 --> 01:15:50.479
Day in the Death of Joe Egg. He'd barely read

1125
01:15:50.560 --> 01:15:56.479
three pages when an adolescent apparition tentatively drifted near. Lucian

1126
01:15:56.560 --> 01:15:59.760
looked up from his book, though little more than a

1127
01:15:59.760 --> 01:16:04.199
train loocent shadow The ghost featured a clinging, wet T shirt,

1128
01:16:04.680 --> 01:16:08.600
dark jeans, and high top athletic shoes. He looked to

1129
01:16:08.640 --> 01:16:11.520
have been maybe fifteen or sixteen at the time of

1130
01:16:11.600 --> 01:16:16.079
his death, his dark, damp ribbons of hair plastered against

1131
01:16:16.079 --> 01:16:20.239
his skull. Last night's events flickered through Lucian's mind in

1132
01:16:20.359 --> 01:16:24.279
high speed clips. Cold waters whipped to a frenzy by

1133
01:16:24.520 --> 01:16:29.000
boisterous wind, Daniel's hand clawing at Lucian's own as he

1134
01:16:29.079 --> 01:16:33.560
gurgled within the spume, The young shades scooted swiftly to

1135
01:16:33.640 --> 01:16:37.720
the left with a steady gaze. Lucian's good eye trailed

1136
01:16:37.760 --> 01:16:41.680
the movement. The shade darted back to the right, Still

1137
01:16:41.760 --> 01:16:47.039
fixed beneath Lucian's magnetic stare, the ghost took a minor

1138
01:16:47.079 --> 01:16:53.600
step closer. You can really say, may Lucian closed his book? Indeed,

1139
01:16:55.319 --> 01:16:59.279
was this job offer really for me? Or for him?

1140
01:16:59.680 --> 01:17:02.239
The goat jerked his head in the direction of the

1141
01:17:02.279 --> 01:17:06.800
restaurant across the street. For you, of course, I thought

1142
01:17:06.840 --> 01:17:10.479
I'd made that pretty clear. You was a bit fuzzy, mate.

1143
01:17:11.399 --> 01:17:14.000
I believe it would have been awkward to speak to

1144
01:17:14.039 --> 01:17:16.920
you directly when it's only I who am aware of

1145
01:17:16.960 --> 01:17:20.279
your presence. I'm not certain why you're trying to pull

1146
01:17:20.279 --> 01:17:23.560
off a phony accent. I happen to know you're an American.

1147
01:17:24.199 --> 01:17:28.399
The ghost took a step back, crossing his arms. And

1148
01:17:28.439 --> 01:17:32.720
what makes you so smart? Huh, Lucian winked his sighted eye.

1149
01:17:34.159 --> 01:17:38.439
I know many things. It's what I do. The ghost

1150
01:17:38.640 --> 01:17:41.960
jutted his chin forward. But I guess you don't know

1151
01:17:42.119 --> 01:17:46.920
my mum's Canadian. Lucian flipped his jacket collar up to

1152
01:17:47.000 --> 01:17:50.359
keep the lake chilled air off his neck. Point taken.

1153
01:17:50.680 --> 01:17:54.319
But that's neither here nor there. The important thing is

1154
01:17:54.359 --> 01:17:57.760
that you've come. You may call me Lucian, and what

1155
01:17:57.920 --> 01:18:02.119
may I call you? Anything you like? I suppose in

1156
01:18:02.159 --> 01:18:05.760
another life I believe they called me Patrick, but can't

1157
01:18:05.800 --> 01:18:08.439
recall the last time I heard the name. Could just

1158
01:18:08.479 --> 01:18:11.239
be a name I like. I don't know. There's not

1159
01:18:11.359 --> 01:18:15.159
much about life I can remember. He relaxed, looking Lucian

1160
01:18:15.239 --> 01:18:18.359
directly in the eye. It's kind of like a shattered

1161
01:18:18.399 --> 01:18:22.079
mirror life, I mean, my life, and I'm afraid if

1162
01:18:22.119 --> 01:18:24.640
I try to put the pieces back together, I might

1163
01:18:24.680 --> 01:18:27.560
not like what I see. Other than looking like a

1164
01:18:27.640 --> 01:18:31.600
drowned rat, You're not a bad looking fellow. The ghost

1165
01:18:31.720 --> 01:18:35.439
faded slightly. It's not about my looks. I'm invisible unlike you,

1166
01:18:36.039 --> 01:18:40.680
meaning no offense. But dude, really, Lucian shook his head.

1167
01:18:41.279 --> 01:18:44.119
No offense taken, and there's no need to pick up

1168
01:18:44.119 --> 01:18:47.359
the pieces. It could do you no good. Now, he

1169
01:18:47.479 --> 01:18:51.560
swiftly caught a wayward breeze blown newspaper page beneath his foot,

1170
01:18:51.920 --> 01:18:55.720
anchoring it to the ground. Patrick, it is then the

1171
01:18:55.800 --> 01:18:59.960
name suits you, so tell me Patrick, would you like

1172
01:19:00.199 --> 01:19:04.760
the job? Patrick settled onto the seat beside him. What's

1173
01:19:04.760 --> 01:19:07.000
in it for me? I'm free to come and go

1174
01:19:07.039 --> 01:19:09.960
as I please and don't have to answer to anyone.

1175
01:19:10.159 --> 01:19:14.560
I dare say. You're rather bored and lonely, Lucian thought,

1176
01:19:15.000 --> 01:19:18.640
a feeling he knew too well, being little more than

1177
01:19:18.640 --> 01:19:22.119
a living wraith himself. But what a pitiful way to

1178
01:19:22.159 --> 01:19:27.279
spend eternity tormenting children in a restaurant and an Applebee's

1179
01:19:27.279 --> 01:19:30.840
no less Ah, that's where you're wrong, mate, I've no

1180
01:19:31.000 --> 01:19:33.840
ties to the restaurant, and I wasn't tormenting the children.

1181
01:19:34.239 --> 01:19:38.199
I was tormenting the parents. You hold a grudge against parents,

1182
01:19:38.239 --> 01:19:41.000
do you? It would seem that way now, wouldn't it,

1183
01:19:41.520 --> 01:19:44.359
but I can't say for share. Could just be something

1184
01:19:44.359 --> 01:19:46.920
I do for kicks, you know, probably one of those

1185
01:19:47.359 --> 01:19:52.159
broken pieces. Patrick leaned forward, elbows on his knees. So

1186
01:19:52.600 --> 01:19:55.720
how come you can see me and hear me when

1187
01:19:55.760 --> 01:19:59.239
no one else can. The crackle of flames and the

1188
01:19:59.279 --> 01:20:04.479
smell of charle wood inundated Lucian's memory, smoke billowing beneath

1189
01:20:04.520 --> 01:20:07.840
the locked bedroom door. On the other side, his father

1190
01:20:08.000 --> 01:20:14.760
shouts heavy footfalls, leaving help me, Daddy. Lucian's frantic cries,

1191
01:20:15.319 --> 01:20:19.920
eyes burning throat, constricting, hot smoke wrapping him in a shroud.

1192
01:20:20.960 --> 01:20:24.800
I was dead once myself, he admitted, glancing over at

1193
01:20:24.840 --> 01:20:29.640
the ghost beside him. A fireman resuscitated me. He had

1194
01:20:29.680 --> 01:20:32.560
been brought back to life. His mother and brother had

1195
01:20:32.600 --> 01:20:35.800
been more fortunate, not having to live the ordeal over

1196
01:20:36.359 --> 01:20:41.520
and over and over again. The nightmares had long ago disappeared,

1197
01:20:41.560 --> 01:20:46.560
making way for vivid, waking memories. Patrick straightened in his seat.

1198
01:20:47.399 --> 01:20:50.720
That's how you got all them scars. Eh, that's rough, man,

1199
01:20:51.199 --> 01:20:54.119
But that don't explain much. Other folks have been resuscitated,

1200
01:20:54.640 --> 01:20:58.039
but no one's ever seen me before. So why you?

1201
01:20:59.039 --> 01:21:01.880
For nearly a year during my recovery. I remained in

1202
01:21:01.920 --> 01:21:05.039
a state of flux, or half life, if you will.

1203
01:21:06.039 --> 01:21:09.159
Forced against his will into a world of forgotten shadows,

1204
01:21:09.239 --> 01:21:12.760
Lucian continued to keep one foot in reality and the

1205
01:21:12.800 --> 01:21:15.800
other foot in the grave. A part of me still

1206
01:21:15.880 --> 01:21:19.199
dwells in the realm of lost souls. Some people might

1207
01:21:19.239 --> 01:21:22.319
consider that a curse, but I view it as a

1208
01:21:22.399 --> 01:21:25.800
unique gift, for I am in a position to offer

1209
01:21:25.880 --> 01:21:31.800
those in limbo some comfort. Limbo sucks, especially if you're invisible.

1210
01:21:32.399 --> 01:21:36.479
Patrick's voice broke upon his words. It was impossible to

1211
01:21:36.479 --> 01:21:39.800
give the boy a hug. Lucian had to rely on speech.

1212
01:21:40.479 --> 01:21:43.279
That's why you feel compelled to cause chaos. It's the

1213
01:21:43.319 --> 01:21:48.600
only way you can validate your dismal existence. Patrick leaned back,

1214
01:21:48.880 --> 01:21:52.279
clasped his hands, and twiddled his thumbs, staring up at

1215
01:21:52.319 --> 01:21:56.680
the steely, cloud studded sky. A pair of starlings roosted,

1216
01:21:57.039 --> 01:22:01.199
chattering quietly in the bare tree tops above. Patrick shot

1217
01:22:01.279 --> 01:22:04.199
up like a rocket and thumped the branch, startling the

1218
01:22:04.199 --> 01:22:07.960
birds into flight. As Patrick settled back onto the bench

1219
01:22:08.039 --> 01:22:11.319
beside him, Lucian stowed his book away in his pocket.

1220
01:22:12.439 --> 01:22:15.560
What I'm offering you, Patrick, is a chance to do

1221
01:22:15.600 --> 01:22:18.960
something productive with your existence. I could use a man

1222
01:22:19.000 --> 01:22:22.600
of your talents. I have no talent, but you do.

1223
01:22:23.720 --> 01:22:27.319
Very few spirits have the ability to move objects. I

1224
01:22:27.359 --> 01:22:29.319
can only do it if they're not too heavy. I

1225
01:22:29.359 --> 01:22:32.279
can't budge anything over a couple of pounds. And I

1226
01:22:32.319 --> 01:22:35.560
don't know why you'd want a limbo ghost anyway, where

1227
01:22:35.600 --> 01:22:40.279
a pathetic bunch nowhere to go, nothing to do, bored

1228
01:22:40.399 --> 01:22:44.279
like you said, and boring to boot. I can do

1229
01:22:44.399 --> 01:22:47.399
nothing about whatever is holding you here, but I can

1230
01:22:47.560 --> 01:22:50.680
offer you a sense of purpose. After tomorrow, I'll be

1231
01:22:50.760 --> 01:22:54.600
moving on. This is an opportunity you may never come

1232
01:22:54.640 --> 01:22:59.000
across again. Patrick kicked at the leaves below his feet,

1233
01:22:59.039 --> 01:23:03.880
swirling them a colorful dance upon the sidewalk, doing what exactly?

1234
01:23:05.000 --> 01:23:09.319
Helping me and my endeavors, that's all? What kind of endeavors?

1235
01:23:09.920 --> 01:23:14.399
What do you do besides no? Many things? Well? For one,

1236
01:23:15.039 --> 01:23:19.000
I throw parties, huge Halloween parties for the filthy rich,

1237
01:23:19.319 --> 01:23:24.199
excruciating extravaganzas. Really, but I always deliver on my client's

1238
01:23:24.239 --> 01:23:29.640
contracts and they're willing to pay me quite well. Parties, huh,

1239
01:23:29.760 --> 01:23:32.159
I think there's more to it than that, you said.

1240
01:23:32.239 --> 01:23:37.800
For one, so what's for two? Talented and attentive? Even better,

1241
01:23:37.960 --> 01:23:41.439
Lucian thought, allowing his good eye to wander the immediate

1242
01:23:41.520 --> 01:23:45.199
vicinity for a moment. The threat of more stormy weather

1243
01:23:45.359 --> 01:23:49.600
kept the park relatively deserted. Ensured there was no one nearby,

1244
01:23:50.039 --> 01:23:56.880
he quietly confided, for two, I kill people. Patrick sprang

1245
01:23:56.960 --> 01:24:00.000
from the bench. Hold a minute, He raised his hand

1246
01:23:59.840 --> 01:24:03.720
and stop action and took a step back. Tormenting folks

1247
01:24:03.760 --> 01:24:08.159
is one thing, but I want no part in killing innocence. Unapologetically,

1248
01:24:08.279 --> 01:24:12.319
Lucian stared up at him. Only children are innocent. The

1249
01:24:12.359 --> 01:24:15.239
rest of us are all guilty of something. Think of

1250
01:24:15.279 --> 01:24:18.840
me as an extension of justice. Are you like some

1251
01:24:19.039 --> 01:24:22.119
kind of hit man? Or do people only pay you

1252
01:24:22.199 --> 01:24:27.479
for parties? Lucian hesitated momentarily. I do get paid for

1253
01:24:27.520 --> 01:24:31.239
hosting parties quite well, in fact, Yet there are some

1254
01:24:31.439 --> 01:24:34.960
clients who request an extra dash of pepper on their salad.

1255
01:24:35.319 --> 01:24:39.439
So to speak. Patrick paced the concrete, stirring the leaves

1256
01:24:39.479 --> 01:24:43.600
beneath his feet, back into action. I dunno, mite, I

1257
01:24:43.680 --> 01:24:45.920
start doing real harm to folks. The next thing you know,

1258
01:24:45.960 --> 01:24:50.199
I'm yanked straight into hell. Lucian folded his gnarled hands

1259
01:24:50.520 --> 01:24:54.880
his sightless eye gleaming dully in the muted daylight. I

1260
01:24:54.920 --> 01:24:58.760
would never ask you to harm anyone. That pleasure is

1261
01:24:58.800 --> 01:25:02.840
reserved for me and me alone. I simply need help

1262
01:25:02.840 --> 01:25:07.239
in orchestrating my events, hence the job title of assistant

1263
01:25:07.439 --> 01:25:13.640
events coordinator. Your soul and conscience remain unsullied. A young

1264
01:25:13.720 --> 01:25:17.640
couple holding hands strolled by, giving Lucian a wide berth.

1265
01:25:18.119 --> 01:25:21.199
They passed through Patrick, causing him to fade in and out.

1266
01:25:22.000 --> 01:25:26.920
He stopped pacing and lunged towards Lucian. Ripping the newspaper

1267
01:25:26.960 --> 01:25:29.760
page from beneath his foot, he swatted the couple with

1268
01:25:29.800 --> 01:25:31.680
it on the back of their heads before setting the

1269
01:25:31.720 --> 01:25:36.000
page free in the breeze. His bone colored face distorted

1270
01:25:36.039 --> 01:25:41.199
by deep thought, he swept back to Lucian's side. I'm

1271
01:25:41.239 --> 01:25:43.159
still not sure this is something I should be taking

1272
01:25:43.199 --> 01:25:45.920
pot in, if you know what I mean, he muttered,

1273
01:25:46.399 --> 01:25:50.960
the killing pot. I understand your concerns, Patrick, yet you

1274
01:25:51.039 --> 01:25:54.079
seem to enjoy tormenting the living, and that's all I

1275
01:25:54.119 --> 01:25:58.079
would ever expect you to do during the party. Would

1276
01:25:58.079 --> 01:26:00.920
you be willing to give it a trial? I have

1277
01:26:00.960 --> 01:26:04.720
an event scheduled tomorrow night at Gates Hotel a party

1278
01:26:04.760 --> 01:26:07.600
at the Gates, Patrick snorted and took a step back.

1279
01:26:08.039 --> 01:26:11.279
While that should be a hoot. Those two snobby sisters

1280
01:26:11.319 --> 01:26:14.720
there don't much care for company, dead or alive, carrying

1281
01:26:14.760 --> 01:26:18.680
on like the world belongs to only them. That's odd,

1282
01:26:19.119 --> 01:26:23.319
Lucian said. I found them to be rather charming. It

1283
01:26:23.399 --> 01:26:26.520
had been those sisters who'd led him to Patrick, who

1284
01:26:26.640 --> 01:26:29.840
told him of the boy's talent and revealed the details

1285
01:26:30.199 --> 01:26:33.840
of his untimely death. And since the hotel is slated

1286
01:26:33.840 --> 01:26:37.640
to be raised before Christmas, Jasmine and Ruby have graciously

1287
01:26:37.680 --> 01:26:41.239
agreed to help me host this year's event. One last

1288
01:26:41.319 --> 01:26:45.279
hurrah for them. So to speak with them, two, you've

1289
01:26:45.319 --> 01:26:47.800
already got the best. What do you need me for,

1290
01:26:48.520 --> 01:26:52.600
Lucian spoke with a smile. The sisters may be capable

1291
01:26:52.640 --> 01:26:57.039
of vivid manifestation and bone chilling audio, but they cannot

1292
01:26:57.119 --> 01:27:01.039
move things. The party guests will be expecting a magnificent

1293
01:27:01.199 --> 01:27:04.520
haunted experience. I prefer to give them a night to

1294
01:27:04.640 --> 01:27:09.840
truly remember. A green aura glowed from within, and Patrick smiled.

1295
01:27:11.079 --> 01:27:14.640
Most of these people at parents right, I would assume so,

1296
01:27:15.640 --> 01:27:17.399
And I don't have to take part in no killing

1297
01:27:18.119 --> 01:27:22.720
Lucian nodded, rest assured that contract has already been completed.

1298
01:27:23.720 --> 01:27:27.560
A small white lie. Sometimes a party was simply a

1299
01:27:27.560 --> 01:27:33.399
party and a target, a deliciously convenient coincidence. Patrick gusted

1300
01:27:33.399 --> 01:27:36.560
across the sidewalk, knocking the hat off the woman pushing

1301
01:27:36.600 --> 01:27:40.960
a baby carriage, then sidled back to Lucian's side. Can

1302
01:27:41.000 --> 01:27:44.560
I ask who it was? No, you may not not

1303
01:27:44.720 --> 01:27:48.760
even a clue. Lucian ran a ragged finger across the

1304
01:27:48.800 --> 01:27:52.439
thinly stretched skin of his missing lips, as if zipping

1305
01:27:52.479 --> 01:27:55.760
them shut. There was no need to tell the lad

1306
01:27:56.279 --> 01:27:59.520
it had been his father. Lucian's own father may have

1307
01:27:59.560 --> 01:28:03.239
been a successful but Patrick's had seen the deed through.

1308
01:28:03.960 --> 01:28:06.760
For thirty years, Patrick has wandered in the realm of

1309
01:28:06.840 --> 01:28:11.079
lost souls, and last night, the father, like the son,

1310
01:28:11.359 --> 01:28:16.079
unwillingly surrendered his life within the cold, dark waters of

1311
01:28:16.199 --> 01:28:20.720
Lake Erie. He wondered, had Patrick fought as hard to

1312
01:28:20.760 --> 01:28:25.920
survive as Daniel had. Lucian rose from the bench, stick

1313
01:28:25.960 --> 01:28:28.800
with me, Patrick, and I promise you will never be

1314
01:28:28.880 --> 01:28:32.760
forced to carry the burdens of my sin. Now shall

1315
01:28:32.800 --> 01:28:36.760
we go. There's a pair of fine nineteenth century sisters.

1316
01:28:37.159 --> 01:28:40.600
I'd like you to meet Lucian limped down the walkway,

1317
01:28:41.119 --> 01:28:49.800
the leaves beside him swirling in a kaleidoscopic dance. Suffer

1318
01:28:50.119 --> 01:28:56.119
the little children by Dennis Free. You're not goddamn going,

1319
01:28:56.520 --> 01:28:59.920
Anthony said, trying his father's favorite epithep on for sign.

