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Review #4663017
Viewing a review of:
The Ghoul  [13+]
A haunted cliff top where suicide is encouraged.
by Adherennium Dr of Phoolishness
Review of The Ghoul  
Review by Starling
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Access:  Public | Hide Review (?)
*Notes:
Interesting story. You did a very good job of building the fright part up. I think I would change the title though, if it was my piece, to “The Vision on the Cliff” or something along those lines. I have never found anything you have written which was boring. I don’t picture the woman as a Ghoul. I have included a line-by-line review below.

***To retire to a place by the sea. (comma not a period) A not uncommon ambition, but one which I have been lucky enough to achieve. The place I have acquired is set on a Welsh hillside, (no comma) and overlooks the Irish Sea. It's a good hour to actually get to the shoreline on foot, but that's fine, as the view is spectacular, and I have no calls on my time now.
***My dogs (comma) on the other hand, seem oblivious to the dangers, and race along the grassy field in happy oblivion, (you have already mentioned they were oblivious) feigning deafness to my calls to come away. I have taken to keeping them on a lead whilst we descend, just to be on the safe side.

***... By day there are birds, hikers, and the occasional fox or badger. To me (comma) it seems strange, but I've never seen any sheep, though elsewhere they seem prevalent.
***Outside, the rain {c:blue)has to fall(s), heavy and violent. I can hear it drumming on the windows, staccato to start, but building to a dense, throbbing beat as the wind lashes it back and forth. I'm standing, staring out, not wishing to miss a moment of the spectacle.
***The first rumble is surprisingly close. The storm has moved in quickly, and within seconds there is a streak of lightening (spelling) that slashes through the sky, impossibly brilliant. Another crash, (no comma) and I'm leaning on the windowsill, my arms spread either side of me, and my nose pressed against the glass.
***As the scene is once again illuminated, I think that I see something, or someone, out on the cliffs. Naturally I peer in that direction, and when on the following strike, I can see that it is definitely a figure, though at this distance, and at a quick glimpse, it's hard to make out much detail. …
***...She walks towards the cliff edge, her arms are outstretched as though embracing the storm.
***... The shock of the cold rain stops me, and I stand in the garden, then about turn (hyphenated) and re-enter the house. I phone the emergency services and give them brief details. Then I pull on a coat and some boots, grab a torch and the dog's leads.
***Despite knowing there is nothing I can do, I run, stumbling and sliding on rain slick (hyphenated) grass till I reach the cliff tops. I search fruitlessly for the woman's coat, but cannot find it. Eventually (comma) I reason that it must have blown over the edge after her.
***Steeling myself I move forwards, feeling deeply unhappy as the wind and rain buffets me. Eventually I get down on my belly, I am already soaked to the skin. As I creep forwards, I feel a mounting terror.
***I hear Kit yelp, as though she has been struck, and whimpering, she retreats from me. I swing around to see what's happening, (no comma) and see torch lights approaching up the hill. Turning back to the edge, I suddenly feel extremely nauseous. …
***When I wake, I feel compelled to go and look for the woman's coat. I feed the dogs, as I'm not planning on taking them this time. After a much needed (hyphenated) coffee, I head out, (no comma) and make my way along and down (In the previous paragraph you say the police were running up the hill to the cliff’s edges, and here you say you are waling down the hill to the cliff-tops. One of these needs to be corrected) to the cliff-tops.
***The wind is still strong, (no comma) and drives thin needles of rain into my face as I squelch down the track, avoiding the larger puddles as best I can. When I reach the exposed, open grassland of the cliff tops, I can see straight away that there is no coat anywhere, and realise (spelling) my stupidity. If it where were here, then the police would have found it.
***Cautiously I approach the edge. Something else occurs to me. There is no police presence here this morning. Surely if they've found a body, there's (no -’s) would be tape or something? …
***Embarrassed, I shuffle backwards (no -s) until I can stand again. Then I begin the long walk down to the beach. …
***A few weeks pass, (no comma) f time outdoors, albeit mostly in the shade. The exception being my daily walks, down to the beach and back. Every day as I pass the cliff tops, I wonder about what I saw. What I thought I saw, I'm no longer as certain as I was.
***This afternoon, on an impulse, I decide to get closer to the edge again. The one thing that really puzzles me about the whole experience is the strange feeling I had when I got near. It was more than my usual fear of heights.
***To be careful, and because frankly I am scared as hell, I get down on my belly, (no comma) and inch forwards like a snake. I can hear the buzzing of all sorts of insects, and I'm sure I shall prove to be covered in midge bites later.
***Then I hear the whispering. To begin with (comma) it's indistinct words, (period not a comma) I can't hear what is being said, but there are many voices.
***Kit is barking frantically behind me. I turn, and as I do so, I trip over my own feet, (no comma) and go sprawling forwards. As I fall, I can feel thin fingers, feebly trying to hold onto me. I snap free of their grasp, (no comma) and lie sobbing on the grass. The suicidal urge has gone, just as abruptly as before.
***Somehow I realize I am rewatching the scene I saw during the storm, (no comma) but from a different angle.
***Frantically I crawl away from the cliff, and when I can get up, I run towards the path, yelling for Kit and Mott to come to me. Shakily, I make my way back home.
***I begin to become obsessed by with that cliff. I won't go near it again, but I want to know, what did I see? Who did I see? I begin my search in the local library. Local being a bus journey away from home here, but nonetheless closest. Not sure what I'm looking for, I ask if I can look through copies of the local paper. This is in the process of being converted to be put on the internet, but I'm shown an elderly microfiche machine, (no comma) and begin working my way through the films.
***On my second trip (comma) I find the first reference to the cliffs. A couple from Wrexham with some minor money troubles both flung themselves to their deaths. …
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