Halloween.coms group story (The Ethel Town Witch)

Nostalgiascape · Post by **Nostalgiascape** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:58 pm

(Okay..this is a story anyone and everyone is welcome to add to. Couple rules. 1) Try and make it good, don't get silly with it. 2) Don't blatantly contradict someone else's established plot. 3) No squabbling. Squabblers get cooked in witch's stew. This takes place in a fictional Massachusets town named Ethel Rown. I'll start it out.)

Bob Downey sat in his rustic office in his suburban home. Outside the window he could see people putting out their Halloween decorations. Some folks were raking leaves. Everyone seemed friendly. But Bob was nervous. He might have been the only one in that town to believe in the curse of the Ethel Town Witch. 400 years ago. 400 years ago on October 31st, the witch had cursed the village that is now known as Ethel Town. As she burned alive at the stake, she cried out the words that would become a legend. She cried out the curse of the Ethel Town Witch. Every hundred years it was believed that the witch returned to claim the lives of young children as punishment for the original townsfolk burning her the stake.

JACKRYAN592 · Post by **JACKRYAN592** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:00 am

BOB SHUTTERED AS HE GAZED OUT THE WINDOW. HALLOWEEN WAS APPROACHING FAST, WOULD THE CURSE TAKE PLACE AGAIN THIS YEAR?

Haunted Horseman · Post by **Haunted Horseman** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:43 am

Then Bam! A large object hit the window Bob was staring out of. The loud noise made him nearly jump out of his skin. "Sorry Mr. Downey" Cried Billy, the boy next door. He and a bunch of other boys had been tossing the football around and one throw had gotten lose. It bounced off the window storm window, but thankfully did no damage. Bob opened the window and said with a smile, "That's okay Billy, just remember, I'm not ready to replace all my windows yet, I'll call you when it's time." Billy laughed as he and his gang moved their would be game off the front lawn and into the street.

Bob closed the window, and realized that this little disturbance took his mind completely of the silly superstition he was obsessing over. It was for the best. He needed to get back to work and didn't have time to worry about some 400 year old curse that most likely was the figment of some 17th century bard's imagination.

Haunted Horseman · Post by **Haunted Horseman** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:28 pm

Bob had been working for the longest time on a complete history of Ethel Mass. He had hoped to have it finished over the summer so he could get it to his publisher in time for the fall semester. He had big plans for this work, he would show case it at the local College where he taught as an adjunct professor then present complimentary copies to the Local Library and the Town Council. What little money he made from the book would go to establishing a local historical society. Bob wasn't doing this for the money, he was more interested in prestige and accolades. He wanted to become a full tenured Professor and over time seek a position teaching at an Ivy League school. Everyone knew you had to have quite an impressive resume of publications to even thing about such a position.

magickbean · Post by **magickbean** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:59 pm

Inhaling deeply through his crooked nose, Bob took one last look across the neighbourhood - the long shadows of twilight stretched across the lawns and chased the gardening neighbours back into their houses for the night. The Jack O'Lanterns on the doorsteps shone a pearly orange as they reflected the last dying rays of sunlight. His eyes fell upon a small, dishevelled black cat, sat idly at the roadside. It glared at him through its amber eyes, then hissed.

He shut the blinds with a clatter and stepped away from the window, looking down at the open books on his desk. At the piles of scattered paper strewn across them - the thousands of unfinished sentences, scrawlings, underlinings. Every book seemed to have produced an offspring of notelets. He tutted at the disorganisation.

"I'll deal with you in the morning," he grunted at the desk. He left the office in darkness, closing the door quietly behind him.

Nostalgiascape · Post by **Nostalgiascape** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:01 pm

As Bob walked into the living room, he noticed a letter that seemed to have been slipped beneath his front door. He opened the letter. The folded paper appeared to be very old, almost as parchment from a distant age. The words inked on the letter simply read.

(You dig to deep...stop while you still can)

jadewik · Post by **jadewik** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:24 pm

Confounded at the arrival of the letter as well as the meaning of the words, Bob scratched his head. Instincts told Bob to look out the front door to see who had sent the letter. Letter still in hand, he turned the doorknob, slowly.

The trick-or-treaters on the other side of the door had been about to knock on the door and let out a shriek as the almost psychic opening of the door had startled them. Upon seeing it was Bob Downey at the door, the children quickly recovered from thier momentary shock to say "Trick-or-Treat." An automated Bob reached for the table beside the door where earlier that evening he'd set his black and orange striped bowl overflowing with candy. He set the letter down on the table while he passed out candy.

