Southern Justice

January 2021

The live oaks seemed to shiver in the damp January air. It was a raw day, suitable for sitting in front of the television, curled up under a blanket, eating hearty homemade soup and bread. Instead, the night would be filled with the flashing lights of fire and police, investigators asking a multitude of questions, and many people standing by wondering just what on earth had happened. The biggest question passed among on lookers was how? And who could have done this to such a gentle soul? Unfortunately, the answers did not come that night. 

The story that is running through my mind is one based on actual events. In mid January 2021, a friend to many was taken from this earth much to soon. I am hesitant to write it. Not only is it very outside of my comfort zone, but it feels somehow wrong to create a work of fiction over this mystery. The questions surrounding his death have never been answered, and the ruling provided by the police just does not fit what several of us witnessed and heard on the scene that night. 

The fact remains though, that a good person was killed. A person who had a happy impact on numerous lives and did the best he could what what he had. As crazy as this sounds, this person is sitting in a corner in my mind, telling me to write. Don't let people forget him. Even if it is a fictional story, where we can serve up justice, just write. Bring him back to life forever in the pages of a book, so that he may rest knowing he will never be forgotten. 

I will say that seeing faint impressions of M
passing by the window at work, or standing in the store can be a bit unnerving. My boss has said she has seen him in her car, as she is driving to and from work. I guess he just wants to say howdy, and swings by to see folks he liked. We have known there is a ghost (or a dozen or so) at my job. Shoot, my first night shift I heard someone call my name. Problem was, I was completely alone in the store at the time. My second shift, the ghost decided to move the top off our fountain drink dispenser, and toss it on the floor. No mean feat there, that lid fits pretty snuggly on top of the machine. Recently, the ghost, whom we call George, decided that pushing hot dogs off of the hot dog roller was a great joke. I stood one morning and watched it happen. Now, you could write that off to a glitch in the machine or the product on the machine, but when I witnessed the hot dog come up from the rollers, turn lengthwise, and be pushed off the machine faster than the rollers were going? I have to give the credit to George. Funny thing is, that stopped after I scolded him and said not to waste food like that. 

A view from the grounds

Other coworkers have talked of having things thrown at them, hearing things, and just general chaos at different times through the years. One night, another coworker (who is no longer employed there) and I witnessed a shadow form follow the owner's husband across the back of the store as he headed towards the cooler. The shadow figure turned at one point, and walked back towards the office, away from the person it was tagging along behind. The coworker, nicknamed Cinnamon, and I looked at each other, asked "Did you see that?" at the same time, and stood there with our jaws open. That was just one time we saw something like that- there have been several others. In fact, Cinnamon needed to be rescued from the cooler, as the door had shut behind him and would NOT open. He pushed on the release handle, pushed on the door, and yelled at George that this was NOT FUNNY, and to let him the hell out. At this point, I was on the outside of the door pulling the handle. After Cinnamon yelled at George, the door popped and opened. Weirdest thing, as the cooler door is not overly heavy, does not stick, and the releases all function smoothly. Go figure- we have a ghost with a warped sense of humor.

The stories from inside the park and store itself could fill a paranormal book. Heck its liable to create a whole series. The setting is perfect- the land was a fort back in the civil war, battles were waged near by, and the entire area is steeped in history. There are old growth live oak trees draped in Spanish Moss, access to the river, and gators that prowl the banks. It practically begs to be used in a ghost story or a murder mystery. The types of hauntings present would be a paranormal investigators field day, and they could probably spend months out in the area gathering proof. Everything from residual haunting to shadow figures, to ghosts who act with a purpose and interact with the people there, we have it. 

Now you're sitting there, thinking the head injury has sent Mrs Mom off her rocker, talking about ghosts and talking to spirits and such. Could very well be, I wasn't firmly planted on that rocker to begin with. Fact remains though, there are more things on heaven and earth than you or I have dreamt of, Horatio. If nothing else, this next project will surely lead down some crazy pathways. Maybe it will be a fun one. Have to stick around and see.

Ever Forward-
S~