Scary Bridge Tales

Fletcher and Ross walked in Grandma's parlor one evening when Buck and I were telling some mild ghost stories. Buck was aware that I was not crazy about such a pasttime because the stories usually made me uneasy to say the least.

The two older cousins heard just enough to make them quickly rack their brains for stories that would indeed make their younger cousins'hair stand on end!

Fletcher entered the room first and asked how we were enjoying our visit. I said" "We are having a great time. Not homesick even once."

Buck nodded his head in agreement.

They sat down in a couple of nearby chairs. After a few moments, Fletcher

said, "Did you ever hear the story ofthe ghost who got trapped in the roofofthe covered bridge?"

Buck said, "ln the inside or the outside ofthe roof?"

Ross said mildly, "Does it really make a lot of difference?'

Buck said, "Not really, I guess, but the inside would be more scary."

"You are certainly right about that! About dusk on many Fall day, when one

is walking toward the Shoals, sometimes one can see a definite shadow seeming to enter the bridge," Fletcher whispered.

"Noq hold on!" I said (remembering how they could sometimes really frighten me with their tall tales.) "Who in their right mind would walk toward the Shoals that close to nightime?"

'That's beside the point! Once Ralph and I dared to take such a walk - since there were two of us. It was almost totally dark when we started back through the old covered bridge."

"Ralph whispered to me and pointed a trembling finger, Did you see that?"

Fletcher continued now that he had our fulI attention. "Where? He asked- interested, but beginning to be a little queasy to be there so late in the evening. We had both heard rumors of the mysterious filmy apparition that several claim to have seen."

'Almost shivering with unaccustomed fear, we gingerly walked slowly into the bridge. Carefully examining the interior, we were almost afraid of what we might find. In one corner, near the top of the 'ceiling,' we discovered an old" worn out rag that was really tattered. It was then that we realized we had been had!"

"Do you expect us to believe such a tale?" I laughed nervously. Kathryn Bush

Fletcher said, "No, but you should have seen your faces for a while there!" He laughed heartily.

"We really shouldn't try so hard to scare them They are good kids, "Ross said kindly.