Poor Mary's story (Haloween story competition)

To begin with, I'd like to say that I don't believe in anything that has to do with Haloween, mainly because Haloween isn't so famous in my country. However, scary, mysterious things always fascinated me so every year I celebrate Haloween with a few friends. So when I read about this Haloween story competition I just couldn't resist. Here's a story that my mother's cousic, who had lived to U.S for a long time told me last year, on Haloween.

Once upon a time, there was a very beautiful girl called Mary. Mary lived with her parents and her two older sisters. They weren't rich but her father worked really hard to provide his family with all the things they needed. But when Mary was 16 her father died. After a while her mother got sick. So then, Mary and her sisters had to work to earn some money for the family. Her mother was getting worse and worse. Not only was she sick but she got really mean, too. She used to yell at her daughters all the time, calling them lazy. She even threw things to them every time they approached her. Mary's older sisters soon got married and left the house, leaving her with their unbearable mother. Mary had to take care of the house and her mother by herself.

One day, Mary was sitting at the garden, crying after a big fight with her mother. Then a handsome, young man passed by and saw her.
"Hey! Young lady! Are you ok? Why are you crying?" he asked.
Mary raised her head and looked at him. She was amazed by his looks. She felt pretty embarrased, for she looked terrible in her old dress. But the man fell in love with her immediately,too. He approached Mary and introduced himself.
"I'm Noah. How can I help you?" he asked and touched her shoulder.
"I'm Mary. And I don't think you can help me, sir" answered the girl.
"I suppose a youngg man is the reason you cry?"he asked sadly.
"No! There's no man in my life! My mother is the reason I'm crying. She's really sick, sir and she las lost her mind. She makes me feel miserable but I can't abandon her." she said looking him straight in the eyes.
"Oh...I'm sorry...'' he said, looking down.
"WHERE ARE YOU AWFUL CREATURE? COME HERE NOW!'' a voice coming from the house.
Mary stand up immediately. Noah grabbed her hand.
"Will I see you again? Please?" he asked Mary.
"I can't..."
"Please! I beg you!" said Noah once again.
Mary thought for a second. What she should do? She really liked that man but she had to stay with her mother. She ran to the house, but before she entered she turned and looked at Noah.
"Meet me here, at midnight."

Later that night, after Mary had made sure her mother was sleeping, she sneaked out in order to meet Noah. When she got out she didn't see him and for a second she thought he had betrayed her. But then...there he was, standing on the pavement. She ran and stand towards him. He made the first move and touched her hand. Mary blushed and of course Noah noticed it.
That night they talked until late. When it was time for Mary to return, Noah hugged her and kissed her soft on the lips. They promised they would meet the next day at the same place.

Two months had passed since Noah and Mary met and fell in love. And they met evey day at the same place. Mary had told Noah the terrible situation she was in. He wanted to talk to her mother about their relationship. He loved her and he wanted to marry her. He couldn't stand seeing her that unhappy.

But then things changed. Noah had to leave for a while in order to help his father with a company he was going to set up in Italy.
So the last night they met said to her:
"Mary, you know I love you. I want you to come with me, if you want it, too."
"Oh my derarest...you know I love you,too and you know I'd love to come with you. Byt I can't leave her..." Mary said, crying.
"Why? Why you keep staying with her? She had been nothing but mean to you." Noah said.
"I know but there's no choice for me now." Mary answered sadly.
"Well, then I can't make you leave her. But I promise you I will come back in a few months. And then we'll get married and live happily. I promise you my love!" Noah said.
So they kissed for the last time and Noah left.
When Mary got back to the house, she found her mother sitting on the coach.
"You little...How dare you leaving me for a man? How dare you forget all the things I've done for you?" her mother said angrily. She had watched Mary that night and had found out about Noah.
Mary couldn't stand this anymore.
"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THIS? I DESTROYED MY LIFE FOR YOU. I ACTUALLY LEFT THE ONLY PERSON THAT REALLY CARED FOR ME GO AWAY! I'LL LEAVE YOU! YOU OLD DISGUSTING WITCH!'' Mary screamed.
"Hahaha...are you serious girl? You won't even survive if you leave this house..." her mother said calmly.
"Stop! Noah will come back and take me away of you! We'll live happily and leave you here, die alone as you deserve!" Mary answered.
"What!?!?! I curse you stupid girl! I curse you! You'll never find happiness or true love! Live the rest of you life miserably!'' the old woman said. Then suddenly she stopped breathing. So simply. She died. When Mary realised it she starting crying. Not only for her death but mainly mecause she was afraid of that awful curse...

Months passed and Mary hadn't heard of Noah. You see no one told her Noah was dead...His ship sank when he was returning from Italy to find Mary...

So Mary got old. All the neighbours knew her story and they were calling her "poor Mary" because she had no friend, neither family and she was going crazy.
Kids used to make fun at her, asking her to tell them her story. And Mary always finished it by saying:"And Noah will come soon. We'll get married and live happily!''

Then one day, on Haloween some kids decided to play a game on poor Mary. One of them, who was pretty tall for his age, found an old coat and wore it. He stand outside her house.
"Mary! Mary! I'm back! Where are you my love?" he asked loudly.
The rest of the children hid among some bushes and waited to see the old woman being humiliated...Mary opened the door and saw the tall figure. She burst into tears and made her way to him as fast as her old legs coud carry her.
She hugged the man, being unable to speak because of her tears. But then she looked at his face. She stepped back and said:"You're not Noah! YOU'RE NOT NOAH!"
Then the kids came out of their hideout. "Dumb poor Mary! Dumb poor Mary!" they sang and ran away.
Poor Mary kept on crying. She felt on her knees.
"Why are you doing this? What did I do to you?" she yelled. Then was the time she lost completely her mind. She stand up and started running.
"NOAH! NOAH! WHERE ARE YOU MY LOVE?" she was yelling and laughing hysterically. She reached the port and see a drank sailor.
"Have you seen my Noah? He left for Italy'' she said to him.
The sailor didn't answer. He just pointed at a ship that had left some minutes ago. Mary ran to the edge of the marina.
"You were right mother...Noah I'm coming!'' she said and fell to the deep dark sea. The next day her corpse was found...

A year later, Bary one of the boys that had played this fatal game on poor Mary was sitting in front of the T.V. He's was grounded so he wasn't allowed to go for "Trick-or-treat" that year. His parents had left the house as they had to drive his little sister to a party. He was really angry but suddenly he heard a knock on the window. He thought his friends had come to bring him some sweets as they had promised. He ran to the window and opened it. At first he didn't see anything. But when he watced closer he saw a shadow.
"Come on guys! It's not funny!" he said. But no one answered and no one appeared. He closed the window and turned around. Then he noticed some water on the floor. He kneeled to see it clearer.
"What the..." his sentence was left unfinished. He felt a cold hand on his shoulder. And that was the last thing he ever felt.
When his parents foulnd him and took him to the hospital, he was already dead. The doctors said he was drowned. Very strange indeed...But the parents had noticed some water on the floor and a piece of black, old fabric...

The rest of the children died one by one, every Haloween since then.
All by the same strange reason...


That was my story. That was Poor Mary's story. They say that no person that heard the story has survived. But that is just a story that someone made up to scare the children, right?

Oh wait a second! I'll be back soon to write the rest of the story. I think someone is knocking on my window...