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awooters · 3 years

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HALLOWEEN HORROR

. CHAPTER 1: CLAUDIA’S 1ST EXPERIENCE

On an October day, Claudia Hanson was walking along the sidewalk going towards the gas station up the street up from her house. She was wanting a fountain soda and a snack. She had $20 left from her baby sitting money so she ended up using the rest of that money for her refreshments that night.

“Oh come on, don’t say they don’t have it,” Tasha, Claudia’s friend who lives up the street from her, said trying to find her favorite candy bar. “Tasha,” Claudia said holding up a heath bar. Heath bars are Tasha’s absolute favorite. “Thanks girl. You know if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t know what I would do,” Tasha said taking the heath bar from Claudia. “Don’t mention it girl. That’s what friends are for,” Claudia said. Tasha went over to the cashier to check her stuff out. Claudia went over to the aisle to get what she wanted. She got a Hershey bar and cool ranch doritos. She went over and put the two items on the counter.

“Hi Claudia how are you?” Lily, the cashier asked Claudia, as she was checking out the two items. “I’m good thank you for asking,” Claudia said as she paid for her refreshments.

“Are you getting ready for Halloween?” Lily asked.

“Actually I don’t think I’ve ever told you this but I’m not much of a Halloween person,”

“Oh why not?”

“The thing is when it comes to Halloween, I normally go to the graveyard that’s up the street from here to visit my mom’s gravesite,” Claudia said.

“Now why in the heck would somebody would want to do that?” Some guy that stood next to Claudia wanted to know.

“Claudia, this is my cousin Oliver. Oliver this is Claudia,” Lily said. “Oh, so you’re Claudia,” Oliver said giving the other cashier an even five dollars. “Do you have something against me going to the cementary up the street?” Claudia asked. “I just never met anyone that wasn’t into Halloween,” Oliver said. “You know that Halloween isn’t about the candy right?” Claudia asked him.

“I know that,”

“Really, then what do you think it’s all about?”

“It’s about scaring the crap out of the little kids in their diapers,” Oliver said. “That’s not even close to being true,” Claudia said. “Then what do you think it’s about?” Oliver asked her. “It’s about celebrating the death of your ancestors,” Claudia said grabbing her grocery bag.

“Good to see you again,” Lily said as Claudia headed out the door as well.

Claudia was halfway to the sidewalk when Tasha yelled out her name.

“Claudia,”

“Huh?” Claudia turned around to see that it was Tasha that called her name.

“Can I take you back home?”

“Um,” Claudia said turning her head back as she saw the sun go down. “Please, it’s the least I can do after you helped me find my favorite candy bar,” Tasha said. “Girl, we’re friends. It’s what we’re supposed to do,” Claudia said. “Well then let me be your friend and give you a ride,” Tasha said.

“Well, it is getting late. Why not. Thanks girl,”

“Hey, it’s like what you said, that’s what friends are for,” Tasha said as the two of them got into Tasha’s car. Tasha backed out of the parking lot then, left the gas station. “Actually, Tasha do you mind dropping me off at the Golden Age Cementary up the street?” Claudia asked. Tasha was thinking that Claudia was crazy wanting to be at the cementary at this time of night.

“Sometimes I like to sit on top of my mom’s tombstone at night and talk to her,”

“Not to be rude or anything but you do know that she’s dead right?”

“You know my mom once told me that when someone passes away they can still hear to what you have to say to them,”

“I didn’t know that. It’s, just, well,”

“Let me guess you think I’m crazy,”

“Well, no offense,” Claudia has been told that she’s crazy for many years.

Her mother died when her brother Max was born. That was six years ago. But before her mother died her mother told her all about the real story of what Halloween is all about. She told her daughter that Halloween was called Samhein. She told her all about Celtic magic. She told her about the two different groups of believers of Samhein. There are the Celts and the Paganists. it all starts when the first Celts arrived in Ireland about 2,500 years ago. The Celts are a group of Indo European people from Europe that were identified for their use of the Celtic languages and other cultural similarities. The Pagan’s are however known as devil worshippers. Well at least that’s how her mother described it as.

“Okay, here you are,” Tasha said.

“Thanks,”

“Wait, how are you going to get back home,”

“I’ll hitch. Don’t worry,” Claudia said as she grabbed her grocery bag. “If you say so,” Tasha said. Tasha backed up her car out of the parking lot. She then drove home. Claudia, watched Tasha drive off down the street. She then jumped the fence of the Golden Age Cementary. She had to pull out her flashlight to find her mom’s tombstone. It was hard to find it in the dark. One she found it she climbed on top of the tombstone.

“Hey mom how are you doing/” She asked as she opened her bag of chips then she started to eat them.

She started to get cold so she pulled out her small blanket that her mom had made her when she was 7. She also pulled out her jacket. It was starting to get windy. Her mother always told her that when there’s wind there’s a spirit giving you a hug.

“Claudia,” A soft voice said within the wind. It sounded like a female’s voice. Claudia took out her journal to write what she just experienced. She turned on her flashlight and held her journal close to her face so she could see what she was writing. Once she finished writing she put her journal down. She then looked up and saw in the mist a silhouette. It looked so familiar to Claudia. The figure ran up to Claudia’s face and let out an evil hiss.

“Ahhh!” Claudia screamed. “No!” A voice yelled into the wind.

CHAPTER 2: THE PAGAN

“Thank you Lily,” Claudia thanked her friend for driving her home.

“Where were you?” Claudia’s older sister, Alabama asked her. “No where,” Claudia said.

“Ahaha, you’re so funny Tom,” Angelica, Claudia’s dad’s girlfriend said from behind Claudia. Claudia turned around as she and her sister seen their dad kiss Angelica.

“I got to go sweetheart,”

“Alright dear. See you girls later,” Their dad got out of the passenger’s door of Angelica’s black SUV. Angelica pulled out of the drive way and left. Tom walked up to the side door of the garage where his daughters were. He kissed them both on the top of their heads.

“Hey dad, I,” Alabama was about to say but her dad interrupted. “Not now kid I gotta go to the bathroom,” He said. “But dad,” Alabama said in a whiny voice.

“Why do you have to bother dad Alabama?” Michelle, Claudia’s younger sister said.

Claudia has two sisters and a brother. Max is the youngest. It went Alabama, then Claudia, then Michelle, then Max.

“Now, where are you going?” Alabama asked. “To bed,” Claudia said.

Claudia went into her room and shut her door behind her. She then turned on her light. She was about to get into her pajamas when she heard something coming from her closet. She wondered of what she experienced had followed her home. She never gets scared easily over the little things. She looked around her room to find something to defend herself with. That is just in case if it was a pest. She grabbed her history text book. She then slid her closet door back and saw that it was her brother Max in the closet.

“Boo!” He expressed. “Nice try little man,” Claudia said. “Aw man,” He expressed with his right arm.

Max is 6 years old.

Knock. Knock.

“Oh, no, hide me,” Max said holding onto Claudia tight.

“Claudia?” Tom said opening the door.

“Daddy,” Max said running up to his dad. “Hey sport,” Tom said to his son picking him up. “I want ice cream. But Bama says I can’t have none,” He said.

“Well sport, you had ice cream last night. Besides it’s too late. Maybe next weekend okay?”

“Oh, alright,” Max said. “Alright go get Chelly while I talk to the Clawster,” Tom said to Max.

Max has nicknames for his sister’s. Alabama is Bama, Michelle is Chelly, and Claudia is Clawster.

“Claudia I want to talk to you about something,” Tom said shutting the door behind him.

“Listen, sweetheart are you still going up to the cementary to visit your mom’s gravestone?” Tom asked his daughter.

Usually Claudia doesn’t like to worry her dad about the things she does. Especially when it comes to her visiting her mom’s gravestone. “How is it going with you and Angelica?” Claudia asked him changing the subject. “It’s actually getting pretty serious,” He said. “That’s good. I like her,” She said. “I’m glad sweetheart. I think your sisters like her as well,” He said. “i think Max has a little crush on her,” Claudia said holding back a laugh. “I think so to. Are you going to be alright?” He asked her. “I’ll be fine dad. I wish you wouldn’t worry so much,” Claudia said looking up at him. “I’m your dad. I will always worry about my babies. It’s part of the description as a father. Love you nugget,” Tom said.

“Dad, Alabama is telling me to go to bed,”

“It’s time for you to go to bed Michelle,” Alabama said.

“I swear a father’s work is never done,” Tom said getting up from Claudia’s bed.

“Sister’s,” Claudia shook her head thinking that her sister’s were crazy. She then got dressed into her PJ’s and went to bed.

The next morning at school, Claudia spotted Tasha at the front bench of the front of the school. She was listening to spotify as she was trying to finish her homework. Once Claudia walked up towards the bench, Tasha had looked up from her notebook then took off her headphones.

“Hey girl,” Tasha said. “Finishing up homework?” Claudia asked.

“i swear I think Mr. Jansen cares more about homework then as opposed to his students,”

“Tell me about it,”

“You okay?”

“Um, yeah, just still a little tired is all,”

“You sure?”

“Yes, come on let’s go,” Claudia said as the two of them walked into the school building. Claudia felt that after what Tasha said about her being crazy for being at the cementary the other day that, she wasn’t sure how Tasha would react to her experience that she experienced last night.

“Everyone please settle down,” Mr. Jansen expressed to the class. Claudia and Tasha took their seats.

Brett Holiday, the quarter back of the Sharks football team, walked into the room to talk to Mr. Jansen.

“What’s Brett doing here?” Claudia asked annoyed.

Claudia didn’t like Brett. Brett was all about Halloween. If it’s decorations or scary costumes, he was all about it. People call him Mr. Halloween. It’s no wonder that he’s the head of the Halloween party committee. All the girls didn’t care if he was Mr. Halloween. They all considered him the hottest guy in school.

“Alright everyone please give Mr. Holiday your attention,” Mr. Jansen said as he was pushing up his glasses.

“Thank you Mr. Jansen. Alright as you know that Mr. Halloween is back in business. Woo, woo. Anyway for Halloween this year everybody needs to dress up really scary this year,” Brett said.

“You know that Halloween is not about being scary or getting candy right?” Claudia spoke up. “I would think I would know what Halloween is all about. After all, I am Mr. Halloween,” Brett said. “Give me a break. Everyone knows that Halloween is actually called Samhein. Do I need to educate you again Brett, or are you going to not listen like you did the last time,” Claudia said.

“Claudia,” A soft voice said from the left side of her. “Can it Brewferd,” Claudia said to Russel Brewferd.

“Claudia,” The whole class except for Tasha and Mr. Jansen said in a whispering way. Claudia didn’t want to have to deal with the class being rude to her so she grabbed her things and started to walk out of the classroom.

“Ms. Hanson come back here,” Mr. Jansen called after her. She ended up leaving the room. She ended up going to the cafeteria to sit down at a table. She was going to sit there until the bell ringed for the next class. She got out her journal and wrote about how she felt about the kids in her class being mean to her.

“Claudia?” A familiar voice said from behind her. She turned around and saw that it was her sister Michelle. “Michelle? What are you doing here?” Claudia said to her sister surprised to see her.

Claudia is 16 and Alabama is 18. However Michelle is 14 and happens to be in middle school.

“My class is getting a tour of what high school will be like for us next year,” Michelle said. “Oh I see,” Claudia said drying her tears. “What are you doing out here?” Michelle asked. “Just waiting for the next bell to ring. I can’t go back into Algebra class. You, uh, you won’t tell dad will you?” Claudia asked. “Of course not. I’m not Alabama,” Michelle said. “Thanks sis,” Claudia said wiping the rest of her tears away. “i have to get back to my class tour. See you at home,” Michelle said walking away.

Tasha walked up towards Claudia.

“Claudia, Mr. Jansen told me to come find you. Could you please come back to class,” Tasha asked.

Ring. The bell went. Claudia was thankful that the bell rang. Claudia grabbed her stuff and walked towards her Biology class. Tasha didn’t want to upset Claudia anymore then she already was. So she didn’t say anything.

“I thought I would catch you girls,” Mr. Martin is their Biology teacher.

The bell rang once again.

“Something the matter Mr. Martin?” Tasha asked. Mr. Martin looked at Claudia like if he was afraid of her. “Mr. Martin?” Claudia said. “Ahhh,” Mr. Martin screamed. He ran the opposite way from his classroom. Everyone in the hallway was confused. Some of the students outside of Mr. Martin’s classroom were wondering if Mr. Martin was coming back.

“Oh My God!” Tasha said looking into the window of Mr. Martin’s class. “What?” Claudia wanted to know. Claudia peered into the window and saw a Pagan worshipping in the classroom.

CHAPTER 3: HORROR IN THE BIOLOGY LAB

“Isn’t that a dunce hat?” Samantha asked. Claudia was impressed that Samantha knew what kind of hat that the worshipper was wearing. “Very good Samantha,” Claudia said. “Thanks,” Samantha said proud of herself.

As the students kept looking into the window, the Pagan turned it’s head and saw his peers looking at him. The Pagan took his hat off. Claudia realized that the Pagan was Oliver.

“Neil, you’re on my feet,” Peggy said. “Sorry Peg,” Neil said moving his feet.

“What are we looking at?” An adult asked the students that was peering into the classroom. “Ahhh!” All the students screamed. The students realized that it was Principal Baxter. The students backed away from the classroom door. Principal Baxter unlocked the classroom door. Behind her was Deputy Clarkson coming to arrest Oliver.

“You can’t arrest me. I’m only doing what my fellow Pagan’s would do,” Oliver said as he was trying to struggle free from Deputy Clarkson.

“Hold still son,” Deputy Clarkson said trying to put the cuffs on Oliver. “I thought you didn’t believe in Samhein,” Claudia said. “Shhh,” Oliver shushed her.

“You’ll be sorry, you’ll be sorry,” Oliver expressed as two other Officers pulled him out of the classroom.

“Principal Baxter, even though he probably shouldn’t of worshipped the devil in the classroom would you still have him being arrested?” Claudia was curious. “Ms. Hanson it’s really none of your concern. Now take a seat,” Principal Baxter said to Claudia. Claudia took her seat even though she felt she had every right to know.

“Alright, students please settle down,” She said.

The students had settled down. The lights in the room were flickering on and off. It only happened in Mr. Martin’s classroom.

“Now Mr. Martin won’t be here with you for right now. i don’t know how long he will get out of his state of mind but no need to worry. This old gal knows a thing or two about Biology. I believe, oh yes,” Principal Baxter said walking to Mr. Martin’s desk. “Pop quiz time,”

“UGH!” The whole classroom of students expressed.

“Oliver, Oliver, Oliver,” A bold voice hissed.

