Grigory Borzenko "The world of mysterious, amazing and scary stories Issue five Ghost from "Horror Show"

Grigory Borzenko
"The world of mysterious, amazing and scary stories
Issue five
Ghost from "Horror Show"

Episode one
George Collins, while still a child, began to show his very, very promising entrepreneurial abilities. He was constantly trying to exchange something with his peers. But he would certainly find himself in a more advantageous position. It cannot be said that he blatantly deceived his friends. He just had the talent to arrange everything in such a way that when he received a replacement for his good and often expensive thing from Collins, a mere trifle, a trifle worth nothing, he felt in an advantageous position. I was pleased with the deal.
George could present both himself and his product. Transferring from his hands to the hands of a comrade something obscene, not worth a penny, he skillfully put on a pained expression on his face, lamenting that he was tearing away from his heart something that was most dear to him. Something he can hardly live without. He looked at this trifle in the hands of a friend, as a grieving relative looks at a coffin being lowered into the ground. It seems that in another moment, the mourner will throw himself into the hole, press his chest to the coffin, and begin to lament that he does not want to part with the one whom the earth will now forever take for itself. Collins also looked at the thing offered to his friend with such a sorrowful expression that it seemed that he would now change his mind and snatch back his priceless treasure, with the words “I changed my mind about changing!” The friend, seeing this, hastily agreed to what he now thought was a profitable deal.
Now, having matured and having acquired a respectable appearance, Mr. George Collins has not lost his youthful ardor. With even more redoubled energy, he wanted to do something that would bring him both pleasure in doing this and, of course, hard cash. What would it be like without her, my dear? Money is the measure of everything! To have money, and more, is a desire, however, quite logical for every person. And it should not cause censure. But how to increase your capital is an interesting question, as they say...
Collins did not want to go to hard work, and there, as they say, with sweat and blood, to earn a living. He wanted easy money. So that he would not work himself, but would just come up with something so that others would work for him. But what exactly? That is the question!
No matter what Collins did, no matter what he did, even in moments of relaxation he kept thinking about what type of detailing to do? What could he come up with so that the money would flow into his pockets?
In the meantime, a brilliant thought still did not illuminate his bright head, George decided to enjoy his current life, relax, have fun, spend the remains of his father’s inheritance, and at the same time think about how to start his own business.
It was during the period of such mental torment of the hero of our nurture that a traveling circus arrived in the town where he lived.
Collins went to watch the show just for fun. But what he saw shocked him so much that he immediately became interested in everything that was connected with the circus. I read about it in the newspapers, went to another city, looked at similar performances, thought about what I saw, analyzed it, made my own personal decisions.
The main performances in the circus were not the performances of jugglers and elephants, but human anomalies. Dwarfs, people with various mutations and physical abnormalities were the main thing that attracted viewers to such shows. It was called “Freak Show”. Then the word “freak” was used in relation to people who were physically handicapped or had exotic, rare diseases. These people had a very unusual appearance.
These performances, also called the "Freak Show", or "Horror Show", were very popular in the United States, where Collins lived. At first they showed animals with mutations. For example, cows with two heads, one-eyed pigs and goats with four horns, and the like. But soon the freak show spread to people. Children and adults, disfigured by disease and genetic disorders, still unknown in those days, and therefore causing surprise and fear among spectators, were presented to the public for money, like the whims of nature.
But our enterprising and savvy hero was not interested in the freaks themselves, but in the person who first came up with the idea of making money from them! Before that, they were nobody, outcasts who almost hid from people’s mocking eyes! And a certain Phineas Taylor Barnum managed to make them almost world-famous artists! Who themselves began to earn money, quite a lot for them, and fabulously enrich their benefactor!
Phineas Barnum was seen by Collins as the first person who was able to create and develop big show business. He easily knew how to manipulate the public's attention and used methods that would later be actively used in marketing and advertising. Barnum, manipulating rumors, easily played on human curiosity, while earning huge profits!
The last fact was the main thing for Collins! He wanted to create something like this! He didn't want to copy exactly what this genius came up with. But our hero internally understood - this is his! This is exactly the case where he can prove himself! And at the same time earn a considerable fortune! You just need to figure out how else you could use these people, offended by fate, to your advantage.
The more our hero traveled to different cities and attended performances, the more clearly what he could realize emerged in his head. But to implement his plan, he needed to select exactly the freaks he needed. That’s why our hero continued to travel, exploring the world of the circus.
And there was something to see! There were many unique people who amazed the audience!
In 1881, James Bailey and James Hutchinson merged their circuses. After this, the Barnum and Bailey Circus appeared, which immediately became the largest circus in the world! Here they showed grandiose performances with African elephants, acrobats and, of course, with people who had physical anomalies and deformities.
It was one of the most famous circuses in history, gaining popularity for its so-called "attractions". That is, the deformities of people. The Barnum and Bailey Circus put on great shows at the time. During the performance, often more than a thousand artists and photographers were hired, this was something incredible by the standards of the time!
