Multiple Participation Story: The curse of Craft Haven

[Nostalgiascape]

The rules are simple
Anyone can add to the story.
No harsh or negative comments towards others contributions.
You can give constructive criticism. But try to keep that low.
And no intentionally ruining the story with silly plot twists and the like.

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The small town of Craft Haven Vermont was a quaint little modern day village filled with
little cafes, antique stores, craft shops and a few gas sations. There was one grocery store in town. Not a Wal Mart for 7 miles. The main source of jobs For the town folk lye 5 miles out side Craft Haven where there existed a toy factory and a shoe factory. The evening that this story began on was a particularly stormy day.

Little Danny Schneider was at his Grandmothers house while his mother and father
Were out of town for the weekend. Danny was sitting in his Grandmothers living room watching television, occasionally looking around and noticing odd and antiquated items that adorned his Grandmothers home. Danny called his Grandmother Gammy Schneider. And this night he noticed that Gammy was very nervous as she rocked back and forth in her black rocking chair.

The phone next to her rocking chair rang and she quickly answered.

"Yes? Uh huh? Oh dear no. She's returned? But how? Oh my. Then we must complete
The circle tonight and very quickly!"

Gammy looked at Danny and said very calmly, " Danny, I am going just next door for a little while. You must never leave this house Danny! No matter what happens. Monsters can get you out there but never in here. Here you are safe. Remember what I tell you. I will be back.

[Andybev01]

Grammy quickly gathered her coat and purse and just as quick, was out the door, locking it with a solid 'click'!

Danny was curious, Grammy never left him alone; not once, but having faith in her Danny didn't think twice about it.

Soon Danny grew tired of poring over the curious knick-knacks in the parlor and went to switch on the TV. He pressed the remote but nothing happened. He was old enough to know that the TV worked on electricity but the lights were on and the air pump in Grammy's fish tank was bubling quietly away on the table against the parlor wall.

"Hello Danny" a soft, ladys voice spoke from the TV speakers.

[Andybev01]

Hurrying down the front garden pathway to her station wagon Elizabeth Schnieder pulled her scarf tightly around her neck.

The late Autumn air in Craft Haven was particulraly biting this evening, but Elizabeth took little notice. The phone call sent a chill through her bones that could not be equaled by a mere approaching fall squall!

"Please spirits, keep Danny safe until I can return. If I can..."

She stopped that train of thought dead in its tracks! Nothing will happen to him if we can complete the circle before she returns.

Elizabeth began chanting a simple yet powerful mantra to herself, but no sound escaped her pursed lips.

As she approached her car she fumbled with then caught her keychain before it could hit the pavement.

"You must calm yourself or this will never work!" she scolded the brisk twilight air.

Taking a second (there were precious few to waste tonight) to right herself, she took a deep cleansing breath and got behind the wheel.

She drove away from home and from Danny swiftly but with care, passing underneath an ancient maple tree resplendant in its Autumn glory, taking no notice of it.

[Pumpkin_Man]

As she drove al ong the lonely street, she noticed something odd. She would push down on the accelorator, the engine would revv up, but the car would not pick up any speed. It was the transmission. The mechanic told her that her car needed a new torque converter and possibley a new transmission. It was not shifting properly.

A namless fear gripped the woman as her car slowly came to a stop in the middle fo the street. She was right in front of the abandoned morturary, where according to local legend, the corener went insane, and performed an autopsy on his wife while she was still alive. It's been said that on a stormy night, just like this, you could her her screams of agony.

Elizabeth put the shift lever into "Park" and then back into "Drive," but it was no use. The car simply wouldn't budge. She put it back in park, shut off the engine and activate her emergency flashers. Fearfuly, Elizabeth got out of the ancient Mercury Montego and proceaded to walk. The street was dark and deserted. Rain pelted her from head to foot.

[Nostalgiascape]

Elizabeth did not have far to walk. Her friends lived just at the end of the street from where she lived. If she had wanted to she could have fastly walked, but she figured the car would save her precious seconds. Still... on this street, on this night, she wished she had the car for more than just a short drive, but for shelter and protection. She looked down the street and saw the light on at her friend Maddie Stevenson's house. Just a little ways she thought. She heard growling behind her but she did not stop or look back. She softly whispered a protection spell and the growling ceased. So she had made it much to her delight, as she knocked on Maddies door. Maddie opened the door.

