0:20

Hey, y'all. Welcome to Blurry

0:21

photos. I'm your host, David

0:23

Flora. I have the eleventh

0:26

edition of ghost stories here for

0:28

you. For this year's

0:36

It's an exciting addition because I have

0:38

a couple original tales, including

0:40

one from author and fan of the show, Val

0:43

Birkich. So

0:44

there's only a couple that's go around,

0:46

but they're meaty, and they're a good

0:48

time. Before I jump into

0:50

the stories, I'll update you with a little

0:52

news and I have couple shout outs.

0:54

Firstly, I wanted to get a deep

0:56

dive episode out this month. for

0:59

Photober, but

1:00

I have been slammed and have

1:02

only just finished the research for it.

1:04

I read two books for it. There's

1:06

lots of note taking and I just wanna

1:08

make sure I get stuff right. That's why it's taken a long

1:10

time to bake. I

1:11

also think one to two weeks

1:13

in November never actually happened,

1:16

so it's like we skipped from November

1:18

first to November fifteenth or something.

1:21

There hasn't been a November But

1:23

anyway, I'm writing that episode

1:25

now and I feel confident I can get something together

1:27

for December, although part of the reason

1:30

I've been busy is that I'm preparing for

1:32

trip across the pond. I'm

1:34

hoping to do a little work while overseas,

1:37

but Anne and I will be taking a vacation

1:39

for a while, so I'll see what I can do.

1:41

Part

1:42

of the trip though is gonna be for

1:44

researching a book I'd like to put together,

1:46

so I'm optimistic I can get an

1:48

episode together at some point anyway.

1:50

That

1:51

one's still being worked on. But good

1:53

news, on the film front,

1:55

we have a final cut done and

1:57

postproduction is wrapped.

2:00

I think Derek and I are happy with what

2:02

we were able to put together, and we're excited

2:04

to show you guys. So now we just have

2:07

to wait just a little bit

2:09

longer until it's sold for distribution.

2:11

And neither of us have any idea

2:14

how long that will unfortunately.

2:16

but

2:16

there is a light at the end of this tunnel. And

2:19

this project is tantalizingly close

2:21

to being fully realized.

2:23

Trust me, I am just as annoyed

2:26

at how long it's taken as you guys are.

2:28

But

2:28

we will all get to see it

2:31

very soon.

2:33

I have a couple shout outs for folks who have

2:35

written in lately, and I appreciate hearing

2:37

from Squatch. Andy

2:39

and William

2:41

and Dustin. And to

2:43

Adam, I believe you were looking

2:45

for an episode about chronology theory

2:48

And if it's the one you're thinking of, try

2:50

episode two thirteen Phantom

2:53

Time. If

2:54

that's not the correct one, I'm not sure which

2:56

one you might be thinking of. To

2:58

Jason,

2:59

you were wondering how I organize

3:01

future episodes. I try to come

3:03

up with a list of topics I wanna cover

3:05

and then tackle them one at a time.

3:08

But

3:08

sometimes, I have to call an audible

3:10

and switch up topics or release schedule

3:13

as exemplified by this episode coming

3:15

out a month late and before

3:17

the deep dive episode. I was

3:19

hoping I could get that out before this one

3:22

and have not been able to So

3:24

I'd say have a plan, but

3:27

be ready to roll with the punches. One

3:29

more quick thing, I have a new audiobook

3:31

out. it me volume

3:33

one by Tom Lyons is

3:35

now available, and I'm also working on

3:37

volumes two and three currently. And

3:40

Tom and I are in talks

3:42

to produce a series of short stories

3:44

together as well. So

3:46

I might have a short volume

3:49

of short stories published in the near

3:51

future, which, you know, that's pretty

3:53

exciting. Anyway, that's

3:55

what's going on lately. With

3:57

the business concluded, let

3:59

us get to the eleventh edition of

4:02

Go Stories. enjoy.

4:11

the scrounger.

4:16

Jess awoke with a smile on her face.

4:19

She felt Paul's arm around her holding

4:21

her snugly while they both lay in bed,

4:23

sunlight rolling into the window and

4:25

over the mess of blankets and intertwined

4:27

limbs. It was

4:28

the aftermath of weeks of graceless,

4:31

flirting, cautious dating, and

4:33

undeniable tension, and

4:36

it was glorious.

4:38

She slid out from under his arm and

4:40

dreamily made her way to the bathroom. Although

4:43

she'd been to Paul's house several times,

4:45

This was the first time spending the night,

4:48

and she couldn't help it smile wider as

4:50

she traversed a new path from bedroom

4:53

to bathroom. After

4:55

taking care of necessities, she decided to

4:57

brush her teeth with no small part of

4:59

her hoping the fun of the night before might

5:01

spill into the morning as well. Orthoth

5:04

had been on her side the day before when

5:06

she had brought an overnight bag just in case,

5:09

and she reached for the toothbrush she had carefully

5:11

placed on the sink not eight hours

5:13

ago. Her smile

5:15

was joined by a frown, however,

5:17

as the toothbrush wasn't there.

5:20

One of them must have accidentally knocked it off the

5:22

sink she thought and she bent down

5:24

looking beside the sink cabinet and all around

5:26

the floor. Coming

5:28

up empty, she opened her overnight

5:30

bag and sifted through the contents, but

5:32

again, had

5:33

no luck. Did I

5:35

forget it? She asked herself

5:37

thoroughly confused now? No.

5:40

She definitely used it last night when they got

5:42

home. Sure. Some alcohol

5:44

was involved, but she absolutely remembered

5:47

brushing her teeth before joining Paul in the

5:49

bedroom. and she had

5:51

a memory of laying the brush beside

5:53

her bag when finished.

5:56

The sudden sound snapped her back to the present

5:58

moment sharply. she

5:59

spun around to face the door, heart

6:02

thumping at the break in concentration. She

6:04

opened it to see Paul leaning against

6:06

the door jam, smiling coily

6:08

at her, Good

6:09

morning. He

6:11

said sleepily. Morning.

6:13

She

6:14

said the smile returning to her face says

6:16

her heart relaxed a bit. All

6:19

took her chin in his fingertips and

6:21

gently moved her close to kiss her.

6:23

Toothbrush be damned she thought and

6:25

gave in to the moment. Later

6:28

that morning, she was eating cereal at the

6:30

kitchen table while Paul was working on

6:32

making a cup of coffee at the counter when

6:34

the brush popped back into her thoughts.

6:37

Hey, did you move my toothbrush last

6:40

night? She asked,

6:42

no, I didn't even realize you brought

6:44

one. you

6:45

responded. Yeah. It's

6:47

so weird. I'm sure I brushed my

6:49

teeth last night, but now I can't find my

6:51

brush anywhere. Haul

6:54

replied with what seemed to be a mixture of

6:56

disinterest and unconcern. I'll

6:59

just I'll look forward when I

7:01

get home. She said again losing

7:03

herself to memory and thought. Just

7:06

left in high spirits, going about her

7:08

day amidst the glow of a blooming relationship.

7:11

Paul called her that afternoon, and the two had

7:13

no trouble making plans for another night

7:15

together. As

7:17

she was leaving, she remembered her toothbrush,

7:19

and stepped into her bathroom to grab it.

7:22

However, she was met with an

7:24

empty toothbrush holder. Okay.

7:26

She said, out loud

7:28

her mind turning as to where the elusive

7:30

brush might have gone. She

7:32

spent a solid five minutes looking everywhere

7:34

in her bathroom, her overnight bag, her

7:36

cabinets, she even rippled to her coat pockets

7:39

just in case.

