Curse Of Tall Man

Sarah White can't remember when it first started exactly, only that her childhood back in the 1980s was full of terror and sorrow. She saw this tall, pale stranger, a man with eyes darker than space itself. He was grotesque, or so she thought it was a he, as this strange figure took on a humanoid shape but his proportions and limbs were unlike any man or woman she had ever seen, they were thin, like wires, far longer than any living creature. It was simply strange, a spider-like being that merely wore the disguise of a human being. She did not know where it came, whether it was from hell or an alien world, only that it meant her no good, it was her own personal demon. A creature she once believed to be her imaginary enemy, where most kids have made up friends, she had this lanky monster haunting her every waking hour and nightmares too. It would creep into her mind, showing her the most horrific visions imaginable, the type of horror now little girl should ever witness. It had an awful smile, one that literally stretched from ear to ear, revealing its yellow shark teeth beneath, the monster often wore a black trench coat and top hat when spotted outside. Her father, Cody White, thought his daughter was insane. Never believing that the stranger who only she saw was real, that it was merely a dark manifestation of her poor mind. At first he was an understanding and patient father, he really, truly was. A dad who cried for his daughter, hugged her daily and told her everything would be all right. He thought it would pass, but as the years went on, his patience grew thin. Soon he would yell; "The Tall Man isn't real!" In her face, even slap Sarah, shaking her madly. Not doing this out of hate, but absolute desperation! It is easy to see Cody as a monster in of himself, a huge man who wrestled his mentally ill daughter. For he soon became a second threat in Sarah's eyes too, she would hide with a great effort that "The Tall Man" as she called it, was nearby or taunting her. Cody sent her to many psychiatrists and therapists, hoping they had some miraculous cure to her lunacy. They gave her pills after pills and several doses of medication, but absolutely nothing stopped the Tall Man from haunting her every moment. Soon, Sarah would come to learn that she had died much earlier in life and had fortunately been resuscitated, with that knowledge she soon came to a truly disturbing revelation, that the monster who haunted her was in fact a demon. Yes, the supernatural kind, one from the deepest depths of hell. It was a creature that preyed on the souls of the living, one who wished to see dead the ones who escaped death. Ironically it was a psychiatrist named Peter King who gave her the best advice, he told her to scream "go away!" at the beast, show that she held no fear against this hideous, walking leech. She'd come to learn that all living beings, no matter how small like she was, were far stronger than even the most horrifying monsters from beyond the grave. So as she slowly grew into adulthood, standing firm and strong against this demon, telling it she was not afraid, the more it backed off. It began distancing itself from her, instead of standing tall over her bed, it would linger in the corridor outside her room. Then it would only stand in the back garden, its frightening smile slowly slumping into a frown of sadness, knowing it was losing its chance to feast. The last she saw of the monster, was when she was a teenager, the Tall Man simply turned away down the rainy streets of Runcorn, hiding in the thick fog ahead, as if returning to the limbo from which it came.

Just because Sarah White defeated the demon, does not mean others were so lucky. This creature is death itself, the grim reaper; perhaps not in the familiar black cloak, hood and skull that you are used to seeing. The interpretation of said demon has had many descriptions. Perhaps it changes itself every 30 years so as not to alert people of its presence, however the Tall Man's skeletal features and black trench coat may give it the appearance of a walking skeleton dressed in black, as its skin sticks like glue against his wire thin bones. Those who have witnessed this demon claim that it stands between 10-11 feet tall, almost the height of a house. It often visits people between life and death, within their own renditions of Limbo. For many it is a familiar place, a town, a village perhaps a city that resembles the dying person's home. This place would be called "Bilmo" an anagram for Limbo, as the God and Devil who arrange these tests don't want to spoil the true meaning behind these places, not until the subject has passed the moral trials of good and evil, only then is it decided if the lost soul deserves heaven or hell. Many bad men instantly go to hell, while most good men are immediately sent to heaven. Limbo is only for the morally grey people and yet, Tall Man, Death or Grim Reaper (whoever you prefer to call this demon) is allowed to torment these souls, hoping they are more evil, as before sinners burn forever beneath our very ground, they are first eaten alive by this cruel spirit.

So if you ever see an impossibly tall man, one dressed all in black, with skin so pale and gaunt he appears to be a skeleton. Run!