THE STRANDED MAID

THERE ONCE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS ON A TRIP THROUGH
THE COUNTRY IN HER CAR. IT WAS GETTING LATE, AND
THROUGH THE WINDOW SHE NOTICED THAT SHE HAD JUST PASSED
THE LAST FARMHOUSE FOR MILES. SUDDENLY, SOMETHING WENT
WRONG WITH HER CAR AND SHE COULDN'T GET IT TO START
AGAIN. THE NIGHT WAS GETTING DARKER AND SHE WAS
FRIGHTENED, SO SHE DECIDED TO GO UP TO THE FARMHOUSE
AND ASK IF SHE MIGHT SPEND THE NIGHT THERE. SHE WALKED
AND WALKED, AND FINALLY REACHED THE DOOR AND KNOCKED
ON IT. WHEN THE FARMER ANSWERED, SHE TOLD HIM WHAT HAD
HAPPENED, AND ASKED IF SHE MIGHT STAY. HE REPLIED THAT
SHE WAS WELCOME TO STAY IF SHE WANTED TO, BUT HE AND HIS
SON WERE THE ONLY ONES THERE, AND HIS SON WAS A MANIAC.
THE GIRL THOUGHT A MINUTE, BUT DECIDED THAT SHE HAD NO
OTHER CHOICE, AND SO SHE SAID THAT SHE DID NOT MIND.
THE FARMER PUT HER UP IN A DARK ATTIC BEDROOM, AND SHE
BEGAN TO GET READY FOR BED. THE CLOSED THE DOOR, WHILE
DOING SO, NOTICED THAT THERE WERE MANY, MANY LOCKS AND
BOLTS ON IT--EVEN DOUBLE AND TRIPLE BOLTS. REMEMBERING
WHAT THE FARMER HAD SAID ABOUT HIS SON, SHE WAS VERY
CAREFUL TO LOCK ALL OF THEM VERY TIGHTLY. SHE LOCKED THE
SINGLE LOCKS, THEN WENT TO THE DOUBLE ONES. THERE WAS
BOLT AFTER BOLT, AND IT TOOK A LONG WHILE, BUT FINALLY
THEY WERE ALL LOCKED. FEELING RELATIVELY SAFE NOW, THE
GIRL WALKED OVER TO THE WINDOW FOR SOME AIR. WHEN SHE
RAISED THE SHADE SHE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE JUST AS MANY
LOCKS AND BOLTS ON THE WINDOW AS SHE HAD SEEN ON THE
DOOR. RECALLING AGAIN THAT THE FARMER'S SON WAS A MANIAC,
SHE BEGAN TO LOCK THESE. IT TOOK A TREMENDOUSLY LONG
TIME TO LOCK THE WINDOW TIGHTLY, BUT AFTER AWHILE SHE
WAS FINALLY DONE WITH IT.
BY THIS TIME, SHE WAS QUITE TIRED, AND WAS READY FOR BED.
SHE CHANGED INTO HER NIGHTGOWN AND LAID DOWN ON THE BED
TO SLEEP. BUT IN ALL HER WORRIED EXCITEMENT SHE COULD
NOT SLEEP. AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE HOURS, SHE WAS ALARMED
BY WHAT SOUNDED LIKE FOOTSTEPS ON THE STAIRS. UP, UP, UP
THEY CAME. SLOWLY. HEAVY FOOTSTEPS. THEY STOPPED JUST
OUTSIDE OF HER DOOR. HER HEART BEAT SO LOUDLY IN HER
THROAT SHE FEARED WHOEVER IT WAS WOULD HEAR IT. AFTER
A LONG PAUSE THAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY, SHE HEARD A
LOCK BEING UNFASTENED. THEN ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER. THE
LOCKS AND BOLTS ON THE DOOR WERE BEING UNDONE! AND
THERE WAS NO PLACE TO HIDE! ONE BY ONE THEY WERE UNLATCHED
AND WHOEVER IT WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR WAS
GETTING CLOSER WITH EVERY ONE. NOT A SOUND COULD BE
HEARD EXCEPT THE BEATING OF THE GIRL'S HEART.
THE DOOR SLOWLY CREAKED OPEN, AND STANDING THERE WAS A
FIGURE OF THE MOST MONSTROUSLY HUGE MAN THE GIRL HAD EVER
SEEN. HE STOOD THERE FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN SLOWLY BEGAN
TO ENTER THE ROOM. THE GIRL WAS TOO FRIGHTENED TO
SCREAM, BUT WAS FROZEN RIGHT WHERE SHE WAS. "IT MUST BE
THE FARMER'S SON," SHE THOUGHT. "WHAT WILL I DO? HE'S
A MANIAC!"
THE MANIAC SON WALKED SLOWLY AND HEAVILY TO THE WINDOW.
HE THEN BEGAN UNDOING THE LOCKS ON IT. ONE BY ONE, AS
SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY AS HE HAD DONE WITH THOSE ON THE
DOOR. WHEN HE WAS FINISHED WITH THIS, HE OPENED THE
WINDOW AND TURNED TO FACE THE YOUNG GIRL LYING ON THE BED.
TERRIFIED, SHE BEGAN TO TREMBLE AS HE LUMBERED TOWARD
HER. HIS STEPS WERE SO SLOW AND HEAVY THAT SHE THOUGHT
SHE MIGHT DIE BEFORE HE GOT TO HER. BUT FINALLY HE
REACHED HER BEDSIDE AND LEANED OVER VERY CLOSE TO HER
FACE.
WITH A VOICE AS SLOW AND HEAVY AS HIS FOOTSTEPS AND VERY
DEEP, HE BEGAN TO SAY SOMETHING TO HER. HE HELD UP THE
FINGERS ON HIS HAND ONE AT A TIME, WHILE SAYING, ALMOST
CHANTING, "I CAN DO SOMETHING WITH ONE FINGER. I CAN DO
SOMETHING WITH TWO FINGERS. I CAN DO SOMETHING WITH THREE
FINGERS. I CAN DO SOMETHING WITH FOUR FINGERS. I CAN DO
SOMETHING WITH FIVE FINGERS!"
"WHAT?" ASKED THE GIRL FINALLY. "THIS!" AND WITH THAT
THE MANIAC SON RAISED HIS FINGERS TO HIS LIPS AND WIGGLED
THEM ON HIS LIPS WHILE MAKING "MANIAC" SOUNDS.

Submitter comment: THIS STORY IS MOST EFFECTIVE WITH THE TELLER TAKING THE
PART OF THE MANIAC SON. WITHOUT REALLY DESCRIBING WHAT
THE SON DOES, HE HIMSELF MAKES THIS GESTURE, AND WITH
THAT ENDS THE STORY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: NOT GIVEN