Aug. 15, 2026

4 Scary Stories | Haunted House, Cursed Object, Serial Killers & Cannibal Monsters

4 Scary Stories | Haunted House, Cursed Object, Serial Killers & Cannibal Monsters

Key Takeaways

  • Four distinct horror stories explore terrifying themes including haunted houses, cursed objects, home-invasion thrillers, and flesh-eating forest monsters.
  • Rob Fields serves as an Executive Producer for Weekly Spooky and writes the haunted-house ghost story titled 'First Date', set in Strickfield, Ohio.
  • The episode combines classic paranormal tropes like ghost children and hidden secrets with intense survival horror and dark comedy.
  • Listeners can experience a complete horror fiction anthology perfect for both Summerween celebrations and year-round spooky entertainment.
  • Fans can support Weekly Spooky by subscribing on their preferred podcast platform, joining the Patreon for exclusive bonus content, and connecting on social media.

Four scary stories unleash a haunted house, a cursed yard-sale object, escaped serial killers, and flesh-eating cannibal monsters. Celebrate Summerween and Halloween in summer with a complete horror fiction anthology packed with ghost stories, paranormal activity, haunted objects, home-invasion horror, supernatural creatures, and terrifying encounters in the woods.

A first date leads two Strickfield teenagers into an abandoned haunted mansion where a ghost child watches from the window. Trapped inside the Carnovasch Estate, they follow the spirit into a dark basement and uncover a two-hundred-year-old secret sealed behind a brick wall. Then a young couple buys a handmade ceramic bowl for one dollar at a yard sale. The cursed object moves by itself, returns whenever they attempt to abandon it, and summons the freezing ghost of a missing artist into their apartment. Their thrift-store bargain has become a paranormal nightmare—and escaping the haunting may require passing it to someone else.

Next, two violent serial killers invade an isolated country home and terrorize the family preparing dinner. But the home invaders have chosen the wrong victims. Something inhuman lives inside the house, and the killers are about to learn that they are no longer the most dangerous predators at the table. Finally, a nighttime party in the woods becomes a brutal survival nightmare when two teenagers discover their friends murdered beside an old stone chimney. Humanoid forest creatures emerge from the darkness with sharp claws, sadistic intelligence, and an appetite for human flesh.

Tonight’s Scary Stories:
“First Date” by Rob Fields
A haunted-house ghost story set in Strickfield, Ohio, featuring young romance, an abandoned mansion, a floating ghost girl, and bodies hidden inside the basement walls. “Thrifting Fail—We’re Now Haunted!” by Bruce Haney
A cursed-object horror story about a haunted ceramic bowl, a missing occult collector, and a freezing apparition that refuses to leave its new owners.
“The Dinner Guests” by Shane Migliavacca
A serial-killer home-invasion story in which two murderers hold the wrong family hostage and discover something monstrous waiting for dinner.
“Party in the Woods” by Joe Salmo
A terrifying forest-creature story about teenagers hunted and tortured by intelligent, flesh-eating humanoid monsters beyond the firelight.

These four terrifying tales combine haunted-house horror, ghost children, cursed objects, haunted antiques, thrift-store horror, paranormal activity, serial killers, home invasions, cannibal families, forest monsters, creature attacks, supernatural suspense, body horror, survival horror, and dark comedy.

Perfect for listeners searching for scary stories, horror audiobooks, horror fiction podcasts, ghost stories, haunted-house stories, haunted mansion stories, cursed-object horror, haunted thrift-store finds, paranormal stories, serial-killer stories, home-invasion horror, cannibal horror, forest-creature horror, monster stories, Summerween entertainment, and Halloween podcasts.

The summer nights are warm, the yard sales are open, and the woods are waiting. Some bargains follow you home, some houses never release their dead, and some monsters are already preparing dinner.

🎧 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

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Rob Fields on Weekly Spooky?

Rob Fields is an Executive Producer for the podcast and the author of the haunted-house story 'First Date' featured in this episode.

What stories are featured in this episode of Weekly Spooky?

This episode features four terrifying stories: 'First Date' by Rob Fields, 'Thrifting Fail—We’re Now Haunted!' by Bruce Haney, 'The Dinner Guests' by Shane Migliavacca, and 'Party in the Woods' by Joe Salmo.

Where can I support Weekly Spooky and unlock bonus episodes?

You can unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show by visiting WeeklySpooky.com/Join.

WEBVTT

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Summer is the perfect time for first dates, yard sales,

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family dinners, and parties beneath the stars. Unfortunately, tonight's plans

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have changed. Behind the windows of an abandoned mansion, a

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little girl has been waiting two hundred years for someone

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to follow her inside. A one dollar bargain has carried

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something freezing into a young couple's apartment. Two killers have

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arrived for dinner without asking what their hosts prefer to eat.

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And beyond the glow of a woodland fire, something is

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laughing as it watches the party beginning. That's the trouble

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with summer ween, isn't it. The nights are warm enough

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to invite adventure, but dark enough to hide whatever followed

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you home. So hold tightly to your date, inspect every

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thrift store or purchase, and never assume you're the most

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dangerous guest at the table. These are some of our

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scariest stories from the weekly Spooky Vault. But make sure

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you're subscribed, because every Wednesday we bring you a brand

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new terror tale to help you celebrate Halloween all year long,

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and we bring you something scary every day of the week.

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So click that subscribe button. Why don't you It's about

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time we get ready for our hot date. First Date

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by Rob Fields Perspective Ariel Mirron. Who would have thought

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that my life would have changed so drastically over the holidays.

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I'm pretty good at keeping my feelings to myself, but

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I'm still very angry and upset with my parents, mostly Mom.

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I still can't believe that which offered me to Queen

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Arcadia in exchange for her fame and fortune. Oh let

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me tell you. I was so angry with Mom that

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I screamed and threw everything at her that I could

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get my hands on. I mean, I destroyed a lot

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of stuff. My friends who were there with me had

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to pull me off Mom when I finally attacked her myself.

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I've had sufficient time now to calm down and assess

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my current situation. I'm living with Madeline Donnerley and her

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family now and actually have my own room. Mouse's parents

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converted a spare bedroom just for me. Not only that,

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I figured that, upon returning to Strickfield Junior High that

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people would be jeering me about the whole fall from

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Grace thing. No one said a word. In fact, I

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continued on as if that whole blow up between Mom

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and I had never happened, but something did happen at

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school today. You probably know by now that Carter Cross

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and I have always been polar opposites. Even now, he

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still calls me princess, but he's not making fun of

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me because of my fall from Grace. I wasn't letting

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him off so fast, though. I still managed to swipe

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a few of his sodas, including at lunch period today today,

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though it just it didn't feel right. Normally, Carter's on

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me the minute I swipe a soda. In fact, we

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both had the can ready to fight for it, then

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he just let me have it. The truth is, I

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haven't forgotten that he asked me out the first weekend

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of December, when we were trapped in the Strickfield Town

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Center mall overnight hanging Christmas decorations for cousin Harmony. I

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can't stop replaying that event in my mind over and over.

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Carter hasn't asked me out again since, though, however, I

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haven't really given him an answer. Then I remember that

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Carter Cross actually lives next door to me. Now, I

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go to my smartphone and text Carter to see if

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he's home. I get a reply. Back almost immediately. Yes,

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I get off my bed and head downstairs to go

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to his house. He's right there at the back door

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and invites me in. What's up, princess, he asks. I

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take a deep breath and look at him. Yes, Carter,

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I'm sorry I never answered you that night, but yes,

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I will go out with you. Carter and I stare

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at each other for a long moment. You sure, he

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asks quietly. I nod quickly. We need to know for

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sure if there's really something there between us. We can

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know for sure in one date. Right. We stare at

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each other again. What do we do? He stammers. I

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ain't never been on a date before me neither, I admit.

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I guess we can just go hang out together, right?

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Carter nods, okay, Yeah, what time do you want to go?

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Perspective Carter Cross, Madeline Donnerley and me are playing video

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games at Roth's Rings after losing a third straight game

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of Cruise in USA Place in nearly last Madeline looks

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at me. Let's go talk, buddy, she says in her

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mousey voice. We grab our drinks and head outside. Then

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I just tell her Ariel and me are going on

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a date tonight. Her eyes are really wide. Now, really,

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I tell Madeline about when I asked Ariel out at

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the mall during that overnight last month. I just kept

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thinking about it. You've been giving me a hard time.

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I'm about Ariel. I know Mona and Bailey give Ariel

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a hard time too. Ariel said, we got to know

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if there's something there, so we're gonna do one date tonight.

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Now it's the same silence like at my place when

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Ariel and I agreed to go out. Madeline breaks the silence,

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told you you liked her, buddy, I sigh. What if

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I mess things up with her? Madeline, this is our

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first date. It ain't gonna be like when we hang out,

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she smirks. Just talk to her Carter. The rest will

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work itself out. I ain't never dated yet, but I

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understand a few things based on movies. She gently slaps

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my shoulder. Just talk to her, I nod quickly. Sorry

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about what happened in here. I should have just talked

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to you. It's all good, buddy, she replies. I put

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my hand on her shoulder. I'm glad. I can always

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talk to you, Maddelin, and you always will, she promises me,

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Feeling better we go back inside and start playing again.

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Now I can actually compete with Madeline when we start

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racing again. Perspective Ariel mirror. I enter Mouse's house she

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calls it the mousehole, and see she's typing away on

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her computer. A few minutes later, she's finally done. I

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think she finished a paper for one of our classes.

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Now she looks right at me. It's gonna be okay, Ariel,

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she tells me. I sigh. Carter talked to you, didn't he.

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She turns in her chair and waits for me to

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sit on her lower bunk. He did, but she kind

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of been fidgeting all day. You only ever do that

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when you're really nervous, which don't happen often with you.

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I sigh again. I hate you. Mouse. She comes and

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sits beside me. It'll be okay. You and Carter are

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gonna hang out, just have fun and talk to him.

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Suddenly the doorbell rings. It's Carter. Mouse tells me. I

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give her an odd look. Carter usually just comes in.

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Mouse smirks, Yeah, Carter and me usually walk into each

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other's houses. But Carter ain't here to hang out with me.

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He's here for you. Better go answer that. I look

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at the Freddy Krueger clock next to the door. Seven

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point thirty time sure flew since Carter and I arranged

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our date. I see Mouse's smile and know everything's going

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to be all right. I get up and make my

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way down to the front door. Mouse is right when

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Carter's standing outside. We look at each other for a

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long moment, just like at his house earlier. Then I

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finally put on my jacket and go out onto the porch,

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with him closing the door behind me. Where officially on

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our first date. Now perspective, Carter Cross, Ariel and me

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are both pretty nervous. We're walking to downtown village together

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in silence, glancing at each other at times. Finally, Ariel

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says something, I'm just as scared as you, Carter. That

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makes me feel better. What do you want to do?

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We stop right outside the Strickfield Centennial Theater. There's only

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two movies playing, including a special screening of rad Yeah,

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that bicycle movie from the nineteen eighties. Ariel surprises me

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and wants to see it. I pay for our tickets

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and buy us both cokes. Madeline and I had seen

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this movie plenty of times after we became friends. Rad

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got us into riding bikes the way we do, even

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getting mongooses. Anyway, Ariel never got bored once. Later, we

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are sitting in Big Ed's soda parlor after the movie

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and talking about Madeline's right about just talking to Ariel. Also,

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Ariel insisted on paying for our Sundays since I paid

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at the movies. Suddenly, Ariel's eyes get wide, so do mine.

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When Bailey Downs and Mona Abels approach our table, Ariel's

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face goes red fast, and not because she's mad. Aw

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I ain't you too cute? Mona teases. Bailey just gives

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Ariel this weird smile. Now Ariel does tough enough. Yes,

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I am here with Carter Cross. Go tell the whole school.

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When Bailey and Mona look at me, I just nod

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Ariel's way what she said. Then Mona and Bailey smile

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wickedly and giggle a little before they start singing Ariel's

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got a boy friend, Ariel's got a boy friend. Ariel

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growls at them, I hate you both. Then they turn

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and walk away laughing. The last thing I hear before

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they leave is Bailey telling Mona told you so, Ariel

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takes a deep breath and looks at me. Now, I

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really don't care, Carter. I smile at Ariel me neither.

