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Our first place winner in the Adult category is Kevin Lopes of Wakefield. He was also a winner in last year's contest and thus becomes our first ever repeat winner. He has had numerous stories published under the pen name "the Phantom". He first publically revealed the Phantom's identity at the Ghost Story Contest awards ceremony. |
No one really knows my macabre story of fear. If they had, many would shun and abuse me for this tale of horror. Others would have my frail corpse committed to the nearest mental facility. And those closest to my heart, would laugh in disbelief, camouflaging the fear writhing within their bodies and minds.
My name is Wilburt Alfonse Dungilbop and now as an old man, well before my years I am nearing the end of my tortured life.
I will tell this gruesome tale so others will not live the life of fear that has followed me like the chains of hell.
If you must, turn the page, leave the room, or burn these words of death; but remember this, If you walk the road of denial you will only be hiding from the real truth of the horrid night called Halloween.
My visit from Hell occurred many years ago when I was a young boy of ten years, I was what you would call a doubting bully. I would state my opinions and beliefs, and if anyone dared to disagree with me then I would pummel them into dust. If someone placed their views upon my shoulders, I would cast my shadow of doubt over their wayward statement. If the perpetrator persisted with their futile thoughts they would meet the same physical pain.
As a child, by now you can guess that I did not have many friends. I felt very comfortable with my solidarity because I believed all I needed were my views and my strength, I put all of my vices to work one Halloween night by wreaking the devil's havoc on the unsuspecting inhabitants of my neighborhood.
As All Hallows Eve approached this particular year, I was busy stocking up on the mischievous necessities to make this a ghoulish night for all. I placed two cans of shaving cream, one dogscrement bomb, and two dozen goose eggs into an old burlap sack.
Goose eggs were my preference because they were much larger than chicken eggs and easier to bombard the neighborhood houses and costumed candy beggars with.
As the sun was devoured by the night, and the moon cast its devilish light, I took my burlap sack full of Halloween misgivings and swung it over my shoulder.
My Halloween onslaught began by egging every house on Johnson Street. Then armed with foam guns of shaving cream I covered the local police and fire stations with white menthol graffiti.
Saving the supreme flaming dogscrement bomb for last, I visited the school Principal's house. I figured I would return his many kind visits to my dwelling with a nice gift of flaming doggy dung.
After the Principals flaming and defaming was over I noticed that I was running low on my weapons of Halloween. Jumping from some nearby bushes I accosted a little princess girl and her cowboy brother, grabbing their sack of hard-earned treats. Dashing for cover, I headed towards the church's graveyard.
The ancient burial ground was along the edge of the ocean at Rock Head bluff. During the light of day, I would climb the iron cemetery gate and sit by the shoreline of the bluff waiting to throw stones at passing fishing boats. I had never entered the old resting-place at night, but I was unafraid, believing even the dead were fearful of me.
I struggled to climb the ten-foot high rusted gates. As I reached the pointed barbs at the peak of the gate, I met face to face with a large golden gargoyle adorning the entrance. I laughed at the Gargoyle's disturbing face and stepped onto its monstrous golden head. I jumped from the iron monolith into a pile of moist leaves and brush below entering the cemetery.
Walking along the pathways I sampled the stolen candy treats, Bored with the walk to the bluff I began kicking over the gravestones of people that had been dead for many centuries.
Following the path to the ocean's edge I came upon an immense granite crypt covered with green ivy and moss, facing the bluff. I had never believed Halloween was the night when spirits celebrate and roam the earth instilling fear upon the living and disbelievers like myself. I laughed and declared to the dead that I was MR. HALLOWEEN. Feeling overcome with ghoulish power I booted the giant copper door open to the ancient crypt. I started covering the insides of the crypt with my last can of menthol shaving cream. As the cream sputtered then faltered I heard a moan arise from the bluff. Believing the moan must have been an injured harbor seal; I sat by a coffin that read Captain Johanson Martinsen, I offered the Captain some candy, of course the candies I disliked, but no response came from within the Captain's quarters. I cursed and exclaimed my displeasure to the Captain's coffin pronouncing that Halloween, ghosts, the dead, and all the stories of spirits and witches were just stories of the insane.
Looking into my sack of stolen treats I found there was a need for more sugar reinforcements, Bidding the Captain adieu I slammed the crypt door shut and watched it snap from its hinges and plummet to the earth.
Proud of my destructive accomplishment I kicked a few more head stones to the ground. As I walked toward the cemetery gate I turned and saw an eerie green fog arising from the bluff. The fog began to filter ashore and envelop the graveyard as the sound of the waves lapping the shore grew louder. The moans from the ocean, became more frequent, as the moon in the coal black sky seemed to turn up its wattage, lighting the graveyard with an angry orange light.
I headed quickly towards the iron exit laughing at the strange events. Scaling the rod-iron gate I looked to replenish my candy supply on the side of the living. When I reached the top of the gate I again mocked the gargoyle and danced upon his iron head.
Preparing to return to the side of the living a stranger moan followed by a painful shriek arose from within the graveyard. Startled I began my leap only to feel something wrap around my ankles in the frosty fall air. Hanging upside down I looked to find what had caught my feet. In my mind I thought I had lodged on the tines of the iron-gate, but shockingly that was not to be.
