Breast Cancer Update

Greetings Fellow Readers - I wanted to update you on recent events that has kept me away from my writing, but at the same time has inspired me to get back on track and do what I love so much. On March 29, 2017, I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer and after going through two sets of doctors who wouldn't listen to my instinct, I finally was place in the best hands I could have ever asked for. I am now a patient at UCHealth in Aurora, Colorado. LOVE IT!  I just finished my fourth and final chemo treatment and will undergo a double mastectomy/reconstructive surgery in September. I will say this whole process has had its ups and downs, but I'm still here spite those who'd wish I'd move on in more ways than one - but that's their problem, I'm here for the long haul and here for my family, Nobody's going to fill my shoes.

I'm excited to get back to my keyboard and my paint brushes. I'm just about finished with a new novel called "Witch" and hopefully will be on shelves soon. I'm slowly updating my products on my Etsy.com Ukanducrafts Store. I'm just taking things day by day. Look forward to sharing my breast cancer survival story with you and my newest in original horror stories for this Halloween Season.
Until then - Blog ya later alligator.

Most Sincerely,
BU3 Stacey L. Bolin USN Ret Seabee

Much Needed Break Results in Multi Talents I Never Knew.

Well I must take a breath, it certainly has been quite a long time since I have enjoyed sitting in my writing/creating room, drinking my coffee and just enjoying some peace and quiet. Life here in my home has been this crazy rollercoaster of emotions and unknowns, but somehow I am surprise that when I go to bed, I wake up to greeting the world once again. Lots of changes with my home business - I am now global and working on becoming mobile by fall of this year (2015). Who'da thunk it. LOL. I have been working on obtaining my VA benefits for an in service connected disability and looks like I will finally be getting things looked into. I have been extra crafty, but more so with a paint brush and not so much a pen and paper or a keyboard. I wanted to free myself from a multiple of stressors and so for weeks I'd go on line and learn new painting techniques, but of course it's not fun it I don't add a challenge. So what I did was watch tutorials that are done with oil paints, but created the designs with acrylics, and as most artists know - acrylics don't leave much time for blending do to their rapid drying rates. The first two paintings are oil tutorials that I followed along and learned on line, but did them in Acrylics. Will say the result is wonderful. I found a way to make it work without the expensive costs of acrylic medium gels etc.



 

 

 

After complete these two paintings, my own art ability finally kicked back in and I created my own designs for two special people. The first one (to the left) was for my father-in-law and his love for wheat harvesting on his farm in Nebraska, I wanted to do something in more of a silhouette design and this is what I created.

 

 

Then I created a painting for a friend as a memorial tribute to his wife who had passed away years back and her ashes were scattered over a rocky area called "Eagles Nest" that is located on his farm in Nebraska.

 

 

 

And then it happened, my paint brush just couldn't stop and before I knew it I had created several more pieces of art and taught myself how to paint with watercolors and finish with pen and ink.

 

And now I have created more products that you can find on my Etsy.com online store.  Store name: Ukanducrafts. So you see, I haven't forgotten all of my loyal readers, I just needed a break and that resulted in my finding new talents inside myself to share with others. The item to the left is called an in and out ornament. I painted the inside to give it the 3-D look and then also painted the outside. I did the boat ornament below - the very same way.

 

 

Don't be fooled this painting is only 2.5 x 2.5 inches in size and is on a miniature easel. It is my signature snowman that I have been painting since 1994. He's come a long way.

And last but not least - my love for Halloween boiled over and I took some balsa wood laser cut unfinished masks and gave them a new twist. Also available on my Etsy store. Thanks for reading and I'm so happy to finally be able to find both my words and my creative side once again. Blog ya later alligators.

 



"Black Bird"

 

 

21 days until Halloween

 

"Black Bird"

Original Story

By: Stacey L. Bolin

Copyright: 10/10/14

 Music to set the mood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E3zNHd936c

 

Kim Logan, a women in her mid thirties sat upon her back deck, enjoying the morning sun and the refreshing taste of a cup of freshly brewed coffee. The morning was quiet and peaceful, when she was suddenly startled by a bird as black as night, that flew down and perched itself on the deck railing right in front of her. "I hate you! Shoo, get out of here...scram!" she yelled out trying to get the bird to flea. At that very moment she suddenly remembered why she hated black birds and what happened on that day many years ago.  