7:40

Nothing. Is

7:42

it time for a new brush?

7:44

She said as she slipped her coat on, dawned

7:47

to pair sunglasses, and headed towards

7:49

her car. Jess was able to

7:51

grab a brush on her way to pause, and the two

7:53

spent another amazing night together. The

7:55

next morning played out similarly except

7:57

this time her brush was right where

7:59

she left it

7:59

on the sink. At

8:02

breakfast, Paul asked if she wanted to

8:04

go for a walk in the park. With an

8:06

enthusiastic guess, she

8:08

ran to the table where her purse set as

8:10

Paul began getting his shoes on. Jess

8:13

reached into a purse to find her sunglasses,

8:15

but couldn't feel the hard shell

8:17

case that should have been on top.

8:20

She opened the purse wide, sorted

8:22

through the contents, but could not find

8:24

the glasses at all. Frowling,

8:27

she paused as Paul walked up. Ready?

8:31

He asked. Paul did you?

8:34

Have you seen my sunglasses? She

8:36

hesitantly asked, sunglasses?

8:40

No.

8:40

I don't think so. He

8:42

answered.

8:42

just

8:44

started feeling a little frustrated.

8:47

You sure you didn't move them or

8:49

take them out of my purse? She asked

8:51

edging on an accusatory tone.

8:53

Why would I do that? He responded

8:55

seeming genuinely confused?

8:57

No. It's I mean,

8:59

I'm not saying It's just

9:02

my my toothbrush disappeared last

9:04

night and now my glasses.

9:06

She said now more puzzled than

9:08

upset. Hey, Evans do

9:10

the best of us. Paul

9:11

said putting an arm around her shoulders. I

9:14

was trying

9:14

to stuff all the time. I'm

9:17

constantly buying little things like that. I'm

9:19

so scatter brained. I

9:21

misplaced things. Forget where I put

9:23

stuff, lose whole items,

9:25

blankets, vases, contact

9:28

solution. That's so forgetful.

9:30

He chuckled. Right?

9:32

She replied somewhat skeptically.

9:35

Look, it's no big deal. He said,

9:37

take this box of crackers. Paul

9:39

grabbed the box from the counter. I made

9:41

a bowl of leftover chili for lunch and

9:43

I was a little embarrassingly excited

9:45

to eat it with these, but when I

9:47

open up the box, I

9:49

had forgotten I must have eaten them already.

9:52

Talk

9:52

about disappointing. Thanks

9:54

a lot, me from the past. You could have at

9:56

least thrown the box away. She

9:58

has smiled at his self deprecating

10:01

humor, but still couldn't take her

10:03

mind off the sunglasses. She

10:05

distinctly remembered wearing them in the

10:07

night before and sticking the case in

10:09

her purse for settling in for a fun evening of

10:11

movies and make outs. Maybe they're

10:13

in

10:13

your car, Paul offered. I

10:16

doubt it. She said disappointingly,

10:19

but she left it at that. And

10:21

after checking her car thoroughly, the two went

10:23

to the park and she was able to take her mind

10:25

off things and enjoy the moment. After

10:28

another lovely day, the two went to bed

10:30

and sunglasses and toothbrushes were the

10:32

last things on her mind. Jess

10:35

awoke in a bit of a haze. It

10:37

was still dark out, and she fumbled

10:39

on the bedside table for her phone.

10:41

The screen lit up harshly showing the time as

10:43

three thirty two AM. Why

10:46

was she awake she thought,

10:48

grimacing from the assault of light on

10:50

her eyes?

10:51

Her

10:54

eyes popped open. That

10:56

was what had awakened her. with

10:58

some

10:58

kind of scratching sound.

11:02

She laid there eyes wide as the

11:04

phone screen shut off and the bedroom was once

11:06

again dark. It had been

11:08

a scratching sound, yes,

11:10

something

11:11

unnatural, no house settling, no

11:14

movement from pole, Everything

11:16

was still, and she started

11:18

to relax once more, hoping she

11:20

had just imagined the sound.

11:23

Her

11:25

eyes popped open again. Nope.

11:28

No

11:28

imagining something made a

11:31

scratching sound. It

11:32

was like, metal

11:33

on wood or maybe like a

11:36

drawer that sticks when trying to open

11:38

it. She nudged

11:40

all

11:40

Paul. Paul.

11:42

ah She

11:43

ised. You

11:44

grunted. Something's

11:47

going on. I hear a

11:48

scratching sound. she

11:50

whispered. Mhmm.

11:52

He

11:53

grunted again. Probably

11:56

tree.

11:56

Scratch her house. Here

11:59

it happens

11:59

sometimes. He

12:02

groggling mumbled.

12:05

There it is. She

12:06

whispered through clenched teeth. It

12:09

sounded like it was everywhere and she

12:11

was wide awake and terrified.

12:15

Paul grunted. He was absolutely

12:17

no use.

12:19

This one

12:22

was definitely not wood scratching sound,

12:24

more like a blanket being

12:26

pulled through an almost closed window.

12:29

Jess sat up staring at the

12:31

bedroom door. Her mind

12:33

raced but as terrified as she was,

12:35

she also knew it would not or if she didn't

12:37

figure out what was causing these sounds.

12:40

And she was no shrinking violet.

12:42

She slowly got out of bed, picked up

12:44

her phone, and turned the flashlight on,

12:46

and made her way silently to

12:48

the door. She

12:49

twisted the door knob and cracked the

12:51

door open as quietly as she could.

13:04

She was sure now it was coming from

13:06

the kitchen. Covering the

13:09

light on the phone to maximize her stealth,

13:11

she crept along the hallway

13:13

slowly,

13:13

deliberately.

13:14

The

13:18

sound had turned oddly

13:20

squishy, but suddenly stopped

13:22

as did Jess. silence

13:25

as if the whole world had frozen in

13:27

time. What felt

13:29

like the age of the world doubling just

13:31

stood in the dark hallway are

13:33

hard almost betraying the noiseless

13:36

moment from beating so hard.

13:38

Then suddenly,

13:39

Just

13:42

sprinted the final few steps down the hall

13:44

and turning the corner, she let loose the light

13:46

from the phone dazzling the kitchen as

13:48

if casting a spell to repulse the darkness

13:51

and the mystery at hand. Movement

13:53

caught her eye. A shadow

13:56

slinking beside the counter and around the

13:58

corner of the little kitchen island in the middle of

14:00

the room.

14:02

Eyes wide, hard pumping just

14:05

stepped farther into the kitchen and

14:07

shown the light on the other side of the island.

14:10

Nothing was there. After

14:12

a beat of realization, she stepped back to

14:14

her previous spot and shown the light

14:16

where she had seen the sizable shadow

14:18

slipping around the corner. Nothing.

14:22

Paul. She called out fumbling

14:24

for the wall light switch. She

14:26

managed to find it and flip it as Paul

14:28

bumbled out of the bedroom in a days. What's

14:31

going on? He asked,

14:34

eyes fixed in burning with readiness.

14:37

She said, Something's in the kitchen.

14:39

Wake up and get in here. Hall

14:41

walked with a bit more wakefulness to stand beside

14:43

her and surveyed the room. He

14:45

saw

14:45

everything looking normal, save

14:48

one jar of peanut butter with the lid off

14:50

and lying next to it.

14:52

you wanted a

14:55

midnight snack? He asked

14:57

confusingly. Paul something

14:59

was in here and it went around the island

15:01

there. Jess said, pointing at the spot she had

15:03

last seen it. Paul began to

15:05

walk toward the spot when she grabbed

15:07

his arm stopping him. You

15:09

looked at her as she pointed at the knives in a small

15:11

butcher block. He nodded

15:13

sliding one out and

15:15

resumed his walk towards the end of the island.