“Great, now Biology class is haunted. No thanks to Oliver. UGH!” Peggy expressed. Principal Baxter passed out the quizes. “No worries just focus on your work,” Principal Baxter said a little scared.

Once the quizes were passed out the air kicked around blow the quizes everywhere. Then suddenly the lights turned out completely. Luckily the hallway light was on or else it would’ve been pitch black dark.

“I get the feeling something bad is almost about to happen,” Sonya Davidson said as she was breathing out cold air.

Suddenly, Sonya was being dragged by her ankles all the way down the hallway. “Ahhh!” Sonya screamed in horror.

CHAPTER 4: TRYING TO MAKE EVERYONE BELIEVE IN SANHEIM

When the bell rang for 3rd period the students in Mr. Martin’s class were too terrified to walk to their next class. The whole class including Principal Baxter ran out of the school building. Even some of the students in other classes that heard Sonya screaming had ran outside their classrooms thinking something bad had happened.

Claudia left the school’s parking lot by crossing the street.

“Claudia,” A familiar voice stopped her as the driver turned into the Schnucks parking lot. Claudia saw that it was Angelica, her dad’s girlfriend.

“Oh great! I’m in trouble,” Claudia expressed. “What’s going on? School couldn’t be over yet? Could it?” Angelica wondered why Claudia was walking along the sidewalk. “Listen, Angelica I would appreciate it if you don’t say anything to my dad,” Claudia said. “Sweetheart come on. School can’t be all that bad. Listen, I will take you back and explain to your teacher that you need help in whatever class that you need help in,” Angelica said. “Angelica you really don’t understand. I believe something bad is going to happen. I just don’t know when,” Claudia said.

“Okay this just got serious. Listen we can talk about this more with your father later. Let’s just get you back to school okay,”

“Angelica it’s not like that. Will you please just listen to me?” Claudia asked desperate for her to understand.

Suddenly a couple of police cars and an ambulance came flying down the street then, turned into the parking lot of the school. “Listen, I have to meet your father at the coffee shop cafe. I trust you will walk back to school,” Angelica said getting into her car as she drove off further into the parking lot towards the cafe.

Claudia wanted to know what was going on at school so she ran down the sidewalk and safely crossed the street. She then ran up to Tasha to ask her what had happened.

“Claudia?” A familiar voice said from behind her. Claudia turned around. It was Alabama this time. Alabama walked up to her younger sister. “Do you know what’s going on?” Alabama asked her. “Oh My God!” Peggy freaked. “What?” Claudia and Alabama wanted to know. Peggy pointed up at the school’s roof. Mr. Martin’s class was the only class that was outside. The whole class saw three Pagan’s on the roof of the school.

“This is the police, we have you surrounded, put your hands up,” A police Officer demanded into the megaphone. The police Officer was afraid that the three of them were going to jump off. Deputy Clarkson and two other Officer’s made it on top of the roof without the Pagan’s realizing it. The three Officer’s came from behind the three Pagan’s and handcuffed them.

“Wait, I thought Deputy Clarkson already arrested Oliver?” Peggy wondered confused. The three Pagan’s were wearing capes with a hood that covered their faces.

“Peggy I’m pretty sure those three Pagan’s are other people,” Samantha said.

Five minutes had went by. The three Pagan’s were arrested and being taken to jail.

“Students please go back to your regular scheduled classes,” Principal Baxter demanded. Everybody including Claudia went back into the school to go to their fourth period class.

Once Claudia went to Gym she got out her journal to write down the experience she had experienced.

“Hanson, this isn’t creative writing class. Put the journal away,” Coach Mass demanded. Claudia had quickly put her journal away to put into her bag. The last time Coach Mass told her to put her journal away she didn’t hear him and got into trouble for it. So he told her to throw away her journal in the trash or else he will. She was so upset. She didn’t want to make that mistake again. She then looked down at her shoes and realized that she wasn’t even suited up for gym. Darn it. She thought to herself. Today was an off day for her considering what happened in Mr. Martin’s classroom. As a matter of fact she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She also remembered seeing in the corner of her eye that Oliver was in the backseat of Deputy Clarkson’s patrol car.

“Hanson, hello Hanson,” Coach Mass said trying to get her attention. “Are we boring you over here?” He asked her. “Huh?” Claudia just now snapped into reality.

The bell had rang once more. It was now lunch time. Claudia wondered if what she experienced at the cementary had followed her to school. She was still thinking about it as she was walking towards the cafeteria for lunch.

They were serving Chinese for lunch. You could either choose between orange chicken or sweet n sour chicken.

Sweet N Sour was her favorite with fried rice. Sometimes she felt that the lunch ladies didn’t serve enough on her plate. She paid for her lunch then went over to her usual spot where Tasha was and ate.

The following day, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was a pep rally right after lunch. So everybody headed to the gym after they ate their lunch.

The pep rally theme was Halloween. There was a Chinese dragon along with other fun stuff.

Brett Holiday made a grand entrance while standing up on the back of a golf art with a warewolf mask on. “Ahhh!” Everyone cheered. The assistant principal handed the microphone to Principal Baxter.

“Students please make welcome, Brett Holiday,” Principal Baxter announced. “Woot! Woot!” Everyone except Claudia and some other students chanted. Brett took the microphone.

“Thank you my fellow peers. How’s everyone feeling?” Brett yelled into the microphone. “Ahhh!” Everyone cheered. “I’m glad to hear it,” Brett went on.

“Remember this year to dress up really scary. The scariest costume will win prizes,” He said.

“Go Brett,” Russel Brewferd hollered.

“I love you,” A girl yelled.

“i love you to,” Brett said even though he didn’t know where that voice came from. Even though he didn’t know where that voice came from. Even though Claudia didn’t like Brett she did want to hear what he had to say.

“I have been told that we have permission to have a huge Halloween blowout at the fairground behind the Golden Age Cementery. So we are going to need every volunteer available to make it the event of the year. So if you want to make Halloween extra special here’s your chance to make it great. Sign up sheets to volunteer are outside the auditorium. We are going to need all the help we can get,” Brett finished saying what he had to say. He then handed the microphone back to Principal Baxter.

“The pep rally will be continued at the football field. But before doing so don’t forget to sign up to volunteer for the Halloween party thank you,” She said. The gym got louder as everyone started getting up from their seats. Quite a few students went towards the front of the auditorium to go sign up the volunteer sheet.

I got to save Sanheim. Claudia thought to herself.

“Wait,” She said loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone stopped to see who it was that said wait. Unfortunately there were other people roaming the hallways.

“We can save Sanheim,”

“What?” Everyone wondered what she was talking about. She felt a tap on her shoulder. When she turned around she saw someone in a cape that she could’ve sworn looked like a dead Pagan. “Ahhh,” She screamed loud enough for everyone to hear.

“What’s going on out here?” Principal Baxter asked walking out the doors of the gymnasium. “Principal Baxter, you got to do something. We can’t have people volunteering much less have the Halloween party,” Claudia said to her.

“Yeah we also can’t have the party at the Golden Age Cementary,” Neil Haggard said walking up to Principal Baxter. “What do you two suggest we do? Not have the party?” Principal Baxter asked the two of them. “Not have the party it isn’t the true meaning of Halloween,” Claudia said.

“Well then educate me Ms. Hanson,” Principal Baxter said crossing her arms. Everyone in the hallway was listening in.

“Halloween is actually called Samhein. I will actually look it up so that way I can show you the meaning as I read it,” Claudia said as she typed in the word Samhein.

“Okay here it is, it means the first day of November, celebrated by the ancient Celts as a festival making the beginning of winter,” Claudia finished reading the definition of Samhein.

“Hm, it really does say that. Doesn’t it?” Mr. Jansen said.

“Ms. Hanson, we already paid to have the party at the fairgrounds by the Golden Age Cementary,” Principal Baxter said.

“So you’re not going to do anything about it?”

“Besides Ms. Hanson you can’t stop everyone from having fun,” Mr. Jansen said.

“It says the Celts celebrated with the festivities of the beginning of November Claudia,” Peggy argued.

“I say that we’re the Celts. Onward with the festivities,” Russel Brewferd said. “Yeah,” Other students agreed with Russel.

The students that agreed with Russel practically ran to the table that had the sign up sheets. They knocked over Claudia to the ground.

“Ugh!” She sighed getting angry.

CHAPTER 5: THE DEAD PAGAN

It was a Friday afternoon, Claudia went to the Golden Age Cementary to find her jacket. It was very windy. Like usual she had to jump the gate. Good thing there was a tree next to the gate that was easy to climb. All she had to do was to climb the tree then hop over the gate. When she finally got over she ran over towards her mother’s gravestone. She had no time to waste. She had to grab her jacket then get back to school before lunch was over.

She found her jacket stuck onto a tree branch that was next to her mother’s gravestone. She realized she had to put in some effort just to get her jacket from the branch.

“Come on,” She said to herself. She finally had pulled hard enough that when she got it off that she bumped her head on something soft. She fell flat on her butt on the ground. She looked up from behind her and saw someone staring down at her. She got up from the wet ground and brushed off her jeans from behind.

“i’m so sorry sir, I uh,” She turned around to look right at him. There staring back at her was a dead Pagan. The Pagan had mummbled something Claudia couldn’t make out but the mummbling was so loud that she got scared.

“Ahhh!” She screamed. The Pagan growled at her and was about to snatch her when she started to run like crazy.

CHAPTER 6: THE NIGHTMARE

She finally made it to the gate of the Golden Age Cementary. She heard the wind blowing from behind her. She quickly wrapped her jacket around her waist. She then jumped the fence. Once she did, she turned around to see if the dead Pagan was behind her. There it was staring at her through the fence. it was so surreal.

She realized she was really late when she got to school.

It was fifth period already.

Sonya Davidson was presenting her project in front of the whole class as Claudia was just walking into the classroom. Ms. Black was writing down something on her clipboard.

“Nice for you to join us Ms. Hanson. You’re twenty minutes late. Have a seat now,” She said moving her black curls back.

“Sorry Ms. Black, the tater tots were so good that I had to ask for the recipe,” Claudia said thinking that was a good excuse. “Uh huh,” Ms. Black expressed rolling her eyes. “Ahahaha,” Everyone including Principal Wesley, that was observing the class, was laughing.

Once every year one of the Principal’s observes a class. Principal Wesley is a very laid back kind of Principal. But he can be strict when he needs to be.

“Go on Ms. Davidson,” Ms. Black said.

“Anyway as I was saying,” Sonya went on.

“Where were you?” Peggy asked Claudia silently. “The Golden Age Cementary.” Claudia whispered. “Golden Age Cementary,” Peggy said really loudly. “What?” The whole class said shocked. Principal Wesley cleared his throat a little. Claudia practically sank down into her seat of her desk.

Sixth period went by, by a breeze.

Seventh period was study hall. Study hall was being held in the auditorium. However no one was in the auditorium except for Peggy, Tasha, and Claudia.

“Did they change rooms again?” Claudia wondered. “There was no note by the door. There’s usually a note when they change rooms,” Peggy said. There was only one really bright light on in the auditorium. It was by the back row of chairs. The rest of the auditorium was dark.

The three girls were just standing next to the seats thinking somebody would come soon. The three of them were facing each other drinking their drinks.

“Well I guess we should got to the main office and ask Ms. Brown where study hall is being held,” Claudia said. Peggy took her last drink of her green tea then put it into her purse. “Sounds good,” Peggy said. “Hey anything to get out of the auditorium. it’s so creepy with all the lights on,” Tasha said.

The three of them started to walk up to the front doors of the auditorium.

Suddenly the bright light had flickered off. A cold breeze came flowing through the auditorium.

“Let’s get out of here,” Peggy said. The three of them were just about to leave the auditorium when the doors slammed shut. “Oh no,” Tasha expressed. The three girls kept tugging at the door. But it wouldn’t budge.

“Help! Someone help us!” Claudia yelled. “No one can hear us remember?” Tasha said. “What are you talking about?” Peggy asked.

“Help! Someone please help,”

“The doors are sound proof,” Tasha reminded Peggy.

“Claudia,” A soft female voice called out to Claudia. It sounded familiar.

“Wait, wait,” Claudia said trying to get Peggy to stop screaming for help.

“Claudia you’re no help,” Peggy expressed still trying to open the doors.

“Alright, get back,” Tasha said as she was about to kick the doors.

The moment she was about to kick the doors, the doors had all of a sudden flung open and Tasha accidently kicked Principal Baxter. “Ow!” Principal Baxter expressed. “Oh My God, Principal Baxter I’m so sorry,” Tasha expressed scared of what the outcome of the punishment would be.

“Are you girls alright/” Principal Baxter asked. “Um well,” Tasha was about to say but Claudia interrupted her. “We’re just fine. Thank you Principal Baxter,” Claudia said. “Let’s go,” Peggy said leading the way out.

“Wait, girls?” Principal Baxter called to them.

The three girls stopped in the middle of the hallway then turned around.

“Yes mam?” Peggy said wondering if she was in trouble. “Mr. Peterson got sick so I will be today’s substitute,” Principal Baxter said. The three girls caught up with Principal Baxter to walk to their seventh period class in the gymnasium.

After school most students went behind the Golden Age Cementary to volunteer for the Halloween party. Halloween is only three weeks away. So everyone had to do their part. Especially if the Halloween party is going to be the event of the year.

“UGH!” Claudia expressed as she was watching everyone from the Golden Age Cementary.

“Claudia,” A familiar ghostly voice said boldly. She turned around and saw the dead Pagan next to a female ghost that looked familiar.

“Mom?” Claudia thought it was her mom sending her a message.

“Claudia,” Samantha called her name from the fairgrounds. Claudia turned her head to see Samantha Gladstone looking right at her.

“Who are you talking to?” Samantha asked. “I was just uh,” Claudia said turning her head back. The dead Pagan and the ghost had disappeared into thin air. She then looked right at Samantha the two other volunteers were wondering what she was doing sitting on top of a gravestone.

“Claudia, Claudia, Claudia,” A familiar male voice that was trying to sound ghostly had called out Claudia’s name. Claudia turned around to see that it was Russel Brewferd that called her name.

Russel was standing on top of Sargent O’Mara’s gravesite. Sargent O’Mara was a highly respected Officer back in the 70′s. Almost everyone knew him. For anyone to disrespect him or stand on his gravesite definitely wouldn’t see the light of day. Sargent O’Mara and Ron Brewferd were good friends.

“Brewferd,” A stern voice said from behind Russel. “Oh hey gramps. Hanson you’re in trouble. Ahahahaha,” Russel said making fun of Claudia. “Brewferd get in the car,” His grandfather said. “Just a minute gramps, I got to make a leak,” Russel said getting more mean by the minute.

