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Writer in the Garret

~ A writer living one word at a time

Writer in the Garret

Category Archives: Hallowe’en

October Redux and the wandering mind…

26 Thursday Oct 2017

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Hallowe'en, Life

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

angst, imagination

I meant to give a heads up to y’all regarding last year’s post, 31 Days of Spooky Stuff leading into Halloween. (Recycling is a good thing.) Somehow the idea slipped out of my grasp. I just found it under a pile of bones in the long, dark stairway to the basement.

I have been struggling with the fourth Wisdom Court novel since summer, easily my least productive writing time of the year. Something about the plants growing in the garden, as well as insects exploring tiny jungles among trees and bushes call my attention elsewhere. And then there are birds. I’m distracted by the life happening all around me, from critters to children, and the plot points swimming around in my head spill out of my ears onto the encrusted floor.

Then comes the change. The solstice begins to build shadows in the corners, and the sun sidles south, peeking coyly over the horizon come morning, forgetting its bursting greetings in July. Leaves turn into gold coins.photodune-5768835-horse-park-ranch-in-the-fall-s

The nights turn chilly and darkness competes with light, often winning the contest. Ideas edged in fear and dread scurry for cracks in the wall, hiding themselves during the lengthening nights. The landscape shrinks and shapes become distorted.

Muddy beach and dead forest

Soon will come the mix of costumes and greed, of the somber and of fear. We will acknowledge the thin membrane between the living and the dead and we’ll gobble  candy to seal the deal.

Happy Halloween…

 

halloween-pumpkins-pd

 

 

 

 

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 31: Happy Halloween

31 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Ghosts, Hallowe'en, Hauntings, Life

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

horror, imagination

wallpapersafari1

(Wallpapersafari.jpg)

We’ve looked at many aspects of Halloween this month, most of them spooky. We’ve whistled past some graveyards, viewed some monsters born of All Hallows Eve. We’ve read a spirited story (get it?) by Denver author Douglas D. Hawk called “Moonlit Dream Girl.”

We read the story “Halloween Jack” by Christine Valentor, and better understand why we see his image everywhere on All Hallows Eve. We traveled to haunted places in the U.S. where ghosts still shift among historic buildings in CR Richards’ “Halloween Blog Hop.”

We curled up with a bag or two of Halloween candy (bought purely to sample for good quality, right?) while we watched old favorite movies that still make us shudder or give us bursts of nervous laughter.

Why is it we wish each other Happy Halloween? What does it even mean? That you hope people have fun scaring each other? That dressing in costumes will help you avoid the evil spirits out and about on Halloween night? That we’ll all get bunches of candy we shouldn’t eat to help us get to Thanksgiving? That all of us will enjoy our humanity just a little more by wearing that costume, by giving that handful of candy to a child, by remembering old magic in our cells, where it lives under our work clothes and serious expressions?

Maybe magic can be reignited by following rules learned in childhood, by showing our true identities–only for a short while–and by feasting on the food of the spirits for a night to protect us from evil.

Thanks to everyone who participated in “31 Days of Spooky Stuff.” Hope you get good candy.

You can still enter the drawing (to be held late tonight) to win signed copies of my Wisdom Court books: Edge of the Shadow; A Signal Shown; All In Bad Time.

The winner of the drawing will be announced tomorrow.

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 30: Cemeteries of Denver that give you Goosebumps…

30 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Ghosts, Hallowe'en, Haunted Denver

≈ Leave a comment

logo

Posted in Denver August 25, 2016 by Reid Phillips

8 Disturbing Cemeteries Around Denver That Will Give You Goosebumps

Who’s on the hunt for the heebie-jeebies? Call me crazy, but one of my favorite places to rove around and take photographs is most definitely at a cemetery – and the eerier the better. There are so many thought provoking structures that “grow” from the ground, including tombstones, trees, monuments, statues, mausoleums, and unidentified objects. You just never known when you may encounter an unexplained presence or phenomenon at these creepy cemeteries in Denver. They lend the phrase “dancing in the moonlight” a whole new meaning.

