STORY-A HAUNTING IN ITS FINAL FORM BY CHERYL V.

A HAUNTING

One day, I happened to be in the state of North Carolina. I was walking down the hilly roads of the city when I happened to run into my boyfriend, Mike, right at the end of one of the roads. Even though, we were near the cabin which I happened to be living in at the time. For some odd reason, I jus didn’t want to back to my cabin because I felt very lonely. I didn’t know why but I jus didn’t feel right going back to an empty cabin.

Something seemed to flash right before my eyes in a green light, jus as I approached Mike.

He jus happened to be going for a walk, himself, on the road which crossed the road which I have been walking on for about a half hour. He happened to be on the road for the very same reason, I was, jus to get away from where we, usually, lived. And of course, we both have something on our minds, wanting not fight the feeling; originally that we could run into each other on the road which we jus happened to do.

So, then, since, we both were in the walking mood at the time. He said to me in an anxious voice, “How would you like to take a hike right to the Smokey Mountains which isn’t that far from here to begin with? I don’t know about you but for some reason, I can’t figure out. I’m jus feeling quite adventurous, today, how about you, my dear?”

“Well, I think you’ve jus read my mind, true and clear, Mike. I, also, seem to be in adventurous mood to want to do some hiking with you. And to me, the Smoky Mountains seems jus the right place to do it.”

So, then, since, we both jus happened to have a backpack on our shoulders. We, then, took a cutoff off the road which ran into the roads which we both happened to be on at the time.

As the two of us reached a cutoff jus where the road seemed to be, exceptionally, hilly. Then, we jus started making our way up the mountains. And on our way up there, we jus happened to run into one of my neighbors, a woman with a fair complexion and a bright air about her.

However, he, really, surprised me jus because he didn’t try to flirt with her in any way. Because around this area of the mountains, people seemed to be, always, so friendly whenever they ran into each other, no matter if they knew each other or not.

So, upon us both waving at her being she’s near the road, taking her long walk up the hills. Then, after she waved back at us, we proceeded up the steep mountains. And on our way, we happened to run into some cows which were grazing on the mountains. And there, also, were some chickens and a rooster at a barn which we ran into on our way up.

As we reached the top of the Smokey Mountains, then, we held onto each other’s hand. So, neither of us would get lost through all those trees. And we both followed a trail through all those trees as it started to get hot outside, as the sun, really, was beating down on us by now in the early morning. And the fog of the morning has faded away, revealing some blue haze. Also, it’s appearing like the clouds have met the mountains. So, it seemed, as though, the clouds, actually, were floating on the top of the mountains.

Which seemed like some time later, we, actually, reached the top of the mountains? And then, the two of us preceded through some more trees which seemed to have a lot of space between them.

As the two of us, almost, reached the edge of the mountains. I jus happened to spot a man and a woman down below us on some rocks. And nearby was a river. I seemed to have this green light, flash right before my eyes. And this caused me to lose my balance. And I was lucky that Mike caught me with his arms because I have been close to falling off the mountains top.

Jus as he helped me to my feet, this man and woman were starting to fight with each other. And Mike and I jus stood there on the mountains top, watching the two, the man and woman down below us. Before I realized it, the man punched the woman in the face. And as he sent her, falling down on the rocks, I seemed to let out a scream which, really, placed me in a state of shock.

As Mike saw me, suddenly, falling on the ground, he, then, couldn’t believe what he saw. I seemed to jus be lying there on the ground. And he couldn’t seem to get any reaction from me as he touched me. As upon having seen the woman with a bloody face, this has caused me to go into shock.

So, then, realizing that I, possibly, could be in a coma. And in being worried about me, Mike, then, leaned down. And he picked me up into his arms, and started walking towards his cabin which isn’t far away from where he picked me up.

In the meanwhile, Mike arrived at his cabin, and I, again, seemed to have seen this green light, flash right before my eyes. And this vision seemed to scare me half to death.

In this vision, I jus happened to see the man who murdered the woman below the mountains. And then, I, actually, remembered him, looking up to the mountains top. So, I concluded that he must have seen me and Mike on top of the mountains jus as he murdered this woman. Or that he must have seen me, lying on the mountains top jus after I lost my balance, and fell down to the ground being that I hadn’t been far from the edge of the mountains at that time.

