The Haunted Traveler Vol 1 Issue 2

possibly make more trouble for himself.
“Wait till your father comes home.” Mother
said from the kitchen, laughing, and Andy thought he
might scream or go mad.
Someone knocked on the door.
Bang - bang!
He was here. Father was here.
“Don’t let him in.” Andy pleaded.
Mother stormed to the door, shaking her wet
hands dry from the dishes. “I told you to be good
enough times.”
Mother opened the door to a bolt of lightning.
The dead man stood and watched them. His rotten
withered skin barely clung to his rib cage like a
mouldy coat. The hangman’s rope clung still round
his neck, his black tongue lagged in his open, wormy
mouth.
“This is what happens to bad people.” Mother
said. Ashamed to have married a murderer.
“I’ll be good!” Andy sobbed. “I will. I will.”
Father took no notice. He’d been away for a
month now, alone in his tomb.
Smiling, he hobbled forward.
And came into the room to welcome his son in
his cold, fleshless arm.
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