Welcome to Wakeford

g to you live from a train on the

window of the passenger car. The mighty Blue Ridge Mountains loomed in the distance, covered with tall

but feel rather congested in the city, sometimes, am I right? So for the next three months, I'll be updating my blog fr

Across from him sat a girl his age with long, straight brown hair and equally brown eyes. She was rather fixat

deline is coming with me for the trip to he

g a lock of her hair over her shoulder. Marti

'say hi,

his intentionally or was she just f

ay hi,

her phone for a moment

deadpan. Martin only slapp

die! You're making

never agreed to help you in your stupid ghost hunts!

of mysteries to be solved. And I

rning to her phone. Martin's overzea

hing else worth pursui

as a gun fetish," Ma

st shot since I was si

ck, shutting off his phone for the moment. "Besides, what w

in an unfamiliar

; we'll be stayi

Marty! When's the last ti

hink that

the middle of nowhere, I'd like some conn

texting. Martin, expecting nothing else from

lieva

nd new locales and legends for his YouTube channel, naturally agreed. Madeline, more accustomed to city living, and faced with the prospect of being away from her boyfriend, wa

was right that neither had ever ventured to Wakeford, Martin had long dreamed of traveling to se

akeford teemed with stories of monsters, ghosts, and strange goings-on. Folklore dating back to the colonial era (and even earlier) painted an

t) would derail his investigations before they even started. He sifted his hand through his ash blonde hair, won

RD. WAKEFORD. WE ARR

sudden arrival. It was only three hours ago when th

towing away her phone in her pocket. Evidently, she was not in the moo

the passenger car vestibules. Wakeford wasn't exactly a place tha

own in nowhe

home of family. Family was more important than anything. Even if

name in red cursive letters. The platform stood on stilts and was painted white, with a picket fence around the rims to protect people from falling off. Porters he

wiry grey hair was starting to thin around his scalp. A pair of tortoise shell glasses magnified

ds! Good

bilantly, throwing his arms aro

at less enthusiastic, as she j

train ride. Lucky for y'all, I know just

at his red Chevrolet pickup truck. It was an older model, boasting a grille, headlights and front hood that were straight out of the 1940s. How this truck w

their grandfather was quick to play th

hool been? I heard

out the window listlessly. "I'm so glad t

arted thinkin' '

up. I haven't heard back fr

eat, leaned forward and expla

ight away. She wants to take a s

eah, you'll gain some good

for a little longe

reated to his seat with a snort. Looking out the window

l, with the sign "Mount Jackson Hotel" in large flashing lights atop the roof. The downtown business section was lined with mom-and-pop stores and small hole-in-the-wall retailers along a single main road. Further in the distance and closer to the mountain, Martin saw small shacks

ou'll like the restaurant here in town. Plus, t

one of you

ou could say," he corrected,

ollows my YouTube chann

me if one of your 15 subs

, would y

ke

e's no need for that. I won't be havin' you kid

ssi

ign reading BILLY'S BURGERS AND SHAKES. Signaling this

rboard floor, red leather seats, and a large vinyl jukebox reminded both Madeline and Martin of a scene fr

by a gold hairclip while bright blue eyes lit up under the fluorescent lighting. A touch of rouge tried (but failed) to hide the freckles o

almers. How've y

ou got a booth for t

o. Foll

s, Julia, ushered them in. Madeline could only express some agitatio

exist? I thought they

," Martin admitted. "I was ex

"The inheritance he left for me was just enough to keep this

line asked, shocked. "How old ar

arents ever teach you no

nd their booth and sat down. As she handed out

l be serving you today. So, Mr.

s. They're stayin' wi

et to meet the legendary twins." Madeli

ow about us?"

ckled. "He especially has a lot to say about you, Martin." She leaned i

. He had another fan in this town, and never even reali

seen my

reek Park and the Old Stone House ones. Those were cool. Oh,

e. "My hair wasn't done right, and a crappy came

you looked mighty

are well informed, too. I was hoping to do some ghost hunting out her

, here i

think I have something t

pted, "I just remembered tha

and and made her sit back down. The normally jovia

escapades. I'm responsible for you and your brother for the summ

Madeline mut

in place, Julia cleared he

nter, you ever heard th

ghts around Washington D.C. The local parks, houses of former politicians and even presidential residences were common targets. However, his knowledge

. Is it a real

!" Julia proclaimed, grinning wide. "I'll tell you t

their grandfather returned,

ed for something simple. In the downtime between ordering and waiting,

been doin'? I hear you g

bscribers." Their grandfather

od. You're fixin' to be an Internet s

e engage and really want to know more about the supernatural

le," Madeline scoff

grandfather pried, somewhat resentf

n living on this earth, I have yet to see any evidence

ver been in one a

elf in the process? To

age!" Steve

" Martin agreed,

s ghost hunts, she would, without fail, tell him off and demean his endeavors. He couldn't remember th

led. "I don't really ask others for help unl

t Jackson Hotel is haunted. Maybe

ith mushrooms and swiss cheese, with chicken tenders for Madeline, and a bowl of vegetable soup for their

ard it's crawling with ghosts. So, you'd

ting into his burger. "So, you say it's r

vel. Those orbs of sapphire were en

ster lives out near an old abandone

-like monster, what

ey wings and glowing red eyes with a stare that cuts right through you. And when it scree

un?" Madeline asked sardonically with a devious smile. Martin

off, k

ate

heir car and almost dropped right in front of them. And when they flashed its lights, the red eyes almost blinded them before it flew o

that im

harbinger of bad luck. Whenever you see h

ly as he imbibed another spoonful of soup. He leane

en the bridge collapsed. They…ain't never been the same since that day. If you ever

g and frightening story like this. Even urban legends from the D.C. suburbs didn't compare to this. A monster that could bring

e I can find out

he local library." Martin looked to his grandf

there tomor

kids home. You must've had a long day. Julia, th

d it was very nice t

h, sam

is head, long after they left the downtown business section. It was not often he met his followers, but she seemed especially nice, he thought. Not only that, but she poin

n a long day since leaving Washington D.C. But the first day in Wakeford proved promising. Not only was he with his g

ine trail extended out to the factory from the main road. The factory was closed off by a chain mail fence with a war

figure's back and a single, blood red eye seemed to track him as the truck sped along. Not minding the ongoing chatter in the front,

towards its back, almost recoiling in disgust. The eye almost cut through him, and Marti

the

ye was the last to disappear, but even afterward, its indelible stare, one that cut ri

you guys