The Shava Ghost
by Bethany C
(Austin, Texas (United States))
Have you ever had an experience were you see something really terrifying, but you can't decide weather to scream and run away or burst into hysterical laughter??? Well if you have, you will understand the perspective of the story I'm going to share with you. Please do not read this if you have seizures, heart attacks, or kidney failure. This story may cause you to have a nervous breakdown in some cases.
It all started in the summer of 1927. My grandfather, Willis Canterbury, was walking alongside his life-long best friend Ralphie. They 16 year old pals had decided to walk to Dee's drive-in and get their favorite raspberry milkshakes. They arrived at Dee's and met a couple of girls. One's name was Ophelia and she just so happens to be my grandma. The other's name was June, Ophelia's best friend.
The 4 teenagers had never met each other. My grandfather, hormonal and all just had to make a good impression. The 4 of them talked for a while and decided to go on a date. well not exactly a date. More like a chance for Willis and Ralph to show off for the girls. The ladies and gentlemen met each other at 8 o'clock sharp that night at the Wheeler family's home.
The 4 of them had all heard stories about the house. The Wheeler family had lived there in the 1860s until their African American housekeeper Julita had become angry at the famly and killed all 5 of the relatives. As the story goes, Julita ran off with their disintegrated bodies and had dumped them in the Hillshire woods. Of course, the story had changed through the years but no one ever knew the truth without any doubt.
Ophelia, Willis, Ralphie, and June agreed to spend exactly 1 night or approx. 12 hours. The girls giggled and pushed the boys in first. The boys jumped into the musty living room. Of course, the abandoned house was large since Mr. Wheeler was the only certified doctor in the Hillshire area. It smelled as if a dead raccoon was lying on the floor. The girls covered their dainty noses.
The boys asked what Ophelia and June were afraid of. They sounded angry and gave the young men a short speach about women's rights. All 4 of them pushed their gender differences aside and decided to make the best of their night together. The girls ran up the squeeky steps and into Bethany, the youngest Wheeler's daughter's old room. Ophelia and June were envious at Bethany's pink floral room. The girls slammed the heavy door and began to undress and change into their flannel nightgowns.
In the next room, the boys changed into their matching blue-striped pajamas and conversated about the girls and how fantastic they were. They were deep in coversation when they heard the girls screaming in fear. The boys threw open their door and raced down the hall to Bethany's room. Willis threw his shoulder into the door to try to break the lock but the door was too heavy to crack open. They boys were exhausted by the time the screaming stopped but they knew both girls weren't okay. Ralphie ran down the rotting steps and into the night air.
He raced to the cabana house were he found a pick-ax that he could use to break the door down. He stumbled running back to the house a few times, but finally managed to get up the steps to Bethany's room. He swung the ax like a baseball bat and busted down the door. Both boys rushed inside to find only Ophelia, June was ducked under the bed trying not to let the boys know she was there.
Ophelia was frozen in her place with her eyes wide as if she had seen a ghost. June popped out finally and told them what the girls had seen. June simply said, "I saw the Shava ghost."
