Can you scare us in two lines or less? Give it a try!
Husband kills his wife while their 5 yr old son was still sleeping. The weird thing was that kid didn’t ask for his mom even 3 days after she went missing. Father:” Is there something that you want to ask me ? “Kid : “I just wonder, why mom is always standing BEHIND YOU…
I always thought my cat had a staring problem. she always seemed fixated on my face. Until one day, when I realized that she was always looking just behind me. 8.
I found this story online, but no credit was given
A young bachelor at the beginning of his career became very successful very quickly, so he bought himself a house. One morning, he awoke to the sound of running water. He rushed to the bathroom and saw that the bathtub faucet was running on full blast. He was perturbed by this, as he lived alone. A week later, it happened again, only this time it wasn’t just one faucet—it was all of the faucets in the house.
The young man called a repairman to fix the pipes and the water damage…but, as it turned out, the pipes weren’t broken. The repairman, a local, seemed visibly shaken. “What’s wrong?” the bachelor asked. “The woman who lived here before you,” said the repairman, “she drowned in that bathtub.”
“There’s something haunting in the light of the moon tonight.” – Joseph Conrad
Keeping The Tradition Alive
Part Four
The front door opens slowly. Mr. Niggles and Maxton enter quietly.
“Shhhhh, son. Your mom dozed off in the recliner. Let her sleep.”
“Sure, Dad. Wow! She sure did a great job getting things ready forntonight’s ceremony!”
“She sure did, son. Your mom is a hard worker and likes everything just so. That’s probably why she fell asleep. She doesn’t quit until she gets it right. Hey, Maxton, why don’t we go upstairs and get changed.”
“Great idea!”
Maxton went on ahead, while Mr. Niggles tucks a blanket around his wife, then he follows his son up the stairs
Persephone slowly opens her eyes, forgetting where she was. Finding her bearings, she scolds herself for allowing sleep to overtake her. For the longest time she just lies there not really wanting to move. The inky blackness, making it nearly impossible to distinguish much, causes her to freeze with uncertainty. At this point, she can only make out ghostly figures swaying and dancing on the walls around her.
But something strange begins to happen. While keeping her gaze on the activity before her eyes, it was plain to see they began to take on an intelligence and purpose, as if alive. She had never seen anything like this. She couldn’t be sure, though. After all, she doesn’t spends much time studying such things. With all that she does everyday? Unable to look away, several scenes were playing out before her eyes, leaving her spellbound.
As she continues to watch, she notices the shapes keep morphing in and out until they settle on the appearance of Mr. Niggles and Maxton. Her eyes widen and her blood runs cold. There was a distinct icy chill in the air, forcing her to pull the blanket tightly around her shaking form.
What could this possibly mean?
She hears the subdued voices of both her boys upstairs. She feels a scream gaining momentum in her throat, but doesn’t have the strength to release it. All she’s able to muster is a gasp. In desperation she pulls the blanket over her head.
After what seems like an eternity, ever so slowly she peeks her head out from under the blanket, and in the waning darkness she sees the head she had carved was gone. That’s when she realizes for the first time what the ritual is.
Every year she had failed to carve an acceptable head, therefore every year it was considered useless. This year the head was deemed befitting an offering. The ritual was only meant for her. Nobody else. Now she finally understood why her mom always insisted on being alone during certain hours of Halloween night.
A grateful sigh of relief escapes her lips as she sinks back into the soft folds of the recliner. She thinks about her mom and how proud she’d be of her right now. Her eyes well up. A tear slides down her cheek. All the stress and anxiety leaves her at that moment.
Just then she hears her boys coming down the stairs, Maxton’s voice gaining momentum. They both enter the living room.
“Hey, are you okay, mom?
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“You’re sitting here in the dark. Let me turn on the light.”
“No, don’t bother, Mr. Niggles. It’s getting light anyway.”
She desperately wanted to tell them what had happened, but something told her not to. Just as her mom never told anyone, maybe she needs to do the same thing.
“Mom, what happened to the head?”
“I don’t know son, but wherever it is, something tells me it’s being put to good use. Come here, you two. I need a hug.”