1. Fairmount Cemetery and Mortuary
1. Fairmount Cemetery and Mortuary
Richard H./Yelp
Founded in 1890, Fairmount Cemetery is the area’s second oldest, with 280 acres of graves that serve as the final resting place for many of Denver’s notable historical figures. Over the years, stories have been told of strange lights and shadows that appear to hover around the grounds, but everytime an investigative team of paranormal enthusiasts try to catch them on film, the tapes come back blank or blackened. But don’t take my word for it. Go see the strangeness for yourself!
2. Mount Olivet Cemetery
2. Mount Olivet Cemetery
Holly F./Yelp
Since 1892, over 120,000 bodies have been laid to rest at Mount Olivet, a Catholic cemetery operated by the Archdiocese of Denver. Like many of the cemeteries on this list, bodies from the infamous graveyard at what is now Cheesman Park were transferred here for burial, and there is no doubt that many of those unhappy spirits still haunt its sacred grounds.
3. Fort Logan National Cemetery
3. Fort Logan National Cemetery
Morgan S./Yelp
This 214 acre national cemetery was established in 1950 and includes Fort Logan’s original post cemetery and additional land from the former military post. Over 122,000 internments were buried here at last count, and the sheer amount of uniform gravestones will send shivers up your spine. Eternally grateful for your honorable service, soldiers!
4. Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary and Cemetery
4. Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary and Cemetery
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
Since its inception in 1907, Crown Hill Cemetery and its historic Tower of Memories have grown to be one of Denver’s most recognized landmarks and home to 240 acres of headstones, cremation gardens, cremation niches, vaults, companion crypts, and other sites for final disposal.
5. Ralston Cemetery
5. Ralston Cemetery
Photo Courtesy of Ralston Cemetery
This community cemetery in Arvada is one of the oldest in the area and has a mysteriously uncertain history. The oldest gravestone marks the burial site of triplets laid to rest in 1869, but it is presumed the burial ground existed prior to that date and serves as the final resting place of many original Mile High pioneers.
6. The Sisters of Loretto at Colorado Heights University
6. The Sisters of Loretto at Colorado Heights University
sea turtle/Flickr
On the northwest corner of the campus of Colorado Heights University, is a reminder of the Sisters of Loretto’s presence on the historic land where the women of the West were first educated. It is no longer an active cemetery, but the spirits of roughly 50 sisters still hover over the land of the highest point in Denver.
7. Denver Pet Cemetery and Crematory
7. Denver Pet Cemetery and Crematory
Denver Pet Cemetery and Crematory/Yelp
That’s right, folks, this ain’t no Stephen King novel. If you’re looking for a place to lay Fido down where he can frolic forever with his dog park cronies, look no further. (What? There’s nothing creepy about having your best furry friend frozen, fired, and put six feet under.)
8. Riverside Cemetery
8. Riverside Cemetery
Loco Steve/Flickr
Established in 1876, Riverside is Denver’s oldest operating cemetery and most certainly one of the spookiest in town. Many historic figures and their ghosts call it home, and you can expect to encounter them if visiting the boneyard at just the right time.
5724363995_967c4a21e0_b
Chris Locke/Flickr
One of the most striking sites at Riverside is the limestone replica of Lester Drake’s log cabin, which has been standing for roughly 100 years.
6783294939_d8922fe904_b
e-lame/Flickr
It’s a harrowing haunt, alright. (What does it mean!?)
o-5
Jeni G./Yelp
Take a nighttime tour and experience the strangeness, secrets, tragedies, heartbreak, and mysteries in the moonlight at the Riverside Cemetery.
To enter in the Halloween drawing, comment on the post. The winnerwill receive signed copies of the three Wisdom Court books: Edge of the Shadow; A Signal Shown; All In Bad Time.

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 29: What is it about clowns?

29 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Hallowe'en, Spooky movies

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

horror

pennywise

I’ve never liked clowns, but wasn’t actively afraid of them. As a kid I watched Denver Channel Two’s kids’ show, Blinky the Clown, and didn’t particularly like him. I always had the feeling he wasn’t crazy about kids. I remember his honey-dripping voice when he talked about birthdays, and he was frequently shown visiting kids in hospitals, so I’m sure he was a wonderful guy. But he was a clown. He had makeup all over his face and you couldn’t read his emotions because of it.

