The Forgotten Body - Short Ghost Story

Katy was twelve when she first knew that aside from her family, there was another presence in the house. It was almost dusk, and she was sitting alone at the swing out front. She had been waiting for Penny, the nanny, to call her in for dinner when she saw a lady in the kitchen window. The lady was wearing a long white dress, her hair was pitch black, and her skin pale in contrast. Even though she couldn't quite see the lady's face, she knew she was pretty. Katy was still looking at the lady when she turned her head and smiled. She headed back to the house but stopped in her tracks when she saw the lady up close, around the corner.

Where the lady's eyes should have been, were deep, dark and empty sockets. Her head was still inclined towards Katy, and on her mouth was a plastered smile. Katy almost uttered a scream when Penny came out to call her in, "Katy! There you are. What are you doing?"

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"Hi, Penny! I'm starving..." She looked back into the kitchen, but the lady was no longer there.

*****

"Please pass the peas, Katy. Katy? Katy!" her mom, Mrs. Marie, snapped her fingers.

"Oh. Yes, Mum?" Katy had been in a daze, thinking about her earlier encounter with their other resident.

"The peas, dearest darling," Katy did as she was asked. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about, darling? You've hardly touched your food."

She hesitated for a moment, in light of the possibility that if she told her mom what had transpired that afternoon, they might think her silly. But her mind wouldn't keep her at peace. "Mom, who owned this place before we moved in?"

Mr. and Mrs. Marie looked taken aback. After a bout of silence, her dad was first to speak.

"This place was empty for many years. The last occupants had left 13 years before we moved in. They were the Lucans. Why do you ask, Katy?"

"Hmm, is there any chance they had a daughter? Maybe about 20 years of age?"

"Where are all these questions coming from dear?" there was a hint of strain and panic in Mrs. Marie's voice.

"There was someone this afternoon, in the kitchen..."

Creak. Creak. Creak. They all turned to look at the stairs. After a few long moments, the creaking stopped, but the air in the house suddenly felt chilly, if only slightly.

"Dad, maybe we ought to move out tomorrow. Please, Dad." She had never seen her mom so frightened. Her dad agreed and told them to pack their things tonight.

Without asking, Katy figured out what was happening. After dinner, her mom helped her pack in her room. They went into bed together while her father was out to arrange their move tomorrow.

But Katy couldn't sleep that night. She felt as if someone was in the room with them, and someone was watching them both. That night, the house seemed cold despite it being summer, and noises were becoming more and more prominent as the night grew older.

Katy could not restrain herself any longer and decided to come down to the kitchen. She wanted to run back up when she saw the lady sitting quietly on the kitchen counter. Despite the hesitation in her legs, she mustered the last ounce of any courage she had left and approached the lady. She peered through the lady's dark hair and looked at her as though she actually had eyes. The lady smiled again.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Katy implored.

Even though the lady did not have eyes, she appeared sad and stood up. She took Katy by the arm and started leading her outside. While they were moving Katy felt the heat in her body slowly draining out where the lady's hand held her. She was scared but would not let her curiosity have her.

The lady knelt down beside the swing without saying a word. She sat still for a few moments, then started digging with both her hands, scraping her fingernails into the cold, damp earth. After a few minutes of what felt like an eternity, Katy started to see bones of a hand emerging from the dirt. And then she noticed that one finger had a ring. She helped dig with the lady after what seemed like an hour. The earth revealed bones of a young woman who passed away a long time ago. Katy looked over to where the lady was sitting, but all she saw was the swing. And empty earth. Her mother woke up and came looking for her, and all that they had seen, they reported to the police.

The body was of Carol Lucan, a 22-year old lady who was to be married. On the eve of her wedding, she was kidnapped and brutally murdered. The police had to file her case unsolved after many years of fruitless searching. With Katy's discovery of her remains, the police could open her file again. Katy's family gave her a proper burial on auspicious land, and from then on, the ghost of the young lady never appeared before them again.

The Forgotten Body - Short Ghost Story

To read more ghost stories, visit ReadingRabbits.com, where you will find some of the coolest online short stories.

Ghost Haunting Breaks in York, England

York is an absolute treasure trove for anyone interested in all things spectral. York was named the most haunted city in Europe by the Ghost Research Foundation International (GRFI) and it seems that every room, building or street seems to be haunted in this beautiful city. York is haunted by no less than 140 different ghosts haunting York, with an amazing 500+ recorded hauntings (this figure is still growing you ghost lovers will be pleased to know). Taking advantage of York's large number of spooks, there is a significant ghost walk/haunt industry here. If you are looking for accommodation in York and intend to take on one of the ghost hunts then try the York Pavilion hotel. They have scheduled events that include 3 course dinner followed by a ghost hunt. Expert guides, psychics, and ghost hunting equipment provide an authentic setting for a spooky touch to your visit.

