Hell's Carnival

By Austin Lawrence

Austin Lawrence is a renowned writer and paranormal investigator with a deep passion for horror and all things supernatural. Growing up in a small town farmhouse coated with haunted tales, it sparked Austin's fascination with the eerie and unexplained. This, coupled with his creative talents in film photography, video production, and writing, le

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Lawrence
• Release date: Mar 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869067616

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Hells Carnival

Austin Lawrence

Copyright 2023 by Austin Lawrence

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means- electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other- except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the permission of the publisher.

Mentions

Eric Freeman Sims for all his continued support and encouragement. As host of The Unseen Paranormal Podcast and a seasoned paranormal investigator, not only are you someone I look up to but also someone who I am lucky enough to call a friend. Along with Rodger Sims Jr. and Caleb Thompson, I am forever grateful for all that you have done, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.

Bob Hicks and Brittani Clark for your continued support and allowing me to tag along on your investigations and shenanigans.

Medics 4 Paranormal and PPF investigations for all that you do for not only the paranormal community, but charity as well. Lee and Regina are amongst the greatest people I have had the privilege to meet over the past year and part of the reason why I have grown to view Nashville as a second home.

Everyone who supported Taylor Mill Horror, my first attempt at writing a book. I never expected the amount of support and love that it had received. It was because of that love and support that I decided to continue writing, this being one of many books to come.

Finally, anyone who is reading this. I hope that you enjoy this journey of madness that you are about to embark on.

Diabolical forces are formidable. These forces are eternal, and they exist today. The fairy tale is true. The devil exists.

- Ed Warren

table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 1

Along the Ohio River lies a small town by the name of Cheshire. Home to just over two hundred people, it’s small and run-down, kept alive by a single power plant offering up a few jobs. Although the power plant paid well, about a quarter of the people in Cheshire lived well below the poverty line. Cheshire was the type of place that everybody wanted to get out of, but few had the means to do so.

Just a stone’s throw away across the Ohio River is Point Pleasant, West Virginia. This, too, is a smaller town, but it has been famous for stories of the Mothman. Some say he is a cryptid; others say a demon, but one thing is for sure: he’s responsible for all the problems in that town. From the bridge collapse back in the sixties that caused forty-six deaths to the lack of rain that caused the crops and grass to die, Mothman was to blame.

Point Pleasant is an interesting place, and not just for the stories of Mothman; there are other urban legends as well. They say it is the most haunted town in the United States, largely due to the gruesome fighting during the Battle of Point Pleasant, a bloody battle where settlers killed the natives who were on the land. An American militiaman was killed by some unknown natives, and in retaliation, their chief, chief Cornstalk, was brutally executed. His head was placed on a pike for all to see. The land where this happened is now a small park that overlooks the Ohio River. Here, you will find no statues or monuments depicting what had occurred, just a small plaque you would miss if you didn’t know it was there.

Also located on the banks of the river is the well-known Lowe Hotel. It is said to be haunted by multiple boat captains who once traveled the mighty Ohio River. Built in 1901, the hotel was once a hub for entertainment and balls. Still in operation to this day, many claim to experience paranormal activity within its walls, even catching glimpses of apparitions dancing in the old ballroom.

Finally, you have the TNT area. This was a place with multiple concrete bunkers that were used to store stockpiles of ammunition during WWII. Near the TNT area was another power plant that had been shut down years ago. It is believed that this is where the Mothman lives and has been dubbed the Bird House by locals. Some actually believed that the government locked the Mothman up inside the powerhouse in a giant cage until, one day, he broke free. Oh yeah, and for good measure, there are also plenty of reports of UFO and Black Hawk helicopter sightings in the area as well.

Two strange towns separated by only half a mile of the Ohio River. Two strange towns with vast amounts of wilderness and abandoned land. Two strange towns where seemingly anything was possible, from ghosts to creatures and UFOs. It was like a real-life Derry. All it was missing was the evil clown. These two strange towns were about to witness something that even they couldn’t have expected.

The year is 2023, and the population in Cheshire is continuing to dwindle. There were no schools in Cheshire. Most kids were home-schooled. This is a place where many lived and died, never able to further themselves or their careers due to their circumstances. Every now and then, a few residents eventually make it out of this God-forsaken town. Now mid-September, Cheshire resident Jessica Alexander is getting ready for her journey. A journey that few have ever taken. That is the journey to Athens, Ohio, to go to college and study ecology.

Jessica, at the age of eighteen, was a middle child; her brother Dave was just thirteen, and her older brother Dale was twenty-three. Jessica’s mother, Marleen, dropped out of high school at the age of seventeen when she became pregnant with Dave, and her father, Earle, had dropped out part way through his senior year. Jessica would be the first in her family to ever attend college. While you would think this would make her parents proud, they always saw college as something for the rich folks. There were plenty of good jobs to be had. Jobs that real hard-working men and women took on instead of spending money to go to some fancy school.

