Ghost Stories
BY
James Johnson
It’s a dark and cool autumn night the moon is full in the sky and shines down on the forest like a stage spotlight from the sky. All is quiet except for in the park area five teenagers Calvin, Brian, Kim, Tony, and Crystal are sitting around a fire laughing and cracking jokes on how bad the story that Tony just told was.
Calvin still laughing wipes his eye “Aw man, that was so weak my little sister could have told a better one than that.” They all start laughing. “Yeah, that was pretty bad.” Brian adds. “It had its moments..” Kim replies trying not to sound so critical but Calvin sees right through it. “Whatever Kim you know it sucked.” Kim can’t refute that. “Oh, don’t get me wrong I never said it was good.”
It’s clear that Tony is getting irritated by their comments. “Why ya’ll gotta hate.” Crystal tries to comfort him. “I was scared.” This puts him more at ease. “Thank you baby, I’m glad somebody appreciated it.”
Brian quickly brings him back to reality. “Well Stephen King her opinion would count if she wasn’t your girlfriend.”
“What’s that got to do with anything.” He’s clearly oblivious but Kim opens his eyes. “She’s just saying that because she doesn’t want to hurt your feelings.”
Tony turns towards Crystal. “You really did like it, didn’t you?”
Crystal has a snide look on her face with a smile. “Yes boo, it was spooky.”
He is obviously not convinced. “Fine, if you fags think you can do better.”
Calvin instantly steps up to the challenge. “No doubt, I can tell a better one in my sleep.” Tony doesn’t believe him. “Really?”
Calvin confidently replies. “Oh yeah, and I have a special one too just for tonight.”
Brian is very fascinated. “What makes this one so special?”
Calvin smiles. “because it’s based on a true story that happened one year ago today.”
All of them think for a minute than a light bulb goes off in Kim. “Oh, the one about the midgets and the slave camp.”
Brian also knows what she’s talking about. “I remember that one with the midgets had the illegal porn site with the monkeys and-.”
Calvin cuts him off. “No!” He gives Kim and Brian an erratic look before continuing. “Where do you guys get this stuff, I was talking about the Feedman murders.”
Tony seems lost. “The Feedman murders. What’s that?”
Brian can’t believe he doesn’t know. “Not what who, Ryan Feedman your psycho for the new millennium, it was all over the news.”
Tony is still in the dark. “What was all over the news?”
Kim is surprised he doesn’t know too. “How he killed 127 people, where have you been?” “I barely watch T.V.” He replies.
Calvin corrects her. “No Kim your wrong it was 130 your forgetting those three teens he killed last year.” “Oh yeah.”
Crystal interrupts. “I don’t think I want to hear this.” Tony pulls her close.
“Don’t worry I’m hear to protect you.” Calvin agrees. “Maybe she’s right this story is kind of freaky.” Brian throws more sticks into the fires. “How do you know so much about it?” Calvin takes a drink of his pop. “I got the case file off the internet.”
Tony is impatient. “Well then share.” “Okay.” Replies Calvin.
He slowly leans in. “One year ago Rachel Patterson was home alone, her parents were gone to a party and wouldn’t be home until late. So she decided to invite a few friends over to keep her company…”
Calvin’s voice starts to trail off into the wind.
CHAPTER TWO
It’s around 10:30pm in your average suburban neighborhood the street is quiet, it’s a cloudy night and very dark. Rachel is putting clothes away in her room while talking on the cordless phone to her friend Sara. “You guys better show up this time. Whatever. Yeah Chris And Mike should be here in a minute. Okay then see ya in a little bit. Buh bye.”
She hangs up the cordless grabs a pair of socks and heads downstairs puts the cordless on the charger and has a seat in a chair in the living room. She starts putting on her socks when looks up and stops cold, she has a frightened look on her face. As she notices somebody tall in a clown costume wearing a matching creepy clown mask sporting an unsettling smile, staring at her through the living room window. Terrified Rachel jumps up and dashes for the phone but when she gets to it there is a knock on the front door. She pauses for second petrified in fear then slowly makes her way to the front door. “Who is it?” She says in a quivering voice.
Chris’s muffled voice is heard through the door. “It’s us, Chris and Mike open up.”
Rachel gives a huge sigh of relief and opens the door quickly rushes them in. “What’s going on?” Chris says as he and Mike are rushed inside.
Rachel shuts the door locks all the locks and runs to the window shuts the curtains and peeks outside. “Did you see him?” Mike looks around.
“See who?” Rachel walks away from the window and starts pacing back and fourth franticly in the living room “The guy in the clown costume.”