“Not on that gravesite your not. Get your butt up here now boy,” Russel was really in trouble now. Russel quickly peed on the tree that was next to Sargent O’Mara’s gravesite.

“Brewferd move it,” Jacob, Russel’s older brother demanded. Russel ran up to the parking lot and hopped into his dad’s car.

“Ma’m you might want to get down from the gravestone,”

“Yes sir,” Claudia said. Claudia jumped down from her mother’s gravestone. She saw the Brewferd family drive away.

“Ms. Hanson why don’t you come up here to the fairgrounds and help volunteer. We can use all the help we can get,” Principal Baxter said. “Actually Principal Baxter Halloween decorating is not on my to do list,” Claudia said standing her ground.

“Are you just not a Halloween person?” Samantha asked Claudia. “Need I to remind everyone of what Halloween really is about?” Claudia said.

“Ms. Hanson if you don’t want to help just say you don’t want to help. You don’t need to make excuses,” Principal Baxter said.

“I’m not making an excuse,”

“I think all the talk about Samheim is just for you wanting to get some attention,” Daisy Karmichael, the head cheerleader and the most popular girl in school, said.

Everybody in school didn’t like that Daisy was always making everyone feel stupid. She always thinks she’s smarter than everyone. “Come on,” Daisy said to Samantha and Principal Baxter. Principal Baxter and Samantha walked away to go back into helping with the decorations.

When Claudia got home she saw her dad and his girlfriend Angelica at the dining room table.

“You’re in trouble,” Alabama said standing in the kitchen.

“Alabama take your brother into his room and play with him,” Tom said.

“You’re going to get it,”

“Alabama now,”

“Come on Max,”

Max did as he was told. Alabama took Max into his room to play.

“Claudia have a seat,” Her father said.

Claudia sat down in the chair that she normally sits. Claudia was wondering what she did was wrong.

“Claudia, Alabama has been telling me that you have been going up to the Golden Age Cementary still. Sweetheart I think you need to know something about your mom,” Tom was about to say.

“Dad what are you talking about?”

“Sweetheart do you know what a Pagan is?” He asked her. “Yes,” She answered. He was shocked that she knew.

“Really? What do you think it means?” He asked her.

“By definition a Pagan is a religion other than one of the main world religions, specifically a non Christian or pre Christian religion. Dad what’s going on?”

“Alright Claudia I don’t want you to go back to that cementary anymore. That’s my final word, got it?”

“But dad why?”

“CLAUDIA DO NOT TALK BACK TO ME!” He yelled.

“Tom you need to,” Angelica was about to say but he gave her a stern look. Claudia started to cry.

“Claudia go to your room,”

“Tom,” Angelica said his name to urge him to reconsider. Tears were pouring down Claudia’s cheeks.

“Oh Claudia come,” Angelica was about to say but Tom interrupted her.

“Angie don’t help,” He said to her. Claudia ran into her room crying. She ended up crying herself to sleep.

“Claudia,” A sinister female voice called for Claudia.

She woke up finding herself at the Golden Age Cementary. She was laying on the dirty ground in her nightgown. She got up from the muddy ground. She was standing on the side of her mother’s gravestone. The gravestone vanished right before her eyes.

“Claudia,” The female’s voice echoed around her.

“Mom is that you?” Claudia asked getting more and more curious. There was a fog like mist all around the cementary. Something or someone had moved from behind her.

“Claudia Claudia,” The same female voice called her name except this time it was more like a small whisper of a voice. It sounded familiar to Claudia. Some of the fog cleared up a little and she saw something or someone in the shadows. She walked over to the other side of her mother’s gravestone even though it wasn’t there, so she could try to get closer to whatever was hiding itself from him.

“Mom?”

“CLAUDIA!” The dead Pagan jumped right into her face and scared her awake in her bed.

“Ahh,” She screamed sitting up in her bed.

As she was breathing heavily she saw her breath in the cold air. She had to get out of bed to see if her siblings and her father was okay.

However when she twisted the door knob on the door it wouldn’t let her open it. It’s like door was locked but somehow Claudia could still twist the door handle.

CHAPTER 7: TASHA’S EERIE BASEMENT

“Come on open,” Claudia kept trying to open her bedroom door.

“Claudia what’s going on?” She backed away from her door when she heard her dad knock on the door. “Thank God,” She whispered putting her hand over her heart.

“Claudia open up,” Her father said still knocking on her door. She finally got to open her door.

“Claudia, why were you screaming?” Tom asked his daughter. Claudia didn’t want to tell her dad about the nightmare she had. He wouldn’t understand.

“It was just a nightmare dad,”

“Oh, well, it’s a good thing that I told you not to go back to the cementary. That’s what you get for visiting a cementary. Sorry you had a nightmare. I bet you learned your lesson right?” Tom said as she was yawning.

“Yeah dad, well, I got to get some sleep. Let’s just call it a lesson learned,”

“Alright,” He said yawning again.

“Night dad,”

“Good night,” He yawned once again.

“Dad,” Michelle wondered what was going on.

Her dad closed his bedroom door.

“Claudia, what were you screaming at?” Her curious sister asked her.

“I just had a nightmare is all,”

“Oh you want to tell me about it?”

“It’s kind of complicated. You wouldn’t understand,”

“Well I can at least listen, even though I may not understand it,” Michelle said.

“Well I would like someone to talk to without being judged or made fun of what I believe in,”

Michelle walked into Claudia’s bedroom and sat on her bed.

So Claudia told Michelle everything. She told her about Samhein, the dead Pagan, to the experiences that she’s been experiencing. For once Claudia felt that talking to Michelle about how she’s been feeling was comforting. It’s like a little bit of her mom was listening to her.

“Michelle I have to say that’s it’s really grown up of you to just listen without saying anything,”

“Thanks I feel grown up to when I listen,” Michelle said looking down at Claudia’s bed sheets.

“What’s the matter?” Claudia asked her little sister.

“I think I started my period for the first time,”

“Oh, well, there are pads in the bathroom. How do you feel?”

“i got pain in my stomach. Is that normal?” Michelle asked her big sister.

“Yes, I will get you some Alieve while you use the restroom. Change your underwear before you put on a pad,” Claudia said.

“Okay thanks,”

“You’re welcome,”

“Michelle,” A soft female voice called Michelle’s name.

“Alabama?” Michelle wondered if it was her older sister.

“Claudia?” The same female voice said softly.

Claudia’s bedroom door creaked open a little. The two of them took a breath and saw cold air fogging up. Suddenly the door bursted open wide. Then Claudia’s lights went on and off.

“Girls,” A soft familiar voice whispered.

“Oh My God it’s mom calling us,” Michelle whispered. The two of them felt cold lips kissing them on the forehead.

“Did you feel that?” Michelle asked Claudia.

“Yes,” Claudia said feeling a sense of comfort.

The following morning Max was sitting at the dining room table eating his breakfast while playing with his cars.

“Eat some of your eggs buddy,” Tom said drying off the pan from the eggs he just made.

“Okay daddy,” Max said as he scooped up some eggs on his spoon then ate it.

Ding. Dong.

“I’ll get it dad,” Alabama said walking up to the front door. She looked through the peep hole. She saw that it was Angelica. She opened the door to let her in.

“Hi Angie,”

“Well hello Alabama,”

“Dad, Angie’s here,”

“Hello sweetheart,” Tom greeted her. “Hi,” She said as the two of them gave each other a sweet kiss.

“Alright Alabama go wake up Claudia,”

“Yes sir,”

“Would you like some breakfast?” Tom asked his girlfriend.

“I would love some,”

“Great,”

“She’s coming dad. She’s getting dressed,” Alabama announced.

“Thank you,” The two lovebirds walked into the kitchen.

Claudia walked into the dining room wanting to avoid all confrontation with her dad.

“Claudia I’m very proud of you,” Tom said surprisingly. Claudia was confused. Why was he proud of her?

“Um, I don’t know what I did but you’re welcome?” Claudia said questioning what she could’ve done that made him proud.

“I told dad Claudia,” Michelle said. Claudia instantly thought Michelle told her dad about what she didn’t want to tell her dad.

“But I don’t understand how can you be proud of me about it?” Claudia asked turning her head to her dad. “Why wouldn’t I sweetheart? You’re a good big sister by taking care of Michelle when she needed a woman’s help,” Tom said as he sprayed the pan with oil. Claudia looked back at Michelle. “Yep she’s a great big sister alright,” Michelle said drinking her orange juice winking at Claudia. “Oh,” Claudia whispered winking back at Michelle.

Later that afternoon Claudia went over to Tasha’s house. The two of them had sandwiches and ice tea for lunch on the back patio.

Tasha’s dad passed away two years ago. So it was only her mom and her four sisters.

“Tasha, mom wants you to put the rest of the pictures downstairs. Hi Claudia,” Latisha said to her sister. “I will in a minute, can’t you see I’m having lunch with Claudia,” Tasha said. “Whatever Tasha,” Latisha said.

“I’m done, I will do it,” Claudia aid standing up. “You didn’t even finish your tea,” Tasha said. Tasha handed Claudia her tea. Claudia drank it all the way down. “Ah, done,” She said giving Tasha the glass back. “My, you were thirsty,”

“Yep, are you ready?” Claudia asked Tasha, eager to help her with the pictures. “Hold on a second I’m finished with my bologna sandwich,” Tasha said as she kept eating then she drank her tea.

Once Tasha was finished with eating her lunch the two girls went to the basement to sort through old photographs together. Claudia thought it would be fun to sort through the photos.

Once the two of them were down in Tasha’s basement Claudia realized that Tasha’s basement wasn’t a furnished basement. It was one of those basements that you see in horror movies. The basement was like really creepy with the lights off. Tasha had turned on the light. Claudia was relieved despite the fact that the basement still looked creepy to her.

“Okay let’s go through these old photos so we can get the heck on out of here,” Tasha said. Claudia never been in Tasha’s basement before. “Wow!” Claudia expressed. She saw boxes and boxes of really old photographs.

“Yeah, well, when my dad was alive, he was the only one that would come down here. He was really fascinated with old photographs of our ancestors,” Tasha said.

“Alright let me help you with,” Claudia stopped herself as she picked up an old photo. “What is it?” Tasha wondered. It was a photo of the dead Pagan. Claudia showed the picture to Tasha.

“Tasha,” A soft male voice whispered throughout the basement. The lights flickered on and off.

“Let’s get out of here,” Claudia said. “Right behind you,” Tasha said as a box of photos had fell to the ground.

CHAPTER 8: THE PHOTOGRAPH

Claudia and Tasha left Tasha’s house by riding their bikes. The two of them couldn’t go to the cementary so they rode their bikes to the Golden Age Library.

“Peggy,” Claudia called Peggy’s name in the parking lot of the Golden Age Library.

Peggy works as a page at the Golden Age Library. A page is someone who does tasks such as putting books away, dusting shelves, cleaning tables, etc.

“Hi Claudia, Hi Tasha, what’s going on?” Peggy asked the two of them. “Yeah, that’s what I would like to know Claudia,” Tasha said talking off her helmet. “Oh sorry Tasha I probably should’ve told you before we came here,” Claudia said showing Tasha the photo to her again.

“Why are you showing me this again?” Tasha wondered. “Turn the picture around,” Claudia said. Tasha turned it around. On the back of the picture the words E. A. Yearwood was written on the picture.

“Wait, can I see that picture?” Peggy asked. “Here,” Tasha said. Peggy looked at the picture.

“I’ve seen this before,” Peggy said as she turned the picture to look at the back.

“Come on,” Peggy said as she quickly grabbed her purse from her car then started to walk towards the front doors of the library. Claudia and Tasha followed behind her. There weren’t too many people that take the stairs considering there’s an elevator to take anyone up or down the stairs.

“Um, do you mind me asking where we are going?” Tasha asked as the three of them were headed to the records room. “Tasha if you don’t know then we have a big problem,” Claudia said realizing what Peggy was up to.

“Alright I’m going to let you in the records room however you can’t tell anyone that I let you in here or else I will,” Peggy started to say but Claudia finished her sentence. “Get fired. We got it,” Claudia said looking at Tasha. “What?” Tasha wondered why Claudia and Peggy were looking at her.

“Come on,” Claudia said as she walked into the records room. Claudia and Tasha went into the records room quietly. Peggy made sure no one was around before she locked the door behind her as she walked into the room.

“What are we looking for?” Tasha asked as she was squinting trying to help.

“It’s so dark in here,” Tasha said.

Peggy turned on the lights so that way the three of them could start searching for what they were supposed to be looking for.

“Tasha, what’s your grandfather’s name?” Peggy asked. “Albert why?” Tasha asked confused.

“Does he go by another name?” Peggy asked.

“No,”

“Okay this is going to be harder than I thought,” Peggy said.

“Wait, my grandma would call him by his first name,” Tasha said. “I thought you said that he doesn’t go by any other name other than Albert,” Claudia thought confused.

“Well Albert is his middle name. He usually has everyone call him that. That’s the name I’ve always heard everyone call him,”

“Then what’s his first name?” Claudia asked.

“Alvin,”

“Alvin?” Peggy and Claudia expressed in unison. “Yeah,” Tasha said. “Then whose initials are E. A. Yearwood?” Peggy asked.

“Ernest Anderson Yearwood,” Tasha said. “Who?” Peggy asked.

“I said Ernest,” Tasha was about to say but Claudia interrupted.

“We know what you said we just meant who is he?” Claudia asked.

“He’s my uncle. Wait, is that who we are looking for in the records room?” Tasha asked. “Well yeah, who did you thought we were looking for?” Claudia asked. “When did he die?” Peggy asked as she started to search through the records.

“He’s not dead. He’s still alive,”

“What?” Claudia and Peggy said in unison loudly.

Someone had opened the door to the records room. It was a security guard.

Fifteen minutes later the three girls were in the librarian’s office. The security guard came into the office after talking to the Librarian.

“Alright now I know why Peggy would be in the records room but Tasha why were you in the room with your friend?” The security guard asked Tasha, that seemed to know her.

“Tasha how does he know you?” Claudia asked looking at her friend.

“This is my uncle Ernest,”

“What?” Peggy and Claudia said in unison once again.

‘That’s why I was confused to why we were looking for him in the records room,” Tasha said.

“Wait a minute. You’re telling me that you were looking for me this whole time? Why didn’t you just asked for me in the first place?” Ernest asked.

“Excuse me sir. But have you seen this photo before?” Claudia asked him handing him the photo.

“Where did you get this?” He asked looking terrified.

“Tasha’s basement. Well actually it was in a box of photos that we had to put in the basement,” Claudia said. Ernest hopped off the window seal that he was sitting on.