The clowns at the circus jumped around a lot, filling up cars, tumbling over each other like maniacs. Little prig that I was, I couldn’t figure out why what they were doing was supposed to be funny.

polterg1

As you can probably tell from the pictures here, I underwent a change in attitude toward clowns thanks to reading/seeing some highly disturbing stories about them. And I’m not alone. Many adults dislike clowns now. Just the other day I read an alert about clowns being chased out of neighborhoods. My first response to that was, What the hell are clowns doing in neighborhoods?

For me, the drawback to clowns is the same I felt as a kid: you can’t assess their intent because they hide themselves behind makeup and costumes. Call me paranoid, but that’s a deal-breaker.

I’ve attached a link to an interesting article from The Washington Post titled “Why Clowns Creep Us Out.” Author Frank T. McAndrew, psychologist, gives plenty of reasons why those of us who are creeped out by clowns can make our cases for it. The portion about “The Phantom Clown Theory” is especially interesting.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Why+Clowns+Creep+Us+Out&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Frank T. McAndrew

Have you ever noticed how few children have clown costumes for trick-or-treating? They know what they know.

To enter the amazing drawing to be held on Halloween, comment on this post. The prize will be signed copies of the Wisdom Court novels: Edge of the Shadow; A Signal Shown; All In Bad Time.

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 27: All Hallows…

27 Thursday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Hallowe'en, Symbols, The sky

≈ Leave a comment

Halloween

The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows                death-sm

by Jack Santino

Halloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.

The festival observed at this time was called Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween). It was the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year. The Celts believed that at the time of Samhain, more so than any other time of the year, the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle with the living, because at Samhain the souls of those who had died during the year traveled into the otherworld. People gathered to sacrifice animals, fruits, and vegetables. They also lit bonfires in honor of the dead, to aid them on their journey, and to keep them away from the living. On that day all manner of beings were abroad: ghosts, fairies, and demons–all part of the dark and dread.

Samhain became the Halloween we are familiar with when Christian missionaries attempted to change the religious practices of the Celtic people. In the early centuries of the first millennium A.D., before missionaries such as St. Patrick and St. Columcille converted them to Christianity, the Celts practiced an elaborate religion through their priestly caste, the Druids, who were priests, poets, scientists and scholars all at once. As religious leaders, ritual specialists, and bearers of learning, the Druids were not unlike the very missionaries and monks who were to Christianize their people and brand them evil devil worshippers.

As a result of their efforts to wipe out “pagan” holidays, such as Samhain, the Christians succeeded in effecting major transformations in it. In 601 A.D. Pope Gregory the First issued a now famous edict to his missionaries concerning the native beliefs and customs of the peoples he hoped to convert. Rather than try to obliterate native peoples’ customs and beliefs, the pope instructed his missionaries to use them: if a group of people worshipped a tree, rather than cut it down, he advised them to consecrate it to Christ and allow its continued worship.

In terms of spreading Christianity, this was a brilliant concept and it became a basic approach used in Catholic missionary work. Church holy days were purposely set to coincide with native holy days. Christmas, for instance, was assigned the arbitrary date of December 25th because it corresponded with the mid-winter celebration of many peoples. Likewise, St. John’s Day was set on the summer solstice.

Samhain, with its emphasis on the supernatural, was decidedly pagan. While missionaries identified their holy days with those observed by the Celts, they branded the earlier religion’s supernatural deities as evil, and associated them with the devil. As representatives of the rival religion, Druids were considered evil worshippers of devilish or demonic gods and spirits. The Celtic underworld inevitably became identified with the Christian Hell.

The effects of this policy were to diminish but not totally eradicate the beliefs in the traditional gods. Celtic belief in supernatural creatures persisted, while the church made deliberate attempts to define them as being not merely dangerous, but malicious. Followers of the old religion went into hiding and were branded as witches.