Jus after I saw this vision, then, the guy and woman seemed to vanish right before my eyes. However, I, really, wasn’t aware of the guy, having spotted me on the mountains at the time.

So, then, Mike watched over me, very carefully, to wait and see if I would start responding to him.

And then, about a half hour later, then, he, finally, got me to respond to him. And then, when he, finally, noticed that I jus was staring at him in the eyes. He said to me in a desperate voice, “My dear, did you happen to see that man and woman, fighting below us not too long ago? That man, really, gave that woman, one heck of a bloody face. And then, the two happened to disappear into nowhere.”

Now, being out of her state of shock, she said to him, “I thought I had, only, been seeing things at first. However, now, that you jus mentioned to me about that guy murdering that woman. I, really, believe I saw that woman get murdered with my very own eyes. And I jus wasn’t seeing this flashing green light for no reason at all before my eyes.”

Then, he said in desperation, “What I, really, think you should do at this point, is call up the sheriff. I think he should know that a murder has jus taken place on these mountains. He’s been a best friend of mine for a long time. For one thing, I jus know he’ll place all his trust in you in him trying to track down that guy who you and I saw murder that woman.”

“No, Mike, I think that if the sheriff, really, wants to know about another murder case. That you should have him come right here to your cabin.”

“Okay, then, my dear, Cher Bear. I’ll call him up, right now, and see if he’s at his office.”

So, then, as soon as he got the sheriff on the phone, he said to the sheriff, “Hello, sheriff, it’s me, Mike, your good friend. My girlfriend, Cher Bear, and I were jus on the top of the mountains about an hour ago. And since, she’s come out of her state of shock. I think that you should come right over, and talk to us about that happening jus underneath the mountains edge, today.”

“Are you, really, sure that you two jus weren’t dreaming about the whole thing? This is because I know every person in the city. And if someone has been hurt or murdered or something, today, I would have heard about it by now.”

“However, it jus happened to be turning dusk at that time. And I happened to be there with her. So, then, it couldn’t have been dark enough to miss what has been going on around here, today.”

“Okay, then, Mike, I’m finishing up on some sketch of another case. However, I’ll be over there at the cabin as soon as I can. See you two, then.”

So, then, about an hour later, the sheriff jus finished up on his case. And since, he knew he could trust Mike to tell him, the truth about the happening. He, then, hopped into his sheriff’s car right from the office. And he showed up at the cabin in no time at all.

As he pulled up in front of the cabin where Mike lives by himself, he jus hopped out of the car after adjusting his hat and shirt.

And then, very reluctantly, he, then, walked up to the front door of the cabin, and he knocked on the door. Jus before answering the door, Mike looked through the peek hole, and sure enough, it, really, was the sheriff at the door. So, then, with much trust, although, I am feeling quite nervous in having never met the sheriff before. I jus waited, patiently, until Mike let the sheriff inside his house.

And then, the sheriff walked up to me as I am sitting on a living room couch, and sat down by me. In jus staring at Mike in the eyes for a moment, he was able to get me to relax. So, I could tell the sheriff, everything, I remembered about the murder incident.

So, then, the sheriff said to both of us, “Well, I see that the days and nights have been very uncomfortable, lately. However, are you both ready to talk me to tell me, nothing but the truth about this situation?”

Mike, then, said to him in a desperate voice, “As far as I know, both of us are ready to talk to you, sheriff.”

“Then, let’s get going on the incident. First of all, what did you; see happen below the mountains, this evening, Mike?”

“Well, first of all, I happened to be walking with her through the Smokey Mountains on a hike. And as we neared towards the mountains edge, we both, suddenly, stopped right there. And what I saw, was that a man and a woman, about in their thirties, fighting on some rocks near the river. And when the two, really, were getting into it, I heard Cher Bear gasp. And then, at that point, the woman seemed to fall right onto the rocks with a bloody face.”

“What did you; really, see happen, tonight, Cher Bear?”

“Well, I had been walking through the mountains with Mike, when, suddenly, I seemed to see this man and woman about in their thirties. And before me, actually, realized what was going on below us. I jus happened to the man, start a fight with the woman. And as I was watching them with my binoculars, I, actually, saw the woman, falling helpless onto the rocks near the river. This occurred jus after I saw him, punch the woman right in the face. And then, the woman ended up with a bloody face.”