***

            It was a cold wet rainy school day in late fall for younger brother Matthew who was 8 and sister alley, who was 6, but for Kim who was the oldest of the three and had just turned 15, had been complaining of a sore throat and her cheeks looked flushed. To her mother it appeared she was showing symptoms of a pending cold, but she didn't have a fever. None-the-less her mother decided it was best that she stay home so that whatever it was, would resolve sooner than later.   Kim was never one to miss school as she truly enjoyed it and hanging with friends, but she was feeling achy and knew that rest, quiet, and chicken noodle soup was always what Doctor Mom ordered, and she didn't mind taking the day to rest. Her favorite thing to do, when she stayed home from school was to lie on the couch that was in front of the picture window. She loved the feeling of the sun rays upon her face as she watched television, but today she would have to accept the feeling of warmth generated by the woodstove across the living room.

She got her pillow and her favorite blanket from her bed and wished her brother and sister a good day at school as they rushed out of the house to the waiting school bus parked in front of their driveway. Her mother waved good-bye to them at the door. It was her everyday routine before she too was out the door to work. Her father was a traveling business man, that spent more time on the road than at home, but with the new-fangled technology, he'd do his best to send his love through Skype at least twice a week. She sat up on the couch to see her mother wave to her before getting into her car. As she waited to see her mother pull out of the driveway, she was distracted by a black bird perch upon the wrought iron fence that framed their yard. How strange it was to her, to see any animal out in the pouring rain, but the old oak tree with a few remaining leaves on it was probably just enough to shelter it. She tried to imagine what it could be thinking about, never realizing that as she pondered her numerous thoughts, he mother had left without her noticing.

The sky was a cold dark gray and the sounds of thunder rolled in from a distant place as it worked on its arrival near her home. She stared at the Black Bird, "Why don't you fly out of the rain?" she thought. She could see the rain drops falling from its black beak. How strange it was, that it just sat there, almost like it was watching her watching it, from the window. The heavy rain make its feathers look glossy black that made it hard to determine where exactly its eyes were on its head. The wind began to pick up and tree leaves and debris tumbled across the lawn, some getting stuck against the fence, while other small pieces found its way through and out onto the road. The thunder grew louder with each flash of lighting that brightened the sky. Still the Black Bird stayed firmly perched on the fence in the heavy wind and rain.

It wasn't like Kim to allow her to be so caught up in something, unless it was a school project or while reading a book. Something about this soaking wet Black Bird was causing her to feel unsettled and almost fearful. "This is crazy...It's just a bird! You've seen birds a thousand times." she muttered to herself still peering out the window afraid to look away. Some how she felt that she wasn't watching it...it was watching her, but how? But why? She decided to turn and look at the clock on the wall, wanting to know what time it was and was hoping that when she'd turn around the creepy Black Bird will have flown away. She was in disbelief when she saw that this "Staring Contest", had lasted more than two hours and knew that it would be gone when she looked back out of the window.

She was relieved when her feeling was right, it was gone - then bam, she jumped back onto the floor. A bird had flown and hit the picture window with great force, but the glass remained intact. Her heart beat a mile a minute as she tried to catch her breath. She sat there for a moment. "Was it dead?" she wondered. Slowly she crept back onto the couch and then ever so cautiously peered over the top of the couch to see out the window. The Black Bird was now perched on the railing of the porch. It was at this moment, that she remembered an old tale that her late grandmother had once told her. That birds are drawn to energy and sometimes a home is filled with such an abundance of loving energy, they fly right into the glass, never seeing it there, causing them to fall to the ground, shake their head for a moment and then fly off to do something new.  But if a bird breaks through a window and dies, it would mean that someone in the home would die soon. She had asked her mother about this story that was told to her and it was met with a simple smile and a comment that grandmas mean well.

As she looked at the Black Bird, she watched has his eyes turned from black to hell fire red, then he flapped its wings and crashed itself over and over into the picture window. Kim threw herself from the couch back onto the floor, the wind screamed in unison with the thunder as the rain beat heavy on the roof. The Black Bird squelched and hissed as he flew hard against the window several time until the raindrops that found their way onto the window began to turn a bloody red color.

"GO AWAY!" Kim screamed, "GO AWAY!" The Black Bird continued to slam the window over and over as the storm outside grew, with each hit the blood smeared the window until a small crack began appear...it was only a matter of time.

To be continued....  

 

Spiders - Both Scary & Delicious

22 Days Until Halloween

 

 

today just happen to be one of those off days for me, but it was the quarter sized spider residing in my laundry room that did me in. No, he never got a bite out of me, but he just had that look of being something in the wrong location, heck maybe in the wrong state. I did my best to locate that quick fella, to no avail. So now I am equipped when I enter the laundry room - bug spray in hand. Now here is something to get your stomach rolling, my son told me a statistic the other night, as he knew it would creep me out big time, that a person - while sleeping - will eat 8 to 10 spiders in their life time. Well to quote Jimmy Fallon - ewe!.  So with all this spider talk, I decided that today would be spider day. I wanted to show you the ones that could take a bite out of you, and below that - the ones we can safely take a bite out of - Bon Appetit.  

