Campfire Story Teller
First, a warning …
Every now and then, there comes along the perfect campfire story, or the perfect Halloween tale for the night of goblins, black cats that cross your path, and witches who cast evil spells. Where pumpkins are carved with sinister eyes and a gaping mouth, seemingly ready to pounce on you and swallow you whole. They sit, staring as you listen to a tale of dread and deadly horror; and a taste of the black night’s shroud you feel enveloping you, never to release its hold on you ever again.
But this isn’t Halloween and there aren’t any campfires to be found.
Before you begin this tale; make certain your windows are latched closed, your door firmly locked, and don’t turn out the lights.
If you still have an extra minute, use it to settle into a story that will truly make you wonder. Is it worth trading fact for a dream? Or, simply use that minute to just walk away.
This much is known: this story was told to me many years ago and was told it is true.
You decide.
I already have.
Step inside. This won’t take long.
Not long at all.
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Campfire Storyteller
“Mr. Perkins? Can you tell us a story?”
“Yeah,” chimed in the rest of the boys.
Leroy Perkins is their scout master, and after their first day out in the woods, all the tents were set up and they had a big fire going, Leroy Perkins sat across from the six boys; flames licking upward into the early evening night sky, and it appeared as if he controlled the fire by the look in his eyes.
Besides being the scout master was also the town mayor of Pineville, a small country community, and he was also known as a master storyteller.
“Well, I suppose I could. What would you boys like to hear? Something funny, or,” he paused for effect, “something really scary?” Through the flames, his smile appeared sinister looking.
“Something scary, please!” all the boys cried at once.
“Alrighty then. You boys have been real good today, so I’m gonna tell what some folks around here to believe to be true, while others say it’s only a story. When I’m finished, you’ll all know in your own heads if it’s truth or not.”
Leroy Perkins smiled. He loved telling this story because the ending had such an effect on children. He could see the look of keen interest in their eyes.
“Over two-hundred years ago, a small farming community was started by our ancestors that came over on the Mayflower, or so people say. What started out as just one family eventually sprouted to nearly three dozen within the first year or so.
“The whole area soon came to life. The wheat, barley, corn, blueberries, and of course the livestock became plentiful.
“One day, a stranger came to town in the dead of night. His hair was as white as fresh-fallen snow and his eyes held the color of flames that seemed to penetrate into a person’s soul.
“The following morning, not one child could be found. It was said the Pied Piper of Hamlin had come in the night and all the children followed him to a land never to be found again.
“The parents went on a long and futile search. Days turned to weeks, then months, and none of the children were ever found. It’s been said well over forty children vanished in the winds of the night, on a night filled with black clouds and a black moon.”
The boys looked up into the night sky and their eyes had somewhat of a fearful look in them. What had before appeared to be a clear evening had suddenly developed into dark clouds, and the moon, which earlier had been full and bright with life, was no place to be found. Leroy Perkins continued with his devilish smile that held the boys captive.
“Nope, they never did find those children, but a strange thing happened one year later to the day. In another farming community, so people say, a stranger came into town in the dead of night and the following morning, all the children were gone. Again, the parents searched, and they too, never found their children.
“This kept up for two more years and suddenly there weren’t any more reports about missing children. It seemed for all practical purposes the stranger with the snow-colored hair was finished, or just outright disappeared. A hundred years went by before it happened again.
“All the children prior to that, went missing from the state known as Rhode Island. When it happened again, it took place in North Carolina. Once again, the stranger came in the dead of night, and on three different occasions, children came up missing. There never were signs of a struggle, no signs of blood or anything to indicate an out and out act of violence. Then, just like the last time, the disappearances stopped.”
Leroy Perkins spread his hands out, palms up as if signaling that the story was over.
“Mr. Perkins,” half-shouted Tommy Lee Harding, “that isn’t all of it, is it?”
Leroy Perkins looked at Tommy Lee and the other boys settled in closer to the fire, and his eyes started to redden even deeper as if they caught the fire from the flames in front of him.
“No, Tommy Lee, that isn’t all the story. See, as this tale goes, the children, so it goes, grew up into adults and continued to do the work of the ageless white-haired stranger who waited in the depths of hell. The children grew into adulthood and continue, even now, to rid all the communities of children until no children are left on earth. It is said once all the children are taken from the earth, the devil shall have free rein on the world and the devil will have finally beaten the heavens.
“The devil had mastered all of the children’s minds and retaught them how to think and act. They became his children. His disciples.
“Now kids, that’s the end of the story and I think it’s time we all turned in. Tomorrow begins a new day for all of you and I want you to be fresh as a daisy when you wake up because each and every one of you will have a busy schedule.”
The boys headed for their tents, and a few of them looked into the still, dark clouded night that had hidden a moon that was full and bright less than two hours ago. A couple other boys shivered at the thought of all those children disappearing; children their own age.
Regardless of their thoughts, within minutes they were snuggled inside their sleeping bags caught up in deep slumber.
Leroy Perkins didn’t fall asleep. Rather than go to his own tent, he stood and walked directly into the flames that held his eyes in flickering heat.
As the flames coated the clothes he wore, he whispered words of adulterous adulation.
“Master, the time has come once more. Even as I speak, the children sleep. As with all times past, I shall steal their souls and deliver them to you as you have had me do so many times before.
“My only wish is that it could be as easy as it was in years gone by. Be it the six tonight, or sixty tomorrow, your wishes shall be fulfilled. I sense from you the others have done as well as I, and that soon, very soon, your commandment, and your prophecy shall rule.
“Once we have all the souls of all the children held in captive in the Kingdom of Hades, there will be no true leadership, no truer religion than your own. With your teachings, we shall have finally beaten the heavens as you have pronounced to be true. Now I go to do your bidding.”
Leroy Perkins walked through the flames to Tommy Lee first. Such a bright and inquisitive lad, he thought. And dangerous. As Leroy opened the tent’s flap and reached his hand out to touch the chest which protects Tommy Lee’s heart; the face of Leroy Perkins no longer looked the same.
His hair became white as snow and his eyes held the color of fire and his flesh became waxen with age. This is how he really looked, but to others, they were blinded by trickery. And like all the other times, trickery would win out.
The night was filled with black swirling clouds without a moon filled with life and six children were lost. Their souls captured, and their flesh burnt away to a fine dust that blended with the grassy dirt that lay under their tents. So too, was the camp itself.
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For nearly a month, the townspeople of Pineville searched for the missing children and Leroy Perkins. The State Police and National Guard as well as volunteer’s from surrounding counties joined in the search, but they found nothing. No tents, no sign of tracks leading in any direction, and no sign of violent foul play.
Leroy Perkins was smiling as he prepared himself for another town, another face, another life.
Trickery; how sweet the sound.