Written by William E. Spear
Published by The Three Fifty-seven
16 April 2024
His altar was the grave.
(Theme for THE GHOSTLY GROOM plays and goes under)
Hello . . . and welcome to the Three Fifty-seven.
My name is William Spear and this is our series titled THE GHOSTLY GROOM. It is inspired by, and interpreted from, Washington Irving’s THE SPECTRE BRIDEGROOM. It was published during the U.S. presidency of James Monroe. That’s 1819 for history fans.
Previously, Lenore Katzenellen’s fiancé suffered life-threatening wounds from an automobile accident. She and her father, the baron, and two aunts drove to the hospital and saw him heavily bandaged from head to shoulders to arms. Lenore held his hand and assured him he would get well for their wedding. The fiancé, Geoffrey Ochre, told her he was already a dead man. He wailed, “I died in the crash and the Wurtzburg cemetery is waiting for me. That is my only altar.”
Geoffrey’s doctor rushed her out of the room and she agreed to come back in the morning. Before she left, a police office from Wurtzburg approached her and expressed regrets. She thanked the officer and said everyone was focused on keeping Geoffrey calm.
“He is beyond calm,” said the officer. “His car and body were pulled from a ravine on Route Thirty-one near Wurtzburg. He was pronounced dead at the scene.”
And now Episode Three titled THE FRIGHTENED FAMILY.
(Theme for THE GHOSTLY GROOM plays and goes under)
The doctor rushed into Geoffrey’s room and staggered back with impossible news: Too late. He’s gone.
The aunts wept loudly. “So young,” said one. “So handsome,” cried the other.
Lenore refused to believe the doctor. She was just talking with Geoffrey. He couldn’t have died.
The doctor was rattled: “Not dead . . . gone. Disappeared. Vanished.”
The aunts gasped. “We have been with a ghost,” said one. “He might come back at any time,” cried the other.
They collapsed onto a sofa.
Lenore told her father to tend to the aunts and went into Geoffrey’s room. Aside from a few bandages, there was nothing left. Not a trace that he had ever been there.
She walked around looking for an explanation, anything, but found nothing. Still, something was missing. Beyond Geoffrey, something was gone that shouldn’t be.
Lenore’s father wanted to take the aunts home and call it a night. She agreed. The four gathered and left.
For the entire ride, the aunts speculated Geoffrey was an angry spirit or a phantom. “Possibly even a specter that might come back for you, Lenore,” chimed in her father. All three vowed twenty-four hour vigilance for the widowed bride-to-that-never-was.
“No ghost would stand a chance against my three defenders,” said Lenore referencing her family. The mood lightened.
They arrived home to a ringing telephone. One aunt picked it up and heard a man asking, “Is she there? I must talk to her.” She slammed it down saying it was Geoffrey’s ghost. For the aunts and the baron, their night of fear was growing and growing.
For Lenore, the puzzle was becoming more and more interesting.
Needing a space to think, she sent them into the kitchen to prepare a meal. Alone, Lenore analysed the evening. Geoffrey seemed so alive even if he had been heavily bandaged. He couldn’t be a ghost. But the Wurtzberg police identified his body in the crash.
A piercing shriek came from the kitchen followed by her father and two aunts running to Lenore. “He’s here,” they chorused. “Outside.” “Bandages!” WE SAW HIM!.”
Lenore demanded they take a deep breath. They refused. She insisted on a calming breath or she would march them into the kitchen. They breathed in so deeply the curtains drifted toward them.
To their horror, Lenore walked into the kitchen. “Come back,” they insisted. “What are you doing?” “Lenore!” “Dear Heaven, above, protect her!”
Silence like a funeral fell on them. Deafening, dreadful quiet. Shattered only by the clock in the hallway: tick-tick-tick-tick-tick . . .
“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!” screamed Lenore.
(Theme for THE GHOSTLY GROOM plays and goes under)
You have listened to Episode Three titled THE FRIGHTENED FAMILY.
Theme music is through the courtesy of Nicky.
William Spear wrote and narrated the series and it was produced by The Three Fifty-seven.
Thank you for your attention.
(Theme for THE GHOSTLY GROOM fades out)
WESJr
Clay Track Press 