Haunted Story From Manning Avenue

As we approach Halloween, I'm reminded of a story that was the talk all over the city of Woodbury last year... The stories that scare us most, are those that have a ring of truth, aren’t they?

This will sound like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, and it’s true!!!!!!

This story happened exactly one year ago in Woodbury. The supernatural Otherworld is usually never far away around Halloween in Woodbury.   

Woodbury Patch editor Kris Janisch was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night on Manning Avenue. Manning lies sleeping beneath a seemingly peaceful and beautiful landscape, just beyond our vision but ready to reveal itself when we least expect it, or when we unknowingly stir it to life…

The night was rolling on and no car went by. Kris was in the midst of a big storm, so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him. He began to think of this dark and winding journey to Valley Creek Road. 

All of a sudden it felt like the perfect location to be immersed in ghosts and banshees, especially this spooky time of year. 

Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped. Kris, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door...
only to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on.

The car started moving slowly. Kris looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to worry, terrified for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of nowhere through the window and turned the wheel. Kris, paralyzed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched nor harmed him.

Shortly thereafter Kris saw the lights of Carmine's appear down the road on Valley Creek Road, so, gathering strength, he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had.

A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realized he was pale as a ghost and that he wasn't drunk. He muttered he’d have ‘something posted tomorrow’ about the experience next day in the Patch.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and two other people rushed in from the dark and stormy night. They, like Kris, were also soaked from the rain, and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing Kris Janisch looking decidedly not his jolly self, one said to the other...

"Look Paddy... there's that silly eejit that jumped in the car while we were pushing it to the mechanic!"

Happy Halloween Week to all — do let the spooks and goblins scare you!