The Ghost of Varley Scribbs

‘I’ll take you back to a former time

To the year of ’53,

When I was just a travelling man

On the coast, down by the sea…’

We all sat round in the darkened room

By a candle’s flickering light,

We thought we might be in for a treat

With a tale from Jonathon Blight.

 

I winked at Jack and he winked at me

And we sat back with a pipe,

While Janet sat there, clutching her knee

And we thought, ‘Oh, this is ripe!’

We’d heard all Jonathon’s tales before

But I don’t think Janet had,

Enough to give a vicar the creeps

For they’d always end up bad.

 

While Barb just sat in the corner there

And played with the Tarot Cards,

She’d just turned over the card of Death

And had thumped the table, hard.

‘I’d just checked in to a Cornish Inn

That was called ‘The Seaman’s Rest’,

The woman there was as hard as nails

And I must say - Not impressed!’

 

‘I had a drink at the bar in there

But I went to bed by ten,

The room was filled with a musty smell

Unused, since I don’t know when,

I woke up round about three o’clock

In a bluish, misty light,

A woman stood by the window, staring

Out to the shades of night.’

 

‘I half sat up, but she didn’t move

And a form rushed from the door,

The shape of a man, his arm upraised

So quick, it was all I saw.

He grabbed the woman around the neck

And then, with a single stroke,

He drew a razor across her neck

And he cut the woman’s throat!’

 

Janet was sat with her jaw agape

So she didn’t notice Jack,

He’d moved up slowly behind her

When he saw that her jaw was slack.

He drew the back of a kitchen knife

Across her pearly throat,

And Janet jumped to her feet and screamed

In a long and high pitched note.

 

She fell, collapsed on the table then

And slid on down to the floor,

‘What was the point of that,’ said Barb,

‘You’ve killed the girl, for sure!’

We checked, and found that her heart had stopped,

And Jack, his face was white,

‘We’d better call her an ambulance

Or we’ll not get home tonight.’

 

I thought I’d better get out of there

And leave Jack to his fate,

He’d have to answer their questions, then

I said, ‘It’s getting late!’

So Barb took off with her Tarot cards

And I said ‘bye’ to His Nibs,

But he said, ‘I’ve not finished the tale

Of the Ghost of Varley Scribbs!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[David Scott]

Now David, you have gone a frightened all the children. This story floated off the pages with ghostly skill! I'd not be hanging around for the next story if I were you.
Wonderful artistry in this write David. I'll leave it at that and say "bye to His Nibs" myself. Ha.

[Valentine]

David, this is a tale for us grownups..a child would be afraid to go to bed it he was read this spooky piece..this one was eerie..Kathie

[keyvan]

very nice....

[Veronica Chandler]

Okay...You have gone and scared the P_ _s... right out of me now; I could be the character Janet for I would scare just as easily. Well Done Sir! Another brilliant write.

[quinfinn]

not an entirely pleasant way to end an evening of storytelling...you have a knack for assaulting the senses with your writes and each one is unique and special. well done, David!

[Marie]

I thik he'd finished for good and for all.

[Yellow Butterfly]

I thoroughly enjoyed this one David.... I liked the flow and the humour in this write and you told a great tale too... :O)

[TPK Stories]

Another fine tale. You come up with some great stories. ;-)