Episode One

The First Night

It is the eve of All Souls Day and there is a blanket of silence surrounding the town of Waynesville, Ohio. For the town's folk, this is one of the scariest nights of the entire year when no one is usually seen out of their houses at night. After a whole year away in the city, Ryan has come back home along with his friends who are all here to attend his wedding that is due in a few days. It's around 10 o'clock at night, and Ryan and his friends are all sitting on the front porch having a drink before they turn in for the night. Just then, the caretaker of the mansion, Herbert walks up to them with a bottle of water in one hand and the torch in the other and says,

“Ryan, your mother has asked me to tell you to wind up from your quickly. It's quite late, and it's not good to be out so late at night tonight.”

Ryan doesn't take much notice of what Herbert says and he asks him to tell his mother that they will turn in soon. Hearing this, Herbert immediately start sprinkling the water from his bottle around all of them and starts chanting,

“Hail true body born of the Virgin Mary. Praise we cry some mortal body, protect us on this solemn night with your angel guardians and all their might.”

Looking at him, everyone starts wondering what he's up to. Once he finishes, he explains that it is to keep a certain demon away from there. Herbert tells them that ever since the townsfolk brutally beat and then burned a young woman 18 years ago, this town has been haunted by her presence once a year, around this time ever since. Hearing this story, Ryan and his friends started laughing and telling him that he should not believe in such folktales especially at his age. They tried to convince Herbert that there is no such thing as the paranormal, all of it being just stories. Immediately jumping into the conversation, Ryan's friend, Amy says,

“ Yes, yes, I've heard this tale about some woman who was beaten and burned to death by the townsfolk around 18 years ago. I thought those were just tales though.”

“Not a tale. It's what actually happened. Look, there are no stars visible in the sky tonight. This sign that woman will roam the streets of this town tonight,” Herbert says as he keeps looking to the sky above.

Getting really interested in the ongoing conversation, Brian says, “Okay then uncle, why don't you tell us the story of what happened back then? I haven't heard a good ghost story in ages. Am I right guys? It'll be fun.”

The entire group laughs and agrees with him. Herbert however does not laugh. He looks straight up into the sky and tells them that it is not the right time to talk about all of this. But the entire group does not listen and they keep asking questions. Tired of the questions from all sides. Herbert tells them half the story.

“Eighteen years ago, on the same night, the townsfolk got together and beat up a young woman and burnt her alive after tying her to a tree. Her screams were so loud and filled with so much agony, that there are people in the town that still hear them today.”

“Uncle Herbert, if all this happened 18 years ago, you must have been there too, right? Amy asks.

Herbert does not answer but instead keeps looking up into the sky. Meanwhile, Amy gets up and goes towards the house to grab a bottle of water. Herbert continues the story and tells them about an incident that took place 17 years ago, when Jeffrey the deputy sheriff was found dead in his field on this day, with his body and his entire field burnt to ashes. For a brief few seconds, everyone goes silent as they dive into deep thought. Suddenly, they all hear a loud voice screaming from inside the house. All of them look around each other and see that Amy's missing. Ryan and Herbert immediately rush towards the house. Their faces grow pale and dry. He begins to wonder whether everything he told is true. Ryan and Herbert enter the house and find Amy flat on the floor with her head slightly bruised. Herbert immediately opens the bottle and throws some more water on her and start saying the Hail Mary.

“Amy. What happened? Why did you shout?” Ryanan asks, feeling somewhat responsible.

“I…I…I was coming down from the stairs after getting a bottle of water from the kitchen upstairs. Suddenly, I fell down… It was like someone pushed me. I know it sounds weird, but I really did feel a hand on my shoulder.”

Amy trembles and says, “I don’t think I want to hear the entire story.”

Brian says as he lifts her back onto her feet. Looking at the clock, Herbert tells everyone that it is better to get into their rooms and call it a day, especially since it is now very late. Ryan and his friends all wish each other good night and they head into their rooms. The clock strikes 12 and everyone is sound asleep. Everyone except Ryan, who keeps tossing in his bed unable to fall asleep.

He suddenly starts sweating and pictures himself in the entire group in his jet-black tuxedo. In front of him is a girl in a bright white wedding dress with a veil covering her face. He stands there for a moment, looking at her blankly before he realizes that there's a knife in his hand. Before he can understand what is happening. He hears a voice whisper to him,

“ Kill her, Kill he. Do it now,” the woman whispers.

Ryan then feels his hand being pulled towards the girl in front of him. He quickly grips his left hand with his right in an attempt to stop himself and he shouts, “No, I can’t!”

The woman's whisper now turns into an aggressive growl as she says, “I said do it. Kill her. Kill her now.”

Ryan suddenly snaps out and realizes that he had been dreaming, lying in a pool of sweat on his bed. He feels relieved that everything was just a dream just to hear someone knocking on his door loudly.

“Who could it be at this hour,” he thinks to himself as he wonders whether to open the door or not.