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When we finish our ice cream, we leave and go

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walking around. Then I decide to be a man and

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take Ariel's hand. She gasps at first, and then relaxes.

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She doesn't take her hand back. Then we get calm

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and start talking again. Perspective, Ariel, mirm. You just know

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Bailey and Mona are going to tell anyone who's willing

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to listen. I meant what I said. I really don't

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care who knows that I'm on a date with Carter Cross.

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I decide to be honest with him. Maybe if I

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was still living back in the gated community, I might

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have denied it. But I'm out here with all of you.

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Now you ever miss being in there? Carter asks no,

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I say, without hesitation, my parents never once called Mouse's

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house asking for me. They never stopped by either, not

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even anything in the mail. I smile a little. Madeline's

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parents are good people, I know. Suddenly, Carter and I

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just stop dead. How did we end up walking down

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this street? Carter? I ask, we just did? Carter tells me,

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we just turned down this way, and well, Carter and

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I are staring right at the old Carnivosh estate from

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outside the high fence. When Carter and I squeeze hands,

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I admit something to him. Mona Bailey and I dared

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Mouse to go into this house when we walked by

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it in early October. Mona asked her if she was chicken.

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Mouse simply told us she was brave enough to go

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in there, but not stupid enough. We didn't say anything

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more to her about it after that. Okay, well, let's

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just keep walking, Carter suggests after a little bit. Yeah,

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let's I agree fast, but neither of us move. It's

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not because we're both scared of the house. It's because

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we're looking through the main gate and seeing a little

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girl standing in one of the windows, looking right out

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at us perspective. Carter Cross, Ariel and I both agree

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we saw that little girl in the house. We're both

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pretty sure nobody lives in the Carnivosh estate, and not

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for a very long time living in the village itself.

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It would be big news fast if anyone actually moved

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in there. When the little girl moves away from the window,

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Ariel and I look at each other. Carter, we can't

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leave that little girl in there, Ariel tells me. I gulp,

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I was afraid you'd say that. Ariel and me don't

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even gotta talk about it. We climb the fence and

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go inside. The property looks like this place ain't had

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yard work done in years, even though it's early January.

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Weeds seem to keep growing real good here. When we

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reach the front door, one of them's wide open. Then

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I hear Ariel gulp. She's breathing fast and giving me looks.

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I know I gotta be looking scared too. Ariel and

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I are still holding hands when we slowly go inside.

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We hain't even two steps past the door when Ariel

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and me both cry out and turn around to see

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the doors are both completely closed. We go to them

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and find we're locked in. Ariel quickly pulls out her phone. No,

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she looks at me. No signal you, uh huh, I confirm.

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Then I open my settings. No nearby Wi Fi either.

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We put our phones away. Then Ariel points to the stairway.

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I don't think she was upstairs, Ariel, I say, I

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thought the little girl was in the room to the

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left of the doors. Ariel points in the direction. In there.

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Ariel quickly grabs my hand. Don't you dare let go.

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I'm not losing you, Carter cross. I shake her hand

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to assure her I'm holding it. Then we walk into

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what looks like a living room. Little girl, I call out.

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Then I point to the window. There's where we saw her. Right.

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We moved to the window and look outside to see

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where we were before we came in. We'll have to

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keep looking around, Ariel says, she's not in here now.

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I stop her fast, Ariel. She turns and sees I'm

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pointing down a hallway where we see the little girl. Stop.

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Ariel calls out, please come this way. Ariel and I

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run down the hallway as she turns away. When we

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reach the end, we come into a conservatory. We move

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to the other entrance and go through it to see

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the little girl again at the end of another hallway. Carter.

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Ariel gasps, you seeing this, I nod fast. The little

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girl's feet are pointing to the floor, but it's plain

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as the noses on our faces. She's floating. Yeah, I

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definitely think she's a ghost, Ariel. I hate you, Carter,

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Ariel stutters. She really squeezes my hand. Now, then we

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look down the hallway. I think she wants us to

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follow her. I say, it's like she's trying to tell

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us something. Ariel gulps again and turns me to look

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at the wall. There's an old Carnivoge family portrait hanging there.

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Now we see the little girl at the very center

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in front of her family. Clearly she was the youngest.

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The date is January fourth, eighteen twenty four. Perspective aeriel mirror.

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That little Carnivosh girl is over two hundred years old.

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Had she lived, we look to see her ghost is

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still waiting for us. Come on, Carter, I stammer. The

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two of us keep following the little girl until we're

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at another door. No doubt this one's going to lead

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into the one place you would never want to go

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in a creepy old mansion like this, the basement. The

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door opens on its own. Then the little girl floats

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down the stairway. She's giving off this eerie light to

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show she's at the bottom and waiting for us. Since

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she's lighting our way, we can easily follow her down

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without tripping over our own feet. Carter and Sis on

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leading the way like the gallant guy I know he is.

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When we reach the bottom, the ghost moves again, the

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basement still lit thanks to her. She takes us through

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a few rooms and finally stops next to a big

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brick wall. Then she points right at it. You want

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us to break, Carter mumbles. The little girl keeps pointing

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to the wall. Then I see something over there. Carter

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grab that big hammer. Carter and I let go of

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each other's hands. He finds the big sledgehammer on a

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workbench and brings it over. It takes Carter a few

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really big hits before he finally succeeds in cracking the mortar.

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He keeps swinging and hitting until he finally makes a

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block come loose. Then he keeps hitting it until it

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falls over on the inside. Carter has to take little

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breaks to collect himself, but he finally manages to break

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the wall in enough. I take out my smartphone and

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shine my light through the hole Carter made. Carter and

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I both scream when we see a couple of skeletons,

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one big and one small, and then the little girl

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smiles happily and points to both of us. Suddenly, this

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huge flash of light washes over us epilogue perspective aerial Mirren.

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Later that night, Carter and I are in the mousehole

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telling mouse about our experience at the carnivosh estate. We

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told her about finding the little girl and then her

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leading us to where she and her dad were both

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walled up in the basement. Two hundred years ago today,

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a band of robbers came to the Carnivosha estate and

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robbed it. Emilio Carnivoche tried to save and protect his

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family from the robbers, but it was all in vain.

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Emilio and little Rosemary were walled up within the basement

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to cruelly separate the two of them from Margo, the mother,

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and Rosemary's two older brothers, Waldo and Morton. Emilia was

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badly hurt and weakened, and Rosemary was too little, unable

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to free themselves from their tomb. They died of starvation.

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We weren't shown what happened to the rest of the

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Carnivoge family. I can feel like deep down that both

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the father and the little girl are resting in peace

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now I finish. Yeah. We got out of the house

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and went to Roth's Rings to call the police. Anonymously,

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Carter ads. Carter and I both Pinky promised Mouse that

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we weren't making up the story. Ah, I believe you both,

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she said. Come on, we survived Abigail Tomlin, a big

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vampire woman, and Queen Arcadia. Right, good point, Madeline, Carter agrees.

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When we finished talking, Carter and I leave the house.

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We find ourselves holding hands again as we walk onto

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Carter's back porch. Carter and I both look like we

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want to say something to each other, but we just

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look at each other again. Carter leans in a little.

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He's hesitating. I'm hesitating, and then I barely feel it

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when we come apart, but Carter and I shared our

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first kiss. We don't even have to say anything to

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each other, but we know mutually we're not going to

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be just one and done on dating. Carter and I

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say goodbye, and I watch him go into his house.

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I return to the Donnerly Home and go back in.

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I head to my room and lay on my bed,

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knowing I have a lot to think about, and that's

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where this particular adventure ends. But I can promise you

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we'll be back again very soon. Thrifting fail. We are

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now haunted by Bruce Haney. Sarah in Keith's day had

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been a bust. The young couple had spent the day

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thrifting and hitting yard sales while trying to find a

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new vacuum cleaner for their apartment. While they searched, they

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used half a tank of fuel, went to lunch, and

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had a good time, but they never did find a

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reasonably priced vacuum that was to their liking, and for

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what the day ended up costing them, they could have

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had a new one shipped to their door. Sarah was

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excited about her fines. She found a dress that looked

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new at a thrift store and found a small lamp

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at a garage sale. Keith was both frugal and particular,

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so he didn't find much. But on their way home,

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after they had decided they were done for the day,

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they saw a sign for a yard sale. Want to

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hit it, Keith asked, then made the turn before she

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had time to respond. Sure, might still find a vacuum,

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Sarah said, wouldn't that be nice? Keith responded it had

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been a lovely day, But as they approached the house

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with the tables and junk on their lawn, a few

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clouds in the sky began to shift. They drifted in

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front of the sun, blocking it and bringing darkness to

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the street. The yard sale had nothing that interested Sarah,

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but Keith was drawn to an amateur looking home made

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ceramic bowl. She thought it was ugly, but it was

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only a dollar and Keith was going home with something,

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so she kept her mouth shut for the time being.

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Back at their apartment, what are you going to do

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with that thing, Sarah asked, I don't know. Put my

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keys and wallet in it when I come home, I guess.

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Keith answered, okay, Sarah said, I was just kind of

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drawn to the thing. It is kind of cool looking,

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with its uneven shape and poor execution. It's like punk

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rock pottery. Keith said, while turning it over. I'm surprised

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that it even has a maker's mark on it. Keith continued,

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A maker's mark, Sarah asked, Yeah, like how an artist

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signs their paintings. Someone who does pottery signed the bottom

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of the piece, or stamps their logo or what have you.

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This one is marked, sylvester, Keith said, and then laughed. Sylvester,

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Sarah asked, yep. Keith responded, like the actor. I have

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never heard of someone having that name in real life.

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Sarah laughed, pretty sure, it's not the actor. Keith joined

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in the laughter. It wasn't long after that strange things

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started to happen in their apartment. The first thing, though

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it went unnoticed by the two, was that the ceramic

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bowl was never exactly where it was left. It moved

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an inch or two each time they would leave the room.

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Keith was the first to notice it, but figured that

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Sarah had just bumped it. One night, when Keith woke

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up to you the restroom, he found the ceramic piece

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on the floor. His first fear was that someone had

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broken in and took his wallet in keys, but he

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checked and they were where he left them, just no

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longer in the bowl. Keith woke up Sarah. She knew

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nothing about it, so they searched the apartment together looking

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for other disturbances, with none found. They checked the locks

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and that the windows were secured before they laid back

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in bed to go to sleep. Ten minutes later, their

375
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alarm went off it was time to get up for work.

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When they came home, they felt a false sense of

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security because the ceramic piece hadn't moved well. It had

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moved a little but not enough for it to register

379
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to them. It was Friday night, so they stayed up

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watching spooky movies. Despite their recent experiences. It had been

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a long week and they got so little the night before,

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so before the credits could roll on the first flick,

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they were fast asleep on the couch. Sarah was the

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first to wake up and was about to wake up

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Keith to drag him to bed when she noticed the

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ceramic bowl sitting on her TV tray. It was next

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to the diet soda and the oil free corn based

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crackers she had been munching on. Sarah shook Keith to

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point it out to him. They searched the apartment again,

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leaving their bedroom for last. They didn't find anything, so

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they were just about to head to their bedroom when

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Sarah decided to run back to the living room and

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grab the ceramic bowl. What are you doing, Keith asked.

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Sarah said nothing as she walked to the kitchen and

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put the bowl in the freezer. Let's see it move

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around the apartment now. She gave Keith a little smile

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and headed to their room. In their room, there was

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a shape under their blanket, the shape of a large man.

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When Keith hit the light switch, the shape deflated and

400
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the blanket fell back to the bed. That night, they

401
00:27:11.559 --> 00:27:14.240
slept on the couch, using a spare blanket from the

402
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closet so they didn't have to use the one from

403
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their bed. It was a bit thin and scratchy, but

404
00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:25.240
it wasn't recently involved in a haunting, so they made do.

