Outside the light was fading fast and Grandpa knew it would be black as pitch by the time he reached the dreaded well. He tried to walk like a man until he got out sight of the cabin. Willie would be watching him and if he took off running Willie would accuse him of being scared, "witless," and he probably was but he didn't need Willie rubbing it in especially since grandpa knew Willie was every bit as afraid of the old well as he was.
The scent of wood smoke followed him into the woods. Dead leaves rustled, twigs snapped. An owl who-who-who'd sounding a little like Willie but this time the sound made him shiver. When he was sure he was far enough away he started running like the wind praying the ghosts couldn't catch him. His heart was already a tom-tom before he reached the meadow and when he did he placed his arm over his eyes and run even faster hoping to quickly out distance himself from that horrid place and the ghosts. And that's when it happened.


Note: I had my grandson, Hunter, pose for this scene. I told him the look I wanted and I think he did a good job of it.