Among the most famous "attractions" of the Barnum and Bailey Circus were: the smallest man in the world, the bearded lady, the twin gnomes, the dog-faced man, the horsehair woman, the pygmies and the Siamese twins, and the snake man.
Then people, unable to scientifically explain genetic mutations and diseases, saw people with “deviations” not as people, but as animals. So crowds of onlookers flocked to the performances to see something unusual.
Interested in the dog man, Collins once went to one of the performances to see him and learn more about him. It turned out that the man with the face of a dog had a name and citizenship. His name was Fyodor Evtishchev. He was from Russia, from St. Petersburg. He suffered from a rare disease that causes excess facial hair growth. Fedor was brought to America at the age of 16. In the circus he was presented as a man-dog. He had to bark to scare the spectators. To give the spectacle an even greater effect, the circus owner came up with a story that Fedor was hunted by a hunter and was captured in the cave where he lived. The audience, of course, believed and looked at this spectacle with rapture!
Collins also drew attention to the Lucasi family of albinos. Lukasie Rudolf, his wife and two children were born in Holland, but the show made it look like they were from Madagascar. To make a greater impression on the audience, the circus owner stated that Lucasi Rudolf's bloodshot eyes were not round, but square, and he slept with his eyes open. This, of course, was not true.
Attracting the attention of Colin and Fanny Mills, whom everyone called only “The Snowman Lady.” She was born with Milroy's disease, which limits the development of lymphatic vessels in the legs, leading to excess fluid causing the legs to swell and swell. She was accompanied by a nurse named Mary Brown, who helped her move. During the show, they offered $5,000, which was an astronomical sum at the time, for those who were ready to marry Lady Sasquatch. The circus owner did not risk parting with his money: it was unlikely that any of the men could covet Fanny Mills. She looked really terrible. The circus tycoon's marketing move was brilliant! And the money was intact, and the excitement around the fabulous prize was enormous!!!
The hero of our story also drew attention to the bearded lady. From birth, Annie Jones's face was covered with hair. She was the only one in her family, although the family consisted of seven more brothers and sisters. Already at nine months old she was famous for her beard. Phineas Barnum noticed her. The showman wanted to take her on tour. The success of the little bearded lady was phenomenal! Annie's family received one hundred and fifty dollars a week! Annie was considered the highest paid freak! Around the age of 20, she left the Barnum and Bailey Circus and went to Europe, where she enjoyed great success. Annie left Europe and signed a new contract with the Barnum and Bailey Circus, already earning $500 a week! That's more than the President of the United States earned!!!
This fact greatly encouraged Collins! He understood that you can earn a lot of money from freaks! That’s why I continued to study everything that was connected with them!
The attention of many at that time was attracted by the Siamese twins Chang and Eng Banker, who were born fused in the chest area. They agreed to perform in the circus of the British Robert Hunter and gave performances around the world. When the contract with Hunter ended, the brothers moved to the United States of America, to North Carolina. There they signed a new contract with Phineas Barnum's circus. At this time, Collins attended their performances. The belief that with such people he would achieve a lot became more and more firmly stuck in our hero’s head.
Collins was also amused by the one who was listed on circus posters as General Tom Tam. It was the stage name of Charles Sherwood Stratton, who was a dwarf and achieved great fame in Barnum's Circus. It turned out that Charles was a relatively large baby at birth, weighing more than four kilograms. He grew and developed like a normal baby during the first six months of life. Then suddenly it stopped growing. His parents became concerned when, after his first birthday, they noticed that he had not grown at all during the remaining six months. His parents, by the way, were of average height. They took their son to a doctor, who said Charles had little chance of reaching normal height. Charles was sixty centimeters tall and weighed about seven kilograms! Barnum took young Charles on a tour of Europe, making him an international celebrity.
However, George Collins understood that dwarfs were not what he needed. By this time, another plan had matured in his head. Unexpected, daring, extravagant. George didn't want to do the same thing that Bailey and Hutchinson had already implemented. He came up with something of his own, personal, unlike anything else! Something that should also bring him fortunes!
But for this matter, he needed to find those, or at least one person, with the help of whom he could realize his plans.
And Collins plunged headlong into implementing his plan. He began sending letters to the editors of newspapers in different countries, asking them to publish his advertisement. In it, he promised a large reward to anyone who would provide him with information about the place of residence of a person who was as ugly and terrible as possible. He promised others generous promises if someone wrote to him, indicating where and when he saw such a person, and addressed him personally. He offered to sign a lucrative contract for cooperation. He promised fabulous money.
It is not difficult to guess that the promise of such generous promises aroused interest and brought results. From three countries, George received answers that spoke of people who, having looked at them, everyone shuddered with horror and hurried to quickly look away.
One person even enclosed a drawing in the envelope, in which, to the best of his modest artistic talents, he drew the face of a man who lives alone and despondent in their village. The terrible sight of the unfortunate man struck Collins so much that he immediately melted down the road to the address indicated in the letter.