It's hard to believe that we are cresting upon another weekend in October, before we know it, it will be Halloween. So it's time to kick this Halloween blog up a notch, starting next week it's time to get your skin crawling, you mind racing and your heart pumping. I'll give you the weekend to prepare yourselves for the newest in my fictional spooky stories that I hope will be a fear-tastic good time. But until then, enjoy some of my eight legged friends. If you have a creepy spider tale, please share it - I'd love to add it to the nest.

Blog you later - ha ha ha (Evil Witch Cackle).

 

 

Disgustingly Delicious: 14 Gross-Looking Halloween Recipes

http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/holidays/halloween/scary-halloween-recipes#slide-1

 

Spiders

Photo credit: Martha Stewart Living

 

Prepare batter for vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, pouring batter into 2 1/2 mini muffin tins with paper liners. Once they are baked and cooled, ice mini cupcakes with meringue buttercream and coat icing with black sanding sugar. Use cinnamon candy for eyes. For legs, attach 8 pieces of black licorice. For fangs, cut out tiny cone shapes from a marshmallow and attach.

 

If I have to choose - I'll take spider category number two - I'd rather enjoy them as delicious cake baked creatures.

"The Deadly Surprise" - Ficton, an Urban Legend or True? - You Decided

 

 

25 Days Until Halloween

Here I am again, with another goodie, sent to me by Luke in Idaho. It's up to you the reader to decided if this story is  Fiction, an Urban Legend or True? Now this story is not so much spooky as a Halloween story of nightmares, but It reminded me of what I wrote the other day, about the way people say things, like the houses that were haunted because they looked scary. Perception and the way people say things can take your way of thinking in two different extremes. Be sure to come back tomorrow to see if you guessed the correct answer to:

 

 

 

"Deadly Surprise"

 

The towns people always remarked about a home that was haunted all because of a deadly surprise. They claim to this very day, that a wife, who had passed away, walks the halls of their home waiting for her husband to celebrate their Anniversary. Here is how the story went.

 

 

It was their anniversary and she had planned a glorious dinner that had been created with his most favorite foods. She also wanted to look just as good as the day they had met, and so she had pulled her blonde hair back into a sleek bun, put on a silky short sleeveless black dress and hose that together accented her beautiful slender sun kissed skin. Her shoes were a stunning blue-gray 3" heel, her make-up, not a lot and not to little, just sheer perfection followed by the right spritz of perfume. To adorn her outfit she wore the diamond tennis bracelet that he had given her for their twenty-fifty wedding anniversary.

On this night in late November, they had been married for 32 years - years that had been good to them. They were blessed with three beautiful children, that were now grown and gone to create new life memories with their families, a beautiful home to raise them in, and a great financial foundation to see them into their retirement years - that they had planned to enjoy until death did them part.

He had been secretive, like years before when their anniversary appeared over the horizon. He would conjure different way to surprise her with a gift of gold and diamonds and a romantic evening together. This time he had not told her to hold off on any plans, which had taken her by surprise, but believed his demanding work scheduled had played interference and so, she decided it would be her turn to surprise him with dinner and a romantic evening in front of the fireplace. Everything was perfect, the table, the music, the fire - her night to surprise him was already.

Her heart jumped into her chest when she heard his truck coming up the driveay as a cool blue dusky sky blanketed them. This was indeed going to be a huge surprise. She waiting by the front door that he had always entered since the day they had moved there. She stood by the door as the clock on the wall ticked the minutes away filling the otherwise silent anticipation of the room, but the door never opened. "What's taken him so long?" she said out loud to herself. Not wanting to give her surprise away, and thinking that maybe it was her daughter coming to get some things she had left in the garage, maybe it was her husband who was coming in through the garage door because his shoes may have been muddy - but it had not rained in three days.

The suspense and endless questions began to fill her with worry and concern, and so she opened the front door and stepped out onto the covered porch. She watched for several minutes in disbelief as her husband, three unknown men, and one woman carried boxes from the garage to a U-Haul trailer attached her husbands pick-up truck, then closed the garage door. The remaining sounds were the doors of the truck opening and then closing as if they had all gotten back in. She was startled when a figure appeared in the illumination of the porch light. Their before her stood her husband with an envelope and tears in his eyes. The cold air was aggravating his contact lenses, but he never told her this, as he was not one to complain. He then stepped towards her and held her tight and simply said - "I've got to go and I'm sorry that I waited until now to tell you, but always know -  I'll love you forever." Then turned, got back into his truck with the others and drove away.

