Marlow Manor
Preface: One night on a weekend sleepover,after telling Ghost stories Big John Erlick and "Pauly the Pot" Potter(upperclassmen) challenged me, Tim Schroeder and the Bolder Twins to a dare. To spend the Halloween night at The Old Marlow Manor. This is a true epoch of what happened that harrowing night. ( check authors Notes for History )
Slowly we opened the squeaking door to the Manor,
Pretending not to be scared by making childish banter.
But as we entered the musty parlor, a cold chill ran up our spines
the haunting darkness came as the outside light declined.
Shivering we huddled in the center of the room
It didn’t feel like a house, but more like a tomb.
One could barely see through the dusty haze.
Every wall and turn seemed like an unsolvable maze.
There was plenty of wood for the old fireplace
And I brought plenty of matches just in case.
Twenty candles gave us plenty of light,
But the old fireplace just wouldn’t ignite.
So on hands and knees I looked up the flue,
And I swear, I saw Joshua’s head in plain view.
My screams could be heard a mile away,
My friends said my color turned to ash grey.
Bravely poking and stabbing into the darkness of the hole
Down fell a large chunk of creosote and coal.
Nervously we laughed, as I lit the dried up old log
The fire started crackling after I unplugged the clog.
As night settled in we split up and explored,
Hoping not see old Marlow with his sword.
Each step we took we were sure, meant certain death,
Our adrenalin was racing, and we could barely catch our breath.
As the evening progressed and the bewitching hour neared
A ghostly howl was heard and renewed our fears.
Footsteps on the stairs and the crevasses puffed dust
The old man appeared, waving his sword with blood rust.
As the family grandfather clock chimed twelve,
To our horror the whole Marlow family showed themselves.
Four fragmented screams could be heard for a mile or more,
As four chubby body’s bolted and squeezed through the door.
Was it youthful imaginations that heard a dead clock chime,
Or was it truly five souls haunting us from a period of time.
We told our friends there was nothing to beware,
But I tell you now; I will never again take a dare.
Honorable mention
Adding your comment:
What a scary tale and just in time for Halloween. What makes it even scarier is that it's based on something that actually happens. But that makes it very sad too. To think of a family that continues to live out it's horror, stuck in that house. It must have been so terrible for them. Sounds like you really got a fright too. You did a good job of expressing yourself. 