The Christian feast of All Saints was assigned to November 1st. The day honored every Christian saint, especially those that did not otherwise have a special day devoted to them. This feast day was meant to substitute for Samhain, to draw the devotion of the Celtic peoples, and, finally, to replace it forever. That did not happen, but the traditional Celtic deities diminished in status, becoming fairies or leprechauns of more recent traditions.

The old beliefs associated with Samhain never died out entirely. The powerful symbolism of the traveling dead was too strong, and perhaps too basic to the human psyche, to be satisfied with the new, more abstract Catholic feast honoring saints. Recognizing that something that would subsume the original energy of Samhain was necessary, the church tried again to supplant it with a Christian feast day in the 9th century. This time it established November 2nd as All Souls Day–a day when the living prayed for the souls of all the dead. But, once again, the practice of retaining traditional customs while attempting to redefine them had a sustaining effect: the traditional beliefs and customs lived on, in new guises.

All Saints Day, otherwise known as All Hallows (hallowed means sanctified or holy), continued the ancient Celtic traditions. The evening prior to the day was the time of the most intense activity, both human and supernatural. People continued to celebrate All Hallows Eve as a time of the wandering dead, but the supernatural beings were now thought to be evil. The folk continued to propitiate those spirits (and their masked impersonators) by setting out gifts of food and drink. Subsequently, All Hallows Eve became Hallow Evening, which became Hallowe’en–an ancient Celtic, pre-Christian New Year’s Day in contemporary dress.

Many supernatural creatures became associated with All Hallows. In Ireland fairies were numbered among the legendary creatures who roamed on Halloween. An old folk ballad called “Allison Gross” tells the story of how the fairy queen saved a man from a witch’s spell on Halloween.

O Allison Gross, that lives in yon tower
the ugliest witch int he North Country…
She’s turned me into an ugly worm
and gard me toddle around a tree…                              997995-097

But as it fell out last Hallow even
When the seely [fairy] court was riding by,
the Queen lighted down on a gowany bank
Not far from the tree where I wont to lie…
She’s change me again to my own proper shape
And I no more toddle about the tree.

In old England cakes were made for the wandering souls, and people went “a’ soulin'” for these “soul cakes.” Halloween, a time of magic, also became a day of divination, with a host of magical beliefs: for instance, if persons hold a mirror on Halloween and walk backwards down the stairs to the basement, the face that appears in the mirror will be their next lover.

Virtually all present Halloween traditions can be traced to the ancient Celtic day of the dead. Halloween is a holiday of many mysterious customs, but each one has a history, or at least a story behind it. The wearing of costumes, for instance, and roaming from door to door demanding treats can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and around, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these dreadful creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This practice is called mumming, from which the practice of trick-or-treating evolved. To this day, witches, ghosts, and skeleton figures of the dead are among the favorite disguises. Halloween also retains some features that harken back to the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as the customs of bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices cider associated with the day.

Today Halloween is becoming once again an adult holiday or masquerade, like mardi Gras. Men and women in every disguise imaginable are taking to the streets of big American cities and parading past grinningly carved, candlelit jack o’lanterns, re- enacting customs with a lengthy pedigree. Their masked antics challenge, mock, tease, and appease the dread forces of the night, of the soul, and of the otherworld that becomes our world on this night of reversible possibilities, inverted roles, and transcendency. In so doing, they are reaffirming death and its place as a part of life in an exhilarating celebration of a holy and magic evening.

September 1982; updated 2009

reprinted from the Library of Congress American Folklife Center

Enter the  10/31 drawing for a signed copy of the three Wisdom Court Books: Edge of the Shadow; A Signal Shown; All In Bad Time.

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 25: They’re coming to take us away…

25 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Hallowe'en

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

fever dreams, horror

…and not to the funny farm. To the place where broken, coughing bodies await release.

historythingscom

They say we’ll get better here, but I have my doubts.

[historythings.com]

norwichstatehospitalbyalicehughes

Room 745? Are you sure?

When are visiting hours? What do you mean, what visitors?

[dailymail.co.uk]

Stay away from the germs…

hosp1

To enter the Halloween drawing, post a comment. You’ll be notified if your name has been chosen. The prize: the Wisdom Court books, signed.