“Okay, then, Cher Bear, since, you had fallen onto the ground. Are you sure you hadn’t been dreaming about this incident nor having visions at the time?”

“Yes, I’m sure; I wasn’t having visions at that time because well, you jus listened to what Mike has told you. In fact, he and I both had seen the two fighting on the rocks. And that we saw the man, actually, murder the woman.”

“Well, can you tell me, Cher Bear, what these two looked like at the time? And do you happen to remember what either one was wearing, too?”

“Yes, I can recall the man, wearing dark clothes, and, especially, wearing a black leather jacket with black gloves on, and also, an orange hat on his head. And the woman happened to be, also, wearing a black leather jacket. And I happened to notice that she had long, brown hair way past her shoulders at that time.”

“Are you certain, you weren’t having visions, now, for the second time? Because like I jus told both you and Mike. I know every person in this city, here, and that someone would have called me, last night, concerning this incident because this city is well populated. Also, because I’ve been a sheriff for this city for many years, that I, practically, know every person in this, here, city.”

After a brief pause, trying to catch his breath, he, then, said to the two, “Now, if you two saw this incident, last night, why didn’t either of you, call me, last night about this murder?”

Mike replied in a desperate voice, “Actually, my mind and especially, hers were very foggy, last night. And being that I found her, lying on the ground in an apparent state of shock, it didn’t even come to mind for me to call you up about this murder near the mountains. And Cher Bear, apparently, wasn’t thinking, either, being she was in a state of shock, most of the night. And it wasn’t until this morning, that she was able to, actually, be aware of what’s been going on around her inside my cabin.”

“Well, from what you two have told me, I think that, at least, she’s delusional jus because she confessed to having seen that green light before her eyes. This is typical of anyone who is prone to having visions of any kind of threats in their life, especially, murders. So, I don’t, really, believe what she has jus told me. Can I give you two, some advice, at this time? I think you should take her right to her doctor to get her, checked out. She, still, could be in a state of shock, and neither one of you even being aware of it.”

Then, without another word, the sheriff didn’t even say good bye to Mike or Cher Bear, although, he’s been a good friend of Mike’s for quite some time, ever since, he’s been a teenager.

However, he jus hopped into his sheriff’s car, and then, took off for the police station.

And upon him, arriving there, he jus sat down at the Captain’s desk. And then, he presented him with some evidence involving the murder case, only, what Cher Bear and Mike had told him. And then, from what the Captain, he has witnessed about the actual murder, then, he drew up a sketch of the murderer and the woman.

After this, then, the sheriff got a search team on the case of the missing woman. And then, that same day in the afternoon, then, the search team along with a dog tried to find the murderer’s trail. But to no luck, did the search team find any kind of clues concerning the murder as they searched around the mountains where the rocks were at. Also, the search was done near the river, but the dog couldn’t even sniff down any scent which could have been left by either the murderer or even the woman, the apparent victim of the murder.

Jus before the search, the sheriff had come to the conclusion. That the murderer must have taken the woman away to some discreet place, jus so that any one would have a hard time, tracking down his trail. However, he had had a search team on the case, anyways, jus because the murderer could have left his footprints, somewhere, in the woods, nearby. Or even, he could have thrown the woman’s body right into the river, nearby, because it would have been the best way of disposing her body. However, not yet, was her body found.

Then, the very next day, the sheriff, still, felt, he had to do some favor for Mike, at least, because the two were good friends. So, then, right from his office as he reached it the next morning, the sheriff decided to give Mike, a call. Although, he knew that I, probably, was, still, staying at his cabin, yet, being that he knew, I was the type of person to be to afraid to go back to my cabin, alone, in an empty cabin.

So, then, as Mike answered the phone as he was tending to me as I’m lying on his couch in his living room, trying to get some much needed rest to make sure, I was, completely, out of my state of shock, the sheriff, then, said to him, “Well, Mike, I organized a search team, lately, to look around the area with a dog. However, to no avail, were any of them or even the dog able to track down the scents of either the woman or the murderer.”