1320
01:29:00.680 --> 01:29:03.800
He was only twelve, but thanks to Jacob Anderson, he

1321
01:29:03.840 --> 01:29:07.520
had quite a colorful vocabulary for his age. He surveyed

1322
01:29:07.520 --> 01:29:09.960
his little brother's face and saw no sign of shock

1323
01:29:10.000 --> 01:29:13.439
at the use of the GD word, but only a solemn,

1324
01:29:13.720 --> 01:29:17.479
pouting lower lip. Greg was eleven, and even though both

1325
01:29:17.520 --> 01:29:20.319
went to middle school, there was an unspoken but well

1326
01:29:20.359 --> 01:29:24.039
defined higherchy. Anthony hung out with kids from his class

1327
01:29:24.039 --> 01:29:27.239
who were mostly twelve and thirteen, and despite being only

1328
01:29:27.279 --> 01:29:30.359
a year and nineteen days older than Greg, he knew

1329
01:29:30.439 --> 01:29:33.640
his little brother would be categorized as a baby big

1330
01:29:33.760 --> 01:29:38.159
kid by his friend James. Come on, Tony, Greg whined,

1331
01:29:38.399 --> 01:29:41.039
all my friends are gone for Thanksgiving break, let me

1332
01:29:41.119 --> 01:29:45.520
hang out with you guys. Can't do it. Sprat, I'll

1333
01:29:45.520 --> 01:29:48.039
tell mom you and your friends were playing at the quarry,

1334
01:29:48.439 --> 01:29:52.720
Greg exclaimed. Tony was momentarily worried by this threat, but

1335
01:29:53.000 --> 01:29:55.479
let it slide. He knew Greg would be upset he

1336
01:29:55.479 --> 01:29:58.640
couldn't go, but he'd never endanger his own well being

1337
01:29:58.920 --> 01:30:02.159
by telling their mother's something that would surely land Anthony

1338
01:30:02.199 --> 01:30:04.880
in his room with no Xbox one and the cable

1339
01:30:04.960 --> 01:30:09.600
disconnected for no less than two weeks. Do that, and

1340
01:30:09.640 --> 01:30:12.000
you'll never get to hang out with us, Anthony said,

1341
01:30:12.600 --> 01:30:16.600
what am I supposed to do? Tony? Stop whining for starters.

1342
01:30:17.279 --> 01:30:20.279
He said it much more harshly than he intended. Greg

1343
01:30:20.399 --> 01:30:23.279
cast his eyes down at his feet, and Anthony sighed.

1344
01:30:23.800 --> 01:30:27.079
He put his arm around Greg after checking around the

1345
01:30:27.079 --> 01:30:30.079
street to make sure nobody was watching, and tried to

1346
01:30:30.119 --> 01:30:32.960
comfort his brother. If you get hurt playing at the

1347
01:30:33.039 --> 01:30:36.840
quarry with us, mom would shit a bird. Greg giggled

1348
01:30:36.840 --> 01:30:39.600
at this, like Anthony knew he would. The mental image

1349
01:30:39.600 --> 01:30:42.439
of their mother's shitting feathers tickled Greg, and the first

1350
01:30:42.439 --> 01:30:45.800
time Anthony had said it, his little brother had nearly died. Laughing.

1351
01:30:47.079 --> 01:30:50.159
I guess I'll just play Xbox. You better be home

1352
01:30:50.199 --> 01:30:52.239
by five, though, Mom and Dad will be asking where

1353
01:30:52.279 --> 01:30:54.359
you are, and I hate pretending like I don't know,

1354
01:30:54.960 --> 01:31:00.520
Greg said, promise. Anthony raised a three finger scout salute. Look,

1355
01:31:00.960 --> 01:31:03.279
I'll talk to James and the guys and see if

1356
01:31:03.319 --> 01:31:05.079
I can't get them to let you come with us

1357
01:31:05.119 --> 01:31:10.079
next time. Okay, Greg smiled and nodded. Anthony would probably

1358
01:31:10.119 --> 01:31:12.199
mention it to the guys, but he knew he wouldn't

1359
01:31:12.199 --> 01:31:14.039
put up much of a fight if they said no.

1360
01:31:14.680 --> 01:31:17.479
Anthony wasn't a mean brother by any means, but he

1361
01:31:17.600 --> 01:31:20.800
was a follower by nature. Greg knew this, even if

1362
01:31:20.840 --> 01:31:24.159
he didn't know exactly how to articulate it. He watched

1363
01:31:24.159 --> 01:31:27.000
as Anthony mounted his big red mongoose and took off

1364
01:31:27.039 --> 01:31:29.760
down the street to meet the rest of the James Gang,

1365
01:31:29.880 --> 01:31:32.760
as they called themselves. Once his brother was out of sight,

1366
01:31:33.039 --> 01:31:35.600
Greg sighed and went inside to get a soda and

1367
01:31:35.680 --> 01:31:39.720
retired to his room to play Xbox. Greg sat on

1368
01:31:39.800 --> 01:31:42.319
the floor by his bed, surrounded by a plethora of

1369
01:31:42.319 --> 01:31:45.680
empty soda cans and candy wrappers. Had his mother walked

1370
01:31:45.680 --> 01:31:48.159
in at that exact moment, she would have shit a

1371
01:31:48.159 --> 01:31:51.399
bird at the site. He turned off his console and

1372
01:31:51.439 --> 01:31:54.880
began to stuff the rappers into his already overflowing wastebasket.

1373
01:31:55.319 --> 01:31:57.279
He took the cans downstairs and put them in the

1374
01:31:57.359 --> 01:32:00.159
recycling and plopped down onto one of the barstools in

1375
01:32:00.159 --> 01:32:03.359
the kitchen. It was only eleven thirty and Greg had

1376
01:32:03.359 --> 01:32:07.039
already exhausted his patients at the new Madden game. It's

1377
01:32:07.079 --> 01:32:09.560
going to be exactly the same as the last three,

1378
01:32:09.720 --> 01:32:12.760
Anthony had said one day when Greg had excitedly described

1379
01:32:12.800 --> 01:32:15.520
the commercial to him as usual. His brother had been

1380
01:32:15.560 --> 01:32:19.720
correct in his assumption. Great graphics aside the Xbox wasn't

1381
01:32:19.800 --> 01:32:22.600
keeping Greg's attention, and he started to think about what

1382
01:32:22.640 --> 01:32:25.439
Anthony and his friends could be doing down at the quarry.

1383
01:32:25.720 --> 01:32:28.439
Anthony was only a year older than he was, and

1384
01:32:28.520 --> 01:32:30.840
Greg couldn't imagine that he and his friends were doing

1385
01:32:30.920 --> 01:32:35.760
anything that he himself couldn't do. Fuck it, Greg muttered

1386
01:32:35.800 --> 01:32:39.000
under his breath. His cheeks flushed hot at the vocalization

1387
01:32:39.079 --> 01:32:42.600
of what his mother called the really bad word, and

1388
01:32:42.680 --> 01:32:45.159
he went into the garage to grab his bike. He

1389
01:32:45.199 --> 01:32:47.479
would ride down to the quarry and see just what

1390
01:32:47.600 --> 01:32:50.159
his brother's friends were up to. He would go what

1391
01:32:50.199 --> 01:32:54.640
his father called incognito and watch from afar. At first,

1392
01:32:55.119 --> 01:32:57.359
he grabbed the backpack his parents had bought him for

1393
01:32:57.399 --> 01:33:00.359
hiking trips and put on his khakis, which clouds with

1394
01:33:00.399 --> 01:33:03.520
the black athletic shorts and the orange basketball jersey. But

1395
01:33:04.159 --> 01:33:07.359
he wasn't out to win any fashion contests. He pulled

1396
01:33:07.359 --> 01:33:09.600
his curly locks back out of his face and put

1397
01:33:09.600 --> 01:33:12.439
them into a ponytail. He had had long hair since

1398
01:33:12.479 --> 01:33:14.319
he was a baby, and with the exception of a

1399
01:33:14.359 --> 01:33:17.720
handful of trims, he'd always worn his hair long. The

1400
01:33:17.760 --> 01:33:20.399
older he got, the less serious the teasing about his

1401
01:33:20.479 --> 01:33:23.680
hair got, and now he even received a few compliments,

1402
01:33:24.159 --> 01:33:28.439
mostly from girls. Greg mounted his blue Huffy and started

1403
01:33:28.439 --> 01:33:31.199
off down the street. He rode down Alberta Street and

1404
01:33:31.199 --> 01:33:33.960
took a detour between a pair of houses on Jackson.

1405
01:33:34.359 --> 01:33:36.760
The trip itself only took about ten minutes, but it

1406
01:33:36.800 --> 01:33:40.479
felt like forever to Greg, whose mind wouldn't stop speculating

1407
01:33:40.520 --> 01:33:43.279
as to what he'd see when he got there. He

1408
01:33:43.399 --> 01:33:46.439
wondered if James Gang would be doing dangerous stunts on

1409
01:33:46.479 --> 01:33:49.640
their bikes, or perhaps they were wrestling by the scummy

1410
01:33:49.680 --> 01:33:51.880
pond that was in the pit left over from the

1411
01:33:51.960 --> 01:33:55.680
rainy weather they'd had. They may be hanging out with girls,

1412
01:33:55.880 --> 01:34:00.119
he thought. This brought a fresh flush to his cheek.

1413
01:34:00.399 --> 01:34:03.159
He was eleven and his girls are icky. Stage had

1414
01:34:03.199 --> 01:34:05.840
been over for almost a year, but he still wasn't

1415
01:34:05.880 --> 01:34:09.039
sure about the fairer sex He had a basic grasp

1416
01:34:09.079 --> 01:34:11.680
on what boys and girls did together when they were older,

1417
01:34:12.079 --> 01:34:14.399
but the thought of it still caused a weird mix

1418
01:34:14.399 --> 01:34:17.640
of emotions he wasn't able to understand. He felt his

1419
01:34:17.720 --> 01:34:20.720
pants begin to tighten in the crotch and forced himself

1420
01:34:20.720 --> 01:34:23.760
to think of something else. The last thing he needed

1421
01:34:23.920 --> 01:34:25.920
was to run into his brother and his friends with

1422
01:34:26.000 --> 01:34:28.960
a raging heart on He would live that down, not

1423
01:34:29.039 --> 01:34:32.199
in this lifetime the next one either, for that matter.

1424
01:34:32.920 --> 01:34:35.199
Gregg dropped his foot down and drug it through the

1425
01:34:35.239 --> 01:34:38.399
gravel as he decelerated. He approached the edge of the

1426
01:34:38.479 --> 01:34:42.239
quarry warily. He saw Anthony's bike parked by some bushes

1427
01:34:42.279 --> 01:34:45.039
among four others, and left his own a few feet away.

1428
01:34:45.600 --> 01:34:48.960
He adjusted his backpack and crouch walked down the narrow

1429
01:34:49.000 --> 01:34:52.399
path beaten down by adolescent foot traffic, and made his

1430
01:34:52.439 --> 01:34:54.960
way to the edge of the pit. He looked down

1431
01:34:55.000 --> 01:34:57.159
and saw the five boys who made up the James

1432
01:34:57.199 --> 01:34:59.840
Gang laid out on the rocks by the water that

1433
01:35:00.199 --> 01:35:03.720
pooled down there. He didn't see any girls, but he

1434
01:35:03.800 --> 01:35:06.960
did see that two of them were smoking cigarettes. He

1435
01:35:07.039 --> 01:35:09.479
did a double take when he realized that his brother

1436
01:35:10.039 --> 01:35:13.560
was one of the ones smoking a cigarette. Hung lackadaisically

1437
01:35:13.680 --> 01:35:16.279
from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes squinted

1438
01:35:16.319 --> 01:35:19.319
against the smoke as he skipped rocks across the surface

1439
01:35:19.359 --> 01:35:23.600
of the water. Mom would shit a bird, he grinned

1440
01:35:23.640 --> 01:35:26.600
maniacally at this. Two of the kids looked like they

1441
01:35:26.640 --> 01:35:29.520
were playing a board game Checkers, it looked like, and

1442
01:35:29.640 --> 01:35:32.960
James and another boy that Greg didn't recognize were talking

1443
01:35:33.000 --> 01:35:38.359
next to Anthony. Not talking, Greg thought, arguing. A little

1444
01:35:38.359 --> 01:35:40.960
shoving match broke out between James and the other boy,

1445
01:35:41.000 --> 01:35:43.279
and Anthony moved in between them to break it up.

1446
01:35:43.560 --> 01:35:45.520
He took the cigarette out of his mouth and moved

1447
01:35:45.560 --> 01:35:48.600
it nimbly between his fingers. As he did this, Greg

1448
01:35:48.680 --> 01:35:51.159
noted that it probably wasn't the first time his brother

1449
01:35:51.199 --> 01:35:54.800
had smoked. Greg couldn't tell what the boys were arguing about,

1450
01:35:54.880 --> 01:35:57.159
so he decided he was going to try and sneak

1451
01:35:57.199 --> 01:36:00.159
to a pile of broken stones about ten feet away

1452
01:36:00.159 --> 01:36:03.760
from the boys. He once again began to crouch walk,

1453
01:36:03.880 --> 01:36:08.279
but avoided the path. You're a fucking liar, Charles exclaimed.

1454
01:36:08.680 --> 01:36:12.199
James regarded him menacingly, but Anthony held him back to

1455
01:36:12.279 --> 01:36:15.680
avoid a full on fistfight. I am not, my dad

1456
01:36:15.720 --> 01:36:18.600
told me. The story himself. You're calling my dad a liar,

1457
01:36:18.720 --> 01:36:22.920
fat ass, James shouted indignantly. Charles cast his eyes down,

1458
01:36:23.000 --> 01:36:26.439
not wanting to meet james angry gaze. He was thirteen,

1459
01:36:26.479 --> 01:36:28.840
and although the gibe about his weight hurt, he was

1460
01:36:28.880 --> 01:36:31.479
still young enough to believe that everything their parents told

1461
01:36:31.520 --> 01:36:34.359
them was the truth. He was okay with calling James

1462
01:36:34.359 --> 01:36:37.359
a liar, but to call his father, an adult a

1463
01:36:37.439 --> 01:36:43.199
liar was an entirely different animal. Sorry, James, Charles said,

1464
01:36:43.239 --> 01:36:46.439
his face glowing red. James blinked at the sudden shift

1465
01:36:46.479 --> 01:36:50.960
the conversation had taken. Me too. His face softened a bit.

1466
01:36:51.680 --> 01:36:56.640
I'm sorry I called you a fat ass. It's okay. Anthony,

1467
01:36:56.760 --> 01:36:59.800
sensing the drama was over, moved back over by the water.

1468
01:37:00.159 --> 01:37:02.720
He flicked his cigarette into the scummy pond and went

1469
01:37:02.760 --> 01:37:07.079
back to skipping rocks. He told me that back then

1470
01:37:07.199 --> 01:37:09.680
the water was a lot higher, and kids would jump

1471
01:37:09.760 --> 01:37:13.039
off the rocks and into the water, James said. He said,

1472
01:37:13.079 --> 01:37:16.760
after a couple of guys died, they closed the place up.

1473
01:37:17.119 --> 01:37:19.239
Some of the kids that did sneak in said they

1474
01:37:19.279 --> 01:37:24.039
saw ghosts or some shit, if that makes sense. Charles said,

1475
01:37:24.520 --> 01:37:27.800
it's the other part that sounds weird. Maybe it's true, though,

1476
01:37:28.199 --> 01:37:32.000
like a horror movie or something, Anthony added. Dad said,

1477
01:37:32.079 --> 01:37:34.359
some of the kids kept coming down here even after

1478
01:37:34.399 --> 01:37:38.920
they closed it up. They saw things like weird things,

1479
01:37:39.239 --> 01:37:42.680
James said. Anthony nodded, as if this were to be expected.

1480
01:37:43.239 --> 01:37:47.000
The idea of ghosts was not unfathomable for his twelve

1481
01:37:47.039 --> 01:37:51.319
year old mind. If they died suddenly, like broke their

1482
01:37:51.359 --> 01:37:54.479
necks when they dove in or drown or whatever, they

1483
01:37:54.520 --> 01:37:59.079
probably stuck around unfinished business or to try to keep

1484
01:37:59.079 --> 01:38:04.359
other people from Anthony offered. He spoke in a scholarly tone,

1485
01:38:04.399 --> 01:38:06.640
like a professor teaching the ways of the world to

1486
01:38:06.720 --> 01:38:10.439
his pupils. Even Eddie and Tim had stopped playing checkers

1487
01:38:10.479 --> 01:38:14.640
to regard Anthony with intense wide eyes. Anthony looked up

1488
01:38:14.680 --> 01:38:17.239
and saw that all his friends were staring at him. Now.

1489
01:38:17.920 --> 01:38:21.800
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled, that's what I think anyways.

1490
01:38:22.840 --> 01:38:26.520
James nodded in agreement. This minor gesture made Anthony swell

1491
01:38:26.560 --> 01:38:29.560
with pride. Jame was their de facto leader, after all,

1492
01:38:29.560 --> 01:38:33.560
in any praise spoken or not, was bragworthy. Eddie and

1493
01:38:33.600 --> 01:38:37.119
Tim went back to their game, Eddie squinting in concentration.

1494
01:38:38.000 --> 01:38:46.560
Want to all meet back up here tonight? James asked, sure, Hey, James, yeah,

1495
01:38:46.880 --> 01:38:50.199
I was thinking about something. Can my little brother come

1496
01:38:50.239 --> 01:38:52.880
with us? I know he's a little younger, but he

1497
01:38:52.960 --> 01:38:56.399
isn't a spaz or anything. You want to bring your

1498
01:38:56.520 --> 01:39:01.199
little brother, James asked with a chuckle. Well, yeah, I mean,

1499
01:39:01.800 --> 01:39:04.520
if you guys don't mind. He looked over towards the

1500
01:39:04.520 --> 01:39:09.359
other three for confirmation. They shrugged. I guess, James said,

1501
01:39:09.800 --> 01:39:13.119
I'll bring my sister's Ouiji board. Everybody meet me up

1502
01:39:13.199 --> 01:39:16.319
here at nine thirty. I gotta go and make sure

1503
01:39:16.319 --> 01:39:18.880
I don't miss dinner. Our mom will never let us

1504
01:39:18.880 --> 01:39:22.680
out after nine. Well, then don't come, James said. His

1505
01:39:22.800 --> 01:39:26.479
tone was dismissive, but his eyes were sharp and predatory.

1506
01:39:27.560 --> 01:39:31.840
We'll we'll figure it out. Greg's grin was wide and

1507
01:39:31.880 --> 01:39:35.079
toothy as he rode back to the house. Anthony had

1508
01:39:35.079 --> 01:39:37.159
done what he said he would. He stood up and

1509
01:39:37.239 --> 01:39:40.279
asked that Greg be included. He wouldn't let on that

1510
01:39:40.359 --> 01:39:42.640
he had been there, and he knew he'd need to

1511
01:39:42.680 --> 01:39:45.239
act surprised when Anthony asked him if he wanted to

1512
01:39:45.239 --> 01:39:48.680
sneak out with him tonight. In most cases, he would

1513
01:39:48.680 --> 01:39:52.399
never even consider sneaking out after curfew, but he knew

1514
01:39:52.560 --> 01:39:54.760
he'd never get another chance like this one if he

1515
01:39:54.840 --> 01:39:57.920
chickened out. His brother had stuck his neck out. The

1516
01:39:58.039 --> 01:40:01.039
ride back felt a lot faster than to the quarry

1517
01:40:01.319 --> 01:40:04.880
because he felt like he was floating. That night, the

1518
01:40:04.920 --> 01:40:07.880
two of them snuck out of the front door. Anthony

1519
01:40:07.920 --> 01:40:10.960
had been adamant about Greg and himself bringing their keys.

