Chapter 1
fills the inside of the cabin windows.
Ashley shivers even before her feet
touch the frozen floorboards. She
wipes the sweat from her brow with
a trembling hand as fear courses
through her veins; this is not how it's
supposed to end. The anticipation
of a cozy fall vacation with her best
friend Penny turned into a freakish
nightmare. Ashley stood for a couple
seconds, her stomach churning, her
eyes closed. She wanted to be suddenly
small and to crawl into someone's lap.
Ashley clung onto Penny's shoulder
and closed her eyes in fear of what
lies ahead.
Ashley shivers even before her feet
touch the frozen floorboards. She
wipes the sweat from her brow with
a trembling hand as fear courses
through her veins; this is not how it's
supposed to end. The anticipation
of a cozy fall vacation with her best
friend Penny turned into a freakish
nightmare. Ashley stood for a couple
seconds, her stomach churning, her
eyes closed. She wanted to be suddenly
small and to crawl into someone's lap.
Ashley clung onto Penny's shoulder
and closed her eyes in fear of what
lies ahead.
"Boom, boom, boom!" the thunder
roared in the distance.
Ashley 1lays her hand on the floor and
screams. Blood o0zes in a puddle along
the cabin floor.
AlIu ASIUEy S CITes ttiO dCroSS
the land.
the land.
But no one hears her scream. It was a
quiet night on Dawsbury Lane. They
were all alone and the booming only
grew louder. Ashley held on tighter
to Penny, and kept her eyes closed as
she tried to quiet her breath. Thunder
was the least of their fears. The door
whooshed open. The boom was more
than a little thunder, it was a man, a
strange man wearing a skull necklace
and chained black pants. Dirt covered
every inch of his face as though he
hadn't bathed in years, and the retched
odor of the man made us tear.
"Do you have any sugar?"
Ashley and Penny stared at each
other in bewilderment and bunrst out
laughing. "Sugar?"
"Yeah. You've never heard of a man
baking before? I'm staying at a cabin
down the road. I'm Steven."
baking before? I'm staying at a cabin
down the road. I'm Steven."
"Oh, hello Steven. Let me get that for
you," said Penny.
Ashley could see a weight lifted off
each of their shoulders. It's only a
cabin in the woods. There's nothing
to be afraid of. Penny handed Steven
a small jar full of sugar and wished
him a good night.
"Whew! Sugar, that was all. We should
probably get to sleep. I want to get up
early tomorrow," said Penny.
"But wait, do you hear that?" Rainn
droplets pinged upstairs in the attic.
"Im thankful we're not sleeping up
there. It would be like Chinese water
Torture" said penny
"No, not that. Dont you hear scraping?
It sounds like someone is scratching
their nails against the walls."
It sounds like someone is scratching
their nails against the walls."
Within less than a second, they
discovered the source of the sound. A
small orange cat meowed and stared at
them with his bright greenish-yellow
eyes from the bottom step. He walked
over and rubbed against Ashley's leg.
"Where'd you come from little guy?"
asked Ashley.
The cat meowed and cuddled up
on the floor.
"I guess we better get going upstairs
to sleep. I'm wiped," said Penny. You
could tell from her expression just
how tired she was. Her eyes' drooped
to the floor and watered. She looked
pale as a ghost.
to sleep. I'm wiped," said Penny. You
could tell from her expression just
how tired she was. Her eyes' drooped
to the floor and watered. She looked
pale as a ghost.
"You're right. Let's go. Wait a second.
The blood! Oh my gosh! The blood!
Where did it come from?" Ashley's
eyes' bugged out and the small orange
cat was bored of her shit. The cat
meowed and walked in the right
corner of the room to nap.
The blood! Oh my gosh! The blood!
Where did it come from?" Ashley's
eyes' bugged out and the small orange
cat was bored of her shit. The cat
meowed and walked in the right
corner of the room to nap.
Penny crouched down and put a finger
in the puddle of blood and licked it.
"Tastes fine."
"What the hell, Penny! You don't
just lick blood." Ashley's face was all
scrunched up in disgust.
"Well, how are we going to know
where it came from?"
"I don't know. There's other ways to
find out than consumption."
True. Should we call the cops?
asked Penny.
asked Penny.
"We are in the middle of nowhere.
There aren't any cops around
for miles."
The cat rouse from sleep and
glared at them.
"Sorry Catsy Cline, we have a case to
solve," said Penny.
"Catsy Cline? Whatever, let's solve this
batshit mystery."
A low growl escaped from Catsy's
mouth as she lay across the room.
