Six Short Horror Stories

by D.J. Harris



  #

  ##Farm Ghost

  Farmer Joe spent his life on farms. He loved his animals so much that he bought a bigger farm so he could buy more. Joe was able to find a really nice farm for really cheap. It was so cheap because it is suppose to be cursed but Joe didn't believe in any curses so he moved in. The first few days were great, until he lost one of cows, it disappeared. A few days later he found his animal and it was dead.

  He figured it was just a wolf attack but these continued. He grabbed his hunting rifle and scoured the 100-acre farm and land beyond but couldn't find any sign of any animals but his own. He called out the authorities and they just said they had been getting those calls for years from people lived there but they could never find anything and said the owners would up and leave and leave everything behind. Joe knew better than that so he went to city hall to look up the records on previous owners of the house.

  He was shocked to learn they all died, but it was accidents, run over by tractors, falling into a turbine, stuff like that. Joe decided this place was to weird to stay at so he went home and packed his things right away. He called an animal moving service to take his animals to another farm owned by his brother who agreed to house the animals and himself till he found another place. The animals were taken to his brother’s place. While Joe stayed behind to finish packing and put the place up for sale.

  As he loaded the last load of into the moving truck he could swear he saw someone. Then he heard a voice. "Don't' leave don't you want to play with me." Joe was frightened. He turned around to see a small child with a big dog.

  "Who are you?" Joe asked, the child didn't answer. He was dressed like he was from the 1800's when the farm was built.

  “Play with me,” the boy said again

  "I got to load this up and get going." He said and turned around. He saw the boy inside the truck now, confused on how he got there he reached in to grab the boy when the door slammed shut on top of him.

  "If you won’t stay here then you can't go anywhere." The boy said. Joe was in a lot of pain having the heavy door slammed on his back. He was sure his back was broken and he couldn't move his legs.

  "Why are you doing this?" The boy just smiled and the dog barked.

  “I just wanted someone to lie with,” the boy pouted. The boy and dog then vanished and Joe being so far from anyone he just laid there pinned under the door until he eventually died.

  The small boy and dog still continued to haunt that farm looking for someone to be his friend and everyone continues to leave and pays the price. But eventually the land was developed and a neighborhood was put there, and no one knew of the strange past behind the land they were on and people still claim to see a small boy with a dog walking the neighborhood and the neighborhood isn't short of strange deaths. So next time you move into a neighborhood check out what used to be there first unless you want to find out for yourself.

  The Midnight Cat

  While trick or treating on Halloween Mary, Mike and Sally realized they were running late. "We'll never make it home on time." Mike said. "The fastest way home is through the cemetery."

  "I'm not going through there." Mary said "It's too scary."

  "Don't be a chicken." said Sally. "If we don't go through we'll be late and get grounded."

  "Well, I guess it couldn't be that bad." Mary said and agreed to go through.

  They walked to couple of blocks to the cemetery. They stopped at the rusted gates of the cemetery and slowly pushed them open. The gate squeaked and the rustling of leaves could be heard in the distance. As they walked in they noticed a large statue of cat with a diamond set gold collar.

  "What's that?" Mary asked

  "That's the grave sight of a hundred year old witch, Mrs. Collins, and her cat." Sally answered "Legend says of a curse for anyone who disturbs their resting site, that includes removing the diamond studded collar of her cat, Midnight. Some say it's just a story but thirty years ago a man stole the collar and he was seen again, and the collar was returned to the statue."

  "I dare you to take it." Mike said to Sally.

  "No way." Sally said. Just then they looked over to see Mary reaching for the collar. "No Mary don't do it." Sally yelled. But before they could stop her she took it and as she took it the cats eyes glowed a bright red, and the kids ran off screaming.

  The three of them met after school about their adventure the night before. “You must take back the collar to the cat,” Mike said, “I did a little more research on her cat, Midnight, legend says the last person who tried to steal the collar was visited by the spirit of Midnight and was found mauled to death in his home.”

  “I heard he was never seen again,” Mary replied, “So the story couldn’t be that accurate if they don’t even know what happened to the guy. And besides I was going to return it, what do I need with a collar filled with diamond as big as marbles.” She pulled the collar from her bag and the kids stared at it in amazement.

  Mike reached for it saying “We could make a fortune selling it,” but Mary quickly snatched it back.

  “I am going to return it. I doubt they are real anyhow or someone would have sold it by now.”

  “You better do it before it’s too late.” Sally trembled, “I can’t stop thinking about last night, I was never so scared before. I say we go out to the cemetery right now and return that collar.”

  “I can’t,” answered Mary, “I have to get home, and my mom would freak out if I didn’t come home on time. We can go tomorrow after school, I will ask my mom if we can hang out but she should say yes.”

  For the rest of the day all Mary could think about was the collar and that night when she was getting ready for bed she heard scratching at her window. She looked outside but saw nothing. After all what could be scratching at a second story window but she heard it again. She checked again but still nothing. The sound continued but she could find no source of the noise.