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 24: Owls and Superstition

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Hallowe'en, Owls

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

superstitions

 Today I am reprinting a post by Rose Smith, appearing in The Aviary at Owls.com.

Owls and Superstition.

Superstitions surrounding owls have a long and ancient history. These nocturnal creatures often appear in horror mystery films, have been associated with dark, haunting night themes, and grace our Halloween decor each fall. Their wide staring eyes give them a wise appearance, while the ability to turn their head around makes them fascinating and mysterious creatures. Tufts of feathers on the top of an owl’s head gives them the appearance of horned devils and their piercing cries add to the spook effect found in the ancient folklore of many countries.

Robert Strickland, The Owl Pages

Robert Strickland, The Owl Pages

In many cultures owls were symbols of magic. In England, it was believed that if you cooked an owl’s eggs until they were ash, it could be used as a potion to improve eyesight. In India, if you ate an owl’s eyes you would get the same result.Witches were often linked to owls. One Greek & Roman superstition believed that witches could turn themselves into an owl and then they would swoop down and suck the blood of babies. Other superstitions related to witches and owls were: that the owls were messengers for sorcerers and witches, that they danced together on the graves of the dead and that if you hear the hoot of an owl, then a witch approaches.

In today’s world, we have learned that most of these owl superstitions are just stories, born in a time when people were fearful and trying to find answers to their lives and environment. However, many of these legends survived over time. Here are some other interesting and somewhat strange superstitions that are linked to owls.

  • An owl hooting or screeching at night could result in the death of a newborn baby, will cause the child to have an unhappy life, or possibly that the baby would become a witch. If the owl was heard screeching during cold weather it signaled that a storm was coming.
  • Owls apparently are the only creatures that can live with ghosts, so if an owl is found nesting in an abandoned house, the place must be haunted.
  • Death is often associated with owls such as if: an owl perches on the roof of your house or hearing an owl hooting constantly nearby.
  • If a traveler dreamed of an owl, then that meant he would be robbed or possibly shipwrecked.
  • A silly owl superstition is that if you see an owl perched in a tree and you walk around and around that tree, the owl will follow you with it’s eyes, turning his head around until he wrings his own neck. (The reality is that an owl cannot turn his head completely around).
  • Not all superstitions were bad. Owls were also believed to bring good fortune in some cultures. An Afghanistan legend states that it was the owl that presented humans with flint and iron so they could make fire. In exchange, man gave owls their feathers.
  • The Aborigines of Australia believe that owls are the spirits of women and are therefore sacred, while in Brittany is was a good sign to see an owl on the way to the harvest as it meant that it would be a good yield that year.
  • The owl is a symbol of guidance and help by the Inuits of Greenland, while the people of Indonesia saw them as wise beings using the owl’s different calls to determine whether to travel or not.

There are many, many more legends concerning the owl. The reality is that owls are very helpful to us as they are excellent at pest control, especially Barred Owls. They control the population of mice, voles, moles, rats, skunks, snakes, insects and slugs to name a few. So this Halloween, put together an owl superstition trivia sheet for the guests at your Halloween party and add a friendly wise old owl to your decor. It’s the perfect “night watchman”.

Laura C. Williams, The Owl Pages

Laura C. Williams, The Owl Pages

About the author: (c) 2005. Rose Smith is the owner of HalloweenHowl.com a website filled with Halloween party ideas, costumes, decorations, games, graphics, crafts and more. It’s Halloween fun for all ages! Come visit us at: http://www.halloweenhowl.com


To enter the drawing on 10/31,

comment on this post.


Copyright © 2011 by Oceanus World Link Services, Inc. – All Rights Reserved.

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 23: Pestilence has descended over the house…

23 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Hallowe'en

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

horror

halloween-pumpkins-pdThe ongoing respiratory junk I’ve been fighting has gone nuclear. I now sound like an out-of-work air raid siren and am coughing billions of germs throughout the house. Of course, the rest of the family is doing so as well. Pestilence has become the way of the world. So today I’m posting  pictures for you to peruse while I continue to get caught up with the coughing I’ve suppressed to write these deathless words. Gack.