1520
01:40:11.560 --> 01:40:13.920
It wouldn't do to get home, only to find out

1521
01:40:13.960 --> 01:40:16.960
that they had locked themselves out. Greg double checked the

1522
01:40:16.960 --> 01:40:19.680
pocket of his jeans and assured Anthony he was ready.

1523
01:40:19.960 --> 01:40:21.640
The two of them had left their bikes in the

1524
01:40:21.720 --> 01:40:23.920
yard to keep from having to open the garage, and

1525
01:40:23.960 --> 01:40:27.319
pushed them halfway down the street before mounting up. They

1526
01:40:27.359 --> 01:40:30.680
made their way down the various streets cautiously. The street

1527
01:40:30.760 --> 01:40:33.159
lights illuminated the way for most of the trip, but

1528
01:40:33.239 --> 01:40:35.800
the last half mile was on the outskirts where the

1529
01:40:35.880 --> 01:40:40.239
lights were fewer and far between. Anthony narrowly avoided a

1530
01:40:40.239 --> 01:40:43.279
pothole that would have sent him ass over tea kettle

1531
01:40:43.479 --> 01:40:46.119
and ended the night in the emergency room instead of

1532
01:40:46.159 --> 01:40:49.239
the quarry, calling his parents from the er to tell

1533
01:40:49.279 --> 01:40:51.439
them he and Greg had snuck out and landed in

1534
01:40:51.479 --> 01:40:53.640
the hospital would be a surefire way to end up

1535
01:40:53.640 --> 01:40:57.399
in the morgue. Shortly thereafter, they parked their bikes where

1536
01:40:57.399 --> 01:40:59.760
they had stashed them earlier that day, and Greg hit

1537
01:40:59.760 --> 01:41:02.000
the button on the side of his watch to illuminate

1538
01:41:02.039 --> 01:41:04.479
the time. It was a quarter to ten, and the

1539
01:41:04.520 --> 01:41:06.680
two of them moved as quickly as they could without

1540
01:41:06.680 --> 01:41:08.720
falling down the pit where the rest of the James

1541
01:41:08.760 --> 01:41:11.920
gang was waiting. They were sitting in a semicircle with

1542
01:41:11.960 --> 01:41:14.920
candles and the Ouiji boards sitting in the center. After

1543
01:41:15.039 --> 01:41:18.359
perfunctory introductions of the newest member of the gang, Anthony

1544
01:41:18.399 --> 01:41:22.159
and Greg took their place, completing the circle. Are we

1545
01:41:22.239 --> 01:41:26.520
all ready, James asked. Nobody said anything at first, They

1546
01:41:26.560 --> 01:41:31.640
only stared at each other. Ready, Greg said, James acknowledged

1547
01:41:31.720 --> 01:41:34.039
him with a smile, and soon the others followed suit

1548
01:41:34.680 --> 01:41:40.119
Ready James, Charles said ready, Anthony said ready, Eddie and

1549
01:41:40.159 --> 01:41:44.239
Tim said in unison. James nodded again and beckoned them

1550
01:41:44.279 --> 01:41:47.600
to touch the planchet with him, and of course they obliged.

1551
01:41:48.079 --> 01:41:51.000
The second Greg's fingers made contact with the light wood

1552
01:41:51.000 --> 01:41:54.079
of the planchet, he felt an unnatural chill run up

1553
01:41:54.079 --> 01:41:56.880
his spine. His balls started to draw up into his

1554
01:41:56.960 --> 01:41:59.319
body as the first real fear of the night began

1555
01:41:59.399 --> 01:42:02.079
to sink in. Greg had been nervous when they snuck

1556
01:42:02.079 --> 01:42:04.479
out of the house because if they were to get caught,

1557
01:42:04.800 --> 01:42:07.079
his mother would do far more than shit a bird.

1558
01:42:07.399 --> 01:42:10.239
She was bound to shit a flock of them. This

1559
01:42:10.720 --> 01:42:15.319
felt different, somehow, it was more unnatural. Greg surveyed the

1560
01:42:15.319 --> 01:42:18.039
rest of the boys. Their faces were a plethora of

1561
01:42:18.039 --> 01:42:21.319
silhouetted features, and each of them took on the appearance

1562
01:42:21.319 --> 01:42:26.119
of skulls. Even Charles's unusually pudgy face appeared gaunt. In

1563
01:42:26.159 --> 01:42:29.960
the candlelight, the pit's pull of water lay stagnant, and

1564
01:42:30.000 --> 01:42:32.760
the smell of the sludge and algae hung in the air.

1565
01:42:33.279 --> 01:42:36.119
He was vaguely aware that Anthony's breath was coming out

1566
01:42:36.159 --> 01:42:42.520
in hitches and jerks. Are there any spirits here, James asked. Suddenly.

1567
01:42:43.359 --> 01:42:46.600
Greg looked up at him, and even in the low candlelight,

1568
01:42:47.119 --> 01:42:50.880
he could see that he was going pale. Nothing happened

1569
01:42:50.880 --> 01:42:54.640
at first, and everyone, Greg included let out a sigh

1570
01:42:54.680 --> 01:42:58.960
of relief. He hadn't really expected anything to happen, but

1571
01:42:59.039 --> 01:43:02.239
the unknown had terrified Greg. Before he could get far

1572
01:43:02.319 --> 01:43:05.239
into his own inner monologue, the wooden plan chet moved

1573
01:43:05.800 --> 01:43:11.359
slowly to the yes on the board. What in the

1574
01:43:11.600 --> 01:43:15.680
actual fuck, Anthony said. Greg looked over at his brother,

1575
01:43:15.720 --> 01:43:18.560
who was now ghostly white. At a glance, he could

1576
01:43:18.560 --> 01:43:22.640
see that everyone else was two pale, but with a

1577
01:43:22.680 --> 01:43:26.279
creepy smile that had been plastered to his face, and

1578
01:43:26.359 --> 01:43:30.319
his eyes appeared to glaze over. What is your name?

1579
01:43:30.680 --> 01:43:33.159
Greg asked? It was out of his mouth before he

1580
01:43:33.199 --> 01:43:37.319
could stop the compulsion, and Anthony stared at him mouth agape.

1581
01:43:37.359 --> 01:43:40.119
Greg opened his mouth to apologize when the planchet once

1582
01:43:40.159 --> 01:43:42.880
again began to move until it came to rest on

1583
01:43:42.920 --> 01:43:47.479
the letter, and they watched in fascination as the word

1584
01:43:48.079 --> 01:43:51.800
nrgall was spelled out before him. Greg was about to

1585
01:43:51.840 --> 01:43:54.760
ask it another question when it suddenly started to move again,

1586
01:43:55.319 --> 01:44:00.000
this time it spelled out jagon. I guess there's two

1587
01:44:00.000 --> 01:44:03.239
two of them, James said, I'm done. Charles pulled his

1588
01:44:03.279 --> 01:44:05.439
hand back from the planchet and started to get to

1589
01:44:05.439 --> 01:44:09.239
his feet. James looked at him pointedly annoyed and rolled

1590
01:44:09.239 --> 01:44:12.760
his eyes. Don't be such a baby. I'm not being

1591
01:44:12.760 --> 01:44:15.319
a baby. I'm just done with this shit, this is creepy.

1592
01:44:16.000 --> 01:44:19.119
Just sit down. Fuck you, James, I said, I'm fucking

1593
01:44:19.199 --> 01:44:22.880
done with Charles was silenced mid sentence as a shadow

1594
01:44:22.960 --> 01:44:25.760
coming from the pond wrapped itself around his throat. His

1595
01:44:25.840 --> 01:44:28.039
hands flew up to his neck as his air was

1596
01:44:28.079 --> 01:44:30.680
cut off. Greg screamed and jumped back as he saw

1597
01:44:30.720 --> 01:44:33.199
tentacles reaching for him. They appeared to be made up

1598
01:44:33.199 --> 01:44:35.960
of the shadows. Charles's face was turning purple when he

1599
01:44:36.000 --> 01:44:38.560
fell to the ground, still clutching his throat, as the

1600
01:44:38.600 --> 01:44:43.279
shade dragged him back towards the water. Gregg sprung to

1601
01:44:43.319 --> 01:44:45.439
his feet and turned toward his brother, who was already

1602
01:44:45.520 --> 01:44:48.079
up and backing away from the tentacles. Eddie and Tim

1603
01:44:48.079 --> 01:44:50.319
were both fighting against the shadows that had grabbed them

1604
01:44:50.319 --> 01:44:52.520
by their legs, and James was being dragged by his

1605
01:44:52.720 --> 01:44:55.600
arm into the water. His screams were ear piercing at first,

1606
01:44:55.600 --> 01:44:58.039
but were soon cut short into a gurgle as his

1607
01:44:58.119 --> 01:45:01.760
face was pulled under water. Greg would have continued to

1608
01:45:01.760 --> 01:45:04.079
sit and stare at James as a tentacle wrapped itself

1609
01:45:04.079 --> 01:45:06.640
around his leg, had he not felt someone yank him

1610
01:45:06.640 --> 01:45:09.079
by the back of his shirt. His collar tightened around

1611
01:45:09.079 --> 01:45:11.600
his throat as he had a moment of panic. It

1612
01:45:11.720 --> 01:45:14.520
has me, he thought, as he pulled forward towards the

1613
01:45:14.560 --> 01:45:17.880
pool to escape the force pulling him. Anthony spun him

1614
01:45:17.920 --> 01:45:20.840
around and leaned down into his face. His lips were moving,

1615
01:45:20.880 --> 01:45:23.600
but Greg couldn't hear him over the sound of guttural

1616
01:45:23.800 --> 01:45:27.399
inhuman screaming. Terror was taking over. When Anthony brought his

1617
01:45:27.439 --> 01:45:30.680
hand across his face, Greg blinked wildly and tears began

1618
01:45:30.720 --> 01:45:32.880
to well up in the corner of his eyes. Anthony

1619
01:45:32.920 --> 01:45:35.279
had never hit him like that, but suddenly the sound

1620
01:45:35.279 --> 01:45:39.079
coming out of his mouth was audible. Run Greg, Anthony screamed.

1621
01:45:39.359 --> 01:45:41.640
Greg didn't need to be told twice. He took off

1622
01:45:41.680 --> 01:45:44.520
in a sprint past Anthony, who followed closely behind him.

1623
01:45:44.560 --> 01:45:46.960
As they beat up the path toward their bikes. Greg

1624
01:45:47.039 --> 01:45:49.039
was too terrified to look over his shoulder to see

1625
01:45:49.039 --> 01:45:51.279
if they were being followed, and mounted his bike. After

1626
01:45:51.319 --> 01:45:54.159
a running start. He could hear Anthony peddling behind him.

1627
01:45:54.279 --> 01:45:56.079
He felt his heart beating out of his chest as

1628
01:45:56.119 --> 01:45:58.880
he pedaled like a mad bastard trying to beat the devil.

1629
01:45:59.560 --> 01:46:02.079
When he had cleared the first two streets, he snuck

1630
01:46:02.119 --> 01:46:04.199
a glance behind him and saw that Anthony was at

1631
01:46:04.279 --> 01:46:07.319
least fifteen feet back. He slowed a bit and allowed

1632
01:46:07.359 --> 01:46:09.760
him to catch up. As they pulled up to their house,

1633
01:46:09.840 --> 01:46:12.439
Gregg's bike struck the curb and he was thrown from it.

1634
01:46:13.000 --> 01:46:15.800
He landed hard on his shoulder and rolled onto his back.

1635
01:46:16.039 --> 01:46:17.920
Anthony came up next to him and bailed off his

1636
01:46:18.000 --> 01:46:20.399
bike without stopping. He ran to Greg and pulled him

1637
01:46:20.439 --> 01:46:22.920
up into his lap. They were both breathing hard and

1638
01:46:23.000 --> 01:46:26.119
tears were flowing freely. As Greg crawled up his brother's

1639
01:46:26.119 --> 01:46:29.119
body to embrace him. Anthony hugged him back, and soon

1640
01:46:29.399 --> 01:46:32.399
they were both sobbing and screaming into each other's shoulder.

1641
01:46:33.520 --> 01:46:36.880
Thank you so much, Greg said, between sobs. Thank you

1642
01:46:36.920 --> 01:46:41.800
for grabbing me. I love you, Anthony said, it seemed

1643
01:46:41.800 --> 01:46:44.239
to be the only thing he could say. He was

1644
01:46:44.279 --> 01:46:47.319
still saying it when a black tentacle reached out from

1645
01:46:47.359 --> 01:46:51.439
the darkness and wrapped them both into a cold embrace.

1646
01:46:55.960 --> 01:47:01.880
Father's Day by Shane Migliavanca. This section of the path

1647
01:47:02.000 --> 01:47:05.439
scared Matt shitless, not that he'd admit it to anyone,

1648
01:47:05.840 --> 01:47:09.039
especially to Greg and Jenny, his two best friends. Walking

1649
01:47:09.079 --> 01:47:11.760
a little ways in front of him. Last year, there

1650
01:47:11.760 --> 01:47:14.600
had been a stabbing. A few years before that, a

1651
01:47:14.640 --> 01:47:17.600
man's body had been discovered face down in Pierce Creek,

1652
01:47:18.199 --> 01:47:22.000
not that far from here. Matt didn't believe in curses

1653
01:47:22.119 --> 01:47:24.600
or bad luck, but there was a feeling he got

1654
01:47:24.600 --> 01:47:27.840
in his gut whenever he passed through the area. He'd

1655
01:47:27.960 --> 01:47:31.600
rather be at home playing video games today. His parents

1656
01:47:31.640 --> 01:47:34.760
were visiting Matt's grandfather for Father's Day, and he'd have

1657
01:47:34.840 --> 01:47:40.000
the whole house to himself instead, here he was. Matt

1658
01:47:40.000 --> 01:47:44.119
blamed Jenny, specifically her tight blue jeans and nice smile.

1659
01:47:45.119 --> 01:47:47.920
The three of them had been friends for years. Matt

1660
01:47:47.960 --> 01:47:50.439
was fairly certain that Jenny had a thing for Greg,

1661
01:47:50.920 --> 01:47:53.479
but Greg was oblivious to it, but it was only

1662
01:47:53.520 --> 01:47:57.159
a matter of time before he noticed. Matt could feel

1663
01:47:57.159 --> 01:47:59.920
his chance with Jenny slipping away if he didn't speak

1664
01:48:00.119 --> 01:48:03.239
up soon. He winced as the two laughed about the

1665
01:48:03.239 --> 01:48:07.039
same joke. So where the hell are we going, Matt

1666
01:48:07.079 --> 01:48:10.479
blurted out. Gregg looked back over his shoulder. Don't have

1667
01:48:10.520 --> 01:48:14.560
a cow, dude, We're almost there, Jenny laughed, making Matt

1668
01:48:14.640 --> 01:48:17.560
feel a bit annoyed. He kicked a stone off the path,

1669
01:48:17.680 --> 01:48:20.800
watching it shoot off into the grass. The three walked

1670
01:48:20.840 --> 01:48:24.359
in silence for a few minutes until Greg stopped them,

1671
01:48:24.479 --> 01:48:27.560
and here we are, He pointed towards the left side

1672
01:48:27.600 --> 01:48:31.640
of the trail. Matt's gaze followed his friend's gesture. There

1673
01:48:32.119 --> 01:48:35.279
through the trees, the roof of a house could be seen,

1674
01:48:35.920 --> 01:48:40.600
its tiled roof weathered from age and the elements there.

1675
01:48:41.119 --> 01:48:45.880
Jenny asked, yep, Greg said proudly. They followed him off

1676
01:48:45.920 --> 01:48:48.560
the path, pushing through some brush to get to the house.

1677
01:48:49.119 --> 01:48:53.159
As they emerged into the house's overgrown backyard, its ramshackle

1678
01:48:53.239 --> 01:48:58.399
condition became more apparent. What a dump, Jenny observed, We're not,

1679
01:48:58.840 --> 01:49:02.920
Greg cut her off. Sure as shit, we are. Why,

1680
01:49:03.399 --> 01:49:08.119
asked Matt, wishing he'd stayed home because Greg answered, as

1681
01:49:08.119 --> 01:49:10.720
he walked up the steps to the back door, don't

1682
01:49:10.760 --> 01:49:13.600
you want to have some fun instead of jacking off

1683
01:49:13.640 --> 01:49:18.600
to save by the bell all day? Horror? Horror? Matt responded.

1684
01:49:18.960 --> 01:49:21.119
He felt a bit of anger boil through from his

1685
01:49:21.199 --> 01:49:25.479
friend's consent prodding. He surprised himself when he flipped Greg off.

1686
01:49:26.359 --> 01:49:30.880
I didn't think you had it in you, somebody said, clapping. Besides,

1687
01:49:31.119 --> 01:49:34.920
I see you stroking it more to power Rangers. They

1688
01:49:34.960 --> 01:49:37.680
turned to see Dave Stover standing by the side of

1689
01:49:37.680 --> 01:49:40.600
the house. A girl dressed in black stepped out from

1690
01:49:40.640 --> 01:49:44.079
behind him. Her short brown hair was slicked straight back,

1691
01:49:44.159 --> 01:49:47.399
and a black choker encircled her neck. What are you

1692
01:49:47.479 --> 01:49:51.039
doing here, Stover? Matt asked. There was something about that

1693
01:49:51.199 --> 01:49:54.159
smug shit eating grin that made Matt want to punch

1694
01:49:54.239 --> 01:49:58.560
Stover's teeth in. Greg and Stover went way back. Why

1695
01:49:58.600 --> 01:50:01.640
his friend would hang out with that ass was beyond Matt.

1696
01:50:02.640 --> 01:50:07.560
He's the reason we're here, Greg answered. Matt sighed great.

1697
01:50:09.119 --> 01:50:12.800
Stover introduced the girl. This is Ember. She's gonna help

1698
01:50:12.880 --> 01:50:16.800
us play a little game. They followed Stover into the house.

1699
01:50:17.439 --> 01:50:20.840
The back door opened easily. The smell of stale cat

1700
01:50:20.840 --> 01:50:23.640
eirine greeted them as they stepped into a bare kitchen.

1701
01:50:24.520 --> 01:50:29.479
Jenny whispered in Matt's ear, Ember, that's bullshit. Her name's

1702
01:50:29.479 --> 01:50:33.560
Tracy Hollis. She's in my English Lit class. The two

1703
01:50:33.720 --> 01:50:38.199
softly chuckled. Stover took them down a musty hallway. The

1704
01:50:38.239 --> 01:50:41.720
plaster walls were chipped and marked with graffiti. Chunks of

1705
01:50:41.760 --> 01:50:47.279
broken plaster crunched underfoot. Matt wondered who'd lived here, there

1706
01:50:47.319 --> 01:50:50.399
was nothing left to mark their time here. The hall

1707
01:50:50.479 --> 01:50:53.079
opened up in a large room. At the room center

1708
01:50:53.199 --> 01:50:56.800
was a large circle of candles. Strange symbols were written

1709
01:50:56.800 --> 01:51:01.279
on the floor within the circle. Matt felt strangely uneasy

1710
01:51:01.399 --> 01:51:04.720
as he entered the room. He didn't believe in magic,

1711
01:51:05.079 --> 01:51:07.479
but it didn't mean you went messing around with the shit.

1712
01:51:08.079 --> 01:51:10.680
What the hell, Matt said, I don't think we should

1713
01:51:10.680 --> 01:51:15.239
fuck around with this stupid shit. Relax man, Greg reassured

1714
01:51:15.239 --> 01:51:19.560
his friend. Wait till you hear the story. Let's find

1715
01:51:19.600 --> 01:51:23.199
out first, Jenny added, I want to find out what's up.

