Forgive Me by Kateri Stanley (reading strategies book TXT) 📕

a horrifying tale. It could be anything from an urban legend like The Candyman, a creepy pasta they’d seen on YouTube like Laughing Jack or Ticci Toby. Movies, horror novels and anything harrowing from the news were not allowed to be included. They knew bad things happened in the world but they didn’t want to be reminded of it on their weekend of freedom. They wanted to have a good time, fill up on ice cream and scare each other for a snigger.

The weekend before Janice chose the creepy pasta, Jeff the Killer. Mallory chose to go with something different, the story of The Lumberjack.

“In the deep South there lived a family, a father, a mother and their son. I’ll call them Edward, Edythe and William, or Billy for short,” Mallory started. “They lived in the woods and kept to themselves. A war was on. Men and boys had to go and fight for their country. You see, this family weren’t a burden to anybody, not even to the grizzly bears who lived nearby. Edward was a lumberjack, he cut down trees for a living, Billy helped out when he could. Edythe home-schooled Billy and looked after the home. They weren’t a bother to anyone.

One day, Edward was gassing squirrels. They lived high up in the branches so smell bombs had to be used in order to get them to come out before the trees were chopped. A mask had to be worn due to the potency of the bombs, the aroma was quite strong. Three marshals came across their forest home. Edythe was anxious when she saw them. Now, you must understand just because this family kept to themselves, didn’t mean they weren’t kind or hospitable. People moved through the woods, on jobs, backpacking all the time and the family were there to offer a hand if it was needed. But, you know when you get a feeling in your gut that something bad might happen?

Edward felt this way, especially with the leader of the group. He looked as rough as a bear with an untruthful gleam in his eye. Something didn’t smell right.

“What can I help you with boys?” Edward asked, pulling his gas mask off. His axe firm in hand.

“We’ve been walking all day and we’re pretty tired,” the leader said. “Could we sleep here, Sir? We'll leave first thing in the morning. We won’t be a bother.”

The other men behind him nodded in unison.

Edward wasn’t going to have these men stay in his home or around his family. “Sorry boys,” he said politely. “We don’t have enough room for all of you. There’s a tavern just up the creek, it's only a short walk.”

The men laughed and Edward’s gut tightened, his fingers gripping the axe.

“But we’d have to pay to stay in the tavern,” the leader replied.

“Sorry boys,” Edward said, moving in front of his wife. “You’re good men of the law, I’m sure they’ll let you in for free. I’m afraid I can’t help you but as I said, the tavern is just a short walk. You’ll get there before dark. My wife can give you some bread for your journey if you want it.” Edward held his ground, staring them out.

“Do you have any children?” the leader asked.

“Not one,” Edward replied boldly. “We wanted to have some but we weren’t blessed with any. I can’t be angry though, I’ve got a roof over my head, food in my belly. Got a lot to be thankful for.”

“Well we’re watching out for deserters and I think you’ve been hiding your son so he didn’t have to fight. When there’s boys dying out there, bleeding for you and he’s wrapped up all nice an warm.” The leader edged nearer. “I know he’s here. Drifters passin’ through told us so.”

Edward tightened his grip on his axe. “You’re wrong, boy.”

The leader grinned. “Am I now?” His stare slowly drifted to Edythe and his slimy smile reappeared. Edward acted on instinct, pushing Edythe, shouting at her to get in the house. She did, telling Billy to hide.

“But I can help,” Billy replied.

“Not this time. Promise me one thing - no matter what you hear,” Edythe whispered, pushing him into the dirt cellar. “Don’t open your eyes.”

The boy didn’t understand but he could hear shouts and thumping from outside. Some of them were from his father. What was happening out there? Why was his Mother so frightened?

“Remember, don’t open your eyes.” She kissed him lovingly, pulling the wooden plank over his head and vanished out of sight.

The men knew they were hiding Billy. They beat Edward, raped Edythe, singing for Billy. Trying to lure him out like he was a squirrel in a tree. Edythe screamed and Billy opened his eyes, against his mother’s wishes. She pleaded for the leader to stop with his carnage. Her face was doused with blood and dirt, she crawled to his feet. Pleading and pleading.

“Come on, boy!” the leader shouted. “We know you're here. Your poppa and your momma’s hurting...”

Billy rushed out grabbing a knife from the kitchen and he stopped at the sight of the men. One of them grinned as he pulled up his pants, his mother was facing the ground, her dress was bunched up around her waist and his dad had his axe lodged in his back. Billy fought for as long as his little body managed, but could he win against these trained killers?

The leader and his men made a fire that night and made jokes about what they had found back at the house. They drank, they sang and fell asleep in a drunken mess without a care in the world - the bodies of the family not too far from them.

The leader awoke in the middle of the night, he heard a sound from behind him. He saw something in the clearing of the trees. A tall figure, wearing a gas mask, holding an axe, the one a lumberjack would use to hack down trees.’

A sound bounced off