“So, what is it, you want me to do on this matter, now? You’ve jus had a search team on the case, what now? What can you do next to try to track down any evidence concerning the murder of that woman?”

“What I’m going to do next is to have you, come with me on a search. And when you can find any time to do this with me, if neither of us can find any evidence. Then, I’ll have a forensic team on the case. And then, that will, probably, be my best bet on finding any evidence on this case.”

“Well, why do you want me to come with you on the search, if you have had a search time on the scene, already?”

“This is because you, probably, will be able to give me, some clues to go on in trying to track down any evidence on this certain case. And this is because you claimed, already, that you, actually, saw this woman, get murdered right below the Smokey Mountains.”

“Okay, I’ll go on a search with you, and take some time away from my book writing. However, this better be not a real long search because I don’t want to lose track of where I’m working on this book. However, in the long run, this search jus may give me a new lead in my story writing, especially, because I, probably, will be able to wind into the story, anything, we are able to discover around the murder scene.”

“What’s the best time for you to do this with me? Is Cher Bear alright enough now, so that you can come alone on the search with me? How does her mental health seem right now? Can she be trusted to be alone for a couple of hours without her, trying to do anything silly to herself?”

“Yes, sheriff, she’s not a mental case; I’ve known her for a few years. And she may have been one back a few years. But since, she’s been on medicine, and takes it faithfully; she’s very okay at this time.”

“Okay, then, Mike, how about if I go on my way over there to the cabin, now? I can be there in about a half hour, maybe less time.”

“That’s alright with me and Cher Bear, too. I’ll be waiting for you over at my cabin, here. However, if something comes up, I’ll call you right away. And let you know about it. But I doubt it at this time because it’s not time to get together with either my agent or editor. In fact, I’ve, already, had a meeting with my editor, lately. And that’s where I got the idea of a murder story, from her. And if I weave in what has been going on with the murder. And if I take along a notebook, and add to it, anything which I find appealing, today. I’ll, then, add it to my story to make it, seem more realistic. See you when you get here.”

So, then, the sheriff was on his way over to Mike’s cabin right after he found that sketch which he wanted to show both him and Cher Bear before going on their search of the murderer.

It didn’t take too long for the sheriff to make it over to Mike’s cabin being that he, already, knew his way over there.

And once, he pulled into Mike’s driveway, Cher Bear was a little shocked at first at seeing the sheriff’s car, there. But Mike assured her, that she was going to be alright while they went on their search for the clues to the murder case.

And another thing was, if they took Cher Bear with them on the search. That she could get herself lost in not being good at directions. Or maybe, she could start freaking out if any evidence was found. Or even she could freak out in even being around the area where she knew the murder has occurred. And another thing was that Mike didn’t want her to end up in a mental hospital because she could end up there for months.

So, as the sheriff got out of his car, and walked up to Mike’s front door, Cher Bear didn’t even want to meet the sheriff. So, jus before allowing the sheriff to enter the cabin, Mike has her go into his bedroom, and close the door. That way, the sheriff will think, she has decided to lie down to take a nap, and doesn’t want to be disturbed.

And this way, the sheriff won’t be able to show her, the sketch of the woman and murderer because she wouldn’t want to even see either one to begin with because it would, only, make her freak out.

So, as soon as Mike looked through the peak hole of the front door after hearing the sheriff, knocking at the door. Then, Mike wouldn’t even allow him to enter his cabin. He jus shoved the sheriff out the door, and then, he locked the door, securely, behind him. This was so that Cher Bear would be able to get her much needed rest while he and the sheriff were gone.

And then, Mike and the sheriff didn’t say one word to each other until they both were inside the sheriff’s car. And then, as they were taking off towards the area where the edge of the mountains was at near the river. Then, the sheriff said to Mike, “Are you sure, that Cher Bear is going to be alright while we’re gone? She’s not, still, upset over the murder, yet, is she?”

“Not that I know of, although, she’s the type of person who tends to hide her feelings, sometimes, because I’ve known her for a couple of years. And then, when she was involved in the incident over at Ron’s Tavern, not too long ago, she, really, had it bad, back then.”

“Well, after we’ve done our search near the mountains, I think I should have a good talk with her jus before I go back to the sheriff’s office concerning that event because I remember her, having gotten hurt during that incident. And another thing is that I’m, still, looking for the culprit who started the whole thing. Maybe, she could help me out in that respect.”

