Ghost Dogs

Ghost Dogs
“I can’t believe it! We are going to spend a whole week with your aunt at Moon Lake!” exclaimed Samantha, an average height, blonde, athletic, sixteen year old.

“Me neither. This is going to be so exciting! I’m so glad she bought a cabin on Moon Lake last week,” answered Kassie with a big smile.

“I never would have thought she would be having visitors so soon. Is there a reason why she wants us to come?” said Samantha expectantly.

“I don’t know. She did sound kind of frightened on the phone, though,” said Kassie as she pulled her blue pickup truck in front of the cabin.

“Is this it?” asked Samantha. Before them stood a tiny, run-down wooden cabin that couldn’t have more than four rooms.

“Yep, this is it. I guess we should grab our stuff and head inside,” said Kassie while examining the small cabin with rotting green shutters.

“Wow! This isn’t very big, but your right, we should head inside.”

Kassie knocked on the door but she failed to get an answer. “Well that’s strange,” she mused, as she kept knocking.

“Should we just go in? It will be getting dark soon,” said Samantha staring at the door.

With that being said, Kassie slowly turned the knob and opened the creaking door. She looked around the room before stepping in. It looked like no one was home. To the left of the room was a cabinet above a sink with a sticky note attached to it. Kassie walked right over to the cabinet and read the note.

I’m sorry I am not here, I just had to get out. I just couldn’t stand one more night in this place. Please call me on my cell as soon as you get in. My number is 153-965-8412.

“That’s odd. I suppose you should call her,” said Samantha waking over to a small table next to a big brown couch.

Kassie cautiously walked over to the phone and dialed her aunts number. Moving her ear to the receiver she heard the ringing tone.

“Hello? May I ask who is calling? My phone is about to die, so talk fast dear,” said Kassie’s aunt in a hurry.

“Um…it me, Kassie. We just arrived here and saw your note.”

“Oh well, it’s lovely to know you got there safely. I didn’t mean to leave you there like that. You must think I’m some kind of hostess to leave you in the lurch.”

“No, Aunt Martha, it nice to see everything is already set up for us. But in the note you left us, what did you mean when you said you couldn’t spend another night here? It seems like a beautiful place here by Moon Lake national park.”

“I just couldn’t spend another night there. Every night there was howl….” she didn’t get to finish the sentence before her phone died.

When Kassie heard the buzzing tone come on, she realized her call had been cut off. “Well, she didn’t get to say much before her cell phone died. Strange thing have been happening, something like howling.”

Whooooooo………Whoooooo…….Whoooooo…………..

“What…. was…that?” stuttered Samantha.

“Well I guess we found out what she meant by howling,” replied Kassie with interest.

Kassie being the tall, curious seventeen year old she was, couldn’t help wondering where the howling was coming from. She rummaged through her backpack on the soft, rotting wood floor. She grabbed her flashlight and headed outside onto the deck were she though the howling was coming from. Facing the tall, daunting trees of the forest she quietly and carefully looked around. The loud howling made Kassie’s body heat up. She saw nothing. Suddenly, someone from behind tapped her on the shoulder and whispered, “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Trembling, Kassie whipped around. With sudden shock she screamed, “Why did you have to scare me like that?” She was astonished to see a tall man wearing camouflaged clothing. “Who are you?”

“Well, you must be Kassie. It’s nice to meet you. Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. By the way, I’m David, a friend of your aunts. She said you would be arriving sometime today. I noticed you pull in and thought I’d introduce myself and make sure everything is ok.”

“Well I’m pleased to meet you, David.”

“I’m guessing you’ve heard those creepy howling noises. Do you know what’s making them?” said Kassie.

“You mean you haven’t heard about the legend?”

“What legend?”

“Old Christopher Mulholond used to live in the cabin your aunt bought.
He used to have four dogs. Christopher Mulholond was a guy who loved to be civilized during the day like a regular person, but at night, when everyone was in bed, he would drink. His four dogs would keep guard and attack anyone who came close to the door. Christopher Mulholond died in 1989 from alcohol, but his dogs didn’t. It is said that they still haunt these woods at night, wanting to attack all who get into their masters’ cabin,” David explained.

“Wow, how creepy,” Kassie replied.

“Now you know why this place isn’t suitable for a few young girls to be staying in. The last owner of that house said the dogs attacked the house scratching at the door and breaking windows. But it’s getting late and I suppose I should get going,” said David. “Oh, and another thing, there is a post office and a supply shack on the other side of the lake. So if you need anything, let me know and we can take my boat. Also, could you and your friends keep it as quite as you can because I’m a bird watcher and any noise will scare them off.”

“Will do,” answered Kassie, heading inside.

Whoooooo………….Whooooo………..

The next morning Kassie and Samantha were up bright an early to explore the beautiful area of Moon Lake. The sun beamed through the windows with a warm glow that lighted up the whole room. Now could see the room in full detail. Grabbing there backpacks, the girls went out side and walked out to the road close to the cabin. They noticed a small dirt tail leading into the giant evergreen forest. After following the trail about half a mile, they noticed some sort of faint animal footprints.

“What do you think made these footprints?” said Samantha still looking at the footprints in the ground.

Kassie who was farther up the trail slowly following the footprints said, “Samantha these look like dog foot prints, the howling must have been coming from this area.”

“Are you sure they aren’t woof foot prints?”

“These are dog footprints I’m sure of it,” replied Kassie.

“Quick Kassie! Hide behind this log it sounds like someone is coming,” shouted Samantha.