Her mind began to fill with numerous thoughts, "I'll die without you! Please come back!" She yelled out to him as she stood on the porch filling with emotion of the thought that her man of thirty-five years had chosen this day to leave her. He had been her best friend, her confidante, her lover and she always believed it would be the vow they made on the day of their wedding - till death that did them part - that would one day take them from each other.  Her heart beat began to pound forcefully in her check, her breathing felt vacant and the light that illuminated the area around her slowly grew darker. Her legs felt weak and warm as they gave way to her body falling to the floor. 

Shortly after 8:00pm, headlights coming down the driveway appeared over the horizon and the sounds of a horn honking in a random patterns announced the arrival of a guest and/or family. When the truck stopped, two men had quickly exited, one was her husband and the other a friend of his carrying a beautiful small box wrapped in elegant paper and a huge velvet bow a top and a huge flower arrangement with two-dozen red roses. As he made his way to the front door, they found the icy cold body of his wife lying on the porch, were he had last seen her standing. Her hand gripping the still unopened envelope.

Their friend could not believe what he was witnessing - she was fine when they had come to the house earlier to pick up the boxes they had packed with the materials they needed to make this Anniversary night special, but to his wife, to see her husband packing a U-Haul, and then saying to her, "I've got to go and I'm sorry that I waiting until now, but always know -  I'll love you forever", - she believed he was leaving and being overwhelmed with great sorrow, never realized the air had become dangerously cold.

"If only she had opened my letter she would have understood." said her husband now feeling the same loss that she had as she watched the truck and trailer pull away from their home and her thoughts telling her - he was leaving her.  

"What did the letter say?" questioned the friend.

"My dear wife - you probably think I have forgotten our Anniversary, but that is so far from the truth. I have planned a surprise for our Anniversary this year - but dress warm, as we'll be spending the night in a cozy cottage just on the outskirts of town. I love you always." He replied as he dropped his head and wept.

 

 

It's Almost Haunting time - R U READY - GET SET ...

32 Days until Halloween

 

 

Well here we are again folks - one day away to mark the 31 days of Halloween. This 2014 Halloween Blog is going to be AWESOME! I can't tell you how excited I am. I have got all kinds of spooky goodies for you. My ever favorite - Is the true or False Legends and crazy pumpkin carvings of 2014, as well as new fictional stories that will have you reaching for that flash light - just to cross your hallways to use the bathroom. It is that time of year for me, when I can reach into my mind and pull out the thoughts that scare me and what I think would scare people.  Sometimes I think it would be better to say that I am related to Steven King, so that people wouldn't look at me and say - "Dang Girl are you ok? Where does that Sh*t you think up come from?" 

I have always loved Halloween since I was a little girl, especially the excitement of finding that perfect costume to going trick-or-treating in. I still remember many of my costumes over my school years - Witchy Poo, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Barbie, Farrah Fawcett, A French Maid, A Lumber Jack, Baby Jane, Dolly Parton and my list goes on and on. But I think I would have to say of all my costumes - three come to mind that I really have enjoyed wearing – Dressing up as a man and going to a military Halloween party at a night club – The men really believed I was a new arrival on Adak Island working in same department as my husband as an EO. (Wish I had a picture of that one – what a night to remember) the other two are My Ghost Costume that I created the illusion that I could fly and my Katarina Witch Doctor Costume, that I am finding really freaks people out when they see me. From behind I'm a long silky red headed beauty, but when I turn around – let the screams begin. (See pictures below).

I wish to thank those of you who sent in your stories for my blog this Halloween.  Many of which were perfect for my Legends category. Can’t wait to get this Halloween Party started – so until tomorrow – I’ll blog ya later.

 

 

 

 

GUESS WHAT???? TIME TO GET YOUR SCARE ON!

Hello, hello, hello. How are all of you this first day of Fall?  I have had one heck of a busy summer, but so thrilled to be back on line, and doing what I love to do best - write and created my large array of handcrafted unique gifts. But the biggest thrill of them all is that in just a few more days it will be time for my blogs - 2014 Thrill Fest - ghost stories - old and new. Legends - Fact or Fiction and new caving ideas for your Halloween pumpkins of all shapes.