So, then, the sheriff and Mike were on their way over to the mountains edge. Being the traffic was kind of heavy at the time; it took them, a little while to get there. However, about forty-five minutes later, they happened to arrive right near the river.

At that time, since, they had been traveling over there for awhile, Mike had to give me, a call, to make sure, I was alright. So, then, upon him, getting on his cell phone, I said to him, “Aren’t you two on the search, yet? What has taken you two so long to get there to where you want to go?”

“The thing is that we got caught in a lot of heavy traffic on our way. And we have jus arrived over at the river. And that’s the first place where we are going to hunt for the woman’s body. And if we happen to find her body, there, then, we are going to have to take her body over to the morgue. So, what are you up to at this time? Are you alright being alone at my cabin?”

“Yes, I’m alright, Mike; in fact, I’m relaxing inside your bedroom, right now, eating some lunch which is a little late of course for me. I’m used to eating at specific times of the day and night since; I’ve been living alone in my cabin. However, give me, a call, every half hour or so, so that I don’t start freaking out jus in case I start having any visions of the murder.”

“Okay, my dear, I’ll make sure to give you, a call, every so often. And I’ll let you know if we are going to be back late after dusk. And I’ll be seeing you, my dear, take care of you. And make sure, you get some yoga in if you, already, haven’t done so along with some meditation to keep yourself, relaxed.”

‘Okay, I’ll be seeing you, later; but whatever you do, if the sheriff decides to stop over later on, be sure to let him know. That I’m not ready to see any sketches or any evidence, involving the murder, jus yet.”

So, then, the sheriff and Mike got the dog by their side. And then, in starting around the river where the sheriff, really, hasn’t sent a search team, yet, they started walking around the river. However, being it’s starting to rain, then, along with the dog, they all hopped into a canoe. And then, they oared around the river, trying to find the whereabouts of the woman.

After about a half hour, Mike was the one, who happened to see a body, floating on top of the river. So, he said to the sheriff, “I can see a body, floating on the water jus ahead of us. So, are you going to look over that body, yet?”

“No, I don’t think so, Mike, because according to the sketch in my car, from what I can see from here. The hair on the woman doesn’t seem to match and neither does her clothing. And I can see that the face on that person, doesn’t match the sketch in any way.”

“That seems strange to me because that was the first impression, I got after the murder. That the woman, I had seen on those rocks near the mountains, has a tall frame and long brown hair.”

“Well, that woman has short black hair, and a short frame. Also, it appears to be a very young woman, a teenager. So, that can’t be her.”

“Aren’t you going to stop, here, and inspect the body?”

“No, because it’s jus a waste of time, and if the dog picked up her scent. He wouldn’t be able to tell if that girl was the one, I was going after about a year ago.”

So, then, the sheriff and Mike kept oaring until they reached the area where Mike spotted the rocks, he had seen that night of the murder.

Upon pulling the canoe up to the shore, the two got out of the canoe. And then, the sheriff allowed the dog to sniff around the rocks’ area. And in about a half hour, the dog, still, hadn’t found any scent.

So, then, the two jus walked back to the canoe, and upon reaching the other side, the two got out of it. And being there’s no other place for them to check out, the two jus got into the car along with the dog. And then, they headed back to the police station which took them about an hour to get there because of heavy traffic. And once there, the sheriff dropped off the dog. And then, they headed back for the cabin where Mike’s living.

About fifteen minutes later, when they reached the cabin, the sheriff decided to go inside with Mike. And at the time, Mike decided, it was time for me to look at the sketch; the sheriff took out of the glove compartment of his car.

Once, they reached the front door, they, slowly, entered the cabin. And as they did, they noticed me, seated at the dining room table, doing some meditation. So, upon reaching I, Mike, gently, got me out of it. And then, that was when the sheriff shook my hand to calm me down.

And then, he got the sketch out of his pocket, and showed it to me. As I looked at the sketch, it looked vaguely familiar to me. However, I couldn’t, definitely, say it was the woman, who I had seen during the evening of the en murder.