Without thinking Kassie followed Samantha behind the mossy log. Staying still the girls heard a dog panting and an owners foot steps. The girls stayed behind the log until the sound faded away.

“Who do think that was?” said Samantha.

“Who knows it could have been any one. I guess we should head back to the cabin. I’m starting to get hungry,” answered Kassie.

When the girls were close to the road the were surprised to hear the sound of a vehicle speeding away. The girls scurried to the road in front of the cabin and saw dark tread marks. “I wonder what that was about,” said Kassie.

“That was odd why would someone be in such a hurry? These tread marks look like he almost swerved out of control,” said Samantha.

Kassie quickly taking out a note book and pen from her backpack wrote down everything they had observed while on there walk. “Well I think we have gotten everything out of this afternoon as possible. It should start getting dark soon let’s head inside.”

After dark the girls were sitting at the kitchen table when the howling started up again.

Whooooo…………Whooooo…………Whoooo………….

After a few long scary howls the girls heard head a loud door slam from below them, slightly after that they heard a growl. Kassie jumped up and looked through the window she could see four big black dogs with glowing green eyes heading away from the house. Grabbing her flashlight out of her bag she went out the front door. She noticed to the left of here was a large grassy field with one large oak tree in the middle. As she got closer the tree she noticed a ladder going up to a tree house of some sort. Clutching onto the ladder she slowly climbed it. Once at the top she saw David sitting on a box looking out the small window.

“Hello David,” said Kasie.

“It’s nice to see you again Kassie what can I do for you?” replied David.

“Well, did you hear any strange noises about ten minutes ago or so?”

“No. I was going to talk to you girls in the morning and see if you wanted to come to town with me.”

“That would be great Samantha and I want to see this small town with to building.”

“Good, meet me at the dock at ten tomorrow.”

The next morning the girls were all set and ready to go, they met David at a small dock in front of the tree house. When David and the girls finally reached the town they entered the snack shack and saw a women wearing light blue overalls and a red baseball cap.

“Girls this is Ethyl she is the shop owner. I’m just going to get someone thing I need,” said David.

“Hello, it’s a nice shop you have here,” said Kassie.

“Why thank you,” replied Ethyl.

“I was wondering, does anyone around here have dogs?” said Kassie.

“Well there is one person, Jeff Akins he’s the park ranger and a dog expert. He’s sort of strange he keeps to himself a lot.”

“Really, why do you think he keeps to himself so much?’

“Know one really knows all I know is he’s Christopher Mulholends’ nephew.”

“How do you know that?”

“Well I was taking a walk one day and found this old news paper article from 1888 it had a picture of Christopher Mulholond and Peter Akins. It had a documentary on how the two brother in-laws.”

“Do you still have that article?”

“Yes I do.”

“Do you think I could see it?”

“See it, in fact you can have it.”

“Thanks so much Ethyl,” replied Kassie.

After David bought the various items he needed, they all headed to the post office. Stopping at a street Kassie noticed a dark green jeep.

“Hey look at that,” said Kssie.

Samantha running to the back wheels said, “Look it is the same kind of thread marks we saw on the street the other day.”

“What do you know they are,” replied Kassie.

Heading into the post office the girls approached Jeffrey Akins.

“Hello there, you must be Jeffrey Akins the park ranger,” said Samantha.

“Yes I am, and you are?” answered Jeffrey Akins

“I’m Samantha and this is Kassie.”

“We heard you have dogs.”

“Yes I do four black labs.”

“I’m just curious do you know what could make dogs eyes glow green?”

“A lot of things it mostly has to do with there diet.”

“Well that’s interesting. Oh, and another thing is that green jeep yours?”

“Yes it’s mine, why did you want to know?”

“Well, it’s just, I think it’s a nice vehicle.”

“Why thank you, is there anything else I can help you with?”

“No thanks, we should get going now.”

Back at the house David and the girls realized some of the clues matched. Kassie read her note book again:

CLUES:
1. Owner with his dog walking down the trail? Who and who’s dog?
Jeff Akins? Only one who has dogs around here.
2. Vehicle driving away? Who’s vehicle? Left tread marks.
Jeff Akins jeep.
3. Door slam below house? Cellar Possible?? Who slammed the door?
4. Four black dogs glowing green eyes? Who’s dogs? Did they make the howling noises?
5. Jeff Akins Nephew of Christopher Mulholond?

After Kassie examined here notes she heard howling and a door slam from below.

“David is there a cellar to this house?” Kassie asked with a panic.

“Well yes there is,” said David.

“Show me,” said Kassie quickly grabbing her flashlight, and following David outside. At the cellar door David swung it open. Kassie quickly went down the stairs. She saw Jeffrey Akins and his four dogs.

“So you’re the one who has purposely been haunting the woods.”

Letting out a sigh Jeffrey Akins replied, “Yes.”

“Le me guess, you thought you could scare anyone from coming here by haunting the woods. You didn’t want anyone to buy your uncles land because you wanted it for yourself. “

“That is true, my uncle new I loved this place and wanted to have his property, but he never put me in his will.”

“So you thought you could steal the place?”

“Ya, but I grew up by this lake and I want it to say in the family not go to strangers.”

“Well that is under standable, I’ll see what I can do.”

In two months Kassie straightened everything out she got her aunt to sell the place to Jeffrey Akins. She also got the government to make Christopher Mulholonds side of the lake private property. As for Jeffrey Akins faking haunting the lake, he made a public apology and was forgiven.