As you can see this is when I let myself step back from an every day wife and mother, and transform in "Katarina" Yes, this is a costume that I designed last year after writing a story called - "Hex of the Voodoo Witch - The Grey Hair Curse" - is the first story in my newly released book titled: "Twisted - Creepy Tales From A Mother's Mind" now available on Amazon.com.

But enough about me - I am calling on as many people who would like to share their stories of what scares them. (I will not put your names in the stories that I create).  Think about it... is it a dark rain on a moonless cold blustery fall night? Could it be the sounds of foot steps after everyone is tucked in bed for the night?  I'd like you to tell me, what gives you the creeps, scares you, or sends a chill up your spine when that Halloween season comes round?

 

I am so excited to get things going for what I'd like to call my blog for the Month of October - "Thrill Fest 2014" - LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED. All you have to do is tell me what scares you - If you dare - and let my imagination and love for Halloween develop fictional story that will have you hiding under the covers till dawns early light. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Send your spooky stories,things that have happened to you, or someone you know to, - ukanducrafts@yahoo.com subject line: Katarina's Thrill Fest Blog 2014.

IT'S A VERY - "TWISTED" - HUMP DAY!!!

 

Good Morning to everyone in cyber-land. It has been one heck of a roller coaster ride and I'm so excited to tell you what happened.  I love to write, love to blog, and love to be with my family. Now try making all three of those things work simultaneously - it just doesn't happen. Back in March of this year, I was contacted by my agents about my next book pending publication - "Deemed Crazy" yet now titled "BLUEPRINT"- but there was something wrong.  In my mind, heart and soul I felt it was not right or ready or both. Quickly my brain said - why not send them a bunch of my short story thrillers - and thus my newest publication  -TWISTED - was born.

 

So here it is as promised
and now available on
Amazon.com
or  order signed copies
on Etsy.com. 
See links below.

 

 

 

A mysterious book of original short story thrillers sure to keep you covered in goosebumps from head to toe and fearing those things that go bump in the night -
with every turn of the page.

 

WILL YOU READ IT? I DARE YOU.


Get it now at - Amazon.com

 

 http://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Creepy-Tales-Mothers-Mind/dp/1490734341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399464743&sr=8-1&keywords=twisted+creepy+tales+from+a+mothers+mind

Get a author signed copy at - Etsy.com
https://www.etsy.com/listing/188685933/twisted-creepy-tales-of-a-mothers-mind?

 

Please note: electronic copies will not be available for about 4 to 6 weeks.

"TWISTED"

 

B.O.L.O.

(BE ON THE LOOK OUT)

 

COMING SOON TO BOOKSHELVES

and COMPUTER SCREENS NEAR YOU

 

 

 

"TWISTED"
Creepy Tales from a Mothers Mind

Written by: Stacey Bolin

 

A mysterious book of original short story thrillers sure to keep you covered in goosebumps from head to toe and fearing those things that go bump in the night -
with every turn of the page.

 

WILL YOU READ IT? I DARE YOU.

You Asked for It - Creepy Legends and Myths:

Photo by: Stacey L. Bolin
Copyright 10/20/2103

 

 

8 days until Halloween

 

We'll here I am already into the middle of another week. First before we begin todays reader requested topic/s, I want to thank you all for the positive reviews on the last two stories that I posted. It's not easy to step out of ones comfort zone and take a chance on coming up with original short story ideas. Last year I relied more on the reader to share stories - which I will admit - made life so easy. Cut, paste, done. This year I wanted to test myself to see if I could meet the pressures and demands of having and meeting my deadlines. It's not easy, but I love the challenge.

 

Ok, so back to the readers request topic/s. Many of you loved the segments I did last year asking people to read small blurbs of legends and myths, and then you the reader had to decided if it was truth or fiction. Well that is what today is. Below are five paragraphs that have been categorized as either a legend or a myth. Do you know what is truth or what is fiction?  Good Luck! Come back tomorrow to find out how you scored. Until then Blog ya later.

 

 

The Legend:

A young man is dropping off groceries at the house of an eccentric old lady when he notices an old photo that makes the hair on his arms stand on end. The photo's normal enough--a young boy in his Sunday best--but something just seems off. He asks the old lady who it is.
"Oh," she replies, trying to stuff a cat in the dishwasher "isn't that beautiful? You can hardly tell he's dead."

 

The Legend:

A sick woman arrives at a hospital and when the nurses withdraw blood it is so toxic that it begins making everyone around her sick too. Realizing they're dealing with the human embodiment of the creature from Alien, the nurses flee for their lives.