Here’s hoping tomorrow is another day.

book-of-souls-pd

from the El Paso County website

To enter the drawing on Halloween, comment on this post. The prize is a signed copy of the Wisdom Court novels: Edge of the Shadow; A Signal Shown; All In Bad Time

 

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 22: Werewolves a deux…

22 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in horror movies, Spooky movies

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

horror, imagination

were1I first saw The Wolf Man as a kid, watching it on one of Denver’s TV channels, probably presented as a “Fright Night” special. The story is basic, about a man newly returned  to his British home, at odds with his father, the lord of the manor. Lon Chaney, Jr., son of silent movie acting sensation, Lon Chaney, plays the son, Larry Talbot, as a sad outsider who soon falls victim to a nasty malady in the county: a werewolf bites him and thereafter he is forced to terrorize the area each month in search of blood. He searches for information–from the doctor, from the villagers, including the old Romani woman who finally tells him the truth. He is now a werewolf and there is no cure but death. His personal horror at what he’s become is what I best recalled  from my early viewing of the film. He fights to avoid hurting anyone, particularly the young woman who’s interested in him. He can’t connect with his father, leaving him alone with his terrible secret. It was that existential loneliness I remembered, heightened by its being filmed in black and white. Though the special effects were low-tech, the movie continues to have an emotional impact on me to this day.

wolf2

In the eighties, another werewolf movie was hot and happening: An American Werewolf in London. Two American students are backpacking across England, stopping at a Yorkshire pub for a pint. When they ask about the pentagram on the pub’s wall, the pub customers become hostile and the two leave. Warned to stay on the path across the moors, they are attacked by what appears to be a wild dog, and one of the boys is killed, the other mauled before the creature is shot. Of course, the wounded man is now a werewolf and will transform at the next full moon. Despite warnings from the shade of his dead friend, he ignores the danger. And when the full moon rises, he ends up killing six people.

Directed by John Landis, the film’s colors were garish and its special effects brilliant, especially the makeup by Kenny Baker, particularly in the transformation of the bitten man from human to werewolf. That sequence was almost nauseating in showing the biological details and the pain such a change would require. That was the most horrific thing about the story for me, the gag-inducing reaction to the sheer physicality of the process.

were5So, emotional horror as opposed to physical horror…There’s a place for both, no doubt, but I was struck, as I compared the two films, at how much more affected I was by the old black and white movie over the shiny, bloody one. I’m sure it says something about my esthetic state, but I’m damned if I know what. Both films are worth watching, especially during the month of Halloween.were3

 

Enter the Halloween drawing by commenting on the post. The prize: a signed copy of the Wisdom Court books, Edge of the Shadow; A Signal Shown; All In Bad Time.

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31 Days of Spooky Stuff, October 21: Halloween Jack

21 Friday Oct 2016

Posted by Yvonne Montgomery in Hallowe'en

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

stories

This is a wonderful Halloween post from Christine Valentor at witchlike.wordpress.com Enjoy!

Halloween Jack

Oct3 by Christine Valentor

halloween-jack

I first met the Devil in a pub called the Boar’s Head on Old Cork road.  The night, as I recall, was all hallows eve.  Having spent my last farthing on ale I tried to barter the barkeep for  one last drink.  My mouth watered but he refused me.  “Go on home boy,” he ordered. “Get you a good night’s sleep. Come the morrow all the world will be brighter.”

He was wrong. My world was darkness. I had no intention of retreating home to my bare and filthy hovel where paint peeled off the walls, rats basked in the waste bins and I had drained every ounce of my whiskey bottles dry. I knew not where I’d wander, yet the barkeep bid me leave.  And so it was to my great fortune that before exiting through the pub’s swinging door I encountered Lucifer himself.

undead 2 pd

There he stood, hands crossed at his chest, a blithe smile on his face. He was oddly graceful, a strange dignity about him.

“Your days are numbered Jack,” he told me. “A life of thieving, gambling, drinking and whoring. What have you to show for yourself?  Well now. It seems time has expired and I’ve come to take you to the iron gates.”

The Devil. He may think himself wise, but I, Sneaky Jack Skrumpington, was much wiser!

