Unhappily Ever After: A Collection of Feary Tales

Kept

Author's Note: My internet is out again. Not sure what the problem is this time but they'll be out on Monday to fix it... hopefully. I can only get cell service in certain spots so I may not be able to respond to comments. So this is the last weekend short horror story update.

Sad, right?

On the bright side, I plan to start posting on the Ivory White Series in mid November. Okay enough blabbering... enjoy the story!

Kept

"What story do you want to hear tonight children? Hmm?" The old man hummed as he waited.

"Tell us the pumpkin story Grandpa!" Little Billy exclaimed.

"The pumpkin story?" he asked in surprise. "Now how in the world did you hear about that?"

"Jeffery Lipscombe told us about it." A small girly haired girl replied.

"He said that you were in the story, grandpa." Billy said excitedly.

"Now, now settle down." Their grandfather said as the little boy jumped up and down upon his bed.

Billy flopped back down on his bed and pulled the covers up to his small chin. "Tell us, grandpa! Pleeeeeassse!" he begged.

"Very well then. Lay back and I'll tell you what happened."

The children snuggled under their blankets and waited for their grandfather to tell the story.

"Years ago, when I was a detective. I went out to investigate a rather peculiar case. A man's wife, Helen was her name, went missing. Now according to the file and neighbors, this was nothing new. The young woman was always up a leaving to parts unknown and then returning weeks later. The man was well off and had a soft spot for the woman who was obviously using him for his money. And that, children, is why you never let anyone use you for a fool." The old man said. "Usually, investigations aren't open until a certain amount of time has passed since the person went missing. Unfortunately, in this case, the young women have been reported missing far too many times and would often show up out of nowhere. The chief wasn't willing waste time sending men and using up resources that could be better serve elsewhere. So, the woman's case was shoved to the bottom of the pile."

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Author's Note: I hate writing first person POVs because it feels limiting but I figured that I would try something different. Sigh... stupid creativity.

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34 years earlier...

POV of Detective Earnest Sawyers

I sat at my desk taking a breather from the mound of files and reports that were constantly being shoved onto my desk. If someone had told me that being a detective was about 5% fieldwork and 95% paperwork, I would have defiantly chosen a different career path. Instead, I'm forced to stare at so many ink-formed words that my eyes have crossed.

I stood and went to pour myself yet another cup of sludge that this office insultingly calls, "coffee." Hated that nasty powdered creamer that sat hard and lumpy in its little shaker thing. Casually making my way over to my desk trying not to look suspicious. Reaching into my bottom drawer for a secret stash of liquid creamer packets, I dumped several into the cup along with a couple of sugar packets.

Grimacing at the barely palatable brew, I tried to set my mug on the overflowing table but the stack to my right was lopsided. Standing to remove the folders, I found a rather hefty one at the bottom. It was a missing person's case from a year before. I decided to check the files.