Chris and Mike glare at her as if she’s on drugs then Chris puts his arm around Rachel. “See, Rachel I told you if your going to smoke by yourself don’t smoke so much.” Rachel is obviously upset pushes away from him. “No I’m serious there was somebody in the window.” “Wearing a clown costume.” Mike adds. “Yes.” She replies.
Chris and Mike walk over to the window and take a look outside and sees nothing Chris turns to her. “Well, we must have scared him off cuz’ I don’t see anyone.” “Me neither.” Mike says walking away from the window but Rachel is still convinced “I’m telling you he was right there.” Chris tries to reassure her. “Like I said we probably scared him off.” Rachel finally settles down a bit. “Yeah, maybe your right.” Chris walk back up to her. “Of course I’m right, so relax.” Rachel has a seat on the couch and takes a deep breath. “That was really creepy.” Mike shudders “I believe it, I hate clowns.” She puts on a comforted smile. “Good thing you guys are here cuz’ I’ll probably be freaking out by now.” Chris sits down next to her. “That’s what we’re here for to keep you calm and relax and I got just the thing to aid us in our journey to relaxation.”
Back at the woods Brian interrupts. “Man, this story is lame too.” Kim agrees. “He’s right it’s starting to sound like some cheesy 80s porn.”
Calvin is clearly irritated. “Thank you Ebert and Roeper, if you two would let me finish you would see it gets better so shut the hell up.”
There is silence. “As I was saying.”
Rachel, Chris, and Mike are sitting in the living room listening to music and smoking a blunt. Mike takes a hard hit then starts coughing and passes the blunt to Chris who is bobbing his head to the music, Mike looks really intense. “You know what guys I just thought of something.” Rachel giggles a little. “What?” “If Jimmy cracks corn and nobody cares, why does he keep doing it?” Chris and Rachel look at each other and then start laughing it is clearly obvious that the weed has taken effect, Chris then replies “You stupid, man.” Rachel sits back on the couch totally stress free now. “Thanks Chris that’s just what I needed I feel a whole lot better now.”
Chris passes the blunt to her. “No problem.” Rachel looks down and notices a small brown paper bag next to Mike. “What’s in the bag?”
Mike smiles really big “Oh, I brought some Zombie movies.” Chris quickly sits up. “Yeah I forgot about those, let’s watch’em.” Rachel get up hands the blunt to Chris and starts heading towards the kitchen. “Okay, let me pop some popcorn.”
Mike acts like she just said the greatest thing in the world. “Yeah that sounds good right about now.”
Chris passes the blunt to Mike. “When did Joe and Sara say they were coming?”
Rachel is in the kitchen opening up a bag of popcorn and putting it into the microwave. “Sara said that they should be here in an hour but there’s no telling with them two.” She sets the microwave and turns it on then walks back into the living room. “So we might as well start without them.” Mike concurs “Might as well.”
Just then the power goes out. Chris starts to get creep out. “Okay that just scared the shit out of me.” Rachel’s still calm. “It’s alright this happens all the time something is wrong with the fuse box.” “How do we fix it?” Mike quickly replies.
There is a pause for a minute while Chris and Mike Stew in the darkness then Rachel scares them when she suddenly turns on a flashlight right next to them. “We go down in the basement and see what’s wrong, here.”
She hands them both a flashlight and walks away, Chris shines the light in Mikes face. “You were scared.” He laughs at him and follows Rachel.
Mike stands in the darkness for a minute. “I saw you jump too.” then he runs behind them.
CHAPTER 3
The three of them are walking down the dark basement steps, the basement is dark, creepy and filled with dusty old boxes. Mike starts giggling to himself. “This is like a scene out of a horror movie when the killer is on the prowl in the dark toying with his victims. Chris doesn’t think that’s very funny. “Now why would you some shit like that for, if their is a killer around here I hope he kills yo’ ass first.” Mike responds. “Chill out, it was only a joke.” Chris steps over a few dusty old boxes. “Fine time to share it when we are wondering around in the dark.” They get to the fuse box through the maze of boxes, Rachel flips the switch but nothing happens. “Damn.” Mike gets a little concerned “Now what?” Rachel unscrews a fuse and looks at it. “It’s always this one, look around there should be a box of fuses around here somewhere.”
They start looking stepping over heaps of junk scattered about the basement floor. Chris looks around at all the junk. “Ya’ll sure do have a lot of stuff.”
Rachel slides some boxes out of her way. “It’s my parents they’re pack rats.” She looks around some more. “They might be upstairs somewhere.”
