Halloween Ghost Story Contest -- 2000
Middle School Winners

Second Place

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Our second place winner in the Middle School category is Tyler Polimeno, who attends the Belmonte Middle School in Saugus.

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The Crimson Tiger

by
Tyler Polimeno

Mr. Callow the Meridian Banks President is locking up late as usual. Hated by many for foreclosing on many homes, Mr. Callow is a widowed and selfish man. Many people of the tiny town of Graques, Minnesota believe he killed his wife in cold blood but he was not convicted.

Now being a very cheap man, Mr. Callow did not own a car. His house was only ten minutes away so he began on his nightly journey. Down Main Street Mr. Callow took a right down Henderson Avenue. A strange wind blew behind Mr. Callow. He turned to see what caused this sudden breeze on a very chilly and still night. Nothing, nothing was directly behind Mr. Callow but about fifty feet away, past Main Street on Maple Road he noticed a shadowy figure.

At first Mr. Callow thought nothing of this "shadowy" figure. But as he walked down Henderson he began to think who else was out this late. He checked his watch, half past eleven. He turned to observe the shadowy figure, it was only a mere twenty feet away from him and had gained quite a bit in the last fifteen seconds. Mr. Callow began to worry now, he had never seen someone walk the same way as him this late. Another ten seconds passed the figure now barely visible was only ten feet away. It seemed he was wearing all black and had massive arms and legs, he was also breathing very slowly (this he could tell by the mist that could be seen emitting from the shadow due to the coldness of the air around them).

Now on Preston Avenue, only a street away from his house Mr. Callow was sweating profusely and turn to see where the shadowy figure was. To his horror the shadowy figure was an arms length away from him. Mr. Callow, near fifty, could not take this anymore, he panicked and ran. For about ten seconds Mr. Callow ran as fast as he could then stopped abruptly for he could hear no footsteps behind him. Mr. Callow turned to see what was going on. Nothing, nothing was behind him. Beginning to think he hallucinated, Mr. Callow took a minute to relax. As he turned to continue his walk home Mr. Callow heard something drop behind him. Almost as soon as he heard the drop a sharp pain hit Mr. Callow. Dropping to his knees, Mr. Callow tried to scream in anguish but no sound came out of his mouth. In horror Mr. Callow look down to his chest to see a bloodstained metal object poking out of the upper half of his torso. In excruciating pain he watched it turn to one side then the other. As he watched the knife a sudden jerk make the knife disappear, and as if a dam had been removed from an already flooding river the blood came. And with it went life, Mr. Callow was beginning to black out and go to rest, when, as if electrocuted back to life Mr. Callow felt a new pain. It was as if in a slashing motion his back was being striped of it's skin as sharp, quick, deep cuts were being made. And then he felt a sudden pain in his arm as his hand was cut off. It was too much for Mr. Callow's body, and it simply gave up and went limp.

But the murder did not stop there. As if controlled by some evil spirit the shadowy figure, almost enraged his victim died so easily, continued to mutilate the body. Cutting off various pieces such as the ears, fingers, feet, hands, and even tongue. And then almost as calmly as he approached his victim the shadowy figure left the victim leaving only one clue, a blood soaked tiger stuffed animal. All done in total silence.

And so the killer had become the victim those five years ago. The indescribable crime scene shocked both the tiny town of Graques, Minnesota and the world. But what was done was just, that swine deserved what he got for the horrific murder of my mother Mrs. Callow Ha ha, yes! It was I, Samuel Callow, Mr. Callow's son who delivered the just punishment. And every Halloween I leave a Crimson Tiger on Preston Avenue where my father left his final stain on earth, his blood stain.

Continue to the 1^st place story

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