The Water Ghost

By Jennifer B Campbell

Have you heard the legend of the Water Ghost?

Harbor Talbot is in the eighth grade when he receives a mysterious box from Alcatraz. Inside, is his great grandfather’s diary, mysterious letters from a beautiful and reclusive poet, and evidence that his Grandpa Shep could be the infamous Water Ghost, a restless spirit, who haunts the

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scarlett L Press
• Release date: Oct 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9780998245218

Book preview

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The Water Ghost

More Phantom Elements

Out of the Fire

Carved in Stone

Phantom Elements

The Water

Ghost

Jennifer Campbell

Big Blue Press

Oklahoma

.

ISBN 978-0-9982452-0-1

For Noah

Chapter ONe

The Legend of the Water Ghost, Told by Harbor

Everyone in the town of Prue, Oklahoma knows about the Legend of the Water Ghost. If you’re standing in the town of Prue, you’re actually in New Prue, because the town of Prue is underwater. Prue was flooded and came to officially reside underwater in 1966 when the Keystone Dam was built."

Dude, you said dam! Aiden Franks laughed from the back of the classroom, surrounded by Sadie Lee Fink and her gang of giggling cheerleaders. Sadie Lee smeared on more bubblegum lip gloss and perfumed the air with the plastic candy scent, along with her snickering laughter.

Come on, Harbor said as he glared at Aiden. The least the guy could do was listen. Harbor had saved Aiden from having to catch any ground balls hit to left field at the game on Saturday. It wasn’t easy playing shortstop in front of someone as lazy as Aiden.

Oh, oh, seriously guys, let the professor tell us about why he likes history and stuff. It’s real old, guys, Aiden was poking at Harbor. Sadie Lee could not stop forcing the spewing giggles.

That’s enough out of you, Franks, grumbled Mr. Matthews, their Oklahoma History teacher. He was clearly anticipating Spring Break every bit as much as the students. Mr. Matthews might just trample them all, getting out the door tomorrow afternoon.

Even though the dam was built by the Flood Act in the sixties, Prue had been flooding for many years before that. Many people lost their homes, or were killed by flash floods.

Harbor wasn’t trying to be dramatic, but he let himself pause out of respect. His family had been living in Prue since the town sprung up around the railroad and most people knew that Shep Talbot was in fact, his great grandfather on his father’s side. Oklahoma was still the wild west to Shep and he was no stranger to gun fights, stealing horses and cattle, and his favorite pastime, robbing banks. The hobby landed him in the country’s most infamous prison- Alcatraz. Surprisingly, Shep Talbot had been a model prisoner, a worker in the prison kitchens, and an avid poetry reader. That is, until he surprised everyone with an escape attempt. The attempt would cost him his life. He drowned in the icy waters of the San Francisco Bay.

Shepherd Talbot died in a prison break, but there were rumors of him stashing his stolen gold in a long lost cabin, underneath the water. That’s why he haunts the lake around Walnut Creek. Some say he can’t rest until he finds his long lost treasure.

Harbor shrugged off the ominous feeling he got whenever he talked about Shep Talbot and ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. He had only seen a few pictures of Shep Talbot. He looked like a rough outlaw. Harbor had the same shaggy blonde hair, the same brown eyes and tan skin. He wondered if that meant anything- family destiny.

Questions? Harbor leaned over the podium and raised an eyebrow.

So, where did he live again? asked Averie, smoothing her cheer skirt over her knees. Sadie Lee yanked at Averie’s bow, producing a sharp yelp. No doubt she regretted asking.

My dad says Shep lived where the lake covers the area around Walnut Creek. He had a cabin there. Sometimes, if you go there at night, people say you hear voices and strange sounds. Some people have even seen him.

That’s weak, nobody’s seen him, Aiden muttered and rolled his eyes.

Yes, they have! Harbor turned to face Aiden. My uncle saw him. He saw him as a mist over the water. He said he was looking for something, Harbor’s brown eyes turned dark. It was very odd for the whole class to be silent. Even Mr. Matthews seemed to be shocked by the showdown. It was Sadie Lee who finally broke the silence.

Well, I think it’s great that your family is a bunch of bank robbing criminals, Harbor, Sadie Lee sang out in her shrill voice, "but my normal family is hosting a barbecue this weekend to celebrate the winner of the Little Miss Sweet Tea Pageant. That would be me. So guess what? You’re all invited. Gifts are strongly encouraged."