“Give me a minute,” Ernest said leaving the room. He came back with a photograph book. He went up to the three girls and showed the photo book to them.

“You see this picture that you just showed me is this woman right here. You see how she’s dressed?” Ernest asked showing the girls old photographs of a woman putting on a long robe. There was pictures of her putting on a long mask that covered her face.

“Here wait,” Ernest said as Claudia was about to touch the photograph of the woman that she recognized. Ernest carefully pulled the photograph off the page without breaking the photo. He then handed it to Claudia to look at. She turned the picture over and saw that on the photo the words Leslie Hanson 1984 was written on it.

“Mom,” Claudia expressed out loud.

CHAPTER 9: A BAD DAY FOR CLAUDIA

“Wait that’s your mom?” Peggy asked wondering how all of this was piecing together.

“Claudia,” A soft whisper of a voice called her name. She wanted to know if anyone heard the voice that called her name but she didn’t want to ask so she ignored it this time.

“Wait, if that photograph you found is your mom. Then how did it get messed up with my photos?” Tasha asked. “I really don’t know,” Claudia said.

“Peggy we need you to shelve some books out here,” The assistant Librarian said opening the door. “Sure thing. Talk to you girls later,” Peggy said. Peggy had shut the door on her way out.

“I think I can answer that,” Ernest said. ‘You can?” Claudia and Tasha wondered in unison.

‘Your mom was in my class. She was one of the best students in our class. On Halloween of the year of 1984 she dressed up. She however said that she was going to go pay her respects to her grandmother that passed away the month before. She was the only Pagan in the whole school. Once after she visited her grandmother she went to go see Tom Hanson and his family to go celebrate in the festivities to pay tribute to Tom’s ancestors. Leslie and Tom had been dating for two years. His parents Verna and Marshall were very accepting of Leslie. Leslie’s parents were Christians. So when Leslie told her parents about what she believed in with wanting to be a Pagan, her parents had told her to leave and never come back. So Verna and Marshall let her stay with them. On that day Tom had proposed to Leslie in front of his family. They got married exactly of the year of 1985. As they got older Leslie wanted to have children that believed in Paganism. However Tom wanted to change his religion. There was no way that he wanted that for his future. He wanted to change his religion back to Christianity. However Leslie wouldn’t have it. So she moved out of town. Tom got remarried to another woman named Leslie and had children. Leslie Hanson died the year that Tom’s second child was born. However before she died she made a promise to Tom that one of his children would be claimed as hers,” Ernest finished the story.

“Oh My God. Are you serious? How do you know this?” Tasha asked her uncle. “There’s a whole story about her in old newspapers at the old county building,” He said. “Thank you,” Claudia said as Tasha and her were walking out of the library.

“Don’t mention it,” He said waving as the two girls were walking towards their bikes.

“That still doesn’t answer how the photo ended up at my house,” Tasha said.

“I don’t know girls,”

“Where to now?”

“The old county building. Maybe there’s more information on the other Leslie Hanson,” Claudia said as she was taking off on her bike with Tasha pedaling behind her.

It took them both twenty five minutes to get downtown at the old county building.

“Hey, Claudia, isn’t that your older sister over there?” Tasha asked. “What’s she doing here?” Claudia wondered. She saw Alabama close her car door. The two girls then saw Alabama get out of her car and then walk into the county building. The two of them realized that Alabama didn’t see them. “Come on,” Claudia said. The two girls walked inside the building. Claudia saw Alabama walk behind the receptionist area.

“Does she work here or something?” Tasha asked. “I don’t know. I’m going to ask,” Claudia said. Claudia and Tasha walked up to the receptionist desk where Alabama was. She was on the phone answering someone’s question.

“You’re welcome sir. Hello, how may I? Claudia? What are you doing here?” Alabama asked shocked to see her sister.

“Do you work here?” Tasha asked her. “Yes why?” Alabama asked. “How long have you been working here?” Claudia wanted to know. “Just a week so far,”

“Really? You never told me about it,” Claudia said. “I’m sorry but I didn’t think I had to check in with you about everything in my life,” Alabama said.

The phone rang again.

“Golden Age County building this is Alabama how may I help you? Why thank you,” Alabama answered the phone. The lights in the building were flickering on and off as a storm was rolling in.

“How did the two of you get here?” Alabama asked as she finished her call. She then hung up the phone. “Um, our bikes,” Claudia said.

“Claud-ia,” Alabama expressed her sister’s name. “Hey, how was I to know that it was going to storm?” Claudia said.

“Claudia,” The same ghostly female voice whispered Claudia’s name.

“Hey is that Brett Holiday?” Tasha asked tapping on Claudia’s shoulder. Claudia turned her head and saw Brett Holiday holding a bouquet of flowers.

“It’s like no matter where we go he seems to be following us everywhere,” Claudia said. “He’s here for me,” Alabama said. Brett walked over towards the three girls.

“These are for you,” Brett said handing the bouquet of daisies to Alabama. “They’re beautiful Brett. Thank you,” Alabama said smelling the flowers.

“Wait Alabama, are you two dating?” Claudia wanted to know. “Yes we are,” Alabama said as she gave Brett a hug.

“Wait, how do you two know each other?” Brett asked Alabama. “Brett, Claudia is my sister,” Alabama said.

“Oh, well, that’s great. Looks like I will be seeing you more often then Claudia,” Brett said.

“Brett could you do me a favor and take Claudia and Tasha back home?”

“Why of course,”

“Thank you Brett dear,”

“UGH!” Claudia expressed. She absolutely hated Brett. But this definitely took the top of the cake.

CHAPTER 10: IN THE DARK

Brett had first dropped off Tasha.

“Good luck girl,” Tasha said grabbing her bike off the back of Brett’s truck. “I’ll call you later girl,” Claudia said as Tasha was running into her garage.

“Claudia why do you hate me so much?” Brett asked as he drove on down the road to Claudia’s house.

“You know why,”

“No I really don’t,” Brett said as he was trying to drive with the hail coming down hard. “Just drive Brett,” Claudia said.

“Whether or not if I was dating your sister I still would like to try and make things right with you,” Brett said. “Why?” Claudia asked getting suspicious.

“Because Alabama says you would be a good friend to have,” He said. “She said that,” Claudia asked surprised.

“You seem surprised,” He said.

“You think you know someone,” She whispered a little.

“Huh?” Brett wondered.

It was not only thundering it was also raining so bad that it was very hard for Brett to see the road. He couldn’t even see other cars coming the other way.

At the worst timing one of Brett’s tires had blew. “Crap!” Brett expressed. He managed to pull over to the side of the road. He was not too far away from Claudia’s neighborhood.

“Are you alright Claudia?”

“Yeah,”

“Alright,” He said pulling out his phone. There was nothing but the sound of pouring down rain. There wasn’t any other cars within sight. Neither one of them spoke a word.

Brett was parked beside the Golden Age Cementary’s parking lot. The passenger’s side of the truck was facing the cementary. Claudia was looking out the passenger’s window while Brett was calling for help.

Suddenly the dead Pagan had revealed itself to Claudia through the passenger’s window. “Ahhh,” Claudia screamed.

“Oh jeez you scared me. Are you alright?” Brett asked holding his phone to his ear.

“Um, yeah, it’s just the thunder scared me is all. Sorry,”

“No worries,”

“Wait, what was that?” Claudia asked. She thought she heard something other than the rain coming down on Brett’s truck.

“Stay here,” Brett said as he shut the driver’s side of the door behind him. He ran behind his truck to check his back tires.

Claudia looked into the rearview mirror to see what Brett was doing. She saw the dead Pagan right behind him.

“Oh My God! No!” Claudia expressed.

“Brett,” She expressed getting out of the cab of the truck. She ran behind the truck. She saw that Brett was fine. The dead Pagan was gone.

“I thought I told you to stay in the truck,” Brett said.

‘I just thought that you needed some help,” Claudia said.

“Claudia, please get back in the truck,” Brett yelled over the rain.

Suddenly a car came down the street. Claudia realized that it was her dad

“You folks need some help?” Tom asked not recognizing his daughter. “Dad, thank goodness you’ve come,” Claudia said feeling grateful.

“Claudia?” Tom asked relieved that his daughter was safe. “This is your dad?” Brett asked.

“You two get in the car. Come on,” Tom said.

Ten minutes later Claudia and Brett were sitting in front of a fireplace drinking hot chocolate.

“Thanks Brett,”

“For what?” Brett wondered what Claudia was thinking him for.

“For keeping cool under pressure,”

“No problem,”

Max, Claudia’s little brother was staring at Brett.

“Why is he staring at me?” Brett asked. “I don’t know,” Claudia said. Brett gave a silly face to Max. Max had laughed.

“I like him,” Max said.

“So Brett how did you and Claudia meet?” Tom asked. “Well I can’t really remember. All I know is that she doesn’t like me,” Brett said. “Good,” Tome said taking a sip of his coffee.

“Boy, it’s pouring down out there,” Alabama said walking through the front door. Brett got up to give her the blanket he had wrapped around himself. He put it around her.

“I thought you would be home by now,” Alabama said. “i had to pull over. I have three flats on my truck,” Brett said.

“Are you serious? Is Claudia alright?” Alabama asked. “She’s just fine. She’s by the fireplace talking to your dad,” Brett said.

“Okay good. I’m going to get out of these wet clothes,”

“Alright, you know I think your dad thinks that I’m dating your sister,”

“Really? I’ll set him straight,” Alabama said walking over to the living room where her dad and siblings are.

“Hey dad,” She said.

“Hey darlin,”

“Dad, Brett here thinks you think that Claudia and him are dating,”

“Aren’t they?”

“No Brett’s dating me,”

“Oh, okay, that makes sense now. That’s great sweetheart why don’t you go ahead and put on some warm clothes on. Then we will catch up,” Tom said.

“I was going to say Brett you seem old enough to be Alabama’s age,” Tom said to Brett. “Well I am 18,”

Tom took a sip of his coffee. The thunder struck really hard.

‘Daddy,” Max said running up to Tom. “It’s alright partner. Remember what I told you about when it thunders?” Tom asked Max. “Yeah you said that when it thunders it’s God’s way of saying he’s here,” Max said.

“That’s right. It’s a way that he’s listening,” Tom said putting his coffee down on the coffee table.

“Okay I’m dressed. So what is everyone talking about?” Alabama asked as she clapped her hands once. “God,” Max answered her question.

All the lights went out. “Oh, well, at least we have the,” Claudia was about to say right when the fire in the fireplace blew out.

“Daddy,” Max climbed onto Tom’s lap. “Max it’s okay buddy,” Brett reassured Max. Brett was sitting on the left side of Tom on the couch.

“I will tell you what Max, how about I figure out what’s going on with the power while you hang out with Brett. Sound like a plan?” Tom said to his son.

“Yay! I like Brett,”

“Alright good deal kid,” Tom said as he stood up from his seat. He then bumped into the side table.

“Shoot!”

“Dad are you alright?” Claudia asked. Tom eventually found the door to the garage.

Once he walked into the garage he found a flashlight so he turned it on. He eventually found the power box he was about to see what was going on with the power when he felt something breathing on the back of his neck. He felt goosebumps all around his body. He turned around to shine the flashlight from behind him.

“Tom,” A faint female voice called his name. “Leslie?” Tom wondered a little frightened.

“Tom, A sinister voice called his name this time.

“Who’s there?” He demanded trying to be brave. Nothing was there.

He turned back around to the electric box to see his girlfriend Angelica dead as a doornail.

CHAPTER 11: ANOTHER DEATH

Tom ran back into the house right when the lights went back on.

“Dad, what’s going on?” Claudia asked.

“I’ll tell you girls later,” Tom grabbed his cell phone and ran back out into the garage.

About an hour later, Max went to bed because it was way past his bedtime.

The police and the ambulance were already at the house.

“What’s going on?” Michelle asked waking up.

It was two o’clock in the morning.

“Alright thanks,” The EMT guy said to Tom. “Yeah,” Tom said sniffling. Brett went home finally. The ambulance and the police left the neighborhood. Tom then walked back inside the house. It was still pouring down rain.

“Dad what’s going on?” Michelle asked. “Michelle go back to bed,” Tom said. “I will go get you a towel,” Alabama said walking towards the closet of the towels. Usually Tom doesn’t cry around the girls or even move considering he’s too little to understand that even men cry sometimes.

“Here dad,” Alabama said handing her father a towel. “Thank you,” He said tearing up a little. “Dad? Are you okay?” Alabama asked.

“Girls go to bed,” Tom said. Alabama knew better than to push it with her father when he tells her to do something. So she did as she was told. Michelle also did as she was told. Claudia however wanted to comfort her father. He started to cry harder.

Thunder and lightning were going crazy. Claudia walked up to her father and put her arms around him.

“Shhh,” Claudia said trying to calm him down. He was sitting on his chair in the dining room. The back of the chair was facing the back window.

Once lightning and thunder struck together Claudia saw Angelica’s ghost looking right at her. “Ahhh!” Claudia screamed.

“Oh jeez. Sweetheart it’s okay. I never known you to scream at the lightning and thunder,” Tom said.

“Dad?” Claudia said.

“Yes,”

“Did Angelica... die?” Claudia asked. How did she know? He wondered.

“How did you know?” Tom asked his daughter.

“Honestly dad,” She stopped herself.

“it’s a long story,”

When they went to sleep neither one of them could even get to sleep.

Once the two of them did get to sleep Tom had a nightmare that his first girlfriend Leslie had killed Angelica. He kept tossing and turning.

Claudia however sort of had the same dream. However in Claudia’s dream, Leslie, that is the Leslie before her mom, had killed her mom. The two of them slept until 12:30. The two of them woke up with a really bad headache.

The smell of bacon cooking on the stove surrounded the house. Tom had looked at his phone. It was 12:51. Tom quickly got dressed and walked down the hallway.

“Is that bacon I smell?” Tom asked scratching his chest.

“Alabama, I never knew you to make bacon,” Tom said walking into the kitchen. He saw Brett cooking bacon over the stove.

“What’s up Brett?” Max said. “Hey little man. Give me some,” Brett said holding out his knuckles. Max hit his fist to Brett’s fist. Tom bent down to Max.

“Go put on a shirt squirt,”

“Hey that rhymes,”

“Go,”

“I’m making lot’s of bacon so we can make our own BLT’s,” Brett said. “Sounds good,” Tom said.

“Hey Brett, what, do you, like live here now?” Claudia asked him. “Hey, you can’t get rid of me that easy,” Brett said.

After lunch everyone went about their day.

“How did she die?” Tasha asked as the two girls were at the Golden Age Park walking around the trails.