“You don’t look like the Devil to me,” I challenged. “If you are true, then prove it. Change yourself into a shilling!”   One shilling, I reasoned, would buy me a fresh pitcher of ale.

Lucifer scowled. He laughed at my challenge, and yet, he could not resist a good dare. In an instant he transformed himself into a shiny silver coin which I did not hesitate to snatch. I quickly hid it in my pocket, right next to my rosary’s shiny cross.

rosary-pd

Everyone knows the Devil cannot abide a cross. He was thus under my spell. Yet I was not entirely unmerciful. I  made a bargain with him. In exchange for his freedom he would give me the sum of one million ducats and another ten  years to live upon this earth.  He agreed. After all, he had no choice.

During my next ten years I lived a life of decadence.  I dined at the finest of inns, drank wine under crystal chandeliers. I slept in silk sheets upon feathered beds, beautiful women accompanying me at every turn.  I spent much of my time gaming, cheating and winning, caring not a fig for those I left in debt.  I steadily increased my ever growing fortune.

gambling-pd

Finally it all came to an end.

It was upon all hallows eve, ten years later when the Devil returned to claim my soul. He found me sprawled beneath an apple tree, sleeping off a long drunk.

“Skrumpington!” he barked. “Your time has expired.”  His lips formed a wide smile, green teeth reflecting the light of the moon. Although he attempted his best of horrifying theatrics, commanding streaks of lightning across the sky and claps of thunder, he did not scare me. I knew better.

“Lucifer,” I pleaded, kneeling before him. “Can you not give a damned man one last request? Do it!  Do it, so you prove yourself a creature of mercy, not the evil demon they paint you!  Do it, so you prove yourself a being of justice, not the slithering snake they claim.  Forget not, Lucifer,  you were once a son of light!”

He stared at me. This remark had struck a chord.  I moved my face close to his. “Aye,” I whispered in his hairy ear. “Once, dear Lucifer, you sat at the right hand of the Father. You were his favorite, were you not?  The brightest star of the heavens, Luz the light. Oh, but  that was long before your great sin of pride, wasn’t it? You banished yourself from the heavens, fell from grace into your own lonely cavern of hell. Surely you remember?”

I stroked his neck, moved my hand across the small of his back.  He quivered at my touch.  “Show me now you have not lost all your goodness,” I urged.  “Grant  me but one last request.” I moved my lips to his cheek, kissed him gently and tasted the salt of a single tear that fell from his eye.

He nodded, for even the Devil had some shred of decency.  Besides, he knew a pacified soul would be more useful to him. He clutched my hand.  “What then would you have from me Jack Skrumpington?” he asked.

“Only a simple apple,” I answered. “Ripe and sweet, picked from this very tree.” I pointed to the top bough, heavy with fruit.

apple public domain

Lucifer nodded and like a lizard he shimmied up the bark, entrenching himself between the branches. He reached up to pick the largest, reddest apple the tree bore.

I wasted no time! In one instant I pulled my knife from its scabbard. Quickly I carved a cross in the trunk of the tree. Lucifer’s eyes widened in terror. He was now stuck on the branch of the tree, unable to descend, for everyone knows the Devil can never approach a cross.

I grinned up at him. He spat down on me. “Skrumpington,” he hissed. “You have deceived me again!”

“I will release you,” I said. “If you make me but one single promise.”

His body writhed and wrinkled, now blending into the wood of the tree. He wheezed, struggling to breathe as the tree’s tentacles closed in around him. His eyes were frightened and white. A knot in the bark swallowed him whole, then spit him out again and he hung like a folded fish on the branch.

“Very well Skrumpington!” he gasped. “What bid you this time?”

“This time…” I sighed a sigh of deep satisfaction, strolled grandly in a circle, watching him the whole time.  “This time you shall agree to never take my immortal soul, regardless of whatsoever evil deeds I may perform.”

He nodded slowly.

“Swear it!” I commanded.

“I swear it, Jack Skrumpington. I will never take your immortal soul.”