After watching him disappear up the stairs she turns her attention to the head in front of her. After talking with her husband she found a calm assurance she hadn’t felt before. Thus enabling her to continue her work with confidence.
She takes the carving knife, and with a deftness she never knew before, she slowly makes a circular incision around the skull. Lifts it off and scoops out it’s brains and deposits them in the trash where the other heads and brains lay. She is sure this one would be a success and not land in the rejection pile.
Throughout the night she works. Upstairs she hears Maxton and Mr Niggles laughing and playing video games. They really have a great relationship only because Mr Niggles works at it. She loves him all the more for that. Maxton really is a good kid. How very fortunate she feels.
Finally, she finishes the head and puts it in the refrigerator to keep it cool until tomorrow evening, leaves a note for the two to make sure no one opens the fridge to see her handy work before the ceremony tomorrow evening. She heads upstairs, takes a shower and climbs into bed, not wanting to interrupt the time her husband and son are having together. By the time Mr Niggles joins her she’s already in a deep sleep.
The next morning she wakes up to an empty bed. Her husband let’s her sleep in the night after she prepares things for the ritual, knowing how taxing it is for her.
Yup, I certainly married a gem.
Persephone takes a long stretch before getting up and throwing on a robe. The stairs creak as she makes her way down and into the kitchen. For breakfast her boys are having a simple fare of strawberry jam and toast since they know they can’t get into the refrigerator.
“Good morning! How are my two favorite men doing?”
“Really good mom, thanks! Sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have reacted like that.”
“That’s okay, sweetheart. Thank you for apologizing.”
Mr Niggles looks at her with the usual twinkle in his eye.
“You seem very calm and content this morning. Last night must have gone very well for you.”
“That talk we had last night really did wonders for my self-confidence. I think I did the best work I’ve ever done. You’re good for me, you know.”
“Mom! Dad! Please, not while I’m eating!”
They both look at each other with a snicker.
Soon, I’ll need the both of you to leave so I can prepare everything for the ceremony tonight.”
“Sounds good to me! Maxton and I can go get our hair and nails done.”
“Dad!
“Okay, we’ll do something extremely manly.”
“We can go to that new arcade and have pizza.”
“I can’t think of anything more manlier than that! We can do our hair and nails another day.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“You two are something else! Why don’t you go now and make a day of it?”
“Say no more. C’mon son!”
As much as she loves the two men in her life, she needed some alone time and didn’t want them underfoot. As soon as they leave she goes upstairs for a quick shut-eye. In no time she falls into a dreamless sleep.
She wakes up an hour later with plenty of time to prepare things before her men come home from their day of fun. She heads to the kitchen for a quick snack, then washes the dishes and cleans up a bit. Now it’s off to the shower, after which she puts on a fresh outfit, combs her hair and brushes her teeth.
Persephone approaches the refrigerator and opens it, revealing the head she completed last night.
This is definitely the best one I’ve done yet. I wish mom was alive to see it!
Carefully, she takes it out, places it on a wooden block and puts it on the kitchen table. She tries to remember where she put the candles last year.
Oh yeah! The linen closet.
After retrieving them she goes back to the kitchen to put the finishing touches on the head before placing it lovingly in front of the huge picture window for all to see when the time comes. She makes sure the drapes are closed so Mr Niggles and Maxton won’t see it when they pull up.
Two hours of non-stop activity, getting everything just right, she finally allows herself to rest for a spell in the recliner.
Against her better judgment, she leans back into the inviting comfort and warmth of the chair. Indeed, it seemed as if the chair was beckoning her
Only for a bit. There’s still so much left to do…
Before too long, she fell asleep in it’s soft, welcoming embrace.
“There’s something haunting in the light of the moon tonight.” – Joseph Conrad
Keeping The Tradition Alive
Part Two
As she carefully picks up the carving knife to make her first incision, she hears a car pull up in the driveway. A smile creeps across her lips knowing it’s her husband. This has been an automatic reaction of hers since the early days of their marriage.