True, he was embarrassed by the fact that he had a very long journey ahead of him. All the way to the north of Scotland. But the phrase that this man lives alone and despondent in some abandoned village inspired our adventurer. This inspired him and gave him hope that a person who, as they say, has nothing to lose, would be more accommodating and would easily agree to move to a new place.
It would be possible to write a separate book about what adventures the hero of our story had to endure during this journey. But, since all this has nothing to do with our history, we will be brief. Let's just say how it all ended. And it all ended with our purposeful and determined adventurer, acting on the principle: I see the goal, I see no obstacles, and finally persuaded the provincial.
All the way, the cheerful and talkative Collins assured his new friend that a great and happy future awaited him! That he will have the opportunity to work in both an unusual theater and a circus. First in the theater. Where his acting skills will be tested. The Tatar is unusual, reminiscent of the Tatars of horror. And Collins told the poorly educated Charles Gibson, or more simply Charlie, in detail what exactly he would need to do.
He also promised that he would take him to the circus and show him how people like him live there and earn easy money.
Speaking of the circus, George did not deceive Charlie. He was deeply confident that if this rural simpleton could not cope with what was required of him, then he could be sold at a profit to one of the circuses. Any circus owner would happily hire a man with such a terrifying face.
Arriving home, Collins entrusted the new arrival to his servant Thomas Page. From now on he was supposed to take care of him, teach him acting skills. Or rather, what Charlie will do now.
George, meanwhile, took up completely different matters. Very unusual! Where now Collins himself will have to try to show all his acting talent! Now the most interesting thing began in the concept of our hero.

Episode two
The luxurious house of Count William Chesterton amazed the modest priest with its splendor, whom the butler escorted to the owner’s office, slowly walking along the sparkling clean floor. It was generally incomprehensible how this holy man, dressed in a modest linen cassock, got into this house.
It was almost a palace. With an abundance of statues, paintings, expensive furniture. The Holy Father turned his head, looked around, and was surprised by what he saw.
Entering the office, the butler bowed before the owner, frozen for a moment in a humble pose.
- Here, Mr. Chesterton, is the priest who so asked for an audience. He will assure you that the information he shares is extremely important for you.
Chesterton looked up at the new arrivals with a gloomy look.
- Thank you, Thomas. Leave us alone. What did you want to tell me, Holy Father?
The one addressed by the butler as Mr. Chesterton was a sad sight. A decrepit old man, haggard and hunched, looked at the saint with faded eyes. He was cheerful, trying to control himself, but it was noticeable that time was taking its toll. Old age is a thing that does not make us more beautiful, more cheerful and younger.
“I beg your pardon, Mr. Count,” the priest said emphatically politely and bowed his head, “but the matter is so important, urgent and, I would say, terrible that I dared to disturb you in order to warn you of what could possibly happen.”
- So what could happen?
The old man spoke with such apathy and indifference, as if everything that was happening around him personally did not concern him in any way.
The saint sighed heavily, put a pained expression on his face, and began:
- Terrible events began to happen in our area, Mr. Count! Very terrible! Some are so scared that they don't know what to do. Some simply run away, others hastily sell their homes and try to move away. Just to be away from this horror.
- What horror are you talking about?! – The old man perked up slightly. - Why are you all talking and burning, but you haven’t said anything concrete?
- I beg your pardon, Mr. Count. - The saint bowed even lower. “But something truly terrible has appeared in our area, which leaves everyone who has been visited by this ghost in awe. Some call it a ghost... But the horror of everything that happens is that we are talking about an innocent ghost, which sometimes looks like a slight haze or a mirage, but about a real, real monster! From flesh and blood! And it can truly bring harm and evil to the one to whom he appeared! They say that he is so scary that some people immediately died of horror after looking at him!
- What kind of nonsense?! – The old man curled his lips in an ironic grin. – I don’t believe in any ghosts. You really shouldn't have bothered me.
- Not in vain! – The priest’s voice became firmer. He no longer bowed to his master, but began to behave much more confidently. – The holy fathers of our monastery are now visiting many houses. We warn everyone about the danger. Many sincerely thank us for the warning! And you are talking nonsense! What kind of nonsense is this, excuse me, if there are already victims of this monster’s villainy! You should have seen what a terrible death these unfortunates died! Huge pools of blood! Torn bodies! Some people have had their throats torn out by this beast! Yes! Yes! Exactly! And in one case, the head of the unfortunate owner of the house was lying on the floor! Away from the body!
- What are you saying?! “The owner of the house clearly perked up and became more collected. Fear appeared in his eyes. - Really?! Horrible…
- Exactly horror, Mr. Count. Terrible, animal horror! It was experienced by everyone who had the misfortune of encountering this fiend of hell! He is so scary that, I repeat, many people fainted as soon as they looked at him! That is why the ministers of our holy monastery go from house to house, warning people so that the visit of this monster does not come as a surprise to them. So that they obediently carry out his will. What he will say. As soon as you contradict him, he immediately goes berserk and attacks the one who contradicts him!
