A Series Of Sorrowful Stories by Duane Harvey (summer reading list .TXT) 📕

the early legends I have read "The only way to kill the beast is to break the curse. To break the curse you have to burn down the beast's hideout". So, to kill this ghost we have to break the curse, which means we have to burn down the ghost's hideout."

Chapter 14 * Sally's Story

James yelled, "You will never find the hideout!"
Sally looked around and said, "I think we are all standing inside of it."
Bart said, "You can't mean...but I built this...why can't there be another way?"
James said, "There is. You have to kill yourself in order to break my deadly curse." He laughed for a few moments.
Sally said, "Emma already tried that. I could tell because you wouldn't hurt your little girl. You're not even her real father."
Bart said, "He's not?"
Sally said, "I did some research on Emma. Her full name was Emma H. Jones. Her cousin, Mat Jones, and her aunt, Brooke Jones, are still alive, but their whereabouts are unknown. Emma's mother's name was Fiona D. Donald. Emma was put in CYS's hands because her real mother and her real father both had a heatstroke."
Bart said, "My sister and nephew are still alive?"
Sally said, "Oh, yes, of course. I forgot that you told me that you were related to Emma."
James said, "You caught me red handed. I am not related to Emma nor her dumb family."
Sally ran out of the room. She had an idea. she ran up a block of stairs and to a phone. She was going to call the police and tell them to set the apartment on fire. The phone didn't work. She heard screaming from the floor below. She ran down the block of stairs and saw who was screaming and way. It was Bart. He was hanging from a hope connected to the ceiling. The rope was of course around his neck. She also saw that James was...was gone.
Sally looked up at the body of Bart. Her eyes started to water. She lost her new friend. She caused this, just by leaving the room. She then heard a train whistle blow. She walked up the block of stairs crying. Suddenly the apartment shook. She ran out of the apartment. she crossed the road. When she looked back at the apartment she frozed. The sky above the apartment became gray and black. Ashes floated in the sky. The apartment was on fire.
An hour later, the apartment was no longer there. The only thing that was in it's place was, a pile of ashes and flames. She then saw James floating in the sky. He was pale. He slowly said, "You have...I can't believe...but you did it...you broke the curse...thank you." He disappeared into thin air.

Chapter 15 * Zaroff's Story

A few years later, there was smoke in the air. A young man was in a army. He was brave and smart. He was in a military plane. He shot down five planes total, for now. The only two planes in the sky were his and his enemy, Dr. Zoose.

Dr. Zoose whispered, "Mr. Zaroff Jones, you are going down!"
The man in the other plane was no other than Zaroff Jones. Zaroff started to fire his machine gun at Dr. Zoose. A bullet shattered Dr. Zoose's window. Glass flew everywhere. His plane started to go down, towards a bundle of trees. The plane crashed.

Zaroff flew down and landed his plane. Zaroff got out of the plane and walked over to the crashed plane. He looked inside and saw Dr. Zoose in his seat, with his head leaning to the left. Zaroff tapped him. He said, "Zoose, wake up. You can't die. If you die, I will have to quit my job."

Zoose didn't say anything, nor did he move. Zaroff grabbed Zoose's head and turned it until he saw his face. He saw blood all over him. Big pieces of glass were sticking out of his head. Zaroff said, "I am sorry. You have lost. I have won."
Suddenly it started to rain. Zaroff put his hand to Zoose's heart and whispered, "You are in a better place. Rest in peace, Zoose Hito." Zaroff backed away slowly. Staring at the body of Zoose. He didn't know that it was going to end so deadly. Suddenly Zaroff heard a loud sound coming from his plane. He turned around and paused. He realized that a lightning bolt had came down and struck his plane. The plane exploded. The force of the explosion made Zaroff fall to the ground. He closed his eyes. An hour later, Zaroff opened his eyes and realized he was in the hospital with strangers looking at him. He slowly said, "W-Where am I?"

A doctor in red glasses said, "You are in Ship-Trap Island Hospital."

Zaroff said, "Where?"

The doctor in the red glasses said, "You crashed in the jungle. Some of the villagers found your plane and of course found you."

Zaroff said, "Where is he? Where is Zoose?"

A doctor in blue glasses said, "We only found you."

Zaroff yelled, "Okay, stop talking and let me out of this place!"

The doctors all stared at him.
Four seconds later, Zaroff was outside. He was forced to get out of the hospital and walk away. He walked and walked until he came to a tall black house. On the front of the house, was the words: The President. He walked into the house. A woman walked in front of him. she said, "Top to the mornin to ya mate. I am the Resident."