405
00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:30.319
Sarah again was the first one to awaken, but this

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time it was because of the cold feeling she felt

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on her right shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she

408
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saw a big man standing in front of her, leaning

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over and touching her shoulder. The cold radiated from that

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spot and she began to feel chills all over. She

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knew the person touching her wasn't of this world because

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she could see through him and there was a blue

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glow surrounding him. Sarah looked him over, noticing his disheveled

414
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appear pearance his apron, His shirt and pants were covered

415
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in paint and bits of clay from where he had

416
00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:10.240
used them to wipe his hands off while working. His

417
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teeth chattered as he spoke, sorry to disturb you, miss,

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but I'm freezing, the ghost pleaded. Sarah just stared at him,

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never taking her eyes off the apparition as she hit

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Keith to wake him up. By the time Keith awoke,

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it had lost its courteous demeanor and a scowl began

422
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to form on his face. Keith screamed when he saw him.

423
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Then the ghost screamed, while moving his gaze from Sarah

424
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to Keith. I'm cold, the ghost yelled. What, Keith stammered,

425
00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:54.519
I said, I am freezing. As the ghost began to

426
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head towards Keith, something clicked in Sarah's head. She jumped

427
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from the couch and ran to the freezer, where she

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opened the door and grabbed out the ceramic bowl. She

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then turned around to show the ghost, but he was gone.

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Sarah and Keith spent the next morning driving around trying

431
00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:15.279
to find the house they had bought the bull from

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00:29:15.720 --> 00:29:19.160
so they could return it. Sarah was sure she knew

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00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:21.960
the way, but without the signs and the tables of

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00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:24.359
junk in the yard, it was hard to determine which

435
00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:28.400
house it was. Eventually, they agreed on a house that

436
00:29:28.440 --> 00:29:33.279
they believed it could be. Nobody answered the door, but

437
00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:36.160
they had been expecting that after spotting the for sale

438
00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:41.119
sign on the lawn. What do we do now, Keith asked,

439
00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:44.279
I don't know. I don't think we're going to get

440
00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:48.000
any answers this way. We should just throw it out,

441
00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:52.119
Sarah responded. Before they went back home, they stopped at

442
00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:55.000
the coffee shop where they had their first date. It

443
00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:57.799
was Sarah's turn to buy, so Keith found them a

444
00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:01.160
comfortable spot to sit so they could talk. While he

445
00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:03.759
waited for her, he got on his phone and did

446
00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:07.960
a couple of quick searches. When Sarah came with their coffees,

447
00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:10.640
he was ready to tell her what he'd found out.

448
00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:14.359
As she handed him his quad shot over ice, he

449
00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:18.960
told her all about Sylvester. I don't know the connection

450
00:30:19.079 --> 00:30:21.720
to that house, but I think I found information on

451
00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:26.519
our Sylvester. He was actually a respected artist, Keith said,

452
00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:32.160
But that thing was so amateurish, Sarah argued, true. Do

453
00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:35.759
you remember when you first started painting last summer? Keith asked,

454
00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:40.559
Oh God, I'm glad I tossed all those awful early paintings.

455
00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:47.000
Sarah replied, well, Sylvester like you got much better according

456
00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:50.960
to his Wikipedia page. Wait, he has a Wikipedia page.

457
00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:55.599
It's not the actor, is it, Sarah interrupted, No, it's

458
00:30:55.599 --> 00:31:00.359
not the actor. His name was Sylvester Helm. Display of

459
00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:03.440
his paintings in ceramics can be found in museums all

460
00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:06.759
over the world, Keith said, reading a sentence from his

461
00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:10.640
Wikipedia page. You bought that thing for a dollar. How

462
00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:13.759
can you be so sure it's the same guy, Sarah asked.

463
00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:18.319
Keith responded by handing her his phone. On the screen

464
00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:20.680
was a picture of his maker's mark on the bottom

465
00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:24.319
of a ceramic piece. It does look similar, but that

466
00:31:24.359 --> 00:31:27.680
could easily be faked, Sarah said, with a little doubt

467
00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:32.640
in her voice. Scroll, Keith said. Sarah did until she

468
00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:36.799
saw a photo of the artist, who bore more than

469
00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:40.440
a striking resemblance to the frozen man she had seen

470
00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:46.680
in their apartment. Yeah, I think it's him, Keith said, Crazy,

471
00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:51.720
Sarah said, keep scrolling to the death section. Keith instructed.

472
00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:56.640
Sarah read the short blurb out loud. Sylvester Leroy Helm

473
00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:59.880
is assumed dead. The artist was last seen in twenty

474
00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:04.279
at an antiquarian book fair. Helms had been a lifetime

475
00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:07.839
collector of rare and obscure books of the occult. After

476
00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:10.680
his disappearance, his aunt became the heir to his fortune

477
00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:14.000
and reported that many of his rare books were missing.

478
00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:18.720
A death in absentia was completed in twenty seventeen, as

479
00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:24.559
he is presumed dead. Wow, so what does all that mean?

480
00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:29.880
Why does that equal us being haunted? Sarah asked Keith

481
00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:32.400
in a whisper. So other people in the coffee shop

482
00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:36.559
wouldn't hear? I don't know. I don't think we have

483
00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:39.759
enough pieces of the puzzle to figure it out. Keith said,

484
00:32:40.440 --> 00:32:42.640
So we need to figure out what the next step

485
00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:46.680
is to figure this out, Sarah said, or we just

486
00:32:46.920 --> 00:32:52.160
don't pursue this further. Keith said, why not? Sarah inquired,

487
00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:56.519
have you ever read H. P. Lovecraft or watched the

488
00:32:56.559 --> 00:33:03.400
Blair Witch Project? Keith asked, no, oh, and yes. Sarah responded, okay, good.

489
00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:06.920
Have you ever noticed that trend and horror movies that

490
00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:10.119
have a deep lore or mystery to them that as

491
00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:13.000
the people's search, they become more and more screwed and

492
00:33:13.079 --> 00:33:17.880
eventually go mad, disappear, or get killed. I mean, look

493
00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:20.960
at Sylvester here. He did just that. He looked for

494
00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:26.400
evil until it found him. Now he's stuck in the

495
00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:30.119
worst piece of art he ever created. Yes, I want

496
00:33:30.160 --> 00:33:33.079
to know what happened, but I'm not trading this beautiful

497
00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:37.079
life we built together for that, Keith said, So what

498
00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:41.680
do we do? Sarah asked? Could destroy it? Keith said,

499
00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:44.759
but we don't know what that will do. Look what

500
00:33:44.839 --> 00:33:47.319
happened when we put it in the freezer. What if

501
00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:50.480
it appears in front of us, all mutilated and gross

502
00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:54.039
from being broken apart? Sarah said, do you think that's

503
00:33:54.079 --> 00:33:57.839
what will happen? Keith asked, we have no clue, and

504
00:33:57.920 --> 00:34:03.599
without further research, we won't, Sarah said. When they arrived

505
00:34:03.640 --> 00:34:05.799
back at the apartment, Sarah took the bowl out of

506
00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:09.360
her purse and set it on the counter. What can

507
00:34:09.400 --> 00:34:13.199
we do for you? Sarah whispered towards it, not wanting

508
00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:17.719
Keith to hear her. No response came, so she followed

509
00:34:17.719 --> 00:34:22.039
it up with another question. Are you stuck? Sarah asked

510
00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:26.039
again no response. Keith walked into the room and saw

511
00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:28.960
her talking to the bowl and decided that he had

512
00:34:29.000 --> 00:34:32.559
a plan. Keith walked over and snatched up the bowl,

513
00:34:32.840 --> 00:34:35.920
then headed to the front door. What are you doing,

514
00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:40.400
Sarah asked, I'm going to throw it away. Keith responded,

515
00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:44.559
but what about when it goes into the garbage truck

516
00:34:44.599 --> 00:34:48.679
and gets smashed. It seems like from the freezer situation.

517
00:34:48.800 --> 00:34:52.320
He can feel pain that that wouldn't be right for

518
00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:55.920
us to do. He is scary, but I'm not sure

519
00:34:55.960 --> 00:35:01.679
he's evil, Sarah explained. Keith thought about this for a moment.

520
00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:04.079
What if I just leave it on the side of

521
00:35:04.119 --> 00:35:08.480
the street, Keith asked, same result, It'll end up in

522
00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:14.000
the trash. Sarah responded, okay, okay. How about I give

523
00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:18.639
it to a thrift store. Keith asked, okay, yeah, I'm

524
00:35:18.679 --> 00:35:23.440
okay with that. Sarah said that plan didn't work. By

525
00:35:23.480 --> 00:35:26.519
the time they arrived home after donating it, it was

526
00:35:26.599 --> 00:35:30.039
back on their counter. Later that night, they went back

527
00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:33.159
to plotting how to get rid of the thing. After

528
00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:35.599
the scare of the cabinet, Sarah was warming up to

529
00:35:35.639 --> 00:35:39.400
the idea of just destroying the thing. There must be

530
00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:43.760
another way. Why is it attached to us? What makes

531
00:35:43.840 --> 00:35:48.960
us so special? Keith asked, we bought it? Sarah responded.

532
00:35:49.800 --> 00:35:53.000
They both stared at each other for a moment. That

533
00:35:53.400 --> 00:35:56.400
was the key. The purchase is what had attached them

534
00:35:56.440 --> 00:36:00.760
to it. We have to sell it, Sarah told him. Yeah,

535
00:36:01.320 --> 00:36:03.840
we might even make a pretty penny, being that it's

536
00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:08.400
an authentic Sylvester Helm's piece. But every auction house an

537
00:36:08.400 --> 00:36:11.559
antique store laughed at them when they presented the piece.

538
00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:14.480
Nobody believed that it could be the work of the

539
00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:18.760
renowned Sylvester Helms, so they did what anyone else would

540
00:36:18.760 --> 00:36:21.719
do in that situation. They threw it up on a

541
00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:26.239
popular online auction site and hoped for the best. That night,

542
00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:30.519
they didn't wake up when their covers were pulled from them.

543
00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:34.239
Sarah did wake up when she felt a hand on

544
00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:38.199
her ankle. She woke up Keith with her screams and

545
00:36:38.280 --> 00:36:41.800
the loud bang that came from her body hitting the floor.

546
00:36:43.119 --> 00:36:46.320
They both knew things were escalating, and they hoped it

547
00:36:46.360 --> 00:36:51.199
would sell quickly. They watched the auction eagerly, but Sarah

548
00:36:51.239 --> 00:36:54.679
began to have a change of heart. I'm not sure

549
00:36:54.679 --> 00:36:58.199
it's right to sell it, Sarah said, I don't care

550
00:36:58.239 --> 00:37:01.960
if it is, you could have gotten really hurt. Keith responded,

551
00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:06.519
the ankle incident was scary, but is it fair to

552
00:37:06.559 --> 00:37:10.639
curse someone else with this? What if something worse happens

553
00:37:10.639 --> 00:37:14.639
to them? Sarah asked, what if they knew it was haunted?

554
00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:19.920
Would it be okay? Then Keith asked, yeah, then they

555
00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:23.119
know what they're getting into. I think that would be fair.

556
00:37:23.679 --> 00:37:28.079
Sarah responded with that. Keith changed the title of the

557
00:37:28.119 --> 00:37:33.679
listing to Haunted Ceramic Bowl Scary item. Then in the

558
00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:37.480
description he wrote about what had happened to them. Then

559
00:37:37.719 --> 00:37:41.039
something told him to list the item higher. Asking one

560
00:37:41.119 --> 00:37:44.599
hundred and fifty dollars instead of eight dollars would make

561
00:37:44.639 --> 00:37:49.679
it feel more legitimate. An hour later, the item sold.

562
00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:53.599
The next day they mailed the package off, and they

563
00:37:53.639 --> 00:37:58.119
never saw the ceramic bowl or the ghost again. With

564
00:37:58.199 --> 00:38:00.920
the one hundred and fifty dollars, they bought a new

565
00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:05.719
vacuum cleaner and swore off thrifting, antiquing, and all yard

566
00:38:05.719 --> 00:38:14.840
sails from then on out. The Dinner Guests by Shane

567
00:38:15.159 --> 00:38:19.960
Migliavoka Orville trench admired his reflection in the car window.

568
00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:23.880
He missed his long black ponytail and beard. His hair

569
00:38:23.960 --> 00:38:26.800
was cut short now. He ran a hand over his

570
00:38:26.920 --> 00:38:30.360
smooth chin. He'd had that beard so long it was

571
00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:32.920
like cutting off a limb. But it had to go.