So, then, the sheriff said to me, “We have searched high and low around the rocks where you and Mike had seen the murder of that woman. And at first, I thought that the woman might have been dumped into the river, then. However, we couldn’t hunt down her body in the river. The murderer must have dumped her body, somewhere, so that no one would be able to find it. And that could have been anywhere around the mountains. Or even know she has been murderer by her boyfriend in the first place, or be able to find either one’s whereabouts.”

“Also,” said Mike to me, “neither one of us along with the dog, couldn’t even track down any scents near the mountains, either. Very sneakily, the murderer has managed to cover up any trail which he had left behind on the night of the murder.”

Then, because it was certain that the murderer must have spotted me on the night of the murder. He, then, supposedly, started haunting me in various ways. It seemed like every night, I tried to go to sleep, that I would keep having this vision of the woman, getting murdered in green light.

And somehow, then, the murderer happened to get a copy of the key to my apartment which I moved into upon getting this job over at this diner as a cook. And the diner was called, “Debbie’s Fine Food.”

And then, he jus started doing weird things to make me, freak out. One time, when I was there, jus getting home from my shift over at the diner, I had this feeling that he has been moving things around inside my apartment. Also, another time, when I came home from my shift, he had used this red marker on the walls and, also, on the front door. And on my front door, he had wrote these words, “I’m going to get you soon enough. You won’t be able to escape my grip, once; I am able to get a hold of you.”

So, then, he started making me, think, I was starting to see things or going crazy, especially, in me, constantly, seeing visions in my dreams of this murderer, killing his girlfriend. And through him, using this red marker in my apartment above the diner, he made me think, I’m losing my mind.

So, this was getting too much for me, and since, I, then, couldn’t stand to live along in a cabin. I, then, talked to Mike about the situation, one day. And as he answered the phone, I said to him in a frantic voice, “Mike, I don’t know what has been happening to me. I’ve been seeing the murderer in my dreams, each and every night. And I have been having a hard time, sleeping at night. I can’t take any more of this, any longer.”

“Okay, my dear, I’m coming over, right now, although, I’ve been in the middle of writing my book. And then, pack all you can because you’re moving in with me.”

“Oh, I don’t know how to thank you, Mike. And another thing is that I need to talk to the sheriff about all these things, going on. After you pick me up and take me over there, please get the sheriff over because I want to have a good talk with him.”

So, then, Mike came over, right away, even though, it’s starting to get dark. And he then, upon arriving over at the cabin, helped her, carry her things inside his truck. And then, they were on their way over to his cabin.

As soon as they arrived over there about few minutes later, the sheriff jus was pulling into the driveway. And then, he helped Mike and I move my thing inside the cabin.

Once, Mike and I and the sheriff were inside the cabin. And the sheriff was sitting down besides us on the couch, the sheriff said to me, “Why didn’t you report these incidents to me, right away? There’s something which could be going on because one jus can’t get a key to your apartment very easily unless he’s s customer at the diner, or one who works with you. Now, tell me all about these incidents.”

“Well,” she started, “First I started noticing things being moved around. And then, one night when I came home from my shift over at the diner. I jus happened to see red markings all over my wall and on the front door were the words something about that he’s going to get me. And that once, he has me in his grip that I won’t be able to get away from him.”

Trying to get her breath, she, then, continued, “Another time, I thought, he’s the one who turned on my bathtub faucet. And then, water happened to overflow all over the apartment, flooding the whole apartment. And then, water seeped down into the diner which the owner, Debbie, has to get fixed. And that incident happened today jus before I came over here to live with Mike.”

However, when I thought the murderer was the one who flooded my apartment. I started realizing that I never would do such a thing as this. Although, others whom I worked with, thought I’ve been having delusions over having seen the murderer, kill that one woman near the mountains.

“Right now, though, I’m living over at Mike’s cabin because my apartment is being repaired. And the red marks, probably, will get covered up by the men who are doing the repairs at this time.”

Then, the sheriff said to Mike and me, “Well, I’m going to get a search team on the case, again. And I hope, this time, that they’ll be able to track down whoever got a hold of a copy of your key, my dear. And I suggest that you, Mike, take her to see a doctor being that she could be having delusions over having seen this murderer, killing that one woman over near the mountains, that one night. And now, I, really, believe that whoever got a hold of the key to her apartment, could be the one, who murdered this one woman, that one evening.”