The Death of Lowis Red

It was a chilly night in October, Halloween to be exact. The fall leaves fell in large clumps over the wet streets. A cool wind swept over the town, causing everyone to pull their coats up just a little higher. Streetlights cast an eerie glow upon children’s faces as they giddily held their buckets out for more rounds of candy. 

Everyone in town knew it was a death sentence to enter the Merrilyn Graveyard on Halloween night. But, for some people, it was worth fifty bucks. Well, it was for Olivia Collins and her best friend, that is.

"Worst idea you've had yet-- you know that, right?"

"Mmmmhm," she murmured absentmindedly, fiddling with the lock on the wrought, iron gates.

 The boy groaned, "Liv, let's just come back another night-- this place is giving off some majorly creepy vibes right now."

"Chill, Maddox," she muttered, "I'm almost... done..."

Maddox let out an exasperated sigh as Olivia continued to struggle with the lock, "You're not even gonna be able to take that off--" just as he had said the words, the rusted lock fell to the ground with a clink, and Olivia turned to him, wearing a pleased expression on her face. "Happy Halloween," she grinned, turning her flashlight on, and entering the graveyard. Maddox moaned, but followed her through the gate, making sure to stay close behind. 

The gravestones had to have been at least one hundred years old, and seemed to be reaching out to grab him at any given moment. He swallowed, picking up the pace as he followed Olivia down a thin dirt path, to the very center of the graveyard. “We’ll camp out here!” Olivia said cheerily, dropping her duffel bag with a thud near a small grave marked, Lowis Red 1890-1950.   

Maddox rolled his eyes at her bright mood, but set his backpack on the freezing earth nonetheless. “So,” Olivia clapped her hands together, rubbing them to spark some warmth, or merely out of excitement. “What now?”

Anger boiled deep within her friend, “You took me all the way out here on Halloween night, away from civilization, without a plan for what we’re going to do here?” 

“Well, I-” 

“No!” Maddox cut her off, standing with his backpack over one shoulder, “You’re absolutely nuts. I’m going back home, Liv.”

"But Maddox-” and before she could say more, a loud snapping sound came from behind them, and a large tree branch came crashing down upon Lowis's grave. 

The two children screamed, Maddox just running out of the way before the branch collided with the stone. They stood there, panting for a moment, while the dust settled, revealing a large crack in the gravestone.

It had split through the marble, and two separate pieces lay on the icy ground. “That. . . was. . . awesome!” Olivia exclaimed, examining the branch that had nearly killed them minutes before. 

“Are you crazy?” Maddox screeched, stepping back, “That could have killed me, and you’re saying it was awesome?”

“Well, it didn’t actually kill you, now did it?”

“Don’t be all smart with me,” Maddox growled, turning to go. “I’m getting out of here before something comes to bury me alive.” 

As he marched off, Olivia bent down, reaching her hand into the middle of the two cracked pieces of stone, and pulling something out.

“Maddox,” she breathed. “No Olivia! I won’t listen to your pleas! You can spend the whole freaking night alone in this graveyard for all I c-”

“Maddox!” 

“What?” 

“Look.” 

Maddox let out a groan, but turned around, crouching next to Olivia to peer at what she held in her hand.

A small, yellow-tinged envelope rested in her palm. There was an red oval seal on the flap, marked with an L. “I found it in the grave,” whispered Olivia, flipping it over gently and removing the wax. “What do you think you’re doing?” Maddox hissed, snatching the paper away. 

“Seeing what's inside, you idiot! Give it back!” 

“Ho-no. No way,” Maddox held it above her reach as she attempted to get it back. “This is someone else’s! We can’t just steal it, Liv!”

“It's not stealing if the person’s dead, Maddox!” Olivia protested, finally getting hold of the letter and dropping to the ground, cross-legged, to open it. 

Maddox shook his head, his face in his hands, “You shouldn’t have done that,” he mumbled between his fingers. “Look!” Olivia, jerked his arm and he fell down beside her. Wincing he sat up, peering at the faded letters on the paper.

Dearest Lowis, I am sorry to hear of your great uncle’s death. Tis a sorrow he had to depart with us so soon. I am afraid I have some rather horrid news to tell you, however. I was searching through my old accounts of the murders in the last few years, and it seems they all have a connection with your family. I had never suspected it would be you, but I was clearly mistaken. Dearest Lowis, it is with my most humble regret to inform you, that you must be the next victim. I am afraid it must be done to keep the legacy alive, you see. I will miss you, truly. And remember, no hard feelings. 

The two stared at the paper, gaping. “Um,” Olivia started, delicately folding the note once again and placing it in the envelope gently, “Maybe we should go. . .”

Maddox nodded, gulping.

"I mean, it's not like she's s-still. . ."

"Yeah, yeah- no, of course not,"

"R-right,"

"Right."

And with that, the two turned to leave, Olivia placing the letter back between the split grave. But something felt off, and when she turned to look up, a gasp escaped her.

"What, what is it?" Maddox asked, wheeling around.

Olivia, speechless, merely pointed. The branch was gone. And the cracked stone lay on the frozen ground.

The two looked up into the tree, and there it was, fastened to the trunk of the tree. "How-" Maddox started, but was cut off when Olivia gripped his arm, pointing with a shaking hand at the newly carved words on the grave, You're next.