- Allow me! – Confusion appeared on the old man’s face. - How can I understand your words? What does it mean to “do his will”? What is he? Did you talk to them?! How can this be if you yourself said that this is a beast?! God's creatures are deprived of the gift of speech!
The saint shook his head reproachfully.
- This is half beast, half man. It seems at first glance that he is a man... But, looking at him, at his face... Or rather, at his animal face, you immediately understand that this is a monster! Werewolf! A vampire! Devilry!
- Oh my God! Bless and save!
The owner of the house began to cross himself frequently.
- In some cases, their servants became unwitting witnesses to the monster’s visits to the owners of the houses. Hastily hiding behind a closet or window curtain, dying of fear and holding their breath, they silently watched what was happening. And this is what these servants said interesting. In cases where the owners did everything the monster asked, it was satisfied with the result and immediately left. It just growled goodbye, that’s all. But when the owners refused to do what the monster told them, something terrible happened... The beast began to eat them alive... A terrible, terrible death...
The old man cowered into a ball of fear. He wanted to say something, but he just silently clapped his mouth... The words got stuck in his throat, parched from excitement...
“We go not only to warn home owners about danger. We want to prevent the danger itself! The monster always appears in the house at midnight. At an hour when the owners are already sleeping. That's why he comes to the bedroom. Therefore, we will arrange for the owners of the houses to consecrate this place. They always accompany us to their bedroom so that we can read prayers there. They will be like a talisman. They, prayers, will become a shield against the beast, so that he cannot enter this room! The owners of the houses generously thank my brothers in faith for this. Encourage them. I don’t need money or gifts. I, as a man of God, called to serve the Lord and people, am ready to help you free of charge. If you, or the butler, take me to your bedroom, I will perform the ritual of the sacrament, lift up prayers to heaven, and make a conspiracy in which neither this beast nor any other evil spirit will ever cross the threshold of your bedroom!
The saint again froze in front of the owner in a humble bow, awaiting an answer to his proposal.
Chesterton still remained silent, in a daze. But the next moment he woke up, as if waking up from a dream.
- Of course! Of course, Holy Father! I don't mind! This is a sacred thing! I sincerely appreciate your help! I'll call the butler immediately!
He rang the bell. Soon he appeared at the door, as if out of nowhere.
- Take the holy father to my bedroom, Tom. Make sure that no one and nothing prevents the servant of the Lord from reading a prayer there, perhaps sprinkling holy water on the walls, or performing another sacrament that is necessary. Go! Thank you, Holy Father. I would encourage you for your kindness, but since you say that you are doing this at the behest of your heart, then I will not darken your pure thoughts with despicable money. Go!
The saint made another bow in front of the count, trying with all his might to hide his contemptible grin. The old miser cleverly turned everything around so as not to pay the money and at the same time seem like a noble man. “What a cunning one you are!” - the holy man grumbled silently under his breath as he left the office.
You should have seen how he walked towards the count's bedroom. He often stopped and pretended to admire the decoration and luxury of the palace. The ironically grinning butler, condescendingly looking at the saint's modest linen cassock, and at himself, forgave the simpleton such, so to speak, rustic behavior. Like, what do you take from a commoner who cannot hide his admiration for the splendor and luxury he sees?
The butler had no idea that the saint at that time was paying attention not to the decoration of the palace, but to how and where the doors and windows were located. Which part of the garden or yard do they face? How they close and whether they close at all.
The butler could not even imagine what was going on in the head of the one he looked at so arrogantly.
Behind the personal simpleton was hiding a great, smart and calculating swindler! Who at these moments was implementing the next stage of his grandiose plan!
Both the butler and his master will soon be convinced that he really will be unusual and amazing...

Episode three
The atmosphere in Earl William Chesterton's bedroom was quiet and calm. The room was flooded with moonlight penetrating through the window, silence reigned around, broken only by the light snoring of the sleeping owner of the house. As they say, peace and grace.
But at midnight this idyll was broken. The door creaked quietly, and a stranger slowly entered the room...
He walked so slowly and silently that it seemed as if some kind of ghost was silently floating around the room. However, the stranger was, apparently, this very ghost. It was enough to look at his face to be convinced that this was exactly the case. In his hand he held a candlestick with burning candles, the flames of which illuminated his appearance...
One moment was enough to look at this face and immediately freeze in horror. It was impossible to imagine anything more terrible, ugly, giving rise to animal horror. Even in broad daylight, walking along a crowded street, taking a fleeting glance at such a disgusting-looking face, many would simply be speechless. And if you look at such a monster at night, in the twilight, and even half asleep, then out of fear, what people colloquially call “heartbreak” may happen...
This ghost was scary. Very scary. He slowly approached the peacefully sleeping old man, just as an executioner with an ax in his hand just as slowly approaches the block on which the head of the unfortunate man sentenced to execution already lies...