Wiping my eyes in amazement I viewed two large lizard like hands with horrendous claws crushing my ankles. Suddenly I released from the gate. I was now airborne flying away from the freedom of the living and returning into the depths of the dead. Looking skyward into the light of the angry moon I witnessed two huge bat-like wings rippled with large transparent cavernous veins. Flying over the graveyard I was certain this was my time to meet the harvester of death. As soon as I had taken to the October night the horrific flight ended and I was dropped in front of Captain Martinsen's crypt.
Slowly getting to my feet I viewed the horrific beast of death. The beast was the Gargoyle that had decorated the cemetery gate. The hideous monster had evil eyes of scarlet. The beast's mouth was filled with slime covered ivory that were shaped like the sharpest of daggers. The Gargoyle stood nine feet high and oozed frothing green sludge from its mouth and nostrils. An unbearable stench of rotting flesh emanated from this monstrous protector of the dead.
The Gargoyle snapped his large prehistoric tail and then dispersed an ear-piercing shriek that echoed throughout the graveyard. With its immense wings the messenger from Hell lifted off the ground and disappeared into the blackness of the night.
I convinced myself I was dreaming, blaming my hallucination on consuming a large amount of candy. I walked to the water's edge and bent down splashing the cold autumn seawater onto my face. I once again started laughing, doubting the appearance of the winged beast.
The salt water stinging my eyes I started wiping them feverishly with the sleeve of my sweater. As I regained my sight I saw a glowing green and white silhouette in the water. Suddenly a deep moan, then growl came from behind me. I quickly turned to face the ghost of Captain Johanson Martinsen.
The Captain growled once again then approached my shaking body. The captain's face was bony and drawn, He wore a suit of royal blue as his hair flowed well beyond his shoulders invading his stagian black eyes. In his day he must have been a stern seaman for his brow was large and protruding and his voice was harsh and extremely baritone. My knees shook and then buckled from fear. The dead sailor began to speak, "You my son have cursed the dead and now you shall bequeath your respect and suffer the fate of the dead for all eternity,"
I screamed like I never had before and quickly ran away from the Captain on whatever legs that fear had not taken. I fought the overgrown bushes and ran onto the graveyard pathway. Stopping to make sure of my footing I frightfully realized the earth was seething and moving. The ground began to heave and swell spewing dirt and death into the Halloween air. As I tried to make it to the freedom of the graveyard gate, spirits and ghouls arose from their earthen tombs. The horrific residents of hell were flailing their rotted appendages trying to rip the soul from my body. I kept moving toward the gate dodging their hellish grasp. I knew what they wanted was to claim my soul and I was going to do anything to avoid the taking of my eternal existence, I passed all the fallen gravestones and could almost see the iron-gate through the thick green fog.
Suddenly when freedom was just a few steps and one giant leap away, the Captain of the crypt floated out of the thick fog and into my path of freedom.
I turned to run towards the water but the demons of death had followed my valiant attempt for life. I was surrounded by death and prepared myself for a meeting with the horned man of hell. The Captain spoke once again, "It is time to finish the task of the dead". The ghosts and ghouls surrounded my weak, tired soon to be corpse as the Captain raised his frail arms. Lightning shot through the still blackness of the night a nd pierced the earth of the burial ground. All the gravestones that had met my disrespectful display of karate returned like soldiers to a position of attention, My eyes filled with tears as the Captain declared, "On All Hallows Eve for the rest of your horrid life you shall show your respect for the dead. Wherever you hide the spirits will descend upon you and deliver you to my crypt. The only element that will save your soul is your visit each Halloween Eve to show your respect for the departed. I have spoken what will and shall be hence this night forth."
With that the hideous Gargoyle once again appeared breaking through the darkness of that Halloween night. The beast from hell swept down upon me, picking up my shaking corpse and placing me upon the top of the iron-gate. I looked as the devil's messenger vanished before me.
I frightfully looked to my feet and I was again standing on the golden gargoyle adornment at the top of the cemetery gate. I turned around to see the spirits and ghouls returning to their eternal resting-places. The Captain floated towards Rock Heads bluff turning slightly to remind me of the Halloween curse he had put upon my soul. The green fog retreated and was swallowed up by the ocean mist as I hurriedly leapt to the side of the living.
Many Halloweens have since past and I have suffered the fear each and every year of the horrific return to the graveyard. I have tried to hide in obscure villages and on deserted islands around the world, but the messengers of death return every Halloween and carry me back within the iron gates of death.
Serving the dead for more than thirty years I am now dying. Aged and withered well before my golden years my fear has reached its devilish peak. In a matter of a few hours I will have left this earth and entered the realm of the dead. My soul will become the evil property of the Captain and the evil tenants of the graveyard.
So as my last minutes pass heed my warning respect the holiday of the dead, Halloween is the night that the dead celebrate and spirits wander the earth. So believe, for if you doubt and disrespect those that have departed you may just hear the same ominous sound of large wings moving in the cold October night. Have a Happy and Respectful Halloween and of course enjoy your candy but please leave some for the dead.
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