"A Fearful Walk"

"A Fearful Walk"

When I was a young man, I had to care for my 2 younger sisters and 1 brother. My Mother was often ill and could not take proper care of them. I being the oldest boy of the family gladly gave them my loving care. My girlfriend and her little brother would often go along wherever the rest of us went.

We lived in a little rural town in Kentucky. Far away from any city and where nothing seemed to happen. On one 4th of July, I knew that 4 miles down the railroad tracks, the rich always had a fireworks display when they celebrated the 4th of July, at their country club.

I thought the kid's would enjoy watching the fireworks display, and so the evening of the 4th of July, My girlfriend and I walked down the railroad tracks with all the kid's to enjoy the show. On the way there I began talking about some of the happenings that was supposed to have taken place long ago on the railroad tracks.

My dad had told me of a story that took place where the tracks were surrounded by a deep hollow on each side. Oneday at dusk Dad and Grandpa were walking along the tracks and talking about nothing in particular, when suddenly! a man walked up from the hollow and along side of them. They were startled! for not only did he surprise them, but this man's head was missing. My dad said after walking with them awhile, the strange headless man walked back down to disappear into the hollow. I asked my Dad what did they do after the headless man disappeared into the night. Dad said they continued their walk home just as though nothing had happened. My dad who I never knew to lie about anything, swore it actually happened. Maybe, this was a ghost who haunted the hollow, or maybe he was meant to be seen by Grandpa and Dad.

As my girlfriend and the kids and I walked on down the railroad tracks. Even in the daylight the kid's were becoming afraid as we walked and I talked. I guess I did not realize they were to young to hear such grotesque story. The kid's became more frightened the more I talked about the headless man. I was sorry I had mentioned the story to them. The kid's gathered closer to my girlfriend and me as we continued the walk down the railroad tracks. Soon we reached the place they were going to display the fireworks celebration.

It soon was dark enough for the country club members to start the 4th of July display of fireworks. At least the show would take the kid's mind off of the headless man I thought. The display was loud, exciting, and colorful as the kid's jump up and down with joy. They seldom got to see anything as breath taking as the show was.

By now it was dark and I knew the kid's would have to walk past the hollow on our way home. I hoped they could contain their fright caused by the headless man story I carelessly told them. What I did not realize , when I told the grotesque story that on the way home it would be a dark walk up the railroad tracks. Where anything could be lurking in the dark hollow, I called the kid's closer to my girl friend and me, I begin to sing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and soon all the kid's were singing too. We sang it over a couple of times and before the kid's realized it, we were past the ghostly hollow. We all were glad when we reached home that evening.

BY: Kings