Halloween Ghost Story Contest -- 2007
High School Winners
Second Place
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Our second place High School winner is Victor Galli, a student attending the Revere High School in Revere, MA. |
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Our second place High School winner is Victor Galli, a student attending the Revere High School in Revere, MA. |
“Hey man lets turn around we’re getting too deep into this damn forest.” said Chris as Ben continued his trek forward up the beaten dirt path. Chris was a sixteen year old boy. He was tall and skinny, about 6'2" with olive skin and dark brown hair. Ben was also sixteen, but his build was completely different from Chris. Ben was of average height, 5' 10', but he was very muscular and strong, with pale skin and light blonde hair. “Will you relax Chris? My god we’re in forest reservation what could possibly happen to us? Besides, we’re exploring which means this is what we’re SUPPOSED to do” Ben said casually as he hopped over rocks and fallen tree branches. “You’re an idiot Ben, this reservation is miles and miles long and it doesn’t change the fact that its getting dark and cold out. Oh, and it doesn’t change the fact that we don’t know where the hell we ARE. Plus, this WHOLE forest isn’t a reservation, just a piece of it is. For all we know we could be deep into forest where we there are no trails, no signs, and NO PEOPLE,” said Chris in an annoyed tone. “Just come on dude, stop being a wimp. I think I saw a person....a few hours ago....” With that, Ben and Chris continued up the dirt path which was littered with rocks and pebbles. Being only a foot wide, they had to walk single file, and it was like they were encapsulated in a tunnel of trees that loomed over them swaying in the chilly breeze. The sun light fought through the thick brush and trees to shine dim, eerie orange beams through the forest. “Dude check this out!! It’s a bridge” exclaimed Ben as he ran onto the bridge made of old, rotting damp wood. There was thick, dark green moss growing all over it and the wood was moist from the splashing of water from the river below. Chris and Ben leaned against the bridge looking at the bank of the river which was about 10 feet below. They turned to look at the other side and saw a figure of an old man. He was wearing a worn plaid shirt with dirt stained jeans and a fisherman’s hat. His hair was straggly and silvery grey with a rough stubbly grey beard. “This forest is not safe once the sun sets... please turn around and go back the way you came” said the old man. “WAIT Where are we?? How can we get out??” Chris yelled. “Please turn back...do not venture further into these woods....turn around and never look back...” and with that the old man slowly walked into the brush on the side of the river bank. Chris ran after him, jumping over the bridge and landing on the river bank. When he got to the forest he saw nothing. The old man was gone, no trace of him was there. “GOD DAMMIT BEN!!” shouted Chris, “I told you this was a BAD idea, LOOK the sun is setting NOW!” The sky was turning very dark, the only color being the deep purple near the horizon which shone through the trees. “Chris, calm down will you?? That old man clearly took a trail out, how do you think HE got in here? Besides all old timer’s say the same thing, “ohhh watch out at night, its not safe, blah blah blah same story different day. Lets just cross the bridge and keep going, im sure it’ll lead somewhere cool.” Chris and Ben crossed the bridge and walked for what seemed like hours. “Ben its really getting dark out, I’m calling someone for help.” Chris took out his phone, but the horrid beep of “Call failed” was the only sound he was hearing. “I can’t get service here Ben...now what??” said Chris. “I...I don’t know lets just keep going....we just gotta keep walking...” Ben said. His voice was wavering, and had a faint worried tone about it.
The darkness fell on the forest like a thick black blanket which trapped all the cold air under it. Chris had brought a small flashlight, but it was suppose to only be for checking little caves or animal holes that they found. It wasn’t sufficient in illuminating the darkness surrounding them, but they tried anyways. “Ben, we are so screwed...I don’t know HOW I let you talk me into this,”Ben said nothing but kept walking solemnly. There was no path to follow anymore, it dissipated into nothing but brush under their feet; it all looked the same. The heard a sound in the distance. It sounded like a faint cry, then there was a big thud and it stopped. “Lets follow that sound” said Ben, “We have nothing else to lose, maybe that person is lost too and we can stick together to get out of this hell hole.” Chris, having no will left in him to fight, went along and followed Ben through the trees and in the direction of where they heard the sounds.
