 Horror/Scary: October 28, 2020 Issue [#10430] |
This week: When Death Comes Calling Edited by: W.D.Wilcox  
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“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble.”
– From Shakespeare’s Macbeth
“I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that any weirdo wearing a mask is never friendly.”
– Elizabeth, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
“I’m a homicidal maniac, they look just like everyone else.”
– Wednesday, The Addams Family (1991)
“Do you believe in destiny? That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose? That the luckiest man who walks on this earth is the one who finds ... true love?”
– Dracula (1992)
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Trick-or-Treat or When Death Comes Calling
Before it became all about costumes and candy, Halloween was traditionally a time to commune with the dead, a night when spirits were free to roam the Earth. Historically, it's also been a day to die some strange or sudden death.
From fiery car crashes and magic tricks gone wrong, to alleged asphyxiation by art deco dildo, the following notables had some of the worst Halloween holidays ever.
River Phoenix: Died October 31, 1993
Phoenix, an actor who received acclaim for his roles in such films as Stand By Me and Running On Empty, was partying at The Viper Room club on Los Angeles' Sunset Strip when he collapsed on the sidewalk out front and began convulsing. He died at the scene, from an overdose of heroin and cocaine. He was 23. Actor Johnny Depp, who owned The Viper Room at the time, closed the club every year on Halloween until selling his share in 2004.
Harry Houdini: Died October 31, 1926
The famous magician and escape artist died of peritonitis, after sustaining a ruptured appendix. The injury was reportedly caused on October 20, 1926 by J. Gordon Whitehead, a student at McGill University in Canada, who hit Houdini in the abdomen several times to test his claim that he could withstand being hit anywhere above the waist without being hurt. Too bad he didn't give the magician a heads up before pummeling him. Houdini died eleven days later, on Halloween. He was 52.
Ramon Novarro: Died October 31, 1968
Novarro, known as the "Latin Lover," was a star of silent films, and rumored to have been a lover of Rudolph Valentino. He was murdered in his California home in the early morning hours of Halloween, by two brothers, Paul and Tom Ferguson, whom Novarro had hired for sex. Novarro was beaten and died of asphyxiation. He was 69. According to Kenneth Anger in his book Hollywood Babylon, Novarro had been choked with a black art deco dildo, allegedly a gift from Valentino, inscribed with his name in gold. This anecdote, although interesting, has never been proven true.
Anton LaVey: Died October 29, 1997
The founder of the Church of Satan didn't actually die on Halloween -- he died two days earlier, from pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs), at a Catholic hospital, of all places. But the date of LaVey's death was incorrectly listed as October 31 on his death certificate (this was allegedly done by Lavey's oldest daughter, Karla). An official examination by the City of Francisco determined the date had been amended illegally, and the death certificate was changed to reflect the correct date of LaVey's passing. He was 67.
Thank you for communing with the dead this Halloween. I think the Addams Family had the best idea for Halloween. Everyone would get a shovel and play 'Dig Up The Dead'. What family fun!!!
Until Next Time, Have A Spooktacular Halloween!
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They're Creepy and Their Spooky
Excerpt: Despite the growling behind the door, Marv smiled and knocked again. “Open up, Kat. We won’t bite.”
“Leave.” Her voice was faint, muffled by door and walls and snarls. “While you still can.”
Excerpt: This is a bad idea, nooo, this is good, really good. I need to get out of the house more. The doctor said. But, it’s Halloween! That’s okay, it’s okay, I’m a grown man, there is nothing to be afraid of. I have an overactive imagination, that's all. There is no such thing as ghosts, the boogeyman, or…
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Excerpt: It wasn’t the house that grabbed their attention though, but the three stone slabs that stood in its grounds. Each one of them looked weathered, discolored by age and moss. There was a stump of a tree off to the far side, much to substantial to have come from anything recently grown.
“What are they?” Amy’s voice was not much more than a whisper. “They look like gravestones.”
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Excerpt: Todd passed beyond them all to the main feature, the haunted house creaking to itself, waiting with ghostly attendants appearing and disappearing at will. Each had once been a Halloween visitor such as he. Their dreams, hopes and quest vanished. None had been traded well for their lost souls. They moaned their warnings, empty mouths become cavities threatening to swallow every thought of continuing onward, the boy might have.
