Welcome to the forth day of the 2014 Coffin Hop!  Today’s guest blog post is Nick Graham.  So, I’m going to step away and let Nick give you some insight to his problems.

Trust

By Nick Graham

My therapist says I should do this.  For some reason, she thinks writing down my thoughts and talking about my problems will help me.  I sit here and wonder how doing this is going to help me overcome my fear of the dark.  Seriously, I think my biggest issue is trust and I blame my brother.  Granted, I need to have lights on at all times in the house or wherever I go, but the blame is on him.  I don’t trust the dark and I don’t trust him.

Back when we were kids, we spent the summer at our grandparent’s house in White Creek.  They owned a farmhouse and lots of land with a lake and a cave.  The old men in town warned us that the cave was unexplored and dangerous.  But seriously, we were boys away from our parents for the summer and we didn’t have a care in the world.  My brother Franklin could be a trouble maker.  He enjoyed pulling pranks on me and trying to scare the living shit out of me all the time.  During that summer’s visit he’d put a snake in my room, tossed spiders at me, and tried to push me in a cart down the gully. 

When he said we were going to explore the caves, I believed him.  I trusted him.  He hurt me and I don’t think I’ve ever healed.  I should be angry at him, but I honestly don’t remember anything about that day.  I remember going into the cave and him blocking me in, but then the memories get fuzzy and I remember the men finding me by the stream that runs from the cave to the lake during their search for me.

They were all amazed I got out of the cave in the dark.  I know when I came out, I feared the dark.  It was Franklin’s fault and he made it his mission to torture me about it whenever he could.  Now, we are adults and he still taunts me while I try to get over what he did to me.  I still can’t remember what happened in the cave, but I not sure I want to know.  Sometimes, while I sit in the light, I can hear the whispers in the dark.  I even get scared of the dark I find myself in when I close my eyes.  I hate him for it.

Yesterday, Franklin called me and wanted to know if I wanted to go camping out by the cave.  I hadn’t been to the property since grandma died and I do want to get out the four-wheelers, but Franklin invited me.  I don’t trust him, but maybe after I told him about this therapy crap I’m going through, he means to apologize.  Of course, he’s bringing Sherrie.  God, I hate her.  I lost my wife, Josie, because of this crap and I don’t want to see him get all cozy with her by the fire.

Screw it, I ‘ll be the better man.  He says he wants to try to make everything right again.  I feel like a fool, but I believe him.  Well, I’m about finished packing my things and then I head off to White Creek.  I haven’t been there in years and I hope I’m not making a mistake going back.

Nick is from a story titled, “Beneath”, from Wicked Tales for Wicked People.  The story is original to the collection and has never been published elsewhere.  It ties to the White Creek mythology and has some impact on the novel about the town that I’m writing now.

Well, I hope everyone is enjoying the Hop and I pray you survive to make it back tomorrow…

My answer to yesterday’s question about local haunts is Willard Library.  The Grey Lady is famous and the library was even featured on an episode of SyFy’s Ghost Hunters series.  There are websites dedicated to the ghost and you can go view them and check out some pictures captured using the cams here.  Every year they offer ghost tours during October and they are great fun to go on.  I’ve been on a few of them and they are a great spooky way to get ready for Halloween.

Today’s question is…

What was your favorite Halloween costume growing up?

Answer away and goodnight,

Brent