They briskly walked forward, so that hopefully any chance of civilization wouldn’t out run them. They leaped over rocks and fallen trees, fought through thick brush and then suddenly there was a thud. Ben fell over and hit the ground hard. “Are you alright dude??” said Chris as he felt his way to where Ben landed. “Yeah, I’m fine but....why is the ground so moist? It didn’t rain.” “Maybe we’re entering a swamp area, I’ll shine the flashlight around.” Chris said as he clicked the button. However the flashlight immediately hit the ground. Ben’s clothes and the ground shone red from the dim light of the flashlight. “BEN YOU’RE COVERED IN BLOOD!!! ITS EVERYWHERE!!!” Chris exclaimed panicked, and he picked up the flashlight and held it pointed to the ground, shaking wildly. Ben leapt off the ground and looked at the red pool that was before him. There was a pool of blood everywhere, and it was spattered on the trees and splashed all over the ground. Ben and Chris took off running, having no destination but away from the gory mess that they just beheld. They saw a faint light in the distance, and quickly hurried to it, being disoriented and having no other way to grasp onto sanity other than the hope of seeing another human being.
The light got closer and closer until Chris and Ben were on the edge of a cleared camp sight. The looking in and saw a fire burning bright in the middle. Around the fire were old rusty parts. They had never seen anything like them, and couldn’t tell what they were from or what they were for. A big wooden board was on the ground, lightly covered in leaves as if it was trying to be concealed. They walked into the camp and starting looking around for anything that could give them hope of a human staying there. However their stomachs dropped when they saw that familiar red shine in front of the wooden board. They heard rustling in the brush around them, but they were encircled in the light of the fire and couldn’t see anything but a wall of black around them. They lifted the board to reveal a man made staircase leading down into a black abyss with fresh blood dripping down the stairs. Everything started spinning in both of their heads, and they could no longer see straight from the pure fear instilled in them. They turned around the see a massive black figure at the edge of the woods. It was 7 and a half feet tall with huge ripped arms and legs. It had the body of a man with the head of a wolf, and its fur was matted down with fresh blood. It let out a howl and extended its arms as foot long, razor sharp claws came shooting out its fingers. It crept forward, and Chris and Ben were paralyzed in fear. The beast set back to leap, and everything went black..
Chris and Ben woke up in an underground room lit by candles. The stench of death and blood was prominent and sickening as they lay tied down on wooden tables. The air was thick and stagnant as if you could taste the torment that took place here. They looked around and saw piles of bones, some completely dry and clean, other with rotten flesh still attached. Ben looked to the side of the table and threw up all over the ground as Chris screamed at the top of his lungs for anyone who could possibly help them. Then a beam of light shone in down the blood stained stairs. A man walked down them, his clothes ripped and bloody. He wasn’t very big, maybe 5' 10" and of average build. Chris and Ben screamed for help.. “Foolish boys....what were you doing in this forest so late? You make perfect targets for predators you know.” “WE KNOW JUST...” Ben pleaded but was interrupted. “I’m sure mommy and daddy told you many times that the forest was a scary place at night and to be home before dark, am I right?” “Yes...please sir....just.....” Ben weakly cried but was interrupted yet again. “I know that Janie’s parents told her that, she cried about it for a while so I had to end that....” Said the man as his eyes shifted to the corner of the room where a mutilated body lay rotting and bloody. “Sir....” said Chris in a defeated soft tone, “Are we going to live.....” The man laughed maniacally. , “Of course you are” He said in a low tone, “Well....at least until the sun sets...that’s when the need to feed sets in.....” and with that he smiled revealing sharp fangs and let out a high pitched howl that shattered the silence of the forest.
“Welcome one and all to Crystal Falls Reservation” The tour guide said to the crowd. “Today I’ll take you on a nice hike through some of the trails here and to Crystal Lake, from which the reservation was named after.” “Before we get going, are there any questions?” A young boy raised his hand timidly. “Hi, I heard from my friends that this forest is haunted....is that true?” “The tour guide chuckled and said, “Well son, legend has it that there is a werewolf in the woods that are on the outskirts of the reservation. See, the reservation only lasts for 5 miles, then it changes to a deep, thick, forest called Dark Wood that we could not include in the reservation because it was too dangerous. Supposedly this werewolf feeds off of people who venture too far into the reservation, and enter the Dark Wood beyond” Winked the tour guide at the little boy. “But have no fear, for legend also has it that there is an old man, the werewolf’s first victim as legend states, that appears as a warning and guide to anyone who crosses the border into Dark Wood. His spirit doesn’t want the werewolf to claim any more lives, so he wanders the woods and guides people away from Dark Wood, giving them the warning to turn back.” The tour guide winked again, “But hey, that’s only a legend right.......?”
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