It gives her such a warm feeling inside to hear the car door open, then hear him shut it with his backside. She counts his steps from the car to the front door, listens to how the key jangles as he inserts it in the lock, the click of the lock as the key completes its rotation, the turning of the knob, the slight swooshing noise as he opens the door. He steps inside, closes the door securely behind him while securing the lock. It all culminates for her when he walks up behind her, giving her a hug and kiss on the neck. This is another ritual she enjoys on a daily basis, with the exception of the weekends. Thank goodness this one doesn’t involve any slicing with a carving knife. The clean up alone would make for a daunting task.
Looking up at him she asks, “How was your day, hon?”
“Much better now.” giving her shoulders an extra squeeze.
“You hungry?” she asks as she makes a motion to back her chair away from the table.
“Don’t worry about it. You continue with what you’re doing. It’s best to do it when the head is fresh.”
“You can put last night’s leftovers in the microwave.”
Just before he walks away to head for the refrigerator, he eyes the trash can in the kitchen full of heads and guts.
“You’ve been practicing today, haven’t you?”
“After last year’s fiasco I thought it would be wise.”
“Where’s Maxton?”
“He’s in his bedroom. I’m worried about him. He has no interest in continuing the family tradition.”
“Don’t let it bother you too much. He’s still young. As he gets older he’ll understand it’s importance. Just don’t push him. That’ll make it worse.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
Persephone got back to work. She scolds herself every year for not being as adept at this as her mom was, but she keeps telling herself that caring for Maxton and Mr Niggles — her nickname for her husband — take precedence.
From the first time they met, she thought it the strangest thing that his parent’s named him Nigel. She always thought that moniker was more befitting someone from across the pond. What’s even weirder is his parents aren’t even from the UK! So, she came up with Mr Niggles. She loves the way it makes him giggle when she calls him that. Watching Mr Niggles wiggle while he giggles is always entertaining! The thought of it causes a snicker to escape.
“You’re thinking of Mr Niggles aren’t you?”
Suddenly, they both let out a laugh.
“I really needed that! This time of year always stresses me out.”
“You’re comparing yourself to your mom.”
“I feel that she always judged me. Even now after she’s gone.”
“Why?”
“Well, during the time she had us kids she had no problem keeping the annual ritual up. She was really proud of that. I know she liked to lord it over me. I don’t know. Maybe I’m still projecting.”
“It really bothers you, doesn’t it?
Yes. It always has. She was able to perfect the craft, while I’m still fumbling.”
Mr Niggles put a reassuring arm around her.
“The important thing to remember is you’re not your mother and your mother isn’t you. You have your own strengths, as your mother had hers. That’s the beauty of being human.”
“I suppose. Thanks, hon. You know just what to say.”
After one of Mr Niggles famous hugs, he says
“I better leave you alone to do your duty. One last kiss and I’m off!”
He leaned in for a peck and sprinted up the stairs.
Everything was ready for the ritual. Persephone itemizes the needed ingredients one last time, as she carefully ties the full body apron around her neck and waist.
“Let’s see. I have the carving knife, the bag for the guts…” She knew it was important the knife be sharp – sharper than last year. This would help her to cut more slowly, deeply and precisely. She didn’t want to make the same mistake as last time. Because the knife she worked with was dull, causing quite a mess. And the smell!
“Mom! Why do you have to make a big deal out of it? Just cut it and gut it!
Immediately her head snaps in the direction of her son.
“You know nothing about tradition! This isn’t something you rush through. It takes a lot of thought and care. I regret not teaching you this earlier. Maybe you can help me this year?”, she pleaded.
In response, Maxton turns to his mom, offers an ugly grimace, as he jumps off the sofa, heading in the direction of his room.
“I’m outta here!” she hears, as the door to his room slams with a sharp thwack.
“I love you!”, she yelled out. A groan comes from the other side of the door.
As much as it saddens her to know he doesn’t want to join her in keeping the annual custom alive from the old country, that’s been in her mom’s side of the family for thousands of years, she also realizes this alone time is essential for her to concentrate and give the task at hand the proper respect it deserves.
~ I AM ME ~ MULTI-FACETED LIKE A DIAMOND ~ 
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