15:18

She could see his hand with the knife

15:20

quivering ever so slightly, but

15:22

appreciated his willingness to investigate.

15:25

He paused at the corner of the island, then

15:28

stepped around holding the knife out before

15:30

him. Jess watched as

15:32

his stiffed with anticipation,

15:34

relaxed

15:34

a bit. He walked

15:37

around the end of the island circling it

15:39

before joining her again. There's

15:41

nothing there. He said, Just

15:43

grab the knife of her own and retrace his

15:46

path. Indeed, there was

15:48

nothing at the end of the counter, nothing under the

15:50

table, nothing in the kitchen, but

15:52

then. Maybe

15:53

a bad dream. Paul

15:56

asked returning the knife to the block.

15:58

You

15:58

sleep walk

15:59

much? No.

16:01

Just said firmly. I

16:03

don't mind

16:03

you sneaking some peanut butter, but

16:06

maybe next time use a spoon,

16:08

He said showing her obvious

16:10

finger marks in the peanut butter itself

16:12

before screwing the lid back on.

16:15

I

16:15

didn't do that.

16:17

She said, fear once again tinging her

16:19

voice. Well,

16:21

this is weird and all, but

16:23

how about we just go back to bed?

16:25

Paul said as he made his way back to the bedroom,

16:27

Jess returned

16:28

her knife, gave one last

16:30

look to the island, and turned the light

16:32

off before joining Paul in the

16:34

bedroom. All settled

16:36

in and almost immediately passed out,

16:38

but Jess could not relax. Her

16:40

body was filled with adrenaline

16:42

and fear. and she sat in the

16:44

dark, her mind smoldering with what she had

16:46

just experienced. Soon

16:48

it was light out, and Paul awoke to

16:50

find her still sitting upright, chewing

16:53

your fingernails.

16:55

Hey, he said gently.

16:57

It's alright. We checked it

16:59

out. It was nothing. Don't worry

17:01

about it. he hugged her and kissed

17:03

her forehead. I'm gonna take

17:04

a shower, Arun. Jess'

17:07

head barely nodded as he got up and

17:09

made his way to the bathroom. When

17:11

the bedroom door closed, her eyes snapped to it,

17:13

a new thought suddenly forming in her

17:16

mind. She got out of bed

17:18

and went to the kitchen, eyeing

17:20

the end of the island. With

17:22

the

17:22

look of curiosity and determination,

17:25

she nudged the wood at the end

17:27

of the island. The

17:30

wood was loose, like a

17:32

panel that didn't fit bright.

17:34

She

17:34

knelt down and took the sides of the end

17:36

panel in her hands, and

17:39

side almost too

17:41

easily. Heart thumping

17:43

and mind burning. just

17:46

took her phone flashlight and shined it

17:48

at what laid behind the panel. Half

17:50

the space was taken up with

17:52

pots and pans beside a back wall

17:54

of cabinet space. But on the other side,

17:56

maybe a foot wide

17:59

was a

17:59

cavity, empty cabinet

18:01

space with no floor.

18:04

Instead, an earthy hole

18:06

dropped about three feet down, leading

18:08

to a small tunnel dug beneath

18:11

the floorboards. From the

18:13

angle she could shine the light on

18:15

just saw that the tunnel ran farther under

18:17

the house. She

18:19

followed the direction it went with her eyes, tracing a

18:22

path up to a coke closet in the

18:24

hall. Scared

18:26

but needing answers.

18:29

just

18:29

opened the closet and turned the light on.

18:32

Hall's coats cluttered the

18:34

space as did numerous shoes and boots on

18:36

the floor. Tearing the

18:38

coats and shoes out in a frenzy, she

18:40

stared at the back wall of the closet for

18:42

a second until her eyes came to rest on

18:44

an outline in the wood.

18:46

She nudged it with her foot

18:48

and gasped as it gave and

18:50

moved with each poke.

18:53

Almost angry now, she nudged it

18:55

hard and the panel rebounded with

18:57

the force falling open in front of her.

19:00

A stench billowed out

19:02

from the small opening in the

19:04

closet. causing just to gag and put

19:06

her shirt over her nose.

19:08

A smell of rancid meat,

19:10

decay,

19:11

ammonia and a host of other

19:14

foul synths assaulted her

19:16

senses as she held her phone light up to

19:18

the hole. A small

19:19

tunnel of insulation extended a couple

19:22

feet before opening up into a bigger

19:24

cavity.

19:25

A dead space between walls and rooms was

19:28

illuminated by the small light,

19:30

with a few other tunnels

19:33

leading off. and just could

19:35

see several things inside. Some

19:38

shredded blankets and newspapers were

19:40

coiled in a corner looking like a dirty

19:42

worn nest. Object

19:45

were strewn around carelessly,

19:47

a

19:47

broken light bulb,

19:49

crumbs, Small bones,

19:51

a cracked vase. And then

19:53

the light fell on two things that

19:55

made her heart leap into her throat.

19:58

a toothbrush and a glass's

20:00

case, her

20:02

toothbrush and glass's case.

20:05

she

20:05

staggered back in shock and

20:08

horror, dropping

20:09

her phone in the process and leaning

20:11

against the corner of a hall and

20:13

kitchen. Suddenly, she felt the

20:15

strangest sensation, an

20:18

unmistakable feeling of being watched. She

20:21

slowly

20:21

turned toward the end of the kitchen

20:23

island, There,

20:25

leaning

20:25

out from the corner of the island, stood

20:30

something staring back at her She

20:33

looked directly into its milky white

20:35

eyes and got a sense of

20:37

the thing in her peripheral. It

20:39

was about four feet tall, all dark

20:42

from dirt or maybe black and

20:44

skin. It had fur

20:46

or maybe extremely

20:48

tattered and filthy clothing. Its

20:51

fingers were gnarled and ended in

20:53

sharp nails. Though she

20:55

couldn't tell if it had five or

20:57

four fingers, The eyes

20:59

were slightly bigger than normal eyes,

21:01

but

21:01

not cartoonish. And the

21:03

face was almost too dirty

21:06

and maybe hairy to tell many

21:08

features. It looked simultaneously

21:10

like a nodded, distorted

21:12

old man and a wrinkled

21:15

deformed beast. Jesse

21:18

inhaled and let out a blood

21:20

curdling scream. The

21:22

thing flinched and shrunk a

21:24

bit behind the end of the island. Jess

21:26

picked up the closest thing she could, a winter

21:28

boot, and hurled it at the theme

21:30

with force. It barely dodged the

21:32

boot and scrambled to the kitchen.

21:34

as just picked up more shoes and hurled

21:37

them. The thing moved oddly

21:39

fast and made it to the back door

21:41

flinging it open awkwardly in shoes

21:43

ricochet off the wall around

21:45

it. It shot out the door and

21:47

bounded down the steps as Jess

21:49

ran to the door in morbid curiosity.

21:51

She watched it move swiftly and

21:54

disappear into the wood line at the edge of

21:56

the backyard.

21:58

Jess broke up with Paul soon

22:01

after and never

22:03

slept quite so well from then

22:05

on. Paul

22:05

sold the house and moved to

22:08

another town. neither

22:10

had anything go missing from their homes

22:13

again. ghost

22:26

train by Valentine

22:29

j brokerage.