 

The Myth:

A prop at a carnival was discovered not to be made of the usual combination of papier mache and carni spit, but human skin and bone. All the little kiddies at the haunted house had been poking and giggling at a real, mummified dead body.

 

The Legend:

Every day, millions of us put our lives in the hands of skilled physicians, dentists and white van tattoo artists. Whether we're getting wisdom teeth removed or our boobs corrected so they're the same size, we're working under two assumptions: A) The doctor in charge knows what he's doing and B) There is no way a doctor could be a psychopath who just went through medical school so he'd have an excuse to mutilate people.

 

The Legend:

Everyone knows the feeling. You're alone in your house when you get the unmistakable sense that you're being watched. It's like you can feel another human presence in the house with you, even though you know you locked the doors and windows. This spooky trick of the mind is probably why so many of our ghost stories are about someone being inside our house. There's the call that was coming from inside the house, the killer who hides under your bed, the guy who wakes up to find a note taped to his forehead or even the monsters living in our closet. But those fears are irrational, right?

~ Hex of the Voodoo Witch ~ "The Gray Hair Curse" - An Original Spooky Story

I can't wait to share my next original spooky thriller with everyone one. We have gotten the edits back and once again - there is an interest. Join me tomorrow for another original thriller.



~ HEX of the VOODOO WITCH~

"The Gray Hair Curse"

 

Sometimes a wish come true...

could be your worst nightmare

 

Original Story written by:

Stacey L. Bolin

 

Copyright October 20, 2013

"BOdY PArTs" Original Thriller / Ending

"BOdY PArTs"

The Final Chapter

 

 

Original thriller written by: Stacey L. Bolin
 

Copyright 10/5/2013

All rights reserved

Sound enhancement for the story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DE3e_hkBFo

At that moment Candace didn’t know what to do except go back to her clothes with the hopes that they were done drying. The digital display now read 9 minutes.

“This is going to be the longest nine minutes of my life! Forgot the laundry I want out of here!” she sputtered out loud. “How in the world can something so simple as drying clothes at a laundry mat, become so intense that a person would rather leave their things behind rather that to deal with this craziness?”

She was correct in thinking it would be the longest nine minutes of her life as her brain began to buzz with a deep seeded wonder and concern as endless questions, as to what she had seen, slammed into her thoughts. While she stood staring into the drum of the spinning dryer trying to fathom some sense to this madness, the lights began to flicker on and off, and then, as the dryer display read 6 minutes, the lights went out leaving Candace and the tenant in the silence of the dark for a brief moment until 3 of the five emergency generator lights partially illuminated three small areas, while the rest of the spaces appeared as black as night.

“WHAT NOW!” screamed Candace, now frustrated more than ever.

She could hear the tenant sputtering and fumbling her way across the room, dragging what appeared to be an oversize lawn and leaf type garbage bag, to the back of the store. She hoped that maybe the tenant was just trying to get the store cleaned up before it closed and there was another generator that all you had to do was hit a button and the lights would magically come on. If only it could be that easy, then she could finish with her laundry and go home.

It was an eerie feeling to be standing alone with only the sounds of the wind and rain against the windows.

“This is crazy.” Candace thought, “Dry clothes or not . . . I’m going home.”

She gathered up her laundry baskets and did her best to separate items accounting to their proper location in her home and what was still damp and what was dry. She stacked all the baskets into one store laundry cart and made her way across the room, fumbling the same way as the tenant. As she round a corner one side of the cart did not clear the bench which caused the top basket to begin to tip over. Candace quickly caught the basket with the exception of two kitchen towels that fell on the floor. As she got the basket balanced again and bent down to pick up the fallen laundry, her eyes were able to focus on the dark, wet; dragline that appeared too had gone from the cloaked strangers washers to the back room.

Immediately Candace did her best to rationalize why the floor appeared that way, but her curiosity was far too great not to try to determine whether it was water or blood. She was sly in her attempt, so not to be discovered if the tenant just happened to be watching her. As she grabbed for the towels, she extend her index finger out to run it across the floor and then curled her finger inwards so that whatever she collected, would be protected until she could examine it closer.

Without any words to signal to the tenant that she was leaving, Candace left the building and made her way through the storm while protecting the wetness she had retrieved from the floor. It was tricky trying to load her car, but when it came to wanting to know something, Candace would find a way to get the answers even if it meant protecting a finger swipe sample from a laundry mat floor. Her laundry was loaded and she quickly got herself safely out of the weather. Shock was the new mask she wore as her breath immediately left her body when she turned on the dome light to investigate what was now feeling think and sluggish on her finger – blood.