572
00:38:33.760 --> 00:38:36.079
It was time to get a new car too, the

573
00:38:36.119 --> 00:38:40.719
old one would be drawing too much attention. Soon Cherry Kowalski,

574
00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:44.360
the love of his life, appeared in the reflection. Her

575
00:38:44.360 --> 00:38:48.719
eyes were large, piercing and dark dark to match her long,

576
00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:52.920
wild black hair streaked with purple and green that hung

577
00:38:53.000 --> 00:38:56.320
to her shoulders. She twirled one of the long strands

578
00:38:56.320 --> 00:38:59.239
of hair around her index finger. Hanging around her neck

579
00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:02.679
was a simple silver necklace. A small plastic baby arm

580
00:39:02.760 --> 00:39:07.239
dangled from it. You look good, she said, I didn't ask.

581
00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:12.119
Fuck you, she laughed, loudly, giving her lover double middle fingers.

582
00:39:12.880 --> 00:39:20.320
Orville spun around, grabbing her by the shoulders. His eyes narrowed, Oh, yes, yes, indeed.

583
00:39:21.679 --> 00:39:24.480
He scanned the parking lot of the convenience store. There

584
00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:28.039
were only three cars here, an old pickup truck, a

585
00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:33.039
rusting black Camaro, and a fairly new suv. Not much

586
00:39:33.079 --> 00:39:37.039
to pick from. Shouldn't be that many people inside. He

587
00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:40.199
looked at the sign over the door. It read quick

588
00:39:40.239 --> 00:39:43.800
save Mart. It would be quick, all right. He couldn't

589
00:39:43.800 --> 00:39:46.079
wait to get out of East fuck Witt, New York.

590
00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:50.400
Orville touched the cold steel under his jacket, a Colt

591
00:39:50.440 --> 00:39:54.280
Trooper MK three, like the sheriff carried in Walking Tall

592
00:39:54.719 --> 00:39:59.199
the seventies one. He loved that film, not that shit

593
00:39:59.320 --> 00:40:02.800
remake with that Nancy Boy wrestler. It hung from a

594
00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:06.480
shoulder holster. Under his jacket, a flaming devil face was

595
00:40:06.519 --> 00:40:10.599
emblazoned to cross the jacket's back, Just as he expected.

596
00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:13.880
The door had a little bell that chimed when it opened.

597
00:40:14.400 --> 00:40:17.440
He sized up the store. Orville liked to think of

598
00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:21.519
himself as a hunter, though what he hunted you didn't

599
00:40:21.519 --> 00:40:25.840
buy a license for. The store was typical. Five ales

600
00:40:25.880 --> 00:40:29.880
of various overpriced crap, cold drinks in the back, and

601
00:40:29.960 --> 00:40:33.840
some not so fresh looking coffee. The kid behind the counter,

602
00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:36.800
who couldn't be older than twenty, didn't even look up

603
00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:39.440
from his cell phone when they entered. He was dressed

604
00:40:39.440 --> 00:40:44.440
to the nines and eminem cast offs. Another white boy wannabe.

605
00:40:45.320 --> 00:40:48.920
He'd be easy enough. Picking through the beer. Was a

606
00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:53.119
bear of a man, dirty coveralls, baseball cap and a long,

607
00:40:53.159 --> 00:40:57.119
graying beard. Had to be the pickup driver. This one

608
00:40:57.519 --> 00:41:02.559
could be trouble. He'd be the The last customer was

609
00:41:02.599 --> 00:41:06.320
a young woman mid twenties. Two in the afternoon, and

610
00:41:06.400 --> 00:41:11.119
she's wearing fucking pajamas. Orville shakes his head. Too bad

611
00:41:11.159 --> 00:41:15.039
for her, she wasn't his type. Anything good for you, hun,

612
00:41:15.440 --> 00:41:20.599
he asks Cherry slim pickens. The big man came up

613
00:41:20.599 --> 00:41:24.320
to the counter carrying two six packs. He set them

614
00:41:24.320 --> 00:41:26.760
on the counter. It took a couple seconds before the

615
00:41:26.840 --> 00:41:30.119
kid looked up from his phone. That all, mister Scott,

616
00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:33.800
the kid asked, for now, you know that damned phone

617
00:41:33.880 --> 00:41:37.199
gonna turn you into a zombie. Jimmy, all you kids

618
00:41:37.280 --> 00:41:40.719
just stare at them all the time, sucking your minds out.

619
00:41:41.920 --> 00:41:45.480
Not just kids doing it, seen plenty of adults too.

620
00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:49.559
Scott opens his wallet. Goddamn right about that. The wife

621
00:41:49.599 --> 00:41:52.920
is always doing that Facebook shit. Why you think I

622
00:41:52.960 --> 00:41:56.639
got these for tonight? The two have a laugh. Cherry

623
00:41:56.679 --> 00:42:02.280
makes a mock vomiting face to Orville. Orville mouth which one.

624
00:42:02.480 --> 00:42:07.360
Cherry nods towards large. Mister Scott, gonna start off Friday night, right,

625
00:42:07.679 --> 00:42:11.400
Scott says. Cherry slides up next to him. She leans

626
00:42:11.400 --> 00:42:14.719
against the counter, showing Jimmy her cleavage. His eyes go

627
00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:19.280
right to it. How's about speeding up all the talkie talkie,

628
00:42:19.480 --> 00:42:24.119
she says, Excuse me, young lady. Scott says, no need

629
00:42:24.159 --> 00:42:28.519
to be fucking rude. Orville stood next to the coffee pot,

630
00:42:28.559 --> 00:42:32.079
watching Cherry do her thing. He poured himself a cup,

631
00:42:32.440 --> 00:42:35.599
dropping in a ton of creamer and sugar, gulping down

632
00:42:35.639 --> 00:42:38.719
the cup in one go. I just want to make

633
00:42:38.760 --> 00:42:42.000
a purchase and go, not listen to your fucking life story,

634
00:42:42.400 --> 00:42:46.199
she says, noticing she's not even holding anything. Cherry quickly

635
00:42:46.239 --> 00:42:50.920
grabs a handful of slim JEMs. These delicious treats. Yum, yum.

636
00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:54.440
Scott shakes his head and turns back to Jimmy. What

637
00:42:54.559 --> 00:42:57.800
do I owe you? Orville lets his eye flicker over

638
00:42:57.840 --> 00:43:01.400
the female shopper. She'd select some chips and now stood

639
00:43:01.400 --> 00:43:04.280
in front of the soda cooler. Oblivious to the fun

640
00:43:04.360 --> 00:43:07.719
up front. Scott paid Jimmy and turned to leave, picking

641
00:43:07.800 --> 00:43:13.679
up his beer. Cherry blocked his way. Excuse me, miss, No, no,

642
00:43:14.000 --> 00:43:17.519
you don't get to leave until you apologize. Cherry stomped

643
00:43:17.519 --> 00:43:21.280
her booted foot hard on the floor. Just get out

644
00:43:21.280 --> 00:43:24.519
of my way, crazy bitch. He tried to push past her.

645
00:43:24.960 --> 00:43:28.639
Angry Cherry clawed him, opening red trenches on the left

646
00:43:28.679 --> 00:43:32.480
side of his face. Bitch. Scott dropped both of his

647
00:43:32.519 --> 00:43:34.679
six packs to the floor with a crash. Some of

648
00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:37.920
the cans exploded in a foamy blast. He made an

649
00:43:37.960 --> 00:43:43.199
unsuccessful grab at Cherry. Too slow, she laughed. Scott lunged

650
00:43:43.239 --> 00:43:46.000
at Cherry, only to come face to face with Orville's

651
00:43:46.000 --> 00:43:50.519
cult trooper. Orville smiled a wicked smile as he pulled

652
00:43:50.519 --> 00:43:55.320
the hammer back. Hands off, my girl. He pulled the trigger,

653
00:43:55.360 --> 00:43:59.280
sending Scott's brains all over the newspaper rack. Scott fell

654
00:43:59.360 --> 00:44:02.400
to the ground, twitching, lying on his back. Orville fired

655
00:44:02.440 --> 00:44:06.480
a couple more shots into the dying man's chest. He

656
00:44:06.559 --> 00:44:10.159
saw Jimmy behind the counter, his face slack with dull horror.

657
00:44:11.079 --> 00:44:15.239
Orville pointed the cold at him. Stay planted right there, ZiT, boy,

658
00:44:15.760 --> 00:44:20.639
you move, you die. The boy nodded, Shit, Ory, he

659
00:44:20.800 --> 00:44:24.800
was mine. Cherry pouts, and you took too long. The

660
00:44:24.840 --> 00:44:27.800
female shopper screamed at the top of her lungs and bolted.

661
00:44:28.400 --> 00:44:33.760
Orville sighs get her. Cherry let out a blood curdling

662
00:44:33.800 --> 00:44:37.159
scream and pursued her prey. Cherry grabbed hands from one

663
00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:39.599
of the shelves and hurled them at the woman. Where

664
00:44:39.639 --> 00:44:43.039
you going baby? A can hit one of the glass coolers,

665
00:44:43.320 --> 00:44:46.480
cracking it. Another one hit the woman's leg. She fell

666
00:44:46.519 --> 00:44:49.239
against a display of dog biscuits, knocking it over with

667
00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:52.239
a loud crash. Cherry picked up a loaf of bread

668
00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:55.639
and beat the woman with it. Give up, she laughed,

669
00:44:55.840 --> 00:44:59.079
pulling the woman up by her hair. Orville watches the

670
00:44:59.159 --> 00:45:02.719
sad spectacle, laughing out of the corner of his eye.

671
00:45:02.920 --> 00:45:06.719
Jimmy inches towards his phone on the back counter. Don't

672
00:45:06.760 --> 00:45:10.760
even think about it, white chocolate Cherry marched the pajama

673
00:45:10.800 --> 00:45:14.119
clad shopper up to the counter. Upon seeing Scott lying

674
00:45:14.159 --> 00:45:16.639
on the ground in a pool of blood, the captives

675
00:45:16.679 --> 00:45:21.199
started to sob. Oh, God, don't hurt me. Orville looked

676
00:45:21.199 --> 00:45:24.800
at the woman. Don't worry. Nobody's getting hurt as long

677
00:45:24.840 --> 00:45:28.159
as you give us a little ride. A glint of

678
00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:31.800
metal caught his eye too late. He saw Jimmy aiming

679
00:45:31.840 --> 00:45:34.960
a cheap pistol at him. The nervous boy squeezed the trigger,

680
00:45:35.000 --> 00:45:38.400
trying to fire one handed. The pistol fired wild. The

681
00:45:38.440 --> 00:45:41.320
bullet whizzed past Orville and hit the female shopper in

682
00:45:41.400 --> 00:45:44.360
the throat. Orville took aim with the colt and blasted

683
00:45:44.440 --> 00:45:47.440
Jimmy between the eyes. The boy slumped dead against a

684
00:45:47.480 --> 00:45:52.719
display of lotto tickets. Damn. Orville says, that was something.

685
00:45:53.840 --> 00:45:56.119
Orville looked over at the side of the counter at Jimmy.

686
00:45:56.559 --> 00:45:58.880
What brains he had leaking out of the wound above

687
00:45:58.880 --> 00:46:03.119
his eyes. Orville shot him again. You get to have

688
00:46:03.280 --> 00:46:08.679
all the fun, Cherry pouts. He holsters the colt. Get

689
00:46:08.719 --> 00:46:12.000
some supplies for the road. Orville walked over to the

690
00:46:12.000 --> 00:46:14.599
body of the woman. He crouched down and turned her

691
00:46:14.599 --> 00:46:18.239
on her back. She stares up at him with lifeless eyes.

692
00:46:19.079 --> 00:46:22.199
He rummages through her pajama pockets and pulls out a

693
00:46:22.199 --> 00:46:25.119
pair of keys. He was about to stand when a

694
00:46:25.159 --> 00:46:27.719
bell dinged as a car pulled up to one of

695
00:46:27.760 --> 00:46:30.440
the pumps. He looked back at Cherry, filling up a

696
00:46:30.440 --> 00:46:35.400
plastic bag with groceries. Get down, he hissed, We've got company.