22:51

I don't

22:55

like to talk about it much. It took

22:57

me years before I could even sleep

22:59

the whole night through. heck

23:01

even now, sometimes I wake up from some god awful

23:04

nightmare in a cold sweat. Not

23:06

sure where I'm at. but

23:08

I guess I'll never really

23:11

forget it completely. I

23:13

mean, who

23:14

could ever forget something

23:17

like that? We set out

23:19

early that morning because we knew we

23:21

had a ways to go. We wanted to get

23:23

on the trail as soon as possible before

23:25

it got too hot. Of course,

23:27

when you're trying to move a group of people like that,

23:30

it's never easy. We had to

23:32

stop so many times for shit

23:34

we forgot. heck it was mid afternoon

23:36

before we actually got going. A

23:38

trail head

23:38

sat right smack in the middle of

23:41

Hoopeyville USA. I never

23:43

seen such

23:43

a rundown, shantytown, and

23:45

all my life. I didn't think

23:47

people still live like that.

23:50

Road leading down to the trail was so dry

23:52

and dusty. It was hard to see where you were

23:54

going. And the smell god.

23:57

The smell was so bad your

23:59

eyes watered. Smelt like a deer

24:01

that's been rotting along the side of the road

24:03

for days in the hot summer sun.

24:05

The bugs

24:06

shirt in mind though. they

24:08

were more than happy to to set the trail.

24:10

I remember I was

24:12

getting my bike ready, you know, checking

24:14

the tires, the brakes, whatnot.

24:16

When I noticed this ragged old man sitting

24:18

on his front porch watching us,

24:20

for some reason he was waving his

24:22

hand at us, At first, I

24:24

thought he was just been friendly, so I waved

24:27

back. But then I realized he was trying to get

24:29

us to come over. Hey,

24:31

Joe. I said pointing to the old

24:34

man. Let's go

24:35

see what this guy wants. Joe

24:38

frowned. Probably just wants

24:40

some money or something. Look at

24:42

his house. A piece of

24:43

shit doesn't even have any windows or anything.

24:46

I could see what

24:46

Joe was talking about. Run

24:49

down old shack looked like it could collapse at

24:51

any minute. Windows

24:52

were missing singles were falling off

24:54

the roof and the gutters had grass and

24:56

weeds growing from them. It was

24:58

hard to imagine anyone actually living

25:00

in such a place. but

25:03

the old man didn't seem to mind,

25:05

either that or he didn't care. So

25:08

against our better judgment, We left

25:10

our

25:10

bikes with the others and made our way over to the

25:12

old man. I didn't

25:14

realize just how decrepit he was until

25:16

we got up to the porch.

25:18

This guy wasn't old.

25:21

He was ancient. His

25:23

entire face was one big wrinkle

25:25

shaded beneath the brim of his dusty old

25:27

ball cap. I

25:28

could barely read it. It was so filthy, but I was

25:30

able to make out the words Chesapeake

25:32

and Ohio Railroad. The

25:36

trail we were about to ride was a part of

25:38

this old rail line that had last been

25:40

used in the nineteen thirties. After

25:43

years of lying idle, the tracks were finally

25:45

torn out in the early nineteen eighties. After

25:47

that, it

25:48

was converted to a bike trail as

25:50

part of

25:50

the state's rails to trails

25:53

program. The old man didn't say

25:55

anything at first. He just stared at

25:57

Joe and me, a broad

25:58

smile on his wrinkled

25:59

face as if he was reading our

26:02

minds. After an

26:04

uncomfortable moment, I decided to ask him

26:06

what I wanted. We help you

26:09

with something. We were just about to

26:11

head out on the trail. We're not

26:13

trespassing, are we? We were

26:15

told this was a trailhead.

26:17

There's a trailhead. Alright.

26:20

He

26:20

said, has an smile grow on his face. Revour

26:23

you and just pack up and

26:26

head back where you come from.

26:30

Joe

26:30

looked over at me confused.

26:32

But how

26:32

was this guy to tell us to pack up and

26:35

leave? This

26:35

was state property.

26:38

excuse me? I asked before Joe could

26:40

say anything. You heard

26:41

me. I

26:43

said, fire you. I

26:45

just turn around and go home. You're

26:48

not

26:48

wanted here. This

26:51

time, Joe

26:51

jumped in before I could respond.

26:54

not

26:54

wanted here, he

26:57

said, well,

26:57

who the hell asked you?

27:00

Gasmeets, know your goddamn business.

27:02

The old man

27:02

wasn't moved. He just

27:05

continued

27:05

to grin and stare back at us from his

27:07

rickety old chair. Wow,

27:10

Mike, said, Joe, let's get going. We're

27:11

burning daylight talking to this old

27:14

fart. I didn't know what

27:15

to say. both confused and

27:18

annoyed by the old man's words. I

27:20

just figured he was old

27:23

and bitter. and I just

27:25

decided to let him be as we turned back

27:27

toward the trail. Lance

27:29

was waiting for us back with the others.

27:32

Hey, He said, what that

27:34

guy one won? Oh,

27:36

nothing. I replied. He's

27:38

just crazy or something.

27:40

He's just pissed because he lives in a piece of shit excuse

27:42

for a house. Joe

27:44

yelled

27:44

out, but the old man didn't seem

27:46

to hear or care.

27:49

Leave

27:49

him alone, Joe. Joe's wife, Natalie,

27:52

didn't care for his comments. You

27:54

wait till a year old, he'll be just as

27:56

mean non res him. There

27:58

were nine of us altogether. Me and

28:00

my wife Marie, Joe and Natalie,

28:02

my friends Lance and Nate,

28:04

Joe's friends, Amy and Nancy,

28:07

and last, certainly not

28:09

least, Joe's little brother John.

28:11

There was nothing little about

28:14

John, however, been the youngest one in

28:16

our group, but he was also the

28:18

biggest. Still just a

28:20

teenager, John was already well over six

28:22

foot and howard above his

28:24

older brother. Joe was no

28:26

slouch himself at six foot even, but he

28:28

even looked miniature in John's shadow.

28:30

After we pissed around for a while checking

28:32

our bikes and basically just wasting

28:35

time. We finally

28:35

started down the trail around

28:37

mid afternoon. That's when

28:39

we heard the first

28:42

whistle.

28:42

somewhere far

28:46

off in the distance behind us.

28:48

The distinctive sound of a

28:50

train whistle broke the calm of the summer

28:52

afternoon. Lance was the first to

28:54

say something. What the hell was

28:57

that? Sounded like a train

28:59

whistle. Said

28:59

Marie? Yeah. But

29:01

That's

29:02

impossible. This line went out of commission room

29:04

almost fifty years ago, hecked the

29:06

rails in right back there in those jackers.

29:09

Nate

29:09

jumped in. Maybe there's another rail

29:12

line across the river? Nuh-uh.

29:14

Said

29:14

Joe, you know what it was? It's

29:17

probably just an old steam whistle from a

29:19

factory or something. Industry

29:21

round here hadn't changed since the

29:23

depression, you know. Yeah.replied

29:26

Lance. And neither had the

29:28

houses, we

29:28

all left. Alright.

29:30

Joe said,

29:31

I was hit the trail. We're burning

29:34

daylight. And with that, we

29:34

were off. I

29:37

just wish we had listened to

29:39

that old man, then

29:41

none of this would have

29:44

happened.

29:44

It was

29:48

pretty humid that day, just

29:49

like most days in late August,

29:52

I guess. The

29:53

heat was rising off the trail in waves,

29:55

and it drew the bugs out and droves.

29:58

You had to be careful to keep your mouth

30:00

riding or you get a mouthful of mosquitoes.

