Short Horror Stories [ON HOLD]

Story 18

Grey Hair

Gertrude was the 18-year old daughter and only child of Mr and Mrs Wentworth. She was an attractive girl with smooth skin, pretty features and a pleasant physique. Her parents were very shocked when she came down to breakfast one morning and announced that she was getting married. After all, she had only just finished school.

The object of her affections was a young man named Walter. He was 20 years old and quite handsome and athletic. Gertrude had met him at a football game and took an immediate shine to him.

When her parents tried to talk her out of marriage, Gertrude brushed off their concerns and assured them that everything would be fine. She said Walter had recently inherited a large sum of money from his uncle. Gertrude found rich men very attractive and she was eager to help him spend it. No matter how hard they tried, her parents were unable to change her mind.

Gertrude was soon showing off her new diamond engagement ring and telling her parents that the wedding would take place in three months time. She invited Walter over to the house to meet her parents. Mr and Mrs Wentworth were anxious to find out all about him.

He appeared to be a nice and decent young man and seemed so utterly devoted to Gertrude that her parents began to warm to the idea of the marriage. When they found out exactly how much money he had inherited, they became even more enthusiastic and invited Walter to stay with them for a few days.

However, that very evening, Gertrude began to feel very tired and exhausted. The next day, in the middle of dinner, she burst into tears for no apparent reason. A day after that, she suddenly started shaking and ran up to her bedroom, locking the door behind her. She refused to talk to anyone, but Walter finally managed to coax her out.

She eventually broke down and told her parents what was going on. She was suffering from a recurring nightmare that was driving her crazy.

"It always starts the same way," she whined. "In the dream, I am standing in a room. In the corner, there is a big bed and lying on it, is an ugly old man with a long, grey beard. He begins writhing as if he's in a lot of pain. Then, all of a sudden, he rolls over and falls off the bed. he lands in a black coffin."

"Good Lord!" said her mother. "That is very odd indeed."

Walter went pale every detail of Gertrude's nightmare seemed to make him more and more distressed.

"That's when it happens," Gertrude continued. "As I watch in horror, cracks start appearing in the coffin and I can see big clumps of long grey hair streaming through them. The hair creeps over the lid and completely engulfs the coffin. It starts moving towards me, slithering across the floor like a gigantic, wooly snake. Then, the room is suddenly plunged into darkness and I can feel something spreading across my face. It's the grey hair. It starts wrapping itself around my head, forcing itself down my throat, suffocating me... I can't breathe... I can't see... I can't scream... It's horrible!"

"My God!" cried Mr Wentworth. "That is dreadful! You poor little girl! What a terrifying experience!"

"Yes," agreed Walter. "It's one of the most disgusting and unnerving dreams I have ever heard of."

"It's so bad that I'm terrified to go to sleep at night," said Gertrude. "There must be some explanation for it..."

Just then, as Gertrude was absently staring out the window, a man with a grey beard happened to pass by on the street. She flew into hysterics and started screaming uncontrollably. Her parents had to carry her upstairs and calm her down.

That night, they decided that she shouldn't be left alone and asked Walter to watch over her. He stayed up all night, sitting by her bedside, listening to her snore.