Zaroff said, "Don't you mean, "President?"

The woman smiled and said, "Yea, of course. I have a problem speaking England."
Zaroff said, "English, and would you like me to help you?"

The woman smiled and said, "No, but thanks you anyways."

Zaroff said, "Okay."

The woman handed Zaroff a piece of paper. she said, "This is for you, because you have been so nice. This paper allows you to own this whole island. Besides I am going on vacatin." The woman walked out of the building.

Zaroff stared at the paper. He looked up and smiled. He walked over to Congress and said, "I want eight huge rocks in the ocean, so the people that come here, will crash on the rocks and roam around the island like lost little puppies. Talking about puppies, I want four of them. I want the closest house to the shore. I want a knife, and a gun." Congress approved. The next day, there were eight rocks in the water, thirteen puppies in Zaroff's back yard, and weapons in Zaroff's tool shed. Zaroff became rich and bought a cozy bed, a black couch, a inside pool, a toaster, and everything he wished for.
A year later, Zaroff walked into his library. He picked out a book called, 'The Wizard In Paris'. The author of the book was, Harry Potter. Zaroff got tired of hunting animals, so he had an idea.

Chapter 16 * Rainsford's Story

A week later, three hunters read a newspaper article that told them about the tiger on Ship-Trap Island. One of the hunters said, "Hey, Rainsford, this will prove that we are the greatest hunters ever!"

Rainsford said, "Yea, whatever. I don't give a crap, Harry. Hey, Whitney, what do you think about this Ship-Trap Island thing?"

Whitney stared at the words: Ship-Trap. He said, "I don't think..."
Before he could finish, Rainsford said, "Come on, it's time for a little hunting."

The three of them got onto a large boat and were headed to Ship-Trap Island. Whitney walked over to Rainsford and said, "I heard that many people went to this island and never returned."

Rainsford said, "Yea, they probably got eaten by the tiger."

Whitney said, "Animals don't like to be hunted. They can reason, just like humans can."

Rainsford said, "Animals can't reason. Nothing can reason, except for humans."
Harry said, "Yea, Whitneyyyy. We are the only things in the world that can reason."

Whitney said, "I am going to bed. I will see you two morons in the morning."
He walked away. Harry said, "I am getting tired, too. I will see ya tomorrow, sir."
Rainsford said, "Okay, good night."

Harry walked into the dark shadows of the night sky. Suddenly the ship crashed. Harry fell to the ground and slid into the deep blue sea. Harry went under water. Suddenly something, or someone grabbed his left leg. Harry looked down and saw a big man. The big man reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. Harry was trying to escape, but he couldn't. Let’s just say Harry won't be seeing Rainsford in the morning, or anytime soon.

Whitney walked out of his room and peeked around the corner. He saw Rainsford leaning over the edge of the boat. Rainsford dropped his pipe. It landed in the ocean. Rainsford reached for it. Suddenly Whitney smiled and walked slowly behind Rainsford. Whitney held out his hands and pushed Rainsford over the railing. He smacked his head against a rock and then he went underwater. Whitney backed up the boat and turned it around. He was sailing back to Carmichaels.

Chapter 17 * Zaroff's Story

An hour later, Rainsford woke up and noticed that he was in sand. He got up and walked until he saw a...a house. He started to walk to the house. When he got in front of the door, it opened and a big guy with wet clothes appeared holding a gun to Rainsford's head.
Rainsford put his hands up and said, "I come in peace! Don't shoot me!"

Suddenly the big man looked past Rainsford and saw a skinny man. He put down the gun. Rainsford turned around and saw a man in a white suite. The man said, "Sorry, Mr. Rainsford. Ivan is very protective of his home. It's my home, too. Ivan is my body guard. I am General Zaroff, but please call me Zaroff."

Rainsford said, "How do you know my name?"

Zaroff walked to him and said, "I have read many books about you, Whitney, and Harry. I like you the most, because well, you are the main character. I am a huge fan of yours. Please come in and get dry clothes on. Then, we will eat."

Ten minutes later, Rainsford was at the kitchen table, with dry clothes on. Ivan stood behind Zaroff looking straight at Rainsford. Zaroff said, "You haven't touched your food, yet. You must be hungry. You fell in the freezing cold ocean and woke up an hour later."

Rainsford said, "How do you know that? And, I was pushed."

Zaroff said, "Let’s just say, I have cameras all over my island."
Rainsford said, "Isn't