30:02

But other than the bugs, for the most part,

30:04

it was a pretty great day for a ride.

30:06

The sky was cloudless and

30:09

and as long as you kept moving, a

30:11

friendly breeze made you forget all about

30:13

the late summer heat. We

30:16

started out ride as a group with

30:18

all nine of us riding in formation along the

30:20

old rail line. But

30:21

about an hour into our ride, we

30:23

had spread apart a good bit. Lance,

30:26

Joe, and Nad were way ahead of

30:28

the group, a couple

30:29

miles at least. Lance

30:32

never rode slow we. No matter where we

30:34

were, every time we went on a ride,

30:36

Lance would be way ahead of the

30:38

pack. A veteran long distance rider,

30:40

he was always in training for his next

30:42

race. We tried to tell him to

30:44

take it easy on this trip since it was just

30:46

a recreational ride, but

30:48

it couldn't be reason with. Lance

30:51

only knew one way to ride

30:53

fast and hard. Joe

30:56

and Nat on their custom

30:58

tandem bike were the only ones able to keep

31:00

up with them. So before long, the

31:02

three of them were nothing more but a speck

31:04

in the distance. I,

31:06

on the other hand, was in no hurry

31:08

to kill myself so early in the ride.

31:10

We had a long trip ahead

31:12

of us, round hundred miles or

31:14

so, and I wasn't about to use up all

31:16

my energy at the start. Marie

31:19

felt just the same, so we enjoyed

31:21

ourselves as we steadily pedaled down the

31:23

old trail. Not

31:25

far behind, Nate and Little John were

31:27

taking their time as well. This

31:30

being John's first official ride with the

31:32

group, Nate wanted to make sure he

31:34

felt welcome and decided to ride with him

31:36

for the first few hours. About

31:38

a mile or so behind

31:40

him, Nancy and Amy were struck waggling to

31:42

keep up, neither of them being

31:44

experienced riders. This

31:46

was their very first long distance ride,

31:48

and you could tell right away it wasn't gonna be

31:50

easy for them. They had dropped off from the

31:52

pack almost immediately and made no

31:54

attempt to catch up to the rest of

31:56

us. I wasn't worried however, the trail

31:58

only went one way, so I wasn't

32:00

worried about getting lost. I just

32:02

figured they'd catch up with us at the first

32:04

stop. A couple hours

32:06

in, we had traveled around twenty

32:08

miles or because of some

32:10

plans we'd made before we set off,

32:12

I knew our first scheduled break was coming

32:15

up. It was an old train station,

32:17

the oldest one on the line actually, and we figured it was a

32:19

good place to stop and rest a bit.

32:22

As Marie and I rounded a bend on

32:24

the trail, we could see the old wooden

32:27

station about a hundred yards ahead.

32:30

Joe, Matt, Lance were already there

32:32

waiting for us. The

32:34

hell took you so long long. Lance yelled

32:36

down the trail, poking fun at us as

32:38

was his way. Whoever said this

32:40

was a race, Lance, I

32:42

yelled back as Marie and I slowed to a stop.

32:44

Wyatt slapped me on the back as I got off

32:46

the bike and reached for my water bottle. He

32:49

said said, I'm just messing with you.

32:52

Hey,

32:52

said Joe, there's everybody else.

32:54

Nate and John aren't too far behind

32:56

us. Said Marie, I don't know

32:58

about the girls were pretty

33:00

far back. Stupid chicks, Lance

33:03

added. He never

33:04

was one for pleasure writing.

33:06

A couple

33:07

minutes later, Nate John could

33:09

be seen emerging from a bend in the trail.

33:12

I couldn't help but chuckle to

33:14

myself. Nate looked so much smaller

33:16

than his younger counterpart. John

33:18

looked a bit silly himself. His enormous

33:20

frame just wasn't meant for bike

33:22

riding, I guess. About time

33:24

you guys catch up? Land

33:27

said, Nate weaved him

33:29

off. We got a long ways to go.

33:31

And I'm not gonna get all tired right at the

33:33

start. Besides,

33:34

he said, I had to

33:36

wait for the little guy.

33:38

Everyone laughed as John turned red

33:40

with embarrassment. How about the

33:43

girls. Joe asked, you've seen them

33:45

at all? Nuh-uh.

33:46

Said Nate, their way

33:49

back. We lost

33:49

him just a couple miles after we started

33:51

off. Suddenly, the sound of a

33:53

distant train whistle echoed down the valley

33:56

and reached our ears.

34:02

What the hell was that? I

34:03

asked.

34:04

Sounds like that same old train whistle we

34:07

heard when we first started off. said Lance,

34:09

I

34:09

don't care what you say, Joe.

34:10

That wasn't no damn factory whistle.

34:12

That was a train.

34:15

Yeah. Joe joined in. That sure did sound like an

34:17

old

34:17

steam engine. Maybe it's one of

34:20

those excursion trains or something. I heard

34:22

there was one

34:24

near here. We all just stood there by our bikes and listened

34:26

quietly, but the whistle

34:28

didn't blow again. About

34:32

a half hour passed with no sign of the girls, and we started to

34:34

get nervous that something might have

34:36

happened, like maybe a flat

34:38

tire or

34:40

something. I'll go back and check on him. I said, no,

34:42

that's alright.

34:42

Nate jumped in. Me and

34:45

John will go. I'm

34:46

sure it's nothing. It probably

34:48

just stopped to take a break or something. We all

34:51

nodded

34:51

an agreement. You guys just go ahead,

34:53

we'll

34:53

catch up to you

34:56

later. It sounded like

34:57

a good idea, so we

34:59

all agreed. Nate John took off back

35:01

down the trail as the rest of us

35:03

continued on. We

35:05

figured we'd just wait for him at the

35:07

next resting point. At five thirty

35:09

or so, we'd reached our second

35:11

planned stop, the old

35:14

Greenbrier Nearly six hundred feet long, it was

35:16

an awesome site. The tunnel

35:18

had been built at the turn of the century

35:20

carved out of the mountain through

35:22

sheer muscle. I can't imagine

35:24

how it must have been excavating all

35:26

that rock, mostly by

35:28

hand. Legend had it

35:30

that five miners I they died during the

35:32

construction, buried alive when

35:34

part of the tunnel collapsed without

35:36

warning. Man, said

35:37

Lance, and it's

35:39

so freaking awesome. I laid

35:41

my bike down and took off

35:43

my helmet.

35:44

Yeah. I said that is pretty sweet.

35:46

How the hell

35:46

did they build out with nothing but

35:49

their bare hands? It's amazing. Well, what are

35:51

we gonna do? Joe asked, should

35:53

we wait here

35:54

for Nate, John, and the girls, or

35:56

should we just press on? After

35:58

all, we're burning daylight. It was

35:59

his favorite

36:00

thing. I say we just

36:03

go replied Natalie. He said

36:05

they'll catch up with us. Lyons

36:07

agreed. We gotta get camp set

36:09

up before it gets too dark. They'll

36:11

be alright. So

36:13

we decide needed to keep riding and get to camp

36:15

before dusk. One by one, we mounted our

36:18

bikes and headed into the

36:20

tunnel. I buckled up my

36:22

helmet and was the last one to

36:24

go through. But right

36:25

as I started in, I

36:27

slammed on the brakes and

36:30

listened. Way off in

36:32

the distance, I thought I heard someone

36:34

screaming. That's when

36:36

I heard it

36:38

again. The train

36:40

whistle. It seemed much

36:42

farther off this time, but make

36:44

no mistake about it. I

36:46

heard it. For moment, I just

36:48

sat there and listened, but

36:51

there was

36:51

nothing. Only the sound of

36:53

the water rushing by

36:55

in River below the trail. Hey,

36:58

Mike. Joe

36:58

yelled back to

36:59

the tunnel. You coming to

37:01

what?

