Cultural
Background
Storyteller's Cabin
Pastor Fitch and his wife rode up the long, bumpy dirt road, the thick oak trees sheltering them from the rain. Soon they spotted a large, gloomy-looking mansion peeking out of an overgrown yard. Thick strands of kudzu covered the weather-beaten stone walls, but for the most part, the house was in reasonably good shape.
The couple got off the wagon and slowly opened the rotted door, its rusty hinges creaking loudly. Inside the dark, musty house, they could see that most of the furniture was still inside, covered in dust. A large stone fireplace filled the living room. Long hallways led to other darkened rooms, but they had no interest in finding out what lurked in the house's unseen depths.
The Pastor gathered some wood and started a roaring fire. Even though the warmth felt heavenly, the flickering flames cast eerie shadows on the empty walls and high ceilings, making the spooky house even more sinister. The Pastor sat his shivering wife in front of the fire, handed her his Bible and suggested she read some selected verses to combat any fears she might experience.
After an hour of sitting by the fire, the couple suddenly heard a strange noise from somewhere in the darkness. It sounded like faint footsteps walking up and down a distant hallway, pacing anxiously.
"Do you hear that?" asked Sarah Sue.
"It's nothing, dear," answered the Pastor, working on notes for a future sermon. "Read your Bible."
The footsteps grew louder and louder, as if walking down the hallway toward them. Sarah Sue looked at her husband, but he kept his face buried in his notes, writing furiously.
The footsteps then entered the room. Sarah Sue looked anxiously about, but could see nothing. What followed next chilled her blood - a low, painful moan, filling the cavernous room with its misery.
"Dear?" started Sarah Sue.
"Ignore it!" said the Pastor. "Read your Bible!"
The footsteps circled her chair, the moan growing louder and more anguished. Her hands shook as she flipped the dog-eared pages of her Bible, reading the most inspirational, evil-fighting passages out loud with uncommon fervor. The front door then slammed, and slammed again, over and over, until it completely flew off its hinges! A fierce wind blew into the home, snuffing out the large fire, plunging the room into total darkness.
"Dear?" yelped Sarah Sue.
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