The Ghost Child of Dead Oak Creek page 1

 The Ghost Child of Dead Oak Creek

A Halloween Story

Page 1.

With the holidays just around the corner and Halloween less than a week away ten year old Penny James still hadn't decided on her costume just yet and she flatly refused for the third time to go as a chicken suggested by her older brother Mark. Living on a cattle ranch in Montana Penny's nearest neighbors were miles away meaning holidays like Halloween were held in town at the High School gym. With a population of less than a thousand and most of those were ranchers, cowboys and God loving folks there wasn't anything anyone didn't know about you even before it even happened. Penny still got teased about last years costume after Mark dressed her up as a two headed woodchuck convincing her she could carry two trick or treat bags meaning twice the candy? Mark continued to poke fun at his sister suggesting a three headed porcupine would be more appealing this year if she didn't want to be a chicken? Penny had heard enough taking refuge in her room and spoke to Nelly the families five year old Golden Retriever who always listened quietly and never interrupted because she was always polite.

Penny made a frown at Marks picture on her dresser telling herself she would never allow her brother anywhere near the costume of her choosing. I'm old enough to decide for myself she thought while still feeling the embarrassment from last year's costume. Nelly seemed to understand and remembered the two headed woodchuck from last year even-though it frightened her a little at first but she always knew it was Penny behind of those two heads. So what would it be this time Nelly girl, a Ghost, a Zombie, a Wicket Witch or the Montana Prairie Princess? That evening after dinner Penny asked her mother if she would help her with her costume prompting Mark to immediately offer to help with a huge grim across his face. Penny couldn't recall seeing anyone at last years Halloween party dressed as the Prairie Princess and Nelly could go as her trusted steed on a leash of course. Mark was the first to say, “No way”, reminding Penny of their towns early history and the legend of Dead Oak Creek. When Montana was still a territory only the brave and the fearless dared to settle where the town now stood but the story of a missing gold miners daughter and the tragic death of her father still had the locals talking to this day. In those early times children were a blessing with so many succumbing to disease and other hardships of everyday life and living on the trail. Jacob Davis was a miner from California who moved to Montana just after the gold ran out in the golden state. He traveled with his wife and their adventurous daughter Jenny but somewhere between here and there life got worse for Jacob Davis.  His wife of twelve years and mother of his child stopped loving and caring about anything that meant something good.

Just before winter set in she ran off with a fancy Buffalo soldier on one very cold and lonely night leaving them both he and Jenny to fend for themselves? They nearly starved to death until Davis discovered gold in a nearby creek with some nuggets the size of pigeon eggs making him instantly rich. Davis kept the find a secret and never told anyone especially Jenny fearing it would only bring them real trouble as if they hadn't had enough. Even as the gold piled up Davis kept it hidden and continued to live in the same old shack he started from even when the town began to grow all around them. Children back then enjoyed Halloween just as much as they do today but without all the extra sugar, chips and sodas? Back then apples were prized as well as nuts and even books if you could read. What few kids were around painted their faces with white grease paint and mud, made hats out of twigs and tree bark and even wore long braided wigs and beards woven from wild prairie flowers of all shapes and sizes.  Just at sunset on that Halloween night it became deadly cold in the hills of Montana having snowed six inches when Jenny stepped out into that dark October night. With a flour sack across her shoulder to hold any treats and a face smeared with red clay and blue flowers stuck to it she declared herself Montana's first Lady Prairie Princess and disappeared into the darkness. Sadly the few children in town were kept indoors that night leaving Jenny on her own on this night of all saints eve. Hours past and Jenny was no were to be found having never returned to her fathers rickety sack. The whole town formed a search party and discovered just one set to footprints leading to an old oak tree just outside of town. It was Jenny's footprints for sure and they stopped directly in front of the tree that had been dead for years as it towered over the banks of a rocky creek below. It was almost at the exact spot where Davis had made his discovery and it was that fact that may have haunted him to death?. Jenny had never been found along with most of her fathers hidden gold as wild rumors told of ther second disappearance of Jacob Davis who became mad with grief over the loss of his daughter. He too had ever been found causing most of the town folk to fear the towering oak adding to the mystery?