At the start of any ghost seeking visit you may want to visit the York Dungeon to get you in the mood, where live actors reenact scenes of torture, plague and execution in the most grisly detail - it may be best to do this after lunch, but maybe not straight after! Follow on with a visit to the Micklegate Bar Museum, which stands at the main gateway of the city, and is where the heads of executed traitors were once displayed.

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There is an abundance of ghost walks to choose from, some being serious and historically informative, and some being down right silly but lots of fun with actors in grisly costume ambushing the group at particular points on the tour.

The Original Ghost Walk of York started in 1973 and takes place very night at 8pm starting at The Kings Arms, by Ouse Bridge. This is good ghost story telling at its best, and their guides are BTA Blue Badge or Equity award holders.

The Ghost Hunt of York - every night at 7.30pm from the Shambles.  This is one of the theatrical walks, and is great for children as the guides are dressed up in period costume.  This one is popular so expect large groups.

The Ghost Detective - every night from July to Halloween at 7.30pm from the Jorvik Viking Centre, Coppergate.  Another good tour if you have kids with you but best to warn the kids that the guide may involve them  when he's telling some of their stories. The guide is an Equity member with an award for stand-up comedy.

The Ghost Trail of York - begins every night at 7.30pm from the West Doors of York Minster, is led by Equity Qualified guides and is great for families. Expect large groups on this tour as it seems very popular.

One of the more famous ghosts to haunt York is the 'lost' Roman Legion that is said to haunt the old Treasurer's House. The first sighting was made in 1953 by an apprentice plumber name Harry Martindale. He was installing a heating system in the cellars of the old Treasurer's House and reported seeing the 2000-year old ghosts all carrying swords and spears walking through a corridor seemingly on the knees. This is interesting since the old Roman road is located roughly fifteen inches below the cellar and it is believed that Martindale wasn't aware of this fact when questioned. So the ghosts would have been walking on their own familiar road, on their way to the Minster. There have been several other sightings since Martindales' but sadly, the old cellars are now  closed to visitors.

Ghost Haunting Breaks in York, England

You can read more ghostly tales and get news on York Ghost Walks at the York England Hotels Guide where Jonathan writes

How to Write a Great Topic Sentence

The first sentence of any short article is the MOST important sentence in the entire article. The first sentence is referred to as the topic sentence. It represents the main idea of the article. The topic sentence is made up of two parts; a limited subject and a precise opinion. For example, the topic sentence of this article consists of a limited subject; "The first sentence of any article" and a precise opinion; "is the most important sentence in the entire article". This article will show you how to choose a limited subject, how to express your opinion about the limited subject, and how to write the topic sentence.

Choose a Limited Subject: The key here is to select a subject that's limited enough to be covered within the confines of the short article. In other words, you should be able to fully support the limited subject using between 300 and 600 words or so. For example, the limited subject of this article, "the first sentence of any short article," is limited enough to support in a short article. Imagine how long it would take to write an article detailing everything you've done over the course of a year. That would be one very long article. Now, imagine writing an article detailing everything you did on July 4th of that year. I'd bet you could do that in 300-600 words.

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Express Your Opinion: You can express your opinion by telling the reader exactly what you think about the limited subject. What, precisely, is your opinion on the subject you have chosen? Does it taste great or is it less filling? Which side are you on? More importantly, why? You mustn't be vague when you express your opinion. Words like nice, good and interesting are vague. They beg the reader to ask, "What do you mean?" Words like beautiful, delicious and dangerous leave little to the imagination.

Writing the Topic Sentence: The basic structure for writing the topic sentence is very simple. First, state the limited subject and then state the precise opinion. Here are a few examples:

• The Godfather is the greatest movie of all time.
• Broccoli rabe is my favorite vegetable.
• Strunk and White's "the Elements of Style" is the very best book of its kind.
• Learning to draw cartoons is the best way to enhance creativity.
• Starting your own internet business is the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to ensure a lifetime of financial stability.

I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the point. I hope this will help you write powerful topic sentences in your own articles. It's pretty easy as long as you remember to stick to a limited subject and as long as you remember to clearly state your precise opinion about that subject. This will help set the level of expectation for the reader and will allow you to focus on supporting your assertion that [insert limited subject] is [insert precise opinion].

