Short Stories Collection

13. The Missing Photographer.. (Halloween Short Story)

Something about this year's autumn did not sit right with you. But then again, autumn should be dropping golden, amber, and scarlet leaves. not black and white.

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Summary:

Blake is a self-taught photographer who captures beautiful photos that catch her eye through the lens of her camera. When Blake gets a call about a special project in Salam, Massachusetts, she can never turn it down. In fact, she is a book nerd who is obsessed with paranormal and supernatural things like ghosts, werewolves, witches, vampires, and anything in between. When she gets her special assignment, she learns the truth about the town and the history of people going missing on Halloween night. There is a legend in the town that says you should never walk alone on Halloween night under the moon, especially when it is a blood moon. One night, she was told to follow some simple rules and to stay away from the church chapel in the middle of the graveyard. She wanted to take some anesthetic Halloween photos of the blood moon and the graveyard.

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Short Story:

When you think of autumn, you think of different colorful leaves falling from the trees like feathers floating down to earth from heaven; different sizes and colors of pumpkins; hot drinks like apple cider or pumpkin spice; football; boots, scarves, jeans, or leather jackets; and, of course, my favorite thing: taking beautiful photographs of anything that catches my eye, especially in a mysterious town graveyard with a legend that will either hunt you to the grave or make your bones shiver in fear.

Being a photographer is one of my favorite things to do in the fall, especially when it comes to traveling to unfamiliar places and capturing the beauty in everything around me, but especially when it comes to graveyards, abandoned churches or houses, or even apple or pumpkin farms. My favorite types of photos are of random people enjoying the fall, especially drinking warm drinks, eating tasty fall treats, and, of course, capturing the fun essence of people celebrating autumn.

I opened my eyes and grabbed my phone from my side table. As I put my glasses on my nose, I saw an email saying, "

-B, I have a special photography assignment for you. Only if you are up for it, and I know you have a huge obsession with fall and, well, of course, supernatural stuff. There is a town called Salem in Massachusetts, like the Salem Witch Trials or even Hocus Pocus. There is a legend that people go missing on Halloween night because of supernatural creatures. The assignment is simple. All you must do is go to Salem, take photos of the town, and learn some of the history. We can provide you with money for a hotel, a flight, food, and anything else you would need with the company credit card. You are on the next flight first thing in the morning, and we will send the company car to pick you up. Oh, and please do not do anything stupid like go out at night and get kidnapped or, worse, killed. Well, have a fun and safe trip. – E

I replayed her email:

You know, I can never turn down an assignment, especially when it is in Salem, and you know me; I never follow the rules, especially when it comes to my safety and photography. Exploring a place that has its own mysteries and legends can be dangerous at times. Also, do not worry; you know me, and I will always be safe while traveling alone. Thanks to you once again, and oh yes, I will bring some things back for you. I can't wait to see you when I get back home. - B

Going to Salem during the Halloween festival is one of the top things on my to-do list, especially when I can get to take photos and enjoy a little vacation. I checked the link for my plane ticket, and I got out of bed and started packing all my photography gear and other things I needed for my trip. A few days later, I was on a plane to Salem, and I was honestly unable to wait to start taking photos of the beautiful old city. While on the plane, I decided to look up some information about Salem and look for any old news about people going missing on Halloween. I saw an interesting news article, and I clicked the link that said

"A woman went missing on Halloween night at the old Salem cemetery, trying to light a black candle, thinking she would meet the famous witches, "The Sanderson Sisters," in the old, abandoned chapel."

I could not help but laugh so loudly that everyone on the plane looked at me like I was some sort of crazy person who should belong in a mental hospital. Once everyone went back to what they were doing on the plane, I kept reading the article and taking notes on places to visit while I was there. A few hours later, I arrived at the airport, which was only a few miles away. I flagged down a taxicab and told the driver about the hotel in Salem. Once I was there, I checked into the hotel. While checking in at the desk, a lady told me about some rules for my safety.

You must never enter the cemetery alone at night, especially with a full blood moon and especially on Halloween night. You must never enter the forest behind the cemetery or the abandoned church chapel alone at night.

Never touch or light the black-flame candle in the chapel. If you do, then you will go missing, and no one will be able to find you.

Never take any photos or videos inside the cemetery or even the church.

I nodded in agreement, but deep inside I knew I was lying to the nice old lady, who was just trying to help so I would not go missing or, worse, die. After I was done checking into the hotel, I went to find my room for the week. As soon as I entered my room, I flipped on the local news to hear more about the missing lady from last Halloween. I was interested in hearing how she died and why she was in the cemetery alone at night. A few hours later, I decided to go out for a stroll and check out the town, and I took my camera with me just in case anything caught my eye through the lens of my camera.

As I walked down the dark, empty street, I felt a slight chill from the cold, crisp air that washed over me. I zipped up my leather jacket to keep my body warmer. As I walked, I saw the cemetery and the church. When I reached the gate, I felt the wind pick up around me, and I saw all different shapes and colors of leaves swirling around me like a tornado. I felt the back of my neck's hair stand up, and I immediately had a shiver go down my spine. They made me have a very uncomfortable feeling, like someone was standing behind me. As I walked into the chapel and took a few photos, I turned around and immediately saw two glowing red eyes and fangs, with some blood dropping down the guy's mouth. I stood there in shock, wishing I could just run away, but I was frozen in fear. He came behind me and whispered in my ear.

"Darling, please do not scream, or I will have to bite you and taste your delicious, sweet blood," he said, gently blowing in my ear.

I said that and gulped. "You are a vampire." "I thought vampires were not real but just a silly old fork-lord tale." I said that and gulped.

"Oh, darling, didn't the people of this town tell you that you shouldn't come here on Halloween night under a blood moon?" he said.

I told him I don't believe in following the rules or the whole "fork in the road" stuff. "In my opinion, most of it is just fake to scare people," I told him.
"Well, did you at least see the black flame candle in the chapel?" he whispers in my ear.

"What are you going to do, bite me until I bleed out, take me to your secret coffin and make love to me, or something?" I asked him.

"Oh, darling, I will take you to my dark secret coffin down in the dungeon, but first let me light this black flame candle to set the mood," he said behind me as he reached to light the candle.

"Oh no, I am so scared, like you are really going to take me down there." "In fact, hold on; let me take a selfie with you to prove to myself that you are not real," I told him and laughed.

As soon as I brought my phone out and took a selfie, the flash went off and blinded him to the point where he hissed like a cat and ran to hide behind the door.

A few moments later, I knew this wasn't a dream and that I was in fact in danger.
His fangs were on my neck in seconds, and I felt the sharp teeth against my skin as fresh blood dripped down my neck. My neck was burning like it was on fire, but I couldn't help but let out a few moans because it felt so good and I just wanted him to keep going.

That night, under a full blood moon on Halloween night, another innocent life was taken way too soon. All that was left at the scene was a broken camera, a pile of fresh blood, and a bag with no trace of DNA or identification, not even a dead, cold body. The black candle was still burning as the sun began to rise through the tall trees of the hunted forest.