Although her mother was unemployed and her father was currently laid off, they both refused to attend Jessica’s first visit for orientation. She decided to go with her brother Dale. Jessica had always looked up to Dale as he was the first one in the family with some ambition. Dale was the first in his family to graduate from high school. He then moved across the river to Point Pleasant to start a career as a manager at a gas station. Her parents were completely fine with living in poverty in a run-down and largely abandoned town. Dale, on the other hand, moved out of town against his parents’ will to take on a career after getting his diploma. Sure, it was just working as a manager at a gas station, but it was a job. He made it out of this town, something that very few people do.

The best part was that all she had to do to see him was take the bridge over the river. His home actually sat right on the edge of the river. She could see his home lit up at night and would often stay up to watch the lights in the home go out before she switched off her own bedroom light. This was their way of saying goodnight to one another.

Jessica had only one night left before her new life journey began. Tomorrow morning, she was packing up her car and driving to her dorm in Akron. Although she had to be up early that next morning, she promised her best friend Annabel they would have one final crazy night together. The last thing on Jessica’s mind was going out, but she knew she was leaving her best friend and family behind. This would possibly be the last night they’d ever have together. That is, if Jessica was able to escape this wretched town.

The internal clock began ticking louder and louder in Jessica’s head. Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock. It never stopped and kept her up most nights. She was eighteen now. Just yesterday, she was in middle school. Tick-Tock. The sound grew louder and louder. At times, she swore that it even got faster. Just yesterday, she and Annabel were hanging out on the playground during recess, and tomorrow, she’s off to college. Tick-Tock. The sound caused her anxiety to rise. Next week, she will be in her forties, and her parents will be long gone. Tick-Tock. Just like the Tell-Tale Heart, the sound began to slowly drive her mad. The ticking of that damned clock grew so loud that she would stay in bed all day, crippled with anxiety. Laying in bed looking up at the spinning fan her face would contort with fear and disgust. Her fists would become clenched as she would punch the pillow lying next to her. Frustration coupled with fear would take over as the tears would begin to flow. The sound of that clock could only be drowned out behind closed eyes. That is, until this past week.

Last night, for example, Jessica was fast asleep, dreaming of a night on the beach. The waves loudly crashed ashore as the moon and stars illuminated her surroundings. While walking barefoot through the sand, she spotted a fire off in the distance. A group of college kids stood around the fire, drinking beers and laughing. The waves crawled ashore and up her ankles, causing her to shutter as the cool water sent shock waves down her spine. Everything was calm and peaceful. As she grew closer to the group sitting around the fire, one of the teens raised a beer in the air and shouted for her to come over. A smile came across her face. She was finally about to make new friends in this unfamiliar environment. As she approached the teens, they tried yelling out to her, but she could not make out what they were saying as the waves drowned out their voices. She began to jog towards them, growing closer, and their voices became louder and louder. Now, about ten feet away from them, she could finally make out their words.

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock. They chanted with menacing scowls on their faces. She instantly fell to the ground, twisting her ankle on the way down. She was now in a fetal position, crying. Their chants grew louder and louder as they began to approach and surround her. What do they want? She thought. Leaping out of bed in a cold sweat, the anxiety had returned along with the ticking from that damned clock. It will never stop. The macabre song will continue as she marches off to her death.

However, the clock was not on her mind that night. Instead, tonight, she was filled with a different kind of anxiety. She was anxious about what tomorrow would bring as she moved into her first dorm. About whether or not she would be able to find her classes, although she walked the campus for countless hours to prepare. About what would happen if she failed; she could never move back home after that. Her parents would have a field day filled with I told you so’s and constant reminders that she was dumb for thinking she ever had a chance. Anxiety about tonight. What would Anna say to her as she spends her last night with her best friend before leaving her behind? Jess stayed up all night rehearsing hypothetical conversations and situations.

Where the hell do you think you’re going, yelled a gruff voice from downstairs.

I am going out with Anna, Jess replied as she ran frantically from her bedroom to the bathroom, making sure that her makeup and clothes were just right.

It’s nine at night. Just because you’re leaving us tomorrow doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow our rules. There is no damn reason you should be going out. Nothing good happens after nine, you know that.

Daddy, look, I am going out. If you want to ground me tomorrow, then that’s fine. I have one last night to spend with my friends, and I am going to do it, Jess yelled, standing at the top of the stairs.

Her dad was always the overprotective type. The ironic thing, however, is that he never really seemed to want what was best for her. He simply enjoyed having control over her. This is why he doesn’t want me to leave for college. Once I am gone, he will no longer be able to control me, she thought. Her father, like most in the area, liked to drink. A lot. Most of her childhood memories consisted of him with a beer in one hand and a cigarette