He was a defeated thing, weak and gray, his body now sliding like a stretched lump of clay . I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

For what remained of my life I continued my ways of debauchery, drinking and whoring myself  into an inevitable grave.  I was a liar, a user and a sycophant. I frequented gambling dens and houses of ill repute.  I lived only for myself and my own gain. It would later be said of me “Jack Scrumpington  never once performed a selfless act nor did any kindness toward his fellow man.”

Yet time waits for no one and even I was not immune. My body grew old.  My back bent, my bones ached with arthritis. Finally my unbridled whoring caught up with me and the syphilis pox set in.  My hands shook.  My walk became a staggered, struggling gait.  My penis withered like a crumpled twig.  My liver became diseased, bloated with cirrhosis, swollen from years of hard liquor. Yellow jaundice enmeshed my flesh.  Death, when it finally came, was a mercy.

I then found myself at the gates of Saint Peter.

pearlygates-pd

The Saint shuffled his feet, looked at me and  shook his head. “Can’t take you Jack,” he said sadly, “for never in your life have you performed a single selfless act. Not once have you done any kindness toward your fellow man.” Peter leafed through his book of souls, double checking as if there might be a chance he would still find my name.  But no. He closed the book.  “Sorry Jack.” He shrugged.  “Not once.” He caught my eye with a look of genuine sympathy as he locked the white pearl of the deadbolt.

book-of-souls-pd

The wind gusted. I felt a chill up my spine. Winter was coming and it would be a long, merciless one.  Ice formed on the pavement beneath me.  I wore only the sack cloth I had been buried in.  My teeth chattered.

What to do?  What to do?  I’d go to the Devil! Of course I would!  At the very least, it should be warm in hell. Yes, it would be an eternity of misery, the lake of fire, but I’d embrace it, punishment for the damage I’d done in my waking life.

Lucifer peered through the gray mist that surrounded his iron gate. Upon recognizing me, he furrowed his brow and shook his head. “Oh no,” he said. “I’ve no want for you here, Jack Scrumpington.  I promised I’d never take your immortal soul and I’ll not take it. A promise is a promise.” He clasped his hands together and bowed his head.  “I may be a lot of – er – unsavory things.  But Lucifer Luz is a man of his word!” He stomped a foot and pounded his own chest.

Not fit for heaven, not welcome in hell.  I was the lowest of souls, left to wander on the brink of nothingness. I turned away from Lucifer’s gate. The thick mist clouded my eyes. I stumbled like a blind man. The night was black as pitch. I could see not one outline, not one shadow.

Just then I felt Lucifer’s warm touch upon my shoulder.

dark 9

“You’ll need something to light your way,” he said, not unkindly.  He then handed me a hollowed out pumpkin.  A lone candle burned at its base, blackening the inside rind.

“Take this lantern, Jack,” the Devil said. “May it guide you through the darkness.” He then handed me a knife.  “You may want to carve some designs in it. Allow extra light.”

It was an act of unmerited kindness, considering what I’d done to him.

In that moment I felt guilt for the first time. I was sorry I had treated him so badly.  I realized my skewed values.   But alas, it was by then, too late.

With Lucifer’s knife I carved a face in the pumpkin, triangle eyes and nose, even a smiling toothless mouth.

From that day on I was left to wander through the land of spirit. I am usually unseen but sometimes, upon all hallows eve you might find me. It is then the veils are lifted and humankind may enter our realms. Look for me in the alleyways, in your dark streets of trick-or-treaters.  I am the ghostly figure who carries a lone pumpkin of candle light to brighten my sad path.

They call me Jack of the Lantern.

halloween-pumpkins-pd

Deepest thanks to Christine Valentor for permission to reprint this.
If you want to enter the drawing to win a signed copy of each of the Wisdom Court novels, comment on this post. The drawing will be held on Halloween.

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Wisdom Court Series

ghost, ghosts, ghost story, thriller, metaphysics, supernatural, women, dreams, accomplishments, opportunities, romance, friendship, dachshund, Boulder, Colorado, Victorian, shadows, creepy, shivers, book, good read,
ghost, ghosts, ghost story, thriller, metaphysics, supernatural, women, dreams, accomplishments, opportunities, romance, friendship, dachshund, Boulder, Colorado, Victorian, shadows, creepy, shivers,

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