Excerpt: What does the Devil look like? Where will you find him? No, he doesn't have a tail or horns. You could pass him on the street and not think twice. He's not handsome, he's not ugly. Well, not that ugly. He could be your neighbor, your boss, your politician. He could be anybody and be anywhere.
Excerpt: The moon had been out when he entered the cemetery, but a cloud bank had drifted over its face, deepening the night and bringing a cold wind with it.
Excerpt: On a Halloween night when lightening pressed its face against the dark horizon and thunder pounded at heaven's door, One-Eyed Billy snuck into the graveyard. |
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DEAD LETTERS
Question For Last Month/ What Scares You?
The Sun SmilesOn Small Valley 
My fears scare me a lot.
Advent Pumpkin 
To GaelicQueen: I was in an elevator that got stuck between floors! I didn't think they'd ever help us. The emergency button gets you the county 911 call. Finally, when two employees on board had missed their lunch hour, some guys forced the door open. We had to back out of the lower half and climb down a ladder. It was freaky going out butt first into a crowded watching lobby!
Redtowrite
To pumpkin-
I had a similar experience. I was alone and was stuck between floors in the hospital where I worked. They forced the door open and then I had to crawl out. It was so hot and scary while I was in there. The phone didn't work-thank goodness the emergency button did. This was in the old part of the hospital and they kept saying they were going to replace it. I guess enough "paying" customers had to complain. It was an employee elevator but others used it. I have hated elevators ever since.
MirandaCookies IS IN COLLEGE 
The dark (you never know what’s in it), loud noises, and my intrusive thoughts
bryanmchunter
In the past, what scared me was the rabbit who sold batteries on television. I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it was because I thought his sunglasses were two big black eyes and his nose was his mouth. Maybe it was his loud drumming. Maybe it was his advertising campaigns where he was being hunted down by villains or showed up when you least expected him to, during a commercial for a fictional product. I did warm up to him around 2006 and he is now one of my favorite advertising mascots, but similar to Chuckie Finster being afraid of the guy on the oatmeal box, I do plan to have Ryan McHiggins, the main protagonist of Toddlerhood be afraid of the rabbit who sells batteries on television as a reference to this childhood fear of mine.
Lynn Nichole
It sounds strange, but success scares me on some level. I face that fear every time I set out to do something big, which is usually what I'm doing. Failure and I are lifelong friends, so it's hard to fear that. XD
As for something more tangible, umm... Oh! Being placed in a small room with two or more exits and knowing that someone/something is coming to get me, and they will come through one of those exits. And someone/something appearing very suddenly right up in my face. I work myself into a tizzy over those two things. Seriously, you should see me playing "Five Nights at Freddy's;" that game stresses me out! 
Fyn-elf 
Spiders. I was bit once by a brown recluse and almost died. But it was a good thing - in the long run because on an archeological dig, I inadvertently got a shovel full of baby brown recluse dumped in my lap over a screen. I had spiders all over me. In seconds I was stark naked and screaming! That's the last thing I remember. I was picked up by helicopter and airlifted to the hospital! Drs told me that if I hadn't had the antibodies in my system from the first go-round, I'd have died for sure as I was bit over 150 times. Yeah, I. DO. NOT. LIKE. SPIDERS!
Thaddeus Buxton Winthrop
The Omen! When Damien, the little son of Satan smiles that devilish smile at the end. Goosebumps!!
I/we know Satan is always trying to trick, deceive, and lure us into evil. But since I’m older now, I pray a lot more. And the temptations seem to be minimal now.
Also, The Temptations the singing group reminds me, It was just my imagination, running away with me. 😉
Santeven Quokklaus
Regarding: "‘THIS OLE HOUSE’ " "Invalid Item"
Quick-Quill 
Stephen King, the master of suspense and horror can create with words a picture that will have you shaking and stiff with anticipation. Why? Because he taps into our fear that happens in our everyday lives. What if there was a prisoner on death row with a gift? What if school girls bully a quiet girl who has a secret gift she unleashes on the school? We've all been there in our dreams. Revenge, our freedom taken away, or our reality skewed by mental disorder. Let your mind go wild, you could be the next S. King or M. Knight Shaymalan
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