How to Write a Great Topic Sentence

Roland C. Bonay is an engineer in New Jersey with a passion for writing and drawing. Visit his blog at http://www.rolandbonay.com for more article and essay writing tips and to download your free copy of the Article and Essay Writing Handbook.

Celebrity Ghost Stories - Telly Savalas

Best known for his iconic TV portrayal of the lollipop-loving detective Theo Kojak, the late, great Greek-born actor Telly Savalas had a real ghostly experience whilst driving home on Long Island at 3 a.m. one summer morning in 1954, when he ran out of petrol and decided to walk to a nearby freeway where he knew there would be a petrol station still open for service.

He walked through a wooded park, as a shortcut, when suddenly this man called out: "I'll give you a lift!"

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Savalas admitted to being quite shaken by the voice, as he hadn't heard the big black Cadillac pull up beside him. But the man, who was dressed all in white, looked okay, and he took Telly to the service station. Once there, Savalas became instantly embarrassed on finding that he did not have enough change for the petrol. However, the stranger didn't seem bothered by this, and just handed over some notes and said it was OK, as he could pay him back later.

Whilst they were driving back to the car, the stranger remarked to Savalas that he knew Harry Agannis. When Savalas asked who he was, the man said he was a baseball player with the Boston Red Sox. But Savalas had never heard of him. That was the extent of the conversation, and the man dropped Savalas back at his car.

The following day, Savalas received a big surprise when he read in a newspaper that the baseball player Agannis had died suddenly at the age of 24. Apparently he had died around about the same time that his name had been mentioned by the stranger in the car.

At first, Savalas attributed this to just pure coincidence. However, when he tried to phone the guy to give him his money back, a woman answered and Savalas explained why he was ringing. The woman sounded a little strange, and asked what car the guy had been driving and what he had been wearing. When Savalas told her, the woman began to cry, saying that Savalas had just described her husband - who'd died three years earlier.

Stunned by what the woman had told him, Savalas began to speculate on all kinds of possible explanations, but couldn't really think of anything logical that would definitely account for what he had experienced on that lonely road in the early hours of the morning. Thus, Savalas eventually came to accept that, apparently, he'd taken a ride in a car with a dead man.

Celebrity Ghost Stories - Telly Savalas

http://www.trueghoststories.co.uk

The Harrowing By Alexandra Sokoloff

Take five "discarded" college students, an empty eerie old dormitory, a raging storm and a half-burnt Ouija board and you've the fine ingredients for a superb ghost story. Fortunately author Sokoloff delivers a first rate novel that does not disappoint. In fact, it is so good she has been nominated for the prestigious Anthony Award in the Best First Novel category.

According to Sokoloff, The Harrowing is based on the real life experiences she lived through from her high school and college days. She formed the main characters from her years teaching emotionally disturbed and jailed teens within the Los Angeles County prison system.

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The book puts five unlikely students together during the Thanksgiving weekend in a mid-western campus. As the rain douses the dark, lonely Baird College Mendan Hall our main characters seem to gravitate toward the same desolate entertainment room: Robin, the daughter of a mentally unstable mother and a father who doesn't want her; Lisa, a tease; Patrick, a steroid driven football player; Cain a brooding musician and last Martin, the agnostic son of an orthodox rabbi.

None want to go home. They quickly become a whole unit over a seemingly prank-filled supernatural board game that brings to like a sixth unseen being. Terrifying things begin to happen to each member of the newly formed group. Through research they uncover a plot by the spectrum to kill them all and possibly others in its wake to take over the building.

They lose a member to the being-but why, how and when will keep you reading non-stop until the very last turn of the page.

Alexandra Sokoloff has put together one of the most entertainingly eerie ghost stories I've had the pleasure to read.

The Harrowing By Alexandra Sokoloff

Carine Nadel is on The Reader's Advisory Panel of Woman's Day magazine and has had numerous articles and recipes published both on various websites and print publications. To read more of her work, log onto: http://www.Carine-whatscooking.blogspot.com

Stephenie Meyer - From Stay-At-Home Mom to Best-Selling Author

Stephenie Meyer has received a great deal of media attention as the late-blooming author of a vampire romance series known as 'Twilight'. Before publication of the book, Meyer had been a homemaker and mother to three young sons. Prior to motherhood, her work history consisted of a brief stint as a receptionist. She claims that the plot and characters for the original book of the Twilight series came to her in a compelling dream.

