Bonfire Tales

The Yellow Ribbon

 Shelly cleared her throat and said, "Jane wore a yellow ribbon around her neck everyday with every outfit, matching or not. It annoyed her childhood best friend, Johnny, after a while. He'd ignored the ribbon around her neck until it started to bother him when they began high school. Everyday he'd ask Jane why she would always wear the yellow ribbon around her neck. But she would never tell him the reason. Despite the aggravation Johnny dealt with not knowing her reasons for wearing the ribbon, he still showed interest in Jane. The two went out more and more. They went out to get treats, and walked together after school. Johnny would ask Jane out and she'd always say yes and she always wore that yellow ribbon. Over time, Johnny saw their relationship had become steady, so he figured she'd finally tell him the reason behind the yellow ribbon, only to be disappointed when she still didn't explain to him why she wore it. Jane didn't just blow it off this time giving Johnny hope. She told him that she would tell him the reason someday."

"Fast forward, one day Johnny asked for Jane's hand in marriage and she accepted.

The couple planned a massive wedding. Jane had also hinted to Johnny that she'd tell him about the ribbon on their wedding day. With the events of the wedding, Johnny had been so distracted with his bride's beauty that he forgot all about the ribbon. Eventually Johnny remembered the ribbon and asked Jane about it once again. When he did ask, Jane became teary eyed and asked him what difference it would make since they were happy together."

"I bet she's covering marks or something around her neck. I want to know already," Steff complained.

"Be patient, Steff. But then Johnny and Jane later became parents of four children. When their anniversary came around Johnny asked about the ribbon once more after years of waiting. When their kids asked their father about the ribbon, Johnny would hush them. The kids didn't dare ask their mother. Yet, like before Jane didn't want to tell Johnny just yet," Shelly stated.

"A year later, Jane happened to be on her deathbed, when Johnny took his last opportunity to ask his wife about the ribbon around her neck. Instead of telling Johnny it didn't matter she gave her husband a sad smile and told him that she could remove the ribbon to see. Nervous, Johnny's hands slowly untied the ribbon around his wife's neck. What happened next was even more shocking. No one would have seen it coming or even guessed it," she continued. Shelly glanced around at her friends before continuing.

"Just as the ribbon was untied and removed, Jane's head fell off."

"Her head!? Fell off! Like off the spine, off?!" Steff questioned. When Shelly nodded Steff covered his mouth with his hands. Shelly could see everyone else touching their necks in shock and utter disbelief.

"Don't take it too seriously you guys. It's just an urban legend," Shelly clarified.

"Sure," Suzan mocked.