1716
01:51:23.840 --> 01:51:27.159
Damn it. Matt didn't want to walk out with Jenny

1717
01:51:27.239 --> 01:51:31.119
staying behind, partly because he'd looked like a whimp and

1718
01:51:31.199 --> 01:51:36.520
partly because he worried about her. Then let's get on

1719
01:51:36.640 --> 01:51:39.720
with it, Matt grumbled, What have we got to do?

1720
01:51:41.039 --> 01:51:44.079
Ember sat them around the circle, all holding hands, with

1721
01:51:44.239 --> 01:51:47.560
him and Stover on either side of Ember. Matt felt

1722
01:51:47.720 --> 01:51:51.359
a little nervous and shy. Taking the girl's pale hand.

1723
01:51:52.039 --> 01:51:55.680
She smelled like sage and her lips were black as midnight.

1724
01:51:56.560 --> 01:52:00.000
Staring into her eyes for a second, he forgot about Jenny.

1725
01:52:00.880 --> 01:52:04.560
Stover cleared his throat before starting. Man got home from

1726
01:52:04.600 --> 01:52:06.960
the war and bought this house for him and his

1727
01:52:07.000 --> 01:52:11.279
pregnant wife. They wanted to start a future here. Greg interrupted,

1728
01:52:11.800 --> 01:52:17.720
which war? What? Stover stammered which war? Stover's brow furrowed.

1729
01:52:18.359 --> 01:52:22.640
That one a long time ago, in the seventies Korea.

1730
01:52:22.960 --> 01:52:29.520
Jenny asked, No, not that one from Rambo, ma'am. Wasn't

1731
01:52:29.560 --> 01:52:33.960
that in the eighties, Greg said, unsure. Frustrated, Stover grumbled,

1732
01:52:34.159 --> 01:52:40.079
does it fucking matter? Well, context, Greg said, help set

1733
01:52:40.119 --> 01:52:44.119
the scene better, man, It was the fucking seventies, Okay,

1734
01:52:44.279 --> 01:52:47.840
Can I get on with the story? Nobody said anything.

1735
01:52:48.439 --> 01:52:50.720
So the dude and his wife bought this house. A

1736
01:52:50.760 --> 01:52:53.159
couple of years later, they have a daughter. The three

1737
01:52:53.239 --> 01:52:55.920
have a happy life for a bunch of years. Then

1738
01:52:55.960 --> 01:53:00.960
the mom gets sick and dies. Aw that blows, Jenny said.

1739
01:53:01.520 --> 01:53:05.520
Stover ignored her, continuing on with the story. The father

1740
01:53:05.680 --> 01:53:08.159
was left to raise the girl by himself, and he

1741
01:53:08.199 --> 01:53:11.119
did the best he could, got a second job, and shit.

1742
01:53:11.520 --> 01:53:16.359
Stover leaned forward. Then one day the father came home

1743
01:53:16.840 --> 01:53:20.840
worn out from a tough day. The daughter, fifteen at

1744
01:53:20.880 --> 01:53:23.039
the time, told him to take a nap in his

1745
01:53:23.079 --> 01:53:28.880
favorite chair. Stover smiled, right over there, indicating a corner

1746
01:53:28.920 --> 01:53:32.960
of the room. She wanted to surprise him, make him

1747
01:53:33.000 --> 01:53:35.680
some dinner, so she decided to walk to the convenience

1748
01:53:35.680 --> 01:53:40.640
store down the path. What, Greg asked, I don't remember

1749
01:53:40.680 --> 01:53:45.159
any store around here, Stover sighed. The vacant lot on

1750
01:53:45.359 --> 01:53:48.239
Rathburn used to be a store there. They closed it

1751
01:53:48.239 --> 01:53:52.159
because it was getting robbed too much. Oh, Greg nodded,

1752
01:53:52.279 --> 01:53:57.319
mulling it over anyway. The father wakes up, Stover continued.

1753
01:53:57.800 --> 01:54:00.720
He finds the house all dark. He calls for his

1754
01:54:00.800 --> 01:54:05.239
daughter and there's no answer. Jenny shifted nervously on the floor.

1755
01:54:05.880 --> 01:54:07.960
Before he can go out to find her, there's a

1756
01:54:08.039 --> 01:54:11.600
knock at the door. It's the police. The cops ask

1757
01:54:11.720 --> 01:54:14.399
if she's there. The clerk at the shop called the

1758
01:54:14.439 --> 01:54:17.239
cops after the girl was getting harassed by some boys.

1759
01:54:17.880 --> 01:54:21.840
Well days passed and there was no trace of the girl.

1760
01:54:22.319 --> 01:54:27.279
The father grew desperate. Matt glanced at Ember, who had

1761
01:54:27.319 --> 01:54:32.920
her eyes closed. Was she meditating? Finally, one day they

1762
01:54:33.000 --> 01:54:35.479
found one of the girl's shoes near the hangout of

1763
01:54:35.520 --> 01:54:38.319
a bunch of boys, the ones that had been giving

1764
01:54:38.359 --> 01:54:42.880
the girl a hard time. That night, trouble is, there's

1765
01:54:42.920 --> 01:54:47.439
no other evidence. The cops couldn't do shit. Matt looked

1766
01:54:47.439 --> 01:54:51.079
over at Jenny, who was enjoying the story. His mind

1767
01:54:51.119 --> 01:54:54.079
wandered as he briefly thought of Jenny Ember and him

1768
01:54:54.560 --> 01:54:58.840
all alone together. The thought was a little too much

1769
01:54:58.880 --> 01:55:02.560
for his hormones. He could feel things stirring that shouldn't

1770
01:55:02.600 --> 01:55:05.479
be right now. He quickly turned his attention back to

1771
01:55:05.520 --> 01:55:09.520
the story, trying to focus on Stover's words. This wasn't

1772
01:55:09.520 --> 01:55:13.119
good enough for the father, so one by one he

1773
01:55:13.279 --> 01:55:17.600
captured and tortured the boys, killing every one of them

1774
01:55:17.600 --> 01:55:20.720
with a hatchet he'd had in the war, save for

1775
01:55:20.840 --> 01:55:25.640
one boy he let live. Why the one boy, nobody knows.

1776
01:55:26.319 --> 01:55:28.800
After the deed, he came home and hung himself in

1777
01:55:29.000 --> 01:55:34.760
this very room. Stover laughed like a maniac. Did he

1778
01:55:34.840 --> 01:55:39.960
find her, Jenny blurted out. Stover shrugged. Nobody knows. The

1779
01:55:40.000 --> 01:55:43.359
father killed himself before anybody found out. The boy he

1780
01:55:43.439 --> 01:55:46.560
let live was a nutcase. They have him locked away

1781
01:55:46.640 --> 01:55:52.279
up in Walton. He's never uttered a word since. That

1782
01:55:52.479 --> 01:55:57.600
was quite a story, Matt said, a real bummer. Jenny added,

1783
01:55:58.439 --> 01:56:01.840
what's it got to do with us? Matt asked, since

1784
01:56:01.880 --> 01:56:06.760
it's Father's day, Stover smiled. I thought we'd try to

1785
01:56:06.840 --> 01:56:10.239
contact the daughter's spirit with the help of Ember. Here,

1786
01:56:10.800 --> 01:56:14.319
maybe we can find out what happened to her. Really,

1787
01:56:14.840 --> 01:56:20.960
Matt asked sarcastically. For sure, Stover replied. Suddenly, Ember tightened

1788
01:56:20.960 --> 01:56:24.159
her grip on their hands. Without thinking, Matt tightened his

1789
01:56:24.239 --> 01:56:27.479
grip in response. The girl opened her eyes, making brief

1790
01:56:27.479 --> 01:56:31.199
contact with him. Suddenly Matt felt his face become warm,

1791
01:56:31.479 --> 01:56:33.760
his chest tightened, and he found it hard to breathe.

1792
01:56:34.359 --> 01:56:38.840
And then it passed. I'm ready, the girl said, her

1793
01:56:38.880 --> 01:56:41.760
gaze passed over each and every one of them in turn.

1794
01:56:42.159 --> 01:56:46.680
It's important to remain in a circle holding hands. We're safe.

1795
01:56:47.000 --> 01:56:49.600
You don't want to be pulled away into the spirit world.

1796
01:56:50.600 --> 01:56:55.119
Ember took a deep breath. I call upon the four

1797
01:56:55.239 --> 01:57:02.760
elements Earth, water, fire, and air. Give me strength. The

1798
01:57:02.800 --> 01:57:07.840
girl started to rock back and forth. Guide us over

1799
01:57:07.920 --> 01:57:12.439
the bridge between this world and the next. The candles

1800
01:57:12.479 --> 01:57:15.920
seemed to flicker briefly as a gust of wind passed

1801
01:57:15.920 --> 01:57:22.119
through the room. I call upon the spirit of Samantha Swain.

1802
01:57:23.279 --> 01:57:26.840
A low, warbling moan started up from somewhere in the house.

1803
01:57:27.520 --> 01:57:30.680
Matt felt the hairs on his arms. Stand up. The

1804
01:57:30.720 --> 01:57:36.680
air felt charged. There's a presence here, Ember said. There

1805
01:57:36.720 --> 01:57:39.560
was an unearthly moan from above the group. A loud

1806
01:57:39.640 --> 01:57:44.399
bang sounded, making them all jump. Ember warned them don't

1807
01:57:44.479 --> 01:57:50.000
break contact. The otherworldly moan grew louder. The house itself

1808
01:57:50.119 --> 01:57:56.399
creaked and groaned, as if in pain. Spirit speak. Ember commanded,

1809
01:57:57.000 --> 01:58:01.039
tell us your name. There was another unearthly wail of pain.

1810
01:58:02.159 --> 01:58:09.199
My name is a voice spoke. My name is Harry, reams.

1811
01:58:10.279 --> 01:58:14.000
Stover burst out into laughter. The fuck Greg looked at

1812
01:58:14.000 --> 01:58:17.199
the other's dumb struck son of a bitch. Matt shook

1813
01:58:17.239 --> 01:58:21.760
his head. Stover fell backwards, laughing, Oh, I got you fucks.

1814
01:58:22.199 --> 01:58:24.399
He wiped a tear from his eye. I had Ernie

1815
01:58:24.479 --> 01:58:28.119
and Chad help me set it up. Between laughs, Stover

1816
01:58:28.279 --> 01:58:30.720
told them how he and his two buddies rigged the

1817
01:58:30.760 --> 01:58:34.119
house for sound so the two could provide sounds and

1818
01:58:34.239 --> 01:58:38.840
spooky voices from a hiding spot upstairs. You son of

1819
01:58:38.880 --> 01:58:44.079
a bitch, Jenny scolded him. Ember looked around, perplexed. No,

1820
01:58:45.199 --> 01:58:49.119
this isn't right. There was something I felt it. The

1821
01:58:49.159 --> 01:58:53.680
others Angered paid no attention to the girl. Stover called

1822
01:58:53.720 --> 01:58:56.880
to his buddies. The pair trudged down the stairs, laughing

1823
01:58:56.960 --> 01:59:01.199
loudly at the three's expense. It's not that funny, assholes,

1824
01:59:01.439 --> 01:59:07.640
Greg said, dejected, Oh oh it is, Chad snickered. Aaron laughed,

1825
01:59:08.000 --> 01:59:12.600
should see the looks on your dumb faces. Ember followed

1826
01:59:12.600 --> 01:59:16.000
the three friends as they left the house. Wait, she

1827
01:59:16.119 --> 01:59:20.159
called after them. I didn't know there was something wrong.

1828
01:59:21.039 --> 01:59:24.800
She could feel it. There had been something there with them,

1829
01:59:25.319 --> 01:59:32.840
something had slipped into their world. Guys, listen, she pleaded.

1830
01:59:33.640 --> 01:59:37.479
I didn't know. Matt stepped onto the path before turning around,

1831
01:59:38.199 --> 01:59:42.119
so you got duped to join the club. Please listen,

1832
01:59:42.399 --> 01:59:46.239
something did come through. Ember looked into Matt's eyes. Greg

1833
01:59:46.239 --> 01:59:49.039
and Jenny had already started down the path. Greg turned

1834
01:59:49.079 --> 01:59:53.239
and called to Matt, coming, man, I've had enough spooky

1835
01:59:53.279 --> 01:59:55.600
shit for today. I didn't even want to be here.

1836
01:59:56.119 --> 02:00:00.520
Matt turned and walked towards his friends. Shit. Ember whispered

1837
02:00:00.640 --> 02:00:04.920
to herself, Feeling somebody watching her, she turned towards the house.

1838
02:00:05.680 --> 02:00:09.479
Standing next to the house was a dark figure. Was

1839
02:00:09.520 --> 02:00:14.279
that Stover or one of his pals. Feeling fear creeping

1840
02:00:14.359 --> 02:00:18.159
up her spine, Ever, turned and hurried down the opposite direction.

1841
02:00:18.800 --> 02:00:24.960
Of the path. Matt woke in a chair, his eyes blurry.

1842
02:00:25.520 --> 02:00:27.840
When he tried to move, he realized he was being

1843
02:00:27.880 --> 02:00:32.319
held in place by duct tape. As his vision focused,

1844
02:00:32.359 --> 02:00:35.359
he could make out a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.

1845
02:00:35.840 --> 02:00:40.399
It swung back and forth, stopping from time to time

1846
02:00:40.520 --> 02:00:46.039
in midswing, just hanging there. The room appeared to be

1847
02:00:46.119 --> 02:00:50.159
a basement. Somewhere in the darkness. Water dripped, hitting the

1848
02:00:50.239 --> 02:00:54.079
floor in a steady rhythm. He'd fallen asleep on the

1849
02:00:54.119 --> 02:00:58.640
couch watching TV, so how the hell had he gotten here?

1850
02:00:59.479 --> 02:01:02.439
Before he could call out, he heard the scraping noise

1851
02:01:02.520 --> 02:01:06.119
coming from the corner of the basement. He strained his neck,

1852
02:01:06.199 --> 02:01:08.159
turning as far as he could to see a man

1853
02:01:08.800 --> 02:01:12.000
sitting in the dark corner. The man appeared to be

1854
02:01:12.079 --> 02:01:15.920
working on something. A red baseball cap covered the man's

1855
02:01:15.920 --> 02:01:20.560
face in shadow. Matt tried to talk ask the man

1856
02:01:20.640 --> 02:01:24.520
what was going on. His mouth moved, but no words

1857
02:01:24.560 --> 02:01:27.920
came out. The man stood and Matt could make out

1858
02:01:28.079 --> 02:01:31.960
what the man was working on. In his hands. He

1859
02:01:31.960 --> 02:01:36.479
held a hatchet and a sharpening stone. The man raised

1860
02:01:36.520 --> 02:01:39.399
his head up. Where his eyes and mouth should be

1861
02:01:39.960 --> 02:01:45.640
were black holes. Gray mist seeped from the openings. Have

1862
02:01:45.760 --> 02:01:49.880
you seen my daughter? The man asked, his voice garbled

1863
02:01:50.279 --> 02:01:54.760
and hollow. Matt tried to answer, but still his voice

1864
02:01:54.760 --> 02:02:01.279
failed him. The man spoke again, have you seen He

1865
02:02:01.359 --> 02:02:04.359
took one of Matt's hands, prying his fingers free from

1866
02:02:04.399 --> 02:02:06.960
the arm of the chair. He brought down the hatchet

1867
02:02:06.960 --> 02:02:10.760
on outstretched fingers and lopped them off. Matt sat up,

1868
02:02:10.920 --> 02:02:14.359
a scream on his lips. He was on the couch

1869
02:02:15.079 --> 02:02:19.279
back at home. Outside it was dark. His parents should

1870
02:02:19.319 --> 02:02:22.039
be home soon, which was fine by him. That dream

1871
02:02:22.079 --> 02:02:26.359
had been too freaky. That man with the hatchet was

1872
02:02:26.399 --> 02:02:31.560
that the guy from Stover's story. Feeling suddenly vulnerable, Matt

1873
02:02:31.600 --> 02:02:35.560
locked the front door. God He hoped his parents got

1874
02:02:35.600 --> 02:02:42.359
home soon. Ember sat in her room. She'd been quiet

1875
02:02:42.399 --> 02:02:45.600
since getting home. She wanted to tell her folks how

1876
02:02:45.600 --> 02:02:49.279
scared she was what she feared had happened, but they

1877
02:02:49.319 --> 02:02:53.520
wouldn't understand. After supper, she'd gone straight to her room.

1878
02:02:54.239 --> 02:02:58.680
Ember sat on her bed, hoping she was wrong and

1879
02:02:58.800 --> 02:03:02.680
preparing to be right. She ripped sheets of blank paper

1880
02:03:02.720 --> 02:03:05.520
from a notebook. Pricking her thumb with a pin, she

1881
02:03:05.560 --> 02:03:12.640
wrote runic symbols on the paper strips viail drop TNN.

1882
02:03:13.399 --> 02:03:16.760
She repeated, putting a strip up in each corner of

1883
02:03:16.760 --> 02:03:20.439
her room. Taking a glass jar from her desk, Ember

1884
02:03:20.479 --> 02:03:23.399
made a circle of salt around her bed, making sure

1885
02:03:23.479 --> 02:03:26.279
not to break the line when she stepped over it.

1886
02:03:27.199 --> 02:03:33.319
Sitting cross legged on her bed, the girl waited. The

1887
02:03:33.399 --> 02:03:36.840
clock struck one am. A blue shimmering on the edge

1888
02:03:36.840 --> 02:03:40.279
of her room woke the girl. A dark figure stood

1889
02:03:40.319 --> 02:03:47.039
in the corner, pushing against the barrier. She had created, fire, water, earth,

1890
02:03:47.520 --> 02:03:53.199
and air. Give me strength, she chanted. The spirit strained

1891
02:03:53.239 --> 02:03:56.119
the barrier as it tried to force its way through.

1892
02:03:56.840 --> 02:03:59.880
She could make out its features, black slit eyes on

1893
02:03:59.880 --> 02:04:04.199
a head covered by a red baseball cap, a hatchet

1894
02:04:04.319 --> 02:04:08.920
clutched in one of the spirit's hands. Ember continued chanting

1895
02:04:09.439 --> 02:04:15.199
till finally, forty five minutes later, the entity left, just

1896
02:04:15.239 --> 02:04:20.119
as sudden as it had come. Exhausted, Ember fell back

1897
02:04:20.159 --> 02:04:23.960
on her bed and slept till morning. She'd never been

1898
02:04:24.000 --> 02:04:26.119
more relieved to see her parents than when she went

1899
02:04:26.199 --> 02:04:29.159
down for breakfast. The spirit had only come for her

1900
02:04:29.239 --> 02:04:32.840
last night, for she was the only one that could

1901
02:04:32.880 --> 02:04:38.560
send it back. At school, something felt off. She looked

1902
02:04:38.560 --> 02:04:42.880
for the others, but they weren't there. After chemistry, Ember

1903
02:04:42.920 --> 02:04:47.239
overheard the cheerleaders Becky, Carly and Tony Lynn talking near

1904
02:04:47.279 --> 02:04:51.239
the stairs. I heard he never got home last night. Yeah,

1905
02:04:51.439 --> 02:04:55.399
his parents are wicked freaked. Working up the courage, Ember

1906
02:04:55.439 --> 02:05:00.880
approached the two girls, who she stammered Becky eyes narrowed,

1907
02:05:01.439 --> 02:05:05.319
what do you want? Freaked Zella? Who didn't show up?

1908
02:05:06.319 --> 02:05:10.800
What's it to you? Mortitia? Tony smirked a little angry now.

1909
02:05:10.880 --> 02:05:14.760
Ember spat out the question, who fucking didn't show up?