697
00:46:36.119 --> 00:46:39.079
Orvill peeked around an end cap of beef jerky. It

698
00:46:39.159 --> 00:46:41.079
was hard to make out the car or the driver,

699
00:46:41.199 --> 00:46:43.360
since they were on the other side of the gas pumps,

700
00:46:43.760 --> 00:46:47.119
but he thought he saw a glimpse of long blonde hair.

701
00:46:48.320 --> 00:46:50.920
All the while, Orville kept his eyes on the new arrival.

702
00:46:51.239 --> 00:46:54.280
They stepped from behind the pump. He was right. It

703
00:46:54.360 --> 00:47:00.280
was a girl about eighteen, long, blonde hair, longer legs. Instantly,

704
00:47:00.440 --> 00:47:03.880
Orville felt his crotch come alive. God damn, he wanted

705
00:47:03.880 --> 00:47:06.559
to fuck her on the spot. This called for a

706
00:47:06.679 --> 00:47:09.639
change of plans. He'd planned on taking the woman in

707
00:47:09.679 --> 00:47:13.719
Pajama's hostage, having her drive them somewhere secluded and lie low,

708
00:47:14.719 --> 00:47:17.639
but White Chocolate got trigger happy and fucked that up,

709
00:47:18.280 --> 00:47:20.519
so we'd settle for just taking her car and some

710
00:47:20.559 --> 00:47:24.519
supplies and high tailing it. But now Blondie had dropped

711
00:47:24.519 --> 00:47:27.519
into their laps, and if he was lucky, she'd be

712
00:47:27.599 --> 00:47:30.880
riding it later tonight after he was done, Cherry could

713
00:47:30.920 --> 00:47:34.719
have a go. She'd like that. Orville licked his lips

714
00:47:34.760 --> 00:47:38.440
at the thought. From behind the counter. Another urgent beep

715
00:47:38.679 --> 00:47:41.800
as the blonde pressed a button on the pump. Finally

716
00:47:41.840 --> 00:47:46.320
giving up, she walked, frustrated towards the store. Here we go,

717
00:47:46.920 --> 00:47:50.719
Orville whispered. The blonde pulled the door open, making the

718
00:47:50.760 --> 00:47:55.920
bell chime as she unknowingly stepped into hell. Jimmy, you

719
00:47:56.039 --> 00:48:01.719
awaken here, she asked, a second before seeing the blood. Jimmy, nope,

720
00:48:02.239 --> 00:48:07.840
Orville stood. The colt pointed at her. Jimmy's on break blood,

721
00:48:08.159 --> 00:48:12.039
the girl said, biting her lip. Did you sure did,

722
00:48:12.440 --> 00:48:15.760
Cherry said, as she walked towards them, carrying an overstuffed

723
00:48:15.760 --> 00:48:21.480
bag of groceries. How sweet fresh meat. She's also going

724
00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:23.679
to be all right out of here, ain't you? Baby?

725
00:48:24.480 --> 00:48:26.519
The girl looked down at the bodies, then up at

726
00:48:26.639 --> 00:48:31.960
Orville and Cherry dumb struck right, Orville said, a bit annoyed,

727
00:48:32.360 --> 00:48:34.679
He took the blonde chin with his hand and forced

728
00:48:34.679 --> 00:48:38.960
the girl to nod an agreement. Right. He took his

729
00:48:39.039 --> 00:48:43.679
hand away, leaving bloody fingerprints. Who are you, the girl asked,

730
00:48:43.719 --> 00:48:48.599
her voice quivering. I'm a demon. Orville answered, straight from Hell.

731
00:48:49.119 --> 00:48:55.079
I eat up little girls like you. You're gonna kill me, depends.

732
00:48:55.800 --> 00:49:02.639
What's your name? Sweetness? Lauren? Lauren? Well Lauren? Where were

733
00:49:02.679 --> 00:49:06.880
you headed this fine afternoon? The girl took a deep breath.

734
00:49:08.000 --> 00:49:12.199
To my parents for dinner, to her parents for dinner.

735
00:49:12.519 --> 00:49:18.360
Cherry mocked, and where do said parents live? You don't

736
00:49:18.360 --> 00:49:21.159
want to go there? Please, I'll take you anywhere else.

737
00:49:22.159 --> 00:49:27.360
Orville snapped his fingers. Where do they live? I don't

738
00:49:27.360 --> 00:49:30.840
want anybody to get hurt, she offered up. Orville snapped

739
00:49:30.880 --> 00:49:38.000
his fingers again. Where defeated? She sighed, outside Hillbury on

740
00:49:38.119 --> 00:49:44.639
Old Gorge Road. Sounds homie, just the folks there, sweet pea, Yes,

741
00:49:45.559 --> 00:49:50.079
only child. He grabbed her ass. Great let's mount up

742
00:49:50.679 --> 00:49:54.599
road trip, Cherry said, doing a little dance. Lauren looked

743
00:49:54.599 --> 00:49:58.800
down at the dead bodies. You're just gonna leave them

744
00:49:58.800 --> 00:50:04.840
there like that. Cherry looked down at the bodies. They're dead, honey,

745
00:50:05.079 --> 00:50:08.920
they ain't got anything to worry about. Now move your ass.

746
00:50:09.400 --> 00:50:12.360
They filled up the gas tank of Lauren's Chevrolet hatchback

747
00:50:12.639 --> 00:50:15.360
and loaded up the back with several bags of groceries.

748
00:50:16.039 --> 00:50:19.000
Orville had formulated a new plan. They'd go to the

749
00:50:19.039 --> 00:50:22.079
parents' house, maybe spend a day or two laying low.

750
00:50:22.840 --> 00:50:26.480
This massacre would be all over the news. He could

751
00:50:26.519 --> 00:50:29.760
take the time to have some fun with Lauren. Orville

752
00:50:29.760 --> 00:50:33.400
looked over the car. We're all set, sweet pea. You

753
00:50:33.480 --> 00:50:38.599
know the way you drive. Shotgun, Cherry shouted, Sorry, honey,

754
00:50:38.800 --> 00:50:41.320
I gotta keep an eye on our driver. You'll have

755
00:50:41.360 --> 00:50:44.559
to ride in the back seat. Oh fuck. Cherry kicked

756
00:50:44.599 --> 00:50:48.599
the car tire. I never get Shotgun. Orville slid into

757
00:50:48.639 --> 00:50:51.840
the passenger's side and glanced at the blonde. She had

758
00:50:51.840 --> 00:50:56.039
her bloodstained fingers near her mouth. Did she just lick

759
00:50:56.119 --> 00:50:59.800
the blood? No? No, couldn't be just a trick. His

760
00:50:59.840 --> 00:51:03.400
eye played on him. Orville watched the trees on both

761
00:51:03.440 --> 00:51:06.480
sides of the road pass by, their branches stretched out

762
00:51:06.480 --> 00:51:10.239
towards him like skeletal arms. It wasn't fall yet, but

763
00:51:10.320 --> 00:51:14.000
all the trees had lost their leaves. What's with the trees,

764
00:51:14.280 --> 00:51:18.159
he asked out loud to nobody in particular. Lauren, who

765
00:51:18.239 --> 00:51:21.719
was focused on the road, answered him that's because of

766
00:51:21.760 --> 00:51:25.079
the original Hillbury. There was a chemical spill back in

767
00:51:25.119 --> 00:51:29.480
the eighties. Shit really, Cherry said, poking her head in

768
00:51:29.519 --> 00:51:32.840
from the back seat. This spooked Lauren, whose hand slipped

769
00:51:32.840 --> 00:51:36.599
on the wheel. Easy there, girl, Orville said. He slipped

770
00:51:36.639 --> 00:51:39.639
his hand to Lauren's bare leg, running his hand up

771
00:51:39.719 --> 00:51:44.360
under her skirt. Can't have you crashing, Cherry slapped Orville

772
00:51:44.360 --> 00:51:47.199
on the shoulder. Lay off, let her tell the story.

773
00:51:48.400 --> 00:51:51.599
Orville's hand moved away from Lauren's leg, allowing her to

774
00:51:51.639 --> 00:51:56.199
pull her skirt back down. There's no real story, just

775
00:51:56.239 --> 00:51:58.840
some company spilled a bunch of chemicals near the town.

776
00:51:59.440 --> 00:52:03.000
Killed all the trees and grass, poisoned the water. A

777
00:52:03.039 --> 00:52:06.840
few people got sick. All the townsfolks moved to new Hillbury.

778
00:52:07.280 --> 00:52:09.960
She pointed past Orville. You can see part of the

779
00:52:10.000 --> 00:52:14.480
old town there through the trees. There. Orville and Cherry turned.

780
00:52:15.280 --> 00:52:18.639
As the dead trees flew by. A few dilapidated houses

781
00:52:18.639 --> 00:52:23.880
could be seen, weathered, abandoned, and forgotten to time. Your

782
00:52:23.920 --> 00:52:26.639
parents live all the way out here. It'll be much

783
00:52:26.679 --> 00:52:31.199
easier that way, away from prying eyes. Orville smiled at

784
00:52:31.199 --> 00:52:34.639
this thought. No need to worry about all the screaming.

785
00:52:36.119 --> 00:52:38.119
My parents like it out in the country, away from

786
00:52:38.119 --> 00:52:42.719
the hustle and bustle. They're a little old fashioned. Orville

787
00:52:42.760 --> 00:52:45.840
let his eyes wander to the girl's chest. Her tits

788
00:52:45.880 --> 00:52:49.599
were nicely sized. He got hard as thoughts of burying

789
00:52:49.639 --> 00:52:53.519
his face and them ran through his mind. Not you, though, huh.

790
00:52:53.960 --> 00:52:59.000
You like the tight, tight, cramped modern world. That's a

791
00:52:59.039 --> 00:53:02.639
hell of a commute for daddy, Cherry piped in. Cherry

792
00:53:02.719 --> 00:53:05.079
knew what he was thinking, and it pissed her off.

793
00:53:05.599 --> 00:53:10.559
He could tell dead kind of works from home. Lucky him,

794
00:53:10.800 --> 00:53:13.960
Orville said. He looked at the sky growing dark as

795
00:53:14.000 --> 00:53:17.440
the evening crept in. The car sank into quiet as

796
00:53:17.559 --> 00:53:20.119
Orville turned his thoughts to what had to be done.

797
00:53:20.199 --> 00:53:23.760
The parents shouldn't be too hard to control, especially since

798
00:53:23.800 --> 00:53:27.679
he had the girl and the gun. Besides, in a

799
00:53:27.719 --> 00:53:29.960
day or two, the happy family would be dead as

800
00:53:30.079 --> 00:53:34.280
dog shit. Orville looked at the girl, seeing her as

801
00:53:34.360 --> 00:53:41.000
yet another decayed corpse left in his wake. Too much quiet,

802
00:53:41.360 --> 00:53:44.519
Cherry barked from the back seat. Turn on some tunes

803
00:53:44.679 --> 00:53:49.000
or good idea, he said. He turned on the radio,

804
00:53:49.400 --> 00:53:53.280
cycling through the channels, most of it was static. The

805
00:53:53.280 --> 00:53:57.400
first actual station he got was a religious one. A

806
00:53:57.440 --> 00:54:01.320
woman was preaching, screaming the words in a frenzy, Exodus

807
00:54:01.360 --> 00:54:04.880
four to twenty five. You are indeed a bridegroom of

808
00:54:04.920 --> 00:54:08.320
blood to me. The woman's voice was raw, like her

809
00:54:08.360 --> 00:54:14.079
throat was bloody. Ah nope, Cherry interjected from the back seat.

810
00:54:14.119 --> 00:54:17.360
The next station he found was a pop station. Dubstep

811
00:54:17.440 --> 00:54:22.000
strained the car speakers. Hell fucking no. The next station,

812
00:54:22.199 --> 00:54:27.039
Kenny G Was playing his heart out crap. Next, Orville

813
00:54:27.079 --> 00:54:31.239
switched it again. Black sabbaths paranoid assaulted their ear drums.

