Short Stories Collection

6. The Legend of Salem (Halloween Short Story)

Summary:

In the small town of Salem, there is a legend about the world's most famous candy company, Hershey's.

In the deep woods, there is a secret that will hunt your bones so that you will be shaking in your grave...

You must never enter the woods and go into the factory alone on Halloween night unless you are up for a hunting surprise or go missing without a trace.

So enter the woods if you dare. You have been warned.

The Legend of Salem (Short Story):

As a young girl, I was told to never go in the woods alone, especially at night. Why, might you ask? There is a legend in my small, quiet town of Salem. There is a candy company called Hershey's, which is the world's most famous candy company, and it is located on the outskirts of town, deep in the forest. I've heard many things about the company factory, like that people have gone missing in the woods, especially on Halloween night. There are stories where some people go to the candy factory for trick-or-treating or something else but never return the following morning.

Last year, there was a story about two high school couples who went into the woods at night on Halloween to see if the legend was true. They were told it would be dangerous and even very stupid of them to even go there due to all of the rumors going around. That night was the last time anyone in the town saw or heard of them. There was no sign of them disappearing or of them going to the Hunted Candy Company factory. I heard there was a cult of werewolves or something in the woods. No one really knows, and it has been a mystery for years.

Until this very year, on Old Hallow Eve, the night before my big sweet sixteen, I wanted to go to the candy factory to see if the rumors were true or not and also prove a point about the legend that hunts my little town, which was full of secrets and legends. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to know what was in the woods. This year was the year I put on my big girl pants and went on the adventure of a lifetime.

Every night I sneaked out of the house with my book bag filled with useful things that I would need, like a whistle, a pocket knife, pepper spray, and other things that would come in handy. I did not tell anyone where I was going because I would either get in trouble or, worse, have my parents call the police department to report a missing child. In my town, it happens every full moon, especially on Halloween night. I hope tonight is the night when I will not be one of those missing children or people.

As I walked to the outskirts of town, where the candy factory was located, I continued to walk down the windy, creepy trail path. I saw the big brown wooden doors open, as someone had forgotten to close them. I hadn't seen the factory at night before. It was so creepy, like an abandoned factory that no one ever took care of or even visited. While walking in a gust of wind that made me shiver down my spine, the leaves whirled around me like a tornado, the cold, crisp air tickled my nose like frostbite, and the leaves and beaches behind me made a crispy, crunchy sound that made me jump in the air just a bit. I was so scared that I took the Reese's peanut butter cup candy out of my pocket that I keep for emergencies, especially when I get scared and need something sugary.

"You smell like Reese's, my favorite kind of candy," a deep, raspy voice said behind me, which made me shiver.

"Um, who are you?" I quietly whispered in fear.

"Darling, I am your nightmare dressed like a daydream," he whispered in my ear, where I could feel his hot breath against my ear and neck.

"Who are you, and what are you doing out here?" I asked him while trying not to show fear while being brave.