1910
02:05:15.640 --> 02:05:20.239
The girls looked at her a little shocked before answering Stover, Okay,

1911
02:05:20.720 --> 02:05:24.439
take it easy, bitch. Ember walked away without another word.

1912
02:05:25.119 --> 02:05:27.119
She ditched the rest of her classes for the day.

1913
02:05:27.560 --> 02:05:30.239
She had to find the other three to save them

1914
02:05:30.279 --> 02:05:37.520
from it. Why had she done it to be popular? Accepted,

1915
02:05:38.279 --> 02:05:40.880
screw it. She couldn't sit here feeling sorry for herself.

1916
02:05:40.880 --> 02:05:44.119
That thing needed to be sent back. When lunch period came,

1917
02:05:44.399 --> 02:05:47.760
Ember snuck out. Ember found the three sitting outside under

1918
02:05:47.800 --> 02:05:51.560
a big tree. Did they know? Had they heard about Stover?

1919
02:05:52.279 --> 02:05:55.319
Out of breath, she walked towards them. Greg was the

1920
02:05:55.319 --> 02:05:58.640
first to notice her. Here comes your girlfriend, he said

1921
02:05:58.640 --> 02:06:02.560
to Matt, Please, guys, I need your help. Jenny took

1922
02:06:02.560 --> 02:06:06.119
a bite of her sandwich. We're not interested, she said, dismissively.

1923
02:06:06.800 --> 02:06:10.479
Did you hear about Stover? Greg shrugged. He didn't show

1924
02:06:10.560 --> 02:06:15.359
up today. He's always skipping. He never got home. Ember exclaimed,

1925
02:06:15.920 --> 02:06:19.279
it got him the entity. We summoned the spirit of

1926
02:06:19.279 --> 02:06:26.359
that girl's father. Greg laughed, bullshit, No, it's not. Last night,

1927
02:06:26.399 --> 02:06:31.159
it came for me. I saw its black eyes. Ember

1928
02:06:31.199 --> 02:06:34.680
almost sobbed. Matt had sat silent as Ember had talked,

1929
02:06:35.520 --> 02:06:40.239
but he finally spoke up. Did you say black eyes?

1930
02:06:41.159 --> 02:06:44.520
Nervous and a little embarrassed, Matt told them his dream,

1931
02:06:45.199 --> 02:06:48.279
how real it had felt, and how the description matched

1932
02:06:48.279 --> 02:06:52.000
with what Ember had seen in her room. I think

1933
02:06:52.039 --> 02:06:56.119
you two are both high, Greg joked, been hitting the glue.

1934
02:06:56.840 --> 02:06:59.319
It'll come for us, one by one because our energy

1935
02:06:59.359 --> 02:07:01.079
called it and we can send it back. Why do

1936
02:07:01.079 --> 02:07:04.279
you think Stover is missing? I told you he's just

1937
02:07:04.359 --> 02:07:09.439
goofing off, Greg said, I don't know, Jenny said. Milly

1938
02:07:09.520 --> 02:07:11.479
said she saw a couple of cops talking to the

1939
02:07:11.479 --> 02:07:15.039
principal when she passed the office this morning. I'm not

1940
02:07:15.119 --> 02:07:18.439
saying I believe in this magic shit, Matt said, but

1941
02:07:18.520 --> 02:07:22.479
if it's true, What do we do? We have to

1942
02:07:22.479 --> 02:07:25.399
go back to the house tonight and send it back.

1943
02:07:28.640 --> 02:07:32.000
Ember waited by the basketball court on Madison Street, just

1944
02:07:32.039 --> 02:07:35.039
a little ways from the entrance of the path. She

1945
02:07:35.199 --> 02:07:37.760
was scared. It was getting dark and that thing could

1946
02:07:37.760 --> 02:07:41.000
show up at any time. Where the hell were they?

1947
02:07:41.880 --> 02:07:44.840
Then she heard a familiar voice bitching and moaning, and

1948
02:07:44.880 --> 02:07:47.840
saw them coming down the street. Why do we all

1949
02:07:47.920 --> 02:07:51.359
have to go? Greg asked Ember and Matt's eyes met

1950
02:07:51.560 --> 02:07:55.399
and they shared a little smile. Well we're here, Matt said,

1951
02:07:55.960 --> 02:07:59.079
Now what, We've got to get to the house. There's

1952
02:07:59.119 --> 02:08:01.760
not much time. They made their way to the house,

1953
02:08:01.800 --> 02:08:04.960
with Gregg bitching most of the way and Jenny needling him.

1954
02:08:05.520 --> 02:08:09.760
Matt nervously looked around. He looked scared. To Ember good

1955
02:08:10.399 --> 02:08:13.560
he'd be on his toes. She'd sent something about Matt

1956
02:08:13.640 --> 02:08:16.560
during the summoning. He didn't believe in magic, but still

1957
02:08:16.640 --> 02:08:19.479
had a healthy respect for it. That energy would be

1958
02:08:19.600 --> 02:08:22.960
vital for sending it back. His negative charge and her

1959
02:08:23.000 --> 02:08:27.439
positive should repel the thing. Reaching the house, they flicked

1960
02:08:27.479 --> 02:08:30.640
on a pair of flashlights. Ember felt relieved when she

1961
02:08:30.680 --> 02:08:33.359
saw the runic cymbals were still on the floor where

1962
02:08:33.399 --> 02:08:36.880
she'd drawn them. Taking the same glass jar from her bag,

1963
02:08:37.000 --> 02:08:40.119
Ember created a circle of salt around the symbols, big

1964
02:08:40.239 --> 02:08:42.920
enough so they could sit inside it and be protected.

1965
02:08:43.319 --> 02:08:46.039
Matt and Jenny lit candles, placing one in front of

1966
02:08:46.039 --> 02:08:49.000
each of them. They all held hands again. As they

1967
02:08:49.039 --> 02:08:53.159
sat there, Ember started to chant, calling upon the elements

1968
02:08:53.199 --> 02:09:00.199
to aid them. Fire, water, earth, and air give us strength.

1969
02:09:01.399 --> 02:09:05.319
A low rumbling began somewhere in the bowels of the house.

1970
02:09:05.920 --> 02:09:09.399
The candles flickered as a cold wind blew through the room.

1971
02:09:09.760 --> 02:09:12.720
A door slammed open and closed in another room, followed

1972
02:09:12.720 --> 02:09:18.920
by heavy, deliberate footfalls. As something approached them. Ember looked

1973
02:09:18.920 --> 02:09:21.880
at the others, don't break the circle no matter what.

1974
02:09:22.680 --> 02:09:25.920
She rocked back and forth, feeling the energy of the

1975
02:09:25.920 --> 02:09:33.000
others flowing through her veil. Drop Tienn, send this malignant

1976
02:09:33.039 --> 02:09:35.680
being back to the nether realm from which it came.

1977
02:09:36.359 --> 02:09:39.560
Jenny screamed, almost bolting from where she sat. Matt and

1978
02:09:39.600 --> 02:09:42.920
Greg had to keep hold of her. The badly mutilated

1979
02:09:42.920 --> 02:09:46.800
body of Stovers stood in the door frame. The corpse

1980
02:09:47.039 --> 02:09:52.880
stumbled towards them. Stay calm, Elmer advised them. It can't

1981
02:09:52.920 --> 02:09:57.600
hurt us. The spirit is trying to scare us. Stover's

1982
02:09:57.600 --> 02:10:01.880
corpse stopped inches from the circle, its dead eyes fixed

1983
02:10:01.920 --> 02:10:07.159
on them. Mission fucking accomplished, Greg said, get out of

1984
02:10:07.319 --> 02:10:11.920
this fouse. An unnatural voice commanded from Stover's dead lips.

1985
02:10:12.640 --> 02:10:15.039
The walls of the room cracked and blistered as a

1986
02:10:15.039 --> 02:10:18.720
blinding white light emanated from within them. Ember could feel

1987
02:10:18.800 --> 02:10:21.319
she was losing them to the spectacle going on around them.

1988
02:10:21.920 --> 02:10:25.520
Focus your thoughts, Ember warned them. Close your eyes, pay

1989
02:10:25.560 --> 02:10:28.880
it no heed. Imagine pushing it away in your mind's eye.

1990
02:10:29.680 --> 02:10:33.119
Ember closed her eyes, imagining their energy flowing from them

1991
02:10:33.359 --> 02:10:37.279
like tendrils, striking the malignant evil they'd brought into the world.

1992
02:10:38.319 --> 02:10:43.039
The floor seemed to fall away, stopping Suddenly. Ember felt

1993
02:10:43.079 --> 02:10:47.359
the wind expelled from her lungs. Holy shit, Matt gasped.

1994
02:10:47.640 --> 02:10:50.119
Her eyes flung open. Ember gaped in awe at what

1995
02:10:50.239 --> 02:10:54.680
she saw. A blue vortex had formed above them. She

1996
02:10:54.840 --> 02:10:57.960
opened them just in time to see Stover's body pulled

1997
02:10:58.000 --> 02:11:01.640
into the maw above. The house started to rock as

1998
02:11:01.720 --> 02:11:04.319
bits of it were pulled into the spinning mass of energy.

1999
02:11:04.479 --> 02:11:07.439
The floorboards beneath them creaked as the board strained from

2000
02:11:07.479 --> 02:11:10.680
the pole of the vortex. Let's get the fuck out

2001
02:11:10.680 --> 02:11:13.359
of here, Greg hollered. Ember had to agree. As the

2002
02:11:13.399 --> 02:11:16.359
house fell apart around them. The four held hands, forming

2003
02:11:16.359 --> 02:11:18.840
a chain, with Greg in the lead. They inched their

2004
02:11:18.880 --> 02:11:21.880
way along the hallway. The poll lessened the further they

2005
02:11:21.920 --> 02:11:24.720
got away from it. When they reached the foyer, they

2006
02:11:24.800 --> 02:11:27.560
ran from the house, screaming their heads off, not stopping

2007
02:11:27.640 --> 02:11:30.720
till they reached the path. The four turned and watched

2008
02:11:30.720 --> 02:11:33.920
in silence as the house came apart until only the

2009
02:11:34.039 --> 02:11:39.680
vortex remained. It too soon disappeared, collapsing in on itself.

2010
02:11:41.840 --> 02:11:46.319
Fuck me, Greg said, panting, don't see that every day,

2011
02:11:46.680 --> 02:11:52.960
Matt added. A couple of weeks later, they were out

2012
02:11:53.000 --> 02:11:56.279
of school for the summer. Matt was over at Ember's house.

2013
02:11:56.680 --> 02:11:58.960
The two sat on her bed making out while her

2014
02:11:59.000 --> 02:12:02.119
parents were at a party. The pair had started dating

2015
02:12:02.199 --> 02:12:06.119
soon after. That night, his infatuation with Jenny a distant memory.

2016
02:12:06.880 --> 02:12:09.760
Matt came up for air. I wish summer could be

2017
02:12:09.880 --> 02:12:14.039
like this the whole time. Ember smiled, who says it can't.

2018
02:12:15.000 --> 02:12:17.479
Matt had noticed her deck of tarot cards on the

2019
02:12:17.560 --> 02:12:22.439
nightstand earlier. He took them and started shuffling them. What

2020
02:12:22.479 --> 02:12:27.520
are you doing? Ember asked, consulting the cards. Matt smiled

2021
02:12:27.560 --> 02:12:30.000
as he drew the first card, showing it to her.

2022
02:12:30.800 --> 02:12:35.039
It was the Lover's How did you do that? Ember asked.

2023
02:12:35.680 --> 02:12:38.920
It was easy, he said, drawing another card and handing

2024
02:12:38.920 --> 02:12:42.359
it to her. Ember looked at it, her eyes wide

2025
02:12:42.439 --> 02:12:48.000
with terror. The card depicted a collapsing tower. His voice

2026
02:12:48.079 --> 02:12:52.640
crackled with energy as his eyes turned black. As easy

2027
02:12:53.079 --> 02:13:04.920
as finding a new hole. The Spirit of Langley Pond

2028
02:13:05.640 --> 02:13:13.920
by Charles Campbell, Summer nineteen eighty one. Elena Anne Sanders

2029
02:13:13.920 --> 02:13:17.000
swam for all she was worth. She could hear the

2030
02:13:17.039 --> 02:13:21.039
echo of her mother's sentiment in her mind. Don't get

2031
02:13:21.039 --> 02:13:23.840
into any trouble. Call me if you need me to

2032
02:13:23.880 --> 02:13:28.840
come get you. No questions asked. Elena wished she had

2033
02:13:28.880 --> 02:13:33.920
listened to her mother instead. It was nearly midnight and

2034
02:13:34.000 --> 02:13:37.880
she was swimming for her life to shore. Elena was

2035
02:13:37.920 --> 02:13:40.760
beginning to think she was going to make it. She

2036
02:13:40.880 --> 02:13:45.039
was going to see her mother again. The crack of

2037
02:13:45.079 --> 02:13:49.760
a gunshot was the last sound Elena heard before the

2038
02:13:49.880 --> 02:13:54.920
darkness of the water claimed her. Langley Pond was going

2039
02:13:55.000 --> 02:14:07.000
to be her grave. Summer two thousand and twenty one,

2040
02:14:07.560 --> 02:14:10.640
Langley pond had changed quite a bit in the last

2041
02:14:10.680 --> 02:14:15.079
forty years, being billed as the largest pond in North America.

2042
02:14:15.560 --> 02:14:19.239
It was nearly the size of a lake. No longer

2043
02:14:19.279 --> 02:14:24.439
were clay mudslides used as makeshift boat ramps. Now there

2044
02:14:24.439 --> 02:14:28.359
were full fledged, paved boat ramps descending into the water.

2045
02:14:29.159 --> 02:14:33.159
There were designated picnic areas spread around the shoreline, along

2046
02:14:33.279 --> 02:14:36.439
with a few cabins that were rented nearly every weekend.

2047
02:14:37.319 --> 02:14:40.359
It was almost ten o'clock at night and the humidity

2048
02:14:40.399 --> 02:14:44.199
of the day still hung in the air. Brianna Turner

2049
02:14:44.560 --> 02:14:49.640
glanced at her cell phone. It was eighty two degrees. Ugh,

2050
02:14:50.279 --> 02:14:53.920
I can't believe how hot it is, Brianna said. She

2051
02:14:54.079 --> 02:14:57.119
peeled a strand of sweat stuck hair from her forehead

2052
02:14:57.479 --> 02:15:02.600
and grinned at her boyfriend, Andy Spy. Andy smiled back

2053
02:15:02.840 --> 02:15:06.960
and said, yeah, it was over a hundred today. Thought

2054
02:15:07.000 --> 02:15:09.159
we might get a little relief by being near the

2055
02:15:09.199 --> 02:15:13.119
water and all guess not. At least we have the

2056
02:15:13.119 --> 02:15:17.119
cabin with the window unit. That's a plus. You're right,

2057
02:15:17.760 --> 02:15:22.079
that's a plus, Brianna agreed. They both turned toward the

2058
02:15:22.119 --> 02:15:28.119
woods when they heard snapping twigs and shuffling feet. Hey, Frog,

2059
02:15:28.239 --> 02:15:32.439
y'all catch anything, Andy asked when he saw Frog Spradley

2060
02:15:32.800 --> 02:15:35.960
and his girl of the week, Jenny Coggins clear the

2061
02:15:36.000 --> 02:15:39.079
tree line into their sight. Had a few nibbles, but

2062
02:15:39.680 --> 02:15:44.399
nothing big threw them all back, Frog said, Jenny smiled,

2063
02:15:44.439 --> 02:15:47.159
but she didn't look all that happy to be trapesing

2064
02:15:47.159 --> 02:15:51.079
through the woods. Good thing we brought beanie weenies, then,

2065
02:15:51.680 --> 02:15:56.439
Andy said. Jenny gave him the you can't be serious look,

2066
02:15:56.800 --> 02:16:01.119
and Frog replied, damn, man, you are a life. Beanie

2067
02:16:01.119 --> 02:16:03.800
weenies are the shit. I thought I'd have to break

2068
02:16:03.840 --> 02:16:08.279
out the vienna sausages and saltine crackers. Hey, Jenny, you

2069
02:16:08.319 --> 02:16:11.239
want to go in the cabin and cool off? Brianna

2070
02:16:11.279 --> 02:16:16.720
asked yes, Jenny shouted it was hot, she was sticky,

2071
02:16:16.880 --> 02:16:20.039
and if this excursion with Frog taught her anything, she

2072
02:16:20.239 --> 02:16:24.520
was definitely an inside girl. The boys watched as the

2073
02:16:24.560 --> 02:16:28.880
girls walked into the cabin. Okay, Frog, where'd you find

2074
02:16:28.880 --> 02:16:32.959
that one? Andy asked. Frog gave him a sneaky smile,

2075
02:16:33.319 --> 02:16:37.559
and sheepishly shrugged his shoulders. Come on, man, I don't

2076
02:16:37.600 --> 02:16:40.920
recognize her. She ain't one of your usual Valley honeys.

2077
02:16:41.799 --> 02:16:47.440
She's from Martinez. Frog whispered, Why are you whispering? She

2078
02:16:47.559 --> 02:16:50.319
can't hear us out here. What in the world were

2079
02:16:50.319 --> 02:16:54.319
you doing in Martinez? And how'd you get her? She

2080
02:16:54.440 --> 02:16:59.399
looks too sophisticated to be stomping around Langley Pond, especially

2081
02:16:59.440 --> 02:17:03.120
with you the prints of the valley. She don't know

2082
02:17:03.200 --> 02:17:08.040
nothing about the valley, does she? Andy asked, Well she

2083
02:17:08.159 --> 02:17:11.719
does now. I told her about the spirit of Langley Pond.

2084
02:17:12.319 --> 02:17:18.440
Frog replied, you didn't, and she hasn't left screaming, not yet.

2085
02:17:19.120 --> 02:17:21.520
Maybe it's because her phone died while we were fishing.

2086
02:17:22.079 --> 02:17:24.799
She seemed more interested in whatever was on Instagram or

2087
02:17:24.840 --> 02:17:31.559
Facebook than catching a catfish inside the cabin. Oh my god,

2088
02:17:31.600 --> 02:17:36.040
that ac feels fantastic, Jenny said, and stuck her face

2089
02:17:36.079 --> 02:17:38.959
in front of the window unit. It was turned all

2090
02:17:39.000 --> 02:17:42.000
the way up and Jenny's sandy blonde hair blue behind

2091
02:17:42.040 --> 02:17:46.200
her like she was riding on the back of a motorcycle. Yeah,

2092
02:17:46.319 --> 02:17:49.280
it's the only cabin out here with one. Andy sprang

2093
02:17:49.399 --> 02:17:52.120
for the extra sixty bucks, said it would be worth

2094
02:17:52.159 --> 02:17:55.520
it to sleep in comfort, and he ain't wrong. It's

2095
02:17:55.559 --> 02:17:58.760
sticky as hell outside. How long you and Frog been

2096
02:17:58.840 --> 02:18:03.559
seeing each other? Oh? I just met him yesterday. Where

2097
02:18:03.600 --> 02:18:08.079
are you from? You ain't from the valley valley? What's

2098
02:18:08.159 --> 02:18:13.280
the valley, Jenny asked, You're in it, Brianna answered and continued.

2099
02:18:14.000 --> 02:18:15.959
You know that main road you took to get here,

2100
02:18:16.479 --> 02:18:20.719
the one that went through a bunch of little bitty towns. Yeah,

2101
02:18:21.000 --> 02:18:24.959
Jenny replied and turned to face Brianna. Brianna was grinning

2102
02:18:25.040 --> 02:18:29.120
and her brown eyes were gleaming. Jenny really paid attention

2103
02:18:29.239 --> 02:18:32.040
to Brianna for the first time. And she had this

2104
02:18:32.760 --> 02:18:36.680
country girl pretty thing going for. She looked like she

2105
02:18:36.760 --> 02:18:39.079
could be fun in the sack, but could kick your

2106
02:18:39.079 --> 02:18:42.680
ass out of it if necessary. Well, that road is

2107
02:18:42.719 --> 02:18:45.639
four twenty one and for twenty one is the valley

2108
02:18:46.360 --> 02:18:49.680
Rednecks for as far as the eye can see. And

2109
02:18:49.799 --> 02:18:54.719
you got yourself what we call a valley prince? That right?

