Down In The Hollow
by Donna L Martin
Linky always said never go down in the hollow at night. He never said why but I figured it was cuz of the old Samson house. They used to do terrible things at that house long time ago. You know, back when they had the slave quarters. You could hear the screams all the way to the county line.
Linky swore he'd even seen the ghost of one poor runaway back in '63 when he got caught down in the hollow one night after midnight. He never told me what he was doing out there in the first place, but after that time poor Linky was just never quite right in the head again. Always talking about that ghost. About what happens to fools who get caught down in the hollow after dark.
But I know better. I ain't afraid of no ghost. Don't believe in them anyway. I heard tales of gold buried under that house and I'm fixin' to see for myself just where's it at. Makes more sense to go at night, seeing how everyone around here's too scared to take a chance on being anywhere near the Samson place when the sun goes down. But not me.
I guess I wished I'd brung a better coat to keep out the wind cuz it's got me chilled to the bone. I can just make out the Samson place through the fog but my lantern sure doesn't show much else. Hell, it's about the darkest night I've ever seen but I guess that'll just keep the village folk from catchin' up to my doings this late at night.
I'm almost to the door, but wait. What's that sound? Kinda like a shuffling sound, like some animal scratching it's way through the dead leaves but it sounds way too big to be no animal. Is it just me or did it suddenly turn colder? The hair on the back of my neck is standing up and I'm starting to wonder if Linky wasn't maybe right. Maybe it'd be better if I just turn around and get out the hollow while I still got me the chance...
***Okay, it's your turn! Are the tales true? Is there gold at the old Samson house? Is there a ghost in the hollow or something else? Put your creative cap on and add a sentence or add a paragraph. Continue my story or start one of your own. Join the fun and see where this picture prompt takes us! ***