37:03

Yeah. I said,

37:04

I'll be

37:05

right there. I only

37:07

waited another second or so before

37:09

heading into the tunnel. By

37:11

then, a cold eerie

37:14

feeling had come over me and I began

37:16

to wonder if our friends were alright. Eileen,

37:20

around eight o'clock or so, we decided to stop. We'd

37:22

gone almost fifty miles in one day,

37:24

and as you can imagine, we were all

37:27

pretty tuckered out. We

37:30

set up camp just off the trail in a bare spot underneath

37:32

the canopy of towering trees. Right

37:34

away, Joe and Lance began to

37:36

build a fire mainly for protection.

37:39

In order to conserve space and keep

37:41

our packs light, all we had brought to

37:43

eat was instant oatmeal and

37:46

granola bars. Honestly, after fifty miles of

37:48

riding, I would have rather had a

37:50

nice chicken dinner, but that just

37:52

wasn't possible. Besides, we

37:54

were

37:55

in an area stick with

37:57

black bear. Wouldn't be too smart to have any real food around that

37:59

might draw them in. Camp was set

38:01

up in

38:02

no time at all and we

38:05

turned our attention to our missing friends. It was now

38:07

pitched dark out and they were

38:09

nowhere to be found. to be found

38:12

Joe was really

38:13

worried. Where the hell are those guys? They

38:15

should have been here by now. Maybe

38:17

it got too dark for him and they set up

38:19

camp on their own, land

38:22

said. Natalie was far

38:23

less optimistic. I'm worried someone

38:25

got

38:25

hurt. I don't think they would have stopped

38:28

until they caught up with

38:30

us. Yeah.

38:32

said Marie, maybe they had to go back for help.

38:34

Joe looked deep in thought, probably

38:36

thinking about his younger brother.

38:39

Think we should Go looking for

38:41

him. I said, are you

38:42

crazy? Said Lance. Way

38:44

too dangerous. Go riding down the trail at night.

38:46

You never know what you could run into.

38:50

these hills are full of bear.

38:52

Mount lion too. Yeah. So, Joe, you're

38:55

probably right. I just

38:58

hate not no one. They'll be alright.

39:00

I said trying to sound positive.

39:02

Nate's an old woodsman. He'll take

39:04

care of the rest of them. Hectic probably

39:08

around a fire right now talking about us.

39:10

Joe looked up

39:11

at me and smiled. I hope

39:13

you're right. A full moon lit up

39:15

the night skies we called it

39:17

day and climbed into our tents. All we could

39:19

do was hope that Nate, John, and

39:21

the girls were

39:24

somewhere safe. The next morning,

39:26

we woke to find our camping

39:28

shambles. Our bikes

39:29

hadn't been touched, but all

39:31

of our gear lay strewn across

39:33

the dirty ground. Like some one had

39:35

been looking for something. What a mess. All of

39:37

our stuff was ripped apart and covered

39:40

with dirt. only

39:43

bit of food we could salvage were a couple of lousy granola

39:45

bars. The rest of the bars in the oatmeal were nowhere

39:47

to be found. I

39:50

was stunned. but

39:53

the hell happened here last night. Bear? So

39:55

Joe met her, factly. Like

39:58

bear, must have come out of the hills

40:00

in search

40:00

food.

40:02

Marie grabbed my arm and looked around as

40:04

as she expected to bear to be right behind

40:06

her. I don't worry, hon.

40:08

I said, they're long gone now.

40:11

At least, that's what

40:13

I hoped. They're more

40:14

afraid of us than we are then. She

40:16

nodded

40:16

her head, but wouldn't let

40:19

go of my arm. This sucks. Said Lance, how

40:21

the hell are we gonna ride another fifty miles

40:23

on an empty stomach? Well,

40:26

said

40:26

said natalie Natalie. still

40:28

have a couple of granola bars left. Maybe there'll be some

40:30

berries or something on the trail. Lance

40:34

wasn't

40:34

satisfied. Lot

40:36

of good. A couple of shitty granola bars are gonna

40:38

do for us. I hate to admit

40:40

it, but

40:40

I agreed with him. My

40:43

stomach was already growling and we hadn't

40:45

even started to ride yet. Suddenly it hit

40:47

me. Hey, I said, what about Nate,

40:49

John, and the

40:52

girls? bet you they still have some

40:54

food. Once they catch up with us, we'll just ration out what we got left.

40:56

Everyone seemed in agreement.

41:00

so we decided to just sit and wait a while to see

41:03

if the other showed up. As the sun slowly crept over

41:05

the horizon, we got a fire going

41:07

and started clean up By

41:10

nine o'clock, there was still no sign

41:12

of him, and Lance was sick of

41:14

waiting. This is stupid.

41:15

He said, I'm going

41:17

back to look for him. Joe didn't seem to think it

41:19

was a best idea. I don't

41:21

know, man.

41:22

We've already got

41:23

separated from those guys, I

41:25

don't wanna lose you too. You kidding? Sedlands.

41:27

I'm not gonna get lost. It's

41:29

a

41:29

freaking railroad bed.

41:30

for God's sake.

41:32

How the hell can you get lost? I'm just gonna ride back

41:35

and see what's keeping them. We can't

41:37

wait here all day yet, know.

41:40

Yeah.

41:40

Joe replied, you're probably right.

41:42

The rest of us

41:43

will pack up and get going. We'll just

41:45

take

41:45

it easy and then you can catch up to us after you

41:48

meet with the other. sound good? And

41:50

with that, Lance was off. He

41:52

was our

41:53

best and fastest rider by

41:55

far. Surely, he would find the others and in no

41:57

time they'd catch up with the rest of

41:59

us. Heck, they

42:00

were probably just down the trail a bit. We'd

42:02

be all together again by the afternoon.

42:04

At

42:04

least, that's

42:06

what we thought.

42:08

Just for noon, Joe, Natalie, Marie, and I had reached

42:10

the old skiser tunnel about twenty miles

42:12

farther down the trail. Joe,

42:15

like the old Greenbrier tunnel, the skiser had

42:17

been carved over a hundred years before,

42:19

but it was much bigger and much

42:21

more ominous. It was

42:23

mass of. Large enough to drive two trains through

42:25

side by side. It had been

42:28

carved out of solid rock way before the

42:30

track had actually

42:32

been laid. back when the railroad was supposed to be a double

42:34

track, but the workers soon found out the

42:36

landscape was just too treacherous and could

42:38

only support a single

42:40

line. Apparently,

42:42

this had angered some of the tunnel workers who had worked their asses off

42:44

in the excavation. Some of

42:46

them actually were killed during the construction.

