The Woods of Ash Hollow

“The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. They say that it was lit by the spirit of Mrs. Holloway was waiting to seek revenge on her husband,"

"Come on Kyle, no one wants to hear that tired old story any more, someone tells it every year, tell something new” I said interrupting him.

Camp Fallen Pines was set to open for the summer in the morning so the four of us took the opportunity to have some fun. Kyle and Brian hid a cooler full of beer, snacks, and some firewood in the woods. After Mr. Byers, the owner of the camp, went to bed the boys, Stacy and I all snuck out of our cabins. This was our third year as councilors and we were finally Seniors.

"It's a classic, Mackenzie, everyone knows the story of the Holloway murder and it scares the crap out of the kids at camp because the cabin is on the other side of the hill," he popped a roasted marshmallow into his mouth and smiled at me.

Everyone in Ash Hollow had heard the story of the Holloway Cabin. The rumor is that Mr. Holloway, the local butcher, killed his wife, the reason why changes depending on what story you hear my favorite is because was caught cheating on him. Anyway, he chopped her into pieces and scattered her body around the woods near their cabin. They say her ghost lies in wait for her husband to return so she can exact revenge on him.

"Well I have a new story to tell and it's something that will really scare the pants off you."

Brian shakes his hands in mockery, I throw a marshmallow at him smacking him right in the forehead.

"Fine but if it's not good you're sleeping outside."

"I'm not worried," I stick my tongue out at him and take a sip of beer and start.

Fifty years ago before this place was a campground it was a home for orphans. Sister Margret's was run by the state with help from a local church. They started it as a way to help the kids not feel so alone. The cabins let them sleep in groups always surrounded by friends. the mess hall let them eat together, and they had the activities hall gave them a place to play when they weren't out sides.

Sister Margrets Home for Children was filled with children of all ages from around the state. One of those children was Robbie Fields. Robbie was six years old when he was brought to live at the Sister Mary's after his parents died in a car accident.

He liked to draw and spent most of his free time with a pen in his hand. His favorite place to be was the activities hall he would look out the wide window to the lake that rested on the south side of property. He would draw the lake, the woods, the nun's, anything that he saw he drew and this would lead him into trouble.

He drew a picture of one of the older boys, Henry Miller stealing candy from the nun's. One of them saw the picture and Henry was punished with a whipping. Because of this the older boys decided to make an example of Robbie.

They woke him up and told him they were going to go play a game by the pier and asked if he wanted to go to. Robbie was excited to be included in something so he slid on his shoes and followed the boys down to the pier. They started playing a game of Pirates where Henry was the captain and he was making the boys walk the plank. A few other boys jumped into the water to make the game believable. When it was Robbies turn things took a turn. Henry accused him of being rat and that rats were punished. He pushed Robbie off and on the way down he hit his head on the pier causing him to drown. By the time the boys realized he wasn't coming up and it was too dark to see him they started running back to the cabins. They let poor little Robbie Fields drown. No one ever knew what happened to him many thought he ran away.

They say now if your are down at the pier in the middle of the night you can see the ghost of a little boy walking the pier warning people to stay away and they say if you get too close that you will be forced into the water by an unknown force and it will hold you underwater. There are also rumors that if you leave out a pencil and paper in the activities hall that a picture will be drawn by morning.

"What the hell kind of story was that" Kyle asked looking at me like I had lost my mind

"Yeah that was dark,"Brian added. "Kind of scary but mostly fucked up. Where did you hear that?"

"Whatever you guys wouldn't know a good scary story if it bit you. I going to go use the bathroom."

I stared walking into the woods when Stacy yelled to watch out for ghosts or other creepy things. I laugh as kick leaves and brush aside. The woods surrounding Ash Hollow was thick I followed the trail down a ways until I found a spot to go. I was buttoning up my shorts when a howling moan caught my attention. I pick up the pace trying to head back to the group when I heard a twig snap behind me.

Do not turn around that's how everyone dies in the movies.

My breathing quickens as I try my best to get back to my friends. I don't know what I heard but whether its a ghost or a bear neither are good. Sweat slicks down my back as I start to see the firelight.

Almost there, Almost there just keep moving.

Finally I step through the trees to our makeshift camp site for the night and I'm confused. Where did they all go? "Brian, Kyle, Stacy," I call but no response.

"This isn't funny you guys." But still nothing. The silence of the dark woods with the booze and the scary stories has my hair on edge. Then there's a scream from the other direction. And I run towards it.

This is why the blonde always dies first in a horror movie because they always run right into danger and trip.

I run until I hit the lake where I see a faint shimmer of a little boy standing on the pier. While the sounds of water splashing echo. I run up the pier and see Stacy standing at the edge watching Kyle's body floating face down while Brian's is no where to be seen.

"Oh my God what happened," I scream not really sure what's going on. I see the figure of what could only be Robbie standing next to Stacy. "This can't be real."

"They didn't think Robbie was scary so I had to show them just how scary he is," Stacy said as she pushed me into the lake.