All for All Hallows Eve (series of short stories)

The Gallows *

"They couldn't grasp for air. Even though their hands were prying at the rope,it wouldn't turn loose. Their face was blue and eyes were beginning to roll to their head.

With their last breath of air, the final thing they heard was "This is what you get for setting up the gallows"

At least that's what new student at Parkville High ,Jason, imagined as he read the article about the terrible stage stunts. "Why didn't they ever tell me? After all, the stunts that everyone did in this school they all died." He was going to have a serious conversation with his friend Owen and his sister Claire.

Walking to put the article back, chills went down his spine. He could see his breath and feel the hairs on his neck spike strait with a presence of being watched. Even more so he could almost hear deep slow breaths and out of the corner of his eye he saw a black shadow lurking.

Then came the voice "Huhh, huhh. Jason are you still up for the gallows?"

"No, No, not again"though Jason as he stormed out of the old decrepit library. Racing to meet Claire and Owen all he could think about was how he got himself into this.

"Hey Jason, glad you could make it to the stage set-up!" said Claire waving with her always friendly smile.

"Yha me too."stated Jason gritting his teeth. "Where is Owen?"

"Right here man!" he said as he pulled the spider web prop into backstage position.

"Fun fact about the spider web is that a girl named Jacey Jones got stuck in it and got strangled in it in less than two minutes." stated Jason with a hint of sarcasm in his mouth.

"You found out." said Claire with a dismal look on her face.

"Yep" stated Jason blankly.

"Come on, it's just some stupid myths and we have more advanced technology now so we insure you that it is all safe." implies Owen. "You know what I'll show you."

Owen scampered to get the gallow stage prop, set it up and then put the noose around his neck.

"See, nothing bad." stated Owen as his head was through the noose.

Jason stared a minute mulling for the time. "Since nothing bad happened I guess it's all right." he thought. After all if he did quite there is no way that they would be able to get someone else. The play was tonight and he would hate to disappoint Claire on her first play she directed and starred in.

"Ok, I'll still do it" agreed Jason reluctantly.

Walking out of the stage area he felt a slight tug on his neck almost like a slight rope burn. It was happening again. The room got cold, and goosebumps appeared on Jason's arms.

"Are you really up for the gallows?" said that creepy whisper of a voice.

Phanting with beads of sweat appearing at his forehead Jason didn't know what to do except to run for cover. The bathroom was the nearest place. Catching his breath Jason looked up in the mirror. Around his neck there was this huge red ring bleeding slightly. It was as though someone had choked him with a rope.

"Creek;" the door cracked open and Jason jumped with fright. "Could it be the voice" thought Jason. Once he looked it was someone wearing a beat up baseball cap; that could only belong to Owen.

"Hey man you need to get the costume on! The play starts in 30 minutes!" stated Owen as he came in and saw Jason in the bathroom. "By the way you did a really good job on your make-up. You look pale and even have this neck thing going on. Like it bro!"

"This isn't makeup. Something did this too me. I can't do this act in the play. For a fact no one can." stated Jason with fear in his voice.

"I love it man, getting into character. Saying that the Englishmen did it. Wow you are good, for a second I believed you! Catch you later! "

Smash, the door to the bathroom closed as Owen exited. Jason thought "Wow is he really that thick" . There was nothing he could do now to get out of the play and by know he only had 20 minutes until show time. Sprinting back to the stage, the only thing for only thing for Jason to do was get on the costume and actual makeup.

The play had begun, and Jason was totally in character. He didn't mess up his lines, plus nothing bad had happened. A bonus was that the eerie voice didn't come back to haunt him. There was one exception, the stunt had not yet been performed. It was the very next scene.

Jason was ready, he kept his mind optimistic. He would know the exact cue to let his neck go into the rope.

"Now prisoner Jack Godfrey, it is your turn."

That was the exact que. Jason stood up on the pedestal and put his head through the noose still making sure his feet touched the ground. His head was in and nothing happened. "Huh maybe I was just imagining it." though Jason

He exhaled and then gagged. He couldn't breath. Fingers sticky with blood, he was struggling to prying at the ropes open to get a breath. Despite his efforts the noose wouldn't turn loose. The worst part was that everyone thought he was acting, so no one came to help. Struggling to breath his face was turning blue and his eyes rolling back.

With his last gag he heard the cyotic voice " This is what you get for setting up the gallows"

After this Jason only saw darkness. "

When Kassy Jenkinson step onto back stage this is what she heard . She might have come half way through the story, but she heard enough to be freaked out.

" My friends, cousins, moms sister was supposedly there to witness the whole thing and heard everything that happened." started the storyteller.

"Ohh " said one of the girls listening, " my heart goes out for that poor new freshman girl who is doing the big stunt tomorrow."

"Yeah, she clearly doesn't know the history of this school" stated the other girl that was there.

"No," thought Kassy "I'm the one doing the big stunt."

Heavily breathing with clammy hands Kassy darted out of the room and as she was leaving she swore that she heard a spine chilling voice say " Kassy are still up for the gallows."