“I don’t really know but all I do know is that I think my dad and I had similar dreams,” Claudia said.

“How do you know?” Tasha asked her. “All I know is that I need to do some more research,” Claudia said. Claudia suddenly had a flash.

“Claudia,” A flash of Angelica and the dead Pagan suddenly came out of nowhere in her head.

“Claudia, Claudia,” Tasha kept calling her name trying to get her out of her state of mind.

“Whoa,” Claudia said getting a little dizzy. “Are you alright,” Tasha asked. Claudia was bent down a little. She was breathing heavily.

“Here, take a drink of my water,” Tasha said. Tasha handed Claudia her water. Claudia took a drink of water.

“Are you okay? Boy you were really out,” Tasha said. People who were walking by were staring as they kept walking.

“Is she alright?” A familiar voice asked. It was Coach Mass.

“I’m alright,” Claudia said standing up.

“Drink a little more water,” Coach Mass said. Claudia drank a little more water.

“What are you doing here Coach?” Tasha asked. “I’m out here to get in some exercise,” Coach said. “I thought you do that at school,” Claudia wondered as she was now breathing better.

“I do it everyday. I’m glad to see you girls are getting in some as well. Just remember to drink plenty of water,” Coach said. “Will do, come on,” Tasha said to Claudia. “Where to now?” Claudia asked.

“You know that’s the first time that you’re asking me that,” Tasha said pulling out her bike.

The following day was Monday, everyone was getting ready for the Halloween party. It was two weeks until Halloween. Mr. Martin was back from his leave of absence. Sonya Davidson was back as well. Everyone gave her flowers.

“Alright everyone we have a lot to cover. So who can tell me,” Mr. Martin was about to say. Daisy Karmichael walked into the room with a note. “Thank you,” Mr. Martin said reading the note.

“Alright Ms. Karmichael take a seat,”

“Thank you Mr. Martin,” Daisy said taking a seat next to Claudia. Tasha was sick so Daisy took her seat.

“Where was I? Oh yes,” Mr. Martin went on. “Where’s your friend? What’s her name again?” Daisy asked Claudia. “Her name is Tasha. She’s sick,” Claudia said. “Oh,” Daisy said.

“Daisy,” A diabolical voice said as the lights were flickering on and off. Daisy looked all around her to see where that voice was coming from.

“Is that Russel?” Daisy asked thinking it was Russel Brewferd. She looked over her left shoulder. Daisy’s Biology book pages were turning like crazy.

“Ahhhh,” She screamed.

“Not again. I give up. Why try? Why even try?” Mr. Martin expressed frustrated. The classroom door flew wide open.

“Ahhh!” The students in the classroom screamed.

“Claudia,” The soft female voice whispered within the hallway. A ghostly image of Claudia’s mom ran away from the classroom. Claudia saw her.

“Mom?” She wondered getting up from her seat. Claudia walked out into the hallway as the ghost like figure faded away. Claudia didn’t know what else to do but to go back into the classroom. That is until she felt someone tap on her shoulder before she walked back into the classroom. She turned around to see who it was. It was Oliver.

“You saw that to?” He said. He then ran down the hallway. Claudia had followed him down the hallway. She followed him all the way to the classroom.

“Ahhh!” Mrs. Maines, the choir teacher screamed.

“Mrs. Maines are you alright?” Claudia asked.

“Somebody call 911 quick,” Peggy Simmons expressed. Latisha, Tasha’s sister got on her cell phone to call 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?” The dispatcher asked. Whole Latisha was on the phone with the dispatcher Claudia walked further inside the choir room. She walked over to where Mrs. Maines was standing at.

Right on the floor inside the dance room was Oliver dead as a doornail.

CHAPTER 12: THE OTHER LESLIE HANSON

The police came right away. The police had questioned Mrs. Maines.

“Hey Claudia where’s Tasha?” Sonya asked. “She’s sick,” Claudia said. Claudia kept thinking that all of the chaos wouldn’t of happened if it wasn’t for her. So she blamed herself. However, at the same time she felt like it wasn’t her fault. She realized she had to do something to make it right. But what could she do? Everyone was outside of the school building.

Lightning had struck over the school building. Thunder was rolling in. The weird thing is that dark clouds were surrounding only the school buidling.

Am I the only one noticing the dark clouds over the school? Claudia thought to herself.

“It’s coming,” Neil Haggard said out loud. “What?” Everyone wanted to know what he was talking about. Neil was wearing a cape. It was a cape that Pagan’s wear.

“Neil? You’re a Pagan?” Samantha asked him confused.

“This isn’t about me. This is about what is to come,” Neil said staring at the dark clouds.

The following days were uneventful.

On Saturday, Claudia went over to Tasha’s house. She was sick all week. So Claudia thought she’d check up on her friend and bring her homework to her.

“Hi Claudia, Tasha’s in her room,” Latisha said to Claudia. “Thanks is she doing any better,” Claudia wanted to know. “She’s doing a little better,” Mrs. Yearwood said.

‘Is it catchy?” Claudia asked feeling cautious.

“No I know it’s not. However she did want me to let you know why she’s sick,” Mrs. Yearwood said as she finished drying a dish. “Oh okay,” Claudia said.

“She took a pregnancy test and it turned out to be positive. So we went to the doctor. It turns out that she’s not pregnant. She has a tumor that needs to be taken out,” Mrs. Yearwood said. “Oh no,” Claudia said.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“That’s very sweet of you to ask. You can take good notes in class and bring her homework to her,”

“Okay I will. I have this week’s assignments right here,” Claudia said.

“Great thank you Claudia,” Mrs. Yearwood said as she was drying a coffee cup.

Claudia walked back into Tasha’s room.

“Claudia,” Tasha said as her eyes lit up.

“Hey girl, I brought your homework for you. And your notes,”

“Thank you,”

“You’re welcome how are you feeling?” Claudia asked her friend.

“Better than before. What’s been happening in school?”

“Well Oliver died,”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope, you want to know the worst part?”

“What?”

“His body was found in Mrs. Maines closet in the dance room,” Claudia said looking down at the floor.

“What’s the matter?” Tasha knew that something was up when Claudia looks down.

“It’s just I feel like I’m the reason why everything been happening in town especially at school,” Claudia said feeling guilty.

“Claudia none of it is your fault. I mean, come on, think of it. You’re actually are the one that’s trying to help to make things right,” Tasha said. “Then why do I feel so guilty?” Claudia asked.

“Maybe because you’re the only one that believes in helping the situation,”

“You know I know talking to you about this would make me feel better,”

“Hey that’s what friends are for,” Tasha smiled. Claudia smiled back.

“Thank you for coming and bringing Tasha’s homework over,” Mrs. Yearwood said to Claudia. “No problem Mrs. Yearwood, bye,” Claudia said as she started pedaling her bike towards her house.

She was almost halfway down the street from her house. When her front tire on her bike had blew out right in front of the Golden Age Cementary. It was so windy that the wind picked up her bike up again and blew it towards her. It hit her right in the face.

“Ow!” She expressed. Her bike then fell to the ground. Claudia was about to pick up her bike from the ground when she heard a diabolical laugh coming from within the wind. She wasn’t scared however she did want to know where the laugh was coming from. She looked over at the cementary and saw the dead Pagan staring at her.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?”

The dead Pagan pointed to the left. Claudia had no choice but to follow the dead Pagan inside the Cementary. So she walked towards the gate. The dead Pagan disappeared. She looked around the Cementary for the Pagan. When she looked to the left of her the face of her dead mother zoomed right into her face screaming.

The moment the face hit her face, she fell backward on a tree branch and hit her head.

“Jeez,” She said rubbing her head. She stood back up on her two feet. That’s the thing about Claudia nothing will stand in her way when it comes to what she will fight for. She want let anything in her way when it comes to what she will fight for.

She went to get her bike and parked it in the parking lot of the Golden Age Cementary. She then jumped the fence and looked around. She saw the dead Pagan standing at a gravesite. The gravesite was her mother’s gravesite. She walked over to the gravestone that the Pagan was standing.

Once she got close to the gravestone the Pagan pointed down at the gravestone.

Once she got to the gravestone she looked at the headstone. The headstone read: Leslie Hanson 1969-2010.

It was the other Leslie Hanson’s gravestone.

CHAPTER 13: THE DOOR BEHIND THE VANITY

When Claudia got home she went straight into the house. She really didn’t want to tell her dad about what she seen. So instead she went downstairs. She’d figured that her dad would have records or something on the other Leslie Hanson. She looked all around in the room of her mom’s old stuff. There was a package that was stuck between her mom’s vanity and the wall. Which is weird because the mirror was nailed to the wall. She tried to pull it out but she didn’t want to rip the yellow package. So she looked around to find something to pull it out from behind the mirror. She found Alabama’s flat iron on top of her mom’s vanity. It was a good thing it wasn’t on or else she would have to wait to use it. She pulled it right out from behind the mirror. “Yes got it,” She said. She was about to open the package when she looked up at the mirror. She realized that there was a gap between the mirror and the wall, was a small opening. She turned around and seen it was her dad.

Ten minutes later, she was sitting at the dining room table. The only thing that scares Claudia is if she’s in trouble with her father.

“You want a water?” Her dad asked. “Yes please,” She said getting nervous.

“Here you go,” He said handing her a cold bottle of water. He sat down at the dining table sipping his cup of coffee.

“Claudia I,” Her dad was about to say but she interrupted.

“Dad I’m so sorry but I went back to the Cementary. It wasn’t my fault thought, honest. Daddy I’m so sorry,” She blurted out.

“What did you see?” He asked her.

“See?”

“I’m talking about the small opening between the mirror and the wall,”

“Honestly?” He asked looking up right at her.

“Nothing I only saw that there was an opening between the mirror and the wall,” Claudia said.

“Sweetheart do you know why the mirror is nailed to the wall?” Her dad asked. “No,” Claudia answered his question.

Once Tom finished his cup of coffee he went downstairs with Claudia. The two of them went into her mom’s old room where the vanity was.

Tom had answered his wife’s mirror from the vanity. He then moved the whole vanity to the side. Once he did, Claudia realized there was a small door.

“When I was little I lived here with my parents. This room was my bedroom but before I could discover this door your grandpa fixed the room up for me. My dresser didn’t cover this door so he boarded up the rest of the door. So once I moved into my room I had no idea that there was a door behind the thing that was a door behind the thing that was boarded in front of it. Years later after I moved out, your grandpa went missing. So after about a year of searching, your grandma gave up. She then sold the house. I ended up buying it after your mom and I got married. When your mom was pregnant with Alabama I told her that I would fix up this room to be a nursery. After many years of keeping this door boarded up I decided to take it down. So you could imagine my surprise when I saw that there was a small door behind the boards,” He finished his story.

“I didn’t know you lived in this house before I was born,” Claudia said. “I thought I told you girls that not too long ago?” He said.

“Oh that’s right you did it’s just you never really bring it up that much,” Claudia said remembering. “Oh,” He said.

“Did you ever find out the secret behind the door?”

“No never did,” He admitted.

“Let’s open it,” Max said walking in the room.

“Hey little man. Did you hear all that?” Tom asked his son.

“Um no,”

“Maxwell?”

“Maybe I did,” Max said in an adorable way.

“We heard it to,” Alabama said as Michelle and her walked into the room.

“Well I wasn’t like it was a secret,” Tom said.

“Open the door daddy,” Max said jumping up and down.

“Alright here I go,” Tom said twisting the door knob. He tried to pull it open. However it wouldn’t budge.

“You’re not pulling hard enough,” Alabama said. Tom moved away from the door so Alabama could try opening it. She pulled as hard as she could. It still wouldn’t budge.

“Let’s break it down,” Michelle said.

“Yeah!” Max cheered.

“I’ll go get my tools from the garage,” Tom said walking out of the room.

Five minutes later, he came back with his tool belt.

“Alabama, sweetheart, please move,”

“Sorry,”

“That’s alright,” He said as he sat his tool belt down.

Suddenly the lights flickered on and off. There was moaning as the lights flickered on and off.

“Girls, go upstairs,” Tom said.

“But I thought we were going to break down the door,” Michelle said.

“Right now it’s not such a good idea,” Tom said standing up.

“Come on let’s go,” He said as he walked out of the room.

“Tom,” A soft voice called Tom’s name.

“Who’s up for going out to dinner?” Tom said getting anxious.

“Tom,” The voice said again.

“Daddy did you hear someone saying your name?” Max asked.

Tom was concerned. He didn’t want his young son getting scared.

“Come on Max,” Tom said picking up Max.

“I’ll race you upstairs,”

“Okay,” Max said getting excited. The two of them raced up the stairs.

The three sisters heard the small door creak open. The three of them turned to see it open.

“Hey dad,” Alabama shouted. Michelle went over to the small door that was opened and wanted to see what was inside.

“Michelle don’t do anything,” Alabama said being bossy. “Alabama stop telling me what to do,” Michelle said. ‘What do you see?” Claudia asked.

“It looks like another room,” Michelle said as she walked into the room. “Is it empty?” Claudia wondered. “No. There are boxes of old photos I think. Hey Claudia, could you hand me a flashlight?” Michelle asked her sister.

A flashlight turned on.

“Thanks,” Michelle said. “For what?” Claudia asked.

“Didn’t you? Ahhh!” Michelle screamed.

“Girls? What’s going on down there?” Tom asked from up top of the stairs.

“Dad you are going to want to see this,” Michelle said.

Michelle grabbed the flashlight from the ground that was next to a dead body.

CHAPTER 14: THE DEPUTY

“You would think the body would’ve disintegrate by now,” Tom said staring at the dead body. “What’s that mean?” Michelle asked. “Break up in small parts,” Claudia and Alabama said in unison. “Who is that daddy?” Max asked.

“Michelle take your brother upstairs. He’s too young for explanations right now,” Tom demanded. “Come on Max,” Michelle said. “But I wanna stay,” Max said wiping his face with his right fist.

“Are you hungry? Do you want me to heat you up some chicken fingers?”

“Yeah,” He said getting all excited. “Come on buddy I’ll race you upstairs,”

Max was already halfway up the stairs the moment after Michelle said race.

“Do you want me to call 911 dad?” Alabama asked her dad. “Um no. Why don’t you girls go upstairs and find something to eat,” Tom told the two of them. Alabama started to walk out the door when she realized that Claudia was still standing by the small door. “Claudia come on,” Alabama said. Alabama grabbed Claudia’s right arm and pulled it a little.

“Alabama stop,”

“Come on,” Alabama said still pulling on Claudia’s arm. “Alabama stop pulling on arm. You’re hurting me,” Claudia said.