  As she returned to her room after taking a shower she noticed her window open and sitting on her bed was a black cat and around the cat’s necks, a diamond collar.

  “I was going to return it tomorrow,” Mary stammered in disbelief at what she saw. “I just didn’t have any time to return it today. You have back now just please leave me in peace.”

  The cat jumped out the window and vanished into the night and the next morning Mary was no where to be found. A search party was sent out across the town but there was no sign of Mary anywhere.

 

  #

  ##

  #Monster of the Deep

  Eleven-year-old Little Freddy loved to go on his early morning fishing trips in Greenville Maine with his father Big Freddy. They would wake up at five in the morning to catch night crawlers and make it out to the lake before sun up.

  They had been doing this since Little Freddy was only four. But for centuries tales have been told of a legendary fish that no one could catch. A fish the size of a small boat. Fisherman having been trying to catch this thing for years and still continue to do so this day.

  The fish is actually believed to be as old as the tales them selves but more sensible people believe it to be the offspring of the original fish. Little Freddy and his father was always out there in their large fishing boat always trying catch this monstrous fish.

  After three years of searching they finally found the legendary fish. It was as big as they said it was, and they almost had it but their steel rods designed for shark fishing couldn't hold the massive beast. The line snapped and the fish got away.

  They noticed other lines stuck in the fish’s mouth from other failed attempts and a harpoon in its back. Apparently the fish i
sn't as rare as it seems. They packed up and went home for the day with their fish tale.

  The next day after work Big Freddy went to a local pub to tell his tale of almost catching the monster. Others too shared their tales of the monster but one man in particular had a story to share that no one ever believed, "So you almost caught the fish as well?" The old man said. No one knew his name; he wasn't a local but came out to try to catch the fish as well several times a year. Big Freddy never had the chance to hear his strange story.

  "Well," The man continued, "I have seen it too and almost caught it several times, but there is one I have only seen once and no one else has ever claimed to see it. It is a large as a yacht..."

  He was cut off by someone in the bar, "No one wants to hear your stories you crazy drunk." Someone yelled.

  "Ye be warned." The old man said as he left the bar.

  "Pay no attention to him, Freddy, he is just crazy old man. Freddy just shrugged it off and went home.

  The next weekend him and Little Freddy went back to the lake to try to catch the big one again and few small ones while they were at it, but this was going to be a fishing trip they will never forget. As soon as they put their steel pole with stronger line this time the monster fish bit on.

  With all his might Big Freddy and his son were able to reel it in. The fish was as big as their boat. As soon as they got it close to the boat a large wave hit the side of their boat causing them to drop the pole into the water and there they saw it, the fish the old man was talking about. It was monstrous.

  Then the fish swam straight for the boat smashing into the side of the large fishing rig. The boat capsized and broke into pieces. The two almost made it to shore when the fish came down upon them swallowing them whole. Just then a small boat rowed out to the big fish, "Good boy." Said the old man from the bar as he patted the fish on the head and he the fish disappeared into the fog.

  This wasn't the first time there had been an accident on the water and every time it is said to be just that. No one ever found out who that old man was or where he came from or why he is seen in photos over a hundred years old but for centuries and centuries to come he and his two fish continue to haunt that lake in Greenville Maine.

  Microscopic Death

  Dr. Kelly has been working as a lab tech for over a year at a free clinic. She spends most her working days at the end of her trusty microscope. Today started off as any other. But she received something from her boss Dr. William’s. "Take a look at this blood sample for me, will ya?" He asked her handing her a vial of blood. She took the vial and prepared a slide with a drop of the blood.

  She had noticed something that she had never seen before in her job. She quickly called back her boss. "What is it?" He asked.

  "This patient has AIDS." She told him.

  The doctor was shocked. "Are you sure?" He asked her,

  "Yeah I am positive."

  "Ok then." The doctor walked out into the waiting room to tell the person of his results but he was gone.

  He asked around but no one saw where the young man had went off. This was not odd, people would often leave after admitting them selves, He could only hope that he would return. The patient left no phone number or address where he could be reached.

  After a few days have gone by the young man never returned. They had no way of finding him either. They decided to have the police run his DNA profile through their computers to see if it was on file. No luck.

  Weeks had now gone by and everyone had forgotten about the young man, but then one day he returned. The doctor sat him down and told him what was wrong. He didn’t act surprised. In fact he didn't say a word. He just got up and followed the doctor to an exam room where he would receive his prescriptions, and get a full check up.

  Dr. Kelly did the exam. He seemed to be in perfect health. "How can you remain so calm knowing that you are dying?" Dr. Kelly asked him. He did not reply. Dr. William’s walked in and gave him his prescriptions, but Dr. Kelly said "I don't think he needs them, there must be some mistake, I don't think this man has AIDS, he is in perfect health."

