Short Stories With A Twist

By Elaine Halpern

Fascinating and affecting stories about the chasms between parents and children, friends and lovers, and bridges we build – and break – with love, loyalty, and betrayal. Glimpses into other lives include:

The adopted boy who searches for his birth mother, only to find that your parents are not those who make you, but those you make your parents;
A new wife who is rescued from a psychopathic husband by a mysterious gypsy...who may not be a stranger at all;
A group of embittered women who become vigilantes, and receive life-changing guidance from an unusual source: their first victim.

23 stories that will surprise and inspire you, and, most important: change the way you look at life.

Isn’t that what stories are supposed to do?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Monique Happy
• Release date: Sep 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311520944

Elaine Halpern

Elaine has resided in Jersey City, New Jersey most of her life, although she spent much of her time in Manhattan. She now resides in Ocean County. Between then and now, many years have passed and most of her life is still a mystery. Where did the years go? Throughout her adult life she wrote songs and poems. This is the first book she wrote and she hopes you enjoy it. What kind of life has she led? Only she knows. She is in almost every short story that she wrote, so you must read the book to find out. :-)

Book preview

SHORT STORIES WITH A TWIST

Elaine Halpern

SHORT STORIES

WITH A Twist

By

Elaine Halpern

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Copyright 2015

Elaine Halpern

Smashwords Edition

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This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real persons, events, or places are purely coincidental; any references to actual places, people, or brands are fictitious. All rights reserved. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Edited & Published by Monique Happy Editorial Services

www.moniquehappy.com

Cover art by Kelly A. Martin

www.kellyamartin.com

***

DEDICATION

My heartfelt thanks to Kiki, who after reading my poems encouraged me

to write stories for the last eight years. This book is dedicated to her.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GHOSTS

THE STORY OF SKY

NEW BEGINNINGS

YEARS WASTED

A TRAINED KILLER

A JEEP’S LIFE

THE STRANGE PHENOMENON

THE OUTCASTS

STORY OF PETER

NEW LIFE

LOVE CONQUERS ALL

MYSTERIOUS STRANGER

JUSTICE IS SERVED

THE LOVERS

THE TRUTH

THE GYPSY’S WARNING

A HEARTFELT MEMORY

THE ENTREPRENEURS

POETIC JUSTICE

MEETING BETH

THE VIGILANTES

UNSOLVED MYSTERY

CONFUSION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GHOSTS

Margie and Ray Anderson were in their early sixties and decided to sell their home. Their two children had gotten married and moved to the West Coast, so they had no need for such a large home.

They found a large two-bedroom, two-bathroom home and decided that was the one for them. It was in excellent condition and they could use the second bedroom as a guest room if either of their children wanted to visit. They got rid of so many things during the move from a five-bedroom home with a large basement and garage. They decided to buy some new furniture to make them feel as though they were making a fresh new start. It seemed more comfortable as well, for they’d lived in the shore area of New Jersey just blocks from the beach, and the new house they were moving into was nearby, which made it ideal.

The first night they were there they fell in love with their new cozy home. They were watching their new large-screen TV and had their electric fireplace on which was keeping them warm on the cool summer night.

For the first few days they were busy putting things away and then just enjoying sitting in the backyard listening to music and talking.

It started to get quite warm out, for it was the end of June, and both Margie and Ray got into their bathing suits and took their umbrella and chairs with them and walked to the beach.

After returning home, they were both so elated with their new home they decided to put on some music and dance like years gone by. Then they realized that with the money they’d received from selling their other home they could visit their kids at least twice a year. Life seemed like a fairy tale, never knowing what they'd have to face in the new house they’d moved into.

In the early morning Ray was on his way to the bathroom when he thought he heard a noise in the guest room. So he peeked inside and noticed that the blanket was moved; it looked like someone had been sleeping there, although no one was there now. He thought nothing of it, for he just assumed that his wife had decided to watch TV before he woke up and went in there so she wouldn't disturb him. Therefore, he just put the blanket back on the way it was before.

While having their breakfast, Ray asked his wife if she’d gone into the guest room during the night, and she looked at him in disbelief. Why would I go to the guest room in the middle of the night? So he thought perhaps she was so sleepy that she’d forgotten, and dismissed that from his mind.

Days went by before Ray decided to look into the guest room again. This time the blanket was almost on the floor and the bed was slightly messed up. He called his wife in and told her something was going on. When she looked for herself, she appeared very frightened and asked her husband if he believed in ghosts. He laughed at her and told her that wasn't possible. He said someone must have a key and was coming in at night; however, it was strange that nothing was missing.

They called the police department and reported this incident and wondered if anyone before them had made any complaints. The police assured them that the people living there never had any complaints at all and they should think about changing their locks on the front and back door so no one could get in if they somehow had a key. As the police walked to their car, they both were smiling; they thought perhaps these people were senile and they would just humor them.

The next day Ray had a locksmith come in and change both locks and they both felt better. But before too long the same noise was coming from that room and when they ran to look, no one was there but the covers were pulled down.

After this happened many times, with Ray waking up in the middle of the night to try to catch the one who was sneaking in there, it was still to no avail. When they heard a noise coming from there they would walk in as quickly as they could, but the room was always empty.

They called their son in California to tell him what was happening, and he suggested putting a camera outside of the house in different areas, just to see if they could figure out what was happening. They called a company who installed cameras and the man showed them how they could watch the outside any time of the day and night, and it also would be recorded in case they were to fall asleep. After watching the tape for two weeks, despite still hearing the sounds in the bedroom and the bedcover being moved, it didn't show anyone coming in. It was more than they could take.

They decided to call the police again for they had no idea what they could do to solve this.

The same two officers came and of course they just humored them by saying it probably was a friendly ghost. Both Margie and Ray looked very spooked at the very idea; Ray thought that the officers were unkind because he and his wife were seniors; the officers most likely thought Margie and Ray were the ones disturbing the room and had just forgotten. But the Andersons realized, what else could the officers assume? Everything pointed to the fact that no one was coming into the house, and the only other reasonable answer would be a ghost. It made them wonder if they should put the house up for sale, for it was more nerve-wracking than they could deal with.

They spoke to both their son and daughter about their problem and asked them what they should do, for they couldn’t go on living in a house like this. Both children knew their parents were far from senile and what was happening was a mystery to them as well. So, after a few days of thought, they all decided to put the house up for sale and find a different one. If there was a ghost in the house, however friendly, it was a scary situation.

Within two months they’d sold the house for less than they’d paid for it just to have peace of mind. In the contract it said that they would move as soon as they found another house.

They looked for months to find another one that they liked as well as the one they’d sold, but it was hard to find.

Finally, as much as they didn't want to move from New Jersey, they decided to move near their daughter, who was in Nevada about seventy-five miles from Vegas. Their daughter and son-in-law found a nice new two-bedroom house that was large and completely furnished; they asked Ray and Margie to come down and see it, for the price was good and it wasn't too far from where both their children lived.

As they were on the plane heading for Nevada they had mixed feelings about leaving New Jersey, for they’d lived there all their lives and most of their friends were there. And would it be wise to live that close to their daughter? They were enjoying the empty nest. They were certain if they moved to Nevada they would be asked to babysit for the kids, and perform other favors, and that was something they didn't want. However, staying in that house was more upsetting than anything else they could think of.

The plane landed on time and Jimmy, their