“Alabama quit pulling on Claudia’s arm. Go upstairs, the both of you,” tom demanded once again. The two girls did as they were told.

The moment the two girls went upstairs the small door in the small room that Tom was in had slammed shut behind him.

“Hey,” Tom expressed as he tried to open the door. Something from behind him had moved fast.

“Who’s there?” He asked turning around looking behind him.

“Tom,” A soft voice called his name. He heard a noise that he couldn’t identify.

“Girls open the,” He was about to say the moment the door swung wide open.

“Dad,” Michelle said relieved that her dad was okay.

“Michelle, did you shut the door behind me?”

“No sir,” She said concerned.

“Alright come on let’s get out of here,” He said walking out of the small room.

An hour went by, once the police were at the house; tom had explained the situation. The police went downstairs to go investigate.

Ten minutes went by of no evidence of a dead body. So the police walked back up the stairs.

“Mr. um what did you say your name was?” The deputy asked Tom.

“Tom Hanson but you can call me Tom,”

“Right, alright, you know it’s against the law to give false information?” The deputy asked him.

“Excuse me?” Tom said.

“I’m going to let you off with a warning however I do suggest you to stop watching scary movies,” The deputy said about to walk out the front door. ‘Officer wait. I wouldn’t call you for the fun of it,” Tom said. “Excuse me?” The deputy said.

“Officer I’m telling you the truth when I say that there is a dead body downstairs in my basement in the little room beside my late wife’s vanity,” Tom said confused how the deputy could not have seen the body inside the room.

“Sir I assure you there’s no dead body in that small room that you say is in there,”

“But Officer,” Tom was about to say, but, the Officer turned back around to look at Tom. When he did the Officer’s eyes were sinisterly red. Tom had instantly shut the door without saying anything to the Officer.

CHAPTER 15: DEAD IN THE EYE

“Claudia will you come here for a second?” Tom asked his daughter. “Sure, what’s up,” She said walking up to her dad.

‘You haven’t been going to the Golden Age Cementary have you?” He asked her.

“Um no,”

“Okay good Michelle, Alabama, come here please,” He said.

“Yes dad,” Michelle answered.

“Listen I don’t want you girls going to the Golden Age Cementary. I mean I know you two girls don’t, I just want to make sure that the three of you girls don’t go back there,” Tom said making sure they understood.

Knock. Knock.

“Oh please don’t say that’s, that Officer,” Tom said out loud. “Here I’ll check to see who it is,” Michelle said. Michelle went up to the front door and looked out into the peep hole.

“It’s Brett,” Michelle said. “Oh thank God. Go ahead and open it,” Tom said.

“Hey Brett,”

“Hi Michelle is Claudia here?” Brett asked her.

“Right there,” Michelle pointed. “Hey I thought I was your girlfriend?” Alabama said as Brett walked up to her to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I got you flowers,” Brett said to Alabama.

“Well don’t I feel special?” Alabama said taking the flowers. “Claudia, I was sent to hand you this,” Brett said. “Thank you,” Claudia said taking the yellow package from Brett. “What is it?” Michelle asked Claudia. Claudia read a note that was in the package.

“I hop this package gives you some more answers. Ernest Yearwood,” Claudia read. “Is he related to your friend Tasha?” Alabama asked.

“Um, yeah, he’s her uncle,” Claudia said.

“I’ll look at it later,”

“Why?” Alabama wanted to know. “Alabama don’t be so nosy. It’s her mail,” Michelle said. “Hey Brett,” Claudia said. “Yes?” He wondered what she wanted.

“Who gave you this to give to me?” Claudia asked. “Mrs. Yearwood,” Brett answered her question.

The following Monday morning, Claudia was in a hurry. She wanted to visit Tasha before she went into surgery.

However, she didn’t want her dad to know. So she told her dad that she was was going to the library to study before she headed for school.

“Bye dad,” Claudia said walking out of the garage door.

“Claudia, wait,” Tom said. But it was too late. She was already out the door. Tom ran out the door to catch up with her.

“Claudia wait,” Tom said again. “Need something?” Claudia asked.

“Goodness you’re fast. I’m going to have to put a dog leash on you,” Tom said.

“Dad I’m late for a study group at the library,” Claudia lied.

“Claudia I need to make sure you’re not lying to me about not going to the Golden Age Cementary,” He said.

In the corner of his eye Tom noticed the deputy’s patrol car parked on the side of the house.

“Dad I. Dad?” Claudia was about to say but realized that her dad wasn’t paying attention to her.

Once she realized that he seen the patrol car parked on the side of the house, she thought it be a good opportunity to take off.

However, her dad was too quick for her and grabbed onto her bike.

“Nice try kid, get off the bike, I’m taking you to school,” He said still looking at the patrol car.

“Go put your bike away. I’m going to see if that deputy is okay,” Tom said realizing that the cop just might be sleeping.

He went up to the patrol car and opened the passenger’s door. The cop was out cold. So Tom pulled out his cell to call an ambulence.

Ten minutes after he called 911, the ambulence was already in the neighborhood. The ambulance had parked in the middle of the street.

“Is he?” Tom was about to ask. The EMT guy checked the deputy’s pulse. “I’m sorry,” The EMT woman said.

The professionals put a sheet over the cop. Then they put him on a stretcher.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you a few questions,” A female Officer said sternly to Tom.

“Am I ever going to get to school?” Claudia asked with her hands on her hips. “Was she here when you found Deputy Clarkson laying in his patrol car?” The female deputy asked. “Mrs.?” Tom was about to say. “Carter,” She showed her name badge.

“Right, Officer Carter, this is my daughter Claudia. She was on her way to school but I needed to talk to her that’s all. She has nothing to do with Officer Clarkson’s death,” Tom said. “What did you witness?” The Officer asked.

“Well,” Tom was about to say but the Officer interrupted him.

“I was actually talking to your daughter,”

“Mam, there’s no need to question her. She didn’t even see anything,” Tom said boldly. Tom felt that Claudia has been through enough to not to be questioned by the police.

“Mam please she’s too young for questioning. Besides I was trying to do the right thing by calling you when I saw Officer Clarkson in his patrol car unconscious,” Tom said standing up to the Officer. “Alright you may go,” Deputy Carter said to Claudia.

It was too late for Claudia to go to Tasha’s house so she went on to school. She hoped that today would be a normal day at school.

“Is that your transportation for catching ghosts Hanson? Ahaha,” Russel Brewferd said as Claudia was pulling into the sidewalk of the school. If anything Claudia hated was Russel Brewferd being mean to anyone.

“You’re such a loser Brewferd,” Peggy stood up for Claudia.

“Like that was a good one. NOT1 Ahahaha,” Russel said as he walked away into the school building.

“Hi Claudia,” Peggy said.

“Hi Peggy,” Claudia said as she was putting a chain around her bike.

Thunder was rolling in. It looked like there was going to be tornados. Heavy rain came pouring down over the school.

“That’s just GREAT!” Claudia expressed.

“I can take you home later. Come on let’s get inside,” Peggy yelled over the rain.

Once the two girls entered the school building the two of them saw absolutely no one in the hallways. The cafeteria was closed.

“Okay, something’s not right here,” Peggy said looking at the left hallway.

“Hey, what’s that?” Peggy pointed to the end of the hallway Claudia saw what Peggy was pointing at. “Oh My God,” Claudia expressed.

The dead Pagan was looking at the two of them dead in the eye.

CHAPTER 16: DEAD CALL

“Peggy run,” Claudia expressed.

“Ahh!” Peggy and Claudia screamed. “Is it following us?” Peggy wanted to know.

“Well if it’s not then there’s no reason why you two should be running,” A familiar voice had said to the two of them. Peggy and Claudia stopped running to catch their breath. Then the two of them turned around and seen that it was Neil Haggard that was talking to them.

“Oh thank God it’s only you Neil,” Claudia said taking a breath.

“Wait a minute, Neil were you worshipping down near the auditorium?” Claudia asked. “I might have. Why?” Neil asked. “Wait, you’re wearing that same cape that scared us. Neil,” Peggy expressed. “I wasn’t trying to scare the two of you. I’m sorry if I did. As a matter of fact I was trying to catch up with you to say sorry for scaring you,” Neil said taking a drink of water. “Would you at least warn us when you’re going to be wearing that?” Claudia asked. “Hey, you could get arrested like Oliver did for worshipping in school,” Peggy said.

“You know that’s not fair. Daisy Karmichael prays in school and she doesn’t get into trouble. Ugh!” Neil expressed. “Yeah well Daisy Karmichael doesn’t worship the devil,” Peggy said as she realized that the three of them was in Mrs. Landry’s chemistry lab.

However, the three of them were the only ones in the room. “Again not fair,” Neil said.

“Hey wait,” Claudia said hearing something. “What?” Peggy and Neil wondered why Claudia said wait. “What’s that sound?” Claudia asked. “It’s probably just the rain,” Neil said.

“Claudia,” A familiar voice echoed above her. Claudia looked up at the vent. “Ow!” Claudia said feeling something fall onto her head. “Is that an earring?” Peggy wanted to know. Peggy picked the earring off of Claudia’s head.

“Are you kidding me how can that little earring,” Claudia was about to say but the moment she said earring two people fell from the vent onto Claudia, Peggy, and Neil’s head. “Ow! That hurts,” Peggy expressed.

The five of them got off the floor and dusted off their clothes. Claudia looked up to see Daisy Karmichael and Russel Brewferd before her.

“What are you guys doing in the vent?” Peggy asked the two of them.

“Well, we’re not stealing Mrs. Landry’s chemistry answers to the test,” Russel lied. “Hey that’s weird,” Peggy said looking out the window. “What?” The four of her friends asked in unison. “It doesn’t even look like it’s been raining outside,” Peggy said. “You’re kidding?” Claudia wondered how that could’ve happened. “Well you’ve got to admit weird things have been happening since Claudia put a curse on the school,” Russel said. “I didn’t put a curse on the school,” Claudia said annoyed with Russel. “Boo!” Russel expressed to Claudia. Claudia didn’t even react. “Oh I forgot you don’t get scared,” Russel said with a mean smirk on his face.

“Ahem,” Principal Baxter cleared her throat.

Ding. The bell rang for second period.

Mrs. Landry was right behind her.

“You kids know not to be in my classroom on Monday mornings,” Mrs. Landry said.

“Mrs. Landry? Where are you?” Daisy asked. “Oh sorry Liz,” Principal Baxter said to Mrs. Landry.

“Sorry Mrs. Landry, we won’t do it again. Come on,” Daisy said to her four friends.

She grabbed Russel’s hand and ran out of Mrs. Landry’s classroom. Neil, Claudia, and Peggy followed Daisy behind. “I hate to say this but Daisy saved us back there,” Peggy said relieved. “Thanks, I guess,” Daisy said thinking that Peggy was giving her a compliment.

Daisy, Russel, and Neil went the opposite way that Claudia and Peggy were going.

The three of them headed to Gym class.

Claudia and Peggy had history class.

“Where were you two?” Samantha asked the two girls. “Where’s Tasha?” Sonya asked. “Sick,” Peggy, Claudia, and Samantha said in unison. “I’m always the last to know,” Sonya said opening up her text book.

“Alright class,” Ms. Plant started to say.

As she went on, Claudia got out her text book and turned to page 106. She then heard her phone buzzing. She grabbed her purse from behind her. Sonya and Samantha who sat behind Peggy and Claudia were looking at Claudia wondering who was calling her.

She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was the dead Pagan’s face on her phone screen.

CHAPTER 17: TWO PLACES AT ONCE

“Who is it?” Sonya whispered. “What is that Claudia?” Peggy asked a little loudly.

“What’s going on?” Ms. Plant asked.

Claudia’s phone flew out of her hands and hit the projector.

“What’s going on?” Addison Pickles asked.

“What was that?” Someone said from outside the classroom. The classroom was completely silent.

The projector turned on by itself. The lights went off. A picture of the dead Pagan was on the projector.

“Ahhh!” All the girls in the classroom except Peggy and Claudia screamed.

The boys were the first ones to run out of the room. Addison was the last one to leave the room. The class ran out of the school building.

“What’s going on? What’s your class doing out here Ms. Plant?” Principal Baxter asked her.

“Oh My God look,” Addison said pointing at the top of the building.

“For crying out loud. Neil you’re not fooling anyone. So come down from the roof,” Claudia said thinking that the dead Pagan that was on top of the roof was Neil.

The dead Pagan revealed it’s dead face. “What the?” Peggy wondered what the heck could’ve happen to the Pagan.

“This has got to end. Alright everyone back to class now. There’s no need to draw any more attention to whatever or whoever is on top of the roof,” Principal Baxter said trying to get everyone back inside. She didn’t want other students to be panicked and wonder why everyone was outside. So she was trying to do her best to tell the students to get back inside the building. Some of the students went back inside the school building. The only other students that were still looking up at the roof was Peggy, Samantha, Sonya, and Claudia.

“Ms. Hanson, Ms. Gladstone, Ms. Simmons, and Ms. Davidson, let’s go,” Principal Baxter demanded. Sonya was the only one that snapped out of it. She walked back inside along with Addison.

“Ladies, let’s go, move it,” Coach Mass demanded clapping his hands. The other three girls heard his command and started walking back inside. Claudia noticed that the dead Pagan didn’t move an inch.

It was now lunch time. Claudia went to sit at an empty table.

The moment she sat down, Russel Brewferd, Neil Haggard, Samantha Gladstone, Peggy Simmons, Sonya Davidson, Daisy Karmichael, and Addison Pickles had also sat down at the table with Claudia.

Claudia was shocked that Daisy Karmichael and Russel Brewferd was sitting at the same table with her.

“Daisy,” Claudia called Daisy’s name. “What?” Daisy asked. “I’m surprised you’re sitting here,” Claudia said.

“Well, there were no other tables to sit. Besides I thought it would be alright to sit here,” Daisy said. Claudia realized that what she had said to Daisy sounded a little harsh. “Oh sorry,” Claudia said feeling bed for what she said what she had said.

“So what does Tasha have anyway?” Peggy asked. “She has to have surgery to get a tumor removed,” Claudia answered. “Oh,” Peggy said. “That’s got to be scary,” Samantha said. “I would think so,” Sonya said.

“Hey Neil,” Claudia said.

“What’s up?”

“Where were you last period?”

“I was actually with Principal Baxter. I got into trouble again,”

“What did you do?” Russel wanted to know.

“Wait, Principal Baxter wasn’t with you. She was outside the school trying to tell us to come back into the building,” Claudia said confused. She thought Neil was lying. “Well I don’t know who you were with but I was with Principal Baxter,” Neil said.