  The two stepped out into the hallway to talk this over, "Many people don't show any signs of their AIDS for a while, and you know that." William’s said,

  "Yeah but by his blood sample, he is far along with this, there is no way he would not be showing symptoms." William’s disagreed saying it must be one those one in a million cases and decided the meds would be best, They opened the door but the man was gone, which was weird since there was no way out.

  They didn't know what to think. They looked all over the exam room but couldn't find him, besides the room wasn't that big. They just couldn't explain it. They went out to the receptionist to see if she saw anything, She said he walked out the door. They figured he must have slipped by while searching the room.

  The next day Kelly had to call in sick for work. William’s suggested she comes in to get checked out, not that she could do that her self. William’s took a blood sample and did a few other tests. When he checked the sample he noticed something startling. She has full-blown AIDS. She nearly passed out when he told her.

  After viewing the slide she realized how bad it was. She hadn’t felt any symptoms at all which is impossible, with full-blown AIDS you know something is wrong right away. It looked as if she had it for ten twenty years. She was sick to her stomach. She knew she didn't have long to live. She had no idea where she could have got it. She never did drugs, she was virgin so unprotected sex was out of the question, it was too far advanced to have gotten it from the other sample.

  The strange man also appeared that day. William’s took the man to an exam room. "How did she take the news?" He asked saying anything for the first time.

  "What news, who are you talking about?" William’s asked,

  "Dr. Kelly of course." William’s was shocked,

  "How did you know that?" He asked,

  "I know all" the man replied. Just then Kelly barged in, “I ran the sample from before against my own and some how it did come from that sample.”

  "Can't you see I am with a patient?" William’s said,

  "I don't see anyone." The man once again disappeared.

  "How can that be, you got that from the other sample." William’s said, "That’s impossible to get it so far advanced." Neither Kelly nor William’s had any explanation. And that strange man was never seen again, at lest not at that hospital.

  He still continues to roam for clinic to clinic and hospital to hospital and every where he went anyone who looked at his blood was infected with AIDS. No one knows who or what he is, some say he is death, others say he is a demon or evil spirit. As for Kelly she passed away just few days after discovering her illness. Everyone infected after encountering this strange man died quick deaths as well.

  Halloween Every Day

  Halloween is a time for ghouls, goblins, witches and wizards. But for Mary Heart Halloween is a religion. She lives in small town in Montana called Holly Hills. She keeps her house decorated year round and celebrates no other holidays. Some think she's a witch others say she's crazy. Crazy or not she does give away the best stuff. But the problem is she hardly gets trick or theaters.

  "Hey Susie, what are going to be for Halloween?" Jimmy asked.

  "I haven’t decided yet, how about you?" Susie answered.

  "OK class," Mrs. Jones interrupted "Time for class. Mrs. Jones taught the 3rd Grade math class at Holly Hills Elementary. "Don't forget kids, Monday October 31st is Halloween so come to class dressed up."

  During lunch Susie, Jimmy, Bobby and Mark were discussing what they all dress up as. Finally they all decided. "Susie will be a princess, Mark the king, Jimmy a Knight and I will be the prince." Bobby said.

  That weekend the kids [parents took them shopping for their costumes and on Monday they all showed up at school dressed up. After school they all met at Susie’s parents house. Before leaving for trick or treating th
at evening Susie’s mother warned, "Stay away from that old ladies house."

  "We know." The kids said. Everyone’s parents warned the same thing to their kids.

  As soon as it was dark the kids headed out. They hit just about every house.

  "It's getting dark." Jimmy said “We should head back.”

  "Just one more house." Bobby said "How about that one." He pointed to Mary's house.

  "We can't go there." Mary said "What are you chicken?" Bobby said as he up to the house. The other two boys looked at each other and then followed.

  "Wait up." Said Susie as she ran to catch up.

  The kids rang the bell and an old lady with one eye and wrinkled pale skin opened the door. "Trick-or-treaters."

  She sounded surprised. "I hardly ever get trick or theaters here." The kids just stood there and said nothing. "I've got something very special for you." She put a twenty-dollar bill in each of their sacks. "There you go kids."

  "Thank you." Mark said.

  "Before you leave could you promise me something." Without thinking the kids agreed.

  "Promise me you will return every year and never tell anyone about me."

  "OK" the kids said as they walked off. "Wow twenty dollars." Mark said. "Are you guys coming back next year"

  "Of course." Said Susie. So for the next several years the kids continued to come and Mary gave them twenty dollars every time, until one year they didn't show up. Mary waited for hours but they never came.

  The next day all the kids received a mysterious letter in the mail from Mary inviting them over. The kids showed up at her house after school.” What do you think she wants?" Susie said "Maybe to give us our money." Said Mark.

  The door opened and they walked inside. "Why didn't you come?" She asked Don't you like Halloween anymore?"

  "Halloween is for kids." Mark answered. "We're eighteen now. We're adults." The door closed behind them and as they looked around they noticed the house was full of people.

  "Who are they?" Jimmy asked

  "They are all the kids that broke their promise." The kids turned to run out the door but it was locked. "You will learn to love Halloween again if it takes you the rest of your lives."