814
00:54:31.760 --> 00:54:35.440
Hell yeah, Cherry squealed. It was dark before they got

815
00:54:35.440 --> 00:54:38.440
to the house. Lauren drove without the headlights on until

816
00:54:38.519 --> 00:54:41.440
Orville said something. She was so nervous she must have

817
00:54:41.480 --> 00:54:45.119
forgot to turn them on. I can take you anywhere,

818
00:54:45.320 --> 00:54:51.559
she pleaded, Please just don't involve my parents. Really, I'm sorry. Sweetness,

819
00:54:51.559 --> 00:54:55.400
But no even if he somehow took pity on her,

820
00:54:55.719 --> 00:54:58.199
and it was too late now Anyway, on the left

821
00:54:58.199 --> 00:55:01.480
side of the road, a large house loom, lights burning

822
00:55:01.559 --> 00:55:04.599
quaintly in the windows. This had to be the place.

823
00:55:05.000 --> 00:55:07.559
It was the first man made structure they'd seen in miles.

824
00:55:08.320 --> 00:55:11.639
Lauren pulled off the road down on a long dirt driveway.

825
00:55:12.079 --> 00:55:15.840
Off to the house's right, a large walled in cemetery loomed,

826
00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:22.519
its stone walls ancient and crumbling. Whoa creepy, Cherry said,

827
00:55:22.760 --> 00:55:27.119
pressing her face to the window. A graveyard. Your parents

828
00:55:27.199 --> 00:55:32.000
live next to a fucking graveyard, Orville asked, Dad's the caretaker,

829
00:55:32.320 --> 00:55:35.679
Lauren answered, as she pulled up to the house. When

830
00:55:35.719 --> 00:55:39.559
the town moved, the cemetery stayed. They still bury people

831
00:55:39.599 --> 00:55:42.800
from the new town here. They got out of the car.

832
00:55:43.360 --> 00:55:46.039
Orville glanced up at the house. It looked old, but

833
00:55:46.519 --> 00:55:49.519
in pretty good condition. Daddy probably had a lot of

834
00:55:49.559 --> 00:55:53.000
time on his hands to keep the place nice, won't

835
00:55:53.039 --> 00:55:56.920
Mom and Dad be surprised, Cherry said, doing a little skip.

836
00:55:57.599 --> 00:56:00.719
Lead the way Princess. Orville reached in his jacket and

837
00:56:00.760 --> 00:56:03.400
pulled out an old switchblade. He held the blade to

838
00:56:03.480 --> 00:56:07.440
Lauren's side. Don't think of being a hero. This old

839
00:56:07.480 --> 00:56:10.920
girl is Sally killed my first dog with her. She'll

840
00:56:10.960 --> 00:56:17.400
gut you all the same. Understand, Yes, good, let's go

841
00:56:17.480 --> 00:56:21.719
meet the folks. Lauren pushed open the door, Orville right

842
00:56:21.760 --> 00:56:25.039
behind her. The house looked homey, he thought, would be

843
00:56:25.039 --> 00:56:30.519
ashamed to make a mess of it. Mom, Dad, I'm here.

844
00:56:31.639 --> 00:56:34.119
Orville could hear a TV playing in one of the rooms.

845
00:56:34.599 --> 00:56:37.159
The smell of something good cooking hung in the air.

846
00:56:37.800 --> 00:56:40.679
A middle aged couple stepped into the room. Their looks

847
00:56:40.679 --> 00:56:45.639
of joy turned to questioning looks upon seeing their guests. Honey,

848
00:56:46.440 --> 00:56:49.800
who are these people? The mother asked. The father looked

849
00:56:49.840 --> 00:56:54.599
at Orville, the recognition visible on his face. Look who's

850
00:56:54.639 --> 00:57:00.000
come to dinner? Daddy? Dear, Orville says, behave He flashed

851
00:57:00.280 --> 00:57:05.639
the colt in its holster. Oh god, Mom stammered, what

852
00:57:05.719 --> 00:57:09.559
do you want? Some grub would be cool. They're the

853
00:57:09.559 --> 00:57:14.400
ones on the news serial killers, Lauren's father said, Has

854
00:57:14.440 --> 00:57:17.920
our little rest stop made us splash already? Orville said,

855
00:57:18.119 --> 00:57:21.039
putting his arm around Lauren. He could see the father's

856
00:57:21.039 --> 00:57:25.559
face light up with anger and then helplessness. This thrilled

857
00:57:25.679 --> 00:57:29.199
Orville to no end Orville might have to make Daddy

858
00:57:29.239 --> 00:57:33.119
watch as he fucked the girl's brains out. Why don't

859
00:57:33.119 --> 00:57:36.599
we mosey into the dining room and eat? Mom and

860
00:57:36.679 --> 00:57:40.199
dad led the way as Orville walked, with Lauren Cherry

861
00:57:40.239 --> 00:57:45.639
following behind. What do we have in mom? Orville asked, roast?

862
00:57:46.119 --> 00:57:49.360
But it's still in the oven, she answered, looking nervously

863
00:57:49.400 --> 00:57:53.159
at her husband. I should get it, Cherry. Why don't

864
00:57:53.199 --> 00:57:56.119
you help mom get the food? Orville winked at the mother.

865
00:57:56.760 --> 00:58:01.760
I'll entertain pops. Cherry frowned, Come on, you, old bat.

866
00:58:02.079 --> 00:58:05.000
She took the woman roughly by the arm. Where's the kitchen?

867
00:58:05.800 --> 00:58:08.519
Orville pulled Lauren tight to him. He took a whiff

868
00:58:08.519 --> 00:58:13.119
of her hair and skin. Your daughter smells great, Daddy,

869
00:58:13.719 --> 00:58:17.159
ever have a piece? He could see the hate burning

870
00:58:17.480 --> 00:58:21.159
in the man's eyes. Orville half wanted him to try something.

871
00:58:21.760 --> 00:58:25.320
He ran his hand roughly over Lauren's chest. Bet she

872
00:58:25.519 --> 00:58:29.440
tastes great too. As he hoped this was too much

873
00:58:29.440 --> 00:58:31.760
for Dad, Orville pushed Lauren out of the way and

874
00:58:31.800 --> 00:58:34.440
sent the girl sailing into a small stand. The father

875
00:58:34.599 --> 00:58:37.519
charged at Orville, swinging at him with his huge fist.

876
00:58:37.880 --> 00:58:40.559
Orville sidestepped the swing and grabbed the man by the throat.

877
00:58:40.719 --> 00:58:43.800
He slammed him down hard against a nearby table. The

878
00:58:43.880 --> 00:58:47.679
mother appeared in the doorway, Cherry right behind her. Get

879
00:58:47.679 --> 00:58:50.719
the fuck back in the kitchen, Cherry. Cherry did as

880
00:58:50.719 --> 00:58:53.199
she was told, pulling the woman back to the kitchen.

881
00:58:53.800 --> 00:58:57.639
Orville pulled out sally and sliced a large gash across

882
00:58:57.679 --> 00:59:02.679
the man's right cheek. Bad dad. He took a quick

883
00:59:02.719 --> 00:59:07.920
glance at Lauren. Hey, princess, where's the basement? Lauren stood,

884
00:59:08.280 --> 00:59:12.519
unsure on her feet. Please don't hurt them, Just go

885
00:59:13.639 --> 00:59:17.559
not gonna happen basement now, or Daddy loses an eye.

886
00:59:18.519 --> 00:59:22.000
Lauren led them to the basement door and nervously opened it.

887
00:59:23.199 --> 00:59:27.199
What are you gonna do, Lauren pleaded. Orville dragged her

888
00:59:27.199 --> 00:59:30.199
old man to the stairs. All Orville could see were

889
00:59:30.239 --> 00:59:35.480
some old woodstairs descending into darkness. Can you fly, daddy?

890
00:59:36.199 --> 00:59:38.719
Orville took the man by the collar and threw him

891
00:59:38.719 --> 00:59:41.559
down the stairs. Lauren screamed her guts out as her

892
00:59:41.559 --> 00:59:44.880
father was swallowed up by the darkness. Orville thought he

893
00:59:44.880 --> 00:59:48.280
heard the sound of bones breaking as the man hit bottom.

894
00:59:48.800 --> 00:59:52.920
He looked at Lauren. Tears streamed down her cheeks. It's

895
00:59:52.960 --> 01:00:01.960
possibly survived, maybe, she sobbed. Why Orville his lips. You

896
01:00:02.000 --> 01:00:07.800
don't want mom to get the treatment? Do you no good?

897
01:00:08.599 --> 01:00:13.119
You'll do what I say. Then she nodded, here's what

898
01:00:13.199 --> 01:00:16.039
I want. He knew she'd still have a room here.

899
01:00:16.559 --> 01:00:18.760
The kid moves out, but the folks always keep the

900
01:00:18.840 --> 01:00:23.039
room untouched. Stuffed animals sat on the bed, silent judgment

901
01:00:23.079 --> 01:00:26.480
on their furry faces. Orville turned on the radio on

902
01:00:26.519 --> 01:00:31.599
the girl's dresser. Stevie B's Postman song was on. Not sexy,

903
01:00:31.960 --> 01:00:34.840
but Orville didn't want to wait anymore. He pushed the

904
01:00:34.840 --> 01:00:37.599
stuffed animals off the bed, scattering them to the floor.

905
01:00:38.199 --> 01:00:43.639
He hopped on the old bed, its springs creaking and protest. Okay,

906
01:00:43.639 --> 01:00:50.360
sweet pea, show time strip. Lauren gulped. Cherry watched the

907
01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:53.000
mom trying to prepare dinner. Like all hell hadn't just

908
01:00:53.039 --> 01:00:55.519
broke loose in the other room a few minutes ago.

909
01:00:56.199 --> 01:00:58.199
She had to hand it to the old bat. She

910
01:00:58.280 --> 01:01:01.280
could keep it under control. It had grown quiet. Now,

911
01:01:02.079 --> 01:01:06.320
what could be going on? Cherry thought, before she investigated that.

912
01:01:06.760 --> 01:01:09.920
The smell of the roast caught her limited attention span fully.

913
01:01:10.679 --> 01:01:13.239
Cherry stabbed a big slice of it with her knife

914
01:01:13.440 --> 01:01:17.039
and took a large bite, sending juices dribbling down her chin.

915
01:01:18.039 --> 01:01:21.719
So good, mommy, she said, I think I just came

916
01:01:21.800 --> 01:01:25.960
in my panties. The woman didn't answer. She cut off

917
01:01:25.960 --> 01:01:30.400
a slice to replace the one Cherry took Bee for pork.

918
01:01:30.719 --> 01:01:35.039
Cherry asks, I can't nail the taste. Putting down the

919
01:01:35.079 --> 01:01:39.480
carving knife, mother cleaned off her hands with a towel. Pork.

920
01:01:40.559 --> 01:01:46.000
It's damn good, mom Why do you do it hurt people?

921
01:01:47.000 --> 01:01:50.519
Cherry thought for a moment, because it's something to do.

922
01:01:51.480 --> 01:01:55.119
Lauren stood in her bron panties nervously trying to emulate

923
01:01:55.119 --> 01:01:59.440
a sexy dance. Orville watched. It was time. He could

924
01:01:59.440 --> 01:02:04.039
wait no longer. Come here. She walked toward him, her

925
01:02:04.079 --> 01:02:07.440
face pale white. Orville was a little bit disappointed in

926
01:02:07.440 --> 01:02:10.760
her choice of playing pink panties and bra He'd hope

927
01:02:10.800 --> 01:02:14.000
they'd be something a little more exciting, or at least funny.

928
01:02:14.840 --> 01:02:19.519
Lauren sat down next to him, her body shaking. Undo

929
01:02:19.599 --> 01:02:24.119
my pants. Cherry was getting a little nervous. Where was

930
01:02:24.280 --> 01:02:26.960
or She didn't hear anything out in the dining room.

931
01:02:27.440 --> 01:02:30.239
Maybe Orville was getting rid of the dad. She watched

932
01:02:30.280 --> 01:02:33.199
mother as she washed the carving knife. When can we

933
01:02:33.239 --> 01:02:36.320
go out there, she asked? The food will get cold.