Chris comes from around some boxes stumbling. “Yeah maybe your right we should check upstairs.” He waves the flashlight and doesn’t see Mike.
“Mike.” Rachel shines the light over to where he is and catches him going through an old box. “Are you going through my dad’s old playboy’s?”
Mike tries to play it off. “No, I thought the fuses might have fell in one of these boxes.” Chris is totally not buying that. “Man, come on we’re going to look upstairs.” Mike presents another plan. “How about ya’ll go check upstairs and I’ll finish looking down here.” Chris and Rachel gives him a look of disbelief. “I’m serious we can cover more ground that way.”
Rachel rolls her eyes. “Whatever, hurry up and meet us upstairs.”
Chris shines the light in Mike’s eyes. “And don’t be messin’ around.”
Mike looks as if Chris hurt his feelings. “Alright.” Rachel and Chris walk away and as soon as they are out of sight Mike smiles and starts going through the box again.
Upstairs Rachel and Chris walk into the dark kitchen and start searching through the cabinets and drawers for the fuses Chris is getting frustrated.
“I can’t believe you don’t know where they are.” Rachel reassures him
“They’re somewhere around just keep looking.” When she opens the cabinet above her a half opened bottle of vegetable oil falls out and spills all over the front of her shirt and pants. “Damnmit!” Chris jumps a little. “What?” Rachel picks up the bottle off the floor. “I spilled oil all over me.”
Chris quickly turns around excited. “Hey, now its a party.” Rachel blows him off. “Whatever, can you please clean this up while I go change. There are paper towels on the counter.” Chris keeps trying. “Or I can help you change Im really good at doing that.” She smiles. “Oh, I bet you are but unlike the dolls you have at home I’m a real woman not sure if your ready for that.” She laughs and runs up stairs. “Whatever, you ain’t ready for this anyways.” He says to himself then starts cleaning up the oil when his cell phone rings he looks at it smiles then answers. “What’s up girl?”
Back in the basement Mike is sitting on some boxes flipping through old playboys with a gitty smile on his face. He hears a noise in the distance that startles him a bit so he shines his flashlight over there and see it’s nothing.
“You better quit playin’ Chris.” He looks again and sees nothing so he goes back to look at the playboy. Then an arm reaches out of the shadows grabbing him by the neck tightly and picks him up off the ground leaving his feet dangling. Mike is totally shocked and surprised as he stares at a tall muscular man dressed in a clown costume is squeezing the life out of him. He struggles franticly to get free but the Clowns grip is just too tight he can’t even yell from help. The Clown stares at Mike for a minute with his cold distant eyes piercing through his creepy clown mask fascinated by the look of terror on the boy’s face then with a twist of his wrist snaps Mike’s neck. The Clown then sits his body next to some old dusty boxes like he’s part of the collage of items time forgot and quietly walks away quietly.
In the kitchen Chris is finishing up in the kitchen while still on the phone totally into his conversation that he doesn’t even notice that the Clown is stand behind him watching as he works. Chris throws away the last paper towel then shouts upstairs to Rachel. “Hang on real quick. I don’t think their down here.”
Rachel is in the bathroom at the sink washing the oil off her with a wash clothe when she hears Chris and thinks a moment before answering. “They might be on of the shelves in the garage, why don’t you go check and I’ll be out in a minute.”
Chris is standing in the kitchen getting more irritated but the clown is no longer standing behind him, continues talking on the phone and heads out the back door to the garage.
Rachel is finishing up when she realizes she doesn’t have a towel to dry off with. She heads to the hall closet opens it and retrieves one. Rachel shuts the door close revealing the Clown standing right next to her but busy drying off she walks away into her room unaware. She finishes drying off then starts to change taking off her wet bra and pants, opens her dresser and puts on a pair of sweat pants and tank top. When she puts her head through her tank top she sees the Clown in her dresser mirror standing behind her with his knife raised in the air about to stab her. Rachel whips around and blocks its then knocks the knife out his hand countering with a combo, a punch in the face then a hard punch in the stomach followed by a knee in the face sending him stumbling back falling hard on his back. He’s not moving Rachel runs to her closet and grabs a baseball bat then slowly approaches the Clown pokes him a few time with it and he’s still not moving. She tries to step over him when he suddenly reaches up and grabs her foot causing her fall and hit her forehead on the corner of the wall leaving her dazed on the floor. The Clown gets up and instead of picking his knife he picks up the bat looks at it then looks her for a minute before repeatedly beating her in the head with the bat splattering blood all over leaving head busted open like a broken jar of strawberry preserves on the floor. The clown drops the bat picks up his knife and heads out of the room.