"Wow, Mr. Downey! You sure scared the candycorn out of me," the transformer-dressed kid exclaimed as Bob put a large candybar in his pillowcase.

"I'm sorry, Timmy. I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay. Woah, Butterfinger! Thanks Mr Downey!"

The kids left for the next house in a hurry and Bob was left standing on the empty doorstep with his candy bowl wondering who'd sent the parchment with the scripty writing on it.

Winnie Sanderson · Post by **Winnie Sanderson** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:58 pm

As he turned to go back inside, he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. At the far corner of his front yard, under an old Oak tree, he saw the same black cat with the piercing amber colored eyes that he had seen earlier that evening watching him. There was something about the way the cat stared at him that gave him an unsettling feeling that chilled him to his core.

Frightened, Bob rushed into the house, tripping on the threshold, dropping his candy bowl as he went. After picking himself and the contents of his bowl up he looked back in the direction of the black cat and saw that it was gone.

Boo · Post by **Boo** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:31 am

Bob made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a coffee from the kettle on the stove; for a moment he considered the drinks cabinet, but he felt his composure returning, it was after all only a cat.

As if he'd received a telepathic prod, Mogwai, Bill's cat jumped up onto the kitchen table mewwing softly. Bob smiled as he reached over to stroke him.
" How ya doing trooper?" He spoke softly, lifting the cat so that they were face to face. "Hungry?"

The cat's eyes narrowed and Bob felt a spasm run through it's body, it's legs started thrashing claws extended and Bob received several nasty scratches before he managed to drop Mogwai back onto the table.

"You little...." Bob stopped.
Mogwai stood on the table glaring at the window, back raised, fur standing on end, tail up....he hissed.
Bob turned his eyes to the window.......a face!!

Haunted Horseman · Post by **Haunted Horseman** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:51 am

Bob, was taken aback and startled. He wasn't expecting this. Suddenly Magwai, screeched and darted off the table into the other room, taking Bob's attention away from the face. This was a reactionary impulse, he couldn't help but look toward the sudden motion of his cat. Bob quickly turned back to the window and saw Nothing. How could this be, Bob thought, as he rushed up to the window, looking both ways in hopes of obtaining a glimpse of this unwanted voyeur in flight. But there was no one in sight.

Was he losing his mind? Was he hallucinating? Or was someone purposely messing with? From the brief glimpse, Bob couldn't make out facial features very well at all. This person was wearing a black hood. Only a dark shadowly outline of face could be seen. Neither origin or race could be discerned.

Now Bob was visibly upset. First this letter, now a creepy visitor who seemingly disappears into thin air. He couldn't take much more of this.

uncletor · Post by **uncletor** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:53 am

Outside a group of trick or treaters was going up the street. Lisa, a girl from about four streets over was in the middle. Lisa was dressed up in black with the usual witche's hat on.
Lisa had been a bit conjested all day. You could hear her cough, hear her rapsy breath, in fact.
Now she suddenly sat down in the middle of the group and wouldn't move..
"Lisa..what's WRONG??" asked Brenda, her friend beside her. Brenda was Raggedy Ann. She hated the outfit, and thought it was too tame, but she ran out of time this year to do anything better.
Lisa just sat there. "I don't KNOW she said...I just feel...TIRED.."

uncletor · Post by **uncletor** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:21 pm