But the executioner usually hides his face under a hood. Here, the candle flame, slightly swaying as he walked, illuminated the face, which in this case, figuratively speaking, replaced the ax. In that case, death to the official came as a result of an ax blow, but here, in order to die instantly, it was enough to just look at the terrible face of this demon!
There was so much tension in the room that it was clear that soon something amazing would happen, something out of the ordinary.
The ghost approached the sleeping man and froze in place, looking at him for a long time and persistently.
Seeing that the owner of the house continued to sleep, the ghost spoke. His voice sounded mysterious and scary.
- I came for your soul... Wake up, unfortunate one! Accept your death with dignity...
The sleeper's eyelids fluttered. The stranger's voice disturbed his sleep.
The Count began to blink, preparing to open his eyes. During this time, his eyes had become accustomed to the darkness, so the dim light of the candle flame now seemed to him like some kind of bright ray of the sun, which would now certainly blind him. That's why the old man squinted, trying to prepare himself to open his eyes.
- Wake up, unfortunate one! – The thunderous voice sounded again, sounding as if from the underworld. - Prepare to die!
Finally, the old man slowly opened his eyes... And then he closed his eyes tightly. Apparently, half asleep, he didn’t quite understand who or what was in front of him, so he froze for a while, trying to rethink what he saw.
By the way the unfortunate man’s cheeks and jaw began to tremble unevenly, it was clear that the meaning of what was happening began to dawn on the old man.
He again, with great effort, opened his eyes, looked at the unexpected guest with eyes full of horror, and immediately closed his eyes tightly again.
He sharply recoiled with his whole body, towards the wall, trying to distance himself at least a little from the one whose sight had truly created animal horror in him.
- Get lost, evil spirits! Get lost! – The old man whispered this, almost choking. His voice was filled with fear. - Disappear bad dream! Go away obsession!
- This is not a dream! – The thunderous voice of the ghost sounded. - And not an obsession! I came to you to take your soul!!!
Streak's face was distorted with fear. He opened his eyes for a short moment, looked only for a moment at who was in front of him, and again immediately squeezed his eyelids tightly, as if trying to hide behind their veil from the horror that suddenly fell on his head.
“This can’t be…” Streak whispered in a voice shaking with excitement. – This can’t be... It’s just a dream. Or a mirage... A ghost, a ghost... Now it will all melt away like a haze... And disappear... Ghosts are like a cloud... Like smoke...
The stranger’s already terrible and ugly face twisted into a contemptuous grin, which made it even more terrible and disgusting.
“I’m not a haze...” he whispered in an ominous voice. - And not a haze... I am the one who will now grab you by the throat with my strong iron hand and strangle you! Or he will take you with him to the underworld! Where will you, sinner, endure hellish torment! If you don't do what I say. Then perhaps I will spare you...
Saying this, the monster with his free hand, in the other he continued to hold the candles, slowly reached out to the old woman’s neck.
He groaned pitifully, anticipating what was about to happen. He pressed his whole body even harder into the wall, but that didn’t save him...
The monster's strong grip clamped down on countless people's throats.
- Well?! – The stranger almost growled. - Am I a ghostly haze? Mirage? Or reality, made of flesh and blood?! Now I will begin to choke you... Now you will be in great pain... You will suffocate... You will not have enough air... You will flapping your mouth, but you will not be able to do anything... You will suffocate... Life will leave your sinful body!
And with these words, the monster began to squeeze the throat of the uncountable more and more...
He started wheezing...
- Have mercy... - He squeezed out with difficulty. - Please by heaven! Have mercy!
- Spare?! – The ghost growled angrily. - Just?! It's too easy for you, sinner! I said that perhaps I will have mercy on you if you fulfill my command!
- I'll do it! I will do everything! – The unfortunate man milked himself with difficulty, choking and wheezing. After all, the monster continued to squeeze his throat more and more. - Tell me what I should do...
- You must write what I dictate to you! – The ghost’s grip weakened a little. - Now get up and write! Here's paper and pen! You will do this?! Or should I continue doing what I started?!
And with these owls the stranger squeezed the unfortunate man’s throat even more tightly.
- Yes! Yes! I'll do it! - The old man screamed breathlessly. - I swear to heaven!
In the eyes of the victim, the night guest was seen as a kind of demon from the other world. But you and I can assume that this wicked man was not deprived of the ability to reason like an ordinary person. How else can one explain the foresight, thanks to which he took with him not only a candlestick with candles, which he now placed on the table, but also a sheet of paper, a pen and an inkwell! Yes! Exactly! As we see, even ghosts are not alien to what is characteristic of humans.
The stranger laid out a sheet of paper on the table, put an inkwell, and lowered a pen next to the paper.
- Take a pen! “He ordered in a commanding voice. - Write!
Streak, paralyzed by fear, got up with great difficulty. His legs trembled with fear. He barely reached the table and dropped his body doomedly onto the chair.