CHAPTER 4
Chris walks in and shuts the door behind him still irritated that he still can’t find the fuses starts for the kitchen but stops. He notices a big shoe print in red paint on the floor he laughs to himself. “Wow, somebody has a big ass foot.”
He puts his foot in the print then has a horrifying realization.
He has a flashback to Earlier Rachel is sitting in the chair putting on a pair of socks then looks up and notices the Clown standing outside staring at her through the open blinds.
Back to Chris standing there looking as if he’s seen a ghost shines his flashlight across the room to where the window is and now the blinds are closed putting it all together. “It was a reflection he was in the house the whole time, SHIT!” He takes off through the kitchen to find the others but slips and falls hard on his back it seems he did get up all the oil on the floor. Chris is stunned for a moment but gets up and search for his light which went out when he hit the floor, finds it tries to turn it on but it’s not working.
“Come on, don’t do this to me.” He taps it a few times the it cuts back on that’s when he notices a piece of paper taped to the wall in front of him and reads it. “Just in case there are extra fuses in the cabinet in the living room, love Dad.” He can’t believe what he just read. “Ain’t that a bitch.”
He turns to continue looking for the others when he is surprised by the Clown standing almost face to face with him stare at him with his cold dead eyes. Before he can say anything the Clown jabs his knife into Chris’s stomach causing him to cry out in pain grabs the Clown by the collar and whacks him in the face with his flashlight sending him stumbling back dropping his knife and falling on the ground. Chris is on his knees in extreme pain looks at the Clown who’s laying on the ground not moving, struggling Chris gets to his feet and makes his way to the front door. He looks back at the Clown but this time he sits up terrified Chris start moving faster to the door as the Clown gets up off the floor and picks up his bloody knife. Chris is almost at the door when he turn back one more time to see where the Clown is at but now he’s gone. Confused but still determine he gets to the door but when he opens it the Clown is standing right behind him and grabs him before he can open the screen and drags him back in the house shutting the door just as a blue SUV pulls into the driveway. It’s Sara and Joe arriving late as usual . Joe gets out the car and walks over to Sara staring at the house suspiciously “Did you see somebody in the door?” Sara is fixing her jacket
“No, I wasn’t paying attention.” Joe is starting to get aggravated. “Man, they better not be fuckin’ around they know I don’t like that shit.” Sara looks at him as if he’s being ridiculous. “Stop being such a fraidy cat and come on.” “Whatever.” Joe replies making their way to the door and see it’s slightly open with a little blood on it Joe starts to become more annoyed.
“See I knew they were going to try this shit.” Sara ignores him. “Just chill out.”
She pushes the door open revealing the darkness inside as they walk in.
Sara looks around. “Hello, we’re here.” The two make there way to the living room where they see Chris laying on the floor in the fetal position as they get closer they notice he’s cover in blood both run over to see if he’s ok. Sara sits his head up. “Oh my god, Chris are ok?” Chris is barely conscious Joe turns him over revealing his stab wound Joe instantly freaks out. “Aww man, who did this!” Chris starts mumbling something but they can barely hear him. Sara raises his head some more “What is it?”
Frustrated he grabs Joe and yells. “RUN, he’s still in the house!”
Sara then hears a noise behind them and turns around but before she can react she’s back slapped hard sending her across the room crashing into the wall then hitting then floor, she’s knocked out. Joe sees this and becomes enraged stands to face his attacker but the Clown quickly grabs him by the throat picks him up and choke slams him hard on the floor leave him dazed. The Clown looks back at Chris who is half unconscious unable to help his friend watches the Clown pull out his knife out and kneels down next to Joe’s body and starts stabbing him repeated, Joe kicks and squirms in agony for a minute then stop as blood starts to pool under his body. Chris then observes the Clown as he stands up and walks past him grabbing Sara’s unconscious body by the ankle and drags her into the next room as Chris slowly passes out.
CHAPTER 5
Back in the woods as Calvin is wrapping up the story everyone around the fire is hanging on his every word. Kim interrupts the brief silence. “What happen next?” Calvin continues. “Well, when Rachel’s parents got home they totally freak out.” “I bet that had to be crazy to come home to.” Crystal says as she cuddles close to Tony. Brian is totally drawn in by the story. “What happened to Chris and Sara?” Calvin stirs the fire a bit. “Chris was still alive but barely and Sara was found laid out on the dining room table naked.” Tony holds Crystal closer “What did he do to her?”
