I've told you a fair number of legends that center around Benton Academy, I've also told you one or two that center around Benton High School. The School I attend. The story I'm going to tell you now, is a ghost story that is well known to the cadets of Benton High School's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps or JROTC for short. That is commonly pronounced “JAY-rotsee” for those who were wondering.

A conversation with a Phantom

The mall closes its doors at nine o' clock on the dot each night. On week nights I'm in bed by then, but on Friday and Saturday nights I'm still roaming the corridors. This was one such night, it was seven at night, the sun had set and a full moon could be seen against the backdrop of a dark, cloudless night sky. The mall was as quiet as the grave and a strange stillness was starting to settle over the building.

I knew I was in deep trouble when mom mentioned she wanted to have a 'private discussion' with me. I knew that was mom talking for me going across her lap while she applied the hairbrush to my bare bottom. I breathed a silent prayer under my breath as I was marched from the kitchen to my bedroom. Mom followed behind me, her arms folded across her chest and a crossed look graced her face as she walked a few steps behind me. A few minutes later we reached my room.

Cemetery Shenanigans
Part Four: Epilogue

I can't recall what happened next. But I remember following the woman's instructions to the letter. As soon as I reached the school I headed to the office and gave them the note the strange woman had given me. I had expected them to ask a few questions. Instead the office secretary nodded her head and made a copy and handed me the original. I then went to my first period class. That happened  to be Earth Science. 

Cemetery Shenanigans
Part Three: Punishment

It all happened so fast. One minute I was standing in front of this strange woman, the next moment I was being guided back down the long hallway. A few minutes later I was being ushered into what I'm going to assume was the spare bedroom she had mentioned earlier. The bedroom was about half the size of the other rooms I've seen. Just room enough for a bed, a night stand and a small closet. The walls of the room had been painted a coral pink color, and on the floor there was an oval rug, also pink in color.

Cemetery Shenanigans
Part One: Being Chased by A Phantom

I took a deep breath as I peered through the bars in the old iron fence. The sight that greeted me was one befitting a lovecraftian horror story. The grass was as tall as me, tombstones lay scattered about in all directions, there was no order to them, some were half sunken into the ground. Many were covered by moss. Somehow been worn smooth by the passing of countless years. Yet others lay broken and laying down. It seems even the dead to not gain any respect in this day and age.

The Mallrat Chronicles

Introduction

-24-
Blood on the Plaza

According to the sun it was around the middle of the day when Oliver, as tired as he was, followed me into the center of town. I had set a blistering pace after the bandits had ambushed us, and Oliver, though he struggled, had managed to keep up with me. Oliver was covered in blood, not his blood, but blood from the bandits that had tried to ambush us. The boy's long brown hair was matted with sweat and his feet were blistered and bleeding.

Sunday morning was an insane marathon. My Aunt Cat was still a little hung over from the half bottle of wine she had tucked away last night at dinner. And Uncle Sidney looked like he had already Taken Holy Communion. Coffee was the first order of business. Strong, black coffee, thicker than oil and strong enough to take the paint off the side of the house. Then showers, I went first. I had to dash through the shower, dash through shaving my legs, dry off and blow dry my hair and remove the polish from my fingernails. I managed to do all of this in fifteen minutes flat.

I took a deep breath as I walked into the crowded sitting room. The room was filled with ladies drawn from all four corners of the Mississippi Delta. Ladies who like me wore fine summer dresses. The room was filled with chatter but the moment I walked into the room, the chatter stopped. All eyes it seemed zoomed in on me. I could feel their eyes peering at me. It was as if they were judging me.

The buzzing of my alarm clock awoke me from a frightful sleep. Slowly opening my eyes, I peered out the window of my bedroom. Darkness, total darkness. Taking a deep breath I reached up, pulled my pillow closer to me, and turned over, hoping to snatch a few extra minutes of sleep. It was not meant to be, for a few moments later, a harsh knocking came on the other side of my bedroom door. A few seconds later and the door was pushed open and there in the doorway stood my aunt.

I returned a few moments later holding the old, leather Bible. It was the family Bible, the one that recorded all the births and deaths in the family. According to family lore, the Bible had been in the family for well over a hundred years. My Aunt Cat who was in the kitchen, pointed with fingers toward my uncle's office. I nodded my head and started to make my way to the office. The door was locked so I gently knocked. A few seconds later, I heard a crossed voice from behind the door call out.

Farming was back breaking work. I was often up before the rooster crowed and kept in the field till the sun set and the moon had risen. The delta is flat, flat as a board and there is nothing in the way to block the sun, all the trees had long been cut down to make way for the farmers to plow. The strong rays of the Mississippian sun blistered me by day and the bone cutting wind froze me by night. 

I found the room, but it turns out I took too long to find it. And the game was already starting when I stumbled into the room. I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed at first, after all I'd been promised the leading role of the “Queen” piece. But a few minutes later a sense of relief washed over me. I quickly learned that when a piece was “Captured” it was given a cream pie to the face as a penalty, normally by the piece that captured it.

Summer vacation had been ongoing for a week and I was already bored. The thrifty lifestyle I'd been living for the last eight months meant that my purse was bursting at the seams. The old wooden treasure chest was overflowing with coins and bills, you see I'd yet gone ahead and opened a checking account with our local bank as my best friend Madeline and older sister Lily had been strongly suggesting for the last few months.

When people think of Easter, I'm quite sure their minds would automatically conjure up images of colorful eggs, pastel colored Easter Dresses, attending Easter Mass down at their local parish church, mountains of chocolate candies, woven, straw baskets that are always overflowing with candy, toys, and of course king size chocolate bars.

Gakkou No Kaiden
The Futakuchi-onna

This story was told to me by a student in classroom 1-B. According to her, some years ago a mysterious transfer student by the name of Yuna Kagesaki joined the school halfway through the school year. And by all accounts she was a true beauty to behold with long, straight black hair, porcelain skin, heart shaped face, almond shaped eyes and petite frame she became an object of desire for all her male classmates who flirted endlessly with her. Though with demure charm she rebuffed all their advances.

Gakkou No Kaiden:
The Legend of Hanako-san

Gakkou No Kaiden
The Curse of Tsumugi-chan

If you ever go into the principal's office you will notice that sitting right of the desk is an old fashioned doll that is sealed in a glass case. At the bottom you will see a sign that reads. “Warning: This doll is cursed, please do not touch it, and please do not touch the glass case.” Many think that this is a joke. But there is a good reason for the doll being sealed up and locked away in the principal's office.

The Courtship of Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn
Chapter 8: Flu Shots

I have trypanophobia or an extreme fear of needles, and I dread taking the annual Flu Shot. Normally my mom has to bribe me with McDonald's if I'm good and take the shot without causing a sense. This year things were different, instead of having mom at my side I had my boyfriend, and instead of getting my Flu Shot at a clinic or hospital, I was getting mine at a local pharmacy.

The Courtship of Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn
Chapter 6: Sick in Bed

The Courtship of Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn
Chapter 4: Daisy Cooking

The Courtship of Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn
Chapter 2: Lunch Date

If you've ever watched any romantic anime you're bound to see one more scene where the main couple share a huge homemade lunch box at school. Normally it's somewhere private, away from the busy hustle and bustle of the main school. Normally they share their lunch either on the roof of the school or in a deserted classroom. Another popular scene is the two will often share an umbrella on rainy days. Often while holding hands. Sharing an umbrella is another one of those classic anime tropes.

-20-
Oliver Blackthorn