934
01:02:37.039 --> 01:02:39.679
Just hold your horses. Don't you have any other food

935
01:02:39.719 --> 01:02:43.079
to get ready? It was weird. The whole time they

936
01:02:43.119 --> 01:02:45.599
were in the kitchen. She didn't see the woman prepare

937
01:02:45.960 --> 01:02:52.159
anything else. No vegetables, no potatoes, no stuffing, nothing. Did

938
01:02:52.159 --> 01:02:55.800
they only eat meat? The meat had made her thirsty.

939
01:02:56.400 --> 01:02:58.800
Cherry walked over to the fridge. She could go for

940
01:02:58.880 --> 01:03:01.719
something cold. It was too much to hope these fucks

941
01:03:01.760 --> 01:03:06.320
had beer. She pulled open the fridge door. Sitting there

942
01:03:06.719 --> 01:03:10.440
on a large plate was a severed human arm, with

943
01:03:10.519 --> 01:03:14.199
a rather large chunk cut out from it. Cherry suddenly

944
01:03:14.239 --> 01:03:19.440
felt very weak. Behind her came noises. No human ears

945
01:03:19.440 --> 01:03:24.800
should ever hear, the sound of flesh and bones stretching moving.

946
01:03:25.480 --> 01:03:30.199
She spun around. The woman looked different now, her skin grayish,

947
01:03:30.400 --> 01:03:34.039
her eyes black. Long teeth protruded from her mouth, and

948
01:03:34.119 --> 01:03:38.559
her hands had become claws. We can't eat just any flesh,

949
01:03:38.960 --> 01:03:43.199
she growled. It has to be dead first, the father said,

950
01:03:43.239 --> 01:03:45.920
standing in the door. He was a little bloodied, but

951
01:03:46.440 --> 01:03:49.719
looking very much like his wife did now the only

952
01:03:49.800 --> 01:03:53.280
thing between Orville and Lauren was his boxers and her underwear.

953
01:03:53.840 --> 01:03:56.639
He felt like a boy on Christmas morning. He told

954
01:03:56.719 --> 01:03:59.960
Lauren to pull down his boxers. They fell to the floor.

955
01:04:00.920 --> 01:04:04.360
Here he took her head, lowering it toward his excited dick.

956
01:04:05.039 --> 01:04:07.360
He leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling.

957
01:04:08.039 --> 01:04:11.320
The girl was pretty good at this. There was a

958
01:04:11.360 --> 01:04:16.480
gunshot somewhere downstairs, followed by Cherry screaming in horror. What

959
01:04:16.519 --> 01:04:20.000
the fuck? But it was already too late. In the

960
01:04:20.039 --> 01:04:24.159
next instant, pains sliced through him. He felt something warm

961
01:04:24.280 --> 01:04:27.559
splash his chest. He was almost too terrified to look down.

962
01:04:27.880 --> 01:04:31.280
His crutch was covered in warm red blood. The small

963
01:04:31.360 --> 01:04:34.760
stump where his dick had been was busy pumping more out.

964
01:04:35.239 --> 01:04:38.119
As he started to slip into shock, he looked at Lauren,

965
01:04:38.519 --> 01:04:42.480
whose body was undergoing a horrible change. She spat blood

966
01:04:42.480 --> 01:04:46.039
from her mouth, along with his severed manhood. I twitt

967
01:04:46.159 --> 01:04:50.280
you to leave us alone. Orville could hear the heavenly

968
01:04:50.400 --> 01:05:02.119
chorus calling him? They sounded like howling wolves. Party in

969
01:05:02.159 --> 01:05:08.079
the woods by Joe Salmat Tristan and Beccha made their

970
01:05:08.119 --> 01:05:12.159
way down the wooded path behind Tristan's neighbor's farm. Josh

971
01:05:12.159 --> 01:05:14.920
and Emily went to bed pretty early, so for years

972
01:05:15.119 --> 01:05:17.920
Tristan had brought friends down here behind the farm to

973
01:05:18.000 --> 01:05:21.559
explore the woods. As he got older, he explored less

974
01:05:21.599 --> 01:05:23.800
and came to the woods to drink and party with

975
01:05:23.880 --> 01:05:27.280
the girls from town. Becca was new to town, just

976
01:05:27.400 --> 01:05:31.000
moving here a month ago. Tristan was infatuated as soon

977
01:05:31.039 --> 01:05:33.599
as he saw her in the hall in school, her

978
01:05:33.639 --> 01:05:37.960
long brown hair flowing behind her. He followed her after school,

979
01:05:37.960 --> 01:05:40.440
trying to come up with something to say to her

980
01:05:40.519 --> 01:05:44.400
to spark a conversation. It paid off, though, he thought,

981
01:05:44.559 --> 01:05:47.239
as he sneaked a glance at her behind the moonlight

982
01:05:47.559 --> 01:05:50.559
through a break in the trees. She carried a bottle

983
01:05:50.599 --> 01:05:53.440
of Jack Daniels in her right hand. It was already

984
01:05:53.480 --> 01:05:56.920
missing a quarter of the brown liquid inside. She was

985
01:05:57.000 --> 01:05:59.719
more of a drinker than he was, he noted with

986
01:05:59.760 --> 01:06:03.000
a He couldn't keep his eyes off of the way

987
01:06:03.079 --> 01:06:08.039
she walked the curve, swaying back and forth. It was mesmerizing.

988
01:06:08.760 --> 01:06:12.800
The swaying stopped in front of him. Tristan, did you

989
01:06:12.840 --> 01:06:17.239
hear that? She whispered to him. Hear what? He asked

990
01:06:17.239 --> 01:06:22.360
at a normal volume, sh something in the woods, she replied.

991
01:06:23.159 --> 01:06:26.760
Do you guys have bears around here? She asked, with

992
01:06:26.880 --> 01:06:30.320
a little bit of fright in her voice. I didn't

993
01:06:30.360 --> 01:06:33.320
hear anything. Don't worry. I've been coming here since I

994
01:06:33.400 --> 01:06:36.199
was a kid. There's nothing out here that can hurt us,

995
01:06:36.679 --> 01:06:40.119
he said, and smiled that famous smile that got him

996
01:06:40.159 --> 01:06:44.519
the girl on numerous occasions. Becca still stood there for

997
01:06:44.559 --> 01:06:47.960
a moment. When she didn't hear anything, she began to

998
01:06:48.000 --> 01:06:52.639
walk the path again, but cautiously Tristan snuck up behind

999
01:06:52.639 --> 01:06:55.039
her and grabbed the bottle from her hands. She let

1000
01:06:55.079 --> 01:06:57.480
out a scared yelp as he laughed at her. He

1001
01:06:57.559 --> 01:07:00.000
took a big gulp off the bottle, letting the alcohol

1002
01:07:00.280 --> 01:07:03.679
burn his throat. Are the others meeting us up here?

1003
01:07:04.239 --> 01:07:07.119
Becca asked. She wouldn't agree to coming out to the

1004
01:07:07.159 --> 01:07:09.920
woods with the guy she'd just met unless others were

1005
01:07:09.960 --> 01:07:12.800
going to be there. He scrambled to find another couple

1006
01:07:12.880 --> 01:07:16.559
to come along. Yeah, it's not much farther now. We

1007
01:07:16.639 --> 01:07:20.000
got a little fireplace from an old house, Tristan said.

1008
01:07:20.559 --> 01:07:23.480
It must have been from the seventeen hundreds. He said,

1009
01:07:24.320 --> 01:07:29.119
sounds cool, becha said, thinking of the fireplace. Tristan frowned.

1010
01:07:29.559 --> 01:07:31.880
He should be able to see it from here. He

1011
01:07:31.960 --> 01:07:35.400
knew Greg and Beth were already there. He saw Greg's

1012
01:07:35.400 --> 01:07:37.159
car down by the side of the highway on the

1013
01:07:37.159 --> 01:07:41.239
way over. Maybe he was just lazy, He thought the

1014
01:07:41.320 --> 01:07:44.000
moon was hidden by the boughs of the trees above.

1015
01:07:44.559 --> 01:07:46.519
Tristan made his way in the dark to where he

1016
01:07:46.559 --> 01:07:49.800
knew the stone chimney was. He could barely see the

1017
01:07:49.880 --> 01:07:52.840
lighter stone in the darkness. He felt around to the

1018
01:07:52.920 --> 01:07:56.519
right where he stacked the kindling. It felt wet, but

1019
01:07:56.559 --> 01:08:00.599
he didn't remember it raining recently. Greg, if you pissed

1020
01:08:00.639 --> 01:08:03.679
on our wood, I will kill you, he called out

1021
01:08:03.679 --> 01:08:06.239
to the night. He hoped Gregg heard him as he

1022
01:08:06.320 --> 01:08:09.559
banged Beth or whatever they were doing. He grabbed a

1023
01:08:09.599 --> 01:08:12.239
book of matches from his pocket after stacking the wooden

1024
01:08:12.239 --> 01:08:15.320
branches into a small T piece shape with pine needles

1025
01:08:15.320 --> 01:08:19.600
and last falls leaves underneath. I can't see anything, Becca

1026
01:08:19.720 --> 01:08:24.359
said from behind him. One second, he said, masking his disappointment.

1027
01:08:24.920 --> 01:08:27.000
She was one hell of a looker, but she seemed

1028
01:08:27.079 --> 01:08:30.239
kind of annoying to him. He struck the match, which

1029
01:08:30.279 --> 01:08:32.359
blinded him for a second with its brightness in the

1030
01:08:32.399 --> 01:08:36.079
almost complete dark He instinctively moved the match to the

1031
01:08:36.119 --> 01:08:39.119
pine needles under the wood before it burned out or

1032
01:08:39.199 --> 01:08:42.199
the wind got it. He saw spots in his vision

1033
01:08:42.239 --> 01:08:45.680
as he gently blew on the pine needles. Yes, he

1034
01:08:45.720 --> 01:08:48.560
called out, as the fire came to life. It wasn't

1035
01:08:48.600 --> 01:08:52.479
piss on the sticks. It was a darker, thicker color.

1036
01:08:53.079 --> 01:08:56.439
It reminded him of the bottle Becha carried. Hey, Babe,

1037
01:08:56.479 --> 01:08:59.000
can I get a drink? He said, getting to his feet.

1038
01:08:59.560 --> 01:09:01.960
The stick were catching now and the light from the

1039
01:09:02.039 --> 01:09:07.640
chimney was spreading. Becca didn't answer him. Babe, he said,

1040
01:09:08.039 --> 01:09:11.840
and turned around. Becca was standing in front of him,

1041
01:09:12.199 --> 01:09:14.680
ten feet away, with the bottle still in her right hand,

1042
01:09:15.199 --> 01:09:20.000
her widened eyes staring past him towards the chimney. What

1043
01:09:20.039 --> 01:09:22.359
the hell's gotten into you? He said, and took a

1044
01:09:22.359 --> 01:09:26.560
step closer, but she didn't move. He watched as the

1045
01:09:26.600 --> 01:09:29.680
bottle slipped from her hand and struck the ground, spilling

1046
01:09:29.720 --> 01:09:34.039
its contents. What's wrong with you? He said, grabbing the

1047
01:09:34.039 --> 01:09:36.479
bottle off the ground to save its contents, which he

1048
01:09:36.520 --> 01:09:39.439
tried to pour down his throat. He stopped with the

1049
01:09:39.439 --> 01:09:44.720
bottle to his lips. Becca still hadn't moved. He started

1050
01:09:44.760 --> 01:09:48.560
to get a creepy feeling and turned towards the fire.

1051
01:09:49.199 --> 01:09:52.920
The light from the flames illuminated the immediate area. The

1052
01:09:53.000 --> 01:09:56.760
stack of wood he had piled there yesterday was definitely wet,

1053
01:09:57.119 --> 01:10:01.960
but it was also red. It looks like something bled

1054
01:10:02.000 --> 01:10:05.039
all over it. His eyes fell to just in front

1055
01:10:05.079 --> 01:10:08.359
of the stack of wood, and he saw the source

1056
01:10:08.399 --> 01:10:12.119
of the blood. Greg, naked to the waist, lay on

1057
01:10:12.159 --> 01:10:17.279
the ground, twisted and away. Tristan could only describe as wrong.