2110
02:18:55.600 --> 02:19:00.559
Why is he a valley prince? He's a Spradley have

2111
02:19:00.559 --> 02:19:03.360
been around the valley for as long as anybody can remember.

2112
02:19:04.159 --> 02:19:07.239
Everybody calls him Frog. I don't even know if that's

2113
02:19:07.239 --> 02:19:09.760
his given name, but I know his daddy was called Frog,

2114
02:19:09.799 --> 02:19:13.159
and his daddy's daddy was called Frog. They owned several

2115
02:19:13.200 --> 02:19:17.000
businesses in the valley. His brother, Ricky owns Valley Video.

2116
02:19:17.520 --> 02:19:21.159
His other brother, Johnny, owns Spradley's Filling Station in Langley.

2117
02:19:21.680 --> 02:19:25.239
His sister, Darnell Well, she owns a beauty shop in

2118
02:19:25.280 --> 02:19:31.280
Gloverville named Can you guess Spradley's Beauty Shop? Jenny asked

2119
02:19:31.280 --> 02:19:35.120
as she shrugged her shoulders. Yep, nailed it. So if

2120
02:19:35.159 --> 02:19:39.719
you're from the valley, you know who the Spradleys are. Oh, really,

2121
02:19:40.479 --> 02:19:43.440
that's good to know. So what do you know about

2122
02:19:43.520 --> 02:19:46.840
this spirit he was telling me about while we were fishing?

2123
02:19:47.680 --> 02:19:50.239
He didn't tell you about the spirit of Langley Pond.

2124
02:19:50.600 --> 02:19:53.079
Please tell me he didn't try to scare you with

2125
02:19:53.120 --> 02:19:58.360
that story. Brianna suppressed a chuckle. He did, and it

2126
02:19:58.399 --> 02:20:01.079
did freak me out a bit. Is there any truth

2127
02:20:01.120 --> 02:20:04.399
behind it? From what I've heard, these local legends start

2128
02:20:04.440 --> 02:20:07.559
with a grain of truth somewhere, and that grain grows

2129
02:20:07.639 --> 02:20:10.799
and gets exaggerated over the years. That's kind of what

2130
02:20:10.840 --> 02:20:14.159
I'm thinking. Am I wrong? Should I be afraid of

2131
02:20:14.200 --> 02:20:18.920
a ghost in the pond? Jenny asked. Brianna smiled and

2132
02:20:19.079 --> 02:20:23.360
motioned for Jenny to take a seat in the living room. Yeah,

2133
02:20:23.680 --> 02:20:26.879
I know about the grain that started the story. It

2134
02:20:27.000 --> 02:20:31.440
was something that really happened about forty years ago. It

2135
02:20:31.520 --> 02:20:42.319
went something like this, summer nineteen eighty one. It was

2136
02:20:42.440 --> 02:20:46.399
Friday morning and Elena bit her mother farewell for the weekend.

2137
02:20:47.000 --> 02:20:50.639
Her mother's voice issued a lifeline as Elena walked out

2138
02:20:50.680 --> 02:20:55.520
the door to meet her boyfriend, Dustin Hines. Don't get

2139
02:20:55.520 --> 02:20:58.239
into any trouble. Call me if you need me to

2140
02:20:58.280 --> 02:21:02.440
come get you. No questions asked. Elena told her mother

2141
02:21:02.559 --> 02:21:04.840
not to worry and that she would be home on

2142
02:21:04.959 --> 02:21:09.959
Sunday night. Hey babe, Dustin said. As Elena hopped into

2143
02:21:09.959 --> 02:21:13.159
his forward pickup, she leaned over and gave Dustin a

2144
02:21:13.239 --> 02:21:17.280
quick kiss before she pounded the dashboard, which meant it

2145
02:21:17.360 --> 02:21:20.120
was time to burn rubber. Dustin pulled out of the

2146
02:21:20.200 --> 02:21:31.079
driveway and be lined to Belvideer Clearwater Road. Finally, Elena

2147
02:21:31.200 --> 02:21:34.959
shouted she was ready to have a weekend alone with Dustin.

2148
02:21:35.520 --> 02:21:37.479
They had been talking about it for the better part

2149
02:21:37.520 --> 02:21:40.559
of six months. Elena leaned her head out of the

2150
02:21:40.639 --> 02:21:45.000
open window to feel the wind in her face. Hey babe,

2151
02:21:45.639 --> 02:21:48.040
watch out for telephone polls. You don't want to get

2152
02:21:48.079 --> 02:21:51.680
your head knocked off. Who would really put a damper

2153
02:21:51.760 --> 02:21:57.120
on the weekend, Dustin said, as he tugged on Elena's arm. Okay, okay,

2154
02:21:57.239 --> 02:22:00.799
I'm just excited, that's all I know. It's just Langley Pond,

2155
02:22:01.559 --> 02:22:05.680
Just Langley Pond, Just Langley Pond. You know, what's the

2156
02:22:05.760 --> 02:22:09.840
pride of the valley? Dustin said. He looked at Elena

2157
02:22:09.959 --> 02:22:12.760
with his blue eyes, and he could see her melt

2158
02:22:13.479 --> 02:22:16.760
just a little. You're laying on a little thick there,

2159
02:22:16.799 --> 02:22:20.120
ain't you. Everybody knows Richardson's Lake is the pride of

2160
02:22:20.200 --> 02:22:24.959
the valley, she said, enamored with her man. I beg

2161
02:22:25.079 --> 02:22:27.920
to differ. You can't put a boat on Richardson's Lake,

2162
02:22:28.239 --> 02:22:30.079
and I really don't know how they can call that

2163
02:22:30.239 --> 02:22:33.799
tiny mud puddle a lake anyway. Langley Pond should be

2164
02:22:33.879 --> 02:22:38.319
a lake. I mean it's as big as one. Speaking

2165
02:22:38.399 --> 02:22:41.959
of boats, Elena interrupted, does your daddy still have that

2166
02:22:42.159 --> 02:22:47.559
John boat at Langley Pond? He does, Dustin smiled, trolling

2167
02:22:47.639 --> 02:22:52.360
motor in the back of the truck, Dustin answered sweet,

2168
02:22:52.840 --> 02:22:56.280
Elena replied. The pair rowed in silence for the next

2169
02:22:56.399 --> 02:22:59.319
nine minutes. Elena hopped out of the truck as soon

2170
02:22:59.360 --> 02:23:02.879
as it rolled to a stop just inside the confines

2171
02:23:03.239 --> 02:23:06.840
of Langley Pond. I can't wait to jump in the water.

2172
02:23:07.280 --> 02:23:10.360
Elena screamed and shed her clothing as fast as she could,

2173
02:23:10.719 --> 02:23:15.079
revealing her bathing suit underneath. Dang, girl, you ain't gonna

2174
02:23:15.079 --> 02:23:17.760
wait for me to put up the tent, Dustin asked

2175
02:23:17.799 --> 02:23:22.600
the air. Elena was already splashing in the water. Dustin

2176
02:23:22.719 --> 02:23:25.639
set up the two person tent and pulled the trolling

2177
02:23:25.719 --> 02:23:29.120
motor from the back of the truck. Elena swam to

2178
02:23:29.200 --> 02:23:31.280
shore when she saw the tent was all set up

2179
02:23:31.600 --> 02:23:34.200
and the trolling motor was attached to the john boat.

2180
02:23:34.600 --> 02:23:38.079
Hey babe, we gonna do some night fishing. The bass

2181
02:23:38.120 --> 02:23:42.319
should be poppin' top water plugs tonight, Elena said, as

2182
02:23:42.399 --> 02:23:44.840
she took a seat in the lawn chair set outside

2183
02:23:44.879 --> 02:23:48.760
the tent. I reckon, we can do that. Mama packed

2184
02:23:48.840 --> 02:23:51.159
up some ham sandwiches and the small cooler, and I

2185
02:23:51.280 --> 02:23:56.079
got papst in the biggin. I love you, Dustin. Shut up,

2186
02:23:56.159 --> 02:23:58.600
you do not. You just want me for my money,

2187
02:23:59.200 --> 02:24:03.719
Dustin joked. The couple ate sandwiches, drank beer, let their

2188
02:24:03.799 --> 02:24:07.159
food and drink settle before they made clumsy love. In

2189
02:24:07.239 --> 02:24:11.360
the tent, Elena fell asleep with Dustin's arms wrapped around her.

2190
02:24:11.959 --> 02:24:19.799
She woke up five hours later alone. Dustin you outside,

2191
02:24:20.600 --> 02:24:23.840
Elena asked as she rubbed her eyes and stretched. She

2192
02:24:24.040 --> 02:24:27.040
shuffled out of the tent and heard the frogs croaking

2193
02:24:27.120 --> 02:24:32.760
their night tunes. The crickets returned to symphony of their own. Dustin,

2194
02:24:34.120 --> 02:24:36.760
where are you at? You know you can pee in

2195
02:24:36.840 --> 02:24:41.639
front of me, Elena shouted. She looked around and was

2196
02:24:41.719 --> 02:24:44.639
comforted that the truck was still parked in the same spot,

2197
02:24:45.200 --> 02:24:48.280
so Dustin didn't decide to go on a midnight snack

2198
02:24:48.360 --> 02:24:52.319
run and leave her out here all alone. But he

2199
02:24:52.440 --> 02:24:55.959
didn't answer her, and that was a reason for concern

2200
02:24:56.079 --> 02:24:59.200
until she saw the light from the flashlight out in

2201
02:24:59.239 --> 02:25:04.200
the middle of the pond. The John boat Wasn't there

2202
02:25:05.200 --> 02:25:10.079
that sorry sack of potatoes. Elena shouted, Dustin, get your

2203
02:25:10.120 --> 02:25:13.120
ass back over here and pick me up. She hollered

2204
02:25:13.159 --> 02:25:15.760
into the night toward the light of the boat. The

2205
02:25:15.879 --> 02:25:19.680
light flashed in her direction, but the boat didn't move.

2206
02:25:21.000 --> 02:25:24.040
Don't make me swim out there, Dustin, I swear I will,

2207
02:25:24.200 --> 02:25:26.360
and I'll make so much noise that no fish is

2208
02:25:26.399 --> 02:25:28.879
gonna bite for the rest of the night. Don't test me.

2209
02:25:29.760 --> 02:25:34.479
Elena was leaving, playful and moving into piste off. The

2210
02:25:34.639 --> 02:25:37.319
light flashed in her direction once more, but the boat

2211
02:25:38.200 --> 02:25:43.639
still did not move. Okay, I'm coming, Elena sloshed into

2212
02:25:43.680 --> 02:25:47.159
the pond and began swimming toward the boat. The boat

2213
02:25:47.920 --> 02:25:53.040
still didn't move. The longer she swam, the angrier she became.

2214
02:25:54.000 --> 02:25:56.239
He better not dare ask for sex the rest of

2215
02:25:56.280 --> 02:25:59.239
the trip, is what she was thinking, not even a

2216
02:25:59.360 --> 02:26:02.840
hand job. The light still shined like a beacon from

2217
02:26:02.879 --> 02:26:06.600
a lonely lighthouse. Elena was about thirty yards away from

2218
02:26:06.680 --> 02:26:12.079
the john boat when she realized something was very, very wrong.

2219
02:26:13.520 --> 02:26:16.120
There was a figure standing in the center of the boat,

2220
02:26:17.040 --> 02:26:19.920
a figure that was a mite bit shorter than her boyfriend.

2221
02:26:21.200 --> 02:26:26.520
That was their john boat, but that wasn't dustin. Elena

2222
02:26:26.639 --> 02:26:28.719
swam a little closer to see if she could make

2223
02:26:28.760 --> 02:26:32.040
out who it was standing in the boat, and screamed

2224
02:26:32.079 --> 02:26:35.639
in horror when she saw what the man was holding

2225
02:26:36.079 --> 02:26:40.319
in his left hand. It couldn't be real. It had

2226
02:26:40.399 --> 02:26:43.520
to be some kind of joke, her mind was telling

2227
02:26:43.559 --> 02:26:46.680
her someone was just pranking her. The man in the

2228
02:26:46.760 --> 02:26:50.200
boat swung his left arm up around and launched the

2229
02:26:50.280 --> 02:26:55.360
severed head of dustin hinds in Elena's direction. She waited

2230
02:26:55.760 --> 02:26:58.840
what seemed like hours on the sound of the splash,

2231
02:26:59.799 --> 02:27:03.920
and when the sound came, Elena turned around and swam

2232
02:27:04.520 --> 02:27:07.879
for all she was worth. Elena felt as if bricks

2233
02:27:07.920 --> 02:27:10.879
were weighing her down. The burning in her lungs felt

2234
02:27:10.959 --> 02:27:15.000
like she inhaled gasoline. She could hear the echo of

2235
02:27:15.040 --> 02:27:19.399
her mother's sentiment in her mind, don't get into any trouble.

2236
02:27:20.200 --> 02:27:21.840
Call me if you need me to come get you.

2237
02:27:22.680 --> 02:27:26.200
No questions asked. Elena wished that she had listened to

2238
02:27:26.319 --> 02:27:29.760
her mother instead. She was swimming for her life to shore.

2239
02:27:30.479 --> 02:27:32.840
Elena was beginning to think she was going to make it.

2240
02:27:33.559 --> 02:27:37.239
She was going to see her mother again. The crack

2241
02:27:37.360 --> 02:27:41.399
of a gunshot was the last sound Elena heard before

2242
02:27:41.479 --> 02:27:46.120
the darkness of the water claimed her. Langley Pond was

2243
02:27:46.239 --> 02:27:58.600
going to be her grave. Summer twoenty twenty one. Jenny's

2244
02:27:58.600 --> 02:28:02.920
face was flush when Brionneana finished the story. Was that

2245
02:28:03.120 --> 02:28:08.680
true what you told me? She asked pretty much. I

2246
02:28:08.719 --> 02:28:11.559
don't know if that's exactly how the conversations went down,

2247
02:28:11.680 --> 02:28:15.000
but the facts are. Elena and Dustin went to Langley Pond.

2248
02:28:15.840 --> 02:28:19.399
Dustin's head was chopped off. They found the body in

2249
02:28:19.479 --> 02:28:21.959
the boat and Elena had been shot in the head.

2250
02:28:22.840 --> 02:28:25.000
It took them a while to find her body, though

2251
02:28:25.760 --> 02:28:29.159
longer than it probably should have. They say her body

2252
02:28:29.319 --> 02:28:31.559
was in the pond long enough for her spirit to

2253
02:28:31.639 --> 02:28:35.719
be trapped here. Some people say they can hear splashing

2254
02:28:35.799 --> 02:28:40.440
around and hollering. Sometimes me, I think it's just the

2255
02:28:40.559 --> 02:28:43.559
bass having their late night snacks. They can make quite

2256
02:28:43.600 --> 02:28:47.360
a ruckus when they're attacking frogs, lizards and whatnot. I

2257
02:28:47.399 --> 02:28:50.959
wouldn't let it scare you too much, though. Brianna finished

2258
02:28:51.239 --> 02:28:54.879
and patted Jenny on her hands. Did they ever catch

2259
02:28:54.959 --> 02:28:59.159
the guy that did it? Jenny asked, Well, that's the

2260
02:28:59.280 --> 02:29:03.440
thing they did. That's how we got this story that's

2261
02:29:03.479 --> 02:29:06.440
been passed down for forty years. But he was shot

2262
02:29:06.520 --> 02:29:08.280
in the head with a long range rifle as he

2263
02:29:08.399 --> 02:29:11.799
was escorted to the courthouse. Let's just say the police

2264
02:29:11.840 --> 02:29:14.000
didn't spend a lot of time looking for the killer

2265
02:29:14.079 --> 02:29:18.159
of Billy Jean Morris. From what's been passed down. A

2266
02:29:18.239 --> 02:29:20.079
lot of folks think it was set up that way.

2267
02:29:20.799 --> 02:29:23.399
The police can turn a blind eye sometimes when it

2268
02:29:23.479 --> 02:29:27.600
comes to Valley justice, especially when it's a couple of

2269
02:29:27.680 --> 02:29:32.319
local kids that were killed. Kids that everybody knew kids

2270
02:29:32.360 --> 02:29:36.280
that everybody loved. There were some rumors that it was

2271
02:29:36.360 --> 02:29:40.239
Elene's daddy or even Dustin's daddy. They were both avid

2272
02:29:40.319 --> 02:29:44.440
hunters with rifles to do the job. They weren't even questioned.

2273
02:29:45.479 --> 02:29:47.319
I don't blame either one of them. If they killed

2274
02:29:47.360 --> 02:29:52.440
Billy Jean, he deserved it, Brianna finished. Jinny looked at

2275
02:29:52.479 --> 02:29:55.600
her in all seriousness and said, what if Billy Jean

2276
02:29:55.719 --> 02:29:59.360
didn't kill them? What if someone else did? And what

2277
02:29:59.479 --> 02:30:02.559
if that's some some one else is still around? Jenny asked,

2278
02:30:03.200 --> 02:30:06.719
clearly working herself up into something that Brianna thought was silly.

2279
02:30:07.559 --> 02:30:10.559
Calm down, girl, it was Billy Jean. I know it

2280
02:30:10.680 --> 02:30:14.040
was Billy Jean. It's a valley thing. He wouldn't understand.

2281
02:30:14.559 --> 02:30:16.399
Now let's go see what those boys are up to.

2282
02:30:17.479 --> 02:30:19.719
Frog was grinning from ear to ear as he saw

2283
02:30:19.799 --> 02:30:24.479
the girl's approach. Andy was downing another PBR. I was

2284
02:30:24.559 --> 02:30:27.440
beginning to worry about you too. You get your girl

2285
02:30:27.559 --> 02:30:32.000
talk in, Frog asked, as he grabbed his own PBR. Yeah,

2286
02:30:32.319 --> 02:30:35.760
something like that, Brianna replied, and winked at Jenny to

2287
02:30:35.879 --> 02:30:38.959
let her know it was okay. It was just a

2288
02:30:39.120 --> 02:30:44.120
stupid local legend. Nothing to worry about, Frog, Are we

2289
02:30:44.280 --> 02:30:47.639
really having Beanie Weenies for dinner? I mean, I'd rather

2290
02:30:47.760 --> 02:30:50.399
go to the store and grab some sandwich stuff. Maybe

2291
02:30:50.479 --> 02:30:52.799
Brianna and I could run to the grocery store real quick.