42:50

Well, some of

42:52

the staged a strike and things got real

42:54

ugly. When the railroad tried to

42:55

break up the strike, a riot

42:57

broke out and eighteen

42:59

men got killed. Legion

43:01

had it, but those men still haunted the

43:04

tunnel, swearing vengeance upon

43:06

anyone who dared enter

43:08

it. I knew it was just

43:10

a silly ghost story but

43:12

it still made me feel a little

43:14

uneasy. There had been a couple of

43:16

mysterious trainwrecks right around and inside

43:18

the tunnel over

43:20

the years. The investigators determined the mall to be just run

43:22

of the mill derailments, but it was

43:24

agreed upon by some that the

43:26

ghosts of the tunnel workers had

43:28

caused them. I don't

43:30

know if this was true or not, but as we sat

43:32

at the entrance of a long dark passageway,

43:34

I couldn't help but feel

43:37

a little uneasy. Marie

43:38

could tell I was worried. What's wrong, Mike? You

43:41

okay? Ugh. I'm

43:43

okay. I laughed. Just

43:46

daydreaming,

43:46

there's

43:47

I guess. I took a deep breath and

43:49

turned to Joe who was taking a drink

43:51

of water. Hey Joe, what

43:53

do

43:53

you think

43:55

up in a lance. He should have found them

43:57

and caught up to us by now, don't you

43:59

think? Joe took

43:59

another swallow from his canteen and wiped

44:02

his mouth. Yeah. I had a thought

44:04

they'd have been here by now,

44:06

maybe

44:06

they got

44:08

and there it

44:09

was again. Way off in the

44:12

distance, that

44:14

eerie train was all blue again, an

44:16

echo down the valley. Only this time, it

44:18

was followed by a blood curdling scream.

44:23

Oh my god. Natalie gasped.

44:26

What was

44:26

that? But no one answered

44:28

her. We're all sat frozen,

44:30

like statues

44:32

trying to make sense of what just heard. Marie

44:34

stood beside me her hand clamped

44:36

over her mouth and fear.

44:39

a cold chill ran at my

44:41

spine. There was no mistaking it. We

44:43

had all heard the whistle and the

44:46

terrible scream.

44:48

That scream I paused.

44:49

It sounded like like

44:51

someone being killed said

44:54

Joe. For the first time ever,

44:56

I

44:56

saw fear

44:58

in his eyes. I've never heard anything like that in my

45:00

life. I gotta go see who

45:03

it was. No.

45:05

Said Natalie, You're

45:07

not leaving me. I have to, Ned. I hate to

45:08

say it, but I think that sounded like like

45:12

Lance.

45:13

like lance You're

45:15

right. I said, and if that

45:17

really was him, he's definitely

45:19

in trouble. We

45:20

gotta go check it out. Natalie,

45:22

and Marie grabbed us and begged us not

45:24

to go. But we had to. We had to

45:25

go help our friends. Oh

45:28

god. Natalie screamed as she pointed down

45:30

the trail. I

45:32

turned to look and there he was.

45:34

mary was Lance. He

45:36

was crawling down the trail on his hands and

45:40

knees It was a side, I'll never

45:42

forget.

45:42

He was bloody from

45:44

head to toe. His clothes were

45:46

all

45:46

worn, like had been attacked

45:48

by some wild animal. As Joe

45:51

and I ran towards him, lions

45:53

collapsed on the trail and lay motionless.

45:55

I reached him and I couldn't

45:56

believe what I was seeing. Must have

45:59

been a bear

46:00

been

46:01

or mountain lion I said, what

46:03

else could do something like this to a man? He was all

46:05

torn up and blood was

46:07

everywhere. It was

46:09

clear his left leg was broken. The jagged

46:11

bone had punched through

46:12

the skin. I turned my

46:14

head and puked all over the trail,

46:17

was just too much to take. Lance,

46:20

said, Joe Lance, talk to me,

46:22

what happened to you? Where are the

46:25

others? Lance straight to raise his

46:27

head. His face was all cut up and bleeding, struggling to breathe,

46:30

he could barely speak.

46:32

Joe,

46:33

the the

46:34

train I couldn't

46:36

couldn't move it.

46:38

the move Train. I

46:40

said turning to Joe. The hell

46:43

is

46:43

he talking about? Joe

46:45

didn't

46:45

answer me. Lance, what train? What are

46:47

you talking about?

46:47

You're dead. He said,

46:51

they're all dead.

46:53

it the

46:54

train showed the train coming.

46:59

And with that,

47:01

he went unconscious. He

47:04

didn't say another word. What the hell

47:06

is he talking about, Joe? What train

47:08

who's dead? Nathan John It

47:12

can't be.

47:13

Joe stared down the

47:16

trail. I don't know. He said,

47:18

I just Don't know. It

47:18

it can't be. They can't

47:21

be. He just kept staring down the

47:23

trail as he held lance his bloody

47:25

head in his arms. Marie

47:28

and Natalie ran up to us. We gotta get him to help, said

47:31

Marie. Natalie winced when she looked

47:33

down at Lance. I

47:36

got What happened to him? I don't know.

47:38

I said, he was bumbling

47:40

about a train or something. That's

47:45

when we heard it.

47:48

That horrible sound. He

47:50

was like a nightmare, Something

47:53

out of a dream, a

47:56

train whistle, the same one we've been

47:58

hearing all along. But

47:59

this time, it

48:02

was much much closer. It was right on

48:04

its. It came out of

48:06

nowhere and was louder than anything I'd

48:08

ever heard. I

48:10

covered my ears and fell to my knees. Marie

48:12

and Natalie did the same. They

48:14

let go of the Lance and tried to get

48:18

back up. but the sound was so loud and just

48:20

seemed to knock him right back down.

48:23

And we

48:26

saw it. I never would have believed if I hadn't seen it with my

48:28

own eyes. Just down

48:30

the trail where it bent around a towering

48:33

cliff, a giant Black

48:36

shape came blasting around the bend.

48:39

First, I didn't know

48:41

what it was. Whistle was still blaring

48:43

and I could hardly open my

48:45

eyes. And I saw

48:48

it. I saw it, clear's

48:50

day. It was

48:52

a locomotive. One of those old

48:54

steam engines like the ones you see in books

48:56

or westerns. The Iron

48:58

Monster belched a cloud of black

49:00

smoke from its towering stack as it around

49:02

the bend didn't charge down

49:04

the trail, ride at us.

49:08

re screamed. Natalie was still laying on the ground,

49:11

right in round and pain from the intensity

49:13

of the whistle. Get up. I

49:15

yelled to him. Get

49:18

up. Joe, on. Get up. We gotta move.

49:20

Joe's gaze was frozen on the train.

49:22

He can't be.

49:24

He said, It's

49:27

impossible. He wins. Does the train's

49:29

whistle blasted out again

49:31

through the air? Marie

49:35

grabbed onto me and pulled herself up. The train was coming on fast.

49:38

Like, she cried. I I

49:40

can't move. I

49:42

The whistle, it's we gotta move. I

49:44

said, it's coming to the

49:45

right Forest. Let's go. A

49:48

raging river was to our

49:48

right at the bottom of a jagged

49:52

slope. To our left, the mountain was a sheer wall of rock.

49:54

Our only hope was to get through the

49:56

tunnel to the other side.

49:59

go managed to get

49:59

up and threw Lance over his

50:02

shoulder. Natalie followed right behind him. If you

50:04

gotta get through the tunnel,

50:06

Joe said, Leaving our bikes, we darted into the

50:08

tunnel. Natalie went in first

50:10

followed by Joe with Lance

50:12

over shoulder. I went

50:14

next to dragging Marie behind

50:16

me. I looked back and saw that the

50:18

train was only a hundred yards away or

50:20

so and it was

50:22

gaining fast. can't see anything. Joe yelled over the sound of the

50:24

steam engines roar. It's pitch dark

50:26

in here. Just head for that

50:28

light. I said referring to the opening on the

50:30

far end of

50:32

the tunnel. It seemed miles away as we struggled to make our way

50:34

through the darkness. The sound of the

50:36

train grew louder with

50:38

each step. Stone

50:40

use. Joe said, just then he and

50:42

Lance fell to the ground like they were tripped

50:44

by something. Get up. Yo,

50:47

Natalie. Joe, get up. a

50:49

train. It's common. I didn't need to turn around. The light from

50:51

the locomotive entered the tunnel and once let

50:53

out a parable blast of

50:56

its whistle. Pain was

50:59

almost unbearable, but I knew we

51:01

had to keep going. Get up. I

51:03

said, we gotta keep going.