1058
01:10:18.359 --> 01:10:21.600
His face looked behind him, and several vertebrates stuck out

1059
01:10:21.600 --> 01:10:24.560
from a gaping hole in his neck. His eyes were

1060
01:10:24.560 --> 01:10:30.600
wide open in fear, similar to Becca's. He turned towards

1061
01:10:30.600 --> 01:10:33.800
his would be girlfriend, but she was still looking in

1062
01:10:33.880 --> 01:10:38.000
the same direction. Tears streaked her cheeks and a sob

1063
01:10:38.159 --> 01:10:40.960
escaped her lips. He turned back to see what she

1064
01:10:41.039 --> 01:10:46.439
was looking at, and that's when he noticed Beth. Blonde

1065
01:10:46.439 --> 01:10:49.840
hair mixed with crimson blood covered her young face from

1066
01:10:49.840 --> 01:10:53.199
the caved in skull before it sunk into the opening

1067
01:10:53.239 --> 01:10:56.960
that her missing lower jaw left behind. She was completely

1068
01:10:57.039 --> 01:11:02.279
naked behind the woodpile. Tristan approached her body carefully. He

1069
01:11:02.359 --> 01:11:06.640
tried to speak, but nothing came out. She had large

1070
01:11:06.680 --> 01:11:10.840
scratches or claw marks cris crossing across her naked breasts

1071
01:11:10.880 --> 01:11:14.399
at an inch deep, filled with rivers of blood. One

1072
01:11:14.439 --> 01:11:19.199
of her legs was missing, just missing. How does that

1073
01:11:19.279 --> 01:11:23.720
even happen? He couldn't see it anywhere, but he did

1074
01:11:23.800 --> 01:11:28.000
find her lower jaw. It looked like some sick bastard

1075
01:11:28.640 --> 01:11:31.239
tried to rape her with it, but all it did

1076
01:11:31.319 --> 01:11:35.119
was tear her pubic area. Teeth peeked out from between

1077
01:11:35.239 --> 01:11:38.319
strings of her mangled genitalia that hung from her body

1078
01:11:38.399 --> 01:11:40.800
like the streamers on a five year old girl's bicycle.

1079
01:11:41.840 --> 01:11:45.840
Panics started to settle into Tristan. He stepped backwards, away

1080
01:11:45.880 --> 01:11:49.840
from the mangled corpses of his high school friends Becca.

1081
01:11:50.319 --> 01:11:55.000
He called out, run. He turned himself to run and

1082
01:11:55.119 --> 01:11:59.359
saw a horrid sight. Behind Becca, who still hadn't moved

1083
01:11:59.399 --> 01:12:04.199
from the same pace position, stood three humanoid shapes. Their

1084
01:12:04.239 --> 01:12:09.039
eyes reflected the firelight from the chimney. Beca Tristan managed

1085
01:12:09.039 --> 01:12:11.880
to say before the creatures moved in an instant. Two

1086
01:12:11.960 --> 01:12:14.359
grabbed his date and held her arms behind her back.

1087
01:12:14.600 --> 01:12:17.079
He heard a sickening pop as one of her shoulders

1088
01:12:17.079 --> 01:12:20.439
were dislocated violently. The pain seemed to break Becca out

1089
01:12:20.479 --> 01:12:24.000
of her shock, she screamed. The third creature charged Tristan.

1090
01:12:24.199 --> 01:12:26.199
He managed to land a punch on the monster, but

1091
01:12:26.239 --> 01:12:28.560
it didn't seem to have any effect. He grabbed him

1092
01:12:28.560 --> 01:12:30.560
and forced him to his knees, placing one of its

1093
01:12:30.640 --> 01:12:32.880
large clawed feet on the back of his legs so

1094
01:12:32.920 --> 01:12:36.760
he couldn't get up. Help me, Tristan, Becha called out,

1095
01:12:37.520 --> 01:12:40.600
it was her last words. One of the creature's hands

1096
01:12:40.600 --> 01:12:43.720
suddenly protruded from her lower abdomen, tearing out of her

1097
01:12:43.720 --> 01:12:47.399
flesh with a violence Tristan had never witnessed before. No.

1098
01:12:48.520 --> 01:12:51.199
He called out in horror and began to sob. He

1099
01:12:51.319 --> 01:12:55.000
swore The creature holding him mocked his cry. Tristan saw

1100
01:12:55.039 --> 01:12:57.840
the moment Beca died. He could see it in her eyes,

1101
01:12:58.520 --> 01:13:01.279
the moment it ceased to be Becka and became only

1102
01:13:01.359 --> 01:13:04.159
a sack of meat. It was worse than the mangled

1103
01:13:04.159 --> 01:13:09.079
corpses of his friends. Watching her die like that, Becha's

1104
01:13:09.079 --> 01:13:12.439
body fell down to the ground. The two monsters fought

1105
01:13:12.439 --> 01:13:15.199
over her, tearing pieces of her flesh off in front

1106
01:13:15.199 --> 01:13:18.239
of him, the same flesh he was admiring just a

1107
01:13:18.279 --> 01:13:21.680
short time ago. Tristan couldn't take it anymore. He put

1108
01:13:21.680 --> 01:13:23.880
his head down, letting his hair cover his eyes, but

1109
01:13:23.960 --> 01:13:26.760
the creature holding him reached down with its gray hand

1110
01:13:26.880 --> 01:13:30.079
and pulled his hair until once again he was facing Beca.

1111
01:13:30.880 --> 01:13:34.000
Not only did they seem to enjoy killing, but it

1112
01:13:34.039 --> 01:13:38.640
seemed they enjoyed making him watch. He cried out. When

1113
01:13:38.680 --> 01:13:42.680
the two creatures finished dividing up Becha, they began to eat.

1114
01:13:43.479 --> 01:13:46.960
Tristan struggled, but the creature's strength was too much for him.

1115
01:13:47.199 --> 01:13:49.800
He clenched his eyes closed to block out the horror

1116
01:13:49.840 --> 01:13:52.159
in front of him, but the creature seemed to know

1117
01:13:53.039 --> 01:13:55.119
it dug a dull nail into the back of his

1118
01:13:55.199 --> 01:13:58.159
neck every time he closed his eyes, only letting the

1119
01:13:58.199 --> 01:14:02.960
pressure off when he opened them again. Closed or opened,

1120
01:14:03.399 --> 01:14:06.600
he was being tortured. He kept them closed as long

1121
01:14:06.640 --> 01:14:09.199
as he could take the nail digging him, never in

1122
01:14:09.279 --> 01:14:12.279
the exact same space, then opened them until the pain

1123
01:14:12.359 --> 01:14:16.159
from the nail was replaced with the evisceration of his date.

1124
01:14:17.439 --> 01:14:20.359
It seemed to go on forever. He couldn't take any more.

1125
01:14:20.479 --> 01:14:22.560
He tried to move again, but the third creature that

1126
01:14:22.640 --> 01:14:27.399
held him did so diligently. Go on, get a bite.

1127
01:14:27.920 --> 01:14:30.640
Tristan called out to his captor. It was the only

1128
01:14:30.680 --> 01:14:34.359
thing he could do, mocking his torturers. He had no

1129
01:14:34.479 --> 01:14:37.520
way to track time, but at least fifteen minutes past.

1130
01:14:37.600 --> 01:14:41.680
As he watched his date disappear peace by piece down

1131
01:14:41.720 --> 01:14:46.039
the gullets of these hellish creatures. He couldn't take any

1132
01:14:46.079 --> 01:14:48.960
more and closed his eyes to escape. But his ears

1133
01:14:49.000 --> 01:14:52.399
picked up on the wet snapping of teeth through flesh

1134
01:14:52.399 --> 01:14:55.800
and bone. It reminded him of tearing the wings off

1135
01:14:55.840 --> 01:14:58.439
of a chicken for dinner, and it made him want

1136
01:14:58.479 --> 01:15:01.960
to throw up. The holding him down pushed him all

1137
01:15:02.000 --> 01:15:04.920
the way to the ground. He opened his eyes and

1138
01:15:05.000 --> 01:15:08.239
looked at what was left of Becca. At that point,

1139
01:15:08.680 --> 01:15:11.359
he did throw up, but it had nowhere to go.

1140
01:15:11.479 --> 01:15:14.640
Being forced down to the ground, he breathed in his

1141
01:15:14.720 --> 01:15:17.920
own vomit and thought he was going to drown. The

1142
01:15:18.000 --> 01:15:20.119
creature yanked him back up to his knees. As the

1143
01:15:20.119 --> 01:15:23.039
other two approached, he was pulled all the way to

1144
01:15:23.119 --> 01:15:25.880
his feet, and with the last act of defiance, he

1145
01:15:26.000 --> 01:15:28.239
kicked the groin of the creature right in front of him.

1146
01:15:28.560 --> 01:15:31.239
It stepped back from the impact, then reached out with

1147
01:15:31.319 --> 01:15:35.439
its gray skinned hand and grabbed his chest tearing cloth

1148
01:15:35.479 --> 01:15:39.239
and flesh away from his body. He screamed. The pain

1149
01:15:39.439 --> 01:15:44.159
was intense. Just fucking kill me already, he yelled out,

1150
01:15:44.520 --> 01:15:48.760
just wanting it done. He couldn't take any more, do it,

1151
01:15:48.840 --> 01:15:53.119
you cocksucker. The monsters didn't heed him. One of them

1152
01:15:53.159 --> 01:15:56.239
grabbed his hand and held it out. The first creature

1153
01:15:56.439 --> 01:15:59.359
that had been holding him the whole time switched places

1154
01:15:59.399 --> 01:16:01.479
with the one that tore a piece out of his chest.

1155
01:16:02.159 --> 01:16:05.319
It looked him in the eye with an evil intelligence

1156
01:16:05.359 --> 01:16:10.039
behind its gaze. As it slowly and deliberately raised his

1157
01:16:10.159 --> 01:16:13.800
hand to its mouth and bit off his thumb. He

1158
01:16:13.920 --> 01:16:16.439
screamed out into the night. He held on to a

1159
01:16:16.479 --> 01:16:19.239
slim hope that Josh or Emily might hear him in

1160
01:16:19.239 --> 01:16:22.159
the quiet country night. They had just had a newborn,

1161
01:16:22.439 --> 01:16:25.279
so maybe they would be awake feeding it, he thought.

1162
01:16:26.319 --> 01:16:29.760
The creature bit off his middle finger and smiled. Tristan's

1163
01:16:29.800 --> 01:16:33.720
blood and flesh still sitting in its gaping maw. Its

1164
01:16:33.760 --> 01:16:37.520
body shook with small convulsions with a grunting sound. A

1165
01:16:37.560 --> 01:16:41.279
shiver shut up Tristan's back as he realized it was

1166
01:16:41.359 --> 01:16:51.039
laughing at his misery. And there you have it, my

1167
01:16:51.279 --> 01:16:55.479
spookies for more reasons to spend the rest of the

1168
01:16:55.560 --> 01:17:01.800
summer politely declining invitations. Tonight, we learned that haunted mansions

1169
01:17:01.880 --> 01:17:07.079
make terrible first date destinations. A one dollar bargain can

1170
01:17:07.119 --> 01:17:14.079
become extremely expensive. Serial killers should always ask about dietary restrictions.

1171
01:17:14.520 --> 01:17:18.520
And nothing good has ever followed the words let's party

1172
01:17:19.000 --> 01:17:22.640
in the woods. Halloween may still be waiting at the

1173
01:17:22.840 --> 01:17:27.239
end of the calendar, but ghosts, monsters, and cursed objects

1174
01:17:27.319 --> 01:17:31.359
clearly did not receive that memo. So thank you for

1175
01:17:31.479 --> 01:17:36.159
celebrating Summer ween with us, and make sure you're subscribed

1176
01:17:36.159 --> 01:17:39.920
on your favorite podcasting app to Weekly Spooky. Join us

1177
01:17:39.960 --> 01:17:43.720
every Wednesday for a brand new scary story, and every

1178
01:17:43.840 --> 01:17:47.079
day of the week for a little something scary to

1179
01:17:47.199 --> 01:17:52.279
keep your Halloween vibes going all year long. Now, if

1180
01:17:52.319 --> 01:17:56.479
you'll excuse me, I've got a quick trip to make

1181
01:17:57.039 --> 01:18:00.600
to a party out in the woods. But I'll see

1182
01:18:00.640 --> 01:18:02.239
you all real soon.