The first book was ignored or rejected by several agents before being picked up by Writers House and subsequently picked up at auction by Little, Brown and Co. The publisher signed a three-quarter million dollar deal for three books. Fame and fortune followed. By 2009, Meyer had won awards such as the British Book Award, the New York Times best seller list and USA Today's list. The Twilight series held the top four places on USA Today's year end list in both 2008 and 2009.

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The books have sold over 100 million copies and are published in 37 languages. The author cites her Mormon faith as a direct influence on the value espoused in the books, although critics question the subject matter. Other critics call her male Twilight lead a stalker, spouse abuser and similar epithets and define the heroine as co-dependent.

The story that she wrote following the 2003 dream eventually became a chapter in the finished book "Twilight" published in 2005. The original book was eventually expanded into a four novel series consisting of Twilight (2005), New Moon (2006), Eclipse (2007) and Breaking Dawn (2008). The series is classified as young adult romantic vampire fiction. A later book known as Midnight Sun was shelved after a plot leak occurred. Midnight Sun was to be related to Twilight characters but told from a different perspective, that of Edward Cullen.

A non-Twilight related book known as 'The Host' was published in 2008 and is expected to be followed by 'The Soul' and perhaps by a third book to be known as 'The Seeker'. The Host is adult science fiction. Several other books or stories are in the works by this author. 'Summer House' is a ghost story. She also has a mermaid novel and another novel featuring time travel.

Except for the vampire basis of the story, the plot of Twilight resembles features of many of the earlier novelists such as Bronte, Austen and even William Shakespeare. Some of the characters, particularly Edward, give a strong flavor of Bronte novel. In order to understand some plot twists and turns, you would need to have some background in vampire theory.

The Twilight series is now in movie form, with the first two in the series already released and the third due for release in June 2010. No decision has been made yet on the final book of this series. It may be released separately as a two-part movie.

There is no question that Stephenie Meyer's books and movie pieces are a popular draw to a generation of young adults who were raised on Harry Potter books and movies. The Vast majority of the readership of Twilight books is female, rather than both genders as with the Potter books.

Stephenie Meyer - From Stay-At-Home Mom to Best-Selling Author

To get more information about the Eclipse DVD release date, the Twilight movies and merchandise go to Eclipse DVD release.

A Christmas Carol: Why Did Dickens Call It A Carol?

In early December of 1843, Charles Dickens completed the manuscript for a little ghost story about Christmas. He called it A Christmas Carol and the publisher printed the first copies a week before Christmas. By Christmas Eve all 6000 printed copies were sold. The story was overwhelmingly received, being read and repeated in homes throughout London.

Charles Dickens had conceived the idea of writing a Christmas story less than three months earlier. The idea was partially a response to his urgent need to produce some additional income. His publisher had informed Dickens that sales of his novels were not as great as expected and that he would have to reduce the advance income due Dickens until sales increased.

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Dickens described his writing plan as "a little scheme," but as the writing of the story progressed, Dickens was overwhelmed by the story's joyful message. He said that during the writing he "wept, and laughed, and wept again." The little ghost story became a special project that Dickens became passionate about and finished quickly.

Charles Dickens insisted that the book contain numerous woodcuts and etchings and be well-bound. Then he also insisted that it should sell for the small price of five shillings to make it affordable to a wide audience. The book was no longer part of a personal economic plan but was a gift from Dickens to the imaginations of families everywhere and a blessing to everyone.

Dickens called his story A Christmas Carol because he expected the story to be repeated and shared and to bring people together just as the singing of Christmas carols spread joy and brought families together each season throughout London. His carol was a song of praise of the Christmas season and of the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Cleverly, Dickens called the five chapters of the book "staves." A musical stave is a stanza with a consistent theme and mood. Each stave in the story delivers a different message and each has a definite mood. As in a carol each stave can stand alone but each contributes to the carol's overall theme.

A good carol also contains a memorable refrain, repeated at appropriate times throughout. In Dickens' A Christmas Carol the refrain is no doubt the blessing from Tiny Tim, "God bless us every one!" It's a refrain that has been repeated countless times since the publishing of A Christmas Carol.

The story sings the praises of the sentiments of the Christmas season in a memorable way and will be repeated as long as carols and the Christmas season endure.

A Christmas Carol: Why Did Dickens Call It A Carol?

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Garry Gamber is a public school teacher and entrepreneur. He writes articles about politics, real estate, health and nutrition, and internet dating services. He is the owner of http://www.Anchorage-Homes.com and http://www.TheDatingAdvisor.com.