"Oh good you made it, the girls are all here, let's get to it." Maddie said with a relieved smile on her face.

[Andybev01]

Danny dropped the remote and stared open mouthed at the TV. Suddenly sound had new meaning for him. A creak from the front door was quite alarming and the fish tank pump now roared like Niagra Falls.

"Danny, can you hear me?" asked the pleasant voice "I need a favor from you."

Danny was barely able to think of any word but he replied "yes..."

"Good Danny."

Danny stood rooted to the floor as the lady began to weave a tale for him that transported the young boy to places that even most grown-ups would find fantastical.

[Nostalgiascape]

When the fantastic stories ended and Danny seemed to be lured in by the female voice, the voice went on to ask him,
"Will you come outside Danny? Will you come outside to see me?"

Almost instantly Danny replied saying "Yes"

But just as quickly he changed his mind by saying "NO! Gammy told me to stay inside! Gammy told me I am safe here. Gammy never lies to me."

"Gammy would not mind Danny. Please, come outside." the pretty voice pleaded.

"NO!" Danny shouted.

Suddenly the voice changed from sounding like velvet to being a wretched curdled shout.

"Curse you you little Pig! You and your precious Gammy! I will roast you both over fire and eat you! Wait and see boy!"

Danny froze up in fear, never moving a muscle for ten minutes after the voice went silent.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Meanwhile, Sherrif Jake Patterson was on patroll. He came upon the abandoned car and decided to check it out. "Isn't that Lizzy Sneider's Merc?" He thought to himself. He took out his flash light, and checked it out on the inside. The rain had let up a little but was still comming down pretty steadey.

Then the sherrif jerked around as he head a woman screaming. It was comming from the abandoned morturary. He walked towards the building, pulling his service piece from it's holster. Suddenly, a huge wolf like creature leapt from behind a tree, roaring at him. His fangs were long and jagged. The creature lunged for the officer. In panic, the officer fired his gun over and over again, but to no avail. The animal picked Jake Patterson up, and litteraly tore him in half like a rag doll.

[Nostalgiascape]

Upon hearing gunshots and the Sheriff screaming in agony Deputy Luke Hamilton who was following the sheriff, came running in time enough to the the gruesome sight, as well as the the half beast humanoid standing before him covered in gore. After the Sheriff he was the only officer on the scene. Deputy Hamilton fired two quick shots and realized that they didn't faze the creature. The deputy aimed calmly and carefully releasing one more shot which went through the beasts left eye and out the back of its head. The creature fell back to the ground yelping. At that time Deputy Hamilton quickly entered his patrol vehicle and left the scene. He didn't know who he could call that would believe his story, but he had to do something. There was protocol and more importantly there was an apparent monster in his happy town.

[DemonSlayerMau]

Moments after the voice fell silent Danny stood there trembling with fear, breathing rapidly as heavy chills ran up his back.

G-Gammy? Where are you? He thought to himself. I'm..I'm scared...

He reached behind him, pulling out his favorite baseball bat that Gammy had been constantly reminding him not to play with inside the house. He felt a lump in his throat and nearly shreiked as he saw a shadow scurry across the floor from the dim lights. But then, he heard a gentle squeak, and looked down.

It was only a mouse. Danny breathed a sigh of relief. Could this have been his imagination? But then suddenly, the mouse looked over him with fright and scurried away quickly. Puzzled, Danny doubled back looking behind him only to find that an eerie red light started to creep through the windows and the cracks in the walls. A gigantic shadow loomed and hovered over him. Heavy breathing could be heard sounding like a hungry animal.

[Andybev01]

I'm..I'm scared...

Maddie was telling Elizabeth of the events that lead up to her calling the group together this evening but as she spoke the room slowly dimmed, at least that was Elizabeths perception.

