Ben Supple - Short Story - Mason County
Item
Title
Ben Supple - Short Story - Mason County
Description
Cornstalk’s Vengeance
Abstract
The year was 2023. A small group of middle schoolers just arrived at Fort Randolph for their weekend camping trip. Fort Randolph was constructed by the City of Point Pleasant, West Virginia in 1974 as a replica of the original fort used to protect the town from native americans in the 1700s. Michael, Timmy, and Mary were history buffs. They chose the most historic place in town for their camping spot. It was October 10th. The air was cool and fog was settling in. Mary, the “know it all” of the group, was confident that she wouldn’t get scared. However, Timmy and Michael were determined to scare Mary.
“I say we tell her the story of the Shawnee chief Cornstalk who was murdered at the fort,” suggested Timmy.
“I agree. Let’s tell her that Cornstalk’s ghost still haunts the city to this day,” added Michael.
Timmy added, “After we tell her, we will walk off looking for firewood and then sneak back and scare her."
“Good plan. Let’s get a fire going,” said Michael.
“Mary, do you have the snacks?” asked Timmy
Mary quickly replies, “Yep. Do you have the book of ghost stories you were telling me about?"
“Oh, I dooo,” said Timmy with a smirk
It was getting pretty dark, and the fog was getting thicker and thicker. Michael and Timmy decided it was time to put their plan into action. As they sat by the fire, Timmy began the tale.
“Long ago, lived the Shawnee Chief Cornstalk, everyone in the tribe liked Cornstalk and he remained loyal to his people. By the time of the American Revolution, other chiefs of the Shawnee tribe decided they would support the British in the war. Not too far from the Shawnee villages, the Americans at Fort Randolph knew nothing of the Shawnees’ decision. Cornstalk had many friends among the Americans and believed the Americans should know of the Shawnees’ alliance with the British. Saddened by the decision of the other chiefs, Cornstalk took some of his followers to warn the Americans. Cornstalk told the Americans that he had to remain loyal to his people. Instead of respecting Cornstalk for his honor, the Americans became angry. The Americans led the chief and the other Shawnees into the main cabin and shot and killed them all. It is said that before he died, Cornstalk put a curse on Point Pleasant and that he would come back and kill anyone who didn’t believe him.”
Mary sat silently looking into the fire. Suddenly, a grin appeared on her face.
Shyly, she looks up at them and says, “Very funny guys. You’re not gonna scare me that easily.”
She quickly realized that Timmy and Michael were gone. As the fog continued to get closer, the fire suddenly went out! Mary became frightened.
“Guys! This isn’t funny! Where are you!”
Slowly, a bluish green light shone on the back of her head. Mary assumed that it was just Timmy and Michael coming back with their flashlights. To her horror, the lights were emitting from a tall dark figure looking up at the sky. As the figure turned his head down toward her, she could see a hole in its forehead. It was holding a tomahawk in its right hand. Mary was too alarmed to scream. She couldn’t move. Finally, she started backing up, but she tripped over the rocks of the fire pit.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!”
Timmy and Michael heard the scream.
“What was that? Maybe we should head back,” suggested Michael.
“Yeah she must be really scared,” replied Timmy
When they arrived back at the campsite, they noticed the fire was out. They aimed their flashlights at the firepit and saw that a long cornstalk was draped across the center of the pit. There was no sign of Mary. They heard the gate to the fort creak. As they turned, the boys saw something shiny. Closer examination revealed it was a tomahawk with Mary’s name on it.
“Let's get outta here!” said Timmy
Scared for their lives, the boys ran for miles until they reached the library at the edge of town. “Only a few more blocks and we will be at the police station,” said Timmy. “Too late for that,” cried Michael. Jumping from the roof of the library was a dark figure with a glowing hole in its head and a tomahawk in its hand. Timmy, Michael, nor Mary were ever seen again.
“I say we tell her the story of the Shawnee chief Cornstalk who was murdered at the fort,” suggested Timmy.
“I agree. Let’s tell her that Cornstalk’s ghost still haunts the city to this day,” added Michael.
Timmy added, “After we tell her, we will walk off looking for firewood and then sneak back and scare her."
“Good plan. Let’s get a fire going,” said Michael.
“Mary, do you have the snacks?” asked Timmy
Mary quickly replies, “Yep. Do you have the book of ghost stories you were telling me about?"
“Oh, I dooo,” said Timmy with a smirk
It was getting pretty dark, and the fog was getting thicker and thicker. Michael and Timmy decided it was time to put their plan into action. As they sat by the fire, Timmy began the tale.
“Long ago, lived the Shawnee Chief Cornstalk, everyone in the tribe liked Cornstalk and he remained loyal to his people. By the time of the American Revolution, other chiefs of the Shawnee tribe decided they would support the British in the war. Not too far from the Shawnee villages, the Americans at Fort Randolph knew nothing of the Shawnees’ decision. Cornstalk had many friends among the Americans and believed the Americans should know of the Shawnees’ alliance with the British. Saddened by the decision of the other chiefs, Cornstalk took some of his followers to warn the Americans. Cornstalk told the Americans that he had to remain loyal to his people. Instead of respecting Cornstalk for his honor, the Americans became angry. The Americans led the chief and the other Shawnees into the main cabin and shot and killed them all. It is said that before he died, Cornstalk put a curse on Point Pleasant and that he would come back and kill anyone who didn’t believe him.”
Mary sat silently looking into the fire. Suddenly, a grin appeared on her face.
Shyly, she looks up at them and says, “Very funny guys. You’re not gonna scare me that easily.”
She quickly realized that Timmy and Michael were gone. As the fog continued to get closer, the fire suddenly went out! Mary became frightened.
“Guys! This isn’t funny! Where are you!”
Slowly, a bluish green light shone on the back of her head. Mary assumed that it was just Timmy and Michael coming back with their flashlights. To her horror, the lights were emitting from a tall dark figure looking up at the sky. As the figure turned his head down toward her, she could see a hole in its forehead. It was holding a tomahawk in its right hand. Mary was too alarmed to scream. She couldn’t move. Finally, she started backing up, but she tripped over the rocks of the fire pit.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!”
Timmy and Michael heard the scream.
“What was that? Maybe we should head back,” suggested Michael.
“Yeah she must be really scared,” replied Timmy
When they arrived back at the campsite, they noticed the fire was out. They aimed their flashlights at the firepit and saw that a long cornstalk was draped across the center of the pit. There was no sign of Mary. They heard the gate to the fort creak. As they turned, the boys saw something shiny. Closer examination revealed it was a tomahawk with Mary’s name on it.
“Let's get outta here!” said Timmy
Scared for their lives, the boys ran for miles until they reached the library at the edge of town. “Only a few more blocks and we will be at the police station,” said Timmy. “Too late for that,” cried Michael. Jumping from the roof of the library was a dark figure with a glowing hole in its head and a tomahawk in its hand. Timmy, Michael, nor Mary were ever seen again.
Youth(s) First Name and Initial of Last Name
Ben Supple
Age Division
14
Category
Short Story
County
Mason
