Halloween Story

The Mistery of Barkley Manor

It was a dark and foggy night on October 31st. Since it was already midnight no one was outside, except for three friends: Allison, John and Daniel. They found themselves in the only street of the town where no one dared to go after nightfall. Usher Street was always a sombre and peculiar location even in the daylight, a place reserved for drunks and misfits.

This street was filled with spooky and old wooden houses but one in particular was the sole cause of the fright people felt. The Barkley Manor was built in a Victorian style and was said to be abandoned for almost a century. Its last occupant was an anti-social elderly man that started shooting at anyone that got close enough to his abode. This man died in a very odd way, he was killed by one of his booby traps that he put on his lawn to scare off strangers. According to an urban myth his ghost still lives in that house and will trap anyone that goes inside its abode.

Allison, John and Daniel, went there to see if they could catch a glimpse of the old man’s ghost. They approached the black gate of the manor and opened it. It made a horrible squeaking sound and beyond it you could see a garden full of weeds and withered grass and flowers. They almost couldn’t see the stoned path that lead to the porch. As they walked up the manors porch a rocking chair on it started to move back and forth and they heard a wicked laugh coming from inside the house. Despite the fear the friends felt, their curiosity was greater and they slowly opened the large front door and went inside.

Inside, the manor looked even creepier with old furniture filled with dust and spider webs everywhere. But alas the ghost was nowhere to be found. Daniel said it was best for them to go home and all agreed, however, as they turned around to go home the front door slammed shut and that same wicked laugh was heard again. The ghost of the elderly man finally appeared, he was very old, with an almost bald head and a white beard and hair and you could see blood all over his “clothes”, he had an angered look on his face. The last thing heard on Usher Street that night were the cries for help of three children.

They were reported missing by their families but the police was unable to find them anywhere. And so the mystery of Barkley Manor lives on. On dark foggy nights, if you get close enough to the manor you can hear screams of despair followed by a wicked laugh.

Isabela Bica, nº14, 10ºB