“I, Earl William Chesterton,” the stranger began to dictate slowly and legibly, “with my own handwritten signature, I confirm that I...
The old man took the pen and brought it to the sheet of paper lying in front of him. His hands were shaking so much that it was unclear how he could write what the night guest would now dictate to him.
Streak began to write, but in his excitement he forgot to dip his pen into the inkwell. Therefore, the pen, naturally, did not leave any mark on the paper...
Seeing this, the stranger took the old man's trembling hand in his hand, helped him dip the tip of the pen into the inkwell, and again brought the trembling brush of the owner of the house to the paper.
- Write, unfortunate one! – The monster raised his voice. - Pull yourself together and write! Stop getting more expensive! Your life depends on it! I continue! I remind you again! You must write what I dictate to you! Otherwise... I won't repeat it again! I dictate, you write! All! You write silently and submissively until I finish! Then I will let you go! But as soon as you stop even for a moment... I will grab your despicable throat again! Write!
The count, paralyzed by fear, had no choice but to submit to such onslaught and violence.
Seeing that the streaker began to obediently write down everything he said, the stranger softened his voice. He began to sound more peaceful, and even, if I may say so, lulling. Yes! Exactly! It was as if the dictator was deliberately trying to lull the vigilance of the writer. And he did so for good reason! It gave results! The old man began to write quickly, quietly and submissively, without protesting. In the excitement of his work, our clerk did not react in any way to some of the stranger’s phrases, which in another situation would have caused emotional protest from the owner of the house.
“I certify with my signature,” the stranger continued to dictate in a monotonous, but firm and decisive voice, “that I voluntarily renounce ownership of the house that previously belonged to me and give it to the bearer of this document.”
Agree that this ghost was far from a fool! If he had immediately told the old man, “I want you to sign for me or for the bearer of this document a deed of gift for your house, the old man would have immediately realized what he was talking about, and, of course, without any doubt, would have become indignant at such blatant injustice. Perhaps I would absolutely not write such a thing, even under threat of death!
But the cunning ghost turned out to be a savvy guy! He was such a rogue! He, the beast, planned everything in such a way that the streaker, lulled by the monotonous dictation of the text, did not even notice how he himself, in fact voluntarily, with his own hand, wrote a refusal of his own home! Gift deed for another person! It is unlikely that an unfortunate force would show such miracles of prudence! Isn’t there a real person behind this manifestation, a kind of mirage from a light haze? With his greed, cynicism and meanness?
When the night guest finished dictating, and the count, having signed at the end, finished writing, silence reigned in the room.
The guest took the paper and peered long and intently at what was written.
Finally, he nodded with satisfaction and looked menacingly at the old man.
- Okay, despicable! – He said in a thunderous voice. “If you have fulfilled my will, I will give you life!” Go to bed and continue to sleep. Live in peace... Come on! Go! Get down!
The old man obediently walked to his bed.
The ghost collected everything that was there from the table, picked up the candlestick, and slowly left.
Going out into the corridor, he encountered a man who was waiting for him at the half-open door, and all this time he was watching everything that was happening in the bedroom.
Closing the door tightly behind them, they immediately headed towards the open window. A third accomplice was waiting for them below, who helped them go down.
Having passed the garden, the night visitors untied the horses that were waiting for them, jumped into the villages and disappeared into the night...

Episode four
When in March 2002, a team of builders under the leadership of master Oscar Humphrey began to carry out interior work in one of the old houses in the small town of Flint, located in North Wales, none of the workers knew what surprise awaited them.
While dismantling the old interior wall, they discovered a hollow niche. And there was something in it that was wrapped in a piece of cloth.
Almost everyone who worked in the house came running to the cry of surprise and joy of the lucky man who discovered the cache. Builders have been renovating apartments for a long time, and have heard very well about cases when their colleagues found treasures in hiding places hidden in the walls, under the floor, or in other secluded places.
Everyone knows people's desire to hide something secretly from others. Especially gold, diamonds, money, and other jewelry. Now the workers wanted to believe that the holiday had come to their street too! That luck has finally come to them too! That the package contains nothing more than the coveted devilish metal, which one of the previous owners of the house hid here.
The lucky one (history has preserved his name. His name was Jack Gilbert), although he was burning with impatience and the desire to personally look at what he found, he nevertheless decided to maintain the chain of command. He handed over the find to the master. Oscar Humphrey understood the importance of the moment. He placed the package on the table and asked everyone to stand around so that everyone could see what was in the package. Everything was fair. Everyone anticipated that they might soon have to share money, so maximum openness was not out of place.
You and I can only imagine how hopeful and excited the faces of the people who formed a living ring around the table shone. All these men in childhood read Robert Louis Stevenson’s imperishable masterpiece “Treasure Island,” and since then everyone has been raving about the moment that they themselves, like the heroes of the novel, would find a forged chest with pirate treasure, open it and scream with joy at the sight of sparkling in the rays the sun of golden doubloons and ducats!