2292
02:30:53.079 --> 02:30:54.559
We'll get a bag of ice and some more of

2293
02:30:54.600 --> 02:30:57.959
that beer, y'all. Like, Frog was all set to disagree

2294
02:30:58.239 --> 02:31:01.399
and force the Beanie Weenie supper, but when the bee

2295
02:31:01.520 --> 02:31:06.120
word came up, he changed his course of thinking. I

2296
02:31:06.200 --> 02:31:08.879
think that'd be okay. What do you think Andy? The

2297
02:31:08.959 --> 02:31:11.360
girls can go get the sandwich stuff in another case

2298
02:31:11.360 --> 02:31:15.040
of beer. I'll contribute ten bucks for the cause, Frog said,

2299
02:31:15.079 --> 02:31:19.440
and pulled a crinkled bill from his well weathered leather wallet. Yeah,

2300
02:31:19.479 --> 02:31:22.399
I reckon that'll be okay. Brianna. Take her to the

2301
02:31:22.440 --> 02:31:25.000
bilo where Jimmy works. He'll let you buy the beer

2302
02:31:25.079 --> 02:31:28.520
with no id. Brianna rolled her eyes at Andy like

2303
02:31:28.639 --> 02:31:31.680
she didn't already know that she had bought beer at

2304
02:31:31.719 --> 02:31:35.079
that bilo since she was fourteen years old. The Valley

2305
02:31:35.159 --> 02:31:38.399
kids knew where to go without being ripped off. There

2306
02:31:38.520 --> 02:31:41.000
was always the quick shop option, where the owner would

2307
02:31:41.040 --> 02:31:44.360
only sell the swill known as Milwaukee's best for triple

2308
02:31:44.440 --> 02:31:48.079
the labeled price to desperate teens. That's the only way

2309
02:31:48.159 --> 02:31:50.200
he could get rid of the crap, and he had

2310
02:31:50.280 --> 02:31:52.000
to carry it because it was such an under the

2311
02:31:52.079 --> 02:31:55.559
table money maker for him. Any Way he can stick

2312
02:31:55.639 --> 02:31:58.040
it to the government and help raise the next generation

2313
02:31:58.159 --> 02:32:00.799
of Valley rats, the better for his ay, pride and

2314
02:32:01.239 --> 02:32:06.079
his pockets. Andy tossed the truck keys to Brianna. Be careful, babe,

2315
02:32:06.399 --> 02:32:08.719
don't wreck my truck, and don't get caught with that beer.

2316
02:32:09.440 --> 02:32:11.959
Brianna gave him another eye roll and trotted to the

2317
02:32:12.040 --> 02:32:15.680
driver's side. Jenny felt a wave of relief when Brianna

2318
02:32:15.760 --> 02:32:18.639
started the engine and the cool lair from the ac

2319
02:32:19.040 --> 02:32:24.920
kissed her face. Andy Frog said with a wicked grin, Yeah,

2320
02:32:26.159 --> 02:32:28.520
I had Jenny going pretty good with the spirit of

2321
02:32:28.600 --> 02:32:31.680
Langley Pond. You want to have some fun and scare

2322
02:32:31.719 --> 02:32:35.280
the girls when they get back, more Jenny than Brianna.

2323
02:32:35.920 --> 02:32:39.639
I know she's tough to scare. I don't know, man,

2324
02:32:40.079 --> 02:32:42.680
that new girl might go off the deep end. I mean,

2325
02:32:42.879 --> 02:32:45.840
you don't know her all that well, and it'll severely

2326
02:32:45.959 --> 02:32:48.520
reduce your chances of playing hide the snake. If you

2327
02:32:48.840 --> 02:32:52.479
catch my drift, it'll be more like a whack a mole,

2328
02:32:53.000 --> 02:32:57.239
Andy replied and smiled. I don't care. Frog began, I

2329
02:32:57.280 --> 02:33:00.319
don't think she's gonna give it up anyway. We'll have

2330
02:33:00.479 --> 02:33:02.959
some fun with her. She's creeped out over the ghost

2331
02:33:03.040 --> 02:33:07.440
of Elena Sanders. First, what did you have in mind?

2332
02:33:07.520 --> 02:33:13.399
And second, if Brianna gets pissed, it's on you. Andy replied, Look,

2333
02:33:14.000 --> 02:33:16.319
while they're gone, I'm gonna go to the edge of

2334
02:33:16.360 --> 02:33:19.440
the woods over yonder. Frog pointed to the shoreline at

2335
02:33:19.479 --> 02:33:24.440
his left. You see that cluster of trees over there. Yeah, well,

2336
02:33:24.479 --> 02:33:27.440
I'm gonna go over there behind them trees and start

2337
02:33:27.520 --> 02:33:29.799
tossing some of the red bricks that Ricky put over

2338
02:33:29.920 --> 02:33:32.760
in that clearing into the pond. He'll never miss him.

2339
02:33:33.200 --> 02:33:35.600
He done forgot he put them out there. And check

2340
02:33:35.680 --> 02:33:38.680
this out real quick, give me a second. Frog ran

2341
02:33:38.760 --> 02:33:41.040
to his car, and Andy could hear him rustling before

2342
02:33:41.079 --> 02:33:44.520
he came trotting back with a palm sized speaker. It's

2343
02:33:44.600 --> 02:33:48.920
a bluetooth, man, I'm gonna place some Halloween screams out

2344
02:33:48.959 --> 02:33:51.600
of this bad boy. It works right off my phone.

2345
02:33:52.479 --> 02:33:55.040
And while you're doing all this shit, where am I

2346
02:33:55.159 --> 02:33:57.799
supposed to tell them? You are? Tell them? I went

2347
02:33:57.840 --> 02:33:59.479
to the other side of the pond to go giggin.

2348
02:34:00.040 --> 02:34:02.879
Brianna will believe that she knows how much I love

2349
02:34:03.040 --> 02:34:06.840
to go giggin, and when she finds out that's a lie,

2350
02:34:07.559 --> 02:34:09.399
then me and my right hand are going to be

2351
02:34:09.479 --> 02:34:11.959
best friends for the rest of the trip. I don't

2352
02:34:12.040 --> 02:34:15.920
think so, Andy replied, you have to take the fun

2353
02:34:16.000 --> 02:34:18.440
out of everything. Man. Look, I will tell you that

2354
02:34:18.559 --> 02:34:20.840
I was going giggin and I'm going to disappear for

2355
02:34:20.879 --> 02:34:23.079
a little while. Then you won't be lying, and you

2356
02:34:23.159 --> 02:34:25.440
can act like you're just as pissed as the girls.

2357
02:34:25.959 --> 02:34:28.559
I suspect I'll be taking Jenny home after this stunt,

2358
02:34:28.600 --> 02:34:30.920
and you and Brianna will be all alone in the cabin.

2359
02:34:31.600 --> 02:34:34.440
Frog grinned and poked his finger through the hole he

2360
02:34:34.600 --> 02:34:38.399
made with his other hand. A smile ran across Andy's face.

2361
02:34:39.280 --> 02:34:42.280
Now that sounds like a better plan, my man. I

2362
02:34:42.440 --> 02:34:45.319
know nothing, I see nothing, I hear nothing but the

2363
02:34:45.399 --> 02:34:49.200
spirit of Elena Ann Sanders splashing and screaming in the water.

2364
02:34:50.360 --> 02:34:59.719
That's the spirit, Frog replied, without realizing the pun. Darkness

2365
02:34:59.840 --> 02:35:02.120
was closing in on the valley when Andy saw the

2366
02:35:02.200 --> 02:35:05.520
lights of his truck coming down the path. They're back,

2367
02:35:06.079 --> 02:35:08.840
he shouted, which sent Frog scurrying for the tree line.

2368
02:35:09.200 --> 02:35:12.440
Brianna and Jenny were still laughing from their conversation on

2369
02:35:12.520 --> 02:35:16.559
the trip back. Hey, girls, need a hand, Andy walked

2370
02:35:16.600 --> 02:35:20.799
toward them. Where's Frog was the first question from Jenny's lips,

2371
02:35:21.040 --> 02:35:24.159
and Brianna already had her doubting eyes looking around for

2372
02:35:24.239 --> 02:35:28.559
the mischievous valley prints. He'll be back directly, he went,

2373
02:35:28.600 --> 02:35:31.360
Gigan on the other side of the pond. What's gigin,

2374
02:35:32.000 --> 02:35:34.959
Jenny asked, thinking it was some made up thing by

2375
02:35:35.040 --> 02:35:39.559
these valley people. He went to kill his namesake. Brianna answered.

2376
02:35:39.920 --> 02:35:42.680
Gigin is when you basically take a three prong metal

2377
02:35:42.760 --> 02:35:45.840
spear and go stab frogs with them. Don't worry, though,

2378
02:35:46.280 --> 02:35:49.319
Frog isn't killing them entirely for fun. He'll cut the

2379
02:35:49.399 --> 02:35:52.479
legs off and fry them up. Ew he's going to

2380
02:35:52.559 --> 02:35:57.079
eat their legs. Jenny couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yeah,

2381
02:35:57.799 --> 02:36:01.239
I'll probably eat some too. Andy. Oh, he's not much

2382
02:36:01.280 --> 02:36:04.879
on frog legs, are you, babe? Brianna asked, y'all can

2383
02:36:04.959 --> 02:36:07.120
have that. If I eat a fried leg, you better

2384
02:36:07.159 --> 02:36:10.319
have belonged to a chicken. That's all I'll say. Did

2385
02:36:10.399 --> 02:36:15.079
he say when he's coming back? Jenny asked, Well, with frog,

2386
02:36:15.200 --> 02:36:17.879
you never can tell. If he starts sticking them left

2387
02:36:17.920 --> 02:36:19.959
and right, it might be a while. But if he

2388
02:36:20.040 --> 02:36:22.559
can't catch him, then he might not be gone so long.

2389
02:36:23.639 --> 02:36:26.920
Is he good at catching them? Jenny asked, best in

2390
02:36:27.040 --> 02:36:32.200
the valley? Brianna replied, oh. Jenny said she thought that

2391
02:36:32.399 --> 02:36:33.920
was a hell of a way to treat your date.

2392
02:36:34.399 --> 02:36:36.159
Send her off to get your beer while you go

2393
02:36:36.360 --> 02:36:39.360
kill frogs around the pond. Jenny made up her mind

2394
02:36:39.399 --> 02:36:41.360
that Frog would have to take her home as soon

2395
02:36:41.399 --> 02:36:45.280
as he got back. Here's your beer, Brianna said, and

2396
02:36:45.399 --> 02:36:47.840
pulled the case from the bed of the pickup. It's

2397
02:36:47.879 --> 02:36:50.479
still cold, Jenny and I are going to make ourselves

2398
02:36:50.520 --> 02:36:53.000
a couple of sandwiches. You want a ham and cheese,

2399
02:36:53.600 --> 02:36:55.959
you know I do? Can you bring it back out here?

2400
02:36:56.159 --> 02:36:58.920
I'm gonna start a fire in the pit. It's eighty

2401
02:36:59.040 --> 02:37:01.040
something de grease out andy. Do you really want to

2402
02:37:01.079 --> 02:37:03.799
make it any hotter? I like to see the people

2403
02:37:03.879 --> 02:37:08.000
in the flames, Babe. I won't keep it lit all night, alrighty,

2404
02:37:08.120 --> 02:37:11.159
then go see your flame people. Come on, Jenny, I'm

2405
02:37:11.159 --> 02:37:14.799
starving the girls went into the cabin. Andy lit up

2406
02:37:14.840 --> 02:37:17.239
the fire pit and waited to hear the first splash.

2407
02:37:17.920 --> 02:37:20.920
Brianna came out ten minutes later with Andy sandwich wrapped

2408
02:37:20.959 --> 02:37:25.440
in a paper towel. Did Frog really go giggin, Brian asked.

2409
02:37:26.120 --> 02:37:29.600
Andy truthfully answered, that's where he told me he was going.

2410
02:37:29.680 --> 02:37:32.440
But you never know with Frog. He added that just

2411
02:37:32.520 --> 02:37:34.559
to cover his ass for when the shit went down.

2412
02:37:35.559 --> 02:37:38.280
All right, it's pretty dark out here, now, you coming

2413
02:37:38.360 --> 02:37:41.200
in soon? Yeah, I'll be in in a little bit.

2414
02:37:41.639 --> 02:37:43.479
I was trying to wait on Frog to get back.

2415
02:37:43.680 --> 02:37:45.760
I'm surprised he didn't come running when he heard the

2416
02:37:45.840 --> 02:37:49.440
beer truck, Andy said, already thinking of how fake mad

2417
02:37:49.520 --> 02:37:52.079
he was going to be with Frog when the prank unfolded.

2418
02:37:52.639 --> 02:37:55.040
Andy wondered if Frog would let him get a punch in,

2419
02:37:55.600 --> 02:37:59.040
just to completely exonerate himself from any involvement in his

2420
02:37:59.239 --> 02:38:02.680
childish ploy. Just put that fire out before you come in.

2421
02:38:03.159 --> 02:38:04.760
We don't want to be the ones to burn down

2422
02:38:04.799 --> 02:38:09.239
the cabins. Roger that. Andy smiled and pursed his lips

2423
02:38:09.280 --> 02:38:13.399
for a kiss. Brianna gave him a quick pack. Fifteen

2424
02:38:13.440 --> 02:38:16.559
minutes passed and there was no splash, no sound from

2425
02:38:16.600 --> 02:38:20.000
the area in which Frog disappeared. Andy was getting a

2426
02:38:20.000 --> 02:38:22.719
little antsy as he stood from his chair, took another

2427
02:38:22.760 --> 02:38:26.360
gulp of PBR, and turned toward the cabin. He could

2428
02:38:26.360 --> 02:38:29.280
see the outline of the girls standing near the ac unit.

2429
02:38:30.120 --> 02:38:33.840
Andy began walking toward the cabin when the first splash

2430
02:38:34.440 --> 02:38:41.239
finally came. Ah, so it begins, Andy thought to himself.

2431
02:38:41.959 --> 02:38:44.479
The girls didn't hear it, or if they did, it

2432
02:38:44.639 --> 02:38:48.159
wasn't enough ruckus yet to make them come outside. Then

2433
02:38:48.920 --> 02:38:53.799
there was a second splash, much louder than the first.

2434
02:38:54.600 --> 02:38:57.840
He saw Brianna's head turn, but she didn't come outside.

2435
02:38:58.760 --> 02:39:01.239
I guess third times a child, is what Andy thought.

2436
02:39:01.920 --> 02:39:05.159
The third splash came, and it was much louder than

2437
02:39:05.200 --> 02:39:10.079
the first two. This time he saw Brianna move toward

2438
02:39:10.159 --> 02:39:18.559
the door. Then came the scream. It was loud, shrill,

2439
02:39:18.959 --> 02:39:24.319
and brief, almost inhuman. It was a scream of severe pain.

2440
02:39:25.159 --> 02:39:28.719
Brianna came bursting out the door. All right, Andy, tell

2441
02:39:28.799 --> 02:39:31.639
Frog to cut the shit. Jenny's freaking the hell out

2442
02:39:31.719 --> 02:39:35.479
in there. She's afraid to come out. Frog, cut the shit,

2443
02:39:36.200 --> 02:39:39.799
Brianna hollered in the direction of the commotion. There were

2444
02:39:39.879 --> 02:39:47.000
more splashes. They got louder and closer, louder and closer.

2445
02:39:48.319 --> 02:39:53.719
Then the second scream. It was so loud. Andy was

2446
02:39:53.799 --> 02:39:56.120
thinking that was one hell of a speaker. Frog had

2447
02:39:56.159 --> 02:39:59.719
brought Andy and Brianna heard running, and it was coming

2448
02:39:59.760 --> 02:40:05.159
toward them very quickly. Frog emerged from the darkness and

2449
02:40:05.280 --> 02:40:08.600
his face was white as a sheet. Frog, You son

2450
02:40:08.680 --> 02:40:12.319
of a bit, Brianna began and then stopped. Her heart

2451
02:40:12.440 --> 02:40:15.440
felt like it was going baboom out of her chest

2452
02:40:15.559 --> 02:40:19.760
when she heard the next scream. This was no bluetooth speaker.

2453
02:40:20.799 --> 02:40:25.280
This was menacing and so full of pain. Damn Frog,

2454
02:40:26.000 --> 02:40:29.680
how are you doing that, Andy asked, still not getting it,

2455
02:40:30.399 --> 02:40:35.120
actually impressed with his friend's skill. It's not me, Andy,

2456
02:40:35.719 --> 02:40:39.920
it's a Lena and I pissed her off. Stop at Frog,

2457
02:40:40.319 --> 02:40:43.600
take me home. I'm done with this shit, Jenny yelled.

2458
02:40:44.200 --> 02:40:47.680
Her entire body was shaking. The poor girl was scared

2459
02:40:47.719 --> 02:40:50.200
out of her mind. I think we all need to leave,

2460
02:40:50.719 --> 02:40:54.559
Andy said, as he realized his buddy wasn't joking. Andy

2461
02:40:54.680 --> 02:40:58.200
kept calm. Let's just go. We'll come clean up our

2462
02:40:58.239 --> 02:41:02.520
crap in the morning. There was another tremendous splash, and

2463
02:41:02.639 --> 02:41:05.639
it was closer than any of the others. The rhythm

2464
02:41:05.840 --> 02:41:09.959
was almost like thunder followed by lightning. A few seconds

2465
02:41:10.000 --> 02:41:13.879
after the splash, the screech came. It was a sound

2466
02:41:13.920 --> 02:41:18.040
of unmitigated pain. The four of them froze in place,

2467
02:41:18.760 --> 02:41:23.159
and their mouths fell open, almost in unison at what

2468
02:41:23.360 --> 02:41:28.319
they saw next. The apparition of Elena was floating above

2469
02:41:28.399 --> 02:41:31.680
the water, just past the shoreline. The front of her

2470
02:41:31.760 --> 02:41:35.120
head was busted wide open, and her eyes were contorted

2471
02:41:35.239 --> 02:41:40.000
black pools that looked in opposite directions. She fell into

2472
02:41:40.079 --> 02:41:46.280
the water with a loud, cursed splash, and slowly rose again.

2473
02:41:47.440 --> 02:41:51.920
Her mouth opened wide, and this time the scream pierced them.

2474
02:41:52.559 --> 02:41:54.920
The ear drums of all four of them were on

2475
02:41:55.040 --> 02:41:58.280
the verge of exploding in their skulls. Hands went to

2476
02:41:58.360 --> 02:42:01.840
cover ears on instinct, but it didn't matter. This scream

2477
02:42:02.239 --> 02:42:06.520
moved through flesh and bone, through space and time. This

2478
02:42:06.920 --> 02:42:11.840
was the scream of the dead, the dead trapped in

2479
02:42:11.959 --> 02:42:15.639
her watery grave. It was a macabre dance of the

2480
02:42:15.799 --> 02:42:20.319
dead in which Elena was forever trapped. Jenny was the

2481
02:42:20.399 --> 02:42:24.360
first to speak when the screaming stopped. She's not gonna

2482
02:42:24.399 --> 02:42:27.920
let us leave. Brianna looked at Andy, and they felt

2483
02:42:27.959 --> 02:42:32.399
the same apprehension that Jenny spoke aloud, but Andy simply said,

2484
02:42:33.200 --> 02:42:36.159
let's get the hell out of here. Andy and Brianna

2485
02:42:36.280 --> 02:42:38.760
ran to the truck, while Frog and Jenny ran to

2486
02:42:38.879 --> 02:42:42.440
Frog's mustang. Andy turned the key and heard the clicking

2487
02:42:42.600 --> 02:42:46.959
sound associated with a dead battery. Frog did the same.

2488
02:42:47.760 --> 02:42:51.559
Jenny was shaking in her seat. Brianna was already thinking

2489
02:42:51.639 --> 02:42:54.159
that they would just book it to four twenty one

2490
02:42:54.239 --> 02:42:57.040
on foot. It wasn't that far away, and once they

2491
02:42:57.079 --> 02:42:59.799
were on that stretch of road they would be home free.

