Scared Silly(Donald Harry Roberts) Scared Silly
A
Zak Vancura Mini Mystery

Halloween. All Hallows Eve. Call it what you will and have fun shelling out to all those little urchins dressed up like monsters and fairies and beasts and super heroes. That’s what its all about isn’t it.
Maybe for most but for me it was all about taking a walk along the docks before winter set in and catching the last rays of the sun setting over the bay. I was getting ready for a special autumn edition especially with a couple of pages of grand and beautiful fall leaves.

I got one perfect shot of the last evening sun ray then settled back to watch the Halloween full moon rising, I brought my best camera, my patience, and a bit of a picnic. It’s not every Halloween that the full moon rises over Twin Bluffs Harbour. I was surprised I had the board walk all to myself. Maybe at that point I should have realized there was a reason for this odd phenomenon. By the time I got it was too late and I am darn lucky I got out. One wrong move and I could have ended up playing tag with the grim reaper.

I decided to head down to quay that jutted a hundred yard out into the bay. What better spot could there be. There was nothing to block a good shot and once again I had the place to myself. Well almost.
I was just getting my tripod up and the camera fixed when the water around me started to gurgle. I recall my words were, “Man, that’s gotta be one big fish to do that.” But when I looked into the inky black water I could see a darn thing.
Another few minutes past. The full moon was rising and the silver highway it cast upon the water was glimmering like diamonds on black velvet.

Suddenly, two of those precious glimmering moon diamonds turned red and a huge head rose out of the bay attached to a long neck wreathing like a snake.
I am not a particularly super brave guy but since I had my camera set up I started taking shots of the beast. But when I was absorbed in my work, out of the shadows beyond the growing silver moon highway a ship, a ghostly thing that sailed just above the water and was coming straight toward the quay.
I switched my camera to video and started filming. And as I did something incredible happen.

The beast turned and saw the ghostly ship. Then it shot out of the water showing off its porpoise like body leaping high into the air then diving deep into the deep dark water and disappeared into the depths.
Some one called out from the ghostly ship, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. I think it was French. But then I saw the name of the vessel and could hardly believe my eyes. I really thought I had gone completely over the edge of insanity. It was the Griffon. Really. I mean, it was ghostly but real all at the same time.

I was just getting my camera lined back up when the red eyed beast rose out of the water with its neck flailing and its eyes blazing like fire and I thought for sure it was going to destroy the Griffon, but just as it crashed down something touched my shoulder and when I turned I found myself surrounded by ghosts and witches and goblins and every other Halloween creature you can Imagine were swirling about me like and clawing at me and hissing and wailing, screaming, and laughing hideously.
My heart was pounding in my chest like a jack hammer and if I could have screamed I would have but nothing would come out.

The last thing I remember was turning and watching the Griffon and the Beast explode into the most glorious fire works I had ever seen. At the same moment, the ghosts and goblins and demons rose into the air and raced to join in the fireworks vanishing into wafting tendrils of rainbow coloured mist.
I woke, still sitting at my desk in the office. The hour was striking midnight and outside the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled. I breathed a sigh of relief. A Halloween dream had scared me silly.

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