It is clear that in this case it was not a huge treasure chest in front of them. But it’s unlikely that anyone would hide some trifle in a hiding place that isn’t worth a penny. That’s why everyone watched the master open the package, because they understood that now we were not talking about idle curiosity. All of them were now driven by something more important. Everyone expected that now the walls of this room would shake with a cry of joy and delight!
The longer the master tinkered with the package, the more the tension in the room grew...
But when the flap of cloth was finally finally unrolled, and everyone saw that they were inside, a certain single sound, simultaneously escaping from the lips of many, really broke the ringing silence that reigned in the room. But it was not a cry of joy, but a sigh of disappointment...
What appeared before the eyes of the builders was not stacks of money, but an ordinary notebook...
Well, not quite ordinary. It was old, with yellowed pages. There was something romantic about her, without a doubt. But still it was not money...
- Maybe this notebook is something like a pirate map? - The hesitant voice of Jack Gilbert was heard. – Perhaps this indicates the place where the treasure is hidden?
It looked unlikely, but it still gave at least some hope to the despondent real owners of the treasures.
Oscar Humphrey carefully leafed through the pages of the notebook...
This is where new disappointment awaited everyone. Everyone expected that the notebook would be covered with some important information. Alas, almost all the pages were blank...
Only at the beginning there was a recording, which, however, meant a lot!
It immediately became clear to everyone that this was not a personal diary, in which children usually write what is going on in their souls. The most secret things are written there. The one who squeaks doesn’t want anyone to read it. Children usually hide their diaries from their parents. There was a guess that perhaps this notebook was just the diary of some idiot who decided to hide it in this wall from the watchful eyes of strict parents.
What the master read made it clear to everyone that this innocent-looking notebook still kept some terrible secret within itself.
After the master read what was written on the first page, silence hung in the room. She was interrupted by Jack Gilbert's voice:
- It would probably be better if we hand over our find to the police...
Everyone thought about it, no one objected.
- Still, the police, I think, have nothing to do with it. – Oscar Humphrey sighed heavily. – These are things of a long time ago... More than a century has passed since then. I think we'd better donate this to a local museum. And let them decide what to do with all this.
- Yes! Right! It will be right!
These were the words of those who, once again sighing heavily and waving their hands in frustration, went back to their workplace.
The dreams of these poor fellows about a fabulous treasure were never destined to come true...

Episode five
I, Thomas Page, begin to write in this diary, where I will write down everything that will happen to me in the future. And with those who dragged me into this matter. And the events ahead are planned to be very inert! That’s why I decided to put all this on paper, because I understand that I will become a participant in something that no one has ever done.
My master, Mr. George Collins, came up with all this. What he has in mind is so unusual, mysterious and terrible that he probably would never have involved a stranger in this matter if he did not need help. So he decided to trust me.
He told me how much he admired what Phineas Barnum, James Bailey, and James Hutchinson had done in figuring out how to make a lot of money from people's deformities. They created circuses where crowds of onlookers flocked, wanting thrills, wanting to be numb with fear at the sight of terrible and even sinister faces! My master has moved on! He decided not to repeat what had already happened! He came up with something of his own! Much more terrible, cynical, and immoral! Circus owners exploited people offended by fate, showing them like animals in a cage for the amusement of the public. Mr. Collins did something even worse! He decided to use these poor fellows as accomplices in his crimes!
The scheme he came up with is simply monstrous. He looks for people with the most disfigured, scary and terrible faces possible, and persuades them, and sometimes forces them through threats and violence, to play the role of extortionists.
Initially, Mr. Collins begins by looking for rich, lonely, elderly people himself, and then sends a man with an ugly face to their bedroom. Looking at which the unfortunate owners, dying of fear, pee any papers slipped to them! There they themselves voluntarily give up their houses and palaces, bequeathing them to complete strangers and strangers!
There is so much cynicism and meanness in what my master has planned that I do not want to be a participant in his crimes and help him in what he forces me to do. I have no choice yet, and I submit to him. But I started writing in this notebook. I will describe everything that will happen. Perhaps I will then hand over these recordings to the police. Or maybe I can’t stand it and will do it earlier. So far, my master’s criminal detail has not gained even greater scope.
We managed to accomplish only one thing that George Collins had in mind. He traveled somewhere to the north of Scotland and brought back a man with a very ugly and scary face. The unfortunate man's name is Charlie Gibson. It turned out that he had a relative living in Wales, in Flint, who was now away. Collins had previously planned to commit his crimes not in his homeland, America, but in another country. So that he could then return home clean, white and fluffy, and no one would know about his atrocities. So he happily jumped at Charlie's offer to live at his relative's house in Flint. So it was that Collins set up his business here in North Wales.
Collins, or “Mr. Horror”, as I call him, committed his first treachery in the city of Wrexham, neighboring Flint. There he looked for a nice house for the lonely and wealthy Earl William Chesterton.