2492
02:43:01.000 --> 02:43:04.719
The wind suddenly picked up and the temperature dropped. The

2493
02:43:04.840 --> 02:43:07.600
four of them got out of the vehicles and moved

2494
02:43:07.680 --> 02:43:11.959
closer to one another. Brianna wanted to scream, wanted to

2495
02:43:12.040 --> 02:43:14.600
tell them to run, but something in her gut warned

2496
02:43:14.639 --> 02:43:18.840
her that would be a big mistake. Jenny's lips were

2497
02:43:18.920 --> 02:43:22.079
quivering with fear, and Frog didn't look like a prince

2498
02:43:22.159 --> 02:43:25.799
at all. For the first time in his life, Frog

2499
02:43:26.000 --> 02:43:30.040
truly felt fear rush up his spine. The calmness that

2500
02:43:30.159 --> 02:43:33.239
Andy displayed just moments before was replaced with a feeling

2501
02:43:33.319 --> 02:43:37.719
of despair. They all felt like Brianna felt as if

2502
02:43:37.760 --> 02:43:42.719
they should run but couldn't. Not that anyone or anything

2503
02:43:42.840 --> 02:43:46.879
was stopping them, but it just felt like a very

2504
02:43:47.040 --> 02:43:50.760
bad idea. There was another screech, and the four of

2505
02:43:50.840 --> 02:43:54.680
them turned toward the pond. The apparition was floating above

2506
02:43:54.719 --> 02:43:58.120
the water, just at the shoreline. Her dark hair was

2507
02:43:58.239 --> 02:44:02.799
flowing behind her, and she wasn't falling this time. Her

2508
02:44:02.920 --> 02:44:05.920
mouth was contorted as if she were about to release

2509
02:44:05.959 --> 02:44:11.040
another screech, but this time she didn't. The spirit of

2510
02:44:11.079 --> 02:44:15.280
Elena looked directly at Frog with a face of recognition.

2511
02:44:16.200 --> 02:44:20.159
The spirit began shaking above the water. What the fuck, frog,

2512
02:44:20.879 --> 02:44:28.000
Andy whispered, I don't know, man, Frog whispered back, she's

2513
02:44:28.079 --> 02:44:32.879
pointing at you, Jenny said, on the verge of sobbing. No,

2514
02:44:33.040 --> 02:44:36.280
she's not. She's pointing at us. She don't want us

2515
02:44:36.360 --> 02:44:37.959
to be here, and I think we should give her

2516
02:44:38.000 --> 02:44:42.440
what she wants. Frog whispered back. Andy, Jenny, and Brianna

2517
02:44:42.879 --> 02:44:47.520
slowly stepped away from Frog. Elena's spirit kept pointing to

2518
02:44:47.600 --> 02:44:52.799
the valley Prince. It was recognition and it wasn't coincidence.

2519
02:44:54.159 --> 02:44:56.040
What the hell, man, what did I ever do to her?

2520
02:44:56.680 --> 02:44:59.280
I don't know, man, but I wouldn't make any sudden

2521
02:44:59.360 --> 02:45:05.639
movements if I why were you? Summer nineteen eighty one.

2522
02:45:06.680 --> 02:45:09.239
He had seen Elena come in his store through the years.

2523
02:45:09.920 --> 02:45:14.200
He longed for her, but she was taken. Dustin Hines

2524
02:45:14.319 --> 02:45:16.760
was her man, and it didn't sit well with him,

2525
02:45:17.360 --> 02:45:20.399
not one bit. He heard it through the grapevine that

2526
02:45:20.479 --> 02:45:23.319
they were going to Langley Pond for a romantic getaway

2527
02:45:23.399 --> 02:45:28.319
this weekend, and today was Friday. Elena wouldn't give him

2528
02:45:28.360 --> 02:45:31.319
the time of day, would barely utter a word when

2529
02:45:31.360 --> 02:45:35.040
she came in to pick out a movie. Sometimes Dustin

2530
02:45:35.079 --> 02:45:38.000
would be with her. She would come in with her beautiful,

2531
02:45:38.120 --> 02:45:42.120
long black hair and perfect smile, teasing him. Elena had

2532
02:45:42.200 --> 02:45:44.280
to know that he was in love with her, but

2533
02:45:44.399 --> 02:45:47.000
she would come in with Dustin, flaunting her love for

2534
02:45:47.159 --> 02:45:52.479
him and in a sense, a disdain for Frog Spradley.

2535
02:45:53.280 --> 02:45:56.840
He didn't understand why Valley Video was going to be

2536
02:45:56.959 --> 02:45:59.959
his outright In another year he would be a reput

2537
02:46:00.000 --> 02:46:03.399
suitable business owner. Frog was sure that the video rental

2538
02:46:03.479 --> 02:46:07.159
business would be a necessity for generations to come. But

2539
02:46:07.360 --> 02:46:12.879
she would come and go, tease him, taunt him, show

2540
02:46:13.000 --> 02:46:16.200
him what he can't have, show him who was getting

2541
02:46:16.280 --> 02:46:20.200
her love? This wasn't going to work for Frog. He

2542
02:46:20.280 --> 02:46:23.959
would be at that pond tonight, just like the song said,

2543
02:46:25.520 --> 02:46:30.479
bang bang, he shot me down, Bang bang, I hit

2544
02:46:30.600 --> 02:46:36.680
the ground, Bang bang. That awful sound bang bang. My

2545
02:46:36.840 --> 02:46:41.360
baby shot me down. And that's exactly what Frog would do.

2546
02:46:42.239 --> 02:46:44.959
He would go to the pond. He would hear them

2547
02:46:45.040 --> 02:46:48.200
making love in the tent. He would take his machete

2548
02:46:48.639 --> 02:46:51.600
and get Dustin to come outside. While Elena was sleeping,

2549
02:46:52.440 --> 02:46:55.799
he'd hack him up and chop off his head. He'd

2550
02:46:55.840 --> 02:46:59.280
take the john boat out late he heard them talking

2551
02:46:59.319 --> 02:47:02.600
about their late night fishing trip. She would come out.

2552
02:47:03.159 --> 02:47:05.559
She would see the light. She would think that her

2553
02:47:05.639 --> 02:47:08.879
lover was fishing without her. She'd see the man that

2554
02:47:09.000 --> 02:47:13.159
she scorned, see what she could have had. He would

2555
02:47:13.239 --> 02:47:16.600
toss the head of her betrothed. She would see him.

2556
02:47:17.399 --> 02:47:20.760
All she had to do was keep swimming to the boat,

2557
02:47:21.319 --> 02:47:24.959
and she would have lived. But she turned and swam away,

2558
02:47:25.719 --> 02:47:28.079
afraid of the man that was truly meant for her.

2559
02:47:28.639 --> 02:47:31.879
He'd line her up with his deer rifle. Frog was

2560
02:47:31.959 --> 02:47:35.879
a dead shot. He wasn't going to miss. He'd let

2561
02:47:35.920 --> 02:47:38.760
her feel as if she may get away before the

2562
02:47:38.879 --> 02:47:43.000
shot would zip through the back of her skull. It

2563
02:47:43.120 --> 02:47:45.639
was pure luck that they pinned it on Billy Jean.

2564
02:47:46.319 --> 02:47:49.360
He always had a short fuse, and that was all

2565
02:47:49.639 --> 02:47:52.920
very well and good with Frog. He'd find another love,

2566
02:47:53.639 --> 02:47:56.879
one that would love him. They'd have a baby boy,

2567
02:47:57.280 --> 02:48:00.639
and he would keep the name of Frog alive. Frog

2568
02:48:00.799 --> 02:48:03.559
was the spitting image of his father and his grandfather.

2569
02:48:04.399 --> 02:48:07.920
He'd grow up as a valley prince. Frog Senior wouldn't

2570
02:48:07.959 --> 02:48:11.399
think of Elena again until he took his final breath

2571
02:48:12.000 --> 02:48:16.239
in twenty fifteen, when the song floated through his mind

2572
02:48:16.799 --> 02:48:22.200
for the first time since that day. Bang bang, he

2573
02:48:22.360 --> 02:48:28.200
shot me down. Bang bang, I hit the ground, Bang

2574
02:48:28.399 --> 02:48:34.639
bang that awful sound Bang bang, My baby shot me down.

2575
02:48:36.040 --> 02:48:39.479
Frog died with his loved ones around him and tears

2576
02:48:39.559 --> 02:48:44.600
in his eyes. His family didn't know the tears weren't

2577
02:48:44.639 --> 02:48:50.840
for them, but for Elena, the spirit of Langley Pond.

2578
02:48:54.719 --> 02:49:00.520
Summer twoenty twenty one. The specter was transfixed on Frog,

2579
02:49:00.959 --> 02:49:04.639
and he was in turn locked onto her lifeless eyes.

2580
02:49:05.559 --> 02:49:08.799
Her mouth curled in pain, and it was as if

2581
02:49:09.319 --> 02:49:13.760
she were the one seeing a ghost. Frog couldn't move.

2582
02:49:14.479 --> 02:49:16.959
It was as if he were stuck knees deep in

2583
02:49:17.120 --> 02:49:20.639
mud and the air around him was infused with a

2584
02:49:20.760 --> 02:49:26.000
coldness that chilled him to his soul. The spirit of

2585
02:49:26.120 --> 02:49:29.879
Langley Pond seemed to know him, and she didn't seem

2586
02:49:29.959 --> 02:49:33.840
all that thrilled that he was looking at her. Oh

2587
02:49:33.920 --> 02:49:38.079
my god, Brianna screamed in Frog's direction, she knows you.

2588
02:49:39.000 --> 02:49:43.000
Andy turned away from the ghost and saw the angst

2589
02:49:43.079 --> 02:49:47.920
in Frog's face before he said, that's impossible. There's no

2590
02:49:48.040 --> 02:49:51.719
way she knows Frog. The ghost floated closer to them

2591
02:49:52.159 --> 02:49:55.120
and seemed to put her feet on the ground. The

2592
02:49:55.360 --> 02:49:59.120
entire shoreline got much colder, and the others felt it.

2593
02:49:59.680 --> 02:50:02.559
Every one was stuck in their spot, afraid to make

2594
02:50:02.680 --> 02:50:06.639
any sudden movement. The four of them formed somewhat of

2595
02:50:06.680 --> 02:50:10.200
a straight line, and they all faced the spirit of Elena,

2596
02:50:10.959 --> 02:50:13.719
But that spirit was only focused on one of them,

2597
02:50:14.920 --> 02:50:18.600
and she changed The life came back into her eyes.

2598
02:50:19.360 --> 02:50:24.479
They turned from black pools to light brown. The distortion

2599
02:50:24.680 --> 02:50:28.840
in her face also melted away. The ghostly apparition that

2600
02:50:28.920 --> 02:50:32.040
the four of them witnessed floating above the pond changed

2601
02:50:32.120 --> 02:50:36.239
into healed flesh and blood. She no longer floated, but

2602
02:50:36.440 --> 02:50:41.239
walked toward Frog. He managed to utter the first words

2603
02:50:41.479 --> 02:50:46.520
to break the silence. Hey, look, what do you want

2604
02:50:46.559 --> 02:50:50.360
from us? The young woman smiled at him and held

2605
02:50:50.399 --> 02:50:53.840
out her hands. Frog wanted to believe this was just

2606
02:50:53.920 --> 02:50:57.239
a dream, that he had drank five too many PBRs

2607
02:50:57.600 --> 02:51:00.440
and would wake up any minute, but he knew that

2608
02:51:00.559 --> 02:51:04.239
he was in the here and now take my hand.

2609
02:51:05.440 --> 02:51:10.200
You were there. You killed my boyfriend, you chopped off

2610
02:51:10.239 --> 02:51:15.000
his head, and you shot me, Elena said, and continued,

2611
02:51:15.760 --> 02:51:20.280
take my hand so I can leave this god forsaken place.

2612
02:51:21.000 --> 02:51:24.520
Frog trembled. His brain was trying to fight the overwhelming

2613
02:51:24.600 --> 02:51:30.040
compulsion to grab Elena's hand. If he did, he thought

2614
02:51:30.079 --> 02:51:32.280
it might be the last thing that he ever did.

2615
02:51:33.600 --> 02:51:39.799
Brianna found her courage and spoke Elena. The girl turned

2616
02:51:39.840 --> 02:51:43.159
to face her. He couldn't have killed your boyfriend or

2617
02:51:43.319 --> 02:51:48.200
you please just listen to me. Elena placed her hands

2618
02:51:48.239 --> 02:51:51.440
at her side and gave Brianna a sense of relief.

2619
02:51:52.360 --> 02:51:55.879
She was going to listen to her. Good, good, Look.

2620
02:51:56.920 --> 02:52:00.559
The year is twenty twenty one. They were killed in

2621
02:52:00.680 --> 02:52:03.840
nineteen eighty one by Billy Jean Morris. It was in

2622
02:52:03.959 --> 02:52:06.959
all the papers. My mama told me about it. The

2623
02:52:07.040 --> 02:52:10.399
whole town knew it was Billy Jean. He was shot dead, Elena,

2624
02:52:11.000 --> 02:52:13.360
they got the man that killed you and your boyfriend.

2625
02:52:15.000 --> 02:52:18.399
Elena turned her attention away from Frog for just a

2626
02:52:18.520 --> 02:52:22.719
moment and walked to Brianna. Jenny ran to Andy and

2627
02:52:22.799 --> 02:52:24.680
stuck her head in the crook of his arm, like

2628
02:52:24.799 --> 02:52:27.239
she was trying to shield herself from seeing a kill

2629
02:52:27.280 --> 02:52:31.840
in a horror movie. Elena walked toward Brianna. She seemed

2630
02:52:31.879 --> 02:52:35.280
to admire the beauty of the girl. They were close

2631
02:52:35.360 --> 02:52:39.120
to the same age. Billy Jean Morris did not kill me.

2632
02:52:40.000 --> 02:52:43.879
Billy Jean Morris never talked to me. I know who

2633
02:52:43.959 --> 02:52:48.760
I saw, and it was his face, she said, and

2634
02:52:48.920 --> 02:52:53.360
pointed back at Frog. Shit, woman, I wasn't even born yet.

2635
02:52:53.879 --> 02:52:59.639
Please Frog pleaded, It was him, Elena said and started

2636
02:52:59.680 --> 02:53:03.520
to turn away from Brianna. Brianna lunged forward and grabbed

2637
02:53:03.559 --> 02:53:07.360
Elena around her wrist. She was surprised that she didn't

2638
02:53:07.440 --> 02:53:10.840
pass through her. Brianna really had a grip on the

2639
02:53:10.920 --> 02:53:15.159
young woman. Elena spun around and Brianna's backwards hug like

2640
02:53:15.239 --> 02:53:19.120
a slippery eel, and placed her hands on Brianna's head.

2641
02:53:20.120 --> 02:53:24.040
The memory of that night and her death filled Brianna's

2642
02:53:24.120 --> 02:53:30.600
mind in what felt like a wave of electricity. Brianna

2643
02:53:30.719 --> 02:53:34.200
blinked rapidly. Andy pushed Jenny away and started to run

2644
02:53:34.239 --> 02:53:40.719
toward his girlfriend. No, Brianna screamed, stop. Andy stopped in

2645
02:53:40.799 --> 02:53:45.920
his tracks. Elena looked into Brianna's eyes, looking for understanding.

2646
02:53:46.559 --> 02:53:51.360
You see it was him, You see that now right.

2647
02:53:52.360 --> 02:53:56.000
Elena broke Brianna's grip around her waist and turned back

2648
02:53:56.079 --> 02:53:59.639
to Frog. What the hell, man, I wasn't even on

2649
02:53:59.760 --> 02:54:04.920
the planet. Then it was his daddy, Brianna shouted. This

2650
02:54:05.159 --> 02:54:09.600
made Elena pause. It is twenty twenty one. His daddy's

2651
02:54:09.680 --> 02:54:12.760
name was Frog, and his name is Frog. He looks

2652
02:54:12.879 --> 02:54:15.280
just like his daddy. He didn't have anything to do

2653
02:54:15.399 --> 02:54:19.280
with it. Andy rushed to his girlfriend's side, and Jenny

2654
02:54:19.440 --> 02:54:22.239
was right behind him. The three of them stood together.

2655
02:54:22.840 --> 02:54:27.159
Frog was still frozen in place. Elena moved closer to Frog.

2656
02:54:27.799 --> 02:54:30.319
She could see the man that chopped off Dustin's head.

2657
02:54:31.040 --> 02:54:33.760
She could almost feel the bullet break open the back

2658
02:54:33.799 --> 02:54:37.280
of her skull all over again. He put his hands

2659
02:54:37.360 --> 02:54:40.120
out in front of him, hoping this would keep her

2660
02:54:40.159 --> 02:54:44.639
at arm's length. She touched his hand and it was

2661
02:54:44.799 --> 02:54:48.200
colder than anything he had ever felt in his young life.

2662
02:54:48.840 --> 02:54:53.120
You have his blood and a penance has to be paid,

2663
02:54:53.639 --> 02:54:56.840
Elena said as she grabbed the Valley Prince by the hand.

2664
02:54:57.360 --> 02:55:00.719
I will not stay here any longer. I was waiting

2665
02:55:00.799 --> 02:55:04.000
on him to return, and he never did. He did,

2666
02:55:04.680 --> 02:55:08.280
but his son will do. You carry the blood of

2667
02:55:08.360 --> 02:55:12.239
the man that killed me. You should have never been born,

2668
02:55:12.879 --> 02:55:17.319
Elena said, and pulled Frog closer to her. Brienna and

2669
02:55:17.440 --> 02:55:20.959
Andy started to run toward them. Jenny was a blubbering

2670
02:55:21.079 --> 02:55:24.879
mess to save their friend, but it was too late.

2671
02:55:25.239 --> 02:55:28.120
Alena had a firm grip on both of Frog's arms

2672
02:55:28.600 --> 02:55:32.840
and she morphed back into the specter. Frog was lifted

2673
02:55:32.959 --> 02:55:35.799
straight up into the sky, his legs kicking and his

2674
02:55:35.959 --> 02:55:40.520
lungs screaming into the night. Brienna and Andy shouted Frog's name.

2675
02:55:41.079 --> 02:55:46.680
As he disappeared into the sky, his screams went silent.

2676
02:55:47.360 --> 02:55:51.399
Andy and Brianna looked at one another, waiting for another sound,

2677
02:55:52.239 --> 02:55:56.959
another sign of life from the Valley Prince. What they

2678
02:55:57.120 --> 02:56:01.079
heard in the far distance of the pond was a splash,

2679
02:56:02.200 --> 02:56:11.079
a cackle, and then silence. The spirit of Elena Anne

2680
02:56:11.200 --> 02:56:16.600
Sanders was now free. It was replaced by the son

2681
02:56:16.680 --> 02:56:20.680
of the man that killed her and Dustin. This would

2682
02:56:20.719 --> 02:56:26.600
be the penance that set her free. Brianna, Andy and

2683
02:56:26.760 --> 02:56:30.319
Jenny would never be able to explain what they witnessed.

2684
02:56:31.200 --> 02:56:35.040
They just said Frog went giggin and never came back.

2685
02:56:36.440 --> 02:56:49.879
What else could they say? And there you have it,

2686
02:56:50.399 --> 02:56:55.920
my Spookies, six ghostly tales to carry us through the

2687
02:56:56.079 --> 02:57:03.719
quiet after Halloween. Marigolds will fade, the candles will go out,

2688
02:57:04.479 --> 02:57:12.120
but the spirits never really leave, do they No, they

2689
02:57:12.360 --> 02:57:18.600
just get hungry. And speaking of hunger, Monday on Terrifying

2690
02:57:18.719 --> 02:57:22.200
and True, We're diving deep into one of the darkest

2691
02:57:22.399 --> 02:57:28.559
chapters of American history, a story of desperation, madness, and

2692
02:57:28.760 --> 02:57:35.000
survival against the frozen unknown. We'll be covering the Donner Party,

2693
02:57:35.719 --> 02:57:40.159
and trust me, my friends, you'll want to eat before

2694
02:57:40.879 --> 02:57:47.799
you listen. So until then, keep your candles burning, your

2695
02:57:47.879 --> 02:57:53.920
windows closed tight, and remember here at Weekly Spooky the

2696
02:57:54.079 --> 02:58:01.639
stories may end, but the spirits never go anywhere. Make

2697
02:58:01.680 --> 02:58:06.079
sure you subscribe. It might just save your life.