With that, the class dissolved into groups, chatting about the baseball game or Sadie Lee’s victory party. Harbor was still standing numbly in front of the class, even after Mr. Matthews had taken his report and simply marked a check for completion. Aiden rolled his eyes again from his seat in the back as he packed up his backpack.

See you at practice, champ, Aiden called to Harbor with a laugh. Harbor just shook his head and shuffled back to his seat. His head was throbbing. He thought back to all the times fishing at Walnut Creek, when Aiden had made fun of him with the old legend.

One night in particular, they had taken Harbor’s old fishing boat out on a dare. They would have been grounded for weeks for taking it out at night, but Kai and Dylan had dared Aiden and he couldn’t back down. He had dropped four pop ups hit to left that day, causing two runs to be scored and costing them the game. Dylan had been catching that day and threw his helmet, cussing at Aiden for chasing the ball around. They both had to run bases for swearing.

Harbor remembered being freezing cold in a hoodie and gym shorts as the boat sailed over the icy water, the old buildings just visible as shadowy phantoms below the surface.

Ooo the Water Ghost is coming, Harbor. We all better hide, waaahhh! Aiden wailed and put his face in his hands, like he was trying to smash his pudgy cheeks into his nose. Kai had laughed but Dylan was still mad about the game. He ended up pushing Aiden into the freezing water just before the boat reached the dock.

Oh not cool, you guys! You’re not gonna leave me out here! I haven’t eaten in three hours! I could go into shock and die! You’re not leaving! Guys? Aiden whined and cried, looking like a swamp creature in sagging wet sweats. Harbor almost felt bad as he sped away with Kai and Dylan, but Aiden deserved it. He was huffing and puffing his way back to Dylan’s house before the pizza was out of the oven.

Harbor could never explain why he felt that eerie chill every time he went out to that part of the lake. It was the same cold feeling that came creeping up his back.

The classroom had emptied by the time Harbor made his way back to his desk. A small glint of metal caught his eye. It looked like a fishing lure, but it looked old, nothing like the lures in his tackle box.

Mr. Matthews, did anyone leave this on my desk? Harbor asked, holding up the lure.

No, but take that home. It looks dangerous, Mr. Matthews said as he sailed out of the classroom.

Harbor twisted the lure between his fingers. It had a small piece of shell, shining like pearl, hooked into a metal barb with four hooks splaying out. Cold breath blew down the fabric of his shirt. He spun around in the empty classroom, but no one was there. It felt like someone had dropped ice down his back.

The only place I fish is in Walnut Creek, Harbor realized. He shrugged it off. It was probably just Aiden playing one of his stupid tricks. He threw the lure out the window and ran down to the bike rack, following the rest of the crowd.

Chapter 2

The Lure with Four Hooks

The team climbed the hill to the practice field slowly, as if the damp chill in the air was making them sluggish. Harbor took a swig of water and noticed the other boys with their worn baseball bags slung across their shoulders. The gray sky brought out the dingy color of their practice jerseys. Harbor wished they could get new jerseys, but the Youth Sports Association said that there were no funds for that.

How many bags of those do you think he’s going to eat? Kai Dempsy whispered in Harbor’s general direction. He was obviously referring to the bright orange cheese dust covering Aiden’s fingers like chemical pollen.

I heard you, tiny weaklings, Aiden snorted, licking the dust off his fingers. I don’t appreciate you fat shaming me. Every body is beautiful, you intolerant turds. You wish you looked this good.

Aiden shimmied his wobbly hips and turned around to pose when Dylan popped up behind him.

That’s disgusting, man. That’s really just… No, Dylan shook his head and popped the top off a blue sports drink. Mountain Sport. It must be an off brand because the general store down the road didn’t carry the good stuff anymore.

Hey, Harbor, sorry we didn’t say anything when this lazy donkey was making fun of you in class. Your great grandpa actually sounds really cool.

Yeah, he does, Kai agreed. Anyone who could live on The Rock, with all those insane criminals, not that your gramps is crazy. I didn’t mean that.

I know. Thanks you guys, Harbor clapped Kai and Dylan on the shoulders.

Lazy donkey? I’ll have you peanuts know that I caught four, no six, grounders yesterday and… and, Harbor herded Kai and Dylan away from a despondent, squawking Aiden so he could tell them more about his great grandfather.

"My dad says Grandpa Shep was caught after four months evading police by camping out in the wilderness. He was arrested for robbery, and after he was convicted, he was sent to