Just then a body ran against her car, she screamed locking the all the doors.  It felt like hours as she tried desperately to get her key into the ignition to get away. The car rocked side to side while the sounds of fists pounding her roof echoed like a quarter stick of dynamite going off in a metal fifty gallon drum. With every hit and shake she screamed louder and louder.

“God HELP ME!” she yelled out as she finally got the key into the ignition and started the car. At this point she wasn’t about to wait to see who or what was doing their or its best to get to her. She threw the car into reverse and stepped on the gas. The wheels spun out on the wet pavement, before catching. Then she threw it into forward gear and quickly drove away.  

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!” she yelled out over and over, while trying to keep her car safely on the road, at a high rate of speed, in the rain. “I don’t understand! Someone please help me understand!”

The rain was coming down so hard that even the fastest of windshield wipers could not keep the visibility clear, but was clear enough that even though the distortion of the sheet of water beating on her window, she could see that the light at the intersection ahead had changed from yellow to red. She came to a stop and just sat there trying to regain her composure. Never in her life had she ever been this terrified. Even the worst or worst horror films, had never had this great of an impact as she was feeling that that very moment.

She began to calm down and thought, “If only Glen had been there to help her, or if he had been there, maybe none of this would have ever happened.”

The light turned green and away she went.  There wasn't a soul around, just herself and her laundry - homeward bound. She was thrilled to finally be on her street and knew that in a few more house numbers she would be home, but when she finally came upon her house a growing sense of fear began to take over once again. The storm had not only taken the power out at the laundry mat, it had also hit a section of her community as well – so she thought.

One by one she got all of her laundry back into the safety of her home. She grabbed her emergency lantern that she always kept next to the front door for moments like these and found her way to her dining room to light the candles on her table and her mantle. As she slowly light each candle, and dark shadowy image became clearer in corner of her eye. She struggled with the choice of screaming or pretending not to see anything. A familiar shuffling filled her senses – she had heard it before – the clocked stranger in the laundry – it was now in her home!

“GET OUT!” she screamed “GET OUT! GET OUT!”

She ran out of the room, running into walls and knocking things off of her shelves. The clocked stranger slowly made its way after her. She knew that she had to get out of the house and the only other way out was the downstairs family room as her back door was a two-way dead bolt. She quickly ran down the stairs, nearly losing her balance. All she could think was to get out of the house and get to a near-by neighbors home. As she stepped on the last step, all the lights in the basement came on and about three dozen people yelled out – “SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANDACE!

She felt to the floor, still in disbelief of all that stood before her and exclaimed, “It’s in the house we have to get out – get out! Save yourselves!”

“Candace . . . sweetie what’s wrong!?” questioned her best friend Michelle as she tried to give her a big birthday hug, “Breath sweetie you’re going to give yourself a heart attack.”

“The stranger in the cloak, the blood, the laundry mat, my finger . . .” all Candace could do was ramble on.

“You mean Glen?” said one of the guys Glen worked with. “That big ugly guy over there, you’re afraid of him.” The guy laughed.

She turned around as Glen removed the dark hood from his head. “I wanted to surprise you and I know how much you love those scary Halloween movies, I wanted to add some fun to the gag.” He commented in a genuinely sincere voice coupled with a sinister smile. “But then we realized we had gone too far, when you almost ran me over in your car at the laundry mat.”

“That was you!?” she exclaimed.

“Well Lori and I. Lori was the tenant who pretended not to speak English and yelled at you when we put the fake Halloween body props in a red pillow case and added food coloring and a piece of wire so that the washing would drip and bubble looking like blood. You handled yourself better than I would have expected. We even unhooked the heating element from your dryer so that we could get you out of the house, but you surprised us by doing laundry a bit later than you’ve normally had done it in the past.”

Candace was able to smile again when it had finally sunk in that she had been the survivor of a prank/birthday surprise. The party was great and the food was fantastic. But the best part was when they turned on the lights and got her dryer element hooked up again - that was the best gift of them all.

 

***

The next morning, as Candace got out of bed and let Glen sleep in, she realized that she had laundry that was still damp and decided that running it in the dryer would be the best thing to do, before a mildew smell began to develop.

She sorted through all the closes that had that wet/damp feeling, which was only about eight pieces, and took them downstairs to be put in the dryer. She chucked when she saw a big lawn and leaf trash bag sitting on the floor and a pool of blood surrounded it.

She laughed and jokingly said, “Oh Glen, got to get in one more of those crazy pranks.”

She put the laundry in the dryer and hit the button for ten minutes when she heard, what sounded like a cell phone ringing from the bag. Then her good old trust worthy curiosity took a grip on her again when she decided to opened Glen’s back of Halloween body part props so that she could clean up the red food coloring on the floor.

