The 128-year-old man, A ghost story by Mongoose29

Tonight’s ghost story to enjoy is by Mongoose29. Remember to read something calming before bed…!

My name is Zack. I am 128. Now I know you’re thinking that’s impossible but it’s not and I will tell you how…

The loud fair music meant you couldn’t hear anything – even the cries coming from Zack. He was lost and was wandering towards the harbour… In the background, the music dimmed and you could only hear the sound of the calm waves receding onto the beach. Zack sat in a cold stone corner weeping when an old crackling voice came from behind him.
“What this matter?” the mysterious figure groaned. He obviously couldn’t speak properly.
“What this matter?” the man said again — louder this time. Zack looked up, tears running down his saddened face.
“I – I lost my family,” Zack stuttered.
“Come withit me,” the old wrinkled man said. “I can helpen you.”

Their feet crunched on the crumbling gravel path. The man was strange, Zack thought. He wore a long maroon robe with bright yellow stars on covering long  fingernails that had dirt concealed tightly under them. All of a sudden, the man stopped. A large green boat sat proudly in the water but it didn’t look real: it had a luminous ghostly effect; no sails; and a tall, thin, transparent man perched on the deck. Could it be a ghost ship? Zack would have to find out…

Slowly, the strange man held up his glowing lantern and pointed to the boat.
“Mis comes yup edry year,” he grumbled. “I b’live ghosts live thon sit,” he said. “I’ll help ye find tor parentes if ye clum on this with me.” Zack quickly agreed and they walked to where the boats were docked.

Carefully, the man clambered onto a small fishing boat that looked cracked and old.
“Get thon,” he beckoned to the boy so Zack climbed happily on. “Call I Fredrick,” the old man said joyfully.

Silently, the small boat glided towards the moon-lit ship as Fred chatted to Zack about the ghosts he believed lived on it. With force, the small boat collided against the ship, causing it to crack in two. Luckily, Fredrick and Zack had already taken hold of the ladder and climbed it to the top. Suddenly a booming voice echoed around the ship,
“GIVE ME YOUR SOULS NOW!”
In fear, Fredrick and Zack ran into the ship’s library.
“THERE IS NO ESCAPE!” the voice boomed again.

They froze as a pale white figure entered the room. Without making a sound, Fredrick and Zack crouched down desperate to hide.
“I SEE YOU!” the voice yelled in a taunting tone. “GIVE ME ALL YOUR SOULS!”

Slowly, the figure approached them and grabbed them both.
“I will make a deal with you,” the thing said quietly. “If one of you gives your soul, I will let the other go,” he whispered like before.
“Ith will,” Fredrick announced bravely.
“The deal has been made,” the voice said.
All of a sudden, Zack was back at the harbour — but he was alone. The boat was gone…

Many years later, Zack set out on a journey to find his old friend Fredrick. He had managed to find his family after the boat incident and he was determined to find Fredrick, or his soul and body, so he could bring him back to life. Zack ran down to the harbour; the ship was there! Quickly, he grabbed a small boat and set off towards the ship. The remains of the fishing boat still floated in the water and, on the ship, lay Fredrick’s skeleton…

Zack threw the old tattered skeleton onto the boat. All he had to do now was the destroy the ship and get Fredrick’s soul. The captain was asleep for Zack could hear his deep snores coming from the bedroom. Quietly, he snatched Fredrick’s soul off the shelf. Suddenly, he had the perfect idea: he would ram the boat into the harbour destroying the captain. When he reached the steering wheel, he turned it without thinking and took out a chunk of the boat.

Zack could hear the deep roar echoing around the boat again,
“WHO IS HERE?”
Zack rammed the boat again, breaking it in two but, at the same time, a cold, wet hand grabbed him and put his soul in a jar… Soon, Zack’s family found two skeletons and buried them in their garden. They were Zack’s and Fredrick’s.
120 years later, a young boy was playing football by the harbour and found two glass jars with bright blue glowing balls in them. He brought them home and, pretending it was magic, he played with them outside and accidentally dropped them. But he didn’t know one of the souls belonged to Fredrick and the other soul belonged to Zack. As well as that, the boy’s house was Zack’s old house where he and Fredrick had been buried.

Ready to be reunited with their bodies, the souls floated up in the air whilst the skeletons lifted up out of the ground. The blue glowing balls lowered into the bodies. Next, the skin started covering the skeletons like a machine building toys. Finally, Zack and Fredrick awoke, lying on the grass.

So that is my story of how I’m 128. At the moment, I live with Fredrick and the boy (Joe).