Wicked Harvest "Quick Spooks" - Witch

Wicked Harvest: Quick Spooks

I stopped by a local witches shop on my way home from work last week. Witchcraft has always intrigued me. I purchased a few herbs, powders, potions and a “How To” book. The woman behind the counter rang up my items, placed them in a bag and wished me good luck and safe travels. She snickered a bit as I walked out the door. Not really sure what that was all about…at the time. A few household witches’ brews and a few chants later…my cat now barks like a dog, my bird dropped dead after all her feathers fell off and there may or may not be a demon in my bathroom. I wonder if the witches shop has a lax return policy?

Ghost Walk – Petoskey Michigan – 2017

Ghost Walk – Petoskey Michigan – 2017

After having a great time participating in the Holly Twilight Tour (Ghost Walk), we decided to book another one, but this time within our annual fall trip to Petoskey. …and it just so happened to fall on October…Friday the 13^th. Oooooooo spooky!

The tour started at 8:00pm on the large front porch of the Perry Hotel (which has a number of ghost stories involving the location). The weather was just a little chilly and it was misting rain here and there. It was actually quite fitting for a spooky ghost walk. The tour guide (sorry, can’t remember his name) was extremely knowledgeable about Petoskey, its history and ghost stories as well as being a great speaker. He added humor to much of his tales to help lighten the mood a bit.

We walked all over downtown Petoskey. He told us stories about the large hotel that burned to the ground that once housed solders returning from WWI, the murder of a woman in an apartment above a retail shop, the underground speakeasies and tunnels for running alcohol back in the prohibition days and possible visits from Al Capone and his gang. There were lots of murders, deaths and unexplained happenings in Petoskey since its beginnings. All of these stories were quite shocking to my wife and I, because we had no idea how much great history was in Petoskey…let alone all of the death and carnage.

There’s no doubt that Petoskey has its fair share of ghosts and spooky stories. We’ve been traveling to Petoskey every fall for the last 4 years and will never quite look at it the same way again the next time we are there.

Although unfortunately we didn’t actually see any ghosts on our walk; the setting, date, dark night, speaker and stories made for an outstanding evening. We will certainly book another ghost walk in Petoskey and other Michigan towns. They are entertaining  and a great way to learn about local history and folklore.

Ever been on a Ghost Walk?

Wicked Harvest’s “Quick Spooks” - Scarecrow

Wicked Harvest’s “Quick Spooks”

(One Paragraph Short Stories)

The scarecrow is in its field for years, season after season. The crows aren’t scared of him, but the townsfolk certainly are. They hear his sinister laugh at night and dread what will come Halloween night. On Halloween he leaves his perch in the corn field and his laugh echoes in the sky. The townsfolk know and disappear into their homes locking the windows and doors. The strangers in town are never so lucky.

Real Ghost Story - Work

Yesterday I was at work. It was around 10:30am. Beautiful day outside. I was watching a co-worker moving some items with a fork-lift outside. I was standing in the doorway. Clear as day I hear a man call my name like he was standing right behind me. It was so real that I immediately answered "Yeah" as I turned my head to the right to see who wanted my attention. There was no one there. I looked to the left, right and down the aisles...no one. 
When my co-worker was done he walked towards me and said, "What's the matter with you?" I replied, "I'm freaking out! I just heard someone call my name, but there was no one there."

Ever happen to you?

Wicked Harvest’s “Quick Spooks” - Hole

Wicked Harvest’s “Quick Spooks”

(One Paragraph Short Stories)

I was digging holes for my garden the other day. Planting some nice flowering bushes. I felt that although it was hard work it was quite therapeutic. On the last hole I just kept going and going. Next thing I knew I dug a perfect three foot wide, six foot long, six foot deep hole. I pondered...hmm this is like the perfect size for a body. Then I laughed and wondered, why would I dig such a hole? …And then it hit me when my asshole of a neighbor came over to complain. He'll be missed. Not by me, but someone I'm sure.

Wicked Harvest’s “Quick Spooks” - Werewolf

Wicked Harvest’s “Quick Spooks”

(One Paragraph Short Stories)

How do you not notice I’m here?

Well I'm just preoccupied.

Seriously, I'm 7 feet tall, 60" chest, huge teeth, growling, snarling and I get nothing?

Look, it's not you okay, you're a big scary werewolf and you're super frightening really, I just...

Uhggg, come on.  

Are you mad? You're mad aren't you?

Well it's just that I'm a huge hairy beast that goes around maiming, killing and scaring people and you don't even notice me. It's like you just don't care.

Look, I care, I'm very afraid of you. I'm fearing for my life right now as we speak. 

Uhggg please, just save it, I'm going for a walk.

Werewolf, come on, I'm really scared, please just jump out of the bushes at me one more time.

Forget it. 

Wicked Harvest’s “Quick Spooks” - Bully

Wicked Harvest’s “Quick Spooks”

(One Paragraph Short Stories)

I saw my bully from school 20 years after we graduated high school. I was visiting the Grand Canyon with my family. He was visiting with his family. He looked about the same except with a receding hairline, 40 pounds heavier and a graying goatee. Part of me wanted to let bygones be bygones, part of me wanted to confront him and get an apology and part of me, honestly, wanted revenge. His family had gone to the restroom while he walked over to the edge of the canyon to take a photo. I decided to join him near the edge.

I found out three weeks later that it wasn’t my school bully after all. I found this out because the guy I pushed over the edge now haunts my house.