“Neil, fess up, you were on the roof of the school building,” Claudia expressed angry at him. “Claudia if there’s anything I know about me is that I don’t lie, I was in the boys room taking a smoke and she smelled it. So she asked Coach Mass to pull me out of the restroom. Then I was in her office getting a lecture on why I shouldn’t smoke in the boys room,” Neil said.

“If that’s true then how is it that she was outside with us trying to get us to come back inside?” Claudia asked very confused.

CHAPTER 18: THE DARK POOL

“Wait, you said Coach Mass was with you as well?” Claudia asked.

“Yes as a matter of fact he was in Principal Baxter’s office with us,”

“The whole time?” Claudia asked Neil. “Yeah,” Neil answered her question.

Lunch was already over students were crowding the hallways trying to get to class. Claudia was confused to how everything that she’s experienced could have possibly happened. She silently walked to her next class.

As she was dressing into her gym clothes she spotted a small door beside her locker.

Coach Mass once told the girls that the small door probably just was an extra door. Claudia of course was curious to what was behind it. So she finished dressing into her clothes. She then looked around to see if anyone was looking.

All the girls were walking out the door into the gymnasium. What Claudia didn’t expect was Peggy standing to the side of her. “Jeez Peg you scared me,” She said. Peggy was just standing there staring at her. “Peg?” Claudia said her friends name again.

“Claudia,” Peggy said as Claudia snapped back into her state of mind. Claudia realized that she was still at her locker with her locker door opened.

“Claudia do you need to go to the nurse?” Sonya asked. “What? No,” Claudia said.

“Hey, where does this small opening go to?” Addison asked.

“You might want to get dressed,” Sonya said to Claudia.

Apparently Claudia wasn’t dressed in her gym clothes after all. She was just imagining it.

As Claudia was getting dressed, Addison opened the small door.

“Addison, what are you doing?” Samantha asked. “Oh wow,” Addison expressed. “What?” Sonya and Peggy asked in unison. “It’s like a whole new room,” Addison said turning on her small flashlight. The room was pitch dark. Claudia closed her locker door once she was finished getting dressed.

“Hey, wait a minute, when did we get a swimming pool?” Samantha asked. The room was the size of the gym.

“Come on let’s discover it,” Peggy said.

“Why, we just did,” Addison said. The girls laughed. “Come on,” Peggy was the first one to walk into the dark room. “I’m with Peggy on this one. Let’s check it out,” Claudia said as she climbed into the room. “I don’t know,” Sonya said as Samantha climbed through. “Come on Sonya,” Peggy said. “Well... okay,” Sonya said as she climbed through. Once Sonya climbed through she shut the door behind her. “Wait,” Claudia said as she ran up to the door to make sure the five of them could get back into the girls locker room. “Okay good,” Claudia said relieved that door opened for her. “Okay now I can’t see anything,” Claudia said noticing the room was pitch black. “Oh sorry,” Addison said as she turned her small flashlight back on.

“Here I have four extra little flashlights,” Addison said giving each one of the girls a small flashlight. “Thanks Addison,” Peggy said. “Thank you Addison,” Sonya said. “Thanks Addison,” Claudia and Samantha said in unison. “No problem,” Addison said. The room fell silent as the five of them had looked around.

Claudia found a picture of swimmers that went to the championships.

‘Oh my,” Claudia whispered. She was completely shocked that she saw a picture of herself with other swimmers. “What did you find?” Peggy asked pointing the small flashlight on the picture. “This must be an old photo,” Peggy said. “I wonder how old,” Sonya said looking at the picture. Peggy pointed her flashlight up the top of the picture. “Oh look it’s from the year of 2008,” Peggy said. “Oh that’s odd,” Samantha said. Samantha was looking at a different picture. “What?” Claudia asked turning her head where Samantha was. “Take a look at this picture,” Samantha said. Claudia, Peggy, and Sonya went over to where Samantha was at. The three of them saw the picture. “What in the world?’ Peggy said. “Is that what I think it is?” Peggy said. It was a big picture of the five winners from the year of 2008 from the state championships holding a huge trophy.

All five of the girls were in the picture.

“Look what I found,” Addison said as she held onto something that was unrecognizable in the dark. “What?” Her other friends asked in unison.

The four of them were searching for her with their flashlights.

“Where are you?” Sonya asked. “Wait, do you see something moving over there?” Claudia asked shinning her flashlight on the other side of the pool. “Addison, where are you?” Samantha asked. “Here,” Addison said waving her hand where Samantha’s flashlight was shinning. “Oh thank God,” Samantha said relieved that it was Addison that she saw.

“Where are you girls at?” Addison asked. “Really Addison?” Peggy said. “Oh right,” Addison said tripping into a metal bucket.

“What was that?” Claudia asked. “i accidently tripped into a metal bucket,” Addison said. The girls laughed. “Need some help?” Sonya asked. “That would be AWESOME!” Addison expressed in a cheeringly way. “Alright, I’m coming,” Sonya said finding her way to the other side of the pool where their three friends were. “With Addison around there’s no need to be freaked out,” Peggy said. “Thanks I think,” Addison said. The five of them laughed.

“What do you got there Addison?” Samantha asked her. “I think they’re blueprints to the school,” Addison said.

“Oh wow,” Samantha said impressed.

“Let’s bring it back into the locker room where we all can see,” Claudia said. The small door that led to the girls locker room had swung wide opened. The light in the girls locker room was still on.

“Come on let’s get out of here,” Claudia said walking towards the small door that just opened. The other four girls ran towards the small door. Peggy was the first to get to the other side.

Before Claudia could climb to the other side the door had slammed shut. “Hey wait,” Claudia said as she tried to push open the door. It wouldn’t open for her. “Claudia,” Her four friends called their friends name as the four of them kept pulling the door.

The light in the girls locker room had turned off. “Oh jeez,” Peggy expressed. She couldn’t see a thing.

A flashlight was pointing at the door.

“Look out Ms. Simmons,” Coach Mass said. “Yes sir,” Peggy said directly. Coach Mass opened the small door without any trouble. “Thanks Peg,” Claudia said very thankful.

“Could you not shine that light in my face,” Claudia said. Coach Mass turned off the flashlight. He then backed away from the small opening so she could climb out. Claudia climbed through not realizing Coach Mass was standing right in front of her. Coach Mass turned the flashlight back on to peer into the dark room.

“So that’s where our basketballs went,” Coach Mass said when he saw the rack of basketballs in front of the pool where a bunch of the other stuff was. He climbed through the other side to where the basketballs were. With the small flashlight in his hand. He then started to walk up towards the basketballs.

One of the basketballs had bounced towards him and landed by his feet.

“I must be asleep or something,” He said. He picked up the basketball and held it with his right hand on his hip. He then walked to the other basketballs that was on the rack.

“Coach Mass?” Claudia called his name. “You girls run along. We will talk about detention later,” He said. “Ugh!” The five girls expressed.

“Well, what did you expect? A reward?” Coach Mass asked a rhetorical question.

Addison, Peggy, Samantha, and Sonya started to walk out the door of the girls locker room. The gymnasium lights were also out.

“Coach Mass do you need any help with the rack of basketballs?” Claudia asked him. “Um, no thank you Ms. Hanson. Now run along,” Coach Mass said.

Claudia turned on the flashlight that Addison gave her to see where she was going. She then heard a click. She turned around and went back to the small door to see if Coach Mass was alright.

“Coach Mass are you alright?” Claudia asked checking on him. She moved the flashlight all around the room. She noticed that he was nowhere to be seen.

She climbed into the room and took a look around to see where he could’ve gone. She accidentally tripped over something that fell into the pool instantly. When she got up from the ground, she wanted to see what it was that she tripped over.

She shinned the light on the water of the pool and realized that it was Coach Mass’s body that she had tripped over.

CHAPTER 19: THE HALLWAY OF SCREAMS

“Ahhh,” Claudia heard a scream coming from the school’s halls. She quickly climbed out of the pool room and into the girls locker room.

Once she walked out of the girls locker room as the flashlight guided her out, she noticed that the gymnasium was completely dark.

She then realized that when she shinned the light on the gymnasium doors, that led to the hallways, that it was pitch dark. The trash cans that were beside the door had fallen over.

Before Claudia could shine the light on the trash cans she felt something move from behind her. She turned around but saw that nothing was there. When she turned around, she saw that nothing was there.

When she turned back around to investigate the trash cans she felt her breath breathe out cold air.

She heard of what sounded like a chair being pulled back on the hardwood floor.

“Who’s there?” She asked looking around with the small flashlight.

“Please don’t shoot,” A familiar male voice said. “Russel?” Claudia wondered if it was him.

No answer.

“Um, yeah,” Russel said. “Oh thank God,” Claudia whispered.

“You scared me,”

“Claudia Hanson scared? Now that’s a laugh,” Russel said.

“Where are you? “ Claudia asked him.

“By the trash cans,”

“Oh, where is everyone?”

“Not sure,”

Claudia walked up towards the trash cans to help Russel up. “Would you quit shinning that flashlight on my face?”

“Sorry,” Claudia said turning off the flashlight.

“Well, now I can’t see,”

“Sorry,”

Claudia said as she tried to turn the flashlight back on. The flashlight was turning on and off consistently.

“Here give me that flashlight. What’s going on with this thing?” Russel asked as the small flashlight was turning on and off.

Some unknown force came rushing towards Russel and hit him in the head.

“What the?” Claudia was confused to what it was. She turned around to see what it was that knocked Russel onto the floor.

“Hello? Who’s there?” Claudia asked breathing out cold air once again. She pointed the flashlight above her and around the room. She couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary.

“Ahhh,” A familiar female scream, screamed.

“Claudia,” A loud voice yelled within the hallways. “Ow! What was that?” Russel asked.

Again she shinned the flashlight on him.

“Claudia stop shinning that light on my face,” Russel said covering his eyes.

“Claudia!” Familiar voices yelled Claudia’s name. “Um,” Russel swallowed in fear.

“What in the hell was that?” He asked. “I think it was Samantha and Peggy,” Claudia said.

“Come on,”

“Yeah right behind you no really,” Russel said feeling scared.

“Come on,” Claudia demanded.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m a comin,” Russel said dragging along.

Claudia pushed open the gym door that lead out into the school’s hallway. Claudia heard footsteps coming from the left of her. “Shh,” Claudia shushed.

“What are you two doing?” A familiar voice asked. “Ahhhh!” Russel screamed. He made Claudia jump up and scream as well. The flashlight that she was holding had fallen onto the floor.

“You two scared the crap out of me,” Brett Holiday said.

“Now I know why everyone is screaming in the hallways,” Brett said.

Claudia had bent down to the floor to see where the flashlight had went.

“Why am I an easy target?” Russel asked once Brett turned on a different flashlight. Brett turned it off then back on. “Dude seriously?” Russel said.

“Hey Brett shine that light down here would you/” Claudia asked him. “Sure,” Brett said.

“What are you looking for anyway?” Brett asked. “The flashlight that I dropped,” Claudia answered him.

“Really? I don’t see it,” Brett said. “That’s weird I don’t see it either,” Claudia said. She then stood up.

“Brett where did you get your flashlight?” Claudia asked.

“Addison,”

“Really? She had an extra one? She must have a lot of flashlights with her,” Claudia said.

“Actually technically I took it from her,” Brett said. “Now why would you do that?” Claudia wondered. “Well, ow!” Brett expressed. He felt something hit his head. Whatever it was had fallen onto the floor.

It was the flashlight that Claudia was trying to find.

“What the heck? How could that flashlight get up by itself and hit my head?” Brett wondered. “I don’t know, however, what I do know is that I’m just not going to stand here all day, come on,” Claudia said walking further into the hallways of the school. “Chicks,” Brett and Russel said in unison.

“What exactly do you think we will find?” Russel asked as the three of them were roaming the longest hallway of the school.

“I don’t know but... wait.. do you hear that?” Claudia asked.

“Yeah it was you talking. Aha,” Russel teased her. Brett shoved Russel playfully. Russel had shoved him back.

“Ahhh!” Samantha, Sonya, Peggy, and Addison came running down the hall towards the three of them.

Russel was about to run the way as the four girls were running towards them. However Brett stopped him.

The four girls had ran past them. However they stopped the moment they saw their three friends standing in the hallway.

“What’s going on? Why were you four girls running?” Claudia asked.

“Let’s just say you do not want to go to Ms. Plant’s classroom.” Samantha said breathing heavily.

“Sorry I ran into scardy cat over here. Then we ran into Brett,”

“I’m not a scardy cat,”

“Well technically I ran into the two of you,” Brett said.

“Well at least the light are back on,” Sonya said.

Thunder shook the entire school.

“Claudia,” A ghostly familiar voice called her name. She turned around and saw Daisy Karmichael’s face coming towards her face.

“Ahhh!” Daisy screamed. “Oh no,” Claudia expressed. She started to run down the hallway towards Ms. Plant’s classroom.

Once she got to the classroom she saw Daisy flat on the floor dead as a doornail.

CHAPTER 20: THE CLASS PICTURE OF 2008 IN THE YEAR OF 2020

It was only five days before the Halloween party and Claudia was trying to fit the pieces to all the deaths that were happening.

The dead Pagan has got to do with all of the deaths. It’s got to do with all of the deaths. It’s got to be. Claudia thought to herself.

For the first time Claudia had stepped foot into the fairgrounds to where the Halloween party was being held.

“Ahahaha,” A witch like doll cackled. “Hey that’s pretty good,” Sonya said to Brett. “Thanks,” Brett said.

“Claudia I’m surprised to see you here,” Peggy said.

“Ms. Hanson, welcome, we could use all the help we could get,” Principal Baxter said.

Claudia saw Russel on the other side of the fence where the graveyard was.

After Daisy Karmichael’s funeral Russel has been volunerable.

He was having lunch as he was sitting at her gravesite.

Claudia felt bed for him. Claudia walked to where Russel was sitting.

“Hi Russel,”

“Hi,” He said with a mouthful of sandwich in his mouth.

“You alright? You haven’t been your usual self lately,”

“Um, Claudia, can I tell you a secret?” He asked her.

“Sure,” Claudia said as she sat down on the side of Daisy’s gravesite.

“I was supposed to be a father,” He said. Claudia felt really bad for him.

Even though Russel was rough around the edges, he really cared for Daisy.

Claudia just realized how much he cared for her. Claudia looked over her right shoulder and saw Neil walking along the graveyard. “Now I know how you feel,” Russel said as he finished his sandwich. Tears started following from his eyes.

“Hey Brewferd, why are you crying? You big baby. You’re such a loser,” Cody Tomlin, Russel’s friend said.