Calvin has a vacant look on his face. “Nobody knows all that the details they were never released all it said was that Chris and her was the only survivors and that their families moved far away.”
Kim who still wants to know more asks. “Why would they do that?”
“Because it was a very traumatic event and Ryan Feedman was never caught and still hasn’t been even till this day.” Calvin replies. “That’s creepy.” says Crystal then Calvin turns to her. “That’s not the creepy part, see nobody still can’t figure out how he got over their and why he went after those kids.”
Then Brian jumps in. “He’s was psychotic, he didn’t need a reason.”
“Yeah, but still the asylum was on the other side of town he had no car or any other means of transportation so that part will forever be a mystery.” Calvin says with a puzzling look on his face Crystal grins “That was a good story.”
Everyone else agrees then Kim looks her watch a see it’s getting pretty late.
“I gotta get outta here before it gets too late.” Brian agrees. “Yeah, me too I gotta get up early tomorrow.”
They all get up as Tony put out the fire and heads back to their cars lead by Calvin. As they are walking through the woods Calvin stops suddenly.
“Ya’ll every heard about the night creature that preys on teenagers in the woods at night.” Tony laughs a little. “Whatever man that’s just a bullshit story adults say to keep us out of the woods at night.” Calvin follows with.
“True but..”
Calvin turns around facing the others but he has changed into a creature with huge razor sharp fangs and claws with a demonic smile terrifying the others. “All story are based off some truth.”
Then he starts attacking the bunch, first he slashes Crystal across the neck tearing out her throat leaving her standing there gurgling blood before falling dead on the ground. Wasting no time he goes after Tony next who tries to defend himself takes a swing at Calvin but he catches his fist laughs a deep voice creepy laugh then breaks his forearm bad causing the bone to rip through the skin as Tony wails out in pain. Calvin then turns the pointy broken bone which is still attached to Tony’s body and stabs him deep in the chest with it silencing him with death. Brian and Kim get away franticly run through the woods but Kim trips and falls not breaking stride Brian leaves her behind hearing her cry and scream in the distance as Calvin attacks her. Then there is dead silence as Brian hides behind a tree he still doesn’t hear anything so he pokes his head from behind the tree to see if the coast is clear. All is seen is his head peeking from behind the tree then Calvin’s head peeks out from behind the same tree looking like his normal self. “I don’t see anything.” This startles Brian causing him to fall back and starts crawling backward pleading for his life as Calvin slowly start walking towards him while using one of Kim’s fingers as a tooth pick. Brian is pleading for his life. “Please don’t kill me I won’t tell anybody.”
Calvin stops. “You promise.” Brian promises. “Yes I swear. So you’ll let me life.”
Calvin thinks about it for a minute. “Nah.” Calvin dives on Brian tearing through him splattering blood all over the surrounding trees.
CHAPTER 6
It’s a chilly September night at vacant neighborhood park where Rachel, Chris, Mike, Sara, and Joe are sitting around a fire they made using a portable grill. Mike is wrapping up the night creature story but everyone else is unamused by the story.
“Then Calvin buried their remains in a shallow grave then he disappeared into the night never to be heard from again. Some say he travels from high school to high school looking for new prey.”
Joe is highly unimpressed. “Man, that shit was horrible, I’m kinda mad you had me came way out here to hear that.” Mike still think his story was awesome. “Whatever, don’t hate on a classic.” Chris looks very disappointed as well. “I think you should never tell that again.”
Chris gets up and puts out the fire and dumps out the wood and ash in the grill as the others are starting to make the way to their cars, Rachel walks up to Chris who’s behind carrying the grill. “You guys are still coming over with the movies right.”
Chris is excited. “Oh yeah me and Mike just have to make a pit stop to pick Mary Jane then we’ll be right over.” Rachel replies “Cool can’t wait.”
She sees Sara and Joe about to get into Joe’s blue SUV and shouts. “You guys still coming?” Joe shout’s back. “Yeah.” Rachel again. “Try not to come super late this time.”
Joe nods as Rachel and Chris walks up to the back of Rachel’s dad’s truck.
“I don’t even know why you said that you know their coming late.”
“I know.” She agrees Chris holds up the grill. “Where do you want me to put this?”
Rachel moves some stuff aside in the back. “Oh you can just toss that in back, but be careful my dad’s paint stuff is back there.” “Okay.” He places the grill on top of a black tarp then jumps in the car with Mike. Rachel gets in the truck but in the back a big red shoe slowly slides under the black tarp as Rachel drives away into the darkness to seal her fate.