Stew

This is for the Vocal Campfire Ghost Story Challenge to be judged by Chelsea Catherine and Meg Anderson both prize-winning Vocal members.

Although it could also be for the Summer Camp Challenge as well but that would be stretching it.

"The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window."

Two lads were on their way home, they were going back for tea. They had been out all day and were hungry as hell.

Walking through the woods one of the said

"What's that smell, it smells gorgeous, like mums pork casserole, hope she has made that tonight"

"Hmmm it does smell bloody wonderful, I'm starving, I need something to eat now. Where is it coming from?" replied his mate.

Then they saw the candle in the window of the derelict cabin. There was smoke coming from the chimney.

"It's coming from the cabin , someone is cooking, let's go and see"

"Uh oh , mum and dad told me never to go there, bad things have happened there"

"What bad things?"

"Mum and Dad would never tell me, eventually, I just gave up.They are usually right and always look out for me "

"Come on, there's two of us, we'll be alright, and whatever it is that does smell good"

"Ok but I am really not sure about this"

The two boys walked towards the cabin door, they saw the candle and the smoke, and knocked on the door. There was no answer. They pushed on the door and it opened.

The smell was amazing.

They could see a cauldron in the fireplace and something was cooking there.

"Hello boys, are you hungry?"

They jumped.

The voice came from a man with a mane of white hair and a long beard, beside him was a dog or was it a wolf?

“This is Ghost, he loves people, as do I”

The first boy said, “Who are you and what is that you are cooking, is it pork casserole?”

“You could say that. People think I am a ghost too, which is why they avoid my cabin and think it is abandoned. I am very quiet and live in nature in the forest. I only use natural power, that is enough for me. Would you like some stew? You both look famished”

“Yes please”

The man ladled the stew into some tin dishes and set some to cool for Ghost, then gave the boys theirs with spoons to eat their stew.

The boys wolfed it down.

“It is pork casserole, and it is even better than my mum’s, can we have some more mister? Please”

“Of course, you can, growing boys need sustenance after such a hard day”

“There are some stools there, you can sit at the table while you eat your second plate”

The boys sat down and concentrated on the tasty food in front of them, and ate a bit more slowly this time.

One of the boys turned around and said to the man “I suppose we are in a house of ghosts, with you and the dog. The casserole is amazing. But why are people scared of this place”

The man answered “People are always scared of what they don’t know, and the more they avoid it the more frightened they become of it often weaving tales to frighten other people away”

“My parents said bad things happened here”

“That is what I mean, reinforcing the story that this is a place to fear”.

The boys restarted their second plate of casserole.

WHACK!! WHACK!!

The man clubbed the boys, and dragged them away from the table, down into the cellar, which was very cold, with good reason. There were other bodies there too, some incomplete.

“Well, Ghost I think these should be good for a few stews to keep us going for a couple of weeks” ……..