As she took the tie off the bag and opened it, she was met with a smell of rotting flesh.

“Wow, he really was going all out.” She laughed again. She placed her hand into the bag and was met by the feeling of another hand, while a phone that was in it, was ringing. She was only able to grip the phone at first and immediately recognized that it belonged to the tenant from the laundry mat.

"Dumb chick must have dropped it in the bad while making Glens gag look real. But I didn't know that rubber would smell so realistic." she pondered. She set the phone down and proceed to reach into the bag again. While gripping the body part, as she pulled it out of the bag, she was met with a sound behind her, like the cloaked stranger in the laundry mat.

“Oh Glen, you just don’t know when to quit.”

As she pulled the body part out of the bag, it was then she was met with the deep gut wrenching fear she had all along – body parts, legs, arms, hands, - It was a real human body.  She stood up and slowly turned around. Their before her stood the cloaked stranger with a knife held high above his head.

A screamed filled the house and then nothing more, except the sounds of a dryer - with only 6 minutes left to go.

"The Clown Statue" Creepy Halloween Story

Well who would have thought it - Due to "Pumpkin Seeds" being popular with my editors, I was informed that putting it on my blog would not be beneficial at this time. Never believed myself to be a writer of children's books, but was also told, it was the drawings and art work that I did that was what intrigued them. Not all writers have the ability to also be illustrators - so here's hoping that "Pumpkin Seeds" becomes a best seller or I step into the word of art.

So in the mean time I have to get on the ball and bring you those Halloween stories that I so crave. I've got 8 days to make up for, so lets get this 2013 Halloween Blog scare going. WAAA WHOOO!!Without future delay - below is a story sent to me from Chuck who lives in Portland, Maine. He tells  me it is one of his favorites but he is not the author of the tale. All I know is that clowns creep me out and this story gave me both the shivers and goosebumps, but don't forget to add the creepy music box music as you read - oh yeah!!!! Have a frightful day and I'll blog you tomorrow. 

The Clown Statue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7umg6ZrIEH8 

 

SO-AND-SO'S FRIEND, a girl in her teens, is babysitting for a family in Newport Beach, Ca. The family is wealthy and has a very large house — you know the sort, with a ridiculous amount of rooms. Anyways, the parents are going out for a late dinner/movie. The father tells the babysitter that once the children are in bed she should go into this specific room (he doesn't really want her wandering around the house) and watch TV there.
The parents take off and soon she gets the kids into bed and goes to the room to watch TV. She tries watching TV, but she is disturbed by a clown statue in the corner of the room. She tries to ignore it for as long as possible, but it starts freaking her out so much that she can't handle it.
She resorts to calling the father and asks, "Hey, the kids are in bed, but is it okay if I switch rooms? This clown statue is really creeping me out."
The father says seriously, "Get the kids, go next door and call 911."
She asks, "What's going on?"
He responds, "Just go next door and once you call the police, call me back."
She gets the kids, goes next door, and calls the police. When the police are on the way, she calls the father back and asks, "So, really, what's going on?"
He responds, "We don't HAVE a clown statue." He then further explains that the children have been complaining about a clown watching them as they sleep. He and his wife had just blown it off, assuming that they were having nightmares.
The police arrive and apprehend the "clown," who turns out to be a midget. A midget clown! I guess he was some homeless person dressed as a clown, who somehow got into the house and had been living there for several weeks. He would come into the kids' rooms at nights and watch them while they slept. As the house was so large, he was able to avoid detection, surviving off their food, etc. He had been in the TV room right before the babysitter right came in there. When she entered he didn't have enough time to hide, so he just froze in place and pretended to be a statue.

What's in your basement????

It's that time of year again - Tell me your favorite things about Halloween/Fall as it's story time again. I know I haven't been up on my writing these day, but as soon as our heat wave broke, and the leaves started changing and this glorious cold air came over us - that want to write those spooky stories hit me. WAAA WHOO IT'S ALMOST FALL AGAIN! So, I'm looking for those must have spooky true story about something you've seen? Do you have a ghost that haunts the basement of your house? Maybe you know of  some type of legend that follows along the lines of something of paranormal sorts. I want to hear about it.

 

To get you in the write mode (yes pun intended) here is a little something to get your mind ready for Halloween and all the spooky stories we can dream up.

 

 

 

 

http://bu3-ret-staceybolin.blogspot.com/2012/10/mystery-of-harvest-moon-by-stacey-bolin.html