51:05

We're almost there. Joe jumped up and once again threw Lance over

51:07

his shoulder. With every ounce of strength

51:10

we had, we took off towards the

51:12

other opening. The train was

51:14

almost honest now, and the sound

51:16

was unbearable. Pierce my

51:18

ears like a knife that I

51:20

just kept running. Finally,

51:22

we reached the other side

51:25

first into the sunlight. The train

51:27

was right behind us so close you could feel

51:29

the heat from its engine. It

51:31

followed a set of the tunnel like the fiery breath

51:33

of some dragon, to our

51:36

right of sheer rock, to

51:38

our left, nothing but a slope of jagged rocks leading to the

51:40

river below.

51:42

Now what? Joe said

51:45

as he guessed sprayer still holding lance over

51:47

his shoulder. Right then, I saw an old rope swing

51:50

off to the left. It was our

51:52

only chance

51:54

Air. They yelled at the rope. Go for the rope.

51:56

Two girls grabbed onto the rope, took

51:58

a few steps back and

51:59

then swung themselves

52:02

out over rocks before dropping into the

52:04

water. I looked at

52:05

Joe and he motioned me to go

52:07

ahead, so I left

52:09

for the rope. swung out to

52:11

clear the rocks and then dropped into the

52:14

river. Joe

52:15

struggled to get

52:16

a grip on the rope

52:18

with lance over his shoulder stone. Dustin, the

52:20

train burst out of the tunnel with a terrible roar.

52:24

No lean back.

52:27

jumped up flew through the air towards the river right as

52:30

the black locomotive barrel

52:32

passed away.

52:32

It

52:35

missed him and

52:36

glanced by inches as I swung out past

52:38

the rocks and dropped into the water.

52:40

I ghostly trained him,

52:43

roared down the trail, just

52:46

disappeared. It's black smoke still

52:48

hanging in the air. We

52:50

floated down the river a mile

52:52

or two to the nearest town. No

52:55

one said a word as we drifted downstream. When we

52:57

hit the town, we immediately went to

52:59

look for help, but it

53:01

was too late. Lance

53:04

was gone. He

53:07

never regained consciousness.

53:08

I can't

53:10

explain what happened on that

53:13

hot summer day all those years ago. All

53:15

I know is it

53:18

was real. No one

53:20

believes me, of course. That's

53:22

why they've got me locked up in

53:24

this nut house to run away. If

53:27

my wife was here, she'd tell you too.

53:29

But she's gone. She lost it

53:31

not long afterwards. haunted

53:35

by that god forsaken whistle. He kept

53:37

her up nights. They said it

53:39

was dementia, but in

53:42

the end, I know

53:44

that's what really killed

53:46

her. I never found

53:48

John Nate and

53:50

the girls. Their bikes were found all smashed on

53:52

the side of the trail, but

53:54

no trace of them

53:55

was ever found. estate

53:58

just

53:58

wrote him off

53:59

as victims of a bear

54:02

attack. I don't care

54:03

what anyone says. I know

54:05

what really happened. All I

54:08

keep seeing is an old

54:10

man laughing up there on

54:12

his porch telling us to

54:14

go home. If only we'd listen to him,

54:18

if only.

54:26

Label Dobson

54:27

Norstee, a beautiful lady

54:30

without mercy. are

54:32

keats

54:35

John Keats.

54:39

Oh, what canale the knighted arms

54:42

alone and pale a

54:44

loitering? The sedge has

54:45

withered from the lake

54:47

and no birds sing.

54:50

Oh, what can ail the

54:52

UnitedArm so haggard and

54:54

so will be gone? The

54:57

squirrel's grainery is full and the

54:59

harvest's done.

55:00

I see a

55:02

lily

55:03

on their brow with

55:06

anguish, moist, and fever

55:08

dew. And on thy cheeks are

55:10

fading rose, fast,

55:12

withereth, too.

55:14

I met a lady in the meads, full beautiful,

55:16

a fairy's child. Her hair

55:18

was long, her foot was light, and

55:22

her eyes were wild.

55:24

I made a garland for her head

55:26

in bracelets two in

55:29

fragrant zone She looked at me as she

55:31

did love and made

55:34

sweet moon.

55:36

I set her on my pacing steed

55:38

and nothing else saw all day long for Sideline

55:40

which she binged and sing

55:44

a fairies. song.

55:46

She found me roots of

55:48

relish sweet and honey wild

55:51

and manadew, ensure in

55:53

language strange she bad. I love the

55:56

true. She

55:58

took me to our elfinrott,

55:59

and there

56:02

she wept inside full soar. And

56:04

there, I shut her wild,

56:06

wild eyes

56:09

with kisses for And

56:12

there she lulled me to sleep.

56:14

And there I dreamed, ah,

56:17

woe batide. The

56:19

latest dream I ever

56:21

dreamed On the cold,

56:24

hillside. I saw Pell

56:26

Kings and Princes too.

56:28

Pell Warriors, Death Pell, where

56:31

they all. They cried La Belle d'Sain Marcie,

56:33

the half in

56:36

Thrall. I saw their

56:38

starved lips in the

56:40

globe with horate warning gape it

56:42

wide. And I awoke

56:44

and found me here.

56:46

On the cold Hill's

56:50

side. And this is why I

56:52

sojourn here, alone in

56:54

paley Lorder Though the

56:56

sedge is withered from the

56:59

lake and no birds.

57:02

Same.

57:10

There

57:10

you go, the eleventh edition of Go Stories,

57:12

and a song less,

57:13

steam powered,

57:16

stolen nutshell.

57:18

Thanks to Val Burkich for letting me read his ghost training story.

57:20

You can find more of his writing

57:22

at valentine burkich dot

57:24

com. That's BRKICH

57:28

dot com. And I'll also

57:30

link to his side in the show

57:32

notes. And now the

57:34

spookiest part of any set

57:36

of stories

57:40

hugs. A

57:44

group of nine kayakers set up from

57:46

the beach one day hoping to paddle along the shore

57:48

where there used to be old World War two

57:52

ship blockades. One by one, they disappeared as the sound

57:54

of metal sliding against metal in the

57:56

water was heard. Eventually,

57:58

they saw

57:59

the cause a long set of

58:02

iron links sliding quickly through the water, a trap for ships to get

58:04

snagged on, Edley for small

58:08

watercraft. Only four

58:10

of them ended up surviving,

58:12

the

58:14

coast chain. Sometimes,

58:17

you need to look good and feel comfortable

58:20

when your stuff is getting stolen and you have to

58:22

search for things in the walls. That's

58:24

why you should check out

58:26

Jess's Scroungeware. Cheeked

58:28

sleepers for finding wall creepers.

58:33

Ms, ponds. Hey, thanks for listening to

58:36

another ghost stories episode.

58:38

Cravosnacht is coming up. Hope you guys have a real

58:40

terrible one.

58:42

Saturnalia is also on the horizon, so start making your plans for

58:45

the longest night of the year. And don't

58:47

forget to check out quiz

58:49

quiz bank bank. for some fun

58:51

trivia and History of fifty one for some more paranormal topics with me

58:54

and Brent Hand. For

58:56

this episode of

58:58

blurry photos, I

59:01

have been David, The Scrounger,

59:03

Flora. Don't sample her even.