Collins was very happy that everything worked out for him! He has outlined new victims for himself. He wants to find new freaks so that they too can help him earn criminal money.
I, along with the unfortunate Charlie Gibson, who meekly submits to the will of my master, took part in this abomination...
I do not know what to do…
For now, I try to hide my feelings, and especially this notebook, from Collins. He is such a soulless and cruel person that I am afraid that if he finds out about my records, he will kill me!!!
Now I will describe how the crime in Wrexham went, and what the immediate plans of my master are. I know that he plans to carry out similar extortion of money from elderly people in Rhyl, where the lonely widow Teresa Fraser lives, and also from Melissa Kennett, who lives in Conwy, next to their famous fortress. The house of Countess Caroline Milton from neighboring Chester also attracted the attention of the villain. And this is no longer Wales, but England. So the appetite of our enterprising lover of other people's money will increase...
I don’t know what to do...
I'm afraid for my life...
You can expect everything from Collins...

Episode six
The library, located in the very center of the cute and cozy town of Flint, is a real paradise for creative people. Here, in addition to the hall with books, there are also several cozy rooms where creative meetings and gatherings of like-minded people take place. Here someone can work with books, surf the Internet, at a computer or with a notepad in their hands.
In one of these small halls one day a group of people gathered who had come here from Wrexham, Chester, Liverpool and Manchester.
Everyone listened for a long time to the long speech of a certain Dorothy Bell from Liverpool, and at this time each of those gathered took turns taking into their hands an old notebook with the stations they wanted from time to time, slowly leafed through them, continuing to listen to the speaker.
- Let me summarize what I spoke about in more detail above. – The narrator took a breath and continued. – This notebook is not only interesting. She is unique! She is an eloquent confirmation of what was previously only guessed at. About a century ago, many people in our area were sincerely surprised by a series of ancient events that seemed to have no explanation. Wealthy gentlemen, seemingly of sound mind, having made fortunes and owning luxurious houses, for no apparent reason, suddenly began to give their invisibility, and bequeath their entire inheritance, to strangers! Why did it happen?! Even one such case had the right to arouse interest! But the phenomenon was that this wave of absurdity swept through all the northern counties of Wales and England! How many spears were broken in the heat of reasoning and debate on this matter! There were so many assumptions and conjectures! Some understood that this was not an accident. That something or someone could be behind this! Now we know the specific name of this unknown person, previously brought up by the definition of “someone”...
- You're right, Miss Dorothy. - Louise Addams, who had fled from Wrexham, nodded her head affirmatively. – Everything said in this curious notebook coincides with what was known earlier. I myself live in Wrexham, and in our town everyone knows the story associated with the house of Earl William Chesterton. Apparently, the old count’s sick heart could not withstand the terrible ordeal of meeting the man who frightened him, and he went to another world. Taking with him to the grave the secret of why he did such a strange thing with his house. Now we understand why...
“This also applies to other names indicated in the notebook,” added Molly Campbell, “we have made inquiries about them.” Theresa Fraser and Melissa Kennett, mentioned in the notebook, actually lived in both Rhyl and Conwy. They did exactly the same thing as Earl William Chesterton. This is just the beginning of the investigations! I am sure that we will reveal so many secrets that it could become a world sensation. Well, not a sensation, of course, but one of the secrets that was revealed many years later. It is always interesting, mysterious and enigmatic...
- Agree with you. – A lady from Chester intervened in the conversation. – Our city is famous for its police. They solve the most complicated cases. It would be possible to involve them in the investigation. Personally, I wonder what happened to the author of what was written in the notebook. That is, with the owner of this book. With Thomas Page
- I think I can guess what happened to him...
Everyone turned their heads towards the owner of the room.
“In our city cemetery,” she began under the pressure of questioning glances, realizing that everyone was expecting an explanation from her, “there is an unmarked grave, the tablet on which is dated exactly the year indicated in this notebook.” They say that then the body of an unknown man was discovered in our town. This was clearly not a local resident. Nobody knew him. Just as they didn’t try to find out who he was then, they couldn’t do it... Nobody recognized him... So now I’m thinking, isn’t this the grave of Thomas Page?
A ringing silence reigned in the room...
“What…” Dorothy Bell broke the silence with a timid voice. – It’s very possible... Apparently, Collins finally saw through his servant and killed him... So that he would not stir up too much... As they say, he shut his mouth...
“And now, a hundred years later,” Louise Addams responded thoughtfully, “he took it and spoke... With the help of this notebook...
Everyone was silent, amazed at the discovery.
“It turned out like a message from the other world...” Someone’s thoughtful voice was heard. - Just like in the movies... Or in books...
“That’s for sure...” Louise Addams smiled sadly. – A real detective story has begun to emerge! We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let's continue, friends!
The windows in the Flint library building were burning until late that evening...

Date of writing this story: March 8, 2024,
Place of birth of the story: Great Britain, North Wales, Flint, Bolingbroke Street 135.