Penny felt a startling tingle tiptoe
down her spine, and she turned
abruptly to see if someone had entered
the cabin. Gazing beside her, Penny
saw a glimpse of white fog with eyes
and falt aev chill of wind rush through the air.
"IT'S... It's a ghost!" yeied Penny and
opened up the cabin door to escape.
Steven's body lay dead outside the
door; the sugar fell to the ground and
ants gathered around for the feast.
opened up the cabin door to escape.
Steven's body lay dead outside the
door; the sugar fell to the ground and
ants gathered around for the feast.
"Steven?" Penny was in a state
of shock.
She could no longer open her
mouth. She was staring at a ghostly
disembodied face. A face that she once
recognized to be Steven was novwa
ghostly figure of fog above his body
once full of life. Ashley stood up and
saw the ghost beside her in the cabin
move directly in front of her blocking
the door so she can't escape.
"Penny, help!"
"No way. I can't go back in there!"
shouted Penny on the verge of tears.
She ran off to the woods in a panic
A big whoosh of air chilled Ashley's
body. A trickle of unease slithered
down her spine, and the room went
pitch black. Shadows from a single
candle flickered above the fireplace. It
masked the musty smell of the cabin
with the scent of cinnamon. The cat
hissed as his yellow eyes brightened
up the dark light. A feeling of dread
crept up from the pit of her stomach.
Ashley looked directly behind her and
saw something she swore wasn't there
before. It was Steven's body lifeless
laying by the blood.
body. A trickle of unease slithered
down her spine, and the room went
pitch black. Shadows from a single
candle flickered above the fireplace. It
masked the musty smell of the cabin
with the scent of cinnamon. The cat
hissed as his yellow eyes brightened
up the dark light. A feeling of dread
crept up from the pit of her stomach.
Ashley looked directly behind her and
saw something she swore wasn't there
before. It was Steven's body lifeless
laying by the blood.
"I'm slowing returning to a body with
the help of Steven. I traded his body
so he can keep his soul. His body was
at your door, but it was my soul inside
it that asked for sugar. Yet it wanes
off after a while, which is why the
body collapsed at your door while it
simultaneously entered back to its
original place of death, the cabin. I'm
working on a way to keep the body
permanently," the ghost whispered
with a raspy, eerie tone.
with a raspy, eerie tone.
Ashley jumped about three feet into
the air. The only thing keeping her
sane was the cat's beautiful yellow
eyes letting her know she wasn't alone.
Penny was long gone in the woods.
She only hoped Steven's ghost didn't
follow her along the green forest
with owls and mud puddles from the
ongoing night's rain.
"Why did you want sugar?" asked
Ashley, amazed that she could possibly
care at a time like this.
"I'm developing a body again. I
need food."
"But sugar isn't all that nutritious."
"I survived death, honey. I stopped
worrying about my health long ago,"
said the ghost but somehow Ashley
worrying about my health long ago,"
said the ghost, but somehow Ashley
found herself giggling. All ofa sudden
her laughter came to a stop.
said the ghost, but somehow Ashley
found herself giggling. All ofa sudden
her laughter came to a stop.
"Did you kill Steven?" Ashley asked,
almost choking on her words.
"I didn't. We used to be good friends,
Steven and I. I only found out at the
start of his demise," said the ghost
a little louder with a slightly more
upbeat tone.
Within seconds, the ghost got raspy
again and his words almost made him
choke with tears. "Robert, some poor
old man that stayed in this cabin of
yours. He was an angry ghost, that
son-of-a-never mind, I scared you
enough for one lifetime."
"No, keep going," said Ashley.
"Steven's ancestor, some
great-great-great-grandfather was
Robert's arch-nemesis. He killed
every one following him in the family
tree. He longed for revenge and he
followed through with poor Steven.
Once arriving after Steven's demise, I
encountered Robert who fled shortly
after. He told me about his hatred for
his enemy, and promised to leave the
cabin if I stole Steven's soul. He wanted
him to suffer long after death and be
soulless. He left and I didn't agree with
his plan. Steven is a friend. I would
never steal the best part of him," said
the ghost with a newfound confidence.
followed through with poor Steven.
Once arriving after Steven's demise, I
encountered Robert who fled shortly
after. He told me about his hatred for
his enemy, and promised to leave the
cabin if I stole Steven's soul. He wanted
him to suffer long after death and be
soulless. He left and I didn't agree with
his plan. Steven is a friend. I would
never steal the best part of him," said
the ghost with a newfound confidence.
"I'm sorry I ever doubted you. Can I
call you Casper?"
