Once there were two children. Their names were Sally and Jim. They went hiking in the woods one afternoon. Mom packed ham sandwiches, potato chips, and thermoses of apple juice. When Jim and Sally got to the middle of the woods, Sally said, “I’m hungry.”            

Jim said, “Let’s eat. I’m hungry too!”

So Jim and Sally stopped in a cool spot under a tree and laid out a picnic cloth. Sally passed out the sandwiches and potato chips. Jim got out the thermoses of apple juice. They ate lunch, cleaned up, and went on. 

Sally got their backpacks, while Jim went very far ahead. He heard a noise. Jim thought that it was the sound of a door creaking. He went farther up and saw nothing. So, he went back to find Sally. As he was walking, he felt that someone was watching and following him.

Sally said, “Lets go ahead more.”

Jim said, “Ok, but be careful.”

So Sally led them closer to where the noise was coming from. They had to cross a bridge.

“It looks like a ghost used to come here,” said Jim.

That gave Sally the goose bumps! Then Jim shivered. Sally pulled Jim ahead. As they got closer, they heard the noise again. Then, out of nowhere, came a sudden rush of cold air and a voice.

It said, “Don’t dare go closer.”

Sally and Jim got the goose bumps again. They decided to go closer, so they went on. As they were walking, they heard footsteps behind them. They got pretty far ahead when they heard a scream followed by a thud. Then not much further was a run down log cabin. They just stood there as if frozen.

Sally said, “Lets go.”

Jim said, “Ok,” reluctantly.

They came to the porch. It was dark except for a porch light that was on. Sally knocked. For a minute, there was no answer. They went in. It was unlocked. It was dark. Luckily, Sally and Jim brought their flashlight along.

“Jim, go upstairs to the third stairway.”

“I’ll regret this some day,” said Jim.

Sally looked around. Then she found a closet. She tried to open it. It was stuck, so she jiggled it until it opened. She looked inside. It was pitch dark. Sally fell inside.

Upstairs, Jim was looking and saw a tall, skinny shadow walking toward the log cabin.  He decided to go tell Sally.

As he was walking down the stairs, he heard a scream. He ran down the steps into the main room and saw a shadow that was coming from the crack of the closet. He went closer and pulled it open. He saw Sally hiding in the closet. Sally was relieved to see him.

But as they were leaving, Jim tripped over a box and fell. Sally happened to see a compartment with a combination. Sally spun it open. There were weird Chinese numbers and a letter. It read: 

“I know who you are and you are not going to get away with whatever you are doing. So back off now or else . . .”

Jim said, “Look on the back. Is there a name?”            

Sally looked, and there was nothing but an address. Jim looked behind him and asked Sally about the address.

Sally said, “4962 West Spruce. That is the address on this log cabin!” Sally was shocked.            

Jim said, “Let’s go in and search for something.”

Sally said, “OK, but we have to stick together.”

So, Jim led the way to the log cabin and knocked. It was a moment, and then a creak came from out of the door. As they walked, Sally went to the same closet that they were at before they left.

Sally looked behind a big, tall box and found a stubby door and tried to open it, but it was locked. She looked to the right, and there it was. A small, stubby key. She picked it up. Just as she was about to open the door, the closet door swung open. It was Jim. Sally was relieved. She opened the door, and there was a man.

“Who are you?” Sally asked.

He said, “My name is Jacob Rush.”

“Did you write this note?” Sally asked.

Jacob said, “Yes.”

“But why?” Sally asked.

“Because I didn’t want visitors.” 

Sally and Jim ran out of the house like a stampede of elephants.

Back at Sally and Jim’s house, their mother was relieved to know they were safe. And they never went back to the rundown, log cabin again.

~The End~