"Here...let's look at those scratches..."
Even though Bob KNEW there was nobody in the house, he turned to see where the voice came from..
There was nobody in front of him..
"...down here..."
Bob looked down and wanted to cry or be sick. His cat, Mogwai, was holding a pack of bandages and some disinfectant.
"Look, SORRY I blew my cool, but have YOU tried to go on, day after day, YEAR AFTER YEAR, on NOTHING but Tender Tasties??? Would it have killed you to give me a Taco Bell burritto ONCE and a while??"
Bob sat down heavily in the chair."I am cracking up. I think my cat is talking to me.."
"Think HELL..." the cat replied, bounding up on his lap with the items he had before."ALL cats TALK, Cochise..c'mon..YOU'RE a anthropologist...REMEMBER??? One of the 70 principal gods of Egypt? We just can't talk to YOU like THIS except for Halloween..."
Bob just sat there...slack jawed.
The cat looked at him and tried to shift gears."Think, pal. The Swiss believed that ALL animals talked on Christmas eve, but it was bad luck to hear them..same with Halloween, it's the fall..spring belongs to college co-eds and beauty contestant winners..Hold still..Look, I'm a familiar...remember your Roger Corman movies??? I 've come back to help you tonight..I'm on YOUR side..we have to save a bunch of kids.."
Bob gigggled. A talking cat. He hoped the asylum they sent him to had nice food. "So what do..."
"I want??? Simple. That old biddy that they turned into toast four hundred years ago is coming BACK tonight. Without my help, you wind up like those people in the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD...the town loses the kids, and maybe they start taking it out on CATS again..that's where I come in..this enlightened self interest, I don't want little girls..who would die along with the little boys...to die..they LOVE cats....and you go with them if that witch WINS...now, lets' STOP the old bat.."
Bob breathed deeply and closed and opened his eyes.
The cat was licking it's feet. Saying nothing.
"Sorry to be so long winded..but it's a lONG time between hallloweens when all you have to say is 'meow' "
Bob groaned.

Haunted Horseman · Post by **Haunted Horseman** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:02 pm

"I feel like I can't get up", Lisa, whispered... too tired to even raise her voice. Brenda was getting very worried now. " Just relax Lisa, we're going to get you home...Hey Billy? John, can you give us a hand?" Brenda called to the two male members of her group who were about the ring the next door bell.

"Sure," shouted Bill, has the two came jogging back to where Lisa was now sitting, next to crouching Brenda.

"I feel so sleepy" said Lisa, " I really need to just sleep" With that Lisa passed out. The Two Boys where there just in time to prevent her head from hitting the pavement. "I don't know Brenda, I think we need to get her some medical attention, I don't think we should carry her all the way home, she live way over on Bleecher Street."

"Your right" Brenda said. At this point, both boys could see the worry on her face right through the Ragged Ann make up. "Listen Brenda, Lets just take her over to Mr. Downey's house, I think he is some kind of Doctor. If he can't help we can ask him to call 911."

It was agreed, the Two Boys carried Lisa's limp, sleeping body toward Mr. Downey's House. Brend quickly grabbed all four TOT baggs and hurried behind.

Haunted Horseman · Post by **Haunted Horseman** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:33 am

"Ding Dong". The Doorbell rang at Bob's house. Bob heard the bell but didn't get up. He was still sitting in a semi trans, trying to come to grips with the fact that he cat was talking to him.

"Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dong". Three consecutive and frantic rings brought Bob back to his senses. With that Magwai darted into the living room and up the stairs. "Some of these trick or treaters are very impatient." He thought to himself. But then again, he was grateful. These frantic rings had awoken him from his hallucination.

Bob slowly made his way to the door, stopping to pick up the bowl of candy, still focusing on the wound he received from Magwai's recent fit. He open the door and saw the 4 teenagers in costume, two boys carrying an unconscious girl.

"What the..." he cried.

Haunted Horseman · Post by **Haunted Horseman** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:23 pm

"Billy, what's going on?" Bob exclaimed with a clear sense of concern and worry. " We don't know Mr. Downey, we were right down the street when suddenly she got very tired and then passed out." Bill tried to explain. "Can you help her? I know you are a doctor, right?"

"Billy, I'm a PH'D, not a medical Doctor. I don't know the first thing about giving first aide...I'm calling 911". As Bob made is way to the phone, a worried Brenda noticed Bob's black cat, Magwai peeking through the railings of the stairs. Viewing the events attentively as if he were watching his dinner being poored into his dish after a long day's prowling about the neighborhood.

Suddenly, Magwai darted down the stairs and lept on to Lisa's limp body. Billy and John, startled by the sudden action instinctivley withdraw dropping Lisa to the floor. Brenda screamed in fright, "No get a way".

The Scream stopped Bob right in his tracks, he had just made it into his office and had to suffle through reams of paper to find the phone. He dropped the phone and turned and ran back to the living room.

Magwai, had perched himself square on Lisa's chest. Stretched his neck toward her face and licked her lips. With that, Lisa's eyes slowly opened. Magwai, quickly darted under John's leggs and returned to his post at the top of the stairs. Once again watching every move of the participants of this soap opera.

Lisa yawned and said softly, "what happened?". "Lisa", cried Brenda, "are you alright?" Both boys bent down and slowly helped Lisa to her feet. "I'm fine, I think?, all I remember is being very tired. Where are we?" Lisa asked.