Ever since infancy Elizabeth could 'see' places beyond her actual location. It was years later in her late teens that she had first read about what theorists called 'remote viewing'. What surprised her was that apparently not eveyone had this talent and even more surprising was that it was such a natural circumstance of her life that it never came up in conversation. Given that she was born almost 80 years ago, during a most repressive time in human history, It was probably for the best, as she would more than likely have been commited to an institution or labotomized, thus destroying her gift and soul.

I'm..I'm scared..., now she was standing in her own living room looking at Danny screaming & swinging his bat wildly at something she could not see but knew to be a very viable threat to him.

Elizabeth drew herself back to Maddie's house and said "LADIES! I need your help, Something is in my house with Danny and he's in grave danger!

Despite outward appearances these four women were formidable. The trappings of small town life and a busy civic schedule were a perfect camoflage that kept them away from public scrutiny.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Deputy Hamilton knew he had to go back to the scene of the Sherif's death and secure the area. He turned his patrol car around, and got on his radio to the dispatcher. "Tell all available officers that there's been a homicide and we need all personel in front of the abandoned mortuary imediately. Luke Hamilton put his lights and siren on and headed back to the scene of Sherif Patterson's death. Two other patrol cars were there when he arrived back. Deputy Hamilton got out of his vehicle and got a roll of yellow "police line" tape out of his trunk. There was no sign of the monster who's eye he had shot out earlier that evening. Two other deputies stared in horror at the head of Sheffif Patterson, sigging on the hood of Elizabeth Snieders car. Hamilton glanced to his right were he saw a light in one of the windows of the abandoned morturary.

[Nostalgiascape]

(I must be insane) Deputy Hamilton thought to himself.
(Why the hell did I come back...yeah yeah, I have a duty to fulfill. But I cant perform it if I'm dead. Yep, I'm insane.)

But deputy Hamilton was not insane. Where the average man would have never turned back to the scene, the deputy knew that he and the two rookies were all the town had until reinforcements arrived. Still he was elated to see that the beast had not stuck around.

"What...I mean uh, who did this Sir?" Deputy Patterson asked.

"You were right the first time, it was a what, not a who." Deputy Hamilton answered.

"What, you mean like a monster? That's not possible?" The second rookie, Deputy Reichter added.

"Wayne Reichter, the rational man. There's nothing wrong with the rational mind Deputy, but today you may want to think about believing in the unbelievable." Deputy Hamilton advised.

At that time Deputy Hamilton called Dispatcher Sherri Hamilton, his wife, and asked her to call for assistance from the State Police. He informed Sherri that they have a serious killer on the loose. But he didn't tell her that the killer was a monster. He needed the State Police to actually arrive, not laugh them out of the county.

[Nostalgiascape]

(Okay Intermission for multiple Author Q and A time. Ask questions that you may have so that our stories line up smoothly.)

Key points I want to make.

Elizabeth (Gammy) and Maddie live at opposite ends of the same street.

Closer to Maddies end of the street is a cemetary where Elizabeths car was left and where the murder of the Sherrif took place.

There is no witch oir evil entity actually IN Elizabeths house. It is on the outside wanting to get in which it cannot, so it is trying to scare Danny out.

[DemonSlayerMau]

***Out of Character***

I guess I'm trying to figure out what I should respond to next. I'm not exactly sure what type of ritual Elizabeth and her friends are trying to perform.
I could reveal the monster that's trying to attack Danny, but I'm not sure if I should be the one to do it or not, because I'm afraid of ruining what the intentional story was going. The monster absolutely can't get in? I was thinking about him breaking in some how...what is or what should the monster be? The same one that attacked the cop? Are there more than one monster? Is there demonic spirits about as well? I would think a ritual would be needed for unclean spirits...but a monster?
Is Elizabeth a witch? Y'know like a pagan witch?
I mean there's a lot I wouldn't mind contributing, I'm not all that good with the CSI part (the part with the cops and sheriff) I'm just not sure what I should or can contribute. Guess I'm a bit confused about the plot so far.
IS it a monster? Actually I'm not sure...I know a monster attacked the cop but maybe the spirit can summon monsters or something.