An acorn from the tree that was standing next to Sargent O’Mara’s gravestone had literally flew across the graveyard and hit Cody on his forehead.

“Ow!” Cody expressed. Russel and Claudia turned around to see where that acorn came from when Russel realized it was from that tree, he smiled.

The next day at school, most of the students were still rounding up the decorations to take them to the fairgrounds. Everyone was getting excited that Halloween was only days away.

“Hey Claudia,” Samantha said. “Yes?” Claudia asked realizing that Samantha was peering out of the door from the gym. Claudia walked up to Samantha.

“What’s up?” Claudia asked. “Could you come here for a sec,” Samantha said to her as the two of them walked inside the gymnasium together.

“Claudia,” Sonya, Peggy, and Addison waved Claudia over. Claudia walked over to the end of the gymnasium. She noticed that the three of them were looking at a really big picture of the class of 2008.

“Why are we looking at the class picture of 2008?” Claudia asked.

“Should I tell her?” Samantha asked her three friends.

“Notice these five people?” Peggy asked. “Oh My God!” Claudia noticed that it was the five of them in the picture.

CHAPTER 21: CLASS OF DEAD?

“But I don’t understand? How can this be?” Claudia asked covering her mouth.

“That’s what we thought to,” Samantha said. “But if that’s the case we would be 30 by now,” Claudia said. “Oh My God! Is that who I think it is?” Sonya said very shocked. “Hey, that’s,” Claudia said. “Daisy,” The five girls said in unison. “Okay how can this be? We are only sixteen,” Addison wondered. “Actually not all of us are in the picture,” Sonya said. “What do you mean?” Claudia asked.

“Check out the class pictures of 2007, 2006, and 2005,”

“Isn’t that Tasha, Brett, and Russel in the class picture of 2007?” Addison wondered.

“Okay this is getting weird. Are we in the twilight zone or something?” Sonya wondered.

“Hey my sister Alabama is in the 2006 one. Along with Tasha’s older sister Latisha,” Claudia said.

“So is Lily,”

“Oliver, Neil, and Cody are in the 2005 one,” Peggy said.

“Okay it’s official, I’m very freaked out,” Samantha said.

“Ahhh!” A female student screamed. The scream came from the other end of the gym. The five girls ran over to see what was going on.

“Are you alright?” Samantha asked.

“I don’t understand how can I have graduated in the year of 1977? I’m only sixteen,” The student said.

“Oh My God!” A male student freaked out. “What?” The five girls asked in unison. “I’m only seventeen. This can’t be, according to this picture I should be fifty by now,” He said. “Wait, that would make you a graduate of 1989. What the heck?” Claudia wondered. “Alright we are definitely in the twilight zone,” Addison said. “Hey good news though,” Peggy said. “What?” The four friends asked in unison. “It’s not like we’re dead. Right?” Peggy said.

“I don’t know girl. It’s awefully strange to me,” Sonya said.

CHAPTER 22: AND YET ANOTHER DEATH

It was finally the day of the Halloween party. It was also Halloween Day.

It was daylight out and everyone was putting on the finishing touches to decorating for the night’s party.

“Hey Addison, I could sure use your hand here,” Cody said. “Ugh! Your lack of manners is definitely annoying,” Addison said.

Claudia was looking at the banner. The banner read:

Samhein ( a tribute to our fellow classmen.)

Okay now Claudia was definitely creeped out. It’s official she knew that she was dead. And the party was to celebrate all the students that had died.

But she had other questions. Like how did they die? How many students died? Where are the students that had possibly survived? Why are the Pagan’s showing up? Is there more than one Pagan? All these questions had to be answered one way or another. And she had to find out before midnight tonight.

“So what do we do now?” Tasha asked. Claudia and Tasha had a coffee at the coffee shop.

“The thing is, I need more answers tonight,”

“Like what?” Tasha asked as she took a drink of her coffee then took a bite of her pumpkin muffin.

“Like the Pagans. Why are they showing up? Why now?” Claudia said putting her hand on her forehead.

Thunder was rolling in.

The sprinklers on the other side of the fence had turned on. “Ahh,” The two of them screamed as short scream. “Seriously?” Tasha said with a mouthful of her pumpkin muffin in her mouth. She also had her muffin in her hand. No one noticed their short scream. But they did notice the water squirting everywhere.

“Sprinklers are supposed to be on during the summer, not the fall,” Tasha said. “Come on, let’s go,” Claudia said. “Where to now?’ Tasha asked. “Not sure,” Claudia said.

The two girls rode their bikes past the cementary and towards Tasha’s house.

Tasha’s mom called Claudia on her phone. Which Claudia thought that was really odd because Claudia knew that she never gave her phone number to Tasha’s mom.

When the two of them got to Tasha’s house, Tasha just waited at the end of the driveway for Claudia. Now Claudia knew something was up because Tasha would never just wait at the end of her driveway. Latisha, Tasha’s older sister opened the door.

“Hey Claudia we need you to come inside, it’s serious,” Latisha said.

“Mrs. Yearwood is everything alright?” Claudia asked as she walked into Tasha’s house. Mrs. Yearwood was on the couch crying.

“What’s going on?” Claudia wanted to know. Claudia sat next to Mrs. Yearwood thinking that something happened to Tasha’s uncle.

“Claudia, today Tasha died in the hospital,” Latisha said seriously. Claudia was confused.

She looked out the front window to see the dead Pagan sitting on Tasha’s bike. “What?” Claudia wondered confused.

CHAPTER 23: THE DOOR THAT LIES BENEATH THE FLOORS OF THE BOYS LOCKER ROOM

Claudia just now realized that every time someone dies, a dead Pagan appears. It’s like it’s paying it’s respects to each person that dies.

Claudia saw the dead Pagan disappear on Tasha’s bike. She turned her head back to face Latisha. “I have to go,” Claudia said running out the front door of the Yearwood’s house. She then got on her bike. She rode her bike all the way to school.

Even though it was Sunday, the school was still opened.

However it wasn’t going to be opened for very long. Claudia couldn’t wait until Monday. She needed answers today though.

“Hey Claudia,” Some students said recognizing her. Claudia literally ran into the school buiding.

“Claudia, thank God you’re here. We could use your help,” Addison said as she was holding up costumes next to her body. “Sorry Addison, I’m on a mission,” Claudia said running past Addison.

Claudia ran into the school’s library. The lights in the library weren’t on however the sun was shinning from outside of the big windows.

“Ahhh!” A female’s voice screamed. Claudia wanted to know where the scream was coming from. When she heard the scream it sounded like it was coming from the gymnasium.

She left the library and ran into the gymnasium. The gymnasium’s lights were out. As a matter of fact the lights were out in the entire school. The sun was shinning from the outside. She heard the girls locker room door creak open.

“Ahhh!” A very loud scream had screamed right in front of Claudia’s face.

The lights in the gymnasium turned back on. However she noticed that the lights in the girls locker room were still out. No one was the gymnasium.

In the corner of her eye she saw something or someone moved pass the doorway of the girls locker room. Luckily she had the small flashlight that Addison gave her that was in her back pocket. So she pulled it out and started walking into the girls locker room.

Once she walked inside she heard water from the faucet sink was dripping consistently.

She walked towards the small door that led to the pool room. She pushed open the small door. She moved the flashlight along the room. Something or someone had ran fast right in front of her.

“Claudia,” A ghostly female voice cried her name.

“Claudia,”

“Claudia,” Many voices echoed in the room.

She climbed into the room.

Suddenly her flashlight went out.

The room didn’t have windows so the room was completely dark. She dropped the flashlight into the pool. She didn’t realize it but she was very much on the edge of the swimming pool. The pool was deep. She couldn’t see what was in front of her. She felt something breathing in front of her. Whatever breathed on her had made her fall into the pool. She screamed in terror.

“Who’s there?” She asked in fear. Click. She heard the flashlight click on. The flashlight was underneath her. She swam to the bottom of the pool. Thankfully she saw it and picked it up. She then swam up to the surface. The flashlight was on the whole time.

She held out the flashlight in front of her and saw the dead Pagan come at her and attack her by drowning her underneath the water. As the Pagan was still trying to drown her, someone had jumped into the pool to fight the Pagan off of Claudia. Claudia was free from the Pagan and swam away to the surface. She pulled her body up out of the pool as she was still holding onto the flashlight. She stood up.

The water was completely silent for a moment.

Then all of a sudden, the someone that fought the dead Pagan off of Claudia, had came out of the water. She pointed the flashlight at whoever it was.

“Russel?” Claudia asked. “Are you alright?” He asked.

“I’m fine. Thanks for coming to the rescue,” She said very thankful.

“Whatever that was obviously was not going to give up without a fight,” He said.

Click.

The two of them saw another flashlight turn on.

“The girls locker room has all kinds of discoveries,” Brett said pointing his flashlight into the room from inside of the girls locker room. “You’re telling me man,” Russel said.

‘Alright let’s get out of here,” Russel said. “Why are you all wet?” Brett asked.

“Oh, never mind. Wow, a pool? All the boys locker room has is an old library,” Brett said. “Seriously?” Claudia wondered.

“Yeah, Cody Tomlin discovered it,” Brett said. “That’s odd,” Claudia said. ‘You would think that Cody wouldn’t know what a library is,” Brett said. “Hahaha,” Russel laughed. “Come on,” Claudia said as she climbed back into the girls locker room.

Claudia realized the boys locker room was just as dark.

“Where’s the door to the room?” Claudia asked. “It’s over here,” Brett said walking ahead of Claudia.

“Wait, the door is on the floor?” Claudia asked. “Yes,” Russel and Brett said in unison.

CHAPTER 24: THE SECRETS BEHIND THE PRIVATE LIBRARY AND THE POOL ROOM

Brett slid the door opened. Claudia shinned, the light inside the room. There was a ladder you had to climb down. Brett was the first to climb down the ladder.

“Come on down,” Brett said. “Okay,” Claudia said. She grabbed ahold of the small flashlight in her right hand. She then started climbing down the ladder. Then once she stepped off the ladder Russel came climbing down.

“Look at all these books,” Russel said. “Funny that’s exactly what Cody said,” Brett said. The two of them laughed.

“Wait, there are two set’s of blueprints?” Claudia wondered as she spotted another set of blueprints like when Addison found in the pool room. All three of them were looking around different parts of the library. Brett saw a switch and flipped it on. The switch turned on lights all over the library.

“So this has to be one of those in home really old mansion like libraries,” Claudia said. Russel had pulled back a curtain.

Once he pulled back the curtain he saw that there was another pool room from the window. The pool looked clean enough to swim in.

“Hey Claudia could this be the pool from the girls locker room?” Russel asked. Claudia put down a book that she was getting information from when she turned around and saw the pool, she was in total awe.

“What in the world,” She said to herself.

“You guys check this out,” Russel said. “What?” Brett and Claudia wondered in unison. “These blueprints don’t seem to add up,” Russel said. Brett walked up to the small table that Russel was standing in front of.

‘Wait, you guys, I think, well, I know that the library and the pool in the girls room is underground because part of the school had gotten rebuilt after the two rooms had collapsed from the school building years ago,” Claudia said.

“How do you know that?” Russel asked. “Well I looked at these blueprints and then read this article about the students that died. So when I read that, I started to fit the pieces together,” Claudia said.

“That explains why some students still think they’re teenagers. They’re the ones that died when the two rooms had collapsed. The question is how did the two rooms collapse?” Brett wondered.

CHAPTER 25: AMONG THE DEAD

“Maybe that answer is in one of these other articles,” Russel said.

Russel started to read one of the articles. Claudia never seen Russel in a serious way. But then again who wouldn’t be curious to how the two rooms collapsed.

“Well this library is kind of old fashioned anyway. So in a way they had to build a new one,” Brett said. “Yeah, but, what’s their excuse for not putting in a new pool,” Claudia wanted to know.

“Hey check this out it’s a whole another library over here,” Russel said as he opened another door that led to a more sit in private library. “There are more old articles in here,” Russel said.

“Apparently, back in the 18th century this library was part of a mansion,” Russel said.

“Where are you getting that information from?” Brett asked. “Come here and take a look,” Russel said. Brett and Claudia walked into the private library.

“Here’s a whole bunch of old articles from way back then,” Russel said.

“Here’s one about the mansion turning into a private school back in the 50′s,” Claudia said. “So what? They just condemned the mansion but kept the library? That makes no sense,” Brett said.

“Apparently in this article the library collapsed underground after an earthquake had hit back in 1945,” Claudia read the article. “Then how is the library in one piece?” Brett wondered.

“In this article it says the owner had gotten trapped into his private library once it collapsed,” Russel read.

“The owners’ name is Wayne Horan. Once the school was built back in 1950 the people that built the school had named the school Horan Academy. Apparently they kept building the school but ever since the first school was built in 1950, parents have been sending their children to school. One day in 1952 a boy named Hank Lawrence had a heart attack and died in the boys room. One student saw the boy lying on the floor and told his teacher. The teacher called the ambulance and he was pronounced dead. Instead of giving him a proper burial the authorities just buried the boys room underground,” Claudia paused.

“They rebuilt the boys room. However the owners of the Academy had other plans and in 1961 they rebuilt the school. Students started attending the school in the year of 1962,” Claudia read.

“Since 1950, students, one by one, have been dying from rare causes,” Brett read in a different article.

“So I guess every time there was a death they just condemn each part of the school underground just to rebuild a new school,” Claudia figured. “Then how do the Pagans come in?” Russel asked. “I think I know,” Brett said.

“The dead Pagan is paying their respects for each student that ever died,” Brett said. “How do you know that?” Claudia asked confused.

“I googled it earlier today,” Brett answered her question.

“Come on let’s go. I got a feeling some of the students of the year of 2020 is going to die at the fairgrounds behind the Golden Age Cementary,” Claudia said.

Claudia climbed up the ladder and into the boys locker room pretty quickly. Russel and Brett climbed up the ladder after Claudia reached the top.

The three of them still couldn’t see a thing because the lights were out. But the three of them eventually made it out of the boys locker room.

Once they entered the gymnasium the lights in the school had flickered on and off.

“Let’s get out of here before,” Claudia was about to say, the moment the entire school started to shake. “Run,” Claudia yelled. Thankfully the three of them made it out of the school. The three of them started to ride their bikes out of the parking lot of the school. It was 8 o’clock already. The three of them saw their school collapse before their eyes. “Come on, we got to get to that party,” Claudia said.

The three of them pedaled down the sidewalk.

“Peggy,” Claudia called her friends’ name. Everyone was dancing to Thriller by Michael Jackson. Majority of the students had faded into the night in a ghostly form.

Dead Pagans everywhere were dancing among the dead.

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