"Ah! A sense of humor, one of the
greatest things about my great old
pal. It's Rick, but Casper is always
welcome here."
The lights flickered back on and
Ashley went to open the door. Penny
and Steven's ghost were long gone
in the woods.
"What are we supposed to do with the
body? I don't want to go to jail for a
murder I didn't commit," said Ashley.
body? I don't want to go to jail for a
murder I didn't commit," said Ashley.
"Of course not. The body should
return to me permanently within the
next hour or so. After, you can just
wipe up the blood. Or you can have
Penny lick it up."
"You saw that?"
"Yes, a lovely girl, that Penny. You
should go look for your friend. Cherish
every moment you have together."
"Wait, Catsy Cline, are you okay being
left with Casper? He's a friendly ghost,
and there's no need to worry."
Catsy meowed.
"Il take that as a yes," said Ashley as
she opened up the cabin door and ran
off to the woods to find her friend.
The forest was dark and the rain
puddles splattered mud on her shoes.
A dense fog made her question
where to turn.
puddles splattered mud on her shoes.
A dense fog made her question
where to turn.
Ashley called out "Penny, where
are you?"
"Over here!" It sounded like she was
fairly close. Ashley took two rights
along the path and bumped into
something hard.
"Penny, is that you?"
"Yes, you kind of pushed me to the
ground. But yes, I'm here and so
is Steven. You can't really see himn
among the fog."
"oh, I'm sorry. Are you guys all right?"
asked Ashley as she lifted Penny up
from the ground.
"Yes, we're fine. Lead us back to the
cabin," said Penny.
"Okay, will do," said Ashley happy just
to find her friend alive.
to find her friend alive.
The three of them entered the cabin
and to Ashley's surprise found Casper
to be missing. Ashley looked down
at the floor and to her horror saw
something she'd never expect to see in
a million years. Steven's body began
to jolt and plump up while his eyes
struggled to open. Steven's ghostly
presence leaned over his body and
to his horror, he saw his bodies eyes
open. Both the body and soul screamed
simultaneously.
"It's Rick," said the body.
"I know. I just wasn't expecting this
all to be, what's the word, creepy as
hell," said Steven.
"Isn't this what we agreed?"
asked Casper.
"Yes, yes, you're right. Now we both get
to keep our souls and you my body. You
get to be alive and free."
to keep our souls and you my body. You
get to be alive and free."
"Do you really think so?" said Casper
with a surprised look on his face.
He was definitely up to something.
Steven's ghost started to develop a
stronger face and began to look more
lifelike. Slowly but surely, Steven's
ghost became Rick's body.
"What?" the girls exclaimed in shock.
The cat meowed again uncaring and
took another nap.
"Hold on to my hand," said Casper in
Steven's body. Rick embraced his hand
and felta jolt as thunder boomed in the
distance. The lights flickered with the
intense energy of the room. The two
men switched and returned into their
own bodies. Tears streamed down
the men's faces and they gave each
other a long hug.
"I knew you've always had my best
interest," said Steven.
interest," said Steven.
"It's time for us to go," said Casper.
"Where?" the girls exclaimed.
"We're leaving to a place beyond.
We'll miss you and look after you.
I'm thankful to be your Casper," said
Casper as he held Ashley's hand and
they both began to tear up.
Thank you both. This was quite an
experience. I'm sorry if we initially
misjudged you," said Penny.
"I don't blame you. We seem scary,
but are actually quite friendly"
said Casper.
"A friendly ghost," said Ashley.
"Right. A friendly ghost," Casper
repeated.
The two men slowly became less
visible and smiled on their way out and
promised to keep in touch however
possible. Soon, the only thing left was
the two girls and the remnant of the
puddle of blood. Ashley took a wet
cloth out of the bathroom, cleaned up
the blood, and threw it in the trash.
Catsy awakened with a hint of a smile
and meowed. She ran over to the two
girls and rubbed against their feet and
rolled onto her back.
visible and smiled on their way out and
promised to keep in touch however
possible. Soon, the only thing left was
the two girls and the remnant of the
puddle of blood. Ashley took a wet
cloth out of the bathroom, cleaned up
the blood, and threw it in the trash.
Catsy awakened with a hint of a smile
and meowed. She ran over to the two
girls and rubbed against their feet and
rolled onto her back.
"Lovely cat," said Penny as she pets
Catsy's tummy. The thunder died
down and the room went silent.
The two girls